大般涅槃經集解 18.199

18.199

案道生曰：明非不有，而非已有也。以智慧之額致真我之珠也。僧亮曰：答難也。明佛性雖有，於見者成解、不見者成惑。不可言有故，便責現用也。如彼眉珠，顯則嚴身、隱則成病。不可以珠在身故，常責其好。此總答諸難，下更別有譬也。王譬佛，力士譬行人，珠譬解也。佛說因果之性，聞者受解，解圓可責，如在眉間也。法瑤曰：信解佛性中道不偏，猶如眉間之處中也。信知佛性必為己用，猶彼眉間有此珠也。僧宗曰：此譬意明非無常性，但為惑所映，不得現用。不可以現在未用，便令都無也。此譬有五重意也。第一明過去曾稟圓解；第二明生死流轉，遂失本解；第三明雖失本解，善力所感，聖則出世，說偏教也；第四明常機始發，為說圓教；第五重為解釋，然後乃信也。旨要所歸，取第二失解起惑譬也。明惑滯生死，障於慧目，不得現用，不可言永無也。王家者，家謂處也，言佛化所被之所也。力士以伏強敵，故稱大也。所化行人，終摧大惡，如力士也。金剛珠者，明中道信解，能破顛倒，譬之金剛也。寶亮曰：譬有四意。第一生解譬、第二失解譬、第三後佛出世說偏教也、第四說圓教也。珠者，通取因果六行理解合為譬也。智秀曰：分此譬為二段，始說憂愁啼哭，明其先解而後失；次從「慰喻力士」訖譬，明後佛重說還得解也。前段中有兩階，此即第一，正明昔日得理解中道信心時也。

Daosheng states: This clarifies that it is not that it does not exist, yet it is not already possessed. By means of the forehead of wisdom, the pearl of the true self is attained. Sengliang states: This answers the challenge. It clarifies that although the buddhadhātu exists, for those who see it, it becomes understanding, and for those who do not see it, it becomes delusion. One cannot say that because it exists, one must demand its present functioning. Like that pearl between the eyebrows: when visible, it adorns the body; when concealed, it becomes an affliction. One cannot demand its beauty at all times simply because the pearl is on the body. This is a general reply to the various challenges; below there are further distinct analogies. The king represents the Buddha, the champion represents the practitioner, and the pearl represents understanding. When the Buddha explains the nature of cause and fruit, those who hear it receive understanding; when understanding is complete, it can be sought, just like being between the eyebrows. Fayao states: Faithful understanding of the middle path of the buddhadhātu is unbiased, just like being positioned centrally between the eyebrows. Faithfully knowing that the buddhadhātu will certainly be for one's own use is like having this pearl between the eyebrows. Seng宗 states: The intent of this analogy is to clarify that it is not that there is no permanent nature, but rather, being obscured by delusion, its present functioning cannot be obtained. One cannot, because it is not presently utilized, render it completely non-existent. This analogy contains five layers of meaning: first, clarifying that in the past one once received the complete understanding; second, clarifying that drifting through saṃsāra, one eventually lost the original understanding; third, clarifying that although one lost the original understanding, through the influence of wholesome power, a sage appears in the world and expounds the partial teaching; fourth, clarifying that when the capacity for the permanent first stirs, he expounds the complete teaching for them; fifth, explaining it repeatedly, after which they then believe. The essential purport resides in taking the second analogy of losing understanding and giving rise to delusion. It clarifies that delusion stagnates in saṃsāra and obstructs the eye of wisdom so that its present functioning cannot be attained, but one cannot say it is eternally non-existent. 'Royal household': 'household' means place, referring to the place reached by the Buddha's transformation. The champion is called 'great' because he subdues powerful enemies. The practitioners who are transformed will ultimately destroy great evil, like a champion. 'Vajra pearl': this clarifies that faithful understanding of the middle path can smash inversions, and is therefore compared to vajra. Baoliang states: The analogy has four meanings: first, the analogy of generating understanding; second, the analogy of losing understanding; third, a subsequent Buddha appearing in the world and expounding the partial teaching; fourth, expounding the complete teaching. 'Pearl': taken generally, it combines the principle and understanding of the six practices of cause and fruit into an analogy. Zhixiu states: This analogy is divided into two sections: beginning with describing grief, distress, and weeping, which clarifies having previously understood and subsequently lost it; next, from 'comforting the champion' to the end of the analogy, which clarifies that a subsequent Buddha expounds it again and understanding is regained. Within the first section there are two stages; this is the first, directly clarifying the time in the past when the faithful mind of understanding the principle of the middle path was attained.