金剛經纂要刊定記 3.82

3.82

In the Commentary, regarding "7. Establishing the name": "meaning by..." and below is the explanation. It means establishing the name "vajra" with reference to three kinds of phenomena: 1. Naming it vajra with reference to the essence and function of prajñā; this is like the vajra being hard and sharp. 2. Naming it vajra with reference to the breadth and narrowness of the stages; this is like the shape of a vajra pestle. Because practice based on faith lasts one asaṃkhyeya [kalpa], the pure mind is only a single kṣaṇa, and the Buddha stage lasts two asaṃkhyeya [kalpas], it is like the vajra pestle being broad at the beginning and end and narrow in the middle. 3. Naming it vajra with reference to the written words; this is like a drawn image. Because the sūtra text explaining the stage of practice based on faith takes over seven sheets of paper, the Buddha stage takes over three sheets of text, and the stage of the pure mind takes five lines of sūtra text, like that drawn image it is also broad at the beginning and end and narrow in the middle. Furthermore, these three are successively accomplished in both the tenor and the vehicle of the metaphor. In the metaphor, fundamentally it is the hard and sharp vajra; through fabrication it forms the pestle, and through painting it forms the image. In the tenor, fundamentally it is prajñā of essence and function; through cultivation it forms the stages, and through explanation it forms the written words. Furthermore, among each of the three items of the tenor and vehicle, one item is real and the remaining two are conventional. In the metaphor, the hard and sharp vajra is real, while the pestle shape and the drawn image are conventional. In the tenor, prajñā of essence and function is real, while the stages and written words are conventional. Because the beginnings and ends of these three items resemble one another, the name "vajra" is established. However, the first is the Buddha's original intention, while the other two are the intentions of the bodhisattva and past masters.