無量壽經連義述文贊 1.26

1.26

經曰「見老病死入山學道」者，述云：第六、出俗從邪。有三：此初、出俗塵也。棄國財位者，即所棄也。諸天勸發菩薩已，將諸官屬出城東門，見淨居天所化老人，愁憂還宮。出城南門亦見病人，不樂還宮。從西門出，復見死人，迴駕還入。故今言見老病死者，即淨居天所化可厭之相也。凡有生者，不問貴賤皆有老病，必歸於死。而生可欣，故示令見。悟世非常者，如經云「三界煩惱猶如猛火，迷惑不離恒為所燒。猶如浮雲須臾而滅，合已還散如聚戲場。」故云非常。棄國財位者，如頌云「有為諸法悉無常，五欲財位皆不定。為苦所逼諸眾生，願速出家救濟之。」棄財者，如經云「染著五欲如被網禽，欲如怨賊甚可怖畏。處五欲者猶如履刃，著五欲者如抱毒樹。聖人捨之，如棄涕涶也。」入山學道者，即所學也。太子出北門，見出家人，即下車問：「夫出家者何所利益？」比丘答言：「處於空間，修習聖道，調伏諸根，護念眾生。不染世間，永得解脫。」菩薩喜歎：「天人之中唯此為上，我定修學。」如經云「如昔諸佛，處山林間，得一切智，廣雨法雨。今宜出家也。」

The sūtra says: from "Seeing old age, sickness, and death, he entered the mountains to learn the Way." In exposition: The sixth [section], leaving the secular and following heterodoxy, has three parts: this is the first, leaving secular dust. "Abandoning the kingdom, wealth, and status" refers to what was abandoned. After the devas urged and stimulated the Bodhisattva, he led his officials out the eastern gate of the city, saw an old man transformed by the Śuddhāvāsa devas, and returned to the palace sorrowful. Going out the southern gate of the city, he also saw a sick person, and returned to the palace unhappy. Going out from the western gate, he again saw a dead person, and turned his chariot back. Therefore, what is now called "seeing old age, sickness, and death" refers to the abhorrent forms transformed by the Śuddhāvāsa devas. All living beings, regardless of noble or lowly, have old age and sickness, and inevitably end in death. Yet birth is taken as joyful, so he was shown these sights. "Awakening to the impermanence of the world": as a sūtra says, "The afflictions of the three realms are like a fierce fire; deluded and unable to part from them, beings are constantly burned by them. They are like floating clouds that perish in an instant; having gathered, they disperse again like an assembly at a theater." Hence it is called impermanent. "Abandoning the kingdom, wealth, and status": as a verse says, "Conditioned dharmas are all impermanent; the five desires, wealth, and status are all unsettled. For the living beings oppressed by suffering, I vow to swiftly leave the household life to rescue them." "Abandoning wealth": as a sūtra says, "Being attached to the five desires is like a snared bird; desire is like a hostile robber, exceedingly fearsome. Dwelling in the five desires is like walking on blades; clinging to the five desires is like embracing a poisonous tree. The noble ones abandon them as if spitting out mucus and saliva." "Entering the mountains to learn the Way" refers to what was practiced. The crown prince went out the northern gate, saw an ascetic who had left the household life, and immediately stepped down from his chariot to ask: "For one who has left the household life, what benefit is there?" The monk replied: "Dwelling in open seclusion, one cultivates the noble path, tames the sense faculties, and mindfully protects living beings. Unstained by the world, one eternally attains liberation." The Bodhisattva rejoiced and praised: "Among gods and humans, only this is supreme; I will certainly cultivate and train in it." As a sūtra says, "Like the buddhas of old who dwelled in mountain forests, attained all-knowledge, and broadly rained down the Dharma rain, I should now leave the household life."