大般涅槃經集解 18.77

18.77

案僧亮曰：夫如來藏、我及佛性，體一而義異也。具八自在為我義，乘如實道名為如來，以不改故謂佛性也。悉有者，常樂我淨是佛性也。本由行也，有心求得，故因果不斷。互得相有，因亦有果、果亦有因，故言一切眾生悉有也。僧宗曰：答問中有四段。第一寄五譬，辨性之有無。第二勸信，明迷則墜苦、解則資神，以理深難服，豈可不深生仰信耶？雖復仰信，若憑心失所，雖信無益。故勸行人但歸自身三寶，不假近捨自身、遠歸他佛。能如此解，是則標宗有地，安心得所也。雖復擬心有地，要須萬行。趣常之要，事在中道，是故次三歸後明中道勸行，此即善業義也。寶亮曰：問云何作善業，而答之以正因者，欲明作善業者必須先識因果。若指南不立，則善業不建，故先辨正因也。下頻有五譬，正傳明此理也。智秀曰：悉有者，悉有當成佛果之性也。以此義故，能令眾生生死相續不絕，得造善業也。曇纖曰：答問有二意，第一言有、第二言雖有而不見也。明駿案：答有兩意。第一判有也。第二既云有而所以不見者，有二理：一者明唯有不見之因，無有見緣。何者？以煩惱䨱故，自無見因。既有惑障之法，佛不得為說，是以自雖不見，不傷於有也；說而不得其所，故言必成倒。下以五譬，備廣斯旨也。

Sengliang states: Now, the tathāgatagarbha, the self, and the buddhadhātu are one in substance but different in meaning. Possessing the eight kinds of mastery is the meaning of 'self'; riding the path of true suchness is termed 'Tathāgata'; and because it does not alter, it is called 'buddhadhātu'. As for 'all possess it', permanence, bliss, self, and purity are the buddhadhātu. Originally rooted in practice, through having the mind to seek and attain it, cause and effect are unbroken. As they mutally possess each other, the cause also has the fruit and the fruit also has the cause; therefore it is said that 'all sentient beings possess it'. Sengzong states: The answer to the question consists of four sections. First, relying on five parables, it distinguishes the existence and non-existence of the nature. Second, it encourages faith, explaining that confusion leads to falling into suffering, while understanding nourishes the spirit; because the principle is profound and difficult to accept, how could one not deeply generate reverence and faith? Although one generates reverence and faith, if one's reliance of mind loses its proper object, faith is of no benefit. Therefore, it encourages practitioners only to take refuge in the Three Jewels of their own bodies, without need to casually abandon their own bodies and take refuge in other Buddhas far away. If one can understand in this way, one's central宗旨 will have a foundation, and the settling of the mind will find its proper place. Although fixing the mind has its foundation, the myriad practices are fundamentally required. The essential of advancing toward permanence lies in the Middle Way; therefore, following the three refuges, it explains the Middle Way to encourage practice—this is the meaning of good karma. Baoliang states: To the question of how good karma is performed, answering with the direct cause is intended to explain that one who performs good karma must first recognize cause and effect. If the guiding direction is not established, good karma cannot be founded; hence it first distinguishes the direct cause. The five parables that follow in succession directly transmit and illuminate this principle. Zhixiu states: 'All possess it' means that all possess the nature that is destined to become the fruit of Buddhahood. By this meaning, it can cause sentient beings' birth and death to continue without interruption, enabling them to create good karma. Tanxian states: The reply to the question has two senses: first, stating that it exists; second, stating that although it exists, it is not seen. Mingjun notes: The reply has two points. First, it determines that it exists. Second, since it is said to exist, why it is not seen has two reasons: first, it explains that there is only the cause for not seeing, but no condition for seeing. Why? Because it is covered by defilements, there is naturally no cause for seeing. Since there are defiling dharmas that obstruct it, the Buddha could not expound it for them; therefore, although they do not see it themselves, this does not impair its existence. Yet expounding it without the proper recipient would inevitably result in inversion. Below, through the five parables, this purport is comprehensively elaborated.