大般涅槃經集解 51.32

51.32

案僧宗曰：更釋如法修行，善識諸法真偽，可以造行也。若真不真，下文廣列真偽也。言不識七法之相，雖修非真。若善識七法，謂真也。涅槃者，果地大涅槃也。佛性通因果也，如來謂果地人也。法者，分佛僧餘，名法也。僧者，亦通因果。實相者，總一切法無非實也。虛空者，太虛空耳。言不知此七法，名為不實；體七法之相，名為真實也。有八者，先釋佛果八事也。一盡者，謂盡一切惑也。翻惡既盡，即稱善性也。虛偽之法既盡，故真實獨存也。下對四非常，通前為八也。復有八事者，此明外道涅槃。一解脫者，非不伏結也，當時翻惡為善性也。不實不真者，伏而復生，未是照理也。下四非常者，既未登極果，有為之法也。復有六相者，二乘也。一解脫者，隨分用無漏所引得無為也。翻惡故為善。三不實四不真者，更須斷有餘苦、證有餘滅。更有勝極滅，已所未得故，為不真實也。五安樂者，以其脫三界重苦，故少分樂。秉得無漏，此是淨法。體是遷流，故不得常。未得八自在我，故無我。有與有脫，故示果是未極故也。若依世俗道者，釋外道所以不真之旨也。云何六相者，釋二乘也。所以不復釋佛果八者，已釋二種未極，相形可知也。不名知佛性者，其義名異，故言不知也。寶亮曰：此下次解如法修行。若能了知七事，是真如法修行。七事者，備如經列。第一知涅槃有三種，先知佛果涅槃有八事，次知外道伏結涅槃八事，三知聲聞指斷滅空作涅槃六事。若如此知，涅槃有究竟，可謂是真如法修行者也。

Sengzong comments: This further explains 'practicing in accordance with the Dharma': by skillfully discerning the genuine and the counterfeit among dharmas, one can engage in practice. As for 'whether true or not true,' the text below extensively lists the genuine and the counterfeit. It means that without discerning the characteristics of the seven dharmas, though one cultivates, it is not genuine. If one skillfully discerns the seven dharmas, it is called genuine. Nirvāṇa refers to the mahānirvāṇa of the stage of fruition. Buddhadhātu encompasses both cause and fruition. The Tathāgata refers to the person of the stage of fruition. Dharma refers to what remains when distinguishing the Buddha and the Saṅgha; this is called Dharma. Saṅgha also encompasses both cause and fruition. The true characteristic summarizes all dharmas as none other than real. Empty space simply means great empty space. This means that not knowing these seven dharmas is called 'not real'; realizing the characteristics of the seven dharmas is called 'true and real.' As for the 'eight [qualities],' this first explains the eight qualities of the Buddha-fruition: First, 'exhaustion' means exhausting all delusions. When evil is overturned and fully exhausted, it is termed 'wholesome nature.' Because deceptive dharmas are exhausted, the true and real alone remains. Below, by contrasting with the four non-permanences, together with the preceding they make eight. As for 'Furthermore, there are eight qualities,' this clarifies the nirvāṇa of non-Buddhists. First, 'liberation' does not mean they fail to subdue afflictions; at that time they overturn evil into a wholesome nature. 'Not real and not true' means that after being subdued, [delusions] arise again; they have not yet illuminated the principle. The four non-permanences below mean that having not yet ascended to the ultimate fruition, these are saṃskṛta dharmas. As for 'Furthermore, there are six characteristics,' these belong to the two vehicles. First, 'liberation' means obtaining asaṃskṛta as induced by the uncontaminated according to their capacity. Overturning evil, it is wholesome. Third, 'not real,' and fourth, 'not true' mean that they still must sever remaining suffering and realize remaining cessation. Because there is a further superior and ultimate cessation that they themselves have not yet attained, it is not true and real. Fifth, 'peace and bliss' means that because they escape the heavy suffering of the three realms, they have a small degree of bliss. Holding the uncontaminated, this is a pure dharma. Its essence is flowing and changing, so it cannot attain permanence. Having not yet attained the eight autonomous selfhoods, it is non-self. Having [afflictions] and being released from them shows that this fruition is not yet ultimate. 'If relying on the worldly path' explains why the non-Buddhists are not genuine. 'What are the six characteristics?' explains the two vehicles. The reason it does not explain the eight of the Buddha-fruition again is that having already explained the two non-ultimate kinds, by comparing them it can be known. 'Not called knowing the buddhadhātu' means that its meaning and designations are different, hence it says 'not knowing.' Baoliang comments: From here below it explains practicing in accordance with the Dharma. If one can thoroughly understand the seven matters, this is genuine practice in accordance with the Dharma. The seven matters are fully as listed in the sūtra. First, knowing that nirvāṇa is of three kinds: first, knowing that the Buddha-fruition nirvāṇa has eight qualities; next, knowing that the non-Buddhists' nirvāṇa of subduing afflictions has eight qualities; third, knowing that the śrāvakas take the emptiness of annihilation as nirvāṇa, having six qualities. If one knows in this way that nirvāṇa has an ultimate, one can be called one who genuinely practices in accordance with the Dharma.