勝鬘寶窟 2.61

2.61

「以不斷」下，第二明三事有餘。「以不斷故」者，牒前起後也。以不斷故者，謂不斷無明。「名有餘解脫」者，離四住之因分段之果也。「非離一切解脫」者，未離無明之因、變易之果。故《法華》云「但離虛妄，名為解脫。」其實未得一切解脫也。當知《法華》與《勝鬘》無異，而昔執五時四宗之流，謂法華未了、斯經了義，其言誤矣。「有餘淨非一切」，此明法身有餘也。二乘所得五分法身，名有餘淨；未得真如法身，非一切清淨。問：清淨與解脫何異？答：解脫從離過受名，清淨是當體為因。故《法華論》云「法身者，是自性清淨。若三德各分，解脫離業障、法身離報障，故云清淨。」此如上釋。有餘德非一切功德，此明般若有餘也。若福智分別，般若非功德。若通論之，則般若亦是功德。慧有斷障照法之功，故名為功；此功是慧家之德，故云功德也。二乘但得戒定慧功德，名有餘功德。第三知諦中，牒前三事以起後。「知有餘苦乃至修有餘道」，正明二乘知諦有餘，但知有量，不知無量，故曰有餘。第四涅槃有餘之中，名得少分，是小涅槃。涅槃云滅，但滅分段因果，故名少分。又少分者，三德不備，故言少分。得身智時，未有解時，無復身智。「向涅槃」者，向大涅槃。良以二乘不成此等，故四智不究竟。「若知一切苦」下，上來第一明小乘不得四智，此下明佛得四智。就中為二：第一前明得之所以，由佛成就一切功德故；從「如來應等正覺師子吼」下，正明佛得。前涅槃中，初明如來得般涅槃、後明如來得之所以，今此前明得之所以、後方明得者，文互現意。又對二乘不得四智所以，是故今明佛得四智所以，且是鉤鎖相生。又上明二乘不得四智所以、次明二乘不得四種功德，今前明佛得四種功德、後明得四智者，對二乘不得四種功德即明佛得四種功德，此是鉤鎖相生。四種功德者，翻前二乘四種有餘，明佛得四種無餘。一明如來知諦無餘；二「於無常壞世間」下，明涅槃無餘；三「無優劣」下，明三事無餘；四「若無明地不斷」已下，明斷過無餘。此四無餘次第者，諦是根本，故前明知諦無餘。雖有四體，為歸涅槃，故次明涅槃無餘。舉三事無優劣，釋成涅槃，故次明三事無餘。所以得三事一味者，由斷無明，故次明斷過無餘。又四中，初二明佛成就無量世間，為物依故；第三明成一切功德，三事等故；第四明佛無過清淨，滅無明故。具此四義，故得四智。初諦中「知一切苦」者，分段、變易二種因果及對治皆悉知也。第二涅槃無餘之中有二：一顯自利德；二「無覆護世間」，明利他德。自德中又二：「於無常壞世間」，明其所離；「得常住涅槃」，明其所得。分段世間名無常壞，變易世間名無常病。分段以五陰離散為死，變易猶有生滅之患為病，通稱生死以為世間。馥師以苦集是世間，苦是無常壞、集為無常病。此則通論因果亡，故得涅槃。又釋：變易聖人皆有法身，死法隨故說為病苦，乃形上望下為名。若唯望下，但是法身，不得言病。若唯望上，一向是死，且不得論無病。又壞者死也，義則重，故是分段生死；病義則輕，如變易生死。又病者苦也，故變易生死有苦。又變易與功德身作病，如來於此二種世間斷之畢竟，故得涅槃。「於無覆」下，是利他德。雖住涅槃，無緣大悲不捨世間，故名化他德。若以三德論之，於無常壞世間謂斷德，常住涅槃謂智德，今明恩德。就化他德亦二：一舉無護無依；二「為護為依」者，顯涅槃德作護作依。「無覆護世間」者，分段世間也，離佛更無餘人覆護。無依是變易出世間，離佛更無餘人可依。以變易人覺生死過，求歸依處，故就彼人說其無依。言為護者，如來為彼無覆護世作覆護也。言為依者，為無依世間作歸依也。使外惡不侵為護，令物始終憑附為依。馥師云：「以道化物為護，以滅化人為依。」此是對前苦義為死、集義為病也。第三三事無餘之中，初「何以故」，徵前起後。何故如來獨得涅槃？「法無優劣故」者，第二釋也。就文為三：初總標無優劣；從「智慧等故」下，第二明別釋三事無優劣；「是故涅槃一味等味」下，第三結無優劣。「法無優劣」者，舉後顯前。正以如來三事等成，故得涅槃也。法無優劣者，總明如來三事平等也，於一心中隨義互分，故無優劣，如無累邊名解脫，照義邊名波若。又復同是究竟窮滿，故無優劣，如世伊字無優劣，故得涅槃。答上何以故問佛何故獨得常住涅槃，今釋此因，以佛得三法無優劣，故得涅槃。下別顯之。「智慧等」者，名般若無優劣。「解脫等」，明解脫無優劣。「清淨等」者，名法身無優劣。三事平等，故名為等。問：何故前明般若、次解脫、後法身？答：生死法，前煩惱、次業、後報。今對煩惱，故前明般若；對業故，次明解脫；對報故，後明法身也。「是故」下，結也。「是故涅槃一味等味」，就總結別。是前所說，法無優劣、三事平等得涅槃，故涅槃之法一味等味。一味，結前法無優劣；等味，結前三事平等。所言味者，從喻為名。如彼大海，雖復廣大，同一醎味。涅槃如是，三德雖廣，體同一味，是故言味。《涅槃經．文字功德品》分四德為八味，今對於異故正為一味。於三德中，對昔涅槃，以解脫為要，故獨云謂解脫味也。又出世法中有三種味：一者法味、二禪悅味、三解脫味。今言味者，是何等味？故下說言「謂解脫味」，此乃是共通名解脫。一切諸德出離垢障，故名解脫。如《地論》云「法身所解脫及般若等，通皆名為淨相解脫。」又有人言：法無優劣故得涅槃者，道理之中無有下中上三種涅槃之優劣。諸佛同涅槃，故言法無優劣也。智慧等故得涅槃者，諸佛同一平等大慧，無有聲聞下慧、緣覺中慧、菩薩上慧也。解脫等故，明無有三乘優劣解脫，一切諸佛同一解脫。清淨等故，且無三乘優劣清淨，一切諸佛同一清淨。是故涅槃一味者，謂同一涅槃味也。「等味謂解脫味」者，如《法華》云「為大眾說甘露淨法，其法一味，解脫涅槃。」前釋就三德無優劣，故云等；後釋無有三乘之優劣故，故云無優劣。以理言之，應如後說。

From "Because of not severing" onward is the second [section], explaining that the three things have a remainder. "Because of not severing" reiterates the preceding to introduce what follows. "Because of not severing" means not severing the [ground of] nescience. "Is called having a remainder of liberation" means having departed from the cause of the four grounds and the effect of fragmented [samsāra]. "Is not liberation free from all" means not yet having departed from the cause of nescience and the effect of transformation [samsāra]. Thus the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra says: "Merely departing from delusion is called liberation"; in truth, one has not yet attained liberation free from all. One should know that the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra and the Śrīmālā-sūtra are no different; those formerly attached to the five periods and the four tenets claimed that the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka was not fully expounded (nītārtha) while this sūtra was fully expounded (nītārtha)—their statement was mistaken! "Having a remainder of purity, not completely [pure]" explains that the dharmakāya has a remainder. The fivefold dharmakāya attained by [practitioners