勝鬘寶窟 1.57

1.57

From "World-Honoured One, I from this day forward" onward, the second [part] explains the formal reception of the precepts. Explanations of this differ among five masters in all. Tanlin says: "From this passage onward are the ten great vows. However, below there are separately three vows and one vow, so [my view] is not the same as this explanation." Master Fu says: "The first five are for stopping evil, and the latter five are for giving rise to good, without dividing them into the three [sets of bodhisattva] precepts." The third master says: "The first precept is general—namely, generally resolving the mind to bring forth the precepts and generally setting forth what is guarded against. From the second onward, it means specifically resolving the mind to bring forth the precepts and specifically setting forth what is guarded against." The fourth master says: "The first nine are receiving the precepts of worldly teaching, and the last one is obtaining the precepts of the true Dharma. Guarding against and prohibiting according to circumstances is called receiving the precepts of worldly teaching; realizing the real and leaving behind error is called obtaining the precepts of the true Dharma. Among the first nine, the first one is receiving the [precepts of] moral discipline; the middle four are receiving [the precepts of] gathering wholesome dharmas; the latter four are receiving [the precepts of] gathering sentient beings." The fifth master says: "The first five are gathering moral discipline; the middle four are gathering sentient beings; the last one is gathering wholesome dharmas." One may accept or reject among these five as one sees fit, but here we adopt the explanation of the fifth master. Question: How is it known that the first [group] is gathering moral discipline? Answer: The first five all explain putting an end to evil; therefore they are gathering moral discipline. The five [precepts] are divided into two: the first one generally explains putting an end to evil. Regarding "towards the precepts I have received, not give rise to any thought of transgression": if one had previously received the five precepts, the eight precepts, and so forth, now before the Buddha one makes a self-vow that toward the precepts received, one will not give rise to a thought of transgression. Moreover, previously receiving [precepts] only guarded the seven branches [of bodily and vocal karma] and did not guard the mental ground; now wishing to encompass the mind completely, one therefore gives rise to no thought of transgression. If one had never received precepts before, now making a self-vow that toward the precepts received one will not give rise to a thought of transgression is itself receiving the precepts, is itself obtaining the precepts, and is itself maintaining the precepts. Regarding "towards the precepts I have received": there are two ways of obtaining precepts: first, obtaining through reception, which is "the precepts received"; second, not obtaining through reception, which refers to the precepts concurrent with concentration (dhyānasaṃvara) and concurrent with the path (anāsravasaṃvara). Here it is the reception of precepts, which means putting an end to all evil, cultivating all good, and delivering all sentient beings. "Not give rise to any thought of transgression" means not giving rise to a mind that fails to stop evil, a mind that fails to cultivate good, or a mind that fails to deliver sentient beings. Therefore it is precisely receiving the three, obtaining the three, and maintaining the three. Moreover, the precept teachings have two aspects: first, reception; second, maintenance. But receiving is easy while maintaining is difficult; therefore by first clarifying what is difficult, one necessarily secures what is easy. Furthermore, reception is fundamentally for the sake of maintenance, so maintenance is the basis of reception; hence [the text] first clarifies maintenance. Furthermore, maintenance necessarily entails obtaining the precepts, whereas reception does not necessarily entail obtaining them. Moreover, there was concern that people might think Śrīmālā was a woman of the deep inner palace who was capable of receiving them in a moment of vigour but might not constantly maintain them from beginning to end; therefore, clarifying first that she is able to maintain them is itself the reception. Within each precept there are three clauses. First, stating "World-Honoured One" is requesting the Buddha to bear witness. Moreover, the Buddha is the condition for bringing forth the precepts, so she addresses the Buddha. From "I from this day forward until bodhi" onward, the second [clause] indicates the duration of receiving the precepts. "This day" clarifies the beginning of maintaining the precepts. "Until bodhi" clarifies the end of maintaining the precepts. [The commentator of] Wubilin says: "The Sanskrit text says *bodhimaṇḍala*, which here means the place of enlightenment." Moreover, to contrast with the two vehicles lasting only for one lifetime, it clarifies the length of time. Regarding "towards the precepts I have received", the third [clause] clarifies the reception of the precepts. Previously the length of time was distinguished; now the breadth of protection is explained, both of which differ from the two vehicles. The *Pañcaviṃśati* says: "Possessing [the actions of] body, speech, and mind is the coarse karma of a bodhisattva and is also a violation of the precepts." Here, knowing that the three karmas are unproduced, thoughts of transgression do not arise, revealing the exalted stage of Śrīmālā. "World-Honoured One, I from this day forward": the second [group of] four precepts specifically guards against four evils. Here it is the precept of not being arrogant, stopping the evil of arrogance. Masters and fathers are "revered"; elder brothers and elder sisters are "seniors". Moreover, anyone of advanced age and superior virtue is simply a revered senior. Arrogance is compared to a high mountain where the water of the Dharma cannot remain; therefore, "towards revered seniors, not give rise to an arrogant mind": because one respectfully serves revered seniors with a mind free of arrogance, revered seniors are able to teach according to the Dharma—fully as stated in the vinaya: when a person sits and a bhikṣu stands, one must not preach the Dharma for them. Third, "towards all sentient beings, not give rise to an angry mind": one may also take the former as not being arrogant toward those above, and this as not being angry toward those below. Furthermore, the former specifically explains not being arrogant toward those above, while the present [precept] generally distinguishes not giving rise to an angry mind toward all sentient beings. This mutual application of general and specific may