勝鬘寶窟 2.18

2.18

「又如大地」下，第三譬。前之二譬，明所秉之法。法不自弘，弘之由人，故次明秉法之人。又上明理正法，由理成人，故人有利物之用。如由水成地，地有昇持之能，及出寶之用也。問：此章正明理正法出生，云何今兩譬乃明人出生耶？答：由理正法出生人故，人能出生四乘等用，則終是明法出生義耳。兩譬為異者，今作三雙釋之：一初譬以荷負義為正，後以出寶義為正；二者初譬與眾生四乘因行，後譬與眾生四乘果德。又初譬師化弟子，後明弟子得法由師。文四：一譬、二合、三結、四歎。所以借大地譬者，地有三義：一窂固難傾、二生長萬物、三能擔負山河。攝受正法菩薩亦具三義：一行體窂固、二廣生物善、三荷負眾生令離苦得樂也。「又如大地」者，上明雲水出生四分藏，即是用雲水以成地，今明地亦有荷負之義。上明攝受正法出生五乘，今明攝受正法以成於人，人亦有荷負義，故以地況人。如地能持四重擔，得正法菩薩亦利益四種之人。大地即是能持，四重擔即是所持也。有人言：大海最重，喻於凡夫。諸山次輕，喻於聲聞。草木轉輕，喻於緣覺。眾生最輕，譬於菩薩。今明不爾，大海最重，喻於菩薩。諸山雖重，猶輕於大海，喻於緣覺。草木輕於諸山，喻於聲聞。眾生復輕草木，喻於凡夫。所以作此釋者，物重譬於德重、物輕譬於德輕。「如是攝受正法」下，第二合譬。攝受正法以成男女，此得正法男女人猶如大地，堪能荷負四種重任也。「踰彼大地」者，地雖能持，無心負擔；菩薩大悲，有心能負。又大地持少，菩薩負多。又大地劫成能負，劫壞不能；菩薩於一切時常能荷負，故踰地也。「何等為四」下，合上所持。初解以大海喻凡夫者，依文次第合之。前舉海山草木次人，今還次第合也。第二師釋意：譬則從重至輕、合則從輕至重者，承文勢故爾。以最後譬輕，故接輕合輕也。「離善知識」，謂不近善友也。雖有善友不相值遇，親近義希，故稱為離。三乘人及人中善人，能以善法利物，為善知識。不能聽受正法，故曰「無聞」，或都不聞正法、或聞之甚希、或可雖聞不解。無惡不造，不能繫念思惟、如法修行，言「非法」。授與福分善根，令修福捨罪，後生善處，漸得入道，故言「而成就之」。有下乘根性，後欣樂下法，故為求為說四諦欣厭觀法，故授與聲聞乘。求聲聞者即是合上所擔。所言求者此是樂欲名之為求。授與之言，合上大地能持，下例作此釋。問：緣覺之人，佛在世時為其說教，可得是授。出無佛世，叵有授義以不？答：亦有二種授義，一者諸佛菩薩以神通力起風動樹，因而葉落，令其思量，故云授與。二者以人為緣，如獼猴教仙人坐禪，遂得緣覺，亦是授義。「是名攝受正法」下，第三總結。「世尊如是攝受」下，第四歎。「為眾生作不請之友」者，四乘眾生雖有根性，樂欲未生，不能請求。菩薩照機，知其堪受，即便為說，故言不請。聞必得益，目之為友。同門曰朋，同志曰友。大士以善法惠利眾生，令同志修學，故名為友。肇公言：「真友不待請，如慈母之赴嬰兒」也。問：何故經中或云待請、或云不待請？答：待請方說者，顯菩薩重法之心；不待請者，顯菩薩大悲敦至。又待請者，令前人重法；不待請而說者，令物尊人也。若請方說，則能說之人便無大悲，故人則不尊也。「大悲安慰」下，前歎菩薩為物之友，今歎菩薩能生四乘善根，名之為母。眾生在生死怖畏，菩薩以大悲覆護，以名安慰也。

