觀無量壽佛經疏妙宗鈔 5.2.2

5.2.2

當知三慈其體本一，非三非一而三而一，如是方名佛心慈也。 此自分三：初、眾生緣慈三無差別。 今盡現前心與眾生，能所既絕無我心想，緣他眾生而一切眾生與我同體，十界因果不離一心，而此一心是慈體故，十界苦集四種道滅，能於一時任運與拔，故云無心攀緣自然現益。 「如涅槃」下，〈梵行品〉文也。 然彼經如來凡說八事：一伏醉象、二降力士、三化盧至、四度女人、五塗割瘡、六摩調達、七救群賊、八醫釋女。 一一皆結云：慈善根力，見如是事。 今文云「我實不往」者，即引第五塗割瘡文。 文現一處，意通諸緣。 言割瘡者，經云「波羅柰城有優婆夷，名摩訶斯那達多。 夏九十日，屈請眾僧，奉施醫藥。 有一比丘身嬰重病，良醫診之當須肉藥，若不得者命將不全。 是優婆夷尋自取刀，割其股肉切以為羹，施病比丘，服已病差。 女人患瘡苦惱，發聲稱佛。 我在舍衛聞其音聲，於是女人起大悲心。 是女尋見我持良藥塗其瘡上，還復如本。 善男子！ 我於爾時實不往至波羅柰城持藥塗彼。 當知皆是慈善根力，令彼女人見如是事。 」今云「我實不往」者，正引此緣。 不言女人而言眾生者，通收十界眾生，不以文害意也，即俗諦慈也。 《涅槃》云「慈之所緣一切眾生，如緣父母妻子親屬。 以是義故，名眾生緣。 」以緣十界同在一心，故非次第生緣慈也。 二、法緣慈十界緣起。 是三諦法不離一心，唯佛究盡。 境相既寂，能觀亦忘，是故得云無心觀法。 而畢竟空智照此三諦不受一塵，此智自然照破眾生三諦惑著，或為眾生說斯空慧，皆令得離有相之苦、證真實樂。 此即不思議真諦慈悲，名為法緣。 故《涅槃》云「不見父母妻子親屬，見一切法皆從緣生，是名法緣。 」不見之言，須忘十界，是佛法緣也。 三、無緣慈，以佛性中成究竟智，有何別理為心所緣？ 故云無心觀理。 境智既泯、空有又忘，無住無依絕思絕議，此名安住第一義中。 心既無緣，慈乃周遍入眾生性，稱為內熏； 或為現身說第一義，稱為外熏。 以此攝生，名無緣慈。 二、「念佛」下，却牒前經以對初慈。 即前正觀佛身光明攝生之文也。 雖與無緣慈體不別，若約義辯為門不同，是故此慈念佛眾生攝取不捨，終令離苦永得安樂。 此從感應生佛相關，順於俗諦名生緣慈，故舉魚母念子不失，喻此慈相也。 三、「今明」下，正以無緣會釋經意。 既與生緣為門有異，須辯慈相不同前二，故生法慈約次第論，則兩二乘及偏菩薩有修證分，若此無緣唯圓唯極。 今約極顯，故云「諸佛所被」。 「不住有無」者，正與生法辯不同相。 生緣妙有、法緣妙空，今是妙中，故云無緣，中必無緣故也。 「不依三世」者，此之慈悲非四相故。 「知緣不實」者，了苦樂事即性德故。 「以眾生」等者，此慈所被，令眾生發即境之智，方乃名得實相智慧。 得此智者，方終離苦得於永樂，故與前慈門異益等。 若對法緣，亦以實慧故一切空，是故三慈益物不異。 疏不云者，略也。 四、舉利勸修。 子科分三：初、正舉益勸。 得生極樂則見十方一切諸佛，故云「生諸佛前」。 法身觀成已入相似，是故至彼即證無生，別圓地住也。 疏釋分四：初、「捨身」下，牒釋。 二、「如人」下，喻顯。 習巧如修觀，從少至長喻觀有微著，所作遂妙喻生彼土親見真法。 然且分喻是心作佛，行者應以是佛與作佛義一念圓照，方合今經由觀見佛。 三、「以隨」下，結示。 四、「故般」下，引證。 二、的示觀法。 相有八萬，都想難成，故令但觀眉間毫相如五須彌。 此觀若成，八萬皆現，此為要門也。 疏釋二：初、「從一」下，牒經。 二、正示，四：初、「如觀」下，引他文示二種毫量。 此明釋迦勝劣兩相，以例彌陀。 經明劣相，論明勝相。 「云云」者，即前疏云「長一丈五尺，毫有八楞，周圍五寸」。

One must realize that the essence of the three compassions is fundamentally one: neither three nor one, yet three and yet one. Only such can be called the compassion of the Buddha-mind. This in itself is divided into three: First, the compassion oriented toward sentient beings, wherein the three are without distinction. Now, fully presenting mind and sentient beings, when subject and object are severed, there is no conception of an 'I'. Orienting toward other sentient beings, yet all sentient beings are of one essence with oneself; the causes and effects of the ten realms are not separate from the one mind. And because this one mind is the essence of compassion, the suffering and accumulation of the ten realms and the four kinds of path and cessation can, at one and the same time, spontaneously grant [joy] and eradicate [suffering]; hence it is said, 'Without any mental grasping, benefits appear naturally.' 'As the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra states],' and so on, refers to the text of the 'Chapter on Pure Conduct' (Brahmacaryā). In that sūtra, the Tathāgata speaks of eight events in total: first, subduing the drunken elephant; second, subduing the wrestlers; third, converting Ruci; fourth, liberating the woman; fifth, anointing the cut sore; sixth, caressing Devadatta; seventh, rescuing the band of thieves; eighth, curing the Śākya woman. In each case, it concludes: 'By the power of the root of goodness that is compassion, such an event was seen.' The present text's statement, 'I indeed did not go,' cites the fifth event of anointing the cut sore. Although the text appears for one instance, the intent applies universally to all conditions. Regarding the cut sore, the sūtra states: 'In the city of Vārāṇasī, there was an upāsikā named Mahāsenadattā. For the ninety days of summer, she invited the saṃgha and offered medicines. There was a monk suffering from a grave illness; a skilled physician diagnosed him and said he required meat as medicine; if he could not obtain it, his life would not be preserved. This upāsikā immediately took a knife herself, cut meat from her own thigh, minced it into broth, and offered it to the sick monk. After taking it, his illness was cured. The woman suffered agony from the sore and cried out, calling upon the Buddha. In Śrāvastī, I heard her voice, and arose great compassion for this woman. This woman immediately saw me holding excellent medicine and anointing her sore, and it was