無量壽經義疏 1.6.8

1.6.8

此八難中，三塗為劇，菩薩濟之。 人天苦微，名曰諸閑，菩薩勸化，故曰不閑。 「分別顯」等，授人善法。 「分別顯示真實之際」，證法教人。 理性真實，得處名際，授人名示。 「得諸如來辯才智」等，教法利物。 「得諸如來辯才之智」，起說之得，謂得如來四無礙智，解了諸法。 「入眾言音」，起說之解。 入謂解也。 謂解眾生種種言音，用之起說。 「開化一切」，正明起說。 自下第四重明所成。 於中初明成就自德。 「於一切」下，成利他德。 自中初言「超過世間諸所有法」，所成殊勝。 「心常諦」等，所成不動。 又過世間，明成斷德，謂過分段變易世間一切法也。 「心常諦住度世之道」，明成智德。 諦謂安諦，謂常安住真實無為度世之道。 下利他中，「於一切萬物隨意自在」，成利他德。 由成勝通，於一切物變化隨意，故能利物，名為自在。 為諸庶等，起利他用。 「為諸庶類作不請友」，化益方便。 庶謂凡庶，類謂品類。 不請有二：一宿無道根，仰感菩薩，名為不請。 二無現樂欲，不知求聖，名為不請。 菩薩於此強為作友。 「荷負群生為之重擔」，正明化益。 聲聞捨物，不將眾生以為重擔； 菩薩荷負，故用眾生而為重擔。 擔別有四，如《勝鬘》說。 此第三竟。 自下第四依前勝進辨修成德。 於中初先辨其所修。 「一切善本皆度」已下，明其所成。 前所修中，初明自利。 二「興大悲」下，明修利他。 就自利中，「受持如來甚深法藏」，明修勝解。 如來藏性，是佛如來甚深法藏。 闇障既除，明現己心，故曰受持。 「護佛種性常使不絕」，明修勝行。 法界諸度，是佛種性。 護使離障，起善無間，名常不絕。 下利他中，先法後喻。 法中四句。 初「興悲愍」，明起悲心。 二「演慈辨」下，明起慈心。 依慈心起說，名演慈辨。 教法生解，名「授法眼」。 三「杜三趣開善門」者，顯前悲益。 杜謂塞也。 教人離惡，故杜三趣。 教人修福，故開善門。 四「以不請法施黎庶」者，顯前慈益。 喻中兩句。 初「如孝子愛敬父母」，彰前慈厚。 「於諸眾生」已下，顯上悲深。 上明所修，下明所成。 「一切善本皆度彼岸」，明其所成。 度猶到也。 涅槃彼岸，行因到之，故因成矣。 「悉獲佛」等，明其果成有福智。 「悉獲諸佛無量功德」，明得如來福德莊嚴。 「智慧聖明不可思議」者，明得如來智慧莊嚴。 智慧深廣，情緣莫測、口量不及，名不思議。 上來歎德。 如是之等不可稱計，是第四段，彰其數量。 此等悉為影響顯法，故皆來會。 為法心同，故來一時。 上來第二辨列徒眾。