of] the two vehicles is called having a remainder of purity; not having attained the tathatā-dharmakāya, it is not completely pure. Question: How do purity and liberation differ? Answer: Liberation takes its name from departing from faults; purity takes the intrinsic essence as the cause. Thus the Saddharmapuṇḍarīkopadeśa says: "The dharmakāya is intrinsic purity. If the three virtues are distinguished separately, liberation departs from the obstruction of karma, and the dharmakāya departs from the obstruction of retribution; hence it is called purity." This is as explained above. Having a remainder of virtues, not having all virtues, explains that prajñā has a remainder. If distinguished into merit and wisdom, prajñā is not a merit (guṇa). If discussed generally, prajñā is also a merit. Wisdom has the efficacy (gong) of severing obstructions and illuminating phenomena, so it is called efficacy; this efficacy is a virtue (de) of wisdom, hence it is called merit (guṇadharma/gongde). The two vehicles only attain the virtues of morality, concentration, and wisdom, so it is called having a remainder of virtues. In the third [section], on knowing the truths, it reiterates the preceding three things to introduce what follows. "Knowing suffering with a remainder... up to cultivating the path with a remainder" directly explains that the knowledge of the truths by the two vehicles has a remainder: they only know that which is measured and do not know the immeasurable; hence it says "having a remainder." In the fourth [section], on nirvāṇa having a remainder, "is called attaining a small portion" refers to the lesser nirvāṇa. Nirvāṇa means cessation; because it only ceases the cause and effect of fragmented [samsāra], it is called a small portion. Furthermore, as for "a small portion," because the three virtues are not complete, it says "a small portion." When they attain the body and wisdom, they do not yet have liberation; [after death] they have neither body nor wisdom. "Tends toward nirvāṇa" means tending toward the great nirvāṇa. Truly because the two vehicles do not accomplish these, the four wisdoms are not ultimate. From "If one knows all suffering" onward, the above was the first [part], explaining that the lesser vehicle does not attain the four wisdoms; below this explains that the Buddha attains the four wisdoms. Within this there are two [parts]: first, previously explaining the reason for the attainment, that it is due to the Buddha's accomplishing all virtues; from "The Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksaṃbuddha roars the lion's roar" onward, it directly explains the Buddha's attainment. In the earlier [section on] nirvāṇa, it first explained that the Tathāgata attains parinirvāṇa and afterwards explained the reason why the Tathāgata attains it; now, here it first explains the reason for attainment and only afterwards explains the attainment—the texts mutually manifest the meaning. Furthermore, to contrast with the reason why the two vehicles do not attain the four wisdoms, it now explains the reason why the Buddha attains the four wisdoms, and this is an interlocking link. Furthermore, above it explained the reason why the two vehicles do not attain the four wisdoms and next explained that the two vehicles do not attain the four kinds of virtues; now it first explains that the Buddha attains the four kinds of virtues and afterwards explains that he attains the four wisdoms: contrasting with the two vehicles not attaining the four kinds of virtues, it directly explains that the Buddha