觀無量壽佛經疏 1.10

1.10

二、發起序者，諸經不同，或放光動地、微笑入禪、自唱位號、勸人令問，今經正以殺父以為發起。何故舉此逆事為發起耶，為彰此界極惡，令人厭棄。親所生子猶尚危害，即欲令人同欣淨土。下韋提希「願為我說無憂惱處，不樂閻浮濁惡之世。」就中為二：初、「爾時」下，正明殺父。次、「問守門人」下，明欲害母。問：頻婆何故遣人說法？韋提何故如來自往？答：父願聞法，遣人傳授，為化義足。母求生淨土，非佛不開，故須自往。頻婆娑羅，此云摸實，亦曰影堅。韋提希，此云思惟。阿闍世，此云未生怨，或婆羅留支，此云折指。內人將護，名為善見也。初段為四：一、頻婆為子幽禁；二、國太夫人密奉王食，以濟王命；三、「漱口畢」下，聖為說法，以潤王心。四，「如是時間」下，明因食兼由聞法，多日不死。初「爾時王舍太子阿闍世」者，當佛在王舍城時。「未生怨」者，未生之日，相師占之：「此兒生已，定當害父。」「隨順調達惡友教」者，調達，此云天熱，亦云天授，是斛飯王子，是佛堂弟、阿難親兄。阿難，此翻歡喜，亦云無染，或云欣樂。調達有三十相，出家誦六萬法聚，滿十二韋陀，為利養故往詣佛所，求學神通。佛不為說，令觀無常自可得道。復至舍利弗，目連乃至五百弟子所，皆不為說取通之法。阿難親未得他心，授與通法。調達入山學得五通，心念誰作檀越。闍世太子有大王相，或自變身作象馬寶，於王子前抱持歍嗽，復至天上取天華天食，語王子言：「我作新佛，汝作新王。豈不快耶！」隨順惡友收執父王。調達破僧，舍利、目連教化還合。推山壓佛，密跡金剛以杵擬之，碎石迸來傷佛足指。華色比丘尼呵之，拳打眼出。作三逆罪，生入地獄。頻婆往日毘富羅山遊行獵鹿，空無所獲。遇值一仙正坐，使人驅逐令去，遂勅殺之。臨終惡念：「願我來生，還如今日心口害汝。」如此等事，皆是大士善權現化，行於非道通達佛道。眾生根性不同，入道有異，一逆一順，弘道益物，示行無間而無惱恚，闍王現逆為息惡人令不起逆。二、明夫人奉食。王食[麩-夫+少]飲漿，求水嗽口，合掌遙禮，請受八戒澡浴清淨。三、二聖為說法。目連是佛右面弟子，昔為辟支佛，剃頭作袈裟，願得神通。授八戒者，不殺、不盜、不婬、不妄語、不飲酒、不著華香、不觀聽伎樂、不上高床，此八是戒。不過中食是齋。《毘曇》不著香衣、不上高床，同是莊嚴處，合為一也。富樓那，此云滿願子，亦滿慈子，從父母得名，說法第一，巧開人心，故偏遣之。四、頻婆因食聞法，遂得多日不死也。次、害母中為四：一、為子幽閉；二、因禁請佛；三、佛與弟子因請往赴；四、見佛傷歎請法。初中又三；一、欲害母；二、二臣諫不聽害；三、勅內官幽閉。初、闍世問守門者，王今在不。二、守門者以事實答。三、王聞瞋怒，名婦為賊、母為賊伴，即執利劍欲害其母。應殺守門人而欲害母者，守門有辭：「王先有勅，制諸群臣不言婦女。沙門從空飛入，非我能禁。王雖貪國殺父，猶不違法。劫初已來一萬八千，未聞無道害母。」害母眼見，何得言聞，謂不忍聞。世人傳說，不宜住此，欲奔他國，故云不住。有國已來，雖有刑罪，不加女人，況所生母，故不住也。「以手按劍却行而退」者，按劍現威，以息王忿也。「驚怖惶懼」者，畏懼也。耆婆，此云固活，生時一手把藥囊、一手把針筒。昔誓為醫，能治他病，從德立號。菴羅，女子也，是國賢臣。賢臣去，必國亡也。「汝不為我」者，耆婆重諫慎莫害母。懺悔求救前愆也，即便捨劍止不害母，勅語內官幽閉深宮。「韋提希被幽閉」下，第二請佛，謂請如來令遣弟子與己相見。文為二：初明請人、次明請法。韋提何故請見目連及以阿難？目連是門師、阿難佛侍者，先恒教誡，故偏求見。居在深宮不敢偏求，內厭惡界願生淨土，欲令二人傳意請佛。悲泣雨淚望佛哀憐，遙向佛禮。前已禮竟，今復重禮，表己殷勤。「世尊在耆闍」下，如來現宮，不異《勝鬘》。即生此念時，佛於空中現也。文為五：一神通、二色身、三坐座、四眷屬、五雨華。「知韋提希心念」者，是知他心。「從崛山沒王官出」，顯神通也。問：前頻婆請弟子，意在如來。今夫人亦請弟子，意在佛。何故前請遣弟子，今請自往耶？解有二義：一、闍王與調達殺父，如來若躬赴，恐世王起怨嫌心，為護彼故，不得自往。二者佛法寄在國王，頻婆定死、闍世當為國主，如來若往者，王得國主，佛法不行，故不得往。夫人無此諸事，如來自往。傷歎請法中有二意：「韋提見佛」下，正明請其生處。「今向世尊」下，明請往生之因。初明供養，問往生因；次問生處也。「我有何罪？生此惡子？世尊復有何等因緣，與提婆達多而為眷屬？」此經不答，餘經說之。昔於錠光佛時，釋迦為摩納，就珍寶仙人學。學習既成，念欲報恩，自惟貧乏。于時耶若達欲嫁女，時有須摩提求為女婿，聰明有智而形貌醜。摩納遇見論義，須摩提屈在言下。耶若達歡喜，大賜珍寶，以女妻之。摩提生忿發誓：「未來世世常惱。」為此因緣常觸惱也。「濁惡」者，濁，五濁也，一見、二煩惱、三眾生、四命、五劫。惡者，十惡也，殺、盜、婬、妄語、惡口、兩舌、綺語、貪、瞋、邪見也。「三途」，地獄名泥犁，譯云不可樂。畜生云帝行，從主畜養，為人驅使食噉。餓鬼飢虛怯畏。三千剎土同有此惡，故曰盈滿。多不善聚，惡道因也。無人不起，故名曰多。人常現行殺盜婬等，違理枉物為不善。積集稱聚也。「願我未來，不聞惡聲、不見惡人。今向世尊五體投地」，兩肘、兩膝、頭頂，是為五體也。懺摩，梵言；悔過，漢語。彼此並舉，故云懺悔。將果驗因，知過去有罪，恐償未盡來更受，故須懺悔。「惟願佛日」，啟告所求。佛能破壞眾生癡闇，如日除昏，故言佛日教我觀於清淨業處。序文竟。

Second, the opening preface: Different sūtras vary; some have [the Buddha] emitting light and shaking the earth, smiling and entering dhyāna, declaring his own state and rank, or exhorting people to ask questions. The present sūtra takes the murder of the father precisely as its opening. Why raise such a heinous deed as the opening? It is to reveal the extreme evil of this realm and cause people to feel revulsion and abandon it. When a child born of one's own flesh still inflicts harm, this will lead people together to rejoice in the Pure Land. Below, Vaidehī says: 'May you preach for me a place free of sorrow and distress; I take no delight in the defiled and evil world of Jambudvīpa.' Within this, there are two parts: First, from 'At that time' onward directly clarifies the murder of the father. Next, from 'He asked the gatekeeper' onward clarifies the intent to harm the mother. Question: Why did Bimbisāra send for someone to preach the Dharma, whereas to Vaidehī the Tathāgata