大般涅槃經集解 69.44

69.44

Sengliang comments: The nine dharmas above explain the differences in the sequence and functional application of the factors of the Path, but do not yet explain the meaning of practice. The ten notions expounded are the practices to be cultivated.

Baoliang comments: The third section goes through the ten notions in praise. If one cultivates the ten notions relying on this sūtra, regardless of whether one is ordinary or noble, all are universally praised. Why is this? In the past teachings, the explanation of the principle was incomplete, so the cultivation of the ten notions was unsuccessful; relying on what is spoken now, the practice of both ordinary and noble does not contradict the principle. The reason the ten notions are universally praised is that the notion of revulsion toward food, the notion of the world as unpleasurable, and the notion of death—these three are the initial contemplations. Next are four notions: impermanence, suffering, non-self, and many faults. These four are contemplations that engage the principle, penetrating it slightly deeper. The final three notions—the notion of detachment, the notion of cessation, and the notion of non-craving—are contemplations that enter noble status. In the text, one first contemplates the notion of impermanence, first contemplating the coarse and then the subtle. From "leaving far behind the pride of permanence" onward is the second: next cultivating the notion of suffering. From "not self or belonging to self" onward is the third: next contemplating the notion of non-self. From "the wise person, having contemplated non-self" onward is the fourth: next contemplating the notion of revulsion toward food. From "endowed with these four notions" onward is the fifth: next cultivating the notion of the world as unpleasurable. Furthermore, from "a wise person, having cultivated the notion of the world as unpleasurable" onward is the sixth: next cultivating the notion of death.