大般涅槃經集解 18.3

18.3

Sengliang notes: This answers "Why do all the tamers rejoice in mind to teach the true truths?" Above, Māra's teachings were described as heterodox; now it is made clear that the Buddha is the tamer. Formerly, he taught that what is not suffering is suffering in order to cure the delusion of bliss. Once the delusion of bliss was cured, the Buddha rejoiced and taught that the Buddha is bliss, and the Buddha's bliss is the true truth. Sengzong says: From here up to the difficulty of seeing the nature, it extensively explains the meaning of the cause. The Four Truths are the cognitive sphere illuminated by wisdom. From the Deer Park to the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Sūtra, there are great differences in the stages taught; only this teaching is complete and round. To illuminate the wondrous cause of permanence, one must rely on the contemplative illumination of the Middle Way; yet without a cognitive sphere there is no way to discern wisdom, which is why the Four Truths are adduced to clarify the characteristics of the cause. Baoliang says: Formerly, when the Four Truths were taught, they pointed to the three realms; today's teaching has no principle that it does not encompass. Although the words speak of four, the essential lies in the cessation of tathatā. Today's teaching is based on the fundamental and leaves behind the branches; this purport is now revealed for the first time, matching the holy mind, and is therefore called "joyful". However, the single chapter on "The Four Truths" clarifies the principle exhaustively, which is why it says that by believing in permanence, one directly transcends birth-and-death from within the human and heavenly realms. Thus, one must first believe in permanence, and only then recognise impermanence. If one does not understand both, how could one enter the Path? Therefore, in the truth of cessation below, it says: "One who cultivates the cessation of suffering opposes the non-Buddhists." If nowadays one were indeed to cultivate the emptiness of annihilation, and if one were to awaken to the principle through suffering, then non-Buddhists should also possess correct knowledge, which is logically impossible. Formerly, this was taught merely to guide ordinary people. If there were no expedient teachings, the lowest fools would abandon all hope.