大般涅槃經集解 32.66

32.66

Daosheng states: The name of the path lies in its function of leading through; it does not extend to what is functionless. When not ultimate, it advances and is impermanent; when ultimate, it is permanent. Sengliang states: The path is the cause of cessation; hence it is called 'able to sever.' Being uncontaminated and non-retrogressing, it is explained as permanent. Its essence is arising and ceasing, impermanent, and conditioned; hence it is called a dharma to be cultivated. 'The Tathāgata is not the path,' up to: 'is not a dharma to be cultivated.' The Tathāgata does not pertain to the stages of learning and is not the cause of cessation; hence he is not the path. Although able to eliminate fetters, he is not the conditioned path, neither permanent nor impermanent, and also not a dharma to be cultivated. Fayao states: The name of the path arises from striving forward and using effort to eliminate and extinguish. The Tathāgata has no such thing; therefore he is not the path. Sengzong states: As for 'also permanent and impermanent,' it means that the two vehicles alter their conduct and turn again toward Buddhahood, which is called impermanent. Bodhisattvas fundamentally face Buddhahood themselves without altering their conduct; hence it is permanent. The Tathāgata is not the path; that he can sever afflictions means he can realize severance for the path of liberation. Being neither permanent nor impermanent, he is not the two kinds of paths. Baoliang states: From the scriptural teachings of the four periods there has never been this teaching; now with the definitive meaning of the Mahāyāna its purport is first determined, enabling us to know that the conscious spirit takes the true and the conventional as its substance. Once uncontaminated liberation is lodged within this karmic retribution, after it is aroused and once attained, its understanding permanently abides. While on the side of its function in conventional truth it may naturally pass away, discussing it in terms of the ultimate truth, it is constantly applied and does not decay; this also does not concern the permanence of continuous succession. The sūtra states: 'Fundamentally attained and not lost, it receives its name from what is superior.' Now examining this purport, it is definitely not a dharma of preceding arising and subsequent cessation. The text below must state: Afflictions are also permanent and impermanent; from after afflictions arise, if one has not yet attained the antidotal path, they permanently obstruct the practitioner. Although there is this statement, afflictions from beginning to end are remedied by the power of the path, and ultimately fall into the category of impermanence. But the truth of the path from beginning to end has no other dharma that can again remedy it; therefore from beginning to end it constitutes permanence. It is precisely because the clear understanding accumulated through the ten stages is fully complete that it accomplishes the ultimate fruit. When understanding is not yet complete, it is called the cause; if complete, it is called the fruit.