encompass both passages. The bodhisattva takes transforming beings as foremost; if anger arises, one is alienated and obstructed from beings, and therefore it is eliminated. Question: Regarding "not giving rise to a resentful mind towards all sentient beings", what kind of mind is this? Answer: It is the mind of loving-kindness and compassion (maitrī-karuṇā), because one who gives rise to a resentful mind toward sentient beings lacks loving-kindness, and because the wholesome root of non-anger is the essence of loving-kindness and compassion. The treatise master Jingangxian, in explaining the four immeasurables, says that the essence of the mind of loving-kindness and compassion is the wholesome root of non-anger, because it counteracts the dharma of anger. Question: What kind of anger do loving-kindness and compassion counteract? Answer: For anger toward an object that provokes anger, loving-kindness counteracts it; for anger toward an object that does not provoke anger, compassion counteracts it. Again, counteracting the mind to kill sentient beings is called loving-kindness; counteracting the mind to strike sentient beings is called compassion. Furthermore, the *Nirvāṇa-sūtra* says: "Anger is of two kinds: first, superior; second, middling. Cultivating loving-kindness severs the superior; cultivating compassion severs the middling. Furthermore, anger is of two kinds: first, with causes and conditions; second, without causes and conditions. The mind of loving-kindness severs that with causes and conditions; the mind of compassion severs that without causes and conditions." A treatise master says: Cultivating loving-kindness is to eliminate the thought of anger toward sentient beings; cultivating compassion is to eliminate the thought of affliction toward sentient beings. Fourth, regarding "towards others' physical bodies and external requisites, not give rise to an envious mind": this refers to the immeasurable joy (muditā). When one is jealous and envious of others, the mind lacks joy and love; thus we know that non-envy is the mind of joy. "Physical body" refers to internal good retribution and external wonderful fruits. As a bodhisattva, one fundamentally ought to give internal and external good fruits to beings; now that another has obtained them on their own, one should feel rejoicing—how could one give rise to an envious mind instead? In the fifth precept, regarding "towards internal and external dharmas, not give rise to a stingy mind": Master Lin says: "One's own wealth is internal; another's wealth is external—the Sanskrit text says so." Someone says: "Internal" refers to one's own body; "external" refers to wife, children, and possessions. The bodhisattva makes vows for the sake of sentient beings, receiving a body, wife, children, and possessions. Now when sentient beings come to take these internal and external things, they accord with the bodhisattva. Master Lin says: "Not giving rise to a stingy mind is the immeasurable equanimity (upekṣā)." The treatise master Jingangxian explains: "The essence of the mind of equanimity is the wholesome root of non-greed." Question: Equanimity counteracts greed, and contemplation of the impure counteracts greed; what difference is there between them? Answer: Greed for physical form can be counteracted by contemplation of the impure; lustful greed can be counteracted by the mind of equanimity. Here it explains that a stingy mind cannot give away, and a greedy mind likewise cannot give away; therefore being able to renounce necessarily destroys stinginess and greed. Sūtras and treatises explain the four immeasurables differently: some say that great compassion uproots suffering, great loving-kindness bestows happiness, the mind of joy rejoices that the other has escaped suffering and gained happiness, and seeing that the person before oneself has escaped suffering and gained happiness, one's mind lets go [in equanimity]. Now gathering these four, they may be designated as two pairs: namely, respecting those above without arrogance and pitying those below without anger; toward others without envy, and toward oneself without stinginess. Question: Why is not being arrogant explained right at the very beginning of the vows? Answer: Śrīmālā currently occupied an exalted position, which frequently gives rise to an arrogant mind. Clarifying non-arrogance first is as the non-Buddhist texts say: "Being in an exalted position, do not be proud." Since she is not arrogant toward those above, there was concern that she might give rise to anger toward those below; therefore non-anger is clarified. Moreover, if one is arrogant, one does not accept another's transformation and consequently does not become a Buddha oneself; if one is angry, one does not transform others and consequently others do not become Buddhas: the fault is immense. Therefore it is distinguished at the very beginning of the vows. Question: Why are non-stinginess and non-envy distinguished after arrogance and anger? Answer: The former two are latent afflictions (anuśaya), while the latter two are active entanglements (paryavasthāna); latent afflictions are heavy and active entanglements are light, so by first leaving behind the heavy and later calming the light, all evils are thoroughly extinguished. Question: Since there are ten entanglements, why specifically explain leaving behind [only] these two? Answer: Envy is the cause of lowliness; stinginess is the karma of poverty. As the Great Being is just about to become revered and a guide, she ought properly to leave them behind. Moreover, being stingy, one does not bestow wealth on others; being envious, one begrudges others gaining happiness. These are the roots that obstruct loving-kindness; hence they are specifically singled out for abandonment. Moreover, asuras are stingy with form and envious of flavours, while the lord of devas is stingy with flavours and envious of form, and the nine fetters (saṃyojana) are formed based on this; the bodhisattva, countering this, specifically speaks of leaving them behind. Question: Since the first precept is general, why are the four kinds of precepts—not being arrogant, not being angry, not being envious, and not being stingy—specifically explained? Answer: Some say it is because these four are grave. The *Bodhisattvabhūmi* speaks of these four kinds as pārājikas. The *Bodhisattvabhūmi* clarifies four dharmas, the fourth of which is the mind of delusion, which is the first [precept here], arrogance. The second here corresponds to the third in the *Bodhisattvabhūmi*, which is the mind of anger; the third here corresponds to the first in the *Bodhisattvabhūmi*, which is the mind of greed; the fourth here corresponds to the second in the *Bodhisattvabhūmi*, which is the mind of stinginess. Therefore these four are specifically stated.