勝鬘寶窟 3.66

3.66

「說已告天帝」下，第二付屬流通。前為說令其解，今付屬使其化他。又前說令其然燈，今付屬令其傳燈。又前為說生其智慧，今付屬生其功德。又前為說明佛是善知識，今顯菩薩是善知識也。就文有二：一勸發流通；二「帝釋白佛」下，立經名字。持經之方，謂付屬流通。初中，前付天帝、次付阿難。付阿難令人間化，付帝釋令天上化。又付阿難付出家人，付帝釋付在家人。付帝釋中有三：「汝當受持讀誦此經」者，直勸持也。「男女人於恒沙」下，歎益勸持。「是故」已下，結勸受持。歎益勸中，「憍尸迦」者，告命所付。此憍尸迦，帝釋別稱。如龍樹說：「過去時波羅奈國，有波羅門姓憍尸迦，聰明多智。與其同類三十三人，共修學福業。命終，憍尸迦得為天主，餘三十二皆為補臣。佛知此事，從本以呼，名憍尸迦。」「三十三天」者，《浮荼不多羅經》云「須彌樓山，山有九級，皆四面，帝釋居之。自下八級，級皆四面，并有四八三十二處，一處有一臣居之。三十二臣通天主，合數三十三。」更有餘經云「有一龍王，名曰善住。若帝釋行時，即便化出三十三頭。當中帝釋在上，前後兩箱皆有兩行，合有八行。行有四頭，并有四八三十二臣，各在一頭。天主并臣有三十三，即以此數名第二天亦名三十三天。」言「為三十三天說」者，第二天處一切諸天，勸帝釋王普為廣說，理實通勸諸天說也。此言三十三天者，中國音言悉怛梨余悉衛陵，此中唯取怛梨二字為忉利天也。怛梨、刀利，彼國音不同耳，此翻為三十三天也。「於恒沙劫修菩提行行六波羅蜜」，舉劣顯勝。「若復聽受乃至執經福多彼者」，辨勝過劣。謂於三乘中大乘取相修行六波羅蜜，不如於此顯實一乘教中聽受讀誦乃至執經。以此經中顯彰一乘開示藏性，故少聽受讀誦執持福多於彼。執持者，於經深愛，欲披求理。如此執持，福多於彼，非是汎爾，何況為人。以劣顯勝，自此尚多，況為他說。「是故」已下，結初受持。有人言：於恒沙劫行六波羅蜜者，此是小乘教中說菩薩三阿僧祇劫行有漏六波羅蜜。今標小劫，故言恒沙劫耳。今謂若小乘中六波羅蜜，及執三乘中別異大乘有所得六波羅蜜，並不及此經也。如《涅槃》云「雖修一切契經諸定，未聞《涅槃》，咸言一切悉是無常。聞此經已，雖有煩惱，如無煩惱，能多利益。曉了己身有於佛性，名之為常。」一切諸定，似是中多劫修六度也。下付阿難，相顯可知。

