無量壽經連義述文贊 1.36

1.36

經曰「扣法鼓」至「演法施」者，述云：此別申法化也。有說：欲使有緣普得聞，故扣法鼓。法鼓者，令遠聞故。吹法螺，即欲改號令，改邪從正也。欲斷障故執法劍，表勝出故建法幢，欲動執故振法雷，欲亡暗故曜法電，欲潤眾生故澍法雨，欲布藥故演法施。此有虛言，皆無可採，違世親論亦違正理故。有說：扣法鼓者，說聞慧法。吹法螺者，說思慧法。執法劍者，說修慧法。建法幢者，宣證慧法。振法雷者，法無礙化。曜法電者，義無礙利。澍法雨者，詞無礙說。演法施者，樂說無礙，利眾生也。此亦不然，三慧皆覺證慧法故，三慧所學亦無異故，四辨所說亦即三慧法故。今即如來說中道已，為陳如等說四諦法及十二緣流轉還滅二門修行，三轉十二行法輪已，陳如皆達諸法因緣成阿羅漢，即三寶出。婆伽婆為佛，三轉十二行法輪為法，五跋陀羅為僧。轉法輪聲遍十方佛土。土別諸佛，默不說法。化五人竟，至優樓頻螺迦葉所，寄止石室降伏毒龍。迦葉見佛神力難當，與五百資請為沙門。佛言：「善來。」皆成沙門。迦葉二弟難提、伽耶各有二百五十弟子，見事火物遂水下流，即與五百人泝流而上。聞迦葉歎佛道神化，求為沙門。佛言：「善來。」皆成沙門。佛與千比丘往波羅奈，於林下種種教化，盡成應供。即從波羅奈與兄弟三人及千羅漢至摩訶陀國，頻婆娑王大臣百官前後道從，千乘萬騎出城迎佛。佛近王舍在遮越林，王下車禮佛，佛即慰問以說云五蘊無常苦空，三界不實一切無常。問王：「有此國來幾時？」王答：「七百餘代。」而王領者唯知五文。佛言：「世間須臾，唯道可恃。應修來福，無為空過。」遂說緣起轉還之義。王得法眼淨，受五戒。有長者迦蘭陀，以好竹園奉上如來，如來呪願而受，恒與聖眾遊處其內。佛有弟子名舍婆耆，入城乞食。時舍利弗問沙門師。以聞佛德，將諸弟子至如來所請為沙門。佛言：「善來。」便成沙門，亦為說法成阿羅漢。入王舍城訪目連，目連見舍利弗形狀變改，問所得法，共詣佛所願為沙門。佛言：「善來。」便成沙門，亦為說法得阿羅漢。時輸頭檀王聞子得道已經六年，飲渴彌積，語優陀夷言：「可往請佛。離別已來十有二載，夙夜悲感不能自已，得一相見還如更生。」受王教已，詣佛具述，願為沙門。佛言：「善來。」便成沙門，得阿羅漢。即遣優陀夷：「七日當至。」至七日已，佛將諸弟子向迦毘羅城，父王出城四十里外以迎如來，便勅國內豪種端正選五百人度為沙門，侍佛左右。佛弟難陀亦為沙門。難陀所使名優婆離，請佛救度，佛言：「善來。」便成沙門。為王說法，即時得道。總而言之，即八句中執法劍、澍法雨。故依《法華論》以義推之，應言執法劍、澍法雨、扣法鼓、震法雷、建法幢、耀法電、吹法螺、演法施。故彼論云「疑者，斷疑法，欲說大法」，即今執法劍，欲斷外凡疑令進修故。已斷疑者，增長淳熟智身故，雨大法雨，即今澍法雨。既入內凡而無疑者，滋善萌牙令入聖位故。已根熟者，為說二種密境界，謂聲聞菩薩密境界。二句示現，即擊大法鼓不斷。大法鼓，以遠聞故，即今扣法鼓、振法雷。法雷與鼓，義相涉故。開往聲聞乘為權密境，顯今所說菩薩乘為實密境，名二密境。今根熟者，捨權取實故。入密境界者，令進取上上清淨義故，即建大法幢。菩提妙智極高顯然，猶如大幢。由知權實有捨有取，行大乘行得菩提智離清淨故，進取上上清淨義者進取一切智現故。燃大法炬，即今耀法電也。既得真智建立菩提照於真境，證涅槃故。取一切智現者，為一切法建立名字章句義故，即吹大法螺。既得真境，必須說教義詮一切法，故名為一切法建立名字等。如俗作樂曲洛滿位吹大螺吼。今既得果，事圓滿位，為他證法亦復如是，即《涅槃》云「吹貝知時」。建立名字章句義者，令入不可說證，故轉法義令演法施也。說於教者，令所應度入於證故，求轉法輪摧於煩惱故。散糧已說，應於四對：一、破惡進善對，即初二也。二、開權顯實對，即次二也。三、得智證真對，即次二也。四、說法利生，對即後二也。八句之義有此循環，名為法輪。自既得果，欲令眾生證聖真智、破滅煩惱，故亦云轉。然此釋八相之義，聊依牟尼既往之化，以例諸菩薩當現之相。未必皆有，智者察矣。

Regarding the passage in the sūtra from "beat the Dharma drum" to "dispensed the gift of the Dharma": The Commentary states: This specifically sets forth the Dharma teaching. Some say: Because he wished to allow those with conditions to hear universally, he beat the Dharma drum. As for the Dharma drum, it causes [the teaching] to be heard from afar. Blowing the Dharma conch means wishing to alter commands, turning from heterodoxy to orthodoxy. Wishing to sever hindrances, he grasped the sword of the Dharma; expressing superiority and eminence, he raised the banner of the Dharma; wishing to shake attachments, he shook the thunder of the Dharma; wishing to dispel darkness, he flashed the lightning of the Dharma; wishing to moisten sentient beings, he poured down the rain of the Dharma; wishing to distribute medicine, he dispensed the gift of the Dharma. These are empty words, none worthy of adoption, because they contradict Vasubandhu's treatise and also contradict correct principle. Some say: Beating the Dharma drum refers to teaching the Dharma of wisdom born of hearing. Blowing the Dharma conch refers to teaching the Dharma of wisdom born of thinking. Grasping the sword of the Dharma refers to teaching the Dharma of wisdom born of cultivation. Raising the banner of the Dharma refers to proclaiming the Dharma of wisdom born of realization. Shaking the thunder of the Dharma is transforming through unhindered Dharma. Flashing the lightning of the Dharma is benefiting through unhindered meaning. Pouring down the rain of the Dharma is expounding through unhindered phrasing. Dispensing the gift of the Dharma is benefiting sentient beings through unhindered eloquence. This is also not correct, because the three wisdoms are all the Dharma of realizing the wisdom of awakening, because what is studied in the three wisdoms is also not different, and because what is expounded by the four analytical knowledges is likewise precisely the Dharma of the three wisdoms. Now, having expounded the Middle Way, the Tathāgata expounded the Dharma of the four truths and the two practices of arising and cessation of the twelve links of dependent origination for Kauṇḍinya and the others. Having turned the wheel of the Dharma three times with twelve aspects, Kauṇḍinya and the others all comprehended the causes and conditions of all dharmas and became arhats; thus the Three Jewels appeared. The Bhagavat was the Buddha, the three turnings of the wheel of the Dharma with twelve aspects were the Dharma, and the five bhadravargīyas were the Saṃgha. The sound of turning the wheel of the Dharma pervaded the Buddha lands of the ten directions. In their respective lands, the other Buddhas