大般涅槃經集解 21

English (machine translation) 21

Language: English

21.1

Explaining the Fourteen Phonemes / Explaining the Simile of the Birds / Clarifying that the Six Practices of Permanence and Impermanence Are Inseparable / Explaining the Simile of Seeing Level Ground from a Mountain Peak

21.2

Chapter 13: Letters

21.3

Sengliang notes: "This chapter answers how to understand the meaning of complete characters and half-characters, expanding upon the preceding 'Chapter on Names'. The previous explanation stated that although one hears the sūtras, one does not know the buddhadhātu; upon hearing the Nirvāṇa Sūtra, one knows there is a buddhadhātu, yet those of the ten stages hearing it explained still only have a dim glimpse of it. The buddhadhātu from beginning to end is entirely spoken of through sūtras, and the question is asked to reveal it." Fayao notes: "Above it was clarified that the buddhadhātu is difficult to see; those of the ten abodes still do not clearly understand it, and only the Buddha can see it. Thus, the principle of the buddhadhātu is complete, compared to complete characters; that which is not the buddhadhātu is in all cases not complete, compared to half-characters. Furthermore, the teaching of impermanence is compared to half-characters, and the teaching of permanence to complete characters. Also, the root of delusion is half-characters, and all good roots are complete characters." Sengzong notes: "Above, cause and effect and broad dissemination were already elaborated. However, since text and principle unite to form the body of the sūtra, this chapter expands upon the text, and the two similes of the birds and the moon expand upon the principle. Once text and principle are both made manifest, there is nothing lacking in the sūtra." Zhixiu notes: "In the preceding chapter, Kāśyapa said that the name of permanent Self should not be attained by ordinary persons. The Buddha brought up the prince as a simile to clarify that the name of permanent Self indeed exists due to the Buddha. Therefore, Kāśyapa consequently raised this question: If the name of permanent Self exists due to the Buddha, one does not know due to whom the other names and words also exist. This is why he asked how to understand the origin of complete characters and half-characters."

21.4

The Buddha again addressed Kāśyapa: "All the various diverse treatises... [up to] ...are all spoken by the Buddha, not spoken by non-Buddhists."

21.5

Daosheng notes: "Following on from what was said above. What ordinary persons call a self originally derived from the Buddha; now it is clarified that what non-Buddhists say is also entirely like this. Thus, regarding letters and language, that which accords with principle is the Buddha, and that which deviates is the ordinary person; with the Buddha, they all become real truth, while with the ordinary person, they all become conventional truth."

21.6

Bodhisattva Kāśyapa said to the Buddha: "World-Honoured One... [up to] ...only afterward will one be able to know what is Dharma and what is non-Dharma."

21.7

Sengzong notes: "This clarifies that not only was the name of permanence stolen by non-Buddhists, but all predictive treatises and beneficial words originally came from the Buddha. A tradition states: 'Fourteen are characters; those that follow are called phonemes. When characters and phonemes combine, they are called complete; when the fourteen are not complete, they are half.' Because phonemes and characters combine, there are predictive treatises. The aggregates are saṃskṛta; real phenomena are asaṃskṛta." Zhixiu notes: "This chapter has seven sections. The first directly answers the question. The second lists the fourteen phonemes. The third relies on the four phonemes to conclude the meaning of characters. The fourth clarifies why phonemes come to have distinctions, having fourteen phonemes. The fifth clarifies the aspects of ascent and descent of complete characters and half-characters. The sixth clarifies the aspects of knowing and not knowing. The seventh guides and receives the exhortation, which the Buddha then confirms. This first section has three rounds: first, the Buddha first declares that letters are all spoken by the Buddha; second, Kāśyapa requests an explanation of their root; third, the Buddha broadly explains the fundamental meaning of characters."

21.8

Bodhisattva Kāśyapa again said to the Buddha... [up to] ...is the adamantine body of the Tathāgata."