From "Again, like the great earth" below is the third simile. The previous two similes explained the teaching that is upheld. The teaching does not propagate itself; its propagation depends on persons; hence [the text] next explains the persons who uphold the teaching. Furthermore, the preceding explained the saddharma as principle; because persons are formed by principle, persons possess the function of benefiting beings. Just as the earth is formed from water, and the earth possesses the capacity to support and bear [weights] and the function of producing treasures. Question: This chapter properly explains the emergence of the saddharma as principle; why do these two similes now explain the emergence of persons? Answer: Because the saddharma as principle brings forth persons, and persons are able to bring forth functions such as the four vehicles, this ultimately explains the meaning of the emergence of the teaching. As for the difference between the two similes, it is explained now in three pairs: First, the initial simile takes the meaning of bearing burdens as primary, while the latter takes the meaning of producing treasures as primary. Second, the initial simile gives to sentient beings the causal practices of the four vehicles, while the latter simile gives to sentient beings the fruition virtues of the four vehicles. Furthermore, the initial simile concerns the master transforming disciples, while the latter clarifies that the disciples' attainment of the Dharma is due to the master. The text has four parts: 1. the simile, 2. the application, 3. the conclusion, and 4. the praise. The reason for borrowing the simile of the great earth is that the earth has three meanings: first, it is solid and difficult to overturn; second, it generates and grows the ten thousand things; third, it can carry mountains and rivers. The bodhisattva who embraces the saddharma also possesses three meanings: first, the substance of practice is solid; second, it broadly generates goodness in beings; third, it carries sentient beings, causing them to leave suffering and attain joy. "Again, like the great earth": above, it explained clouds and water bringing forth the store of the four portions, which is using clouds and water to form the earth; now it explains that the earth also has the meaning of bearing burdens. Above, it explained that embracing the saddharma brings forth the five vehicles; now it explains that embracing the saddharma forms persons, and persons also have the meaning of bearing burdens, so the earth is used to illustrate persons. Just as the earth can support four heavy burdens, the bodhisattva who has attained the saddharma also benefits four kinds of persons. The great earth is that which can support; the four heavy burdens are that which is supported. Some say: The great sea is the heaviest, illustrating ordinary beings. The various mountains are the next lighter, illustrating the śrāvakas. The grasses and trees are progressively lighter, illustrating the pratyekabuddhas. Sentient beings are the lightest, illustrating the bodhisattvas. Now it is explained that this is not so: The great sea is the heaviest, illustrating the bodhisattvas. The various mountains, though heavy, are still lighter than the great sea, illustrating the pratyekabuddhas. Grasses and trees are lighter than the various mountains, illustrating the śrāvakas. Sentient beings are further lighter than grasses and trees, illustrating ordinary beings. The reason for making this explanation is that heavy objects illustrate heavy virtue, and light objects illustrate light virtue. From "In this way, embracing the saddharma" below is the second, the application of the simile. Embracing the saddharma forms men and women; these men and women who have attained the saddharma are like the great earth, capable of bearing the four kinds of heavy burdens. "Surpassing that great earth": though the earth can support them, it has no mind to bear burdens; the bodhisattva, through great compassion, has a mind capable of bearing them. Furthermore, the great earth supports little, while the bodhisattva bears much. Furthermore, the great earth can bear them at the aeon of formation, but cannot at the aeon of destruction; the bodhisattva can always bear them at all times, and therefore surpasses the earth. From "What are the four?" below is the application to what is supported above. In the first explanation, which used the great sea to illustrate ordinary beings, the application followed the textual order: earlier it listed sea, mountains, grasses and trees, and then humans; now it also applies them in order. As for the intention of the second master's explanation: the simile proceeds from heavy to light, and the application proceeds from light to heavy because it follows the momentum of the text: since the last simile was light, it connects the light and applies to the light. "Bereft of good friends" means not being close to good friends. Though there are good friends, one does not encounter them, and opportunities to draw close are rare; hence it is called "bereft." Persons of the three vehicles and good persons among humanity can benefit beings with good teachings and are good friends. Being unable to hear and receive the saddharma is called "without hearing"—either not hearing the saddharma at all, or hearing it very rarely, or perhaps hearing it but not understanding. Committing every evil, unable to focus thought, contemplate, or practice in accordance with the Dharma is called "unlawful." Bestowing upon them the good roots of the share of merit, causing them to cultivate merit and abandon sin, to be born later in good destinations, and gradually attain entry into the Way, is therefore called "and brings them to maturity." Having the disposition for the lower vehicle, they subsequently desire and rejoice in lower teachings; therefore, seeking for them, [the bodhisattva] expounds the contemplation of joy and disgust regarding the four noble truths, and thus bestows the śrāvakayāna upon them. "Those who seek to be śrāvakas" applies to what is borne above. What is called "seeking" means that desire and aspiration is called seeking. The words "bestows upon" apply to the great earth's ability to support above; below is explained by analogy. Question: For pratyekabuddhas, when the Buddha is in the world and expounds teachings for them, that can indeed be "bestowing." But when they appear in a world without a Buddha, is there any meaning of bestowing or not? Answer: There are also two kinds of meaning of bestowing: first, the buddhas and bodhisattvas use supernormal powers to stir the wind and move trees, so that leaves fall, causing them to reflect; hence this is called bestowing. Second, using a human being as a condition—such as a monkey teaching an ascetic to sit in meditation, whereupon he attained pratyekabuddhahood; this too is the meaning of bestowing. From "This is called embracing the saddharma" below is the third, the general conclusion. From "World-Honoured One, thus embracing" below is the fourth, the praise. "Becoming unasked friends for sentient beings": although sentient beings of the four vehicles have the disposition, desire and aspiration have not yet arisen, so they cannot ask. The bodhisattva illuminates their capacity, knows that they can receive it, and straightaway expounds it for them; hence it says "unasked." Hearing it, they inevitably gain benefit; hence [the bodhisattva] is designated a friend. Those in the same school are called companions; those of the same aspiration are called friends. The great being benefits sentient beings with good teachings, causing them to cultivate and learn with the same aspiration; hence he is called a friend. Master Sengzhao said: "A true friend does not wait to be asked, like a loving mother hastening to her infant." Question: Why do sūtras sometimes say "waiting to be asked" and sometimes say "not waiting to be asked"? Answer: Expounding only after waiting to be asked shows the bodhisattva's reverence for the Dharma; expounding without waiting to be asked shows the earnestness of the bodhisattva's great compassion. Furthermore, waiting to be asked causes the other person to revere the Dharma; expounding without waiting to be asked causes beings to honour the person. If one expounds only after being asked, the person capable of expounding would lack great compassion, and therefore people would not honour him. From "consoling with great compassion" below: previously, it praised the bodhisattva as a friend to beings; now it praises the bodhisattva as able to generate the good roots of the four vehicles, terming him a mother. When sentient beings are in fear within saṃsāra, the bodhisattva covers and protects them with great compassion, which is termed consoling.