無量壽經連義述文贊 3.65

3.65

The sūtra says: "Born from the Tathāgata... both remainders are completely exhausted." The commentary states: This latter part is the completion of cultivation. It has two parts: this first part is the completion of their own practice. This also has two parts: this first is the dual completion of understanding and practice. Some say: "Born from the Tathāgata, understanding dharmas as suchness" is understanding of principle; "well knowing the skill-in-means of conditioning and cessation" is understanding of the teaching. Because their understanding is born through the Tathāgata's teaching and transforming, and they understand that all dharmas are just suchness, it says "born from the Tathāgata, understanding dharmas as suchness." The teaching that cultivates good is called the sound of conditioning; the teaching that eliminates evil is called the sound of cessation. Skilfully comprehending and understanding these, it says "well knowing the skill-in-means." This is still incomplete, for understanding of the teaching is also born from the Buddha's transformation. Others say: conditioning is the truth of origin, whose meaning also encompasses suffering; cessation is the truth of cessation, words that contain the path. Because cause and effect are mutually involved, they say the teaching of the four noble truths is the skill-in-means of sounds. This is also not correct. Although origin necessarily entails suffering, there is suffering that is not origin; and cessation and the path differ as unconditioned and conditioned; one cannot subsume suffering and the path under origin and cessation. Here, "born from the Tathāgata" generally reveals the source from which the bodhisattvas obtained their understanding. "Understanding dharmas as suchness" specifically expresses the wisdom that awakens to non-conceptualized truth. "Well knowing conditioning and cessation" specifically distinguishes the understanding that awakens to established truths. "Conditioning and cessation" mentions defiled causes and pure effects as words that are not exhaustive. The true reality transcends all characteristics, and the teaching of the four truths is merely conventional designation; hence it says "the skill-in-means of sounds." Because they can skilfully understand the noble teachings, they do not delight in worldly talk but take pleasure in correct discourse. Some say: because they leave behind the four oral faults they do not delight in worldly talk, and because they produce the four noble statements they take pleasure in correct discourse. This is not correct. For conceptually reified noble statements are certainly not correct discourse. Thus this completes understanding. "Venerating the Buddha path" is the mind that seeks bodhi. "Knowing that dharmas are quiescent and ceased" is cultivating the practice of remedies. "Both remainders are completely exhausted" is the practice of eliminating hindrances and suffering. Some say: the physical body is the remainder of retribution; afflictions are the remainder of mortal life; they are exhausted from the first ground onward, and both remainders of inconceivable transformation are to be exhausted. Others say: afflictions and residual propensities—both of these remainders are completely exhausted. Neither is correct. In the first seven grounds, they also receive the residual fragrance of mortal afflictions, which is called residual propensity, but it is certainly not afflictions themselves. In their proper order, here the physical body exists within retribution as the cause of suffering from afflictions; since both remainders of cause and effect are already exhausted, this is the completion of practice.