大方廣佛華嚴經疏 35.14

35.14

第七言辭不正，故云綺語。其猶綺文，總離可知。別中亦二：先對治、後果行。前中八語，初一為總，故下結云戲笑尚恒思審，是以菩薩常樂。三思而後言，則無散亂矣。下七語別。時之一字亦總亦別，總者上言思審者，謂思合其時，語默得中也。云何為時？謂彼此無損、自他成益時，故論云「善知言說時，依彼此語故。」時語有幾？略說有三：一教化時語，謂見非善眾生勸發生信，令捨惡就善，即時字別義。次二教授時語，令其憶念實語者，不顛倒故。謂學承有本，轉相教誨。後二釋上云何不倒，以言含於義故、稱行法故。後三教誡時語，令其修行。《地持》教誡，差別有五：一制、二聽、三舉、四折伏、五令喜。今三句攝之：一謂有罪者制、無罪者聽，為順道理。二於制聽有缺，如法舉之，數數毀犯折伏與念，云巧調伏。三有實德者稱揚令喜，故云決定。又此一句總結上四，謂若制若聽、若舉若折皆須適時。二「是菩薩」下果行離中，亦以輕況重。

Seventh: because the words and expressions are improper, it is called 'frivolous talk' (saṃbhinna-pralāpa). It is like patterned embroidery (qi); that it is abandoned on the whole is understood. Within the particular treatment, there are also two parts: first the antidotes, and afterwards the practice of the result. In the former part there are eight phrases. The first is general; hence the text concludes below, 'even in jest he constantly reflects and examines.' Therefore, the bodhisattva is ever joyful. 'Deliberating thrice before speaking,' there will be no distraction. Below, the seven phrases are particular. The single word 'timely' is both general and particular. As for the general, the above statement 'reflects and examines' means reflecting so as to accord with the proper time, hitting the mean between speaking and silence. What is the time? It means the time when there is no harm to either party and benefit is accomplished for both self and other. Thus the Treatise says: 'Skillfully knowing the time of speech, by relying on the words of both.' How many types of timely speech are there? Briefly spoken, there are three: First, speech at the time of teaching and transforming—meaning when seeing beings who are not good, exhorting and inspiring them to generate faith, causing them to abandon evil and approach goodness; this is the particular meaning of the word 'timely.' Next are two phrases on speech at the time of instructing—causing them to be mindful of truthful speech, because it is not inversed. This means that learning has an authoritative transmission as its root, instructing and teaching one another in turn. The subsequent two phrases explain why the above is not inversed: because the words contain meaning and accord with the Dharma of practice. The last three phrases are speech at the time of admonishing—causing them to practice. In the Bodhisattvabhūmi, admonition has five distinctions: 1. prohibiting, 2. permitting, 3. pointing out faults, 4. subduing, and 5. causing to rejoice. Here, three phrases subsume them: First, prohibiting those who have faults and permitting those who are faultless, so as to accord with reason. Second, when there is deficiency regarding prohibition and permission, pointing it out according to the Dharma, and for those who repeatedly transgress, subduing them and granting mindfulness; this is called 'skillful taming.' Third, praising those with actual virtue so as to make them rejoice; hence it says 'decisive.' Moreover, this single phrase generally concludes the above four, meaning that whether prohibiting or permitting, pointing out or subduing, all must be suited to the proper time. Second, in 'This bodhisattva...' below, which concerns abandonment through the practice of the result, it also takes the minor to illustrate the major.