went in person? Answer: The father wished to hear the Dharma, so sending someone to transmit it was sufficient for conversion. The mother sought birth in the Pure Land, which none but the Buddha could open, so he had to go in person. Bimbisāra is translated here as 'touching reality' or 'firm shadow'. Vaidehī is translated here as 'contemplation'. Ajātaśatru is translated here as 'unborn enmity', or Bararuci, which is translated here as 'broken finger'. The attendants protected him and named him Sujāta ('Good Sight'). The first section has four parts: 1. Bimbisāra is imprisoned by his son; 2. The queen dowager secretly offers food to the king to sustain his life; 3. From 'Having rinsed his mouth' onward, the holy one preaches the Dharma to moisten the king's mind; 4. From 'During such a period' onward clarifies that due to the food and also through hearing the Dharma, he did not die for many days. First, 'At that time Prince Ajātaśatru of Rājagṛha' refers to when the Buddha was in Rājagṛha. 'Unborn enmity' means that before he was born, a physiognomist divined: 'After this child is born, he will certainly harm his father.' 'Following the instructions of Devadatta, an evil friend': Devadatta is translated here as 'Heavenly Heat' or 'God-given'; he was the son of Droṇodana, a paternal cousin of the Buddha, and the elder brother of Ānanda. Ānanda is translated here as 'Joy', 'Unstained', or 'Delight'. Devadatta had thirty marks, went forth from home, recited sixty thousand dharma-aggregates, mastered the twelve Vedas, and for the sake of gain and offerings went to the Buddha's presence to seek to learn supernormal powers. The Buddha did not explain it to him, but had him contemplate impermanence so that he could attain the Way naturally. He then went to Śāriputra, Maudgalyāyana, and on up to the five hundred disciples, none of whom taught him the method to obtain supernormal powers. Ānanda, who was a close relative and had not yet attained telepathic knowledge of other minds, conferred on him the method of supernormal powers. Devadatta entered the mountains, studied, and attained the five supernormal powers, then thought: 'Who will act as my patron?' Prince Ajātaśatru possessed the marks of a great king. [Devadatta] then transformed his body into an elephant, a horse, or jewels, and before the prince embraced and kissed him; he also went up to the heavens, took heavenly flowers and heavenly food, and said to the prince: 'I shall become the new Buddha, and you shall become the new king. Would that not be delightful!' Following his evil friend, [the prince] seized his father the king. Devadatta caused a schism in the Saṅgha, which Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana converted and reunited. He pushed down a mountain to crush the Buddha, but the Guhyaka-vajradhara struck it with his pestle; the shattered fragments flew and injured the Buddha's toe. The bhikṣuṇī Utpalavarṇā rebuked him, and he struck her with his fist so that her eyes fell out. Committing the three heinous offenses, he entered hell alive. In former times, Bimbisāra was touring and hunting deer on Mount Vipula, but caught nothing. He encountered a sage sitting upright, sent men to drive him away, and subsequently