法華玄義釋籤 3.60

3.60

Next, the refutation from 'present and past' below has three parts: first, he adduces what is difficult to illustrate what is easy; next, from 'the essence of the cause' below, he directly refutes; thirdly, from 'he makes' below, he concludes the force of the objection. In the first text, 'the South' refers to the Southern Dynasties, that is, Jiangdong. Formerly it was generally called the Southern Dynasties, and later divided into two circuits; hence it is called Jiangdong. 'Inheriting Sengzhao and Kumārajīva' is simply an expedient turn of phrase. The four masters of the Pass were Daosheng, Sengzhao, Sengrong, and Sengrui. Later people inherited and employed the doctrines of these four masters, so people of the time said, 'Daosheng and Sengzhao revealed the heavenly reality.' If regarded from the present perspective, they mostly conform to the Common Teaching and are not necessarily completely [correct]; thus he says 'mostly conform'. 'Conform' means come near to. Guangzhai also came near to Sengzhao and Kumārajīva; hence he says, 'How could he be distant?' People of that time considered Guangzhai to have grasped the purport, so he humbles it by saying it is not distant; by first refuting the difficulty of having grasped the purport, the rest will easily open up. Next, in the direct refutation are two: first cause, next effect. In the cause are three tiers, namely essence, station, and function, each of which is challenged with the four unities. In the first refutation of the essence of the cause, he first generally reproves Guangzhai: his past statement was vague and rambling, yet he again broadly grants it, and therefore says 'acceptable'. From 'Why?' below is the direct refutation, which has three parts: first, adducing that the past had the four unities; next, adducing that the present lacks the four unities; third, concluding the objection. In the first, the past, are two: first listing, next concluding. In the first text, the prajñā adduces the vehicle, and the vehicle is the teaching; therefore it says 'transporting'. Since it says that there is nowhere throughout all that is not traversed and the dharma realm and so forth, one should know the essence is vast. The Prajñā has the unity of teaching; the Si yi has the unity of practice; the Huayan has the unity of persons; the Jingming has the unity of principle. From 'The past cause being like this' below is the conclusion. From 'If it is said' below, he reproves the present sūtra for lacking the four unities, again in two parts: first listing, next explaining. The items in the list are all the opinions of Guangzhai's commentary; below they are known by analogy. From 'One should know' below is the force of the objection, turning his own doctrine back to challenge him. Next, in challenging the station are four: first, the incoming intention; next, the designation; third, the explanation; fourth, the conclusion. The first two are understood. In the explanation are also two: first the past, next the present. In the past, there is also first an explanation, and next a conclusion. In the first text of the explanation, it says 'unexcelled' is the dharma, raising the dharma to take the person. Regarding 'Prajñā is the unexcelled illuminating dhāraṇī', the Da zhidu lun says: 'It asks Śakra Devānām Indra, "Why is prajñā the unexcelled illuminating dhāraṇī?" The reply is: "The sages among the non-Buddhists have various kinds of spells to benefit people. Those who recite these spells can employ the ghosts and spirits as they wish. The ṛṣis have spells that achieve great fame, so that the people take refuge and submit. Because they esteem these spells, prajñā is called a dhāraṇī." Śakra said to the Buddha: "Because this prajñā dhāraṇī constantly grants sentient beings the joy of moral virtue, while other spells can increase evil; the divine dhāraṇī of prajñā can eliminate attachment to the dhyānas and nirvāṇa, how much more so greed and the like? Therefore it is called the great illuminating dhāraṇī." "Unexcelled illuminating": "great" may still have something above it, so next it is called "unexcelled". "Equal to the unequaled": equating this which has no equal is called "equal to the unequaled". Because all destroy ignorance, they are all called "illuminating". Furthermore, non-Buddhists have spells that can know others' minds, spells that can fly and transform, and spells that can prolong life; among all spells, prajñā surpasses them infinitely and boundlessly, so it is called "unequaled". Furthermore, the Buddhas are unequaled among all sentient beings, so prajñā is called "unequaled". Furthermore, "equal to the unequaled" is the station of marvelous awakening. Nothing can equal this unequaled station, so it is called "equal to the unequaled". Therefore the bodhisattvas praised in the Jingming are all of equal awakening, their station neighboring marvelous awakening, so it says "approaching the unequaled, autonomous wisdom of the Buddha". The unexcelled meaning of this spell is identical to marvelous awakening, so it is called "equal to the unequaled". This is because the spell's meaning is equal to the unequaled.' Next, in quoting the Da zhidu lun, it should say 'causal practice', but says 'station'; this is feared to be an error. Receiving the body of dharma nature and practicing the bodhisattva practice are as explained before. Quoting the Jingming regarding 'approaching the unequaled': the Buddha is named unequaled, the supreme among the unequaled, so it says 'equal to the unequaled'. Equal awakening approaches it; adducing what it approaches, it says 'the autonomous wisdom of the Buddha'. 'The Māra kings of the ten directions' is a passage from the 'Inconceivable' chapter: bodhisattvas who have entered the bhūmis can act as Māra kings, but Māra kings are not all such bodhisattvas who have entered the bhūmis; therefore it only says 'many'. Because those of real practice cannot be troubled by bodhisattvas of deep stations, it says 'not what a donkey can bear'. Therefore it now says 'are all' and so forth. Next, regarding the 'text of Jingming': the eight phases of the first abode are not yet the ultimate station, so it is called 'although'; therefore one must still practice the bodhisattva path, practicing oneself and transforming others to advance to later stations. This is because the first abode sees principle. Therefore, it adduces principle to reveal virtue, and the secret treasury corresponds precisely to the principle that is seen. From 'Such as' below is the conclusion. Next, from 'If it is said' below, clarifying that in the present sūtra it should also say 'practice', yet only says 'station', this must be revealing practice by means of station; the preceding text is likewise. From 'One should know' below is the conclusion.