勝鬘寶窟 2.16

2.16

「譬如劫初成時」下，第二釋四章。明即成四別，還依前次第釋。第一從初至即是攝受正法，釋上第一廣大之義。第二從無異波羅蜜至最後即是波羅蜜，釋第二則是無量因行章門。「世尊我今承佛威神」下竟「之所瞻仰」，釋上第三得一切佛法果德章門。從「世尊又善男子」下，釋上第四八萬四千教法章門。就初又二：第一前釋正法廣大；第二從「世尊攝受正法」下，釋攝受義。勝鬘前標二門，謂攝受正法廣大之義，是故今雙釋此二門也。初門有四譬四合：第一興雲注雨譬、第二大水出生世界譬、第三大地能持重擔譬、第四大地有寶藏譬。問：此四譬有何異？答：有人言第一譬攝受正法能生多行、第二譬攝受正法能成多德、第三譬攝受正法能益多眾、第四譬攝受正法備含多法，具此四多，是故前文云「則是無量」也。今明不爾，以三門釋之：一次第門、二不同門、三釋廣大門。次第門者，雲為水本，故前明雲譬。水從雲生，故次明水譬。地成由水，故有地譬。寶由地生，故有寶譬。合譬次第者，由實相理出生於教，如雲生於水。教由理成，如水由於雲。稟教成人，故有地譬。由人有寶，故有寶譬。又初以雲譬實相正法，次以水譬實相正法，第三以正法成人，第四得實相正法人能生出世大寶，故並以理正法為四譬，未論教也；至後釋八萬法藏，方明於教。第二不同門者，雖有四譬，合成二章。前之二譬，明成人之法；後之兩譬，辨法所成人。又前兩譬明自行，後兩譬辨化他。又前二譬明本出生，後兩譬明末利益。第三釋廣大門者，此章名釋上廣大章門。所言廣大者，四譬即成四大，謂大雲、大雨、大地、大寶。次合四大為二大，前二辨法大、後二明人大。次合二為一，雖有人法，總譬一正法。又一義者，即人是法、即法是人，如後章說也。次泯一歸無，即人是法人，人非定人；即法是人法，法非定法。故非人非法，慮絕言忘。今且依人法各為二法。法中二者，初略、後廣。又初明人天乘、後明四乘。人中二者，至後當釋。又初明與四乘因益、後明與四乘果益，至文當顯。初文前譬、次合。所以舉譬者，法之理深，非譬莫悟，故據近事以明遠理。「劫初成時」者，今前敘壞、後次辨成。火災起時，壞欲界至初禪。水災起時，壞欲界至二禪。風災起，壞欲界至三禪。既有三壞，即有三成。若壞欲界至初禪，世界成時，從二禪邊興雲注雨，故欲界至初禪便成。若壞欲界至二禪，便從三禪邊注雨，故欲界乃至二禪得成。若壞欲界至三禪，從四禪邊注雨，故欲界至三禪便得成也。廣如三界義中說。今取劫成者，一切世間諸成之中劫成最大，譬得初地乃至得佛，亦是一切成中之最大也。問：今正據何成喻？答：正就佛地。非佛究竟成就，無以能出生五乘等法也，故以劫初喻攝受正法人也。「成時」者，譬攝受也。正法顯現在心，名為攝受，即是成時。問：劫初成時喻攝受正法人，普興大雲喻攝受正法。此是從人有法，乃是正明人出生，寧是法出生耶？答：譬意不正在人，乃明劫成時。大雲普興，雨眾色雨，正明法出生，不明人出生。水聚譬亦爾。故二處文並不合劫成。問：云何理出生？答：由會實相理，得有諸佛菩薩及以二乘，由佛菩薩二乘故有人天也。「普興大雲」者，所以舉劫初大雲大雨者，雲雨之大莫過劫初，故借此大雲大雨以喻攝受正法之廣大也。大雲者，依《法華經》四義譬雲：一如來大形普應，猶如大雲；二如來大聲普遍，猶如大雲；三如來大號普遍，猶如大雲；四如來大德充滿，猶如大雲。則是形聲德號攝佛事盡。今以大雲譬攝受正法，攝受正法則無法不攝，猶如大雲。「雨眾色雨」者，攝受正法為體則是能生，從攝受正法出生因，如雨大雨也。「及種種寶」者，出生果，如種種寶也。以因果是眾義大宗、立信根本，初譬但明此二，所以為略。又此中但明正法出生人天之因、人天之果，是以為略。故經云「雨無量福報」，人天果也；「無量善根」，天人因也。「如是攝受正法」下，第二合譬。略不合劫初成時。雖舉劫初時，意正在興雲注雨，故不合也。攝受正法合上興雲。雨無量福報，合上雨種種寶，即果名為福報。及無量善根之雨，合因也。

