華嚴經探玄記 16.54

16.54

第九明性起涅槃，謂轉法輪既訖，次辨涅槃以為次第。涅槃之義，略作五門：一釋名、二體性、三種類、四業用、五釋文。前四如別說。釋文中，長行內釋中，長分有八門釋大涅槃。一體實真常、二簡異灰斷、三不礙出沒、四隨器虧盈、五起盡隨緣、六存亡常湛、七用窮來際、八總結所知。就初門中三：先舉法勸知。當云何知？謂如如般涅槃等，當如是知。二「如如」下正辨所知，先標一如門以會涅槃，謂即此雙林北首涅槃，即同真如平等一味不生不滅，故云猶如真如，涅槃亦爾也。下九例然，竝是如之異名，意顯涅槃同彼真性令明淨，故約此多門說也。三「何以故」下釋法同喻，亦是釋事同理。何故不約彼性淨門說此真如即是涅槃，乃言猶如耶？釋云：若約真如實際即涅槃者，此即但是性無有起義；若但取彼化現涅槃，即但是起無有性義。今顯起同不起，明是性起，即是約會事同理說性起。「涅槃」下喻說中，此義彌顯。第二簡異灰斷門。於中有標、有釋。標中不為菩薩說究竟永滅者，是約人顯實，謂於二乘亦說如來永斷滅，故今就大機實教盡理，故不說也。下釋中有二：初欲令菩薩稱實見彼三世諸佛總無涅槃。前門同理性而常住，今辨實德亦無滅度。何故不云總無涅槃，乃云不說究竟涅槃？釋云：為諸菩薩亦說方便示現涅槃，但非究竟。《十住斷結經》第六卷云「佛告最勝：三世諸佛世尊有名號已來，吾未見泥洹者。」此經下文「善財知識長者，開栴檀佛塔，見三世諸佛無涅槃者。」二出生妙色，應機不絕，然無分別用常寂故，不令菩薩見有起用入滅之二，亦不令著此無二處。標、釋可知。第三「佛子但如來」下明不礙出沒門。於中先標，謂應機有出沒，不礙實不遷。二「何以故」下釋顯無礙可知。第四「佛子設有日出」下明隨器虧盈門，於中先喻、後合，謂舉日影隨器現不現喻，喻佛隨器有虧有盈故。無性《攝論》第十云「問：若如來是常住者，於一切時何故不現？答：眾生界罪不現，如月於破器，以破器中水不得住，月影不現，此非月過，是器之失。眾生身中無奢摩他清潤定水，佛影不現，非如來過，是眾生失。」解云：梁論中，器喻持戒也。又《攝論》明顯現甚深，有現不現，由於機，非如來咎。此經明滅度甚深，有滅不滅，由器全不全，亦非佛過。又此中涅槃亦是器感，故云應見等也。第五「譬如大火」下明起盡隨緣門。於中有三，喻、合、結。初舉火隨薪有無燒不燒喻，喻佛隨彼化緣有起盡故。《攝論》第十云「或涅槃如火者，如世間火，有處燒燃、有處息滅。諸佛亦爾，於諸善根未成熟者，現等正覺，令其成熟速得解脫；於諸善根已得成熟已解脫者，現般涅槃，無所為故。」解云：此上二喻，《攝論》竝依此經而作。第六「復次佛子如大幻」下明存亡常湛門。於中亦三，謂喻、合、結。先舉幻師隨捨不捨喻，喻佛隨機此滅彼存，本智常湛。言如來幻身常住如法界者，明佛修生之身亦同法界為常故也。第七「復次佛子如來示現」下明用窮來際門。於中有十：初定力現身、二光現花座、三依座現佛、四數齊所化、五具德滿願、六應機化益、七化窮來際、八體離有無、九明常住所由、十正結知見。此等竝是如來雙林北首入涅槃之時有此事也。第八「復次佛子此菩薩」下總結能知相。於中十句：一無量無邊者，結上簡異灰斷門，明大涅槃功德無邊。二究竟法界者，為萬德所依，結存亡常湛門，故上云「如來幻身常住如法界」也。三無障礙者，結起盡隨緣門，明滅與不滅無有障礙。四不生滅者，結隨器虧盈門，故上云「其實如來不生不滅」也。五淨如虛空者，結不礙出沒門，故上云「其實如來無有出世亦無涅槃是故同虛空」也。六安住實際者，結前最初體實真常門，謂上文實際等十義可知。七隨其所應示現者，通結諸門內應機現用文也。八本願所持不捨眾生、九不捨剎、十不捨法，此三結末後用窮來際門，謂願力持故盡窮來際等，可知。

Ninth, explaining the nature-manifestation nirvāṇa: this follows the sequence because, the turning of the dharmacakra having been finished, nirvāṇa is next differentiated. On the meaning of nirvāṇa, five gates are briefly made: 1. explaining the name; 2. essence and nature; 3. varieties; 4. karmic function; 5. explaining the text. The first four are as explained elsewhere. In explaining the text, within the explanation in the prose, it is largely divided into eight gates explaining the great nirvāṇa: 1. True, Real, Constant, and Eternal Essence; 2. Differentiating from Complete Extinction of Ashes; 3. Not Obstructing Appearance and Disappearance; 4. Waning and Waxing in Accord with the Vessel; 5. Arising and Ending Following Conditions; 6. Remaining Serene in Presence and Demise; 7. Function Exhausting the Future Limit; 8. Summarizing What Is Known. In the first gate there are three parts: first, citing the Dharma to urge knowledge. How should it be known? As it says, 'Parinirvāṇa like suchness,' etc., it should be known thus. Second, from 'Like suchness' onward directly distinguishes what is known, first presenting the gate of the one suchness to synthesize nirvāṇa, meaning that this very nirvāṇa between the twin trees facing north is identical to tathatā, being equal, of one taste, unarisen and unceasing; hence it says, 'Just as true suchness is, nirvāṇa is also like this.' The nine below are analogous to this, all being alternative names for suchness, with the intention of showing that nirvāṇa is identical to that true nature to make it clear and pure; hence it is explained through these multiple gates. Third, from 'Why is this so?' onward explains that the Dharma is identical to the simile, which is also explaining that phenomena are identical to principle. Why does it not say according to the gate of natural purity that this true suchness is itself nirvāṇa, instead saying 'just as'? The explanation says: If according to true suchness and the reality limit it were identical to nirvāṇa, this would merely be the nature without the meaning of manifestation; if one merely took that manifested nirvāṇa, that would merely be manifestation without the meaning of the nature. Now, revealing that manifestation is identical to non-manifestation makes clear that it is nature-manifestation, which means nature-manifestation is explained by synthesizing phenomena to be identical to principle. In the