勝鬘寶窟 2.61

2.61

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.