From “Just as when an eon is first formed” onward is the second section, which explains the four themes. It clearly sets forth four distinct divisions, which are explained following the earlier sequence. First, from the beginning up to “namely, the acceptance of the saddharma,” it explains the first meaning above, which is “vast and great.” Second, from “is no different from the pāramitās” to the final “namely, the pāramitās,” it explains the second heading of the theme, “namely, the boundless practices of the cause.” Third, from “World-Honoured One, relying now on the Tathāgata's awe-inspiring spiritual power” down to the end of “gazed up to by [all],” it explains the third heading of the theme, “obtaining all the fruits and virtues of the Buddha-dharma.” From “World-Honoured One, furthermore, good sons…” onward, it explains the fourth heading of the theme, “the eighty-four thousand teachings of the Dharma.”

Under the first division, there are again two parts: first, explaining that the saddharma is vast and great; second, from “World-Honoured One, the acceptance of the saddharma…” onward, explaining the meaning of “acceptance.” Queen Śrīmālā previously set forth two approaches, namely, the meanings of the saddharma and vastness; therefore, both of these two approaches are now explained together. The first approach contains four similes and four applications: first, the simile of clouds rising and rain falling; second, the simile of the great waters producing the world; third, the simile of the great earth sustaining heavy burdens; and fourth, the simile of the great earth containing treasure stores.

Question: What is the difference among these four similes? Answer: Some say that the first simile illustrates that acceptance of the saddharma can generate manifold practices; the second simile illustrates that acceptance of the saddharma can accomplish manifold virtues; the third simile illustrates that acceptance of the saddharma can benefit manifold beings; and the fourth simile illustrates that acceptance of the saddharma fully contains manifold dharmas. Endowed with these four manifolds, the preceding text therefore said: “namely, boundless.”

Now I explain that this is not so, and explain it through three approaches: first, the approach of sequence; second, the approach of differences; third, the approach of explaining “vast and great.” Regarding the approach of sequence: clouds are the source of water, so the cloud simile is explained first. Water arises from clouds, so the water simile is explained next. The formation of the earth is due to water, so there is the earth simile. Treasures arise from the earth, so there is the treasure simile. Regarding the sequence in applying the similes: through the principle of true reality, the teaching is produced, just as water is produced from clouds. The teaching is accomplished due to the principle, just as water is due to clouds. Receiving the teaching perfects the person, so there is the earth simile. Due to the person, there are treasures, so there is the treasure simile. Furthermore, first clouds are used as a simile for the saddharma as true reality; next, water is used as a simile for the saddharma as true reality; third, the saddharma perfects the person; fourth, the person who attains the saddharma as true reality can produce the great supramundane treasures. Thus, all four similes are based on the saddharma of principle, and have not yet discussed the teaching; only when explaining the eighty thousand dharma treasuries later is the teaching clarified.

Second, regarding the approach of differences: although there are four similes, they combine into two sections. The first two similes clarify the dharma that perfects the person; the latter two similes distinguish the person who is perfected by the dharma. Furthermore, the first two similes clarify one's own practice; the latter two similes distinguish the transformation of others. Furthermore, the first two similes clarify the root production; the latter two similes clarify the branch benefits.

Third, regarding the approach of explaining “vast and great”: this section is titled the explanation of the heading “vast and great” above. That which is called “vast and great” is formed by the four similes as four greats, namely the great cloud, great rain, great earth, and great treasure. Next, the four greats are combined into two greats: the first two distinguish the greatness of the dharma; the latter two clarify the greatness of the person. Next, the two are combined into one: although there are person and dharma, they together illustrate the single saddharma. Furthermore, according to another meaning, the person is precisely the dharma, and the dharma is precisely the person, as explained in the subsequent section. Next, eliminating the one returns to nothingness: the person is the person of the dharma, and the person is not definitively a person; the dharma is the dharma of the person, and the dharma is not definitively a dharma. Thus, neither person nor dharma, where thoughts are cut off and words are forgotten. For now, according to person and dharma, each constitutes two dharmas. Among the two for the dharma: first brief, then extensive. Furthermore, first clarifying the human-and-heavenly vehicle, and then clarifying the four vehicles. The two for the person will be explained later. Furthermore, first clarifying the bestowal of the causal benefits of the four vehicles, and then clarifying the bestowal of the fruition benefits of the four vehicles, which will become clear in due course in the text.