attains the four kinds of virtues—this is an interlocking link. As for the four kinds of virtues, they reverse the four kinds of remainders of the two vehicles to explain that the Buddha attains the four kinds of remainderless [virtues]: first, it explains that the Tathāgata's knowledge of the truths is without remainder; second, from "In the impermanent and perishable world" onward, it explains that nirvāṇa is without remainder; third, from "Without superior or inferior" onward, it explains that the three things are without remainder; fourth, from "If the ground of nescience is not severed" onward, it explains that the severing of faults is without remainder. As for the sequence of these four remainderless [virtues], the truths are the root, so it first explains that knowing the truths is without remainder. Although there are four essences, because they return to nirvāṇa, it next explains that nirvāṇa is without remainder. Adducing that the three things have neither superior nor inferior to elucidate and establish nirvāṇa, it next explains that the three things are without remainder. The reason why the three things are attained as of one flavor is due to severing nescience, so it next explains that severing faults is without remainder. Furthermore, among the four, the first two explain that the Buddha accomplishes the immeasurable worlds to serve as a refuge for living beings; the third explains the accomplishment of all virtues because the three things are equal; the fourth explains that the Buddha is free from faults and pure because he has extinguished nescience. Endowed with these four meanings, he attains the four wisdoms. In the first truth, "knowing all suffering" means completely knowing the two kinds of cause and effect—fragmented and transformational—as well as their antidotes. Within the second [part], on nirvāṇa without remainder, there are two: first, revealing the virtue of benefiting oneself; second, "for the world without protection," explaining the virtue of benefiting others. Within the virtue of benefiting oneself there are also two: "In the impermanent and perishable world" explains that which is departed from; "attains eternal nirvāṇa" explains that which is attained. The fragmented world is called impermanent and perishable; the transformational world is called impermanent and diseased. Fragmented [samsāra] takes the dispersal of the five aggregates as death; transformation [samsāra] still has the affliction of arising and perishing as disease. Both are generally called samsāra and taken as the world. Master Fu took suffering and origination as the world: suffering is impermanent and perishable, and origination is impermanent and diseased. This generally discusses the elimination of cause and effect, whereby nirvāṇa is attained. Another interpretation says: Holy beings of transformation [samsāra] all have the dharmakāya; because the phenomenon of death still accompanies them, it is spoken of as the suffering of disease, which is a designation made by looking down from above. If looking only from below, it is merely the dharmakāya, and cannot be called diseased. If looking only from above, it is entirely death, and one cannot yet speak of being without disease. Furthermore, "perishable" means death, its meaning being grave, hence it is fragmented samsāra; the meaning of disease is light, like transformation samsāra. Furthermore, disease is suffering, so transformation samsāra has suffering. Furthermore, transformation acts as a disease to the body of virtues; the Tathāgata definitively