Among these eight conditions of adversity, the three wretched destinies are the most severe, and the bodhisattva rescues them. The suffering of humans and devas is slight; these are called the [destinies of] leisure, yet the bodhisattva exhorts and transforms them, hence [they are referred to as] 'lack of leisure'. 'Distinguishing and revealing', and so forth, refers to bestowing wholesome dharmas upon people. 'Distinguishing and revealing the limit of reality' means teaching people through the realized Dharma. The nature of principle is real, and the place attained is called the 'limit'; bestowing it upon people is called 'revealing'. 'Attaining the eloquence and wisdom of all Tathāgatas', and so forth, means benefiting beings through the teaching of the Dharma. 'Attaining the eloquence and wisdom of all Tathāgatas' is the attainment that gives rise to preaching; this means attaining the Tathāgata's four unhindered knowledges and fully understanding all dharmas. 'Entering into all sounds and voices' is the understanding that gives rise to preaching. 'Entering' means understanding; it means understanding the various sounds and voices of sentient beings and utilizing them to initiate preaching. 'To enlighten and transform all' directly clarifies the initiation of preaching. From this point down, the fourth section once again clarifies what has been accomplished. Therein, it first clarifies the accomplishment of one's own virtues. From 'towards all', it explains the accomplishment of virtues that benefit others. In the part concerning oneself, it first states, 'Surpassing all things existing in the world', which refers to the excellence of what has been accomplished. 'Whose minds constantly and firmly abide', and so forth, refers to the immobility of what has been accomplished. Furthermore, 'surpassing the world' clarifies the accomplishment of the virtue of abandonment; that is, surpassing all dharmas of the world of fragmented [birth and death] and transformational [birth and death]. 'Whose minds constantly and firmly abide in the path of transcending the world' clarifies the accomplishment of the virtue of wisdom. 'Firmly' means securely and firmly; that is, constantly and securely abiding in the path of transcending the world, which is real and unconditioned. In the subsequent section on benefiting others, 'attaining mastery according to their wish over all myriad things' accomplishes the virtue of benefiting others. Because of having accomplished superior supernormal powers, they transform all things according to their wish and are thus able to benefit beings; this is called 'mastery'. 'For the sake of all the common masses', and so forth, gives rise to the function of benefiting others. 'Acting as uninvited friends for all the common masses' is an upāya for transforming and benefiting. 'Common' means ordinary masses, and 'masses' means various classes. 'Uninvited' has two meanings: first, having no past roots in the Path, they look upward and move the bodhisattva, which is called 'uninvited'; second, having no present longing or desire, they do not know how to seek the noble ones, which is called 'uninvited'. Towards these beings, the bodhisattva forcefully acts as their friend. 'Shouldering sentient beings as a heavy burden' directly clarifies the transformation and benefiting. Śrāvakas abandon beings and do not take sentient beings as a heavy burden; bodhisattvas shoulder them, and therefore take sentient beings as a heavy burden. There are four distinct types of burdens, as explained in the Śrīmālā[devī-sūtra]. This concludes the third section. From this point down, the fourth section explains the accomplishment of virtues through cultivation based on the previous superior progress. Therein, it first distinguishes what they cultivate. From 'all roots of virtue have crossed over' downward, it clarifies what they accomplish. Within what was previously cultivated, it first clarifies benefit for oneself. Second, from 'giving rise to great compassion' downward, it explains the cultivation of benefit for others. Regarding benefit for oneself, 'receiving and upholding the profound Dharma-treasury of the Tathāgata' clarifies the cultivation of superior understanding. The nature of the tathāgatagarbha is the profound Dharma-treasury of the Buddha, the Tathāgata. Once dark obscurations are eliminated, it shines brightly and manifests in one's own mind; therefore it is said to be 'received and upheld'. 'Guarding the Buddha-lineage, constantly keeping it unbroken' clarifies the cultivation of superior practice. The various perfections of the dharmadhātu are the Buddha-lineage. Guarding them so that they are free from obscurations and giving rise to goodness without interruption is called 'constantly keeping it unbroken'. In the subsequent section on benefiting others, the teaching is stated first, followed by metaphors. In the teaching, there are four lines. First, 'giving rise to compassion and pity' clarifies the arousal of the mind of compassion. Second, from 'expounding with benevolent eloquence' downward, it clarifies the arousal of the mind of benevolence. Giving rise to preaching based on a benevolent mind is called 'expounding with benevolent eloquence'. Teaching the Dharma to generate understanding is called 'bestowing the Dharma-eye'. Third, 'blocking the three destinies and opening the gates of goodness' reveals the benefit of the aforementioned compassion. 'Blocking' means obstructing. Teaching people to leave evil behind blocks the three destinies; teaching people to cultivate merit opens the gates of goodness. Fourth, 'bestowing the uninvited Dharma upon the common populace' reveals the benefit of the aforementioned benevolence. In the metaphors, there are two lines. First, 'like a filial child loving and respecting parents' demonstrates the depth of the aforementioned benevolence. From 'towards all sentient beings' downward, it reveals the profundity of the aforementioned compassion. The above clarified what was cultivated; the following clarifies what was accomplished. 'All roots of virtue have crossed to the other shore' clarifies what was accomplished. 'Crossing' is equivalent to 'reaching'. When the cause of practice reaches the other shore of nirvāṇa, the cause is accomplished. 'All obtaining the Buddhas'', and so forth, clarifies that their fruition is accomplished, possessing merit and wisdom. 'All obtaining the immeasurable merit of all Buddhas' clarifies the attainment of the Tathāgata's adornment of merit. 'Whose holy wisdom is bright and inconceivable' clarifies the attainment of the Tathāgata's adornment of wisdom. The wisdom is so deep and vast that conceptual consciousness cannot fathom it and verbal measures cannot reach it; hence it is called 'inconceivable'. The above praised their virtues. 'Such beings cannot be counted' is the fourth section, displaying their number. All of these beings came to assemble in order to act as an accompanying retinue and reveal the Dharma. Because their intention regarding the Dharma was the same, they arrived at the same time. The above was the second section, distinguishing and enumerating the assembly of disciples.