restored as before. Good sons! At that time, I indeed did not go to the city of Vārāṇasī holding medicine to anoint her. You should know that it was entirely by the power of the root of goodness that is compassion that this woman was caused to see such an event.' The present text's statement 'I indeed did not go' directly cites this circumstance. In speaking not of 'a woman' but of 'sentient beings', it universally encompasses the sentient beings of the ten realms without letting the literal words compromise the meaning; this is the compassion of the conventional truth. The Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] states: 'That which compassion takes as its object is all sentient beings, just as one regards one's parents, wife, children, and kin. For this reason, it is called [compassion] oriented toward sentient beings.' Because it takes the ten realms as simultaneously within the one mind, it is not the compassion oriented toward sentient beings of the sequential [teachings]. Second, the compassion oriented toward dharmas involves the conditioned arising of the ten realms. These dharmas of the three truths are not separate from the one mind; only a Buddha exhausts them completely. When the objective marks are quiescent, the contemplating [mind] is also forgotten; therefore it can be said, 'Contemplating dharmas without a mind.' The wisdom of ultimate emptiness illuminates these three truths without admitting a single dust mote; this wisdom naturally illuminates and shatters sentient beings' delusions and attachments regarding the three truths, or expounds this empty wisdom for sentient beings, causing them all to be free from the suffering of possessed marks and to realize genuine joy. This is the wondrous compassion of the ultimate truth, named 'oriented toward dharmas'. Hence the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] states: 'Not seeing parents, wife, children, and kin, but seeing all dharmas as arising from conditions—this is called [compassion] oriented toward dharmas.' The words 'not seeing' require forgetting the ten realms; this is the Buddha's [compassion] oriented toward dharmas. Third, regarding the objectless compassion: since within the Buddha-nature ultimate wisdom has been perfected, what separate principle could serve as an object for the mind? Therefore it is said, 'Contemplating the principle without a mind.' Object and wisdom being obliterated, emptiness and existence also forgotten, without abiding or relying, severed from thought and deliberation—this is called dwelling peacefully within the primary truth. Since the mind is without objects, compassion is all-pervading, entering into the nature of sentient beings, which is called 'internal perfuming'; or, manifesting bodies to preach the primary truth, which is called 'external perfuming'. Gathering sentient beings in this manner is called 'objectless compassion'. Second, 'Mindful of the Buddha...' and so on repeats the preceding sūtra passage to contrast it with the initial compassion. This is the previous text on correctly contemplating the Buddha's physical radiance gathering sentient beings. Although its essence does not differ from objectless compassion, in terms of meaning it serves as a different gate; therefore, this compassion gathers and never abandons sentient beings who are mindful of the Buddha, ultimately freeing them from suffering and enabling them to attain eternal peace and joy. This stems from the sympathetic resonance between sentient beings and the Buddha, conforming to conventional truth, and is named compassion oriented toward sentient beings; thus the mother fish being mindful of her young without loss is cited to illustrate the mark of this compassion. Third, 'Now to clarify...' and so on directly uses the objectless [compassion] to interpret and explain the meaning of the sūtra. Since it serves as a different gate from the [compassion] oriented toward sentient beings, one must distinguish how its mark of compassion differs from the previous two. Thus, discussing the compassions oriented toward sentient beings and dharmas in terms of sequence, both kinds of two vehicles and biased bodhisattvas share in their cultivation and realization; whereas this objectless [compassion] is exclusively perfect and ultimate. Here it is revealed in terms of the ultimate, and therefore it is said to be 'that which is bestowed by the Buddhas.' 