severs both of these two worlds, and therefore attains nirvāṇa. From "For the unprotected" onward is the virtue of benefiting others. Although abiding in nirvāṇa, through conditionless great compassion he does not abandon the world; hence it is called the virtue of transforming others. If discussed in terms of the three virtues, "in the impermanent and perishable world" refers to the virtue of断 (severance); "eternal nirvāṇa" refers to the virtue of wisdom; and here it explains the virtue of benevolence. In the virtue of transforming others there are also two: first, mentioning those without protection and without refuge; second, "acting as protection and refuge" reveals that the virtue of nirvāṇa acts as protection and refuge. "The world without covering or protection" is the fragmented world; apart from the Buddha there is no other person to cover and protect it. Being without refuge refers to the transformational supramundane realm; apart from the Buddha there is no other person to rely upon. Because persons of transformation [samsāra] are aware of the faults of samsāra and seek a place of refuge, their lack of refuge is spoken of with reference to those persons. Saying "acting as protection" means the Tathāgata acts as covering and protection for that unprotected world. Saying "acting as refuge" means acting as a refuge for the world without refuge. Causing external evils not to encroach is protection; causing living beings to rely and depend on him from beginning to end is refuge. Master Fu said: "Transforming beings with the path is protection; transforming people with cessation is refuge." This corresponds to the earlier sense of suffering being death and the sense of origination being disease. Within the third [part], on the three things without remainder, first is "Why is this?", which questions the preceding to introduce what follows: Why does the Tathāgata alone attain nirvāṇa? "Because phenomena have neither superior nor inferior" is the second [part], which explains it. The text has three parts: first, a general statement of having neither superior nor inferior; from "Because wisdom is equal" onward, the second specifically explains that the three things have neither superior nor inferior; from "Therefore nirvāṇa is of one flavor, of equal flavor" onward, the third concludes having neither superior nor inferior. "Phenomena have neither superior nor inferior" adduces what follows to clarify what precedes: precisely because the Tathāgata equally accomplishes the three things, he attains nirvāṇa. "Phenomena have neither superior nor inferior" generally explains the equality of the Tathāgata's three things; within one mind, they are mutually distinguished according to their meanings, hence there is neither superior nor inferior: for instance, the aspect of being without encumbrance is called liberation, and the aspect of illumination is called prajñā. Furthermore, because they are equally ultimate and fully complete, there is neither superior nor inferior; just as the worldly letter 'i' [dots] has neither superior nor inferior, so one attains nirvāṇa. It answers the question above, "Why is this?", asking why the Buddha alone attains eternal nirvāṇa; now it explains this cause: because the Buddha attains the three dharmas without superior or inferior, he attains nirvāṇa. Below, it specifically clarifies this. "Wisdom is equal" means that prajñā has neither superior nor inferior. "Liberation is equal" explains that liberation has neither superior nor inferior. "Purity is equal" means that the dharmakāya has