[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [阿彌陀經疏](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1757) › 1.169 # 阿彌陀經疏 1.169 阿彌陀經疏 1.169 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.169](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1757.1.169) 經曰：「其音演暢五根、五力、七菩提分、八聖道分等」，次第四詮論妙法也。三十七品亦名三十七助道法，亦名三十七助菩提法。言三十七者是數也，謂三十七心數法也。若言品者，謂三十七法各各別故名品。言助道者，謂能隨順資助盡智無生智，能令聖道勢用勝故，故云助道二智也。若言菩提者，菩提亦名覺，即前二智也。故《四諦論》云：三十七助道覺法，此法小乘正學，菩薩兼修二智。《智度論》云：如來何故多說此法不增不減，但說三十七品？答：此三十七品，譬如眾藥和合，療眾生病正須爾許，是故常說不多不少。又常說者，以是初欲入道次第名字，如人初到師處聽法，先用心念記持所聞法，故先明念。念已依行，故次明正勤，勤斷二惡、勤修二善。若多精進則心散亂，欲令攝心便住定中，故次明如意足。心定已便生五根。五根漸增能遮煩惱能入深法，故次明五力。五力既增能分別聖道，故次說七覺分。既見諦已，須除修惑趣涅槃城，故次明八聖道。若廣分別具如別章。 > The sūtra says: "Their sounds expound and proclaim the five faculties, the five powers, the seven limbs of awakening, the eightfold noble path, and so forth." Next, the fourth \[point\] discusses the wondrous teachings expounded. The thirty-seven items are also called the thirty-seven dharmas that assist the path, or the thirty-seven dharmas that assist awakening. The "thirty-seven" refers to the number, meaning the thirty-seven mental factors. The term "items" (varga) means that the thirty-seven dharmas are distinct from one another, and are thus called items. "Assisting the path" means that they can accord with and support the cognition of exhaustion and the cognition of non-arising, enabling the power and function of the noble path to become superior; hence they are said to assist the path of the two cognitions. "Awakening" (bodhi) is also called awakening, which refers to the aforementioned two cognitions. Thus the \*Catuhsatya-śāstra\* says: "The thirty-seven dharmas of awakening that assist the path are the primary study of the Lesser Vehicle, and bodhisattvas concurrently cultivate the two cognitions." The \*Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa\* says: "Why does the Tathāgata frequently teach this dharma without adding or subtracting, teaching only the thirty-seven items?" Answer: "These thirty-seven items are like a combination of medicines compounded together; precisely this much is required to treat the illnesses of sentient beings. For this reason they are always taught, neither more nor less." Furthermore, they are always taught because they are the sequential designations for first wishing to enter the path. Like a person first arriving at a teacher's place to listen to the Dharma, one first uses mindfulness to retain what is heard; therefore mindfulness is clarified first. Having maintained mindfulness, one acts accordingly; hence the right exertions are clarified next, striving to eliminate the two evils and striving to cultivate the two goods. If there is too much vigor, the mind becomes distracted; wishing to gather the mind so that it abides in concentration, the bases of psychic power are clarified next. When the mind is concentrated, the five faculties then arise. As the five faculties gradually increase, they can ward off defilements and enter the profound Dharma; hence the five powers are clarified next. When the five powers have increased, they can discern the noble path; hence the seven limbs of awakening are taught next. Having already seen the truths, one must eliminate the afflictions of cultivation and proceed to the citadel of nirvāṇa; hence the eightfold noble path is clarified next. For an extensive analysis, it is fully presented in a separate chapter. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 1.168](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1757.1.168) - [Next: 1.170](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1757.1.170) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1757.1) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1757~en-mt.1.169) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1757.1.169](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1757.1.169) · Pramāṇa