大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 47.26

47.26

Regarding the commentary’s “First, rescue from the eight sufferings”: there are 1. the suffering of birth, 2. the suffering of aging, 3. sickness, 4. death, 5. the five grasping aggregates, 6. not getting what one seeks, 7. encountering the hateful, and 8. separation from the beloved. The “eight difficulties” will be extensively explained below. Regarding the commentary’s “the abyss of Weilu”: it will be clarified in the “Manifestation Chapter.” Regarding the commentary’s “Question: The suffering of sentient beings…”, etc.: above, the brief explanation is finished; from here downward are question and answer. Within the answer are three parts: 1. directly clarifying; 2. from “The aforementioned…” downward, analysis and selection; 3. from “Question: If relying…” downward, resolving objections and difficulties. Regarding the commentary’s “This relies on the explanation in the eleventh fascicle of the Liang Mahāyānasaṃgraha”: the root treatise states, “As for the profound distinction: if a bodhisattva, through this upāya and superior cognition, performs the ten actions such as killing living beings, there is no defiled fault; immeasurable merit is generated, and one quickly attains the supreme fruit of anuttarabodhi.” The commentary states, “Just as a bodhisattva is able to practice according to the upāya and superior cognition one is capable of practicing, this meaning is now revealed. If a bodhisattva is able to practice knowing such a matter: there is a person who will certainly perform evil karma such as the uninterrupted [sins]. The bodhisattva completely knows their mind, and there is no other upāya that can cause them to abandon this evil action; only the upāya of ending their life can cause them not to commit this evil. Furthermore, [the bodhisattva] knows that if this person abandons life, they will certainly be born in a good realm; if they do not abandon life, they will definitely commit this karma, fall into an extremely painful place, and suffer pain for a long time. Having known this matter, the bodhisattva thinks thus: ‘If I commit this act of killing, I will certainly fall into hell. May I suffer this bitter retribution on their behalf, so as to cause this person to undergo a little light suffering in the present life, and to enjoy great bliss for a long time in future lives.’ Just as a good physician treating a sick person first inflicts light pain and afterwards eliminates the heavy disease, what the bodhisattva performs is also like this. In the bodhisattva path, there is nothing that is not meritorious; therefore, it is free from defiled faults. Because of this, immeasurable merit is generated and grows; hence one can swiftly realize anuttarabodhi. Such an upāya is most profound. Practicing actions such as stealing is also like this.” Regarding “King Xianyu in the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra]”: this is in the sixteenth fascicle, the “Brahmacaryā Chapter.” On the occasion of speaking of the stage of the single child, Kāśyapa objected: “If bodhisattvas abide in the stage of the single child, why did the Tathāgata, in the past when practicing the bodhisattva path as a king, terminate the lives of so many brāhmaṇas?” Below, the Buddha answers at length; after first speaking of compassion, at the end he says, “The bodhisattva constantly reflects thus: ‘By what condition can sentient beings be caused to generate a faithful mind? According to the upāya, it must certainly be done.’ After the lives of those brāhmaṇas ended, they were born in Avīci hell, and immediately had three thoughts: First, they thought to themselves, ‘Where did I come from to be born here?’ Then they knew of themselves that they came from the human realm. Second, they thought to themselves, ‘What is this place where I am now born?’ Then they knew of themselves that it is Avīci hell. Third, they thought to themselves, ‘Relying on what karmic condition did I come to be born here?’ Then they knew of themselves, ‘Because I slandered the Mahāyāna Vaipulya sūtras and did not believe in cause and condition, I was killed by the king and came to be born here.’ Having thought of these matters, they immediately generated a faithful and reverent mind toward the Mahāyāna Vaipulya sūtras. Immediately their lives ended, and they were born in the world of the Tathāgata Amṛtadundubhi, possessing a lifespan there of ten full kalpas. Good man! Because of this meaning, in the past I gave these people a lifespan of ten kalpas; how could it be called killing?” Regarding the commentary’s “It nearly obstructs heavenly joy, let alone great bodhi, where both affliction and habit-energy are extinguished”: explanation: This is precisely the import of the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā. The first fascicle says: “When the bodhisattva-mahāsattva practices the prajñāpāramitā and increases the six pāramitās, all good men and good women each generate a joyous thought, thinking: ‘May we constantly act as parents, wives, children, relatives, and acquaintances for this person.’ At that time, the devas from the Four Heavenly Kings up to Akaniṣṭha Heaven all greatly rejoice, each thinking: ‘May we constantly employ upāya to cause this bodhisattva to remain free from lustful desire, constantly remaining a youth from their first arousal of the mind, and never let them meet with the suffering of sexual desire. If they partake of the five desires, it obstructs birth in the Brahma Heaven, how much more anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi.’ For this reason, Śāriputra, a bodhisattva-mahāsattva who severs lustful desire and leaves the household life shall attain anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi, not one who does not sever desire.” From “Now stating that lustful desire is itself the Way” downward: the meaning of admonishing and exhorting to grasp the underlying intent has already appeared previously, and will be further explained at length in the “Dharmadhātu Chapter.” Regarding the commentary’s “Explaining that there are five joys according to the Saṃdhinirmocana-sūtra”: this was already fully given in the first assembly.