無量壽經義疏 1.6.4

1.6.4

Responded to seeing this person as an auspicious omen, knowing that he himself would certainly achieve the auspicious fruit. Therefore it is called 'auspicious response to an omen'. It was precisely through this person that he manifested the merit, fruit, and good fortune he had achieved, and therefore it is called 'manifesting merit and good fortune'. Next, he accepted the grass from him. With compassion in his mind, the Buddha physically accepted the grass from him, and therefore it is called 'compassionately accepting the gifted grass'. Afterward, he spread it out and sat upon it; because he attained Buddhahood depending on this tree, it is called the 'bodhi-tree'. Having spread it beneath this tree, he sat cross-legged. This is simply according to different people, whose seeing and hearing differ. If one speaks of the bodhisattvas, they saw the Buddha Tathāgata rise from the vajra-realm upon the vajrāsana, ascending to the bodhimaṇḍa, and dwelling there to attain Buddhahood. As the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] says: Ordinary persons and those of the two vehicles only saw the Tathāgata take the grass from Svastika, spread it out, and make a seat. This is as stated here. In the fourth section, first, 'sending forth a great light to let the Māras know of it'. 'Sending forth' (奮) is like emitting. Next, under 'Māra came to force and test [him]', the Buddha subdued them. Saying 'by the power of wisdom' refers to the virtue of subduing Māra. 'Wisdom' means correct wisdom, which knows what is perverse and does not follow it. 'Power' means the power of supernatural penetrations, subduing Māra through divine power. It may also be the power of loving-kindness, subduing Māra through a mind of loving-kindness; bringing them all to surrender is the ability to subdue Māra. Māra is a foreign word, here translated as 'killer', because it harms people's goodness. Generally speaking, there are four; the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] speaks of eight. As for the four: first, the māra of defilements (kleśa-māra), meaning greed, anger, and so forth, which can harm wholesome dharmas; second, the māra of the aggregates (skandha-māra), meaning that the body of the five aggregates destroys itself mutually; third, the māra of death (mṛtyu-māra), which can destroy the life-faculty; fourth, the heavenly māra (devaputra-māra), as above the sixth heaven of Paranirmitavaśavartin there is a separate māra heaven, fond of destroying the good of others. Among the four, the first is the cause of saṃsāra, the last, heavenly māra, is the condition for saṃsāra, and the skandha- and death-māras in between are the fruits of saṃsāra. These four are expounded commonly by both the Mahāyāna and the Hīnayāna. As for the eight, atop the previous four kinds, there are added the minds of the four inversions regarding the unconditioned. Toward the true virtues of the Buddha, one conceives the permanent as impermanent, pleasure as suffering, self as non-self, and the pure as impure. Because these four kinds destroy correct understanding in the short term and obstruct true virtue in the long term, they are called māras. These latter four kinds are not yet considered afflictions in the Hīnayāna teaching and are not called māras; the Mahāyāna considers them errors, and therefore calls them māras. Taken generally, all eight must be subdued. Why is this so? Defilements, aggregates, death, and the four inversions regarding the unconditioned hinder and run contrary to one's own practice, and therefore must be subdued. The methods of subduing them differ: regarding the māra of defilements, the Hīnayāna mostly uses the contemplation of the truths to subdue it, while the Mahāyāna mostly uses wisdom of emptiness to subdue it. Regarding the skandha-māra and death-māra, the Hīnayāna mostly subdues them through nirvāṇa without remainder, because extinction and abandonment are attained; the Mahāyāna mostly uses the eternally abiding dharmakāya to subdue them. The four inversions regarding the unconditioned are subdued during the great cause by correct understanding, and subdued during the great fruit by the true virtues of bodhi and nirvāṇa. The single heavenly māra hinders one's own practice and also hinders transforming others; therefore, the methods used to subdue it differ. In the cause of one's own practice, it is subdued by correct wisdom: knowing what is perverse and not following it, they naturally retreat and disperse. In the fruit of one's own practice, it is subdued by the ten powers: because the ten powers are firm and solid, they cannot be overturned or shaken by demonic perversity. One's own practice is like this. In transforming others, the methods used are not fixed. If during the