法華文句記 1.84

1.84

「次示觀心相者」，先總、次別。總中有二重：一、約修行；二、約法門。行謂所行法即所用，行必先戒次定後慧，用必先以慧擇後方定戒，定為戒本故戒復居後。又觀心者，如《玄》文中，或約行相、或約法門、或從觀境，故銷文例之亦對三分，義當觀心。次別意者，三分各三。初戒三者：方便如序，白四如正，結竟如流通。言前方便者，單白已前皆方便也。定三分者：二十五方便為序，入觀坐儀為正，行住歷緣為流通；亦可以習學為序，自行為正，教他為流通。餘二悉爾。次更約善入出住等，此依經列，若從三分則入序、住正、出為流通，慧三亦爾。從文從義次第不同，三分應云空序、中正、假為流通。言「而退」者，經末但云「而去」，去秖是退。「但準望」等者，盡令用四其辭則難，但令不失旨。「如共轍鹹會」，「鹹」字恐誤，秖應單作，或恐如流入海一同鹹味，文體語倒，故知不必皆用四意。又觀心一文，除〈安樂行〉中修攝其心等，餘皆義立。又本門雖本，但〈壽量〉一文正明本迹，餘亦義立。又前迹門準部有故，是故義立。後本門中除〈壽量〉已，理合有故是故義立。又觀心文序及流，通準望正宗理須義立，於正宗中唯〈安樂行〉理定須故，餘皆義立。迹門正說既云開會，若迷觀境開權顯實，及本門中增念佛觀增道損生，及流通中隨喜不輕三昧所依、諸行所託，一切不成以觀心名通，於觀等中間三即結緣，當機通用觀故，影響發起化功。若成成分證觀，所以觀心一文人謂最寬，於理甚要。況今大師且為成於初心學者，始從如是以至而去，覩異文識一觀，亦識昔經文同觀異及文觀俱異，亦識當教文觀俱同兼等開等準例可識，是故必須觀心以釋。又因緣釋隨其義勢，須分今昔。

"Next, showing the characteristics of contemplating the mind": first in general, then in particular. In the general part there are two levels: first, in terms of cultivation; second, in terms of the dharma gates. Practice refers to the dharmas that are practiced, namely what is applied. Cultivation must take precepts first, concentration next, and wisdom last; application must first use wisdom to choose, and only then settle concentration and precepts. Concentration is the basis of precepts, so precepts again stand at the rear. Furthermore, contemplating the mind, as in the text of the Profound Meaning, is either in terms of the aspects of practice, or in terms of the dharma gates, or based on the objects of contemplation; therefore, construing the text according to this model also correlates with the three sections, functioning in meaning as contemplating the mind. Next, regarding the particular meaning: each of the three sections has three. First, the three of precepts: preliminary skillful means corresponds to the preface; the motion with three proclamations corresponds to the main body; the conclusion corresponds to the transmission. The phrase "preliminary skillful means" means that everything prior to the simple motion is skillful means. The three parts of concentration: the twenty-five skillful means serve as the preface; the posture and ritual of entering contemplation serve as the main body; walking, staying, and encountering conditions serve as the transmission. One may also take study and learning as the preface, personal practice as the main body, and teaching others as the transmission. The other two are all like this. Next, further in terms of skillfully entering, emerging, and abiding, etc.: this is arranged according to the sūtra. If based on the three sections, then entering is the preface, abiding is the main body, and emerging is the transmission. The three of wisdom are also like this. Following the text versus following the meaning have different sequences: the three sections should say emptiness is the preface, the middle is the main body, and the provisional is the transmission. The phrase "and withdraws": the end of the sūtra merely says "and departs"; departing is just withdrawing. As for "merely matching and projecting", etc.: to make all of them fully apply the four meanings would make the phrasing difficult; it is sufficient merely not to lose the purport. As in "like sharing a rut and merging salinities", the character "salinity" is suspected of being an error; it should merely be used simply, or perhaps it means just like rivers flowing into the sea all share the same salty flavor. The stylistic phrasing is inverted; thus we know it is not necessary to use the four intentions in every case. Furthermore, with the passage on contemplating the mind, except for "cultivating and restraining one's mind" and so on in the "Peaceful Practices" [chapter], the rest are all doctrinally established. Again, although the origin section is the origin, only the single text of the "Life Span" properly clarifies origin and traces, while the rest are also doctrinally established. Furthermore, the previous trace section is doctrinally established because it corresponds to the divisions [of the sūtra]. In the subsequent origin section, apart from "Life Span", it is doctrinally established because by principle it should be present. Furthermore, the preface and transmission of the text on contemplating the mind must be doctrinally established by matching and projecting against the main body; within the main body, only the "Peaceful Practices" necessarily requires it by principle, while the rest are all doctrinally established. Since the main exposition of the trace section is called opening and merging, if one is deluded about the object of contemplation, how could one open the provisional and reveal the real? And in the origin section, increasing the contemplation of mindfulness of the Buddha, increasing the path and diminishing birth; and in the transmission, the rejoiced follow-up, Never Disparaging, that on which samādhi relies, and that upon which the various practices depend—all would fail to be established. Because the term "contemplating the mind" is pervasive, in the contemplation, etc., the intermediate three constitute forming conditions, and because those of current capacity universally use contemplation, they influence and initiate the work of transformation. If it succeeds, it constitutes the contemplation of partial realization. Therefore, people consider the passage on contemplating the mind to be the broadest, but in principle it is extremely essential. How much more so given that the Great Master, for the time being, in order to bring to fruition beginners, starting from "Thus" down to "and departs", lets them see different texts and recognize the one contemplation, and also recognize that in earlier sūtras texts are identical but contemplations differ, or both texts and contemplations differ; and also recognize that in the present teaching texts and contemplations are both identical, and by analogy recognize concurrent and opening forms—for this reason, one must interpret by contemplating the mind. Furthermore, the interpretation according to causes and conditions must distinguish present from past according to the force of its meaning.