[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [華嚴經探玄記](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1733) › 8.8 # 華嚴經探玄記 8.8 華嚴經探玄記 8.8 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [8.8.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1733.8.8.1) 第五十施連肉爪者，亦求法而施也。 為法投火中，七仞者，一仞七尺，七七四十九尺，火坑也。 為法受苦者，如勇健王者，《菩薩本行經》過去有王名處闍那彌梨，為求一偈割身千燈。 後因帝釋問，立誓表心，遂還平復。 所求一偈言：常者皆盡，高者亦墮，合會有離，生者有死。 王聞偈喜忘其所苦，勅舉國人皆令書誦（云云）。 為法捨國等，如《法華．提婆達多品》說等。 教斷殺等是無畏施，以施其命，故過一切也。 《智論》世間所貴各唯己命，無有價直。 五戒等，望能殺是法施，望所殺是無畏。 三種戒者，是律儀等三聚戒也。 救毀形苦亦是無畏施，《俱舍論》有黃門救五百頭牛毀形之事，以此善根力故男形具足，是其現報也。 文中肆字者是恣也。 具足無上丈夫正法者，依《涅槃經》，莫問男女，具四相義即名丈夫，謂自正、正他、能隨問答、善解因緣義。 若不具此四種相義，雖曰男子，不名丈夫。 女以反上，即名丈夫。 又云「雖是女人，能信自身有佛性者，即是丈夫。 若有男子，不知自身有佛性者，我說彼人猶是女人。 」又云七丈夫趣者，有四說：一依世間。 依《瑜伽》中，丈夫有七義：一長壽久住、二妙色端嚴、三無病少惱、四非僕非女非半擇迦、五智慧猛利、六發言威肅、七有大宗業，具此七法名為丈夫，亦有趣故。 二依小乘，亦有七丈夫，即七賢聖：一隨信行人、二隨法行、三信解脫、四見到、五身證、六慧解脫、七俱解脫。 信他得度名信行，不從他信名法行。 鈍根三果是隨信行所得，信果離縛名信解脫。 利根三果是隨法行所至，故名見到。 滅盡正受法似涅槃，與身合故名為身證。 障有二種：一煩惱障、二解脫障。 但離煩惱障名慧解脫，二障竝除名俱解脫。 三依大乘瑜伽有七地，亦是賢聖丈夫所遊履，故名趣也。 一種性地、二勝解行地、三淨勝意樂地、四行正行地、五決定地、六決定行地、七到究竟地。 初二是地前，次一是初地，次一從二地至第七，次一第八地，次一第九地，末後是第十地及佛地合說，以因果俱究竟。 四依《瓔珞本業》等亦有七位：一信、二十住、三十行、四十迴向、五十地、六等覺、七妙覺。 歎佛出世是法施，如上普莊嚴童子讚佛偈聲普遍世界。 又如《悲華》中，釋迦往作大悲菩薩，行遍諸國大聲教言：「如來出世，如來出世為甚難遇」等。 施大地中，如來及塔、菩薩知識并父母等，是恩田亦敬田； 聖僧二乘，是德田亦敬田； 餘乞者是貧人等，是悲田亦苦田。 此等皆能生福，故名福田，從喻為名。 又有四句：自有是敬非悲，如佛等； 自有是悲非敬，如貧苦眾生等； 自有亦悲亦敬，如貧病羅漢等； 自有非悲非敬，除上所餘等。 《智論》十四云「若憐愍施，謂於貧窮下賊及諸畜生。 二恭敬施，謂於佛及法身菩薩等。 三憐愍恭敬施，謂於老病貧窮阿羅漢辟支等。 」問：悲、敬二田，何者為勝？ 答：有三義。 一若就約境救彼現苦，約心增大悲行，為利他行本，即悲田為勝。 是故《像法決疑經》中，乃至施佛菩薩聲聞眾生，不如人施畜生一口飲食等。 二若就約境恩深德厚，約心領法增智，為自利行源，即敬田為勝。 是故《校量功德經》中，施畜生得百倍等校量。 又《甚希有經》以七寶等供滿四州施四果聖人，及滅度後起極廣塔，不如造\[麩-夫+廣\]麥等佛塔功德，乃至算數譬喻非比等。 又《大品》中天帝云：「我非不欲供舍利，但舍利從般若中出，是故寧供養般若也。 」三若約二利齊均、悲智雙舉，即二田平等。 如《淨名》云「一分施難勝如來，一分施最下乞人。 」猶如如來福田之想，無所分別等于大悲，此之謂也。 問：等是敬中，如父母恩田與聖僧德田，勝劣云何？ 答：如《校量經》乃至云供養百羅漢，不及供養一生身父母。 又《阿含經》中供養父母功德，共供養一生補處菩薩功德齊等。 > In the fiftieth, giving the nails together with the flesh is also given for the sake of seeking the Dharma. Casting oneself into fire for the sake of the Dharma to a depth of seven rèn: one rèn is seven feet; seven times seven is forty-nine feet, which is the fire-pit. Enduring suffering for the sake of the Dharma is exemplified by the Valiant King: as recounted in the Pusa benxing jing, in the past there was a king named Chuzhanamili, who, to seek a single gāthā, cut a thousand oil-lamps into his body. Later, when Śakra questioned him, he made an oath revealing his intention, whereupon he was restored completely. The single gāthā he sought said: 'All that is permanent comes to an end; the exalted also fall; meetings end in separation; the living must die.' Hearing the gāthā, the king rejoiced, forgetting his suffering, and ordered the people throughout the entire state to transcribe and recite it, and so forth. Relinquishing the kingdom and so forth for the sake of the Dharma is as spoken in the 'Devadatta Chapter' of the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Sūtra and elsewhere. Teaching the cessation of killing and the like is the giving of fearlessness; because it gives them their lives, it surpasses all else. The Dà zhìdù lùn states that what is valued in the world is solely one's own life; it is beyond price. The five precepts and the like, with respect to those capable of killing, are the giving of Dharma; with respect to those who would be killed, they are the giving of fearlessness. The three types of precepts are the three collections of precepts: the precepts of restraint and so forth. Rescuing \[beings\] from the pain of bodily mutilation is also the giving of fearlessness: the Abhidharmakośa-bhāṣya recounts the case of a paṇḍaka who saved five hundred cattle from mutilation, and through the power of this wholesome root, his male physical organs were fully restored, which was his present-life retribution. The character sì in the text means 'to allow freely'. As for 'endowed with the unsurpassed true dharma of a puruṣa': according to the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, regardless of male or female, one who possesses the meaning of four characteristics is named a puruṣa: namely, correcting oneself, correcting