大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 36.59

36.59

Regarding the Commentary's statement, "Turning from the previous [grasping of] internal grasping," and so forth: the text of the Commentary has two parts: first, a general explanation of the meaning of the text; second, from "However, this one verse" onward, revealing the meaning it encompasses. Briefly, there are two explanations. First, it says, "It is merely the bondage of the aggregates." This refers to the objection raised by Siṃhanāda in Fascicle 29 of the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra]: "As the Buddha has spoken, all dharmas have two kinds of causes: first, the direct cause, and second, the contributory cause. By means of these two causes, there should be neither bondage nor liberation. These five aggregates arise and perish from thought to thought. If they arise and perish in this way, who is bound and who is liberated? World-Honoured One! It is dependent on these five aggregates that the subsequent five aggregates arise. This aggregate perishes of itself and does not go on to that aggregate; although it does not go on to it, it can produce that aggregate. Just as from a seed a sprout is produced, and the seed does not go on into the sprout, yet although it does not go on into the sprout, it can produce the sprout. Sentient beings are also like this: how can there be bondage and liberation?" Below, the Buddha takes this up in order to answer, citing the wax seal impressed into clay, where the seal is destroyed and the impression is formed. The meaning of the simile is: when being born, one's sense faculties may be complete or incomplete. One who is complete generates greed upon seeing visual forms; generating greed is called attachment. Becoming crazed, greed arises; this is called avidyā. Due to the two causes and conditions of greed-attachment and avidyā, all the spheres that are perceived are inverted: seeing permanence in the impermanent, seeing self in the non-self, seeing pleasure in the non-pleasure, and seeing purity in the non-pure. Due to the four inversions, one performs good and bad actions; afflictions produce karma, and karma produces afflictions—this is called bondage. It is by this meaning that it is termed the arising of the five aggregates. The meaning here is: although there is arising and perishing, this does not obstruct bondage. Therefore, it is applied here saying: "It is merely the bondage of the aggregates; there is no self or person."