法華文句記 1.188

1.188

「陳如」中，初是世界，「願」去為人，「行」去對治，「太子」去第一義。此第一義仍在昔教，但以教簡進否無在，隨事轉釋令順四悉，下去皆然。「其先事火」者，雖事火者多，非初得道火不成德，故初得道得照燒名，破暗因滅、物滅果亡，初雖未亡後必亡故，如人墮巖。「無知乃是知無」者，梵音倒耳。所知之無即真諦也。故引二諦中真也。次引二經一論者，本際秖是所知真諦，願者出《因果經》，即佛為菩薩時本願先度，次「又迦葉」下即是己願。「夫巨夜」下為陳如興類也。生死如世夜，日出故令覺。「日光」者，諸大羅漢及諸菩薩，故明星日光並破己身之大暗也。「入山學道」等者，《中含》五十六《羅摩經》云：「佛在鹿母堂，告諸比丘，有二種求，一者聖求，二非聖求。聖求者，安隱涅槃。我為童子時年始十九，往阿羅羅迦摩羅所。問言：依汝法行梵行可不？答言：無不可。云何此法自知證？仙言：我度識處得無所有處。即住遠離處，修證得已，更往仙所述己所得。仙問：汝已證無所有處耶？我之所得汝亦得耶？即共領眾。又自念：此法不趣智慧、不趣涅槃，寧可更求安隱處耶？是故更往欝陀羅羅摩子所云：我欲於汝法中學。彼答：無不可。問曰：知自證耶？答：我度無所有處得非相定，我久證得。便修得之，乃至領眾等。復念言：此法不至涅槃。即往象頭山鞞羅梵志村尼連禪河邊，誓不起，即得無上安隱涅槃，道品成就四智具足。次念：誰應先度？念已寧可先度二仙。空中云：二仙已終經於七日。我亦自知。念曰：應度欝陀羅羅摩子。天又告言：終來二七。我亦自知。因復念曰：昔五人侍我勞苦。念已觀於五人在波羅奈，念已便往。五人遙見自相約勅：沙門多求好食粳糧及[麥*酋]酥蜜，麻油塗身；今復來至，汝等但坐，預留一座莫請令坐。及至到已，語曰：卿欲坐者便坐。五人破制，於中求水者、敷座者。坐已先教二人，三人持食來六人共噉。次教三人，二人持食來六人共噉。而便語之：有二種行，一著五欲，二著苦行，離此二邊是名中道。次為五人說譬喻，次為說四諦，五人得無漏。」多論說佛為三二人說法去住不等者，由三是父親、二是母親，欲彰乞食事辦故也，及知說法不空。準《婆沙》中日初分為二人，則六人共食，日後分為三人，則五人共食，以佛性離非時食故。爾時未為弟子制非時食，經三月教化，或云四月，餘如論文。云「三父親」者，謂馬星、摩男、拘利，餘是母親。「初見佛道相」等者，初見在陳如，為後人前相，應云，佛如鼓、機緣如椎、法輪如聲。「初聞」者，五人俱初，陳如初悟故云初聞。「香」，道品也。昔機如身、法輪如香。初悟名「服」，「甘露」滅理也。「法流」即初果，「登真」即見諦。《分別功德論》云：「佛最長子即陳如也。最小子者即須跋也。」今未受化是故不論。

