大般涅槃經集解 71
English (machine translation) 71
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71.1
The Brahmacārin named Śuddha, the Sixth; The Vātsīputrīya Brahmacārin, the Seventh; The Patch-Robed Brahmacārin, the Eighth; The Brāhmaṇa Mahāvipula, the Ninth; The Matter of Ānanda Being Disturbed by Māra; Explaining the Origins of Ānanda First Becoming an Attendant; Expounding the Dharma for Subhadra
71.2
Chapter on Kauṇḍinya, Part Two
71.3
"There was another brahmacārin named Śuddha... (down to) up to neither such-gone nor not such-gone."
71.4
Sengliang remarks: Hearing that both permanence and impermanence are inversions, but not knowing the cause of these inversions, he asked. Baoliang remarks: In his argumentation he held no other attachments, but directly took up the sixty-two views to question. The Buddha then explained for him the method of departing from the sixty-two views, whereupon he was awakened to the arhat path."
71.5
The brahmacārin said: "Gautama! By knowing what dharma do sentient beings... (down to) this person can know permanence and impermanence."
71.6
Sengliang remarks: 'Knowing what dharma': having already understood the arising of the disease, he next asks about the method for extinguishing the disease."
71.7
The brahmacārin said: "World-Honoured One! I have already understood... (down to) all outflows forever exhausted, he attained arhatship."
71.8
Sengliang remarks: The cause comes first, hence it is called 'old'; the result comes after, hence it is called 'new.'"
71.9
The Vātsīputrīya brahmacārin spoke again, saying... (down to) if he asks, you should answer as appropriate."
71.10
Sengliang remarks: The Vātsīputrīya questioned the Buddha using his own views, merely wishing to see how they agreed or differed. The views of non-Buddhists differ: some say there is no retribution for good and evil; some say there is good and evil but no Path; some say there is a Path but it is attained without cultivation; some say men attain it but women do not; some say renunciants attain it but householders do not; some say those who abandon desire attain it but those with desire do not—these are the two questions. Baoliang remarks: He too had no fixed attachment. The reason the Buddha remained silent was to reveal his own traces, not that he intended to set aside answering."
71.11
The Buddha said: "Vātsīputra! Excellent, excellent!... (down to) raining equally upon upāsakas and upāsikās."
71.12
Sengliang remarks: As for the three kinds of good and unwholesome and the ten kinds of good and unwholesome: the three are supramundane, and the ten apply to the mundane. Baoliang remarks: The Buddha now answers that by generating the three goods and abandoning the ten evils, one ultimately severs all obstacles and realizes the noble Path."
71.13
The brahmacārin said: "World-Honoured One! If non-Buddhists wish to come and renounce household life... (down to) returned to where his corpse was and made great offerings."
71.14
Sengliang remarks: As for the four-month probation, non-Buddhists originally held deviant views; if they adopted the robes fraudulently to steal the Dharma, they all underwent four months of probation. If that was not the case, they did not necessarily undergo probation. Baoliang remarks: As the Upāsaka-śīla Sūtra says, 'six months of probation,' this rule was simply laid down according to their capacities. And when the Vātsīputrīya renounced household life, it was only after fifteen days that he attained the first fruit: the ways of resonance and response differ according to the case, as is evident here."
71.15
The Patch-Robed brahmacārin spoke again, saying... (down to) bodies of good and evil—this meaning is not correct."
71.16
Sengliang remarks: The reason why one who propounds the absence of cause and effect becomes an icchantika is that he maintains good and evil have intrinsic nature and do not arise from causes and conditions, not that he denies good and evil altogether. Baoliang remarks: Seeking the beginning of sentient beings without finding a source, he therefore held that good and evil are both spontaneous."
71.17
For what reason? "As Gautama says, it is because of afflictions... (down to) all have intrinsic nature and do not arise from causes and conditions."
71.18
Sengliang remarks: In the first point, he holds that neither prior nor posterior, nor simultaneous, is possible; taking the body as an analog for all dharmas, he asserts they are all causeless. Baoliang remarks: He first poses a three-fold challenge. First, he determines afflictions, citing the prior and posterior of the body."
