大般涅槃經集解 52.64

52.64

Sengliang states: Opening this into four propositions clarifies that in terms of the great principle it applies to all minds. The first proposition states that the mind arises together with greed and ceases together with greed; these words must not be taken narrowly. If taken strictly according to the text, it seems as if the practitioner gives rise to greed and it passes through the three characteristics to perish, existing at the time of arising, and having ceased at the time of abiding and ceasing. Fearing that this meaning cannot be so, one master explains: one must take it in a slightly broader sense. If a practitioner gives rise to a single thought of greed, regardless of whether its nature ceases across time, one may say he is constantly deluded. Why is this? Since dharmatā is used as the master of conscious understanding in birth and death, on the conventional truth side of function there may well be the three characteristics. But taking it from the side of the ultimate truth, the sense of delusion is constantly present here. Since it is a function that overturns the truth, if no understanding arrives to dispel it, how could it already be gone? Hence the subsequent text says that defilements are also permanent, and the severing of permanent defilements is termed impermanent. Therefore, the sūtra teachings of the four periods had not yet brought forth the wondrous substance of the conscious spirit, but discussed it only from the side of birth and death, merely saying that upon giving rise to a single thought of delusion, it immediately passes and perishes through the three characteristics. Hence they designated this as 'acquisition' without explaining what it belongs to. Yet in proclaiming this 'acquisition', the intent lay in the ultimate side; only in the present teaching is this intent revealed, and therefore it proclaims that defilements are permanent. One comes to know that after greed arises, down through time before obtaining the path of the antidote, it is deluded at the time of the characteristic of arising, and also deluded at the time of abiding and ceasing; hence it is said to arise together with greed and cease only together with greed. The second proposition, 'arising together with greed but not ceasing together with greed': if after giving rise to delusion one has not yet obtained the path of the antidote, it constantly arises together with greed. Here it is clarified that from the contemplation of the four foundations of mindfulness onward, until obtaining the uncontaminated state, it is never again accompanied by greed. Thus when subsequent understanding manifests, the original delusion no longer exists; hence it does not cease together with greed, nor is this spoken in terms of the dharma of the arising and ceasing of the three characteristics. The third proposition, 'not arising together with greed but ceasing together with greed': if a bodhisattva has already attained true understanding and no longer has greed, yet manifests the appearance of having greed in order to guide sentient beings, and if this enables the mind of the path to be realized, this is termed not arising together with greed but ceasing together with greed. The fourth proposition, 'not arising together with greed and not ceasing together with greed': this refers to the Buddhas and bodhisattvas on the immoveable stage. From arhats and pratyekabuddhas downward, their correct contemplation manifests before them, and they are never again accompanied by greed.