ordered him killed. At the point of death, [the sage] held an evil thought: 'May I in a future life harm you with mind and mouth just as you have done today.' Events such as these are all the skillful expedient manifestations of great beings, walking the non-path to penetrate the Buddha-path. Sentient beings differ in their faculties and natures, and their entry into the Way varies: one through adverse means and one through favorable means, they propagate the Way to benefit beings, displaying the conduct of the Avīci hell without affliction or anger. King Ajātaśatru displayed heinous deeds to stop evil people from committing heinous deeds. Second, clarifies that the queen offered food. The king ate parched barley meal and drank juice, asked for water to rinse his mouth, pressed his palms together, bowed toward the distance, requested to receive the eight precepts, and bathed until pure. Third, the two holy ones preached the Dharma for him. Maudgalyāyana was the disciple at the Buddha's right hand; formerly he had shaved his head and made a kāṣāya for a pratyekabuddha, vowing to obtain supernormal powers. Conferring the eight precepts: not killing, not stealing, not engaging in sexual misconduct, not lying, not drinking alcohol, not adorning with flowers or perfumes, not viewing or listening to singing and dancing, and not sitting on high beds—these eight are the precepts. Not eating past midday is the fasting observance. The Abhidharma considers not wearing scented robes and not sitting on high beds both to be matters of adornment, and combines them into one. Pūrṇa is translated here as Maitrāyaṇīputra, or 'Son of Full Compassion', taking his name from his parents; he was foremost in preaching the Dharma, skillful at opening the minds of people, and was therefore specially dispatched. Fourth, because of the food and hearing the Dharma, Bimbisāra did not die for many days. Next, within the harming of the mother, there are four parts: 1. Imprisonment by her son; 2. Requesting the Buddha on account of the imprisonment; 3. The Buddha and his disciples going in response to the request; 4. Seeing the Buddha, lamenting, and requesting the Dharma. Within the first part, there are further three: 1. The wish to harm the mother; 2. Two ministers remonstrate and refuse to allow the harm; 3. Ordering the palace attendants to imprison her. First, Ajātaśatru asked the gatekeeper whether the king was still alive. Second, the gatekeeper answered with the actual facts. Third, the king heard this and became enraged, calling his wife a thief and his mother an accomplice to the thief, whereupon he drew a sharp sword wishing to harm his mother. Why did he wish to harm his mother when he should have killed the gatekeeper? The gatekeeper had an excuse: 'The former king had an order forbidding all ministers, but did not mention women. The śramaṇas flew in from the sky, which I could not prevent. Though the king coveted the state and killed his father, he still did not violate the law. In the eighteen thousand years since the beginning of the kalpa, one has never heard of an unprincipled harming of a mother.' Harming a mother was seen with his own eyes, so why say 'never heard'? It means he could not bear to hear of it. When people of the world spread such tales, it would be improper to remain here, and they would flee to another country; thus it says 'not remaining'. Since countries have existed, though there are criminal punishments, they are not applied to women, how much less to one's own mother; hence they would not remain. 