remained silent and did not preach the Dharma. Having finished transforming the five men, he went to the place of Uruvilvā Kāśyapa, lodged in a stone chamber, and subdued a poisonous nāga. Kāśyapa, seeing that the Buddha's supernatural power was insurmountable, along with his five hundred disciples requested to become śramaṇas. The Buddha said, "Come!" and they all became śramaṇas. Kāśyapa's two younger brothers, Nadī and Gayā, each had two hundred and fifty disciples; seeing their fire-worship implements floating downstream, they went upstream with their five hundred men. Hearing Kāśyapa praise the supernatural transformations of the Buddha's Way, they sought to become śramaṇas. The Buddha said, "Come!" and they all became śramaṇas. The Buddha went to Vārāṇasī with the thousand monks, and through various kinds of teaching beneath the grove, all became worthy of offerings [arhats]. Then from Vārāṇasī, together with the three brothers and the thousand arhats, he went to the country of Magadha. King Bimbisāra, with hundreds of officials and ministers following in front and behind, went out of the city with a thousand chariots and ten thousand cavalry to welcome the Buddha. The Buddha was near Rājagṛha in the Yaṣṭivana grove. The king descended from his chariot and bowed to the Buddha; the Buddha comforted him and explained that the five aggregates are impermanent, suffering, and empty, and that the three realms are unreal and everything is impermanent. He asked the king: "How long has it been since this country existed?" The king replied: "More than seven hundred generations." Yet what the king governed was known only by five phrases. The Buddha said: "The world lasts but an instant; only the Way can be relied upon. You should cultivate future blessings and not let time pass in vain." He then explained the meaning of the arising and cessation of dependent origination. The king attained the purification of the Dharma-eye and received the five precepts. There was an elder named Kalandaka who offered a fine bamboo grove to the Tathāgata; the Tathāgata accepted it with a prayer of benediction, and constantly resided and wandered within it together with the noble assembly. The Buddha had a disciple named Aśvajit, who entered the city to beg for food. At that time, Śāriputra asked who his śramaṇa teacher was. Having heard of the Buddha's virtue, he led his disciples to where the Tathāgata was and requested to become śramaṇas. The Buddha said, "Come!" and they immediately became śramaṇas, and he also preached the Dharma for them so that they became arhats. Entering the city of Rājagṛha, he visited Maudgalyāyana. Maudgalyāyana, seeing that Śāriputra's appearance had changed, asked what Dharma he had attained, and together they went to the Buddha's place wishing to become śramaṇas. The Buddha said, "Come!" and they immediately became śramaṇas, and he also preached the Dharma for them so that they attained arhatship. At that time, King Śuddhodana, hearing that his son had attained the Way and that six years had already passed, his thirst and longing mounting increasingly, addressed Udāyin: "You may go and invite the Buddha. Since our parting twelve years have passed; morning and night, my grief and emotion cannot be contained. If I can see him once, it will be as if I were born anew." Having received the king's order, he went to the Buddha, related everything, and wished to become a śramaṇa. The Buddha said, "Come!" and he immediately became a śramaṇa and attained arhatship. He then dispatched Udāyin: "I shall arrive in seven days." When the seven days were completed, the Buddha led his disciples toward the city of Kapilavastu. His royal father went out forty li beyond the city to welcome the Tathāgata, and then ordered that five hundred handsome men of noble lineage within the country be selected and ordained as śramaṇas to attend upon the Buddha's left and right. The Buddha's younger brother Nanda also became a śramaṇa. Nanda's servant was named Upāli; he requested the Buddha to save and deliver him. The Buddha said, "Come!" and he immediately became a śramaṇa. [The Buddha] preached the Dharma for the king, who immediately attained the Way. Summarizing them, within the eight phrases, grasping the sword of the Dharma and pouring down the rain of the Dharma [come first]. Therefore, deducing the meaning