71.19
"Furthermore, Gautama! Solidity is the nature of earth... (down to) they exist by intrinsic nature and are not produced by causes and conditions."
71.20
Sengliang remarks: Second, he takes space as analogous to the five great elements, and takes the five great elements as analogous to all things. Baoliang remarks: Below he adduces seven cases to substantiate his doctrine. This is the first case, proving that each has its own intrinsic nature."
71.21
"Furthermore, Gautama! The dharmas of the world... (down to) how can you say they arise from causes and conditions?"
71.22
Sengliang remarks: Third, just as wood does not depend on good or evil, yet its nature has the utility of being curved or straight; the five destinies have the natures of good and evil, and receive their names according to the place of birth. Baoliang remarks: Second, he proves that because function is fixed, there are no causes and conditions."
71.23
"Furthermore, Gautama! All sentient beings... (down to) within all dharmas each has its own intrinsic nature."
71.24
Sengliang remarks: Fourth, seeking things by their kinds, each has its own nature. Baoliang remarks: This is the third proof."
71.25
"Furthermore, Gautama! As Gautama says... (down to) generate all dharmas due to their intrinsic nature."
71.26
Sengliang remarks: Fifth, he holds that the five dusts are not the cause of greed, but greed and anger arise of themselves. Baoliang remarks: This is the fourth case."
71.27
"Furthermore, Gautama! I see that people of the world... (down to) each has its own intrinsic nature, not arising from causes and conditions."
71.28
Sengliang remarks: Sixth, he maintains that if there were a cause, one should not identically receive the two fruits of suffering and pleasure. Baoliang remarks: This is the fifth case."
71.29
"Furthermore, Gautama! Young children in the world... (down to) all dharmas each have their own intrinsic nature."
71.30
Sengliang remarks: Seventh, he holds that sorrow and joy are causeless. Baoliang remarks: This is the sixth case."
71.31
"Furthermore, Gautama! Worldly dharmas are of two kinds... (down to) because they have intrinsic nature, they do not arise from causes and conditions."
71.32
Sengliang remarks: Eighth: therefore the non-Buddhists postulate that empty space has function and name, while a hare's horns have no function and no name. Baoliang remarks: This is the seventh case. All seven cases serve to prove spontaneity."
71.33
The Buddha said: "Good son! As you have said... (down to) to be identical with the five great elements is impossible."
71.34
Sengliang remarks: He first refutes the second point, clarifying that the great elements are impermanent, and therefore have no intrinsic nature. Baoliang remarks: If the ten thousand dharmas were to derive from the five great elements, then since the ten thousand dharmas are impermanent, the five great elements should also be impermanent."
71.35
"Good son! As for your claim that because the places of utility are fixed... (down to) say that all dharmas have an intrinsic nature."
71.36
Sengliang remarks: This answers the third. If name and meaning have causes, the actual entity also has causes. Baoliang remarks: This answers the second. It clarifies that when bamboo and wood first sprout, they originally lack the nature of arrows and lance-shafts; only through the artisan are they completed—how could this not be due to causes and conditions?"
71.37
"Good son! As for your claim that just as a tortoise lives on land... (down to) there is no intrinsic nature, nor is there any singular nature."
71.38
Sengliang remarks: This answers the fourth. It clarifies that if the tortoise lacked conditions, it could also enter fire. Baoliang remarks: This answers the third proof: all is due to karmic action; how could it be without conditions?"
71.39
"Good son! As for your claim: 'Is the body prior... (down to) for what cause and condition do you formulate this challenge?'"
71.40
Sengliang remarks: This answers the first challenge. Your intrinsic nature also lacks prior and posterior, and my causes and conditions also lack prior and posterior; why make this challenge? Baoliang remarks: Having finished refuting the three proofs, he answers what was held above. For the moment, he broadly negates it all, clarifying that he should not have posed this challenge."