'Pressing their hands on their swords, they stepped back': Pressing their swords displayed awe, to quell the king's wrath. 'Startled and terrified' means frightened. Jīvaka is translated here as 'Firm Life'; at birth, one hand held a medicine pouch and one hand held a needle tube. In the past, he vowed to be a physician capable of curing others' diseases; his epithet was established based on his virtue. Āmrapālī was a woman, and [along with Jīvaka] they were worthy ministers of the state. If worthy ministers leave, the state will surely perish. 'You must not do this for my sake': Jīvaka remonstrated again, warning him under no circumstances to harm his mother. Repenting and begging forgiveness for his previous fault, he then set aside his sword, desisted from harming his mother, and ordered the palace attendants to confine her in the deep palace. From 'Vaidehī was confined' onward is the second part, requesting the Buddha, which means requesting the Tathāgata to send his disciples to meet with her. The text has two parts: first clarifying the request for persons, and next clarifying the request for the Dharma. Why did Vaidehī ask to see Maudgalyāyana and Ānanda? Maudgalyāyana was her family preceptor, and Ānanda was the Buddha's attendant; having always given her admonitions before, she specifically sought to see them. Residing in the deep palace, she dared not make a specific request [to the Buddha]; inwardly disgusted with the evil realm and wishing to be born in the Pure Land, she wished to have the two transmit her intention to invite the Buddha. Weeping tears like rain, she hoped for the Buddha's pity and bowed toward the Buddha from afar. She had already bowed before, and now bowed again, expressing her earnest devotion. From 'The World-Honoured One was at Gṛdhrakūṭa' onward, the Tathāgata appeared in the palace, no different from the Śrīmālā-sūtra. At the very moment this thought arose, the Buddha appeared in the sky. The text has five parts: 1. Supernormal powers; 2. Physical body; 3. Sitting on the seat; 4. Retinue; 5. Raining flowers. 'Knowing Vaidehī's thoughts' is knowing other minds. 'Disappearing from Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa and appearing in the royal palace' reveals supernormal powers. Question: Previously, Bimbisāra invited disciples, yet his intention was on the Tathāgata. Now the queen also invites disciples, yet her intention is on the Buddha. Why did the previous request lead to sending disciples, whereas for the present request he went in person? There are two explanations: First, King Ajātaśatru and Devadatta killed the father; if the Tathāgata went in person, it was feared that King Ajātaśatru would harbor enmity and resentment, so to protect him, he could not go in person. Second, the Buddha-Dharma relies on kings; Bimbisāra was certain to die, and Ajātaśatru was to become the lord of the country; if the Tathāgata went, then when the king