From "Having spoken, he addressed the Lord of the Devas" down is the second [part], entrusting for circulation. Previously preaching it was to cause them to understand; now entrusting it is to cause them to convert others. Furthermore, previously preaching it was to cause them to light a lamp; now entrusting it is to cause them to transmit the lamp. Furthermore, previously preaching it was to give rise to their wisdom; now entrusting it is to give rise to their merit. Furthermore, previously preaching it was to reveal that the Buddha is a good spiritual friend (kalyāṇamitra); now it shows that bodhisattvas are good spiritual friends. In the text there are two parts: first, exhorting and initiating circulation; second, from "Śakra addressed the Buddha" down, establishing the title of the sūtra. The method of upholding the sūtra is called entrusting for circulation. In the first, he first entrusts it to the Lord of the Devas and next to Ānanda. Entrusting it to Ānanda is to cause conversion in the human realm; entrusting it to Śakra is to cause conversion in the heavens. Furthermore, entrusting it to Ānanda is entrusting it to a monastic; entrusting it to Śakra is entrusting it to a householder. Within the entrustment to Śakra there are three parts: "You should accept, uphold, read, and recite this sūtra" directly exhorts upholding. From "If men and women over Ganges sands [of kalpas]" down praises the benefit and exhorts upholding. From "Therefore" down concludes the exhortation to accept and uphold. Within praising the benefit and exhorting, "Kauśika" addresses and summons the one to whom it is entrusted. This "Kauśika" is an alternative appellation for Śakra. As Nāgārjuna said: "In the past, in the kingdom of Vārāṇasī, there was a brāhmaṇa whose clan name was Kauśika, intelligent and of great wisdom. Together with thirty-three companions of his class, he cultivated meritorious karma. When his life ended, Kauśika became the lord of devas, and the remaining thirty-two all became assisting ministers. The Buddha, knowing this matter, addressed him based on his origin, calling him Kauśika." Regarding "Thirty-Three Devas," the *Futuobuduoluo-jing* says: "Mount Sumeru has nine tiers, all having four faces, and Śakra resides upon it. Down from this, eight tiers each have four faces, making in all four times eight, thirty-two locations, with one minister residing in each location. The thirty-two ministers together with the lord of devas make a total number of thirty-three." Yet another sūtra says: "There is a dragon king named Shanzhu (Supratiṣṭhita). Whenever Śakra travels, he manifests thirty-three heads. Śakra sits atop the central one, and on both the front and rear sides there are two rows each, making eight rows in total. Each row has four heads, making four times eight, thirty-two ministers, each upon one head. The lord of devas together with the ministers make thirty-three, and this number is used to name the second heaven, also called the Heaven of the Thirty-Three." Saying "preach it for the Thirty-Three Devas" means exhorting King Śakra to preach it broadly and universally for all the devas in the realm of the second heaven; in truth, it generally exhorts preaching it to all devas. This term "Thirty-Three Devas" is in the language of the Central Realm (India) pronounced *xidalieyuxiweiling* (trāyastriṃśa); here, only the two characters *dalie* were taken to make the Daoli (Trāyastriṃśa) Heaven. *Dalie* and *Daoli* are merely differences in their regional pronunciation, which is translated here as "Thirty-Three Devas." "Practicing the bodhisattva conduct and cultivating the six pāramitās for Ganges sands of kalpas" presents the inferior to reveal the superior. "If someone listens and receives, or even just holds the sūtra, their merit is greater than that" distinguishes the superior surpassing the inferior. This means that cultivating the six pāramitās while grasping at marks in the Mahāyāna within the triyāna is not as good as listening to, receiving, reading, reciting, or even just holding the sūtra in this teaching of the ekayāna that reveals the real. Because this sūtra reveals the ekayāna and discloses the tathāgatagarbha nature, even slight listening, receiving, reading, reciting, and holding yields merit greater than that. "Holding" means deeply cherishing the sūtra and wishing to unfold and seek its principle. Such holding brings merit greater than that; this is not something ordinary, let alone doing so for others. Using the inferior to reveal the superior: since this alone is already greater, how much more so explaining it to others! From "Therefore" down concludes the initial acceptance and upholding. Someone said: practicing the six pāramitās for Ganges sands of kalpas refers to what is taught in the Hīnayāna teachings, where bodhisattvas practice the contaminated six pāramitās for three asaṃkhyeya kalpas; here small kalpas are indicated, hence it says "Ganges sands of kalpas." I say now: the six pāramitās in the Hīnayāna, as well as the six pāramitās with attainment grasping at the distinct Mahāyāna within the triyāna, both fall short of this sūtra. As the *Nirvāṇa-sūtra* says: "Although one cultivates all the concentrations of the sūtras, before hearing the *Nirvāṇa-sūtra* one says that all things are impermanent. After hearing this sūtra, though one has afflictions, it is as though one has no afflictions, and one can bring great benefit, clearly understanding that one's own body possesses the buddhadhātu, which is called permanent." "All the concentrations" resembles practicing the six pāramitās here for many kalpas. The entrustment to Ānanda below is obvious in form and can be understood.