妙法蓮華經玄贊 1.89

1.89

"'Outflows' is as explained previously, taking only all active afflictions. When it is said that all these outflows being exhausted means one is an arhat, this interprets 'arhat' in the sense of having permanently slain the thieves of affliction; therefore, entering the tenth ground one also attains the title of arhat. Regarding 'having no further afflictions', the treatise states that because one is far removed from what can see and what is seen, one is said to have no further afflictions. Seeds of affliction are given the name 'afflictions'. This can mean that through doubly freeing oneself from the two active bondages of cognitive objects and association, all outflows are exhausted, and because there are no longer any seeds of affliction that could be severed again, this is called being far removed from what can see and what is seen; or, when all outflows in general are exhausted, specific graspings also perish, so one is far removed from both views and is said to have no further afflictions. 'Further' means again; because seeds are severed, they do not arise again. Through severing the phenomena that cause transmigration in cyclic existence, it is called casting off the heavy burden, and therefore one can attain and realize the personal benefit of nirvāṇa. 'Attain' (pronounced tu-zai) is glossed in the phonetic glossaries as to reach or to arrive at; that is, by reaching and obtaining the personal benefit of nirvāṇa with residue, one can permanently exhaust the nine fetters of affliction that are the causes of the three realms of existence. Because of the four phrases following the exhaustion of outflows above, that arhat has properly surpassed the knowledge of the path of seeing and cultivation, and thus attains mastery of mind; being completely free from the obstacles of nature and circumstances, and having fulfilled the eight liberations, they are also said to have attained mental mastery. Since the text is abbreviated and lacks [phrases], one cannot interpret it step-by-step according to the treatise; one may only grasp the broad meaning of the treatise to explain the sūtra text. All those who possess wisdom should discern this for themselves.