others, being able to answer questions accordingly, and thoroughly understanding the meaning of causes and conditions. If one does not possess these four kinds of characteristics and meanings, though called a male, he is not named a puruṣa. A woman who conversely possesses the above is named a puruṣa. It also says: 'Though being a woman, one who is able to have faith that her own person has the Buddha-nature is a puruṣa. If there is a male who does not know that his own person has the Buddha-nature, I say that that person is still a woman.' It also mentions the seven puruṣa-destinies, for which there are four explanations. First, according to the worldly: according to the Yogācārabhūmi, a puruṣa has seven meanings: 1. long life and enduring existence; 2. sublime and handsome form; 3. freedom from disease and few afflictions; 4. being neither a slave, nor a woman, nor a paṇḍaka; 5. keen and fierce wisdom; 6. utterances of majestic gravity; 7. having great family lineage and enterprise. One endowed with these seven phenomena is named a puruṣa, and because there are destinations \[to this\], it is termed a 'destiny'. Second, according to the Hīnayāna, there are also seven puruṣas, which are the seven noble ones: 1. followers by faith; 2. followers by Dharma; 3. those released through faith; 4. those attained through vision; 5. those who bodily realise; 6. those released through wisdom; 7. those released both ways. Having faith in others and attaining deliverance is called following by faith; not relying on faith from others is called following by Dharma. The three fruits of dull faculties are what is attained by following by faith; through the fruit of faith being freed from bondage, one is called released through faith. The three fruits of sharp faculties are what is reached by following by Dharma, hence called attained through vision. The meditative attainment of cessation resembles nirvāṇa; because it is united with the body, it is called bodily realised. Hindrances are of two kinds: 1. afflictive hindrances; 2. hindrances to liberation. Being freed only from afflictive hindrances is called released through wisdom; having both hindrances eradicated together is called released both ways. Third, according to the Mahāyāna Yogācāra, there are seven bhūmis, which are also what the noble puruṣas tread, and are therefore called destinies: 1. the bhūmi of gotra; 2. the bhūmi of practice with resolute intention; 3. the bhūmi of pure superior intention; 4. the bhūmi of practicing correct conduct; 5. the bhūmi of determination; 6. the bhūmi of determined conduct; 7. the bhūmi of reaching the ultimate. The first two are prior to the bhūmis; the next one is the first bhūmi; the next one is from the second bhūmi up to the seventh; the next one is the eighth bhūmi; the next one is the ninth bhūmi; and the final one combines the tenth bhūmi and the Buddha-bhūmi, because both cause and fruition are ultimate. Fourth, according to the Yingluo benye jing and others, there are also seven stages: 1. Faith; 2. the Ten Abodes; 3. the Ten Practices; 4. the Ten Dedications; 5. the Ten Bhūmis; 6. Equal Enlightenment; 7. Wondrous Enlightenment. Praising the Buddha's appearance in the world is the giving of Dharma, just as above, the sound of the youth Samantālaṅkāra's verses in praise of the Buddha pervaded the world. Furthermore, as in the Karuṇāpuṇḍarīka Sūtra, Śākyamuni in the past was the Bodhisattva Mahākāruṇika, who traveled throughout the states proclaiming with a loud voice: 'The Tathāgata has appeared in the world! The Tathāgata's appearance in the world is extremely difficult to encounter!' and so forth. In the giving of the great earth: the Tathāgata, stūpas, bodhisattvas, spiritual friends, and parents are both fields of gratitude and fields of reverence; the noble Saṅgha and the two vehicles are both fields of virtue and fields of reverence; the remaining mendicants, poor people, and the like are both fields of compassion and fields of suffering. Because all of these can generate merit, they are called fields of merit, named