金剛般若經贊述 1.255

1.255

Crushing the world into dust has two metaphors. First, the superior metaphor, meaning that by receiving and upholding a little, much merit is produced: the world is a metaphor for upholding a little; crushing it into dust is a metaphor for generating much merit. Second, the inferior metaphor: just as material giving is a cause of much defilement, meaning that because the recipient of the gift engages in various disputes on account of it, the world is a metaphor for material giving, and crushing it into dust is a metaphor for generating and growing defilements. Since the world serves as the cause of dust, material giving also serves as a defiled cause. The meaning here is: although upholding the Dharma is small, it produces immense merit; although material giving is abundant, it only increases defilements; hence it is said that although material giving is abundant, it does not equal receiving and upholding a single four-line verse. Therefore, he poses the question based on this meaning.