gained sovereignty, the Buddha-Dharma would not be practiced, so he could not go. The queen was free of all these complications, so the Tathāgata went in person. In the lamentation and request for the Dharma, there are two intentions: From 'Vaidehī saw the Buddha' onward directly clarifies the request for her place of birth. From 'Now before the World-Honoured One' onward clarifies the request for the cause of rebirth. First, she clarifies the offering and asks about the cause of rebirth; next, she asks about the place of birth. 'What sin have I committed to give birth to such an evil son? By what conditions also does the World-Honoured One have Devadatta as a relative?' This sūtra does not answer, but other sūtras explain it. Formerly, in the time of the Buddha Dīpaṅkara, Śākyamuni was a young māṇava studying under the ṛṣi Ratnacūḍa. When his studies were completed, he thought to repay the kindness, but reflected on his own poverty. At that time, Yajñadatta wished to marry off his daughter; a man named Sumati sought to become his son-in-law, who was clever and wise but ugly in appearance. The māṇava met him and debated with him, and Sumati was defeated by his words. Yajñadatta was delighted, gave a great gift of precious gems, and took him as husband for his daughter. Sumati gave rise to resentment and made a vow: 'In future lives, age after age, I shall constantly afflict you.' Due to this condition, he constantly encountered afflictions from him. 'Defiled and evil': 'Defiled' refers to the five defilements: 1. Views; 2. Afflictions; 3. Sentient beings; 4. Lifespan; 5. Kalpa. 'Evil' refers to the ten evils: killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, harsh speech, divisive speech, frivolous speech, covetousness, anger, and wrong views. 'Three paths': Hell is called Niraya, translated as 'unpleasant'. Animals are called 'those that move horizontally'; they are raised by masters and driven or devoured by humans. Hungry ghosts are starved, empty, timid, and fearful. The three-thousandfold world realm equally contains this evil, hence it is said to be 'brimming'. 'Multitude of unwholesome aggregates' refers to the causes of the evil paths. Because no one fails to give rise to them, they are called 'multitude'. Humans constantly engage in killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, and the like, defying principle and wronging things, which constitutes the unwholesome. The accumulation is called 'aggregate'. 'May I in the future not hear evil sounds and not see evil people. Now before the World-Honoured One I throw my five limbs to the ground': the two elbows, two knees, and top of the head are the five limbs. Kṣama is a Sanskrit word; 'regretting faults' (huiguo) is Chinese. Mentioning both together, it is called 'repentance' (chanhui). Verifying the cause by the effect, she knew there was past sin, and fearing that if not fully recompensed she would suffer it again in the future, she had to repent. 'I only pray that the Buddha-sun': she states her request. The Buddha can destroy the dark ignorance of sentient beings, just as the sun dispels darkness, hence he is called the 'Buddha-sun', 'to teach me to contemplate the places of pure karma'. The opening preface ends.