21.9

Daosheng notes: "The meaning of those characters is called inexhaustible. While pointing to the dharmakāya, it now first relies on nirvāṇa as the point of departure." Sengliang notes: "'What is its meaning?' asks about the substance of the characters and also asks about the meaning of the characters. 'There are fourteen phonemes' answers the substance of the characters. A tradition states: 'The Indian original said characters, not phonemes; the translator made an error.' 'Called nirvāṇa' answers the meaning of the characters. The Buddha's intention in speaking of characters was fundamentally for nirvāṇa to extinguish the suffering of the saṃskṛta; this speaks of the meaning of the characters. 'Because it is permanent, it does not flow' explains the phonemes: nirvāṇa is not shifted or swept along by arising and ceasing." Sengzong notes: "The translation saying 'fourteen phonemes' means the root of all sounds in the world. Just as one skillfully employs the musical notes, within the fourteen phonemes one formulates language according to suitability; therefore they are the root of all characters. Here there are only twelve characters; the other two characters were lost and not transmitted. Successive tradition holds that the two characters of siddhaṃ are these." Zhixiu notes: "From here down is the second section. For the fourteen phonemes, from a to ā there are twelve, which when combined make six. From ka, kha, downwards there are twenty-five phonemes; taking five as one [group], combined they make five, which together with the preceding make eleven phonemes. Afterward there are nine phonemes; ya, ra, etc., combine three into one, again making three, which together make fourteen. The two sides are not identical and customs differ; we merely trust the translator."

21.10

"These fourteen phonemes are called the root of characters... [up to] ...because it is the most supreme, it is therefore called ā."

21.11

Sengliang comments: Regarding the mention of fourteen sounds while only twelve are listed, the Ruiying jing says that "the script lacks two characters," which serves as proof for this. Baoliang comments: If determined based on this text, it should precisely take nirvāṇa as the two characters; yet tradition does not adopt this, and the reason remains unclear.

21.12

"ka means giving rise to great compassion toward sentient beings […] mahānirvāṇa; therefore it is called ma."

21.13

Sengzong comments: The thirty-eight sounds emerge from the fourteen sounds. However, within these thirty-eight, the first twenty-five sounds proceed in order: sounds from the root of the tongue, next to the tip of the tongue, next the teeth, and next the lips. From the twenty-sixth to the thirtieth, these are transitional and not fixed. Below there are eight characters, all indicating the characteristics of long, short, and transitional sounds. As for the half-letters being the foundation of letters, the meaning arises here. In the essential body of presenting teaching, one must first have the half and afterward the complete; this is merely the root of the sequence before and after. The five characters ka, kha, [ga, gha, ṅa] are sounds of the root of the tongue. The five characters ca, cha, [ja, jha, ña] are sounds of the middle of the tongue. The five characters ṭa, ṭha, [ḍa, ḍha, ṇa] are sounds of the tip of the tongue. The five characters ta, tha, [da, dha, na] are sounds of the tongue and teeth. The five characters pa, pha, [ba, bha, ma] are labial sounds. The five characters ya, ra, [la, va, śa] are transitional sounds. The lower eight characters are all the differences of contraction, expansion, retention, and emission. Tanxian says: These twenty-five characters all emerge from the previous twelve characters; none of the remaining characters below emerge from them.

21.14

"ya means that these bodhisattvas, everywhere […] having parents, wives, and children; therefore it is called ra."

21.15

Zhixiu comments: The fourteen sounds conclude here; the nine characters herein constitute three sounds.

21.16

"The four characters ṛ, ṝ, ḷ, and ḹ […] therefore they are called ṛ, ṝ, ḷ, and ḹ."

21.17

Sengliang comments: The previous characters each individually expressed a meaning. Now these four characters jointly express four meanings. As for the four meanings, they refer to the Three Jewels and the matched dharmas (pratidharma). The Three Jewels oppose evil with good; the matched dharmas oppose evil with evil. Just as Devadatta committed the three heinous acts and various evils, giving rise to the causes and conditions for laying down the precepts to prevent future evil. Zhixiu comments: The third section concludes the meaning of the characters. It is precisely because sounds express the import that these sounds are designated as characters. As for characters having complete and half: using the fourteen sounds to express the complete principle is designated as complete characters, while expressing the incomplete principle is called half-characters.

21.18

"Inhaling air, the root of the tongue, the nasal sound […] all have distinctions on account of the tongue and teeth."

21.19

Zhixiu comments: The fourth section explains the reasons why there come to be fourteen sounds.

21.20

"Such meanings of characters can cause sentient beings […] and are not the same as the aggregates, realms, and bases."

