大般涅槃經集解 35

English (machine translation) 35

Language: English

35.1

Explaining the meaning of: from the Buddha emerge the twelve divisions of the canon; from the twelve divisions of the canon emerges the sūtra; from the sūtra emerge the vaipulya sūtras; from the vaipulya sūtras emerges prajñā; and from prajñā emerges nirvāṇa. The narrative origin of the Bodhisattva relinquishing his body in the Snow Mountains for the sake of half a gāthā.

35.2

Chapter on Holy Actions, the Ninth

35.3

At that time, in the assembly there was a bodhisattva [...] anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi.

35.4

Sengliang comments: This sūtra explains that the merits of repeatedly expounding the sūtra encourage people to practice the sūtra; the sūtra is precisely the Dharma. Although practicing the Dharma depends on the person, the eradication of evil depends on the Dharma. It is like medicine being able to cure disease: although it depends on a person being able to take it, the power to remove the disease lies in the medicine. Therefore, the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Sūtra says: 'If someone reviles the Buddha, that person's sin is light; if someone slanders the sūtra Dharma, their sin is heavy.'
Baoliang says: From here down is the fourth section, praising the sūtra's propagation. There are four turns: first, the praise by King of Immaculate Store; second, the Buddha's own praise; third, Kāśyapa's praise; fourth, the Buddha citing proof to confirm what Kāśyapa praised. This is the first, the praise by King of Immaculate [Store].

35.5

Then the Buddha praised him, saying: 'Excellent, excellent! [...] immeasurable, boundless, and beyond calculation.'

35.6

Sengliang comments: The Buddha's teaching begins from the small. The cow exemplifies the Buddha; the milk exemplifies the Tripiṭaka; the curd exemplifies the mixed teachings of the three vehicles; the raw butter exemplifies the vaipulya; the clarified butter exemplifies the prajñā that teaches emptiness; and the ghee exemplifies the Dharma of the Nirvāṇa Sūtra. As for the Dharma being difficult to see: this refers to emptiness and existence, since prajñā teaches emptiness and nirvāṇa teaches existence. It is difficult for the Buddha to see nirvāṇa, so he praises and extols it as supreme and honored.
Sengzong says: The reason holy action is accomplished is that its efficacy relies on the power of the sūtra to produce complete understanding in people. 'As from a cow emerges milk': the Buddha preached the small vehicle's wheel of the Dharma of the Four Truths; this was taught in the twelve years after attaining Buddhahood. 'From milk emerges curd': this refers to preaching the shared teaching of the three vehicles after the twelve years; the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā Sūtra is this. 'From curd emerges raw butter': like the Viśeṣacintibrahma-paripṛcchā and the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa, which suppress the two vehicles and praise the bodhisattvas. 'From raw butter emerges clarified butter': preaching the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka, which destroys the idea that there are three separate causes and fruits. Now, this sūtra illuminates the eternal presence of the buddhadhātu, fathoming principle and exhausting the nature, like ghee.
Furthermore, 'from [the Buddha] emerge the twelve divisions': these are the twelve divisions of the small vehicle. 'From the twelve divisions emerges the sūtra': this is the sūtra of the teaching of emptiness. It is simply called 'sūtra' because it subsumes the twelve divisions; hence it speaks only of the root. As for 'from it emerge the vaipulya': is its principle correct? The two vehicles equally study prajñā, so the shared teaching is taken as vaipulya. 'From it emerges prajñā': this is the real wisdom prajñā of the One Vehicle. 'From prajñā emerges mahānirvāṇa': this is the present teaching. Another interpretation says: there is a slight error in this sūtra text; prajñā should be third, and vaipulya should be fourth.
Baoliang says: The Buddha is like a cow; the five flavors exemplify the teachings of the five periods. When the Buddha first appeared in the world, during the twelve years, the wheel of the Dharma was preached distinctly as the small vehicle Tripiṭaka, setting forth the supramundane teaching; this initially corresponded to the name of the twelve divisions. After the twelve years, within the gateway of the shared teaching, he distinguished emptiness and existence, clarifying the two truths of the ultimate and conventional. Since the principle is deep and broad, it is like curd emerging from milk. The two truths are the master of the understanding of emptiness and the root of myriad understandings; therefore, it corresponds to the name of sūtra. Prior to the shared teaching, it directly clarified cause and fruit without distinguishing the two truths; since it forgot marks, it was not given the title of root. 'From the sūtra emerge the vaipulya sūtras': after the shared teaching was preached, expounding the Vimalakīrti and Viśeṣacinti advanced the practice of the śrāvakas, causing them to abandon attachments and attain understanding; hence the vaipulya sūtras are exemplified by raw butter emerging from curd. 'From the vaipulya emerges prajñāpāramitā': prajñā means wisdom; after expounding the Vimalakīrti, he clarified the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka, distinguishing the single cause and single fruit; the opening and brightening of wisdom exemplifies prajñā, compared to clarified butter. After the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Sūtra was completely preached, the nirvāṇa teaching arose, fully clarifying the principle, just like ghee.

35.7

Bodhisattva Kāśyapa said to the Buddha: 'World-Honoured One! [...] reverently making offerings, honoring, and praising.'

35.8

Sengzong comments: Kāśyapa is the master who requested the Dharma, and he himself speaks of the characteristics of cultivation.
Fayao says: Although holy action was explained above, its excellence was not yet exhausted. This section broadly clarifies how profound the yearning for the Dharma is, such that relinquishing one's body and life is not considered difficult. By cultivating holy action with such a renouncing mind, what could fail to be fully prepared? By such ascetic practice, in what circumstance could one retreat? The difficulty of holy action is none greater than this; hence this practice is used to conclude holy action.

35.9

At that time, the Buddha praised Bodhisattva Kāśyapa [...] 'All conditioned things are impermanent; they are phenomena subject to arising and ceasing.'

35.10

Zhixiu comments: He first speaks of impermanence. Because the two principles must correspond and must be fully expounded, it is called half a wish-fulfilling jewel.

35.11

Having spoken this half-gāthā, he stood before him [...] 'When arising and ceasing have ceased, tranquil extinction is bliss.'

35.12

Zhixiu says: Speaking of permanence, tranquil extinction is devoid of suffering. Because it is devoid of suffering, it is called bliss. There is no other distinct bliss, which is why it is called tranquil extinction.

35.13

At that time, after the rākṣasa spoke this gāthā [...] mahānirvāṇa and cultivate holy actions.'

35.14

Sengzong comments: Above he already praised what he practiced as difficult; now he cites a past event to verify that protecting the Dharma is not in vain, and that the seeking of the Dharma was utmost.

35.15

Collected Commentaries on the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, Fascicle 35

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大般涅槃經集解 — Classical Chinese