explanation through similes from 'Nirvāṇa' onward, this meaning becomes even more evident. Second is the gate Differentiating from Complete Extinction of Ashes. In this there is a presentation and an explanation. In the presentation, 'not explaining ultimate, eternal extinction for the sake of bodhisattvas' reveals the real in terms of persons, meaning that for the two vehicles it is also said that the Tathāgata undergoes eternal extinction, but now for those of great capacity and the real teaching it exhausts the principle, so it is not spoken of. Below in the explanation there are two parts: First, wishing to cause bodhisattvas to truly see that all Buddhas of the three times entirely lack nirvāṇa. The previous gate is constant and eternal because it is identical to the nature of principle; now it differentiates that its real virtues also lack extinction. Why does it not say that they entirely lack nirvāṇa, but says that it does not speak of ultimate nirvāṇa? The explanation says: For the bodhisattvas it also speaks of expedients manifesting nirvāṇa, but it is not ultimate. Fascicle six of the Shizhu duanjie jing says: 'The Buddha addressed Supreme: Since the World-Honoured Buddhas of the three times have had names and titles, I have never seen one attain nirvāṇa.' Later in this sūtra: 'The elder who was a spiritual friend of Sudhana opened the sandalwood Buddha stupa and saw that all Buddhas of the three times lack nirvāṇa.' Second, producing wondrous form, it responds to capacities without cease; yet, because it is free of conceptual thought and its function is always tranquil, it does not cause bodhisattvas to see the duality of arising function and entering extinction, nor does it cause them to cling to this state of non-duality. The presentation and explanation can be understood. Third, from 'O son of the Buddha, the Tathāgata merely...' onward illuminates the gate Not Obstructing Appearance and Disappearance. In this it first presents it, meaning that responding to capacities involves appearance and disappearance, which does not obstruct real non-transmutation. Second, from 'Why is this so?' onward explains and reveals non-obstruction, which can be understood. Fourth, from 'O son of the Buddha, suppose the sun rises...' onward illuminates the gate Waning and Waxing in Accord with the Vessel. In this, first is the simile, and afterward the application: citing the simile of the sun's reflection appearing or not appearing according to the vessel illustrates that the Buddha wanes or waxes according to the vessel. As Asvabhāva's commentary on the Mahāyānasaṃgraha, fascicle ten, says: 'Question: If the Tathāgata is constant and eternal, why does he not appear at all times? Answer: Due to the faults of the realm of sentient beings he does not appear, just like the moon in a broken vessel: because water cannot remain in a broken vessel, the reflection of the moon does not appear; this is not the moon's fault, but the vessel's flaw. Within the bodies of sentient beings there is no clear and moistening meditative water of śamatha, so the Buddha's reflection does not appear; this is not the Tathāgata's fault, but the sentient beings' flaw.' The explanation says: In the Liang translation of the treatise, the vessel symbolizes keeping the precepts. Moreover, the Mahāyānasaṃgraha illuminates that manifestation is profound, and appearing or not appearing is due to the capacity, not the fault of the Tathāgata. This sūtra illuminates that extinction is profound, and extinction or non-extinction is due to whether the vessel is intact or not intact, and is also not the Buddha's fault. Furthermore, nirvāṇa here is also elicited by the vessel; hence it says 'should see,' etc. Fifth, from 'Just as a great fire...' onward illuminates the gate Arising and Ending Following Conditions. In this there are three parts: simile, application, and conclusion. First, citing the simile of fire burning or not