金剛經纂要刊定記 1.112

1.112

將欲製疏，恐未上符下合，故歸請也。意云：《法華經》說：「假使滿世間，皆如舍利弗，盡思共度量，不能測佛智。」聖智尚難圖度，凡心豈可測量。由是祈請加護冀無紕繆。於中前三句歸敬三寶，後一句祈願利生。初二字能歸至誠。稽者稽也。首即頭也。《尚書》云：「稽首拜手」，注云：「稽首，謂首至地也。拜手，首至手也。今則屈頭至地稽留少時，表敬之甚也。」又禮有三種，謂下揖、中跪、上稽首。今則上禮表無慢心。然能歸之人必具三業，表佛有天眼、天耳、他心知故。謂以身業歸，表佛有天眼見。以口業歸，表佛有天耳聞。以意業歸，表佛有他心知。又圓滿三業善故，成就三輪因故。以未歸三寶之前，三業悉皆不善，今歸三寶故，三業皆善也。三輪者，謂神通輪、記心輪、教誡輪。因中身業歸，果獲神通輪。因中口業歸，果獲教誡輪。因中意業歸，果獲記心輪。據此即三業是因、三輪是果。三輪之因，依主釋也。今言稽首即當身業，但舉身業餘者自具。謂稱三寶名，及述所為事，即口業也。心不虔誠寧肯歸禮，即意業也。

Being about to compose the commentary, fearing that it might not accord above and harmonize below, he therefore takes refuge and supplicates. The meaning is: the Lotus Sūtra says, "Even if the entire world were full of beings like Śāriputra, exhaustively using their thoughts together to measure it, they could not fathom the Buddha's wisdom." If sage wisdom is difficult to calculate, how could an ordinary mind measure it? For this reason he prays for protective empowerment, hoping to be free of errors. Therein, the first three lines pay refuge and homage to the Three Jewels, and the final line expresses the prayer to benefit living beings. The first two characters express the utmost sincerity of the one who takes refuge. Qishou (kowtow) means bending the head. "Shou" is the head. The Book of Documents says: "He kowtowed and bowed to his hands." The commentary says: "Kowtowing means the head reaches the ground. Bowing to hands means the head reaches the hands. Now, bending the head to the ground and lingering for a short time expresses the utmost reverence." Furthermore, there are three kinds of salutation: the lower is making a bow with hands clasped (yi); the middle is kneeling; the upper is kowtowing with head to the ground. Now, using the upper salutation expresses the absence of pride. Furthermore, the person capable of taking refuge must be endowed with the three karmas, symbolizing that the Buddha possesses the divine eye, divine ear, and knowledge of others' minds. Taking refuge through bodily karma symbolizes that the Buddha sees with the divine eye. Taking refuge through verbal karma symbolizes that the Buddha hears with the divine ear. Taking refuge through mental karma symbolizes that the Buddha knows with the knowledge of others' minds. Furthermore, it completely fulfills the goodness of the three karmas, bringing about the causes of the three wheels. Prior to taking refuge in the Three Jewels, all three karmas were unwholesome; now, taking refuge in the Three Jewels, all three karmas become wholesome. The three wheels are the wheel of supernormal powers, the wheel of reading minds, and the wheel of instruction. In the causal stage, taking refuge through bodily karma results in the fruit of the wheel of supernormal powers. In the causal stage, taking refuge through verbal karma results in the fruit of the wheel of instruction. In the causal stage, taking refuge through mental karma results in the fruit of the wheel of reading minds. Based on this, the three karmas are the causes, and the three wheels are the fruit. "The cause of the three wheels" is a tatpuruṣa compound. Now, saying "kowtow with head to the ground" corresponds to bodily karma; merely mentioning bodily karma, the others are naturally included. That is, praising the names of the Three Jewels and narrating the task undertaken is verbal karma. If the mind were not devout and sincere, how could one be willing to take refuge and pay homage?—this is mental karma.