大般涅槃經集解 69.40

69.40

案僧亮曰：初發道心者，欲救眾生，能發菩提。欲有三種，善為道根。或說慧說信者，欲為發心之本，觸是入行之始，名因緣。根有利鈍，利慧在初信因緣，故說諸惡煩惱，因信求法，終斷煩惱，皆是信力。至其成果，為信解脫。受時作善惡者，受苦樂受，善友說道，樂修則進攝取道品，不樂則退，故言受時也。生諸煩惱者，釋之也。求樂則生，樂即能斷。因善思者，雖樂修道，要識其對治。應善思惟，宜修則修，道品日增。要須專念者，宜修勤修念不念緣，成定之主。能為善分別，說智為最勝。心定見法名分別，究盡名智。初得為導，轉明為勝。證解脫時者，證有無也。解脫者，有餘涅槃也，出生死為實。畢竟者，是無餘涅槃也。寶亮曰：向者佛一往列名，今下去次第更作五重來解。今第一釋云：根本是欲。欲者，欲樂之心也。因名明觸者，觸對前理，故名明觸也。攝取名受者，攝受諸行，故名受也。增名善思者，是得理之勝心也。守境不移，故稱主名為念也。導名定者，攝心一緣也。勝名智慧者，謂破煩惱也。實名解脫者，則智體無累縛也。畢竟名涅槃者，據工用都滿也。從「善欲即是初發心者」下，第二重解。從初一念無漏訖至成佛，名之善欲。由是善欲，能得成佛，故名為根本。如來先說不放逸為本，今乃說欲者，明欲是根本，以不放逸助成故，名為緣因。若眾生無所知時，依佛得解，故名佛為根本。今者眾生有知，自證得之時，要因欲心也。明觸者，或說為慧、或說為信，義無所在，從信得解故。解來惑遣，謂之明觸也。受名攝取者，能攝生萬善，眾惡永消。如受後起業，道生必除也。因善思惟，得理轉深，能破煩惱，故名增也。然觀解治結要賴專念，故名念為主也。得定之時，能見萬法，故名為導也。於諸解之中智慧最勝，故得勝名也。雖得四禪神通安樂，不名為實；若壞煩惱證解脫時，方是真實，故名知實也。若斷除少苦，不名畢竟；要得大涅槃，無一切苦，究竟無為，方稱畢竟也。

Sengliang comments: Regarding "first generating the aspiration for the Path": desiring to rescue sentient beings enables one to generate bodhicitta. Desires are of three kinds, and wholesome [desire] is the root of the Path. Where it is explained as wisdom or explained as faith: desire is the basis of generating the aspiration, and contact is the beginning of entering practice; thus it is named cause and condition. Faculties possess sharpness and dullness; sharp wisdom is in initial faith as a cause and condition. Therefore, it explains that through faith one seeks the Dharma regarding the afflictions of various evils, ultimately cutting off afflictions, which is entirely the power of faith. Reaching the fruition of this constitutes liberation through faith. Regarding "performing good and evil at the time of sensation": one experiences sensations of suffering and pleasure; when a good friend expounds the Path, if one delights in cultivating it, one advances and grasps the factors of the Path; if one does not delight, one retreats; hence it says "at the time of sensation." "Arising of various afflictions" explains this: if one seeks pleasure they arise; [knowing] pleasure enables one to sever them. Regarding "because of wholesome reflection": although one delights in cultivating the Path, one must recognize its antidotes. One should reflect properly: cultivate what is fitting to cultivate, and the factors of the Path will increase daily. Regarding "one must maintain single-minded mindfulness": one ought to cultivate and diligently cultivate, being mindful or unmindful of objects of focus, which acts as the sovereign of samādhi. Regarding "being able to discriminate well, wisdom is said to be the most supreme": when the mind is settled and sees phenomena, this is called discrimination; when one examines to the utmost, this is called wisdom. Initial attainment serves as the guide; becoming clearer, it is supreme. Regarding "the time of realizing liberation": this is realizing existence and non-existence. Liberation is nirvāṇa with remainder; emerging from birth and death is reality. "Utmost" is nirvāṇa without remainder.

Baoliang comments: Earlier, the Buddha listed the names in a general survey; now below, he proceeds to provide five successive levels of explanation. Now, the first explanation says: the root is desire. Desire is a mind of yearning and delight. The cause is called luminous contact because it contacts the preceding principle; hence it is called luminous contact. Grasping is called sensation because it takes in and receives all practices; hence it is called sensation. Increase is called wholesome reflection because it is the supreme mind that apprehends the principle. Guarding the objective realm without wavering is why the sovereign is called mindfulness. The guide is called samādhi because it gathers the mind to a single object. The supreme is called wisdom because it crushes afflictions. Reality is called liberation because the substance of wisdom is free from entanglements. The utmost is called nirvāṇa based on the total completion of functional application. From "wholesome desire is the first generation of aspiration" onward is the second level of explanation. From the first moment of uncontaminated [mind] up to attaining buddhahood is called wholesome desire. Due to this wholesome desire one is able to attain buddhahood; hence it is called the root. The Tathāgata previously stated that heedfulness was the root, but now speaks of desire because desire is the fundamental root; since heedfulness aids in its completion, it is called an indirect cause. When sentient beings lack understanding, they attain realization by relying on the Buddha, and so the Buddha is called the root. Now, when sentient beings possess understanding and realize it for themselves, they must depend on the mind of desire. As for "luminous contact," whether explained as wisdom or as faith, the principle is universally applicable, for one attains realization from faith. When realization arrives, confusion is dispelled; this is termed luminous contact. Sensation is called grasping because it can gather and generate all wholesome [qualities], and myriad evils are eternally extinguished. Just as karma arises following sensation, when the Path arises, it is inevitably eliminated. Because of wholesome reflection, one's apprehension of the principle becomes deeper and can crush afflictions; hence it is called increase. However, the antidoting of defilements through contemplative understanding relies essentially on single-minded mindfulness; hence mindfulness is called the sovereign. When samādhi is attained, one can see all phenomena; hence it is called the guide. Among all forms of understanding, wisdom is the most supreme; hence it receives the designation "supreme." Although one might attain the peaceful bliss of the four dhyānas and supernatural powers, this is not called reality; only when one shatters afflictions and realizes liberation is it genuine reality; hence it is called knowing reality. If one only eliminates a slight degree of suffering, it is not called the utmost; only when one attains mahānirvāṇa, is devoid of all suffering, and realizes ultimate unconditionedness, is it truly called the utmost.