勝鬘寶窟 1.37.3

1.37.3

In the true nature of all phenomena, there is neither self nor non-self.' One should also say: The Buddhas sometimes speak of form, and sometimes speak of non-form. In the true nature of all phenomena, there is neither form nor non-form. Moreover, it is neither form nor not-form; not knowing what to name it, one praises it as form. It is also neither mind nor not-mind; not knowing what to name it, one praises it as mind. Therefore, form and the formless do not contradict each other in meaning. Furthermore, if one says that there is form distinct from mind, or mind distinct from form, this becomes two views. The sūtra says: 'Those who hold to duality have neither the path nor the fruit.' Again, if one says that there is form and there is mind, it is called having apprehension. Those who have apprehension lack the four unobstructed knowledges. Although this is only a single phrase of the sūtra—'having form and being formless'—it is indeed a great matter of the Buddha-Dharma; it must entirely be resolved using Nāgārjuna's intent, and then there will be no stagnation or attachment.

'Having subdued the faults and evils of the mind' is the second praise, praising liberation. Having previously explained the dharmakāya, wherein there is no un-Dharma, liberation is explained next. Moreover, having previously explained the dharmakāya in opposition to the retributive results of birth and death, liberation is now explained in opposition to the karma of birth and death. 'Having subdued the faults and evils of the mind' refers to severing the afflictions of the mental ground and eliminating their causal afflictions; this is called mental liberation.

'As well as the four kinds of the body' praises freedom from the afflictions of fruition. The body has four kinds of bondage: birth, old age, sickness, and death. The Buddha has completely severed them all; therefore it says 'the four kinds of the body.' When bodily tribulations are exhausted and mental entanglements are also ended, one reaches the ground of difficult subdual of the Buddha-fruit. Because for the Tathāgata, birth cannot bring about birth, old age cannot age [him], sickness cannot sicken [him], and death cannot kill [him], it is called the 'ground of difficult subdual.' The Buddha can subdue all burdens and is not subdued by all burdens. Because he can subdue all burdens and is not subdued by all burdens, he is the sovereign Dharmarāja; for this reason, homage is paid.

Some say: 'The four kinds of the body' refers to the body of mortal transmigration composed of the four great elements, taking these as the four kinds. Just as six elements form a person, this is the meaning of karmic fruition. When it speaks of the 'ground of difficult subdual,' it refers to the vajra-mind; the vajra can destroy all delusions and is not infringed upon by all delusions; thus it says 'having reached.' Master Fu took the ground of the entrenchment of ignorance as the ground of difficult subdual: beginningless ignorance is the most powerful, and only the Buddha can eliminate it. The two vehicles do not sever it; 'reaching' means crossing over, meaning that he has already transcended this burden. This is truly severance, but it is spoken of as subdual, just like subduing the four Māras. Having subdued what is difficult to subdue, he rises high above burdens and is sovereign in phenomena; thus he is called the Dharmarāja.

Some say: Subduing the faults and evils of the mind means departing from the three wrong actions of the mind. 'As well as the body' refers to the three bodily actions of killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct. 'And the four kinds' refers to departing from the four faults of speech. Merely raising the body subsumes speech; mentioning the four subsumes the three of the mind. This is indeed the skill of verse condensation.

'Knowing all jñeya' is the third praise, praising prajñā. That hindrances and burdens are eliminated is due to the efficacy of prajñā; therefore it is praised next. Moreover, praising the dharmakāya means that there is no stimulus to which it does not respond; praising liberation means that there is no burden it does not eliminate; and extolling prajñā means that there is no object it does not illuminate.

Question: Above, 'wisdom is likewise thus' had already finished praising wisdom; why praise it again here?

Answer: Above was a brief praise; here is an extensive praise. Furthermore, the praise above was to complete the dharmakāya; here, prajñā is praised separately.

Explanations of this differ. Some say: 'Knowing' relates the wisdom that can illuminate. 'Jñeya' refers to all objective spheres, which are the objects illuminated by it. Gathering wisdom to form the body and freely giving rein to thorough insight, it therefore says 'the wisdom-body is sovereign.' All the myriad spheres are held within the Buddha's mind, and there is none he does not thoroughly know; thus it says 'comprehending and holding all phenomena.' His wondrous virtue surpasses others, making him worthy of paying homage; it says 'therefore I now pay homage.' This is an explanation that does not divide wisdom.

The first line is the pair of object and wisdom; the next line is the pair of substance and function; the lower line is the pair of that which holds and that which is held.

Some say: The first line praises wisdom being able to illuminate completely existence and non-existence, thus saying 'knowing all jñeya.' 'All' means the objective spheres of the two truths of existence and non-existence. The next line praises the function of wisdom according with the mind, thus saying 'sovereign.' The third line means taking the principle into the mind, retaining and not forgetting it, just as a mirror upon a high terrace reflects all myriad images; thus it says 'holding all phenomena.' The first line explains the substance of wisdom; the next line explains the function of wisdom. These two lines explain all-knowingness. Now it clarifies constant knowing. An ancient commentary says: Illuminating and encountering their union, the principle is proclaimed in understanding; this is 'comprehending and holding.'

Some say: The first two lines praise empty wisdom; 'comprehending and holding all phenomena' praises existent wisdom. That is, the two wisdoms of upāya and reality; they are also the all-knowledge and the knowledge of all modes.

Some say: 'Knowing all jñeya' praises the all-knowledge. Jñeya means the mother of wisdom, because it can give birth to wisdom. It is also called the object of wisdom: phenomena such as the five sciences can give birth to wisdom-understanding, so it is the mother of wisdom; being illuminated by wisdom, it is called the object of wisdom. 'The wisdom-body is sovereign' praises unobstructed wisdom. Among all phenomena, knowing spontaneously without relying on upāya, it is thus called 'sovereign.' 'Comprehending and holding all phenomena' praises pure wisdom. The true nature of phenomena is what is meant by 'all phenomena.' Clearly realizing it in the mind, it is called 'comprehending and holding.' These three wisdoms come from the text of the *Bodhisattvabhūmi*. The 'Entrustment' chapter of the *Lotus Sūtra* also explains three wisdoms: Tathāgata-wisdom, Buddha-wisdom, and spontaneous wisdom, which are the three of the *Bodhisattvabhūmi*. All-knowledge refers to knowing all phenomena of conventional truth. With unobstructed wisdom, one knows phenomena of conventional truth with sovereignty. Third, pure wisdom realizes the primary truth. These are also the three wisdoms of the *Lotus Sūtra*: Buddha-wisdom, spontaneous wisdom, and Tathāgata-wisdom.

From 'Homage to that which exceeds measurement' downward, some say: The above was a distinct praise; this is a concluding praise, also called a comprehensive praise. The direct praise praises the four virtues of the response body, dharmakāya, prajñā, and liberation. Now it clarifies the concluding praise of the previous four, which forms four distinct [praises]. 'Homage to that which exceeds measurement' is the concluding praise of the previous response body exceeding the sphere of measurement. 'Homage to that which has no comparison' is the concluding praise of the previous true body being beyond the reach of comparison. 'Homage to the boundless Dharma' concludes the previous praise of liberation being sovereign, free from fetters, and without boundary or limit. 'Homage to the difficult to conceive' concludes the previous praise of prajñā, whose internal wisdom is deep and far-reaching, unfathomable by lower stages. Now it is explained that this is not so: having already made four praises above, to conclude them again here would be redundant and burdensome, and it also would not exhaustively gather the virtues.