仁王般若經疏 3.120

3.120

From "Good sons! From the patience of practice..." onward is the second section, which calculates and reveals the excellence, showing the bounds of practice. The text has six clauses: 1. differentiating the cause as distinct from the fruit; 2. revealing the fruit as distinct from the cause; 3. explaining why the cause is distinct from the fruit; 4. explaining why the fruit is distinct from the cause; 5. concluding that the cause is distinct from the fruit; 6. concluding that the fruit is distinct from the cause. First, as for differentiating the cause as distinct from the fruit: where it says that from the patience of practice up to the crowning [stage] is all called "subduing," this is because from the patience of practice up to the vajra[-like contemplation], before the original primal thought-moment is eliminated, a single kṣaṇa of affliction remains; speaking comprehensively, it is therefore termed "subduing." Furthermore, contrasting cause with fruit, the mind internally retains affliction and is not utterly free of it; thus it says "subduing." Where the text says "without marks of saṃjñā extinguishing all [afflictions]," those in the stage of the patience of faith from the first to the third bhūmi also illumine the supreme truth. Where it says "it is not termed seeing," it is because their seeing of the nature is not yet clear. Another explanation: "not termed seeing" means that in the causal stages of the ten bhūmis, one does not see the fruit nature; hence it is called "not seeing." The Nirvāṇa Sūtra says: "The bodhisattvas of the ten bhūmis see unclearly, whereas the Buddha ground sees [it] from beginning to end." Second, revealing the fruit as distinct from the cause: where it says "what is called seeing is sarvajñā, therefore I say that it is known, seen, and realized only by the Buddha," this reveals that the Buddha fruit sees the nature distinctly. Third, explaining why the cause is distinct from the fruit: where the text says "from the crowning samādhi on down to the patience of practice, that which cannot be known, seen, or realized," this refers to the vajra samādhi of the tenth bhūmi. "Patience of practice" refers to the thirty minds. "That which is not known, not seen, not realized" is because these are causal stages and thus do not see the buddhadhātu. Fourth, explaining why the fruit is distinct from the cause: where the text says "the Buddha alone has sudden awakening, it is not termed faith," "sudden awakening" means that the myriad practices are fully perfected and the Buddha illumines the principle exhaustively, hence it is termed "sudden." Fifth, concluding that the cause is distinct from the fruit: where it says "gradually subduing," and "although wisdom arises and ceases," this clarifies that the causal path is impermanent. Where it says "because of being able to be free from arising and ceasing," this clarifies that one can extinguish those afflictions of arising and ceasing. Another explanation: if one knows cause and non-cause, and knows arising and non-arising, it therefore says "because of being able to be free from arising and ceasing." Sixth, within concluding that the fruit is distinct from the cause, there is first the exposition in terms of Dharma, next the exposition by analogy, and finally the application. First, regarding "this mind": it is the mind of the ground of abiding in ignorance. Where it says "if it is extinguished," it means the ground of abiding in ignorance is extinguished, clarifying that the causal path transcends arising and ceasing. Where it says "then of burdens none is not extinguished," this clarifies that beyond burdens, the hindrances are cleared away. Where it says "without arising and without ceasing," this refers to ultimate purity. Illumining principle to its ultimate source, it is therefore called "the samādhi of exhausting principle." Where it says "identical with the true limit," it means equally converging with aprāptitva. "Equal to the nature of phenomena" means knowing that phenomena are non-dual. "Yet unable to equal the unequalled" means not yet being identical with the Buddha.