neither superior nor inferior. Because the three things are equal, it is called "equal." Question: Why does it first explain prajñā, next liberation, and afterwards dharmakāya? Answer: In the phenomena of samsāra, defilement comes first, karma next, and retribution afterwards. Now, prajñā is explained first to correspond to defilement; liberation is explained next to correspond to karma; and the dharmakāya is explained afterwards to correspond to retribution. From "Therefore" onward is the conclusion. "Therefore nirvāṇa is of one flavor, of equal flavor" summarizes the specific from the general. Because of what was said before—that phenomena have neither superior nor inferior, and the three things are equal in attaining nirvāṇa—the phenomenon of nirvāṇa is of one flavor and of equal flavor. "One flavor" concludes the preceding "phenomena have neither superior nor inferior"; "equal flavor" concludes the preceding "the three things are equal." What is called "flavor" takes its name from a metaphor. Just like the great ocean, although vast, it is of the same single salty flavor. Nirvāṇa is just like this: although the three virtues are broad, their essence is of the same single flavor; hence it is called "flavor." The "Chapter on the Merits of Letters" in the Nirvāṇa-sūtra divides the four virtues into eight flavors; here, in contrast to differences, it is properly of one flavor. Among the three virtues, in contrast to the former nirvāṇa, liberation is the essential one; hence it uniquely says "namely, the flavor of liberation." Furthermore, in supramundane dharmas there are three kinds of flavors: first, the flavor of Dharma; second, the flavor of dhyāna joy; third, the flavor of liberation. Now, as for the "flavor" spoken of, what kind of flavor is it? Hence it says below, "namely, the flavor of liberation." This is liberation as a common designation. Because all virtues transcend defilements and obstructions, they are called liberation. As the Daśabhūmika-śāstra says: "The liberation of the dharmakāya, prajñā, and so forth, are all commonly termed the liberation of pure characteristics." Furthermore, some say: attaining nirvāṇa because phenomena have neither superior nor inferior means that within the principle there is no superiority or inferiority among the three kinds of nirvāṇa—lower, middling, and higher. All buddhas share the same nirvāṇa, hence it says phenomena have neither superior nor inferior. Attaining nirvāṇa because wisdom is equal means that all buddhas share the same equal great wisdom; there is no lower wisdom of śrāvakas, middling wisdom of pratyekabuddhas, or higher wisdom of bodhisattvas. Because liberation is equal, it explains that there is no superior or inferior liberation of the three vehicles; all buddhas share the same liberation. Because purity is equal, there is also no superior or inferior purity of the three vehicles; all buddhas share the same purity. "Therefore nirvāṇa is of one flavor" means sharing the same single flavor of nirvāṇa. "Equal flavor, namely the flavor of liberation" is as the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra says: "Preaching the pure Dharma of ambrosia for the great assembly, its Dharma is of one flavor, liberation and nirvāṇa." The former interpretation explains that the three virtues have neither superior nor inferior, hence called "equal"; the latter interpretation explains that there is no superiority or inferiority among the three vehicles, hence called "without superior or inferior." In terms of principle, it should be as the latter states.