by metaphor. There are also four permutations: 1. there are those that are reverence and not compassion, such as the Buddha and the like; 2. there are those that are compassion and not reverence, such as impoverished, suffering sentient beings; 3. there are those that are both compassion and reverence, such as impoverished and sick arhats; 4. there are those that are neither compassion nor reverence, excluding the remainder above. The Dà zhìdù lùn, fascicle fourteen, says: 'First, giving out of pity, which refers to the impoverished, the lowly thieves, and the various animals. Second, giving out of reverence, which refers to the Buddha and dharmakāya bodhisattvas. Third, giving out of both pity and reverence, which refers to old, sick, and impoverished arhats, pratyekabuddhas, and the like.' Question: Between the two fields of compassion and reverence, which is superior? Answer: There are three meanings. First, if viewed in terms of the object relieving their present suffering, and in terms of the mind increasing practices of great compassion as the root of practices benefiting others, then the field of compassion is superior. Therefore, in the Xiangfa jueyi jing, it even states that giving to buddhas, bodhisattvas, śrāvakas, and sentient beings is not as good as a person giving a single mouthful of food to an animal. Second, if viewed in terms of the object possessing profound gratitude and abundant virtue, and in terms of the mind receiving the Dharma and increasing wisdom as the source of practices benefiting oneself, then the field of reverence is superior. Therefore, in the Jiaoliang gongde jing, it is weighed that giving to animals brings a hundredfold reward, and so forth. Furthermore, the Shen xiyou jing states that making offerings of the seven jewels filling the four continents to the noble ones of the four fruits, and erecting an exceedingly vast stūpa after their nirvirṇa, does not equal the merit of building a Buddha-stūpa even of barley, and so on, to the extent that counting and metaphors cannot compare. Furthermore, in the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra, Śakra says: 'It is not that I do not wish to make offerings to relics, but relics emerge from prajñā; therefore, I would rather make offerings to prajñā.' Third, if viewed in terms of both benefits being equal and both compassion and wisdom being brought forth together, then the two fields are equal. As the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa states: 'Divide one portion to give to the Tathāgata Duṣprasaha, and one portion to give to the lowliest beggar.' It is like having the notion of the Tathāgata as a field of merit without discrimination, equal to great compassion; this is what it means. Question: Given that both are within reverence, between parents as a field of gratitude and the noble Saṅgha as a field of virtue, what is their relative superiority? Answer: The Jiaoliang jing states that making offerings even to a hundred arhats does not equal making offerings to the parents of one's own physical body. Furthermore, in the Āgama sūtras, the merit of making offerings to parents is equal to the merit of making offerings to a bodhisattva bound to one last birth. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [8.8.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1733.8.8.2) 問：等是恩田，師僧與父母勝劣云何？ 答：《舍利弗問經》在家人父母恩大，師僧恩次； 出家人師僧恩大，父母恩次。 以師於在家教授力劣，出家反此。 又以師僧生育法身，法身累劫無盡； 父母生育生身，恩及七世。 問：等是德田，供養別眾勝劣云何？ 答：如《梵網經》別請五百羅漢，不如僧次一凡夫僧。 問：施有三事，一田、二物、三心，此三勝劣云何？ 答：有四句。 一自有田劣心等勝，如罽眤吒王禮讚尼乾子塔，塔遂崩倒。 二田勝心物劣，童子施土於佛鉢中，戲爾故心輕，由田勝故，得作鐵輪王。 三田心勝而物劣，如《智論》第九中老婢以紺澱奉佛，得十五反受人天福，後得辟支涅槃。 有人疑佛以妄語，佛以舌覆面用決彼疑，云引尼狗子小、生樹大等。 四三事俱勝，如龍女獻寶珠速成佛等。 今此中菩薩，與施心，悲智齊於虛空； 辨施物，事種窮乎法界； 舉施田，凡聖盡於十方。 是故此中三事性盡深無底，三事殊特勝無比，三事廣大遍無崖，三事相融俱無礙。 又《俱舍論》問施支提塔，此中無能受用，云何成福？ 答：福業有二種。 一棄捨為類，若由捨物，此福業得生； 二受用為類，若由受用所捨物，此福業生。 若施支提，有捨類福、無受用類福。 類是因義。 問：若不受用，云何有福？ 答：若福要由利他得成福者，修慈三昧及正見等應皆無福。 如慈等心觀中，雖無能受用及利益他，有無量福生，從自心起。 今此文中，前施佛造殿堂，受用生福； 後施塔，是棄捨生福。 舍利者，正音名設利羅，此云身，謂是如來或全身或碎身。 塔者，正音名窣堵波，訛名偷婆，更訛單名塔也，此翻為歸宗之所也。 依《長阿含經》四人應起塔，一佛、二辟支、三聲聞、四輪王。 