cause, subduing māras oneself to benefit sentient beings mostly uses supernatural powers; teaching others to subdue māras mostly uses divine dhāraṇīs, because those people lack the supernatural power to subdue them. If during the fruit, subduing māras oneself to benefit sentient beings mostly uses loving-kindness: having pity on them, they immediately retreat and disperse; teaching others to subdue māras also uses divine dhāraṇīs, because those people lack the power of loving-kindness to subdue them. What is discussed here refers specifically to subduing the heavenly māra. Where it opposes one's own practice, correct wisdom subdues it; where it opposes benefiting others, the power of supernatural penetrations subdues it. Therefore it says, 'wisdom and power caused all to be subdued.' In the fifth section, 'attaining the subtle and wonderful Dharma and realizing supreme, perfect awakening' directly manifests attaining Buddhahood. Principle is the wonderful Dharma; because of attaining this Dharma, he realized perfect awakening. This concludes the eighth [mark]. Below, the ninth mark is turning the wheel of Dharma, first entreating and then expounding. 'Śakra and Brahmā prayed and exhorted, entreating the turning of the wheel of Dharma' is the initial entreaty. Second, under 'taking the strides of a Buddha', he arose to expound due to the entreaty. Herein there are two parts: first, initiating transformation through body and speech; second, under 'light illuminating immeasurable lands', gathering and benefiting through body and speech. In the first part, the initial words 'taking the strides of a Buddha' indicate initiating transformation through bodily action. Manifesting the Buddha's deportment, traveling to transform beings, is called 'the strides of a Buddha'. From 'the roar of a Buddha' onward, speech action initiates transformation, containing ten phrases. The single phrase 'roaring with the roar of a Buddha' is general: all sacred teachings are what the Buddha roars; bodhisattvas use them to roar for the sake of living beings. The eight phrases from 'striking the Dharma drum' onward are specific, using metaphors to reveal the Dharma. Among them, the first four are the four dharmas of hearing, thinking, cultivating, and realizing. 'Striking the Dharma drum' refers to expounding the dharma of wisdom born of hearing to benefit sentient beings: beating the drums sternly cautions the troops; expounding the teaching cautions people. 'Blowing the Dharma conch' refers to expounding the dharma of wisdom born of contemplation to benefit sentient beings: blowing the conch accords with the time; expounding principle accords with capacity. 'Wielding the Dharma sword' refers to expounding the dharma of wisdom born of cultivation to benefit sentient beings: a sword can cut and cleave; cultivation can sever fetters. 'Erecting the Dharma banner' refers to proclaiming the dharma of realization: the dharma of realization is exalted and supreme, like a banner rising high above. The latter four are the four unobstructed knowledges arising in speech to cover living beings. 'Rumbling the Dharma thunder' refers to transforming sentient beings through the unobstructed knowledge of dharmas: when the heavenly thunder rolls once, vegetation sprouts shoots; when the Dharma sound is heard once, expounding the path is quickly accomplished. 'Flashing the Dharma lightning' refers to benefiting sentient beings through the unobstructed knowledge of meaning: once lightning flashes, all things are seen; once words of meaning are proclaimed, all meanings are visible. 'Raining down the Dharma rain' refers to transforming sentient beings through the unobstructed knowledge of expression: proclaiming with expressions is like clouds pouring rain. 'Bestowing the gift of the Dharma' refers to benefiting sentient beings through unobstructed eloquence: proclaiming and conferring according to what people delight in is called bestowing the gift of the Dharma. These eight are specific. The single phrase 'constantly awakening all worldly realms with the sound of the Dharma' is the summary conclusion. The above is the first part, initiating transformation through body and speech. Below is the second part, gathering and benefiting through body and speech, containing four parts: first, bodily action subdues māras, causing them to abandon perverse actions; second, under 'rending and cleaving', speech action breaks perverse views, causing them to leave afflictions—these two form a pair; third, under 'entering the divisions of kingdoms', bodily action receives offerings, giving rise to people's merit and goodness; fourth, under 'wishing to proclaim the Dharma', speech action expounds the Dharma, causing them to cultivate the path of transcendence—these two form a pair.