無量壽經義疏 1.6.2

1.6.2

入佛法中，凡有三種：一教、二義、三者是行。 教淺、義深，行為最勝。 聲聞鈍根，從教為名。 聲者是教，飡聲悟解，故曰聲聞。 緣覺次勝，就義立因。 緣者是義，於緣悟解，故稱緣覺。 菩薩最上，就行彰名。 以能成就自利利他俱利之道，是故其人名道眾生。 故《地持》云「聲聞緣覺，但能自度。 菩薩不爾，自度度他，故名道勝。 」以道勝故，名道眾生。 共集稱俱。 次列其名，於中先列賢劫之中成佛菩薩。 「又賢護」下，別餘劫中成佛菩薩。 就賢劫中，普賢、妙德與慈氏三人別列。 「妙德」，文殊。 「慈氏」，彌勒姓慈，故曰慈氏，字阿逸多，此云無勝。 「等」者，於賢劫之中其餘菩薩。 此賢劫中一切菩薩，約時總分。 就明餘劫諸菩薩中，隨勝略舉十六正士。 「又賢護等十六正士」，舉初格後，總以檦列。 「善思議」等，就其所等，隨別以列。 「皆遵普賢大士行」者，彰其所習，亦得名為簡下異上。 下歎其德，於中分二：第一歎其權、實二德； 二「其所修行清淨」已下，歎其自利、利他二德。 前中有三：一就自分略歎其德。 二「入佛法」下，就其勝進廣歎其德。 三「具足功德微妙」已下，雙以結歎。 就初略中，先歎實德； 「遊步」以下，歎其權德。 實中具諸無量行願，修行具足。 行，謂六度四攝等行。 願，謂無量菩提行願。 如《華嚴》說，此等皆具。 「安住一切功德之法」，成德圓備，德成無退，故曰安住。 有德斯成，故曰一切。 功謂功能，諸行皆有利益之功，故名為功。 此功是其善行家德，故名功德。 如清冷等，水家之德，故名功德。 經說功德，有通有別，通則一切諸行皆是，別則宣說慧行為智、餘戒施等名為功德。 今就通矣，德體名法。 權中初言「遊步十方」，身形無礙。 「行權方便」，化行善巧。 隨物所宜種種異現，名權方便。 上來就其自分略歎。 下就勝進，廣歎其德，於中還初歎其實德。 「於無量界現成佛」下，歎其權德。 實中初言「入佛法藏」，證會名入。 「究竟彼岸」，彰果畢竟。 涅槃彼岸，到名究竟。 下歎權中，「於無量界現成正覺」，總以歎之。 此歎勝進，故舉成佛為權德耳。 「處兜率」下，別以顯之。 於中具論，應有十相：一昇兜率天、二來下入胎、三住胎中、四者出生、五童子相、六娉妻相、七出家相、八成佛道相、九轉法輪相、十般涅槃相。 今此文中少一住胎，有餘九相。 就初相中，處兜率天，身昇兜率。 兜率，本是一名，傳之音異。 此云妙足，亦名知足，是欲界中第四天也。 何故生此？ 如《涅槃》釋，兜率天勝，為是偏生。 彼云何勝？ 經自釋之，上天闇鈍、下天放逸，彼無此過，故得名勝。 又修施戒，得上下天，修施戒定生兜率天，故彼天勝。 問曰：兜率，欲界亂地，云何修定而生彼天？ 釋言：此非八禪地定，蓋乃欲界思慧心中修念佛三昧，生彼天中，名依定往生。 如《地論》無量料簡，不可具論。 「弘宣正法」，口業化也。 此初相竟，捨彼天宮，降神母胎，第二相也。 問曰：何故捨上天樂？ 為欲使彼閻浮眾生咸荷佛恩、生敬重心，故須捨之。 是義云何？ 由捨天樂，閻浮眾生咸皆念言：「佛捨天樂，來生閻浮，慈我等故。 」生敬重心。 問曰：於彼生之中，何故如來偏受胎生？ 釋言：於彼四生之中，卵生、濕生果報卑劣，故佛不生。 化生雖勝，備有多義，故佛不生。 如《涅槃》說，略有八義：一劫初時，眾生化生，爾時眾生其病未發，不假佛化，故佛不出。 佛出世時，眾生胎生，為欲增長同生之力，故受胎生。 二寄生上族，表彰法勝，故受胎生。 三生王種，假之護法，故受胎生。 四欲教人敬父母之業，故受胎生。 五生上族，為息物慢，故受胎生。 六受胎生，為息物謗。 是義云何？ 若佛化生，人多誹謗，言佛是幻化、非是真實。

Regarding entering the Buddha-Dharma, in general there are three aspects: first, teaching; second, meaning; and third, practice. Teaching is shallow, meaning is profound, and practice is supreme. Śrāvakas are of dull faculties and derive their name from teaching: "sound" (śrava) is teaching, and through drinking in the sound they awaken to understanding; therefore they are called "śrāvakas" ("voice-hearers"). Pratyekabuddhas are next in superiority and establish their designation on the basis of meaning: "conditions" (pratyaya) are meaning, and through conditions they awaken to understanding; therefore they are called "pratyekabuddhas" ("condition-enlightened ones"). Bodhisattvas are the utmost, manifesting their name on the basis of practice: because they are able to accomplish the path that benefits both oneself and others, bringing benefit to both, this person is called a "path-sentient-being" (bodhisattva). Therefore the Bodhisattvabhūmi states: "Śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas can only save themselves. Bodhisattvas are not like this: they deliver both themselves and others; therefore they are termed 'superior in the path.'" Being superior in the path, they are called "path-sentient-beings." Assembling together is termed "in company with" (jù). Next, their names are listed. Here, those bodhisattvas who attain Buddhahood in the Bhadrakalpa are listed first. From "and Bhadrapāla" onward, bodhisattvas who attain Buddhahood in other kalpas are separately [listed]. Within the Bhadrakalpa, the three individuals Samantabhadra, Mañjuśrī (Myōtoku), and Maitreya (Cishi) are individually listed. "Myōtoku" is Mañjuśrī. As for "Cishi", Maitreya's clan name is "Benevolence" (ci), so he is called Cishi; his personal name is Ajita, which is translated here as "Invincible". "And so forth" refers to the remaining bodhisattvas in the Bhadrakalpa. All these bodhisattvas of the Bhadrakalpa are grouped broadly according to time. In explaining the bodhisattvas of the other kalpas, according to their pre-eminence, sixteen virtuous men are briefly mentioned. "And sixteen virtuous men such as Bhadrapāla": by