大般涅槃經集解 27.3

27.3

Sengliang states: Next is the response to the question: "I now entreat the Tathāgata, for the sake of the bodhisattvas, to please explain the profoundly deep and subtle practices and so forth." In the previous chapter the practices of illness have already been explained, and what was requested was the remainder; hence the expression "and so forth". As for the five practices: although the practices of illness as antidotes to defilements were explained above, the characteristics of the practices and their sequential order were not yet explained, and are now explained. Why is this? One must first be unbound oneself to be able to untie the bonds of others; therefore the holy practice comes first. If one unties the bonds of others, the efficacy stems from the four immeasurables; therefore the brahma-practice is explained next. The four immeasurables bring broad deliverance, an undertaking which requires supernatural powers, and among the paths of supernatural powers the four dhyānas are supreme; therefore the divine practice is explained next. The way of supernatural powers encounters beings who may be foolish or wise; therefore the infantile practice is explained next. These four practices, when situated in [the stage of] training (śaikṣa), serve as antidotes to defilements and are termed the practices of illness; when situated in [the stage of] no-training (aśaikṣa), they are called the practices of the Tathāgata, because the Tathāgata can both speak of them and practice them. Fayao states: The reason the five practices are clarified next is that previously, when the two vehicles and ordinary beings generated the intention toward the unexcelled path, it was not that this mind did not practice the five practices extensively, which are the subtle practices and so forth in the previous question. The "Lion's Roar" chapter broadly clarifies the buddhadhātu, which is the tranquil nature in the previous question. The tranquil nature is the direct cause (pradhāna-hetu), and the subtle practices are the contributory cause (pratyaya-hetu). Without these two causes and the previous generation of the mind, how could one draw near to the unexcelled path? Therefore this answers how one may draw near to the supreme, unexcelled path. Although practices are immeasurable, five indeed subsume them. The holy practice uses the illumination of wisdom to discuss what is internal; the brahma-practice protects beings to discuss what is external; through these two practices one traverses the ten stages (bhūmi). The infantile practice and the practice of illness are demonstrations of conformity through skillful means and provisional wisdom; these practices belong only to the eighth stage and above. Furthermore, the practice of illness is ascetic practice; only bodhisattvas can practice it, whereas the two vehicles have illness but cannot practice it, hence it is termed the practice of illness. The divine practice is not explained in the sūtra, and so it is not explained. Sengzong states: What was previously analyzed regarding cause and effect, concluding with the title of the sūtra to manifest its circulation, all proceeded from brief to broad. What the essence of the sūtra clarifies is fully complete in both text and principle; its power to eliminate delusion and eradicate transgressions surpasses other sūtras. Therefore, from before the generation of the mind onward, the nineteen questions broadly praise the power of the sūtra, which is also completely concluded in the preceding text. From here onward, it clarifies how one engages in practice based on the sūtra, ultimately aspiring to the supreme fruition; this responds to the thirty-third question above. Baoliang states: From here down to the end of the ten virtues, it generally responds to the thirty-third question. The five practices properly clarify the substance of practice, while the ten virtues further expand practice through what principle entails; these two clarify the methods for establishing practice. The myriad practices are manifold, yet they are subsumed under the two approaches of one's own practice and transforming others. Now they are divided into five: within the holy practice the divine practice emerges, and within the brahma-practice the infantile practice emerges. Only the practice of illness has no separate substance and does not belong specifically to either. Zhixiu states: This still broadly answers the meaning of cause and effect requested by Kāśyapa and the devas in the chapter "Manifesting Illness". Above, the fruition has already been expanded; since fruition is attained through causes, the causes should be made even clearer. From here down to the ten virtues, it explains again the meaning of the cause, which is the second theme within the broader explanation of the cause. To advance toward the fruition through karma, and to engage in transformation by mounting the fruition, are both the meaning of practice. The expression "five practices" is merely a categorization for one mode.