真諦三藏引《十二因緣經》，八人應起塔：一如來，露盤八重已上是佛塔； 二菩薩七盤； 三緣覺六盤； 四羅漢五盤； 五那含四盤； 六斯陀含三盤； 七須陀洹二盤； 八輪王一盤，若見不得禮，以非聖塔故。 又依《僧祇律》，有凡僧亦起塔，謂持律法師、營事比丘、德望比丘應起塔。 既非聖人，總無露盤，仍令在屏處，若違結罪。 準此等文，今方有為師造塔廣起露盤，非直現人得罪，亦乃累彼先亡，深可悲矣。 又汎論造塔，有六意：一為表人勝、二為令他生淨信、三令標心有在、四令供養生福、五為報恩行畢、六生福滅罪。 問：如造佛塔得幾福？ 答有二：一近得梵福，依《俱舍》中，得梵福有七種：一此地未造支提於中而作、二立僧伽藍、三僧已散能和、四修四無量、五代父母佛命、六自出家教人出家、七建立法幢。 若人於上七業中隨作一業，如梵光行天受喜樂報一劫。 其梵福量者，用諸眾生共業，感一三千大千世界業，為一梵福之量。 二遠盡苦際得脫生死。 故《無上依經》供佛舍利芥子等，悉得究竟脫生死苦。 《大悲經》亦同。 施僮使令其代勞，又捨自身為彼給使，是為第六十門也，是同事攝也。 是以自身作蓋作蔭，覆障如來成孝供養。 又身施眾生為奴僕，是躬代勞苦。 又以己身奉給諸佛，為報恩行等施國土及王位者。 問：如有惡人乞此王位，欲惱害眾生，豈得施與？ 答：菩薩見此亦不施與。 如《瑜伽》四十九「若有上品逼惱眾生行暴惡業，來求王位，終不施與。 」施嚴飾大城者，前通施國土。 此文別施王所都處，大城自居，異餘小城故也。 寶女即為侍人，非是二物合施。 問：此寶女等，為是化作、為是實報？ 答：是實報。 經云「皆是菩薩淨業果報而用布施。 」又下〈法界品〉中皆是往昔同善根願，如妙德女等，故云「若能眷納我，甘心受此苦。 」又如賣華女等，是故施之皆不生惱。 問：《瑜伽》云「若有眾生來求種種能引戲樂、能引無義所施之物，不應施與。 」今此寶女既生彼貪染，云何施與？ 答：此中有三義故，是故施之。 > Question: Both being fields of gratitude, how do masters/monks compare in superiority to parents? Answer: The Śāriputraparipṛcchā Sūtra states that for laypersons, the kindness of parents is great, and that of masters and monks is second; for renunciants, the kindness of masters and monks is great, and that of parents is second. This is because a master's power of instruction toward a layperson is inferior, whereas for a renunciant it is the reverse. Furthermore, masters and monks give birth to the dharmakāya, and the dharmakāya is inexhaustible across accumulated kalpas; parents give birth to the physical body, whose kindness extends to seven lifetimes. Question: Both being fields of merit, how does offering to a designated group compare in superiority? Answer: As the Brahma Net Sūtra states, specially inviting five hundred arhats is not as good as inviting a single ordinary monk in regular monastic turn. Question: Giving involves three components—first, the field; second, the material object; third, the mind. How do these three compare in superiority? Answer: There are four permutations. First, there are cases where the field is inferior while the mind and so forth are superior, as when King Kaniṣka paid homage to and praised the Nirgrantha stūpa, whereupon the stūpa collapsed. Second, the field is superior while the mind and object are inferior, as when the child offered dirt into the Buddha's alms-bowl: because it was in play, his mind was slight, yet because the field was superior, he was able to become an Iron-Wheel-Turning King. Third, the field and mind are superior while the material object is inferior, as in fascicle nine of the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa where an old female servant offered dark indigo water to the Buddha, thereby obtaining the merit of rebirth among humans and gods fifteen times, and later attaining the nirvāṇa of a pratyekabuddha. Someone doubted that the Buddha spoke falsely, so the Buddha covered his face with his tongue to resolve their doubt, mentioning how the tiny seed of a nyagrodha tree grows into a vast tree, and so forth. Fourth, all three components are superior, as when the dragon girl offered the precious gem and swiftly realized buddhahood. Now, regarding the bodhisattva in this passage: as for the giving mind, its compassion and wisdom are equal to empty space; regarding the given objects, their varieties and types exhaust the dharmadhātu; enumerating the fields of giving, ordinary beings and sages exhaust the ten directions. Therefore, here the nature of the three components is completely exhausted and fathomlessly deep; the three components are distinct, superior, and peerless; the three components are vast and universally pervasive without limit; the three components are mutually interpenetrating and completely unimpeded. Furthermore, the Abhidharmakośa raises the question: regarding making gifts to a caitya-stūpa, since here there is no one who can make use of it, how is merit generated? Answer: Meritorious actions are of two kinds. First, belonging to the class of relinquishment: if by relinquishing an object this meritorious action comes to be produced. Second, belonging to the class of utilization: if by utilizing the relinquished object this meritorious action is produced. If one gives to a caitya, there is merit belonging to the class of relinquishment, but no merit belonging to the class of utilization. 