勝鬘寶窟 2.15

2.15

第五行用門者，即就事作之。七尺之身本來四絕，即理正法。作四絕之觀，謂行正法。四絕之觀了了現前，即果正法。既如說而行，還如行而說，即教正法也。「八萬四千」，如《賢劫經》說：彼有菩薩名曰喜王，晏坐七日，作是思惟：「菩薩行何三昧，便速逮致八萬四千諸度法門、諸三昧門、諸陀羅尼解脫門等？」過七日已，往諸佛所，頂禮佛足，請前所念。佛時對曰：「快問是義。有三昧門名了諸法本，行是三昧，便速逮致八萬四千諸度門等。」何者是其八萬四千？彼經宣說：諸佛功德凡有三百五十種門，於彼三百五十種德各修六度以之為因，便有二千一百諸度。用此諸度對治四大六衰之患便有二萬一百諸度。言四大者，所謂成身地水火風。由前諸度得淨法身，故能捨之。言六衰者，外六塵。六塵之賊，衰耗善法，故名為衰；由前諸度，證諸法空，故能治之。彼前二萬一千諸度，各對眾生四種心患，便有八萬四千諸度。言四患者，多貪為一、多瞋為二、多癡為三、三毒等分為四。又解：取身見為等分，以身見能生三毒故也。八萬四千者，三百五十度謂果、六度謂因，謂因果一雙也。此因果謂得也。自下明離四大六衰謂離果。果中有內蛇外賊，下明離因。因中有三毒及等分，故八萬四千，無義不攝。八萬四千既爾，三昧、解脫、陀羅尼等類亦同然。今說諸度，以為八萬四千門矣。此八萬四千善法，種別不同，故名為門。又此八萬四千，通人神解，故稱為門也。

Fifth, as for the approach of practice and function: this is applied directly to concrete phenomena. The seven-foot physical body is fundamentally beyond the four [propositions], which is the saddharma of principle. Engaging in the contemplation of being beyond the four [propositions] is the saddharma of practice. The contemplation of being beyond the four [propositions] appearing clearly before oneself is the saddharma of fruit. Having practiced as spoken, one turns around and speaks as practiced, which is the saddharma of teaching. As for "eighty-four thousand," as explained in the Bhadrakalpika-sūtra: there was a bodhisattva named King of Joy who sat peacefully for seven days and reflected thus: "What samādhi does a bodhisattva practice to quickly attain the eighty-four thousand dharma-gates of the pāramitās, the gates of the samādhis, the gates of the dhāraṇīs and liberations, and so forth?" After seven days had passed, he went to the buddhas, bowed his head to the buddhas' feet, and inquired about what he had previously contemplated. The Buddha then answered: "Splendid is your inquiry into this meaning! There is a samādhi-gate named 'understanding the root of all dharmas'; practicing this samādhi, one quickly attains the eighty-four thousand gates of the pāramitās, and so forth." What are these eighty-four thousand? That sūtra expounds: the merits of all buddhas comprise three hundred and fifty gates in all; regarding those three hundred and fifty virtues, cultivating the six pāramitās for each of them as causes yields two thousand one hundred pāramitās. Using these pāramitās to counteract the afflictions of the four great elements and the six decays yields twenty-one thousand pāramitās. As for the "four great elements," they are the earth, water, fire, and wind that form the body. Because of the aforementioned pāramitās, one attains the pure dharmakāya, and is thus able to abandon them. As for the "six decays," they are the external six dusts [sense objects]. The thieves of the six dusts decay and waste good dharmas, hence they are called "decays"; because of the aforementioned pāramitās, one realizes the emptiness of all dharmas, and is thus able to counteract them. Those aforementioned twenty-one thousand pāramitās, each counteracting the four kinds of mental afflictions of sentient beings, result in eighty-four thousand pāramitās. As for the four afflictions: predominant greed is the first; predominant hatred is the second; predominant delusion is the third; and the equal division of the three poisons is the fourth. Another interpretation: taking personality view as the equal division, because personality view can produce the three poisons. As for the eighty-four thousand: the three hundred and fifty pāramitās are the fruit, and the six pāramitās are the cause, meaning a pair of cause and fruit. This cause and fruit refers to attainment. From here downward, clarifying separation from the four great elements and the six decays refers to separation from fruit. Within fruit there are the inner serpents and outer thieves; below clarifies separation from cause. Within cause there are the three poisons and equal division; hence, of the eighty-four thousand, there is no meaning that is not encompassed. Since this is so for the eighty-four thousand [pāramitās], the categories of samādhi, liberation, dhāraṇī, and so forth are likewise the same. Now speaking of the pāramitās constitutes the eighty-four thousand gates. These eighty-four thousand wholesome dharmas have distinct varieties, and are therefore called "gates." Furthermore, these eighty-four thousand lead beings into spiritual understanding, and are therefore called "gates."