勝鬘寶窟 2.9

2.9

「汝之所說」下，第二明說同諸佛，引己為證。欲使物生信，故有此章來也。初明同三世佛。「我今得是無上菩提」下，引己為證。所以具須明通別二佛，恐物謂釋迦化偏，故須通引諸佛為證。「如是我說」下，上來第一歎能說合理稱機，此第二歎所說正法功德無邊。就文為二：初正歎；「何以故」下，釋歎。「我說攝受正法」，稱歎攝受正法功德也。「如來智慧辨才亦無邊際」，以攝受正法功德無邊，如來證此正法，故內智外辨亦無邊也。又上明所說無邊，今明能說無邊。疑者云：理既甚深，說應不盡。故舉無邊之智，說無邊之法也。又如來以無邊德說無邊法，故能說所說相稱，是此不足稱歎；勝鬘能以有邊之德說無邊之法，方為希有。又如來有無邊辨慧，說此攝受正法，不得其邊。「何以故」下，第二釋上如來辨慧無邊及功德無邊也。明攝受正法，體具恒沙功德，故攝受正法無邊及如來辨慧無邊。「有大利益」者，智慧也。又有大功德，出生萬行；有大利益，出生五乘。「勝鬘白佛」下，所以有此章來者，若就略廣明義，上來略明攝受正法，從此已下第二廣明攝受正法。問：何以知前略後廣？答：前直明菩薩所有恒沙諸願皆入一大願中，所謂攝受正法，故知是略。從此已去，曠舉法譬而解釋之，故知是廣。二者、上明收入，今辨出生。問：何以知上明收入、今辨出生？答：上明恒沙諸願皆入大願中，故知是收入；今具舉大雲大地能生諸法，故是出生。收入者，攝用歸體，所謂攝一切願行同入實相正法，言忘慮絕。如《法華》云「究竟涅槃，常寂滅相，終歸於空。」出生者，從體起用，從一正法出生一切五乘因果。三者、上就願門明攝受正法，今就行門明攝受正法。故前文云「所有恒沙諸願皆入一大願中」，故知是願；今明攝受正法是行，是故文云「由攝受正法，出生一切因果。」文具三條之義。就文亦四：第一勝鬘請說、第二許說、第三正說、第四稱歎。今是初文。「我當承佛神力」者，攝受正法，位窮佛地，唯佛能說。今承佛神力，方能演說。「承佛力」者，請如來三業加，即加其三業也。「更復演說」者，前已略說，今復廣說，故稱更復。前說收入，今說出生。又前已說願，今次說行，故更復演說也。「攝受正法廣大之義」者，前明略大，今辨廣大。前明體大，今明用大。前明願大，今明行大。如是三條，有深所以，故稱為義。

From "What you have spoken" downward is the second [section], which clarifies that her teaching is identical with that of all buddhas, citing himself as verification. This chapter comes about because he wishes to generate faith in beings. First, he clarifies that it is identical with [the teaching of] the buddhas of the three periods of time. From "I now have attained this anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi" downward, he cites himself as verification. The reason it is necessary to clarify both the general and specific buddhas is out of concern that beings might think Śākyamuni's teaching is partial, and therefore he must cite all buddhas in general as verification. From "Thus I speak" downward: the preceding first [part] praised the ability to speak as according with principle and suiting capacity; this second [part] praises the inexhaustible merits of the saddharma spoken. Within the text there are two [parts]: first, the praise proper; from "Why is that?" downward, the explanation of the praise. "I speak of accepting the saddharma" praises the merits of accepting the saddharma. "The Tathāgata's wisdom and eloquence are likewise without boundary": because the merits of accepting the saddharma are boundless, and the Tathāgata has realized this saddharma, his inner wisdom and outer eloquence are also boundless. Furthermore, the preceding clarified that what is spoken is boundless, while this clarifies that the one who speaks is boundless. A doubter might say: since the principle is extremely profound, the exposition of it should be inexhaustible; hence, he adduces boundless wisdom to speak boundless Dharma. Furthermore, the Tathāgata uses boundless merit to speak boundless Dharma, so that the speaker and what is spoken correspond to each other; this is not sufficient to be deemed extraordinary. For Śrīmālā to be able to use bounded merit to speak boundless Dharma—this is truly rare! Furthermore, though the Tathāgata possesses boundless eloquence and wisdom, when speaking this acceptance of the saddharma, he cannot reach its bounds. From "Why is that?" downward is the second [part], explaining the aforementioned boundlessness of the Tathāgata's eloquence and wisdom, as well as the boundlessness of its merits. It clarifies that accepting the saddharma inherently possesses merits as many as the sands of the Ganges; therefore, accepting the saddharma is boundless, and the Tathāgata's eloquence and wisdom are boundless. "Great benefit" refers to wisdom. Furthermore, having great merit gives birth to the myriad practices; having great benefit gives birth to the five vehicles. From "Śrīmālā said to the Buddha" downward: as for why this passage comes next, if we clarify the meaning in terms of abbreviation and elaboration: the preceding briefly clarified accepting the saddharma, and from here downward is the second [part], which elaborately clarifies accepting the saddharma. Question: How is it known that the former was brief and the latter elaborate? Answer: The former directly stated that all the bodhisattva's vows as many as the sands of the Ganges enter into the one great vow, namely accepting the saddharma; therefore we know it was brief. From here onward, it vastly adduces dharmas and similes to explain it; therefore we know it is elaborate. Second, the preceding clarified absorption, while this explains production. Question: How is it known that the preceding clarified absorption and this explains production? Answer: The preceding clarified that the vows as many as the sands of the Ganges all enter into the great vow, so we know it was absorption; here it fully adduces the great cloud and the great earth as capable of producing all dharmas, so it is production. "Absorption" means integrating the function back to the essence—namely, integrating all vows and practices to enter together into the saddharma of the true nature, where words are forgotten and thoughts cease. As the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra says: "Ultimately nirvāṇa, of constantly tranquil and extinct aspect, in the end returns to emptiness." "Production" means arising function from the essence—from the one saddharma producing all the causes and fruits of the five vehicles. Third, the preceding clarified accepting the saddharma in terms of the approach of vows, while this clarifies accepting the saddharma in terms of the approach of practices. Therefore, the earlier text said, "All the vows as many as the sands of the Ganges enter into the one great vow," so we know it was vows; now it clarifies that accepting the saddharma is practice, and therefore the text says, "From accepting the saddharma, all causes and fruits are produced." The text possesses these three aspects of meaning. Within the text there are also four parts: first, Śrīmālā requests to speak; second, permission to speak; third, the exposition proper; fourth, the praise. Here is the first part. As for "I shall rely on the Buddha's spiritual power": accepting the saddharma reaches its ultimate state at the Buddha-stage, and only a buddha can speak it. Now relying on the Buddha's spiritual power, she is then able to expound it. "Relying on the Buddha's power" means requesting the empowerments of the Tathāgata's three karmas, which then empowers her three karmas. As for "further expound": having already spoken briefly before, she now speaks extensively again; hence it is called "further." Formerly she spoke of absorption, now she speaks of production. Moreover, having already spoken of vows before, she next speaks of practice; hence she "further expounds." As for "the vast and great meaning of accepting the saddharma": the preceding clarified brevity and greatness, whereas this explains vastness and greatness. The preceding clarified the greatness of essence, whereas this clarifies the greatness of function. The preceding clarified the greatness of vows, whereas this clarifies the greatness of practice. These three aspects have a profound significance, and therefore are called "meaning."