'Class' carries the sense of cause. Question: If there is no utilization, how can there be merit? Answer: If merit necessarily required benefiting others to be accomplished, then cultivating the samādhi of benevolence, right view, and so forth should all be devoid of merit. Just as in the contemplation of a mind of benevolence and so forth, although there is no one who can utilize it or be benefited, immeasurable merit is produced, arising from one's own mind. Now in this text, previously giving to the Buddha and constructing halls generates merit through utilization; later giving to stūpas generates merit through relinquishment. 'Śarīra' is correctly pronounced śarīra, which here is translated as 'body', referring to the Tathāgata's whole body or relic fragments. 'Stūpa' is correctly pronounced stūpa; corruptly called toupo, and further corruptly shortened to just ta; this is translated as 'the place of returning to the lineage'. According to the Dīrgha Āgama, four kinds of persons should have stūpas erected for them: first, buddhas; second, pratyekabuddhas; third, śrāvakas; fourth, wheel-turning kings. Tripiṭaka Master Paramārtha cites the Dvādaśāṅgapratītyasamutpāda Sūtra stating that eight kinds of persons should have stūpas erected: first, tathāgatas—stūpas with eight tiers of dew-receiving basins or more are buddha stūpas; second, bodhisattvas, with seven basins; third, pratyekabuddhas, with six basins; fourth, arhats, with five basins; fifth, anāgāmins, with four basins; sixth, sakṛdāgāmins, with three basins; seventh, srotaāpannas, with two basins; eighth, wheel-turning kings, with one basin, which if seen one must not bow to, because it is not the stūpa of a noble one. Furthermore, according to the Mahāsāṃghika Vinaya, ordinary monks may also have stūpas erected: that is, Vinaya-holding masters of Dharma, duty-managing bhikṣus, and bhikṣus of virtuous reputation should have stūpas erected. Since they are not noble ones, they have no dew-receiving basins at all, and \[the stūpas\] must still be placed in secluded spots; if one violates this, an offense is incurred. Relying on these texts, nowadays there are those who build stūpas for their masters with wide arrays of dew-receiving basins; not only do the living incur an offense, but it also encumbers the deceased, which is deeply lamentable. Furthermore, generally discussing the construction of stūpas, there are six intentions: first, to manifest the superiority of the person; second, to cause others to generate pure faith; third, to provide a focus for their minds; fourth, to enable offerings to generate merit; fifth, to complete the practice of repaying kindness; sixth, to produce merit and eliminate offenses. Question: Constructing a buddha stūpa attains how much merit? Answer: There are two aspects: first, immediately attaining brahma-merit. According to the Kośa, attaining brahma-merit has seven causes: first, constructing a caitya where none had been built on that ground; second, establishing a saṅghārāma; third, reconciling a sangha that has been dispersed; fourth, cultivating the four immeasurables; fifth, acting on behalf of parents or the Buddha's command; sixth, renouncing the household oneself and teaching others to renounce the household; seventh, erecting a Dharma banner. If a person performs any one among the above seven karmic acts, they will receive the retribution of joy and bliss for one kalpa like the gods of the Brahmā realm of radiance. As for the quantity of that brahma-merit, it uses the shared karma of sentient beings that induces one great trichiliocosm as the measure of one brahma-merit. Second, distantly exhausting the bounds of suffering to attain liberation from saṃsāra. Therefore, the Anuttarāśraya Sūtra states that making offerings to the Buddha's relics even the size of a mustard seed will entirely attain ultimate liberation from the suffering of saṃsāra. The Mahākaruṇā Sūtra