觀音義疏記 2.3

2.3

Fourth, the peril of knives and staves has two [parts]: first, listing the headings; second, explaining, which has three [parts]: first, closely following the text, which has two: first, outlining the sūtra; second, explaining the meaning, which has three: first, encountering the peril; second, reciting the name; third, from "now saying" onward, receiving the response, which has two: first, explaining according to the text; second, from "question" onward, evaluating against the preceding, which has two: first, question; second, answer. Second, in terms of realization. Third, contemplative practice, which has two: first, universally indicating the three obstacles; second, from "from the earth" onward, separately explaining the three characteristics, which has three: first, karmic retribution, which has two: first, clarifying encountering the peril. The Nāga King Sāgara dwells at ease in his original palace, raising clouds and sending down rain; what the six heavens, four realms, asuras, nāgas, and spirits perceive differs: the heavens see flowers and jewels, humans obtain pure water, and the asuras see knives and swords. Second, from "if one can" onward, clarifies capacity and response. Second, from "next, clarifying" onward, evil karma, which has two: first, encountering peril. The three poisons incited by evil karma blaze fiercely, proximately obstructing precepts and concentration, and remotely hindering the three contemplations. The place where words and thoughts cease is the wondrous and subtle mind. Second, from "arising fear" onward, capacity and response. Third, from "next, clarifying" onward, afflictions, which has two: first, capacity, which has two: first, śrāvakas, which has two: first, suffering affliction, which has two: first, explaining the characteristics; second, from "hence the Great" onward, citing proof. That sūtra says: "For example, there was a king who placed four poisonous snakes in a box, ordering a person to feed, care for, and attend to their waking and sleeping. 'If you cause even one snake to give rise to anger, I shall execute you in the marketplace according to the law.' Having heard this, the person abandoned the box and fled. The king then dispatched five caṇḍālas to pursue him with drawn swords. He secretly dispatched one person to pretend to be a close friend and say to him, 'You may return.' The person did not believe him, and fled to a village where he saw no people at all and could find nothing; thereupon he sat on the ground. He heard a voice in the sky: 'Tonight six great bandits will come.' The person was terrified and again abandoned it and departed. Eventually, coming upon a river on the path, he cut across the flow and departed, and so forth." It should be matched thus: if snakes harm a person, he does not fall into evil destinies; without the power of the three learnings, one will certainly be harmed by the caṇḍālas of the five aggregates; if one does not recognize craving, one is deceived by the false friend; contemplating the six sense bases is like an empty village; the gang of bandits dwells in the six sense objects and six sense bases, and wishing to abandon them, one encounters them again; the swift flow of afflictions should be crossed by using the raft of the factors of enlightenment, exerting arms and legs to cross the river of fragmentary [birth and death]. Even the ten abodes have not escaped it; only the Buddha is consummate. The sūtra text originally used the metaphor for the beginning and end of the three vehicles; now it is used as a metaphor for the contemplative method of the śrāvakas. The twelve links of dependent origination are like a city with checkpoints; the three kinds of karma—black, white, and non-moving—which bind and confine, are like an inn; the five desires causing harm are like men with drawn swords; the realm of Māra being difficult to escape is like the gates being guarded. Second, from "at that time" onward, obtaining liberation. Second, from "next, clarifying" onward, the various stages. Each single-mindedly recites the name through their own contemplation and is immediately liberated. Second, from "furthermore" onward, response, which has two: first, gradual, which has two: first, clarifying the original vow. In accordance with what is seen and cultivated, vows are generated to pull out living beings from the knives and staves of the three obstacles. Second, from "now dwelling" onward, clarifying going to meet the capacity, which has three: first, the characteristics of going to meet the capacity. The supernatural power of samādhi accords with all the original vows, able to eradicate each and every one. Second, from "knives and staves" onward, the dharmas dwelt in. Using the seven perils to express the six internal elements corresponding to the contemplation gates, this gate of the earth element is now cultivated to accomplishment. Third, from "as the Avataṃsaka" onward, citing sūtra proof. The six elements universally gather all contemplative objects; knives and staves, being hard and obstructive, belong to the syllable-gate of earth; hence walls and houses are cited. The earth element can manifest the Buddhas and reveal all the merits of Sudhana's concentration and wisdom; one should know that the earth gate can accomplish universal response. Second, from "furthermore" onward, sudden, which has two: first, perfect cultivation. Earth is the dharmadhātu; the sentient and enlightened beings, the dependent and primary [retributions], all enter into the Dharma gate of the syllable earth. One should know that not a single dust mote fails to fully possess the three truths and so forth: one dust mote is empty, everything is empty; provisionality and the Middle are also like this. Second, from "perfectly arising" onward, sudden response, which has two: first, general indication. The loving-kindness and compassion of the three truths fails to encompass nothing; therefore, it can universally eradicate all sufferings simultaneously. Second, from "if wishing to" onward, distinctions. Perfect compassion spans universally and cannot be discussed separately; if one wishes to make it easy to understand, distinguish it according to capacity. The four continents, four destinies, Four Heavenly Kings, and Trāyastriṃśa—these ten realms of existence have actual knives and staves, and can stimulate the power of ten kingly samādhis. Cultivating tainted good wards off evil knives and staves, stimulating the power of twenty-four kingly samādhis. The three contemplations of the four teachings single-mindedly reciting the name stimulate the power of twenty-five samādhis.