大般涅槃經集解 66.28

66.28

Sengliang comments: There are four questions in all; this is the first question. Existing phenomena should not be outside the three times; now, to which time is it determined to belong? Sengzong says: There are two questions in all. First, he asks whether buddhadhātu is subsumed under the three times or not. Next, he asks whether an icchantika presently has buddhadhātu or not. If they have it, one should not say they sever the roots of goodness; if they do not have it, one should not say that all possess it. Baoliang says: There are three challenges in all. First, raising the nature of the fruit to make a challenge, he asks: if one who severs the roots of goodness has buddhadhātu, is this buddhadhātu in the past, in the future, in the present, or does it pervade the three times? If buddhadhātu were in the three times, how could it be called permanent? The second challenge says: if a person who severs the roots of goodness has buddhadhātu, since this is good, how can it be said to be severed? If they lack it, how could the Buddha say it is severed? The third precludes the Buddha's intention: if one says it both exists and is severed, one again cannot say buddhadhātu is permanent. Daohui's notes state: The questions are threefold: two are as above; the third means that if it is neither entirely existing nor entirely non-existing, it should be half-existing and half-non-existing, hence it is said to 'both exist and be severed.' Zhixiu says: Intending to make a challenge, he first determines in which time buddhadhātu is among the three times. Below he makes a three-turn challenge.