says the same. Giving servants to relieve others' toil, and relinquishing one's own body to serve them as an attendant, constitutes the sixtieth gate; this is the embracing method of shared activity. This is using one's own body as a canopy and shade to shelter and protect the Tathāgata, accomplishing filial offering. Moreover, giving one's body to sentient beings as a servant is to personally substitute for their hardship and labor. Furthermore, offering one's own body to serve all buddhas is the practice of repaying kindness, and so forth. Regarding giving realms and royal thrones: Question: If an evil person begs for this royal throne wishing to harm sentient beings, how could it be given to them? Answer: When a bodhisattva sees this, they will not give it to them either. As the Yogācāra\[bhūmi\] states in fascicle forty-nine: 'If someone brings supreme harassment to sentient beings and practices violent and evil karma, and comes seeking the royal throne, one ultimately does not give it to them.' Regarding giving adorned great cities: the preceding generally referred to giving realms. Here it specifically refers to giving the seat of royal rule, the great city where one resides, distinguishing it from other smaller cities. Precious women are attendants; this does not mean two items given together. Question: Are these precious women and so forth illusory transformations, or are they actual karmic retributions? Answer: They are actual karmic retributions. The sūtra says: 'All are the retributions of the bodhisattva's pure karma used for giving.' Furthermore, in the 'Dharmadhātu Chapter' below, they all share past vows based on identical roots of good, like the maiden Sudharmā and others; hence it says: 'If you can accept me as your kin, I willingly undergo this suffering.' Again, it is like the flower-selling maiden and others; therefore, giving them never generates vexation. Question: The Yogācāra says: 'If there are sentient beings who come seeking various given items that can induce frivolous pleasure and induce meaninglessness, one should not give them.' Now, since these precious women generate greed and attachment in them, why give them? Answer: Because there are three reasons here, they are therefore given. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [8.8.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1733.8.8.3) 一菩薩觀彼有益無染方乃施與，若有染過則不施之； 二此女既實是菩薩同行眷屬，是故不令前人生施貪染； 三此女能以法門有利益彼，是故施之。 若反上三義則不應施。 《攝論》中，有利益有染污、無利益無染污、有染污無利益，此三菩薩不行； 有利無染污，菩薩乃行。 《瑜伽》約前三，此文據後一，故不相違也。 施妻妾男女，此亦合論。 如須達拏者，此云善愛或云好愛。 如《太子經》具說施妻子等。 現莊嚴王者，即《大王莊嚴經》中說施妻子等。 又《菩薩本緣經》中一切施王子，施王子大戰象與怨國人，王臣同瞋，擯王子於雪山。 山中施二子已，天帝化來從乞妻，得還寄王子。 後更乞眼，王子欲排，乞者止之：「且還寄汝。 我須即取，汝更不得施人。 」王子言：「我今何得受兩物寄？ 」廣如彼說。 問：此中所施妻子等，為是實報、為是化作？ 又彼乞者，為亦是實、為亦是化？ 答：此有三義。 一約上品，俱實而施。 如一切施王，施兒與婆羅門，婆羅門鞭打將去。 至一樹下更欲打之，樹神手擬婆羅門，婆羅門即倒。 神欲斷彼命，奪王子送還。 王子告神：「請勿害之。 我若再還，令我父王檀行不足，即為不孝之子。 」神遂放之。 解云：准此，妻兒亦是同修菩薩行人，尚須自捨身命，豈有辭苦而退。 二約中品，互有實化亦行布施。 如《賢愚經》，佛昔為王，有毘沙門作夜叉語，從王索妻子食。 食訖，為說偈云「一切行無常，生者皆有苦。 五陰空無相，無有我我所。 」說此偈已復本形，妻子猶存。 此則妻子是實，乞者是化。 《淨名經》中多是住不思議解脫菩薩，為調練餘小菩薩增其行位，故作此乞人，欲破此菩薩妻子愛盡，是故對前示現食之。 又《攝論》中毘荀陀王捨兒與婆羅門，是逼惱他事。 此兒是化作，是故無惱。 解云：此乞者是實，兒是化也。 以菩薩方便滿婆羅門願，令怨心盡，故作是化也。 又如菩薩化為女色，施貪愛者，調令離欲等。 三約下品，俱實不施。 《瑜伽》三十九，菩薩於自妻子奴婢僕使親戚眷屬，若不先以正言曉喻令其歡喜，終不強逼令其憂惱施來求者。 雖復先以怨言曉喻令其歡喜生樂欲心，而不施與怨家惡友藥叉羅剎凶暴業者，不以妻子形容軟弱族姓男女施來求者令作奴婢。 解云：此據軟根初心說也。 又若兩俱是化，則互無義利，故無此句也。 施家宅，令眾得住處喜。 施園林，令得遊歡喜。 設大施會者，是無遮大會，種種皆施，謂不限物、不局時、不遮眾，無前無後等施一切故也，如下香牙園處設大會等。 梵名般遮于瑟，此云無遮大會也。 施一切資生具者，是第七十門也。 以別說諸門不可盡故，是故末後總就一切資生之具而成大施。 上來隨大門有七十，若更細論，所施物中種類不同，依光統師，有一百二十。 次廣有八萬四千。 何者？ 謂百二十事中皆有十善業而行施，故成一千二百； 以七施法乘之，成八千四百； 一一行中具十種迴向，故成八萬四千施行之門。 七施法者，隨相有六，入理復一，即為七也。 隨相六者，心有三種，即三時喜等； 事有三種，即施者、受者及財物等。 入理有一，謂照三事空一寂之理。 又釋：以七聖財乘之亦得。 如一施行有八萬四千，餘一一行皆亦如是。 若散說行相，無量不可說。 > First, the bodhisattva gives only after observing that it is beneficial and free from defilement; if there is any fault of defilement, he does not give. Second, since this woman is in reality a fellow-practicing associate of the bodhisattva, she will not cause the recipient to generate greed or defilement from the gift. Third, this woman is able to benefit the other by means of Dharma gates; therefore, he gives her. If the reverse of the above three conditions were the case, he should not give. In the Mahāyānasaṃgraha: beneficial and defiled; not beneficial and not defiled; defiled and not beneficial—these three the bodhisattva does not practice. Beneficial and undefiled, the bodhisattva does practice. The Yogācārabhūmi refers to the first three, while this text is based on the latter one; thus they do not contradict each other. Giving wives, concubines, sons, and daughters: this should also be discussed together. As for Sudāna, it is translated here as 'Well-beloved' or 'Good-beloved'. As the Crown Prince Sūtra explains in detail, giving away his wife, children, and so on. King Vyūharāja means the giving of his wife, children, and so on as spoken of in the Sūtra of the Great King Vyūha. Furthermore, in the Bodhisattvāvadāna Sūtra, Prince Sarvadāna gave the prince's great war elephant to the people of an enemy kingdom; the king and ministers were all enraged and banished the prince to the Snow Mountains. In the mountains, after he had given away his two sons, the king of the gods transformed himself and came to beg for his wife; having obtained her, he returned her in trust to the prince. Later, he also begged for his eyes. The prince was about to gouge them out, but the beggar stopped him, saying: 'For now I return them to you in trust. When I need them I will take them; you may not give them to anyone else.' The prince said: 'How can I now accept two things entrusted to me?'—it is as fully related there. Question: Are the wife, children, and so on given here real karmic fruits, or are they magical creations? And as for that beggar, is he also real, or is he a magical creation? Answer: There are three interpretations here. First, from the superior grade, both are real and given. Like King Sarvadāna: he gave his sons to a brāhmaṇa, and the brāhmaṇa whipped them and led them away. Reaching beneath a tree, he wished to beat them again; a tree spirit raised his hand against the brāhmaṇa, and the brāhmaṇa immediately fell down. The spirit wished to take his life, seize the prince, and send him back. The prince said to the spirit: 'Please do not harm him. If I were to return again, I would cause my father the king's practice of dāna to be incomplete, and I would be an unfilial son.' The spirit then released him. The explanation says: following this, the wife and children are also fellow bodhisattva practitioners; since they must even relinquish their own lives, how could they turn back out of dread of suffering? Second, from the middling grade, there is an alternation between real and magical creation in the practice of giving. As in the Damamūkanidāna Sūtra: when the Buddha was formerly a king, Vaiśravaṇa spoke like a yakṣa, demanding the king's wife and child to eat. Having eaten them, he spoke a verse for him, saying: 'All conditioned things are impermanent; all who are born have suffering. The five aggregates are empty and formless; there is neither self nor what belongs to self.' Having spoken this verse, he resumed his original form, and the wife and child were still there. In this case, the wife and child were real, and the beggar was a magical creation. In the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra, it is mostly bodhisattvas abiding in inconceivable liberation who, in order to train other lesser bodhisattvas and advance their stages of practice, make themselves into such beggars, wishing to completely destroy these bodhisattvas' attachment to wife and children; thus, in their presence, they manifest eating them. Furthermore, in the Mahāyānasaṃgraha, when King Viśvantara gave his son to the brāhmaṇa, it was a matter of distressing another. This son was magically created, and therefore there was no distress. The explanation says: here the beggar was real, and the son was magically created. Because the bodhisattva used upāya to fulfill the brāhmaṇa's wish and extinguish his grudge, he made this magical creation. Again, it is like a bodhisattva transforming into a beautiful woman and giving herself to