21.21

Sengliang comments: Body and speech are the causes of written characters, and written characters are the causes of verbal action; they are all fabricated dharmas (kṛtadharma). As for the sentient beings' buddhadhātu not being like this: it is only through written characters that the nature is explained and sentient beings come to know it, so people say buddhadhātu also attains purity through written characters. Now it clarifies that what is incomplete arises from conditions and is thus a fabricated dharma. The buddhadhātu is seen through conditions, but is not a fabricated dharma. Being not the same as the aggregates, realms, and bases means that it cannot be destroyed. Baoliang comments: As for the buddhadhātu, though residing within the aggregates, realms, and bases, not being subsumed by the aggregates: the two truths of ultimate and conventional together constitute a single spiritual phenomenon; the conventional side is ever the aggregates, bases, and realms, whereas the true substance is ever unconditioned (asaṃskṛta). Because the true substance is unconditioned, though residing within the aggregates, it is not subsumed by the aggregates. Its essential nature is unmoving while its functioning is never deficient; because its functioning is never deficient, it is taken as the direct cause. If this wondrous substance were not the root of spiritual functioning, one should not say that though residing within the aggregates, bases, and realms, it is not subsumed by the aggregates and bases. Thus we know that the principle must be so. If it were not so, one could not cause the fruit of buddhahood and buddhadhātu to fall back into the aggregates, bases, and realms while declaring that it is not subsumed by the aggregates and realms. Thus it is said that we respectfully state the sincere purport and dare not make arbitrary assertions. Zhixiu comments: This is to establish praise of the efficacy of characters. In this light, since what is expressed by praising the characters is wondrous, the text below concludes with an exhortation.

21.22

"Therefore all sentient beings should take refuge […] viewing sentient beings equally without distinction."

21.23

Sengliang comments: Relying on the indestructible nature, one accomplishes the indestructible fruit. Zhixiu comments: Because characters express something, they consequently move bodhisattvas to view [sentient beings] equally.

21.24

"Therefore half-letters serve as the foundation for all sūtras, treatises, records, and literary compositions."

21.25

Sengliang comments: The discussion of characters and sounds is already complete; this concludes the above.

21.26

"Furthermore, the meaning of half-letters is entirely the afflictions […] one who cultivates good practices is called a complete person."

21.27

Sengliang comments: Above, it was clarified that a character not yet joined with a sound is half; now it is clarified that even if joined, if one does not grasp the import of the character, it is also half. Zhixiu comments: Next, the following reveals the superior and inferior efficacy of half-letters.

21.28

"All such sūtras, treatises, records, and compositions […] without obstruction and without attachment, truly attaining vimokṣa."

21.29

Sengliang comments: Above it was said that [they are] the root of all good dharmas, so people might think they also serve as the root for the Tathāgata. The Buddha awakened without a teacher and is not subsumed by characters. This is termed being free from written characters, meaning only that the half is unwholesome and the complete is entirely wholesome.

21.30

"What is called understanding the meaning of characters […] this person does not know the nature of the Tathāgata."

21.31

Sengliang comments: Having finished explaining the characters, next it clarifies understanding versus lack of understanding. If one attains the intended import, that constitutes understanding the characters. Zhixiu comments: Below is the sixth [section], discerning the marks of knowing and not knowing.

21.32

"What is called having no meaning of characters? […] one should leave behind half-letters and skillfully understand complete letters."

21.33

Sengliang comments: Regarding the meaning of characters: even if one recites the written characters, if one's practice goes against the intended teaching, the characters do not manifest for this person; this is called 'having no characters', because they do not yet know the eternally abiding buddhadhātu.

21.34

Bodhisattva Kāśyapa said to the Buddha: "World-Honoured One […] those who delight in the true Dharma should train like this."

21.35

Sengliang comments: The seventh section, where Kāśyapa grasps the purport and the Buddha endorses and confirms it.

