金剛般若疏 4.2.4

4.2.4

Now it is explained that this text comes forward due to two intentions: First, proximate: from above up to this point, there are altogether three places exhorting the cultivation of non-abiding and the abandoning of the meaning of abiding; not knowing what fault abiding has and what gain non-abiding has, why are we exhorted to cultivate non-abiding and abandon abiding? Therefore, here at the end, their gains and faults are explained. If the mind has apprehension, it is like having no light outside and having darkness inside, and thus one does not see the correct path; if the mind has nothing upon which it abides, it is like having light outside and having eyes inside, being able to see the correct path. Because of these gains and faults, there are the three exhortations above. Relying on the teaching of non-abiding is like having light outside; attaining the contemplative understanding of having nothing upon which to abide is like having eyes inside; such a person sees the correct path. The fault of having an abiding can be understood by reversing this. According to the treatise's origination, it says: "Tathatā is in all places and at all times constantly present"; why is it that sentient beings sometimes attain tathatā and sometimes do not attain tathatā? The treatise master says: "Tathatā is precisely buddha-nature; all sentient beings, ordinary and noble, possess buddha-nature; why do the noble see it while the ordinary do not see it?" It is then explained using the sūtra text. Although a form is constantly present, if there is light outside and eyes inside, it is seen; without these inside and outside, it is not seen. Although there is constantly tathatā and buddha-nature, if the mind has nothing upon which it abides, it is seen; if it has an abiding, it is not seen. The words revealing the nature find their substance in this. Now it is explained that taking this meaning also does not err regarding the doctrine. The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: "It is called either tathatā, or dharmatā, dharmadhātu, or nirvāṇa." It is only with reference to sentient beings' awakening and delusion that there are attainment and non-attainment; coming to the ultimate discourse on buddha-nature and nirvāṇa, there has never been any gain or loss, concealment or manifestation. Question: The treatise specifically explains seeing tathatā and not seeing tathatā, which seems to lack sequence, making this text arise in isolation. Answer: This text directly follows from the preceding gains and faults of dāna; therefore, dāna with abiding does not see tathatā, while dāna without abiding directly sees tathatā, so it does not lack sequence. It is only that commentators on the treatise do not see its proximate [connection], and thus say it arises in isolation as the section revealing the nature. Although sūtra lecturers see the gains and faults of the two dānas in the proximate text, they fail to see that from the gains and faults of dāna, it distantly clarifies that all possess buddha-nature, and that because of having upāya or lacking upāya, there is the difference of seeing or not seeing. If one takes both the proximate and distant meanings, then both sūtra and treatise are fulfilled. From "Subhūti! If in future times" onward: that this single section comes forward also fulfills the preceding meaning of abandoning the fault and following the gain. If a bodhisattva abandons the fault and follows the gain, they must accept, uphold, read, and recite prajñā. Question: In the section on faith and acceptance, it has already been explained that if one produces a single thought of pure faith, one is known and seen by the Buddha's wisdom and attains immeasurable merit; why is it now restated that one is known and seen by the Buddha's wisdom and attains immeasurable merit? Answer: In this Prajñā Sūtra, there are three gateways explaining merit: first, the gateway of one's own faith; second, the gateway of oneself accepting, upholding, reading, and reciting, and again explaining it for others; third, the gateway of solely oneself accepting, upholding, reading, and reciting. The initial explanation that a single thought of faith is known and seen by the Buddha's wisdom and attains immeasurable merit is the merit explained in the gateway of one's own faith. From the dāna of the three thousand [worlds' worth of] seven treasures up to the dāna of one's body and life [countless as] the sands of the Gaṅgā, this is the merit explained in the gateway of one's own practice and transforming others. Now, this section explains the merit of the gateway of one's own practice in accepting, upholding, reading, and reciting; therefore, it is not a restatement. These three gateways encompass all the explanations of merit in the Prajñā Sūtra. From "the initial part of the day" onward, is secondly the