大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 43.41

43.41

Regarding the commentary's phrase “it fully contains three kinds of diligence (vīrya)”: the *Vijñaptimātratā* speaks of three: first, diligence as armor; second, diligence in gathering wholesomeness; third, diligence in benefiting and delighting [sentient beings]. Asabhāva explains: “First is armor; second is practice (prayoga); third is being free from timidity, free from regression, and free from complacency. The first means that at the very beginning one encourages oneself, saying: 'I shall accomplish such a task.' This corresponds to what the sutra explains [as the phrase] having power at the beginning; next is practice, having the phrase on exertion. Being free from timidity and so forth means that in whatever wholesome deeds one undertakes according to one's inclinations and tasks, up to sitting peacefully on the sublime seat of bodhi, one never abandons them. When one's mind does not retreat or weaken before one's own exhaustion and suffering, this is termed being free from timidity. When one's mind remains unmoved before the persecution and affliction caused by others, this is termed being free from regression. Progressively cultivating wholesome factors between these stages up to bodhi, constantly without laxity or neglect, is termed being free from complacency. These three phrases explain what the sutra describes as having valiance and not abandoning wholesome dharmas.” Vasubandhu's explanation of the three diligences is largely the same. Asabhāva, in explaining the five phrases of the sutra, further states: “Why is this? Perhaps there are some who at the very beginning seek unexcelled, correct, and complete bodhi, and although possessing power, are unable to spur themselves forward at the time of practice; therefore it says that there is practice with exertion. Even though one has a mind of exertion, it may be timid; to counter this, it says that there is valiance, and because of valiance, the mind does not retreat or weaken. Although the mind is not timid, when meeting the suffering of saṃsāra the mind might regress, thereby losing the sought-after fruit of buddhahood; to counter this, freedom from regression is established. Freedom from regression means firmness and valiance, and thus one does not regress. It is clearly stated as firm and valiant: because one is firm, one does not regress when encountering suffering; because one is valiant, one does not fear suffering. Although one does not regress when encountering manifold sufferings, upon attaining a little wholesomeness one might generate complacency, and thereby fail to realize unexcelled bodhi; therefore it next says that freedom from complacency means not generating complacency upon obtaining a little wholesomeness. This meaning demonstrates not abandoning the yoke of wholesomeness. It is on account of this meaning that the three diligences are taught. As for 'armor', its name is established by analogy: just as a person entering battle must first don armor to guard against bows and arrows, now in seeking bodhi, one must first take vows to guard against regression and weakness.” The *Benye jing* simply says: “First is raising a mind of great vows; second is practice through upāya; third is diligently transforming sentient beings.” Regarding the commentary's phrase “now the first is completely identical with the text of the *Yogācāra[-bhūmi]*, yet the treatise takes donning armor as the first”: the forty-second fascicle of the treatise states, “First is donning the armor of vows. Even if I were to deliver a single sentient being, taking a thousand great kalpas as a single day and night, abiding in hell for such a duration to realize great bodhi, and even if it exceeded this by a thousand koṭis of times, having no mind of sloth, how much less [would I have sloth] regarding slight and brief sufferings? If one can generate even a little pure faith toward this, one fosters an immeasurable, valiant nature of great bodhi, how much more so upon accomplishment?” Hence it says “referring to prior mental self-resolve”.