someone with lustful attachment, in order to train and cause him to be free from desire, and so on. Third, from the inferior grade, both are real and not given. The thirty-ninth fascicle of the Yogācārabhūmi says: with regard to his own wife, children, slaves, servants, relatives, and kin, if the bodhisattva has not first instructed them with proper words so that they are delighted, he will never forcibly compel them to suffer grief and distress by giving them to those who come begging. Even if he has first instructed them with gentle words so that they are delighted and develop a willing desire, he does not give them to enemies, bad friends, yakṣas, rākṣasas, or those of violent deeds; nor does he give delicate wives, children, or youths of noble clans to those who come begging to make them into slaves. The explanation says: this is spoken based on those of dull faculties and initial motivation. Furthermore, if both were magically created, then neither would have any meaningful benefit; hence there is no such proposition. Giving houses and dwellings causes the assembly to obtain the joy of a dwelling place. Giving gardens and groves causes them to obtain the joy of recreation. Instituting a great assembly of giving refers to an unimpeded great assembly, where all kinds of things are given—meaning not limited by material things, not restricted by time, not barring the assembly, giving equally to all without before or after; as below, where a great assembly is instituted at the place of the Fragrant Tusk Grove, and so on. The Sanskrit name is pañcavārṣika, which is translated here as 'unimpeded great assembly'. Giving all requisites for living is the seventieth gate. Because the various gates cannot be exhausted if explained individually, at the end he sums them up collectively into all requisites for living to complete the great giving. The above has seventy gates according to the great gates. If one explains them in finer detail, the varieties among the things given, according to Master Guangtong, number one hundred and twenty. Next, in full, there are eighty-four thousand. How so? Among the one hundred and twenty matters, each contains the ten wholesome karmas in practicing giving, thus making one thousand two hundred; multiplied by the seven methods of giving, this makes eight thousand four hundred; and each individual practice is equipped with the ten dedications, thus making eighty-four thousand gates of the practice of giving. As for the seven methods of giving, according to phenomenal marks there are six, and entering the principle adds one more, making seven. The six according to phenomenal marks: the mind has three kinds, namely the joy of the three times, and so on; the matter has three kinds, namely the giver, the recipient, and the material wealth, and so on. Entering the principle has one: namely contemplating the principle that the three matters are empty and solitary. Another explanation: multiplying them by the seven noble treasures also works. Just as one practice of giving has eighty-four thousand, each of the remaining practices is also like this. If one were to explain the active aspects in dispersed detail, they would be immeasurably inexpressible. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1733~en-mt.8.8.1) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (6) - [瑜伽師地論](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.darsana.yogacara.yogacarabhumi*zh-xuanzang.39.25) — Classical Chinese - [瑜伽論記](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1828.21.455) — Classical Chinese - [法苑珠林](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.81.11) — 道世, Classical Chinese - [諸經要集](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2123.10.53) — Classical Chinese - [大方廣佛華嚴經疏](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1735.29.3) — Classical Chinese - [華嚴經內章門等雜孔目章](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1870.2.85) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1733.8.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1733.8.8) · Pramāṇa