comparative assessment of the merit of relinquishing the body at the three times, which has two parts: first, explaining the comparative assessment; second, praising and exhorting cultivation. Within the comparative assessment there are two parts: first, directly adducing the relinquishing of the body; second, the comparative assessment. As for differing from the earlier relinquishing of the body, there are two meanings: first, the generosity is great, meaning relinquishing the body three times a day, which refers to the initial part of the day, the middle part of the day, and the latter part of the day, not taking three days as three parts. Second, the duration of time is long, meaning constantly practicing the matter of relinquishing the body for immeasurable thousands of myriads of koṭis of kalpas. Next, comparatively assessing prajñā, it directly explains that if one has faithful mind without opposition, one's blessing already surpasses that, so how much more so if one personally accepts, upholds, reads, recites, and explains it for others? This means the comparative assessment turns even higher and the blessing of prajñā becomes even weightier. Moreover, the reason this text comes forward is that in the preceding section on faith and acceptance, it only directly explained that faithful mind is known and seen by the Buddha and attains immeasurable merit, but had not yet comparatively assessed whether the merit of faithful mind is little or much; now, wishing to comparatively assess whether the merit of faithful mind is little or much, this text comes forward. Question: Why is it necessary to comparatively assess the merit of faithful mind? Answer: Since there are three gateways explaining merit, there are three gateways explaining comparative assessment. Above, the gateway of merit for one's own practice and transforming others has already been comparatively assessed in three places—namely, the three-thousand dāna, the Gaṅgā-sands dāna, and the relinquishing-body dāna, which are all the gateway of one's own practice and transforming others—but the gateway of faithful mind had not yet been comparatively assessed; therefore, it is now explained. Question: Why does the comparative assessment of the merit of the gateway of one's own faith surpass the aforementioned practice of one's own practice and transforming others? Answer: Since the merit of the gateway of one's own faith in the comparative assessment is already so great, that of one's own practice and transforming others is immeasurable; therefore, the present text says: "If with a faithful mind one does not oppose it, their blessing surpasses that; how much more so accepting, upholding, reading, reciting, and explaining it for others?" Thus, this text comes forward with a profound purport; those who wish to lecture and recite it should rely on this intention. From "Subhūti! In brief" onward is secondly praising and exhorting cultivation. The text is divided into four: first, praising the Dharma; second, praising the person; third, repeatedly praising the Dharma; fourth, repeatedly praising the person. Now, the first is praising the Dharma. After the previous comparative assessment was completed, there was praise; now that this comparative assessment is completed, there is also praise. From "The Tathāgata speaks this for those who set out in the Great Vehicle" onward is secondly praising the person. Question: What is the difference between the Great Vehicle and the Supreme Vehicle? Answer: Speaking generally, they are not different; these are various praises. Distinguishing them: "great" contains the meaning of broad and vast; "supreme" is taken in the sense of lofty and peerless, surpassing the two vehicles; "broad and vast" and so forth are precisely the meaning of attainment; surpassing the two vehicles is the meaning of departure. Furthermore, "great" is the meaning of its beginning, based on people of shallow practice; "supreme" is the meaning of its end, based on people of deep practice. As for "the Tathāgata fully knows these people": Question: Since knowing and seeing have already been explained above in two places, now that it is explained again, what is the difference? The explanation says: first was knowing and seeing the merit of one's own faith; next was knowing and seeing the merit of oneself accepting, upholding, reading, and reciting; now it is knowing and seeing the merit attained by accepting, upholding, and again explaining it for others; therefore, the three knowings and seeings are different. "If there are those who take delight in lesser dharmas": this explains adducing faults to reveal gains; in praising, two types of persons are adduced here. "Those who take delight in lesser dharmas" are the Hīnayāna. "Those attached to the view of self" are the non-Buddhists. These two persons are unable to listen and receive.