大般涅槃經集解 4.3

4.3

Sengzong notes: Of the five divisions of the sūtra, the two chapters below constitute the second division, which establishes the fundamental teaching (zong) to illuminate the cause and effect of permanence. In general, it is divided into three sections: First, illuminating permanence by occasion of the giving—also called illuminating permanence by occasion of requesting [the Buddha] to accept the offering—from the beginning of the chapter up to 'Śakra, Brahmā, and all the devas have all come to make offerings to me'; second, illuminating permanence by occasion of the entreaty, from 'All the worlds produce great distress and anguish' up to the simile of the lapis lazuli jewel; third, illuminating permanence by occasion of harmonizing and synthesising, which is the simile of the new and old physicians. Dharmakṣema says: This single chapter has four sections: first, illuminating permanence by occasion of the giving; second, illuminating permanence by occasion of the assembly's rejoicing; third, illuminating permanence by occasion of Mañjuśrī's debate with Cunda; fourth, illuminating permanence by occasion of hastening the offering. Tan'ai says: This chapter is divided into eight sections: First, Cunda requests [the Buddha] to accept the offering, and the Buddha consents to receive it; second, Cunda poses five objections, and the Buddha immediately answers them; third, the assembly congratulates Cunda and then requests Cunda to urge the Buddha to abide; fifth, Cunda congratulates himself and expresses the intent of the assembly to entreat the Buddha; sixth, the Buddha confirms what Cunda congratulated himself on and halts Cunda's entreaty, whereupon Cunda grasps the import of the Buddha's answer and restates the reason for his entreaty; seventh, Mañjuśrī and Cunda extensively engage in debate; eighth, [the Buddha] emits light to hasten the offering. The Record of Daohui says: This chapter has four sections: first, illuminating permanence by occasion of receiving the offering; second, illuminating permanence by occasion of entreating [the Buddha] to abide; third, illuminating permanence by occasion of the two great beings debating together; fourth, illuminating permanence by occasion of halting the entreaty. Fazhi says: From here down to the 'Chapter on Mourning and Lamentation', establishing the fundamental teaching has two divisions: the former is brief, and the latter is extensive. This chapter has three sections: First, by occasion of the two entreaties, permanence is explained twice; this is the Tathāgata's exposition establishing the fundamental teaching. Second, from 'It is truly as the holy teaching says' up to the end of the debate; this is Cunda's exposition of faith and understanding. Although he previously heard [the teaching] twice by occasion of the two entreaties, the principle had not yet become his own and taking faith was difficult, so it required the initial entry of faith to be proclaimed and clarified before he understood; hence Mañjuśrī says, 'I was testing you in the deeds of a bodhisattva.' Third, from the emission of light to the end of the chapter; this is the Tathāgata's concluding exposition of the assembly. Huilang relates Sengzong's view: Regarding these two chapters establishing the fundamental teaching to illuminate the cause and effect of permanence, there are altogether four places. Which are they? First, Cunda's giving serves as the cause, and the Buddha then establishes the fundamental teaching to illuminate the effect of permanence; second, Cunda and Mañjuśrī debate back and forth, citing the thousand strong men, the king, and so on to reveal the effect of permanence, and citing the two similes of the poor woman and the strong man to illuminate the cause of permanence; third, the Buddha explains the i-character nirvāṇa as the effect, and explains the supreme three cultivations down to the lapis lazuli simile as the cause; fourth, the new and old physicians harmonize the teachings on cause and effect of present and past, thereby revealing permanence.