In the first passage, there is first the simile and next the application. The reason the simile is presented is that the principle of the dharma is profound, and without a simile one cannot awaken to it; therefore, it relies on proximate matters to clarify distant principles. Regarding “when an eon is first formed”: now I first narrate the destruction, and next distinguish the formation. When the calamity of fire arises, it destroys from the desire realm up to the first dhyāna. When the calamity of water arises, it destroys from the desire realm up to the second dhyāna. When the calamity of wind arises, it destroys from the desire realm up to the third dhyāna. Since there are three destructions, there are three formations. If it destroys from the desire realm up to the first dhyāna, when the world is formed, clouds rise and rain falls from the border of the second dhyāna, so that the desire realm up to the first dhyāna is formed. If it destroys from the desire realm up to the second dhyāna, rain then falls from the border of the third dhyāna, so that the desire realm up to the second dhyāna can be formed. If it destroys from the desire realm up to the third dhyāna, rain falls from the border of the fourth dhyāna, so that the desire realm up to the third dhyāna can then be formed. This is explained extensively in the meaning of the three realms. Now, taking the formation of an eon: among all formations in all worldly realms, the formation of an eon is the greatest; this is a simile for attaining the first stage up to attaining Buddhahood, which is also the greatest among all attainments.

Question: On what formation precisely does the metaphor rely? Answer: It relies precisely on the Buddha-stage. If the Buddha were not consummately accomplished, there would be no way to produce dharmas such as the five vehicles; therefore, the beginning of an eon is a metaphor for the person who accepts the saddharma. “The time of formation” is a simile for acceptance. When the saddharma clearly manifests in the mind, it is called acceptance, which is precisely the time of formation. Question: The initial formation of an eon is a metaphor for the person who accepts the saddharma, and the universal rising of the great cloud is a metaphor for accepting the saddharma. This is having the dharma arise from the person, which directly clarifies the production of the person; how can it be the production of the dharma? Answer: The intent of the simile does not rest primarily on the person, but clarifies the time of the formation of an eon. The great clouds rising universally and raining manifold-coloured rain directly clarifies the production of the dharma, not the production of the person. The simile of the body of water is also like this. Therefore, the texts of both places do not apply the formation of the eon. Question: How is it produced from principle? Answer: Due to encountering the principle of true reality, there can be the Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and the two vehicles; and due to the Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and the two vehicles, there are humans and devas.

Regarding “universally raising a great cloud”: the reason for presenting the great cloud and great rain of the beginning of the eon is that the greatness of clouds and rain cannot surpass the beginning of an eon; therefore, this great cloud and great rain are borrowed to illustrate the vastness of the acceptance of the saddharma. Regarding the great cloud: relying on the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra, four meanings are used as similes for the cloud: first, the Tathāgata’s great form responds everywhere, just like a great cloud; second, the Tathāgata’s great voice is omnipresent, just like a great cloud; third, the Tathāgata’s great title is omnipresent, just like a great cloud; fourth, the Tathāgata’s great virtues are fully pervasive, just like a great cloud. These [four]—form, voice, virtue, and title—completely encompass all Buddha-activities. Now the great cloud is used as a simile for the acceptance of the saddharma; when the saddharma is accepted, there is no dharma that is not embraced, just like the great cloud. Regarding “raining down rain of manifold colours”: the acceptance of the saddharma is the essence, which is the producer; producing the causes from the acceptance of the saddharma is like raining down great rain. “And various treasures”: producing the fruits is like the various treasures. Because cause and fruit are the great source of manifold meanings and the root of establishing faith, the first simile only clarifies these two, which is why it is brief. Furthermore, here it only clarifies the causes for humans and devas and the fruits for humans and devas produced by the saddharma, which is why it is brief. Therefore, the sūtra says: “raining down boundless karmic retribution of blessings,” which is the fruit of humans and devas; “boundless roots of goodness” is the cause of devas and humans.

From “Likewise, the acceptance of the saddharma…” onward is the second part, which applies the simile. It briefly omits an application for the time when an eon is first formed. Although it presents the time of the beginning of an eon, the intent lies precisely in the rising of clouds and falling of rain, which is why it is not applied. Accepting the saddharma applies to the rising of clouds above. Raining down boundless karmic retribution of blessings applies to the raining down of various treasures above, the fruit being called karmic retribution of blessings. And the rain of boundless roots of goodness applies to the causes.