觀無量壽佛經疏妙宗鈔 2.4.3

2.4.3

When principle and wisdom have reached their utmost, initial and original [awakening] are both forgotten; free of marks and free of names, it cannot be expressed or demonstrated. How then could one establish its body or lifespan? Second, from "Accords with" onward, both are established in accordance with the conventional world, which has two parts: first, listing three for each of the three bodies. Relying upon the ultimate awakening, the supreme truth, one cannot speak of body or lifespan. For the sake of saving sentient beings, names and marks are established in accordance with the world, and thus the three bodies and three lifespans are expounded. It is thus that the true Buddha does not have three, yet according to the world they exist; nonetheless, one must comprehend the meaning of their existence and non-existence. When it is said that the Buddha originally has neither body nor lifespan, it only means that there are no three that possess marks and accord with feelings; it does not mean there are no subtly wondrous bodies, etc., inherent in the nature. Therefore, the true Buddha culminates in all pure and defiled teachings. If it were entirely non-existent, how would it differ from the true principle expounded by the Hīnayāna? Therefore, true non-existence and conventional existence, true existence and conventional non-existence, are all siddhāntas and must not be grasped one-sidedly. The intention of the present text is that, in establishing the three bodies to explain Amitāyus, it fears that one might cling to definite existence; therefore it first says that the Buddha originally does not have three, but speaks of existence in accordance with the world. Having grasped this meaning, one will be unimpeded in distinguishing the three bodies, three lifespans, and three measures. Second, from "Dharmakāya" onward, explaining the three meanings of the three bodies, which has two parts: first, distinguishing them in terms of meaning; second, fusing and identifying them in terms of principle. Because the subsequent text fully identifies them in terms of principle, for now it distinguishes them along the single path of the two [aspects] of cultivation and the one of nature. The first itself has three parts: first, the dharmakāya, which has two: first, separate explanation, with three: first, regarding the dharmakāya, it explains "dharma" in the sense of a model or standard, setting aside the common to take up the distinct. Commonly speaking, both sentient beings and Buddhas take the dharma-nature as their model; however, the nine realms, though modeling upon it, contravene it, like a person relying upon a master yet not obeying the master's instructions. Only the Buddhas, from their initial resolve of the mind, practice while modeling upon the Dharma, and now can definitively and invisibly unite with the dharma-nature. Thus the Great Sūtra says: "That which is the master of all Buddhas is what is called the Dharma, because the Dharma is eternal." Because all Buddhas also eternally accord with the dharma-nature, the Dharma is called the master. In truth, it is not that what is modeled upon is distinct in substance from that which can [model upon it]; therefore, the very Dharma that is modeled upon constitutes the body. Although it is called a body, it has already transcended the five aggregates; thus it is neither material form nor mental wisdom. Material form is the first aggregate, and mental wisdom is the four aggregates; since it is neither aggregates nor sense bases or elements, it is not sustained by or subsumed under the three categories. This already eliminates fragmented [birth and death] and change [birth and death], because it shows that birth and death are subsumed under the aggregates, etc. One may also say that material form eliminates the response [body], mental wisdom eliminates the reward [body], and the three categories eliminate causes; since it is none of these, how could it be characterized by a name? For the sake of the capacities of beings, one arbitrarily points to the dharma-nature and names it the dharmakāya. Second, from "Dharma-nature" onward, the lifespan. Lifespan as continuous maintenance directly relies upon the life-faculty. Now, the lifespan of dharma-nature is not the retribution-obtained life-faculty of consciousness, breath, and warmth, nor is it a lifespan continuously maintained by these three things. To reveal virtue for the sake of beings, one points to the dharma-nature as not shifting through the eight marks and not changing across the nine times, and arbitrarily names it lifespan. Third, from "This lifespan" onward, the measure. The measure of lifespan properly discusses long and short, as well as prolonged and abbreviated. Now, the lifespan of dharma-nature is truly without these marks of measure; this is a general elimination. If distinguished separately, long belongs to the reward Buddha, short belongs to sentient beings, and being able to prolong or abbreviate belongs to the response body. Being none of these measures, for