大般涅槃經集解 54.199

54.199

案僧亮曰，為不見者為譬也。寶亮曰：第六意，眾生雖與此理共俱，而不覺知故，作因得苦，無窮無已。唯諸佛菩薩，覺知此理，修因感果，窮此因緣，故知始知終。今言十住菩薩知終不知始者，恐此非實論。何以知然？佛既始終但見，何容十住指知終不知始？亦應髴髣知始。而今但言知終不知始者，此正為課不行道者，云十住菩薩三阿僧祇行道尚不知始，況不行者而知？若約事作行，有終可據。始既微，末難尋，故但言知終。理而為語，則始終俱髣髴，知唯佛一人獨了了窮鑒此十二因緣，得見佛性。

Sengliang comments: He makes a metaphor for those who do not see. Baoliang comments: The sixth point: although sentient beings are together with this principle, because they do not awaken to or know it, they create causes and obtain suffering endlessly without cessation. Only the Buddhas and bodhisattvas awaken to and know this principle, cultivate causes and evoke fruits, exhausting these conditions, and therefore know both beginning and end. Now when it says that bodhisattvas of the ten abodes know the end but not the beginning, I fear this is not a definitive statement. How is this known? Since the Buddha sees both beginning and end, how could the ten abodes merely know the end and not know the beginning? They should also faintly know the beginning. Yet it now only says they know the end and not the beginning, precisely to spur on those who do not practice the Path, saying: 'Bodhisattvas of the ten abodes practicing the Path for three asaṃkhyeya kalpas still do not know the beginning, how much less those who do not practice?' If based on phenomenal practice, there is an end to rely upon; since the beginning is subtle and its traces hard to trace, it merely says they know the end. Speaking in terms of principle, both beginning and end are known faintly, and only the Buddha alone clearly and exhaustively perceives these twelve links of dependent origination and attains the sight of the buddhadhātu.