21.36

Chapter 14: Simile of the Birds

21.37

Sengliang comments: Answering the question from "how does one share in the holy practice" up to "Venus and comets." Above explained the written characters; here reveals the six practices expressed by the text. The body of the sūtra is complete and its dharmic principle is unbiased; the six practices are constantly conjoined, using birds as a metaphor. Fayao says: Complete letters signify the meaning of permanence. Half-letters signify the meaning of impermanence. Although permanence and impermanence differ, their underlying principle is identical. Formerly explaining impermanence was to cause one to attain permanence. Attaining permanence depends on impermanence—how could they be separated? Thus together they accomplish a single sage; this is called "sharing in the holy practice." Sengzong says: Broadly divided, this chapter has three sections: first, the substance of the six practices; second, relying on causes to clarify the six practices; third, clarifying the six [practices] in terms of phenomenal practice. Baoliang says: The two chapters below together expand upon the purport underlying the written characters, namely the six practices of permanence and impermanence. The "Simile of the Birds Chapter" clarifies the six practices jointly, while the "Simile of the Moon Chapter" particularly clarifies three practices; yet both broadly clarify the principle, hence jointly answering a single question. This chapter has two gates, general and particular: first, from the beginning of the chapter downward is the general gate; second, from "The Tathāgata has already left sorrow and grief behind" to the end of the chapter is the particular gate. Zhixiu says: This chapter is divided into two sections. First, from the beginning up to "further differing from beans, millet, and sugar cane," briefly lists the six practices. Second, from "Such various seeds" to the end of the chapter broadly clarifies the six practices. Within the broad explanation there are particular headings, which will be further laid out when reaching them.

21.38

The Buddha further addressed Kāśyapa: "Good man, there are two kinds of birds […] Why is this? Because its nature is true and real."

21.39

Zhixiu comments: First, generally and particularly [clarifying] the substance of the six practices.

21.40

Kāśyapa addressed the Buddha: "World-Honoured One, such things […] and so on up to non-self are also like this."

21.41

Sengzong comments: In clarifying the substance of the six practices there are three sections; this first one clarifies permanence and impermanence in terms of the partial teaching. Baoliang says: From the beginning up to here is the general gate clarifying the six practices. Zhixiu says: In the broad gate, this second part first clarifies permanence and impermanence.

21.42

Bodhisattva Kāśyapa addressed the Buddha: "World-Honoured One […] they are called mandarin ducks and kālinda birds."

21.43

Sengzong comments: This second tier relies on the true and response [bodies] to clarify self and non-self. The ultimate dharmakāya has no sorrow or grief; this is the meaning of self. Manifesting sorrow and grief resembles non-self. Drawing on the heaven of non-conception as an illustration: the retribution in the heaven of non-conception has only the four aggregates and does not delimit its location. Although having no dwelling place, it certainly cannot be non-existent. If an ordinary matter is still difficult to know, how much more so the wondrous ultimate of the dharmakāya? The tree deity relying on a tree is also like this. Zhixiu comments: The second in the broad gate clarifies non-self.

21.44

"Furthermore, good man, the Buddha-Dharma is like […] foremost and wondrous, because it destroys all conditioned states."

21.45

Sengzong comments: The third tier clarifies suffering and bliss.

21.46

Bodhisattva Kāśyapa addressed the Buddha: "World-Honoured One […] a different dharma is self, a different dharma is non-self."

21.47

Sengzong comments: Relying on causes to distinguish the six practices. It clarifies that heedlessness results in the impermanent and suffering fruit, while non-heedlessness results in the permanent and blissful fruit. The prose explanation of the verses is slightly out of sequence: first explaining the fruit of heedlessness, next explaining the fruit of non-heedlessness, next explaining the cause of heedlessness, and next explaining the cause of non-heedlessness. As for "non-noble ordinary beings": previously the causes and fruits of the two groups were explained, now it points out the persons.

21.48

"Just as a person on the ground looking up into empty space […] like the kālinda and mandarin duck birds."

21.49

Sengzong comments: The third clarifies the six practices in terms of mutual relativity. Taking saṃsāra as lower and the fruit of buddhahood as higher: because the higher knows the lower, it is therefore permanent; the lower does not know the higher, therefore it is impermanent. Relying on an analogy, it clarifies that the Tathāgata abides above wisdom and sees saṃsāra in the five destinies. Drawing on an analogy to clarify perception, yet worldly sentiments become attached to the analogy, so Kāśyapa inquires upward to sweep away these traces.

21.50

Collected Commentaries on the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, Fascicle 21

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大般涅槃經集解 — Classical Chinese