大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 39.6

39.6

疏「即四無量亦七善知」者，經具此二，古德出體亦用此二。其〈梵行品〉在十五經，四無量義，次下自明。亦七善知者，經云「善男子！云何菩薩摩訶薩梵行？善男子！菩薩摩訶薩住於大乘大般涅槃，住七善法得具梵行。何等為七？一者知法、二者知義、三者知時、四者知足、五知自、六知眾、七知尊卑。」彼文廣釋，今當略示。知法，謂知十二部經。知義，謂一切文字語言善知其義。知時，謂如是時中堪修靜慮，如是時中堪修精進等。知足，謂飲食衣服藥等。知自者，謂我有如是信戒等。知眾，謂剎利婆羅門等。知尊卑云「善男子！有二種人：一者信、二者不信。菩薩當知信者是善，不信者不名為善。信復二種：一者往詣僧坊、二者不往。往詣者善，不往詣者不名為善。」如是禮拜、聽法、志心思義、如說修行、求聲聞乘、迴向大乘，展轉皆同初二，故後結云「迴向大乘最上最善。」不出尊卑之名，意云：善者為尊，不善者為卑，則後後尊於前前耳。

Regarding the commentary's "namely the four immeasurables and also the seven good knowledges": the sūtra possesses both of these, and the ancient masters also employed both in identifying the essence. Its "Chapter on Brahmacaryā" is in the fifteenth fascicle of the sūtra; the meaning of the four immeasurables will be explained directly below. As for "also the seven good knowledges," the sūtra states: "Good son! What is the pure practice (brahmacaryā) of a bodhisattva-mahāsattva? Good son! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva abides in the Great Vehicle and the great parinirvāṇa; abiding in the seven wholesome dharmas, he comes to fully possess pure practice. What are the seven? First is knowing dharmas; second is knowing meanings; third is knowing the proper time; fourth is knowing contentment; fifth is knowing oneself; sixth is knowing assemblies; seventh is knowing the superior and the inferior." That text explains them extensively; here they shall be indicated briefly. Knowing dharmas means knowing the twelve divisions of scripture. Knowing meanings means properly knowing the meanings of all letters and spoken words. Knowing the proper time means knowing that at such a time one can cultivate meditative contemplation, at such a time one can cultivate vigor, and so forth. Knowing contentment refers to food, drink, clothing, medicines, and the like. Knowing oneself means knowing "I possess such faith, precepts," and so forth. Knowing assemblies refers to kṣatriyas, brāhmaṇas, and so forth. Knowing the superior and the inferior is stated as: "Good son! There are two kinds of people: first, those who have faith; second, those who lack faith. The bodhisattva should know that those who have faith are good, while those who lack faith are not called good. Those with faith are again of two kinds: first, those who go to the monastery; second, those who do not go. Those who go are good, while those who do not go are not called good." In this manner—prostrating, listening to the Dharma, setting the mind on contemplating the meaning, practicing according to what has been taught, seeking the śrāvaka vehicle, and dedicating merit toward the Great Vehicle—progressively each follows the pattern of the first two; therefore, it concludes at the end: "Dedicating merit toward the Great Vehicle is the most supreme and most good." It does not explicitly state the names "superior" and "inferior," but the intention is: the good is superior and the ungood is inferior; thus, each subsequent one is superior to each preceding one.