mentioning the first, the rest are categorized, and they are listed together as a whole. "Shan-siyi" and so forth are listed separately according to what is included under "and so forth". "They all adhered to the practice of the great being Samantabhadra" reveals what they trained in; it may also be termed distinguishing the lower from the upper. Next, their virtues are praised; herein it is divided into two parts: first, praising their two virtues of expedient means and reality; second, from "the practices they cultivated were pure" onward, praising their two virtues of benefiting oneself and benefiting others. In the former part there are three sections: first, briefly praising their virtues in terms of their own stage; second, from "entering the Buddha-Dharma" onward, praising their virtues extensively in terms of their progressive advancement; third, from "fully possessing subtle and wondrous merits" onward, concluding with praises for both together. In the initial brief section, real virtues are praised first; from "wandering through" onward, their expedient virtues are praised. In reality, they are endowed with all immeasurable practices and vows, cultivating them fully. "Practices" refers to the six perfections, the four means of embracing, and so forth. "Vows" refers to the immeasurable vows of bodhi-practice. As taught in the Avataṃsaka, they possess all of these. "Firmly abiding in the Dharma of all merits": their accomplished virtues are complete and fully equipped, and having accomplished virtue, there is no regression; therefore it is said "firmly abiding". Every virtue is thus accomplished; therefore it is said "all". "Merit" (gōng) refers to efficacious function: all practices possess the efficacious function of bringing benefit, and so they are called gōng. This gōng is the virtue belonging to good actions; therefore it is called "meritorious virtue" (guṇadharma). Just as coolness and purity are virtues of water, so it is called meritorious virtue. When the sūtras speak of meritorious virtue, there is a general and a specific sense: generally, all practices are it; specifically, actions of wisdom are explained as knowledge (jñāna), and the remaining precepts, giving, and so forth are called meritorious virtue. Here it is understood generally; the essence of the virtue is called Dharma. In the expedient section, it first says: "wandering through the ten directions"—bodily forms are without obstruction. "Practicing expedient means"—their activities of transformation are skillful. Manifesting various forms according to what is suitable for beings is called expedient means. The above briefly praises them in terms of their own stage. Next, in terms of progressive advancement, their virtues are praised extensively, wherein their real virtues are also praised first. From "manifesting the attainment of Buddhahood in immeasurable realms" onward, their expedient virtues are praised. In the real section, it first says "entering the storehouse of the Buddha-Dharma": witnessing and matching with it is called "entering". "Reaching the ultimate other shore": manifesting the finality of fruition. The other shore of nirvāṇa, having reached it, is called "ultimate". In the praise of expedient means below, "manifesting the attainment of correct awakening in immeasurable realms" is a general praise. This praises their progressive advancement; hence the attainment of Buddhahood is cited as an expedient virtue. From "dwelling in Tuṣita" onward, it is shown specifically. In discussing this fully, there should be ten phases: 1. ascending to Tuṣita Heaven; 2. descending and entering the womb; 3. dwelling in the