大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 82.52

82.52

疏「四第八人者」，《俱舍》二十三〈賢聖品〉釋住果極七返偈。先問云：此預流名為何義？若初得道名為預流，則預流名應目第八。若初得果名為預流，則倍離欲全離欲者，至道類智應名預流。下答意明初得果故名為預流，以超斷者不定初得故。《俱舍大疏》寶公但云「若預流名目初得道，即初見道第八人應名預流。」亦不釋於第八所以離欲等言。小疏釋云「其苦法忍即是第八人，於八忍中從後疏之為第八故。」若義林法師《大疏鈔》云「八人地謂預流向也。四向四果，從後數之為第八故。」《婆沙》三十六「第八聖者，謂隨信行及隨法行，從勝數為第八故。」又更一解，與小疏同。《探玄》引《大般若》，亦初果向，同於林公從後數之。澤州遠公引古《婆沙論》，詺須陀洹向以為第八。而對見道前七方便，故名第八。故彼論中問言：「云何為第八人？所謂信堅及法堅。鈍根之人見道名信堅，利根之人名法堅。」釋曰：此上全同林公引文，而取義逆順為別。俱未見文，以義取人，遠公理長，第八之名所以順故。遠公又云：「外國相傳云：更有八人者，初發心人而未有行。二有相行人，憎厭生死，樂修善法。三無相行人，學觀空理，破離欣厭，見人行惡心無忿怒，見人修善亦不欣慶。四方便行人，雖見法空而常隨有起諸善行。此四在於善趣地中。五者習種、六者性種、七者解行、八者聖種。初依地前，未同聖種，故非第八。第八人者不名凡夫，彰異於前。云不名凡夫，揀異初依名為菩薩。當相以論，不名為佛，別異於後。」釋曰：遠公解前順今文，後非今意。彼釋四依，故可用之，因便引來，以彰異轍。今疏正意，取初果向。而《俱舍》小疏亦是初向而局苦忍，義成大局亦彰異轍。「非用指南」下，引《智論》八人，亦初果向，通十五心。而若約超斷，容餘果向。

The Commentary states: "Fourth, the eighth person": The Kośa, chapter 23, "Chapter on the Sages and Worthies", explains the verse on abiding in the fruit with at most seven rebirths. It first asks: What does this name 'stream-enterer' (srotāpanna) signify? If first attaining the path is called stream-enterer, then the name stream-enterer should refer to the eighth. If first attaining the fruit is called stream-enterer, then those who have partially separated from desire and those who have completely separated from desire, when arriving at the knowledge of the category of the path (mārgānvayajñāna), should be called stream-enterers. The purport of the answer below clarifies that because one first attains the fruit, one is called a stream-enterer, since one who severs by transcendence (tikṣṇa-mukta) does not necessarily attain it initially.
In the Great Commentary on the Kośa, Master Bao merely states: "If the name stream-enterer designates first attaining the path, then the eighth person upon first seeing the path should be called a stream-enterer." Nor does he explain the reason for the eighth person, the phrase "separating from desire", and so on.
The Lesser Commentary explains: "The patience with the Dharma of suffering is precisely the eighth person; among the eight patiences, counting from the end, it is the eighth."
Master Yilin's Subcommentary on the Great Commentary states: "The stage of the eight persons refers to the candidate for stream-entry. Among the four candidates and four fruits, counting from the end, it is the eighth."
The Vibhāṣā, fascicle 36, states: "The eighth sage refers to the follower by faith and follower by Dharma; counting from the superior, they are the eighth."
There is yet another explanation, identical to the Lesser Commentary.
The Tanxuan cites the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā, which is also the candidate for the first fruit, agreeing with Master Lin in counting from the end.
Master Yuan of Zezhou cites the ancient Vibhāṣāśāstra, designating the candidate for the srotāpanna as the eighth. Opposed to the seven preparatory stages prior to the path of seeing, it is therefore named the eighth. Hence that treatise asks: "What is the eighth person? They are the so-called 'firm in faith' and 'firm in Dharma'. A person of dull faculties on the path of seeing is called 'firm in faith', and a person of sharp faculties is called 'firm in Dharma'."
Explanation: The above is entirely identical to the text cited by Master Lin, but the reverse and direct directions taken in the interpretation are different. Neither saw the text directly; judging the persons by the meaning, Master Yuan's reasoning is superior, because the name 'the eighth' proceeds in direct order.
Master Yuan also states: "Tradition abroad says: There are another eight persons: 1. the person of initial resolve who does not yet have practice; 2. the practitioner with signs, who loathes birth-and-death and delights in cultivating wholesome dharmas; 3. the signless practitioner, who studies contemplation of the principle of emptiness, shattering and leaving behind attraction and revulsion—seeing someone commit evil, their mind has no wrath; seeing someone cultivate good, they also do not rejoice; 4. the practitioner of upāya, who although seeing the emptiness of dharmas, always follows existence to give rise to all wholesome practices. These four are in the stage of good destinies. The fifth is the lineage of practice (gotra); sixth, the lineage of nature; seventh, understanding and practice; eighth, the noble lineage. The first four depend on the stages prior to the bhūmis and are not yet the same as the noble lineage, hence they are not the eighth. The eighth person is not called an ordinary person, demonstrating distinction from the former. Saying that they are not called an ordinary person differentiates them from the first basis, calling them a bodhisattva. Spoken of according to characteristics, they are not called a Buddha, distinguishing them from what comes after."
Explanation: Master Yuan's earlier explanation accords with the present text, but the latter is not the present intention. Since he was explaining the four reliances, it could be used there, and was casually cited here to demonstrate different approaches. The primary intention of the present Commentary takes the candidate for the first fruit. But the Lesser Commentary on the Kośa, though also taking the candidate for the first fruit, restricts it to the patience with the Dharma of suffering, which becomes overly restrictive in meaning and likewise represents a diverging approach.
Below "Not employing the guide...", citing the eight persons from the Upadeśa, it is also the candidate for the first fruit, extending across the fifteen minds. Yet if analyzed according to severance by transcendence, it can accommodate candidates for the remaining fruits.