大般涅槃經集解 65.62

65.62

Sengliang comments: 'Those who receive the path' refers to the eightfold noble path. These three are all pure precepts. Achieving complete undefilement is called 'reaching'; worldly undefilement is called 'receiving'; not yet arriving is called 'showing.' 'Those who defile the path': that which is pure and able to reach nirvāṇa is called the 'path.' 'Defilement' means that which is impure is not the path. 'Not losing the prohibitive precepts' means that the pure precepts permanently remain. Co-arising with unwholesome karma is called defilement, just as jade cast into mud is called defiled jade; this misses the point. Sengzong says: Hearing it said that they do not arise, they then say that all is completely lost. Hearing of 'defiling the path,' they then say that committing the grave offenses does not lose the prohibitive precepts. Baoliang says: Now speaking of 'defiling the path,' because violating precepts defiles conduct, one does not attain the noble path. But imperceptive people, upon hearing of 'loss,' assert that all is lost regardless of whether one violated or not; upon hearing of 'defilement,' assert that all is defiled without loss regardless of whether one violated or not. Therefore a dispute arises. 'Those who ultimately reach the path' refers to undefiled precepts. 'Those who show the path' refers to the precepts within the five faculties of faith in the path. 'Those who receive the path' refers to the precepts of external ordinary persons. Daohui's notes state: The correct doctrine is that one who violates grave offenses merely retains the defiled precepts, while the pure precepts are lost. Some think that because the pure precepts are lost, the defiled precepts are also lost; those who think the defiled precepts are not lost say that the pure precepts are also not lost—both miss the point. 'Those who ultimately reach the path' refers to attaining arhatship in a single lifetime. 'Those who show the path' refers to the candidate for srotāpanna. 'Those who receive the path' refers to from the first fruit up to the third fruit. 'Those who defile the path' refers to precept-breakers. He also says: Reaching the path is the arhat. Showing the path is the third fruit, also called signless practice. Receiving the path is from the fruits onward. He also says: From the five virtues onward and external ordinary persons who uphold precepts. Zhixiu says: 'Those who reach the path' are those who have attained the true undefiled. 'Those who show the path' are those whose faculty of faith is already established. 'Those who receive the path' are those who are initially able to accept and uphold, whose faculty of faith is not yet established. These three all take precept goodness as their substance. 'Those who defile the path' are those who violate the grave prohibitions, using their transgression to practice the remaining pure precepts.