大般涅槃經集解 51.4

51.4

Sengliang comments: The seventh and eighth broadly expand upon the merits of the infant practice. These four kinds of virtues are what is practiced by beginners, the virtues of an infant. That they serve as proximate causes is because reversing perversion serves as a proximate cause. Sengzong says: From the seventh to the tenth, they all comprehensively expand upon the previous practices. Here the seventh also takes the three wisdoms as its essence. The first merit explains what arises from the power of the sūtra, while this one clarifies that the three wisdoms arise from good friends; this is the difference. Baoliang says: The seventh merit takes the four dharmas as its essence. These four dharmas are practices taught to infants, namely: drawing near to good friends, listening to the Dharma with undivided mind, binding mindfulness in reflection, and practicing in accordance with the Dharma. Therefore, the chapter opens by declaring: only these four dharmas are proximate causes of nirvāṇa. If one speaks of the ascetic practices of non-Buddhists and considers them to be correct, there is no such possibility. Now, in clarifying the four dharmas here, there are broadly three rounds: The first round has three similes, summarizing the four dharmas in terms of a single dharma, and they correspond naturally within the text. The second round, from 'Good friends are bodhisattvas, Buddhas, śrāvakas, and pratyekabuddhas' onward, briefly and separately clarifies the four dharmas. In this round, the two vehicles are taken as good friends; however, since in the previous round matters were not differentiated, it is considered general. A good friend can instruct people in the good path, aligning with what they practice themselves; when self and other are of equal intent, both can escape suffering—such are the characteristics of a good friend.