仁王護國般若經疏 3.5

3.5

From "At that time the great king again arose, made obeisance" onwards is the second part, the detailed explanation through questions and answers. The text has two parts: first the questions, then the answers. The first section has two parts: first, clarifying the paying of respect; from "said to the Buddha" onwards, second, formally asking the question. Within the question there are two: first, asking about protecting the fruit; second, asking about protecting the causes. From "The Buddha said: A bodhisattva transforming the four kinds of birth" onwards is the second part, the Buddha's answer. The text broadly divides into three: first, this chapter clarifies the practice of benefiting oneself, answering the first question; next, the "Chapter on Transformation" clarifies the practice of benefiting others, answering the second question; finally, the "Chapter on the Two Truths" clarifies that on which the two protections rely. Regarding the answer to the first question, the text has two parts: first, formally explaining the contemplation of emptiness; later, from "When the Buddha expounded the Dharma" onwards, the assembly of the time obtaining benefit. The first section has two parts: first, formally explaining; later, summarizing. Within the explanation are two: first, setting forth the gist and formally explaining; later, re-explaining through questions and answers. The first text has two: first, the formal explanation; second, concluding the practice. The first again has two: first, the objective realm to be transformed; second, the wisdom capable of transforming. First, "four kinds of birth" refers to the objective realm to be transformed. Heavenly beings and hell-dwellers are born through transformation; ghosts have two kinds of birth, from the womb and through transformation; as for animals, birds and dragons encompass all four kinds of birth; among humans there are also four kinds. At that time humans were born from the womb; the sons of Viśākhā were born from thirty-two eggs; the monks Great Mountain and Small Mountain were born from crane eggs; the courtesan Āmrapālī was born from moisture. At the beginning of the kalpa, all humans were born through transformation, and so forth. From "does not contemplate form as suchness" onwards, second, clarifies the wisdom capable of transforming. The text has three parts: first, in terms of dharmas; second, explanation; third, conclusion. First, in terms of five dharmas: first, the five aggregates; second, sentient beings; third, the fruit of buddhahood; fourth, the bodhisattva; fifth, the true and the deluded. The five aggregates are what is relied upon; sentient beings are what relies. The Buddha is the fruit; the bodhisattva is the cause. The five aggregates and sentient beings are deluded; the Buddha and bodhisattvas are true. Now, first, the five aggregates are existent, and suchness is empty: if one sees form and sees suchness, one cannot avoid [the views of] annihilation and permanence—suchness is annihilation, while form is permanence. If one contemplates the cessation of form and only then [finds] suchness, this is the view of the Tripiṭaka [teaching]. If one realizes that form is itself suchness, this is the view of the shared [teaching]. If suchness is itself form, this is the view of the distinctive [teaching]. If one knows that all dharmatā is truly empty and without arising or ceasing, identical with the limit of reality, equal to the nature of phenomena, without duality and without distinction, this is the view of the perfect [teaching]. Now, saying "does not contemplate form as suchness" and so forth is the view of the perfect [teaching]. "Sentient beings, self, and person as suchness": the five aggregates arising together in assembly is called "sentient beings"; "self" means grasping the internal five aggregates as the conventionally designated person. "Permanence, bliss, self, and purity as suchness": the previous five aggregates and sentient beings are inverted dharmas, not permanent, blissful, self, or pure; now the fruit of buddhahood attains non-inverted dharmas, which are permanent, blissful, self, and pure. Though there are differences according to the exhaustion of afflictions, their nature is ever without distinction, like ice and water; hence it is called "suchness". From "one who knows, one who sees, and one who possesses life-span" onwards clarifies the bodhisattva. There are three: first, the stages; second, the persons; third, the practices. Regarding the stages, the ten faiths are called "knowing"; the ten understandings and ten practices are called "seeing"; from the [ten] dedications up to the bhūmis is called "one who possesses life-span"; although there are three distinctions, they are of a single suchness. "Bodhisattva as suchness" is, second, clarifying the suchness of the person. From "the six perfections" onwards is, third, clarifying the suchness of the practice.