'Not abiding in existence or non-existence' directly distinguishes its marks from those of [the compassions oriented toward] sentient beings and dharmas. [Compassion oriented toward] sentient beings is wondrous existence; [compassion oriented toward] dharmas is wondrous emptiness; now this is the wondrous middle, hence it is called 'objectless', for the middle is necessarily objectless. 'Not relying on the three times' means that this compassion is free from the four characteristics. 'Knowing conditions to be unreal' means clearly understanding that phenomena of suffering and joy are inherent virtues. 'Because sentient beings...' and so on means that being bestowed with this compassion causes sentient beings to give rise to the wisdom that is identical with the object; only then are they said to attain the wisdom of the real mark. Those who attain this wisdom will ultimately be free from suffering and attain eternal joy; therefore, while the gate differs from the previous compassion, the benefit is equal. If contrasted with [compassion] oriented toward dharmas, it is also because of real wisdom that all is empty; therefore, the three compassions do not differ in benefiting beings. That the commentary does not say so is an abbreviation. Fourth, citing the benefits to encourage cultivation. The sub-headings divide into three: First, directly citing the benefits to encourage. Attaining rebirth in Sukhāvatī means seeing all the Buddhas of the ten directions; therefore it is said, 'born before the Buddhas.' When the contemplation of the dharmakāya is completed, one has already entered [the stage of] resemblance; therefore, upon arriving there, one immediately realizes the non-arising [of dharmas]—the bhūmis of the Separate Teaching and the abodes of the Perfect Teaching. The commentary's explanation is divided into four: First, 'Casting off the body...' and so on repeats and explains. Second, 'Like a person...' and so on clarifies through an analogy. Practicing a skill is like cultivating contemplation; from youth to adulthood illustrates contemplation progressing from subtle to prominent; what is accomplished becoming exquisite illustrates being born in that land and personally seeing the true Dharma. However, this is only an analytical analogy for 'this mind makes the Buddha'; the practitioner should, in a single thought, completely illuminate the meaning of 'being the Buddha' and 'making the Buddha', so as to accord with the present sūtra's seeing the Buddha by means of contemplation. Third, 'Because according with...' and so on concludes and demonstrates. Fourth, 'Therefore the Pratyutpanna...' and so on cites proof. Second, pinpointing the method of contemplation. The marks number eighty-four thousand; contemplating them all at once is difficult to accomplish, so it instructs to contemplate solely the white curl between the eyebrows like five Mount Sumerus. If this contemplation succeeds, all eighty-four thousand will appear; this is the essential gate. The commentary's explanation has two parts: First, 'From one...' and so on cites the sūtra. Second, directly demonstrating, with four parts: First, 'As in the Contemplation...' and so on cites another text to demonstrate the two measurements of the white curl. This clarifies Śākyamuni's superior and inferior marks by analogy with Amitāyus. The sūtra clarifies the inferior marks; the treatise clarifies the superior marks. 'And so on' refers to the earlier commentary's statement: 'One zhang and five chi in length, the curl having eight prisms, and five cun in circumference.'