based on the Saddharmapuṇḍarīkopadeśa, one should say: grasping the sword of the Dharma, pouring down the rain of the Dharma, beating the Dharma drum, shaking the thunder of the Dharma, raising the banner of the Dharma, flashing the lightning of the Dharma, blowing the conch of the Dharma, and dispensing the gift of the Dharma. Thus that treatise says: "For those with doubt, the Dharma that severs doubt; wishing to expound the great Dharma"—this is now grasping the sword of the Dharma, wishing to sever the doubts of external ordinary persons so that they advance in cultivation. "For those who have already severed doubt, increasing and maturing the body of wisdom"—this is raining down the great Dharma rain, which is now pouring down the rain of the Dharma; since they have entered internal ordinary status and are free from doubt, it nourishes the sprouts of goodness so that they enter the noble stages. "For those whose faculties are already mature, preaching the two kinds of esoteric spheres for them, namely the esoteric spheres of śrāvakas and bodhisattvas"—the two phrases manifest this, namely constantly beating the great Dharma drum; beating the great Dharma drum causes it to be heard far and wide, which is now beating the Dharma drum and shaking the thunder of the Dharma. The meanings of the Dharma thunder and the drum are mutually related. Opening the past śrāvaka vehicle is the provisional esoteric sphere; revealing the bodhisattva vehicle preached now is the real esoteric sphere; these are called the two esoteric spheres. Now those whose faculties are mature abandon the provisional and take up the real. "For those who enter the esoteric sphere, causing them to advance and seize upon the supreme, immaculate meaning"—this is raising the great banner of the Dharma. The sublime wisdom of bodhi is extremely high and eminent, like a great banner. Because they know the provisional and the real, having what to abandon and what to take up, they practice the Mahāyāna practice, attain the wisdom of bodhi, and depart from defilement and become pure; advancing to seize upon the supreme, immaculate meaning means advancing to seize upon the manifestation of all-knowledge. "Kindling the great torch of the Dharma" is now flashing the lightning of the Dharma. Having attained true wisdom, they establish bodhi, illuminate the true realm, and realize nirvāṇa. "Those who seize upon the manifestation of all-knowledge, establishing the meaning of names, phrases, and sentences for all dharmas"—this is blowing the great conch of the Dharma. Having attained the true realm, one must expound the doctrinal meaning to express all dharmas; hence it is called establishing names and so forth for all dharmas. Just as worldly musicians blowing the roar of a great conch at the culmination of a musical piece, now having attained the fruit and reached the stage of completion of tasks, realizing the Dharma for others is also like this; this is what the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] calls "blowing the conch, knowing the proper time." "Establishing the meaning of names, phrases, and sentences causes them to enter the ineffable realization"—hence turning the meaning of the Dharma causes them to dispense the gift of the Dharma. Expounding the doctrine causes those who should be saved to enter realization, because one seeks to turn the wheel of the Dharma and crush afflictions. The detailed explanation having been stated, they should correspond to four pairs: first, the pair of destroying evil and advancing good, which are the first two; second, the pair of opening the provisional and revealing the real, which are the next two; third, the pair of attaining wisdom and realizing the real, which are the next two; fourth, the pair of preaching the Dharma and benefiting beings, which are the latter two. The meanings of the eight phrases circulate in this manner and are called the wheel of the Dharma. Having attained the fruit oneself, wishing to cause sentient beings to realize noble true wisdom and destroy afflictions, it is therefore also called 'turning.' However, this explanation of the meaning of the eight aspects merely relies on Śākyamuni's past transformations as an analogy for the aspects that all bodhisattvas will manifest. They may not all be present in every case; the wise should examine this.