華嚴經探玄記 2.5

2.5

First, among them, establishing these six phrases has six reasons: First, the Buddha's teaching established them. According to the Dà zhìdù lùn, when the Buddha was approaching nirvāṇa, he said to Ānanda: 'You must circulate the twelve divisions of scriptures.' He also said to Upāli: 'You must uphold all the precepts and vinaya.' He said to Aniruddha: 'You have attained the divine eye; always guard the relics and encourage people to make offerings.' He said to the great assembly: 'Whether I remain for a kalpa or decrease by a kalpa, our meeting must also end.' Having spoken, he lay down in the Sala grove with his head to the north, intending to enter nirvāṇa. Ānanda had not yet eliminated the affection of kinship, and his mind sank into an ocean of sorrow. Aniruddha said to Ānanda: 'Although the World-Honoured One is present today, tomorrow he will be gone. You should ask him about essential matters for the future; why do you faint in grief like an ignorant fool?' Ānanda immediately arose and asked: 'I now do not know what matters to inquire about.' Aniruddha instructed him, saying: 'There are four essential matters: First, ask: When the Tathāgata was in the world, he expounded the Dharma in person and all people faithfully accepted it; after the Tathāgata's parinirvāṇa, what words should be placed at the head of all sūtras? Second, ask: When the Tathāgata was in the world, all the monks took the Buddha as their teacher; after the Tathāgata's parinirvāṇa, who shall be their teacher? Third, ask: When the Buddha was in the world, all the monks lived relying on the Buddha; after the Tathāgata's parinirvāṇa, relying on whom shall they live? Fourth, ask: When the Tathāgata was in the world, the Buddha himself disciplined the ill-natured Channa; after the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, how shall we live together with him?' Ānanda questioned him as instructed. The World-Honoured One replied, saying: 'At the head of the sūtras one should place the six phrases such as "Thus [have I heard]". Second: Monks shall all take the prātimokṣa as their teacher. Third: They shall all live relying on the four stations of mindfulness. Fourth: Ill-natured monks shall be disciplined with the brahmadanda.' This means silent expulsion; if his mind becomes softened and submissive, one should expound the Kātyāyana Sūtra for him—translated here as the Sūtra on Abandoning Existence and Non-existence—to crush his conceited mind. Furthermore, as in the Mahākaruṇā Sūtra, Ānanda requested of the Buddha: 'How should the eye of the Dharma be compiled?' The Buddha told Ānanda: 'After my parinirvāṇa, the venerable monks should ask: "Where did the World-Honoured One expound sūtras such as the Great Avadāna?" You should answer: "Thus have I heard: at one time in the land of Magadha, beneath the bodhi tree, having first attained right awakening, he expounded the Dharma..." down to "expounding the Dharma between the twin sala trees."' For the sūtras expounded at over twenty such locations, the Buddha himself repeatedly instructed Ānanda to compile them; therefore these six phrases were established by the Buddha's teaching. Second, these six phrases were established in order to cut off doubts. As Tripiṭaka Master Paramārtha said: 'According to the subtle vinaya, when Ānanda was about to ascend the high seat to compile the Dharma repository, his body became like the Buddha's, fully endowed with the marks and signs; when he descended from the seat, he returned to his original form. Seeing this auspicious sign, the assembly again gave rise to three doubts: First, they suspected that the Buddha, the Great Master, had arisen from nirvāṇa out of compassion to expound the Dharma for the assembly once more. Second, they suspected that a Buddha-sage had come from another direction. Third, they suspected that Ānanda had transformed his body and attained Buddhahood. Now, in order to eliminate these three doubts, the six phrases were established. Therefore Ānanda declared of himself: "Dharma such as this I heard from the Buddha," making it clearly known that it was not the Buddha arising again to speak, nor a Buddha coming from another direction, nor Ānanda himself attaining Buddhahood, but merely that the power of the Dharma caused me to resemble the Buddha.' Third, in order to generate faith in the future. The Dà zhìdù lùn says: 'The placement of time, place, person, and so forth at the beginning of all sūtras is intended to cause them to generate faith.' Fourth, in order to be free from the faults of addition and subtraction. The Buddhabhūmi-śāstra says: 'One should know that stating this "Thus have I heard" is intended to avoid the faults of addition, subtraction, and divergence. That is, [it means] "such Dharma I heard from the Buddha, not indirectly from others," showing that the hearer possessed competence, and that all that was heard is free from the faults of addition, subtraction, and divergence. It is not like an ignorant person who lacks competence, where all that is heard perhaps cannot be free from addition, subtraction, and divergence. When compiling the Dharma, those who transmit the Buddha's teachings speak these words at the outset in accordance with the Tathāgata's teaching, in order to lead sentient beings to revere, faithfully accept, and say: "Such Dharma I heard from the Buddha; its text and meaning are definitive, without any addition or subtraction; therefore, hearers, having properly heard it, should contemplate it in accordance with principle and be encouraged to cultivate and learn it."' Fifth, in order to quell all disputes. If one were to compose it oneself, disputes would arise; therefore this is not done. This is distinguished according to the Dà zhìdù lùn. Sixth, in order to differ from the non-Buddhists. The scriptures and treatises of those non-Buddhists say either that they were obtained when a stone cliff collapsed, or that a bluebird carried them in its beak; therefore they cannot be believed. For this reason, all the details are fully revealed now to clarify that the Dharma is not erroneous, leading people to faithfully accept it.