the sake of completing contemplation, one arbitrarily points to the lifespan of dharma as equal to the measure of empty space. Second, from "This is" onward, general demonstration. The three meanings of dharma-nature are not an aggregate body, not a retribution-obtained lifespan, and not a measure of long or short; being inconceivable, body, lifespan, and measure are arbitrarily spoken of in terms of the dharma-nature. Second, the reward body, which has two parts: first, that according with the Dharma there is a reward, with two: first, citing sūtras. "Reward" means recompense. Practice is the cause, which evokes the wondrous reward to recompense the cause. The Lotus Sūtra testifies to the virtue of wisdom, where the sūtra says: "The light of wisdom illuminates immeasurably, obtained through deeds practiced for long." The Mahāparinirvāṇa [Sūtra] testifies to the virtue of elimination. These two fruit-virtues recompense the cultivated causes, and thus it is named reward. Second, from "As-suchness" onward, explaining its characteristics. At the time when the reward is evoked, what are its characteristics like? Therefore it is revealed through one dharma and two metaphors. "As-such" means not different; if the contemplated is differentiated, it is not called the as-such object; if there is an object outside of wisdom, it is not called as-such wisdom. As for each of the two being as-such, the object is as-such to as-such wisdom, and wisdom is as-such to the as-such object; therefore this object and wisdom are able to invisibly correspond. "Wisdom" is a common name, so it is distinguished by the bodhi of fruit-awakening, which is the wisdom of unexcelled bodhi invisibly corresponding with the object of dharma-nature. First, the box and lid are cited to illustrate their correspondence; fearing one might think that although the edges of a box and lid match, two characteristics ultimately remain, it cites water and milk again to illustrate their invisible union, causing one to know that initial and original [awakening] are equally the nature of awakening. Their substance is completely fused, just like water and milk, which reveals that there is no wisdom outside the object, and no object outside of wisdom. Water and milk can be seen [together]. Second, from "Dharmakāya" onward, establishing the three for the reward, which are body, lifespan, and measure. The reason why each of the three speaks of the dharmakāya is that it is what the reward-wisdom invisibly unites with, for apart from the Dharma there is no reward. First, the body. When it says "not a body," it means it is not the delimited body of the response Buddha. When it says "not non-body," it means it is not the nondelimited body of the reward Buddha. Furthermore, "not a body" means not existing; "not non-body" means not empty. The dharmakāya of the Middle Way is the substance of original awakening; when initial awakening invisibly unites with this, that which can invisibly unite is also forgotten. For the sake of completing contemplation, it is arbitrarily named reward-wisdom. Second, from "Lifespan of dharma" onward, clarifying lifespan. When it says "not a lifespan," it means it is not a continuously maintained lifespan like that of the response [Buddha]. When it says "not non-lifespan," it means it is not the non-continuously maintained lifespan of reward-wisdom. Refuting both two extremes, it is the dharma-substance invisibly united within the middle. The intention of arbitrarily naming it is the same as the body above. Third, from "Measure of dharma" onward, clarifying measure. It is not the response [Buddha's] having a measure, nor the reward [Buddha's] being immeasurable; and refuting both extremes has the same meaning as with body and lifespan. Third, the response body, with three: first, clarifying responding to beings, which has three: first, the body. Like an echo responding in a valley, its magnitude follows the sound. Like a mirror reflecting a form, uprightness or ugliness resides in the matter. Responding to the resonance of all beings, it manifests superior and inferior bodies. Second, from "Responding identically" onward, the lifespan. Since the body is identical to beings, how could the lifespan fail to match their capacities? Third, from "Responding identically" onward, the measure. Long or short according to what is fitting, it displays a measure or the immeasurable. Second, from "Wisdom and" onward, clarifying that relying on the two there is a response, with three: first, the doctrine. Wisdom is the reward body, and substance is the dharmakāya; when these two invisibly unite, their responsive function is boundless. Second, from "Like water" onward, the metaphor. Superior color of pure gold requires the addition of mercury before it can be applied to coat objects. Lacking this one condition, gold has no coating function. Third, from "Merit and virtue" onward, the application. The merit and virtue of reward-wisdom tally with the dharmakāya; wherever there are capacities, there is nowhere its responses do not reach.