71.41
"Good son! The bodies and afflictions of all sentient beings... (down to) all arise from causes and conditions and have no intrinsic nature."
71.42
Sengliang comments: You maintain that [the body and afflictions] exist at one time without cause and effect, whereas within my [teaching of] conditions, they exist at one time and do have cause and effect. As for the passage below concerning the wick and the light, if one says there is no cause merely because one does not see the cause of the body, then you also do not see the cause of a jar, and ought not say that clay is the cause of a jar. Baoliang comments: This is the direct answer. When it says that the body and afflictions exist at one time, these words seem not to pertain to the beginning of sentient beings, but precisely refer to the branch of consciousness within the twelve links of dependent origination. Now, for the physical embodiment of taking rebirth to occur, it is essential that both the moistening of karma and the moistening of rebirth arise in full. If there were only the moistening of karma without the craving that moistens rebirth, it would not constitute retribution. Therefore, although the arising of the branch of consciousness is due to the moistening of karma, if the moistening of rebirth did not arise further, retribution would not continue. At that moment, the body and afflictions can be said to exist at one time. Even though they exist at one time, the body must exist due to afflictions. If one says that because the body does not precede them, one knows it has no cause, one visibly sees that things such as jars are not without cause and conditions.
71.43
"Good son! If it is said that all phenomena […] you should likewise diligently uphold the precepts."
71.44
Sengliang comments: This means that in your view, that which can produce is called 'great'; if there were no cause and conditions, it should not be called 'great.' Baoliang comments: The cause and conditions preceding the body are also the same as this.
71.45
"Good son! As for your claim that the five great elements have a fixed nature of solidity […] therefore it cannot be said to be solid by intrinsic nature."
71.46
Sengliang comments: These things have fragrance, and fragrance pertains to earth. Baoliang comments: This refutes the first piece of evidence again. They take clarified butter and sesame oil as earth, yet at times they are like water; how could they have an intrinsic nature?
71.47
"Good son! Pewter, lead, tin, copper, iron, gold, and silver […] how can you say it is definitively called the nature of fire?"
71.48
Sengliang comments: These have bright color, and color pertains to fire. Baoliang comments: Fire is not fixed; since it has the nature of water when flowing, the nature of wind when moving, the nature of fire when hot, and the nature of earth when solid, it is also not an intrinsic nature.
71.49
"Good son! The nature of water is called flowing; if, when water freezes […] it is seen through cause and conditions, and is not without cause and conditions."
71.50
Sengliang comments: Because this maintains a solid nature, it is called water. However, the nature of flowing and motion is the same; if moving does not lose the nature of flowing and maintaining, would it not be called wind? In the passage below starting from "if moving is not called wind," if having more wetness pertains to water, then having more solidity when frozen should pertain to earth. How could its name be obtained from conditions? Baoliang comments: If it still pertains to water when frozen, waves originally move due to wind and should be named wind; if waves are not named wind, freezing should likewise not be considered water.
71.51
"Good son! As for your claim that greed does not arise due to the five sense objects […] to produce greed and attain liberation is impossible."
71.52
Sengliang comments: This answers the fifth objection. 'Not due to' refers to the primary cause. That greed has two causes means that investigation and reflection are the internal cause, and the six sense objects are the external cause; relying on the internal, the external is produced.
71.53
"Good son! As for your claim that having all faculties complete […] they have no intrinsic nature, but all arise from cause and conditions."
71.54
Sengliang comments: This answers the sixth objection. That there are those who delight in giving yet are poor, and those who are stingy yet rich, should share the same objection as that regarding the faculties; hence the fruit of karma is answered first. As a direct answer to the faculties being complete with great wealth: when cultivating, one did not combine them, so when receiving the retribution, they are distinct.
71.55
"Good son! As you said, a small child in the world […] the cause and conditions of this body are afflictions and karma."
71.56
Sengliang comments: This answers the seventh objection. If laughing were of intrinsic nature, then one should laugh constantly, just as the substance of fire is hot, so it is constantly hot. The eighth objection concerning empty space and rabbit horns is