Under "Kauṇḍinya," the first is mundane, from "vowed" onward is for individuals, from "practiced" onward is diagnostic, and from "prince" onward is ultimate truth. This ultimate truth is still within the past teachings, but distinguishing the teaching as superior or inferior does not matter; explaining it according to the event makes it conform to the four siddhāntas, and the same applies below. "Previously served fire": although many served fire, if one does not first attain the path, fire does not become a virtue; therefore, first attaining the path gets the name of shining and burning. When darkness is broken, causes are extinguished; when things are extinguished, effects are gone. Although at first they are not gone, they will certainly be gone later, like a man falling from a cliff. "'Knowing nothing' is actually 'knowing the non-existent'": this is just the reversal of the Sanskrit sound. The non-existence that is known is the true truth. Therefore, it cites the true truth of the two truths. Next, citing two sūtras and one treatise: the fundamental limit is just the true truth that is known. The vow comes from the *Sūtra of Causes and Effects*, which refers to the Buddha's original vow when he was a bodhisattva to cross [him] over first. Next, "moreover, Kāśyapa" downward refers to his own vow. From "the great night" downward, it draws an analogy for Kauṇḍinya. Samsāra is like a mundane night; the sun rises to awaken [people]. "Sunlight" refers to the great arhats and bodhisattvas; hence the morning star and sunlight both break the great darkness of one's own body. "Entering the mountains to learn the path," etc.: the *Rāma Sūtra* in fascicle fifty-six of the *Madhyama Āgama* says: "The Buddha was at the Hall of Mṛgāra's Mother and told the monks: 'There are two kinds of seeking: first, noble seeking; second, non-noble seeking. Noble seeking is tranquil nirvāṇa. When I was a youth of nineteen years of age, I went to Ārāḍa Kālāma. I asked: "Can I practice the pure life according to your teaching?" He replied: "There is no reason not to." "How is this teaching self-known and realized?" The ṛṣi said: "Transcending the sphere of consciousness, I attained the sphere of nothingness." Thereupon I dwelt in a remote place, cultivated and realized it, and went back to the ṛṣi to state what I had attained. The ṛṣi asked: "Have you realized the sphere of nothingness? Have you attained what I attained?" Thereupon we led the assembly together. Then I thought to myself: "This teaching does not lead to wisdom, nor does it lead to nirvāṇa; should I not seek an even more tranquil place?" Therefore, I went further to Udraka Rāmaputra and said: "I wish to study in your teaching." He replied: "There is no reason not to." I asked: "Do you know and realize it yourself?" He replied: "Transcending the sphere of nothingness, I attained the concentration of neither perception [nor non-perception]; I realized it long ago." I then cultivated and attained it, up to leading the assembly together, etc. Again I thought: "This teaching does not reach nirvāṇa." Thereupon I went to Mount Gayāśīrṣa, the village of the brāhmaṇa Sena, by the bank of the Nairañjanā River, and vowed not to rise; then I attained unsurpassed, tranquil nirvāṇa, the branches of the path were accomplished, and the four knowledges were perfected. Next I thought: "Who should be crossed over first?" Having thought this, [I thought] perhaps I should cross over the two ṛṣis first. A voice in the sky said: "The two ṛṣis have already died, seven days having passed." I also knew it myself. I thought: "I should cross over Udraka Rāmaputra." The deva again told me: "He passed away two times seven [days ago]." I also knew it myself. Therefore I thought again: "Formerly, five men served me with toil." Having thought this, I observed the five men in Vārāṇasī, and having thought this, I went there. The five men saw [me] from afar and made an agreement among themselves: "The śramaṇa seeks much fine food, non-glutinous rice and grains, butter, ghee, and honey, and rubs sesame oil on his body; now he comes again. You all just sit; reserve a seat in advance, but do not invite him to sit." When [the Buddha] arrived, he said to them: "If you gentlemen wish to sit, then sit." The five men broke their rule; among them, some sought water, and some spread seats. Having sat, he first taught two men; three men brought food, and the six ate together. Next he taught three men; two men brought food, and the six ate together. Then he told them: "There are two kinds of practice: one is clinging to the five desires, and the second is clinging to austerities. Departing from these two extremes is called the middle path." Next he spoke parables for the five men; next he taught the four truths for them, and the five men attained the outflow-free.'" That the *Vibhāṣā* treatise says the Buddha preached the dharma for three or two men with unequal departures and stays is because three were paternal relatives and two were maternal relatives, wishing to show that the matter of begging for food was completed, and knowing that the preaching of the dharma was not in vain. According to the *Vibhāṣā*, in the first part of the day it was for two men, so six ate together; in the latter part of the day it was for three men, so five ate together, because the Buddha's nature was free from untimely eating. At that time, untimely eating had not yet been prohibited for disciples; after three months of teaching and converting, or some say four months, the rest is as in the treatise. "Three paternal relatives" refers to Aśvajit, Mahānāman, and Bhadrika; the others were maternal relatives. "First seeing the signs of the Buddha's path," etc.: Kauṇḍinya's seeing first was the prior sign for later people. One should say that the Buddha is like a drum, the capacity and condition are like a mallet, and the wheel of Dharma is like the sound. "First hearing": the five men were all first, but Kauṇḍinya was the first to awaken, hence it says first hearing. "Fragrance" is the branches of the path. Past capacity is like the body; the wheel of Dharma is like fragrance. Awakening first is called "consuming"; "ambrosia" is the principle of cessation. The "stream of dharma" is the first fruition; "ascending to the real" is seeing the truths. The *Treatise on the Distinction of Merits* says: "The Buddha's eldest son is Kauṇḍinya. The youngest son is Subhadra." Since he has not yet received conversion here, he is not discussed.