新華嚴經論 4.12

4.12

問：如《涅槃經》，聞常住二字，尚七劫不墮地獄。如《華嚴經》云「設聞如來名及所說法，不生信解，亦能成種，必得解脫至成佛故。」何故今言第六住心及從凡夫信位猶言有退？此意若為和會？解云？十信之中勝解未成，未得謂得，便生憍慢，不近善友、不敬賢良。為慢怠故，久處人天，惡業便起，能熟大地獄業。若一信不慢，常求勝友，即無此失。若權教中，第六住心可有退位；實教中，為稽滯者責令進修，如舍利弗是示現聲聞、非實聲聞，所作方便皆度眾生使令進策。如權教中，第六住心可說實退。何以故？為權教中地前三賢總未見道，所修作業皆是有為，所有無明皆是折伏，功不強者便生退還，若折伏有力亦不退失。如蛇有毒，為呪力故，毒不能起。但於佛法中種於信心，謙下無慢，敬順賢良，於諸惡人心常慈忍，於諸勝己者諮受未聞，所聞勝法奉行無忘，所有虛妄依教蠲除，於三菩提道常勤不息。夫為人生之法，法合如然。但不長惡而生，何須慮退？

Question: According to the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, merely hearing the two words 'eternally abiding' prevents one from falling into hell for seven kalpas. And as the Avataṃsaka Sūtra says: 'Even if, upon hearing the name of the Tathāgata and the Dharma he preaches, one does not give rise to faith and understanding, it still forms a seed, and one will certainly attain liberation up to the realization of Buddhahood.' Why, then, is it now said that at the mind of the sixth abode and from the stage of faith of an ordinary person there is still said to be retrogression? How is this meaning to be harmonized?

Explanation: Within the ten faiths, superior understanding has not yet been accomplished; claiming to have attained what one has not yet attained, arrogance immediately arises, so that one does not draw close to good friends and does not venerate the worthy and good. Due to arrogance and negligence, one dwells for a long time among humans and devas, and evil karma readily arises, capable of ripening into the karma of the great hells. If in single-minded faith one is not arrogant and constantly seeks superior friends, then this fault does not occur. In the provisional teaching, at the mind of the sixth abode there can indeed be a retrogression from the stage; in the ultimate teaching, this is spoken to rebuke those who tarry and urge them forward in cultivation. Just as Śāriputra manifested as a śrāvaka and was not an actual śrāvaka, all the expedient means he performed were to deliver sentient beings and spur them onward. In the provisional teaching, at the mind of the sixth abode one can speak of actual retrogression. Why is this? Because in the provisional teaching, the three virtuous stages prior to the grounds have not yet seen the Way at all; the practices they cultivate and the deeds they perform are all conditioned, and all their ignorance is merely suppressed. If their power is not strong, retrogression arises; but if their suppression is powerful, they do not retrogress and fall away. It is like a snake possessing venom: due to the power of an incantation, its venom cannot arise. If one simply plants faithful mind within the Buddhadharma, is humble and devoid of arrogance, reveres and obeys the worthy and good, constantly maintains compassion and patience toward evil people, inquires of and receives what has not yet been heard from those superior to oneself, practices without forgetting the superior Dharma one has heard, eliminates all falsehood according to the teaching, and is constantly diligent without resting upon the path of sambodhi—this is the principle for human life, and the Dharma is rightfully so. As long as one does not live fostering evil, why should one worry about retrogression?