妙法蓮華經玄贊 2.5

2.5

The Commentary says: From here below is the second part, praising their virtues, which contains thirteen clauses. The treatise explains them through two approaches: first, the approach of higher and lower divisions; second, the approach of encompassing activities. "Division" means a part. The higher division refers to the general characteristic, while the lower division refers to the specific characteristics. Hence the treatise says: "One should know that non-retrogressing with respect to anuttarā samyaksambodhi is the general characteristic; the remainder are the specific characteristics." This is the general characteristic. Unsurpassed Right Awakening in its essence is the five dharmas possessed in the fruit of buddhahood: namely, the pure dharma-realm and the mental classes of the four wisdoms. Asanga's *Vajracchedikā-prajñāpāramitā-śāstra* says: "*Anuttarā samyaksambodhi* reveals bodhi and the path of bodhi." *Anuttarā* here reveals the intrinsic characteristic of bodhi, being the characteristic of liberation. *Samyaksambodhi* reveals the characteristic of equality of persons who attain bodhi; it is through the dharma of bodhi that one is recognized as a buddha. The *Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa* says: "Both wisdom and the basis of wisdom are called prajñā; the *Bodhisattvabhūmi* says that both bodhi and the cessation of bodhi are called bodhi." Thus *a* means un- (or non-), *nuttara* means surpassed, *sam* means right, and *yak* means equal. Furthermore, *sam* means right and *bodhi* means awakening; this is unsurpassed right and equal awakening (anuttarā samyaksambodhi). Here there are four awakenings: first, unsurpassed awakening, which is the general one, revealing bodhi and the pure dharma-realm. Second, right awakening, distinguishing it from the mistaken awakenings of non-Buddhists. Third, equal awakening, distinguishing it from the one-sided awakening of the two vehicles, which only understand the emptiness of persons. Fourth, right awakening again, distinguishing it from bodhisattvas, because the bodhisattva's causal awakening is not yet complete and their stage of fruition is not right awakening. This reveals that the path of bodhi is the classes of the four wisdoms; the final word "awakening" runs through all four above. Because they possess the lower three, nothing surpasses them; it transcends and pervades all metaphors, and the awakening to true reality is called unsurpassed awakening. However, many sūtras and treatises speak of true reality as the essence of unsurpassed bodhi because it is fundamental. Here, both the principle and the wisdom of the buddha fruit are taken together as unsurpassed bodhi, and with respect to both these fruits they are non-retrogressing. How are they non-retrogressing? Because they possess the ten causes below for non-retrogression, they can be non-retrogressing with respect to the buddha fruit; their being certain to realize it and advancing in cultivation thought-moment by thought-moment is called non-retrogression. "Retrogressing" (tui) means losing; "turning back" (zhuan) means wavering. From the eighth stage onward, they spontaneously advance in cultivating great bodhi; cultivating without retrogressing because they are free of afflictions, and moreover never being shaken by any sign-associated effort, is called non-retrogressing. Therefore, the eighth stage is called the Immovable Stage, because signs, effort, and afflictions cannot move it.