womb; 4. being born; 5. the phase of being a youth; 6. the phase of taking a wife; 7. the phase of leaving household life; 8. the phase of attaining the Buddha-way; 9. the phase of turning the dharmacakra; 10. the phase of parinirvāṇa. In this present text, the dwelling in the womb is missing, leaving the other nine phases. In the first phase, "dwelling in Tuṣita Heaven" means the body ascends to Tuṣita. "Tuṣita" was originally a single name, but varied in transliterated sound. Here it is translated as "Wondrous Contentment", and also called "Contentment"; it is the fourth heaven in the desire realm. Why be born here? As explained in the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra, Tuṣita Heaven is superior, which is why one is born there particularly. Why is it superior? The sūtra itself explains it: the higher heavens are dim and dull, while the lower heavens are heedless; that heaven is free of these faults, and so is called superior. Furthermore, by cultivating giving and precepts, one attains the lower and upper heavens; by cultivating giving, precepts, and concentration, one is born in Tuṣita Heaven; therefore that heaven is superior. Question: Tuṣita is a distracted realm of the desire realm; how can one cultivate concentration and be born in that heaven? Explanation: This is not the concentration of the eight dhyānas, but rather cultivating the Buddha-mindfulness samādhi within the mind of contemplative wisdom of the desire realm, being born in that heaven; this is called being reborn based on concentration. As in the Daśabhūmika-śāstra, there are immeasurable analyses that cannot be fully discussed. "Broadly proclaiming the true Dharma" is transformation through vocal karma. This completes the first phase. Relinquishing that heavenly palace and descending into the mother's womb is the second phase. Question: Why abandon the bliss of the higher heavens? In order to cause the sentient beings of Jambudvīpa to all bear the Buddha's grace and give rise to a reverent mind, it must be abandoned. What does this mean? Due to his abandoning heavenly bliss, the sentient beings of Jambudvīpa all think: "The Buddha abandoned heavenly bliss and came to be born in Jambudvīpa out of compassion for us," giving rise to a reverent mind. Question: Among those types of birth, why did the Tathāgata specifically take womb-birth? Explanation: Among the four forms of birth, egg-birth and moisture-birth have base and inferior fruitional retributions, so the Buddha is not born from them. Spontaneous birth, although superior, entails multiple considerations, so the Buddha is not born in that way. As explained in the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra, there are briefly eight reasons: 1. At the beginning of the kalpa, sentient beings were born spontaneously; at that time, their sicknesses had not yet arisen and they did not require the Buddha's transformation, so the Buddha did not appear. When the Buddha appeared in the world, sentient beings were womb-born, so in order to augment the power of common birth, he accepted womb-birth. 2. To lodge in a noble clan to demonstrate the supremacy of the Dharma, he accepted womb-birth. 3. To be born into a royal lineage, relying on it to protect the Dharma, he accepted womb-birth. 4. Wishing to teach people the practice of respecting parents, he accepted womb-birth. 5. To be born into a noble clan in order to quell the arrogance of beings, he accepted womb-birth. 6. He accepted womb-birth to quell the slander of beings. What does this mean? If the Buddha were born spontaneously, many people would slander him, saying that the Buddha is an illusion, not real.