burning according to the presence or absence of fuel illustrates that the Buddha arises and ends according to those conditions of conversion. The Mahāyānasaṃgraha, fascicle ten, says: 'Or nirvāṇa is like fire: as worldly fire burns in some places and is extinguished in others, the Buddhas are also like this: for those whose roots of goodness are not yet mature, they manifest samyaksaṃbodhi to cause them to mature and swiftly attain liberation; for those whose roots of goodness have already matured and are already liberated, they manifest parinirvāṇa, because there is nothing further to be done.' The explanation says: These two similes above in the Mahāyānasaṃgraha were both formulated relying on this sūtra. Sixth, from 'Furthermore, O son of the Buddha, just as a great magician...' onward illuminates the gate Remaining Serene in Presence and Demise. In this there are also three parts: simile, application, and conclusion. It first cites the simile of the magician giving up or not giving up [an illusion], illustrating that for the Buddha, according to capacities, there is extinction here and presence there, while original wisdom remains eternally serene. Saying that the Tathāgata's illusory body is constant and eternal like the dharmadhātu illuminates that the Buddha's cultivated body is also constant and eternal just like the dharmadhātu. Seventh, from 'Furthermore, O son of the Buddha, the Tathāgata manifests...' onward illuminates the gate Function Exhausting the Future Limit. In this there are ten points: 1. manifesting bodies through samādhi power; 2. manifesting flower seats through light; 3. manifesting Buddhas relying on the seats; 4. the number equaling those to be converted; 5. possessing virtues and fulfilling vows; 6. responding to capacities with the benefit of conversion; 7. conversion exhausting the future limit; 8. essence free from existence and non-existence; 9. explaining the reasons for constant abiding; 10. directly concluding knowledge and vision. These are all things that occurred at the time the Tathāgata entered nirvāṇa between the twin trees facing north. Eighth, from 'Furthermore, O son of the Buddha, this bodhisattva...' onward summarizes the characteristics of what can be known. In this there are ten phrases: 1. 'Measureless and boundless' concludes the gate Differentiating from Complete Extinction of Ashes above, making clear that the virtues of great nirvāṇa are boundless. 2. 'Reaching the ultimate dharmadhātu' is that upon which the myriad virtues rely, concluding the gate Remaining Serene in Presence and Demise; hence it was said above, 'The Tathāgata's illusory body is constant and eternal like the dharmadhātu.' 3. 'Unobstructed' concludes the gate Arising and Ending Following Conditions, making clear that extinction and non-extinction have no obstruction. 4. 'Neither arising nor ceasing' concludes the gate Waning and Waxing in Accord with the Vessel; hence it was said above, 'In truth the Tathāgata neither arises nor ceases.' 5. 'Pure as empty space' concludes the gate Not Obstructing Appearance and Disappearance; hence it was said above, 'In truth the Tathāgata neither appears in the world nor enters nirvāṇa; therefore he is identical to empty space.' 6. 'Abiding peacefully in the reality limit' concludes the very first gate, True, Real, Constant, and Eternal Essence, referring to the ten meanings such as the reality limit in the text above, which can be understood. 7. 'Manifesting according to what is appropriate' comprehensively concludes the passages within the various gates on manifesting functions in response to capacities. 8. 'Sustained by original vows, not abandoning sentient beings,' 9. 'not abandoning realms,' and 10. 'not abandoning the Dharma'—these three conclude the final gate, Function Exhausting the Future Limit, meaning that because they are sustained by vow-power they completely exhaust the future limit, etc., which can be understood.