無量壽經義疏 1.6.3

1.6.3

To put an end to this slander, he was therefore not born by apparition. Seventh, it was to leave behind a body to benefit later generations that he accepted birth from a womb. What does this mean? If the Buddha were born by apparition, he would also pass away by apparition, vanishing like a flash of lightning without anything left behind. It was so that the Buddha could leave behind relic remains of his body to benefit those who came later that he accepted birth from a womb. Eighth, it was to be the same as all Buddhas that he accepted birth from a womb. For the Buddhas of the three periods of time to transform beings born of the womb, the Dharma dictates that they accept birth from a womb, and therefore he had to conform to this. Possessing these many meanings, he therefore accepted birth from a womb. This concludes the second [mark]. According to other sūtras and treatises, here one mark is lacking: the mark of dwelling in the womb. Counting this missing one, the third mark is concluded. From "from the right side" downwards, this is the fourth mark, that of birth. Within this there are three parts: first, the place of birth was extraordinary; second, from "manifested walking" downwards, what was manifested was miraculous; third, from "Śakra and Brahmā" downwards, devas and humans offered reverent support. In the first part, "born from his mother's right side": ordinary people's places of birth are impure, foul, and base; the Buddha wished to be different from them, and therefore was born from the right side. Although born from the right side, it was like emerging from clouds and mist; the mother's body was comfortable, effortless, and without suffering. In the second part, regarding what was manifested as miraculous, first he explains that the bodily manifestations were miraculous. From "raising his voice" downwards, the vocal manifestations were miraculous. Within the bodily manifestations there are three: first, walking seven steps in each of the ten directions, manifesting the swift and vigorous power of a great man, standing alone and fearless throughout the realms of the ten directions; second, his bodily light shone everywhere, causing people to awaken and know; third, from "immeasurable" downwards, shaking the great earth, causing Māra to quail and submit. Regarding "the six kinds of shaking," as the Daśabhūmika-sūtra explains, they are moving, surging, quivering, feeling, roaring, and rising. "Moving" is like the swaying of a cart. "Surging" is like a gushing spring, or also like a boiling cauldron. "Quivering" means dropping downwards, like an empty vessel in the world dropping down when shaken. "Feeling" is the momentum of movement causing people's minds to perceive it, such that even beings dwelling in the air know it. "Roaring" is emitting a sound, with the ground rising like dough. The above explains that his bodily marks were miraculous. From "raising his voice" downwards, the vocal manifestations were miraculous, as he proclaimed his own venerable title to lead people to take refuge. The above is the second [part], what was manifested was miraculous. In the third section, "devas and humans offered reverent support," the text is obvious and understandable. Because the Buddha's virtue was profound and weighty, Śakra and Brahmā all came to serve him, and humans and devas took refuge and looked up to him. The fourth mark is concluded. From "manifested" downwards is the fifth mark, that of a youth. Within this there are two parts: first, his person was endowed with numerous arts, referring to manifesting calculation, literary arts, and similar matters; the Buddha had known them long ago, but in accordance with transforming beings he newly learned them, hence it is called "manifested." Second, from "widely synthesizing" downwards, his understanding was broad: "widely synthesizing the techniques of the Path" means his knowledge of phenomena was broad. "Wide" means extensive; "synthesizing" means studying together the secret arts of the ṛṣis' supernormal powers. There was nothing he did not extensively learn, which is called "widely synthesizing the techniques of the Path." "Thoroughly familiar with the various texts" means his knowledge of teachings was broad. "Thoroughly" means comprehending; "familiar" means well-practiced. The disparate mundane classics are called the "various texts." Knowing all of these is called being "thoroughly familiar with the various texts." This concludes the fifth [mark]. "Sporting in the rear garden, practicing martial arts and testing skills; manifesting his stay in the palace amidst sights and tastes": from "sporting in the rear garden" downwards is the sixth mark, that of taking a wife. Within this, first it says, "sporting in the rear garden, practicing martial arts and testing skills," which are matters prior to taking a wife. As the Benqi jing says: exercising horses and sinewy strength is called "practicing martial arts." Shooting together at golden drums is called "testing skills." "Manifesting his stay in the palace amidst sights and tastes" refers to matters after taking a wife. The Buddha was in reality free from attachment, but in accordance with transforming beings he manifested dwelling there, hence it is called "manifesting his stay." Question: Why did he manifest this mark? Having first accepted and later renounced it, he demonstrated that desire is to be reviled. This concludes the sixth [mark]. From "seeing old age and sickness" downwards is the seventh mark, that of leaving home. Within this are six clauses, grouped into three pairs. These six clauses are: "seeing old age, sickness, and death, realizing the world's impermanence, and abandoning the kingdom, wealth, and status" is the first clause, clarifying what was abandoned. As the Benqi jing says: he went out of the city on an excursion; at the eastern gate he saw old age, at the southern gate he saw sickness, and at the western gate he saw death. Comparing these to himself, he realized that his own body was impermanent, and therefore gave rise to aversion and renounced his kingdom, wealth, and status. "Entering the mountains to study the Path" is the second clause, displaying what he practiced. At the northern gate he saw a śramaṇa, and due to seeing the śramaṇa he sought to study the Path; the text omits this and does not bring it up. These two form one pair. "Riding a white horse with a jeweled crown and necklaces, he sent them back, shedding his precious and exquisite garments" is the third clause, reiterating what was abandoned. "And donning the Dharma robes" is the fourth clause, displaying what he received. These two form one pair. "Shaving off his beard and hair" is the fifth clause, reiterating what was abandoned. "Sitting upright beneath a tree" is the sixth clause, clarifying what he did. It also clarifies what he cultivated. "Laboring bitterly for six years": first he conformed to their heterodoxy. "Practicing as was fitting": reversing heterodoxy to study the true Path; this was what was fitting for him to cultivate and learn, which he followed and practiced. These two form one pair. This concludes the seventh [mark]. From "manifesting in the five turbidities" downwards is the eighth mark, that of achieving the Buddha Path. Within this, according to the events, there are sequentially five: first, bathing in hot water to remove physical grime; second, from "spirit birds" downwards, proceeding to the site of awakening; third, from "auspicious" downwards, accepting grass and sitting serenely; fourth, from "exerting great" downwards, using supernormal power to subdue Māra; fifth, from "attaining the subtle" downwards, manifesting the attainment of the Buddha Path. Within the first part there are three clauses: first, dwelling in a turbid realm, he manifested having dust and grime. Regarding the five turbidities: first is the turbidity of lifespan, where karmic lifespan is short; second is the turbidity of sentient beings, where people have no good conduct; third is the turbidity of afflictions, where various fetters flourish; fourth is the turbidity of views, where wrong views blaze fiercely; fifth is the turbidity of the kalpa, where famines, epidemics, and weapons arise concurrently. A defiled land has these, hence it is called a realm of the five turbidities. The Buddha manifested dwelling amidst them, "conforming to the multitude of beings, manifesting having dust and grime." Second, "bathing in the golden stream." In the Nairañjanā River (River of Golden Sands), he bathed in warm water to wash away bodily grime, which is called "bathing in the golden stream." Third, "the deva pressed down a tree branch, which he grasped to emerge from the pool." In the second section, "spirit birds flanked and followed him as he went to the site of awakening": as the sūtra states, five hundred bluebirds followed behind the Buddha, which is called "birds flanked and followed him." These were all divine birds, hence they are called "spirit birds." The place where the Buddha attained the Path is called the site of awakening (bodhimaṇḍa), just as a place where wheat is processed is called a wheat-threshing floor, and a place where grain is processed is called a grain-threshing floor; all cases are like this. In the third section, first he was moved by [the grass-cutter named] Jixiang (Svastika) as an auspicious omen. That Svastika was the grass-cutter. In the sūtras he is also called Ji'an (Auspicious Peace). "An" (peace) and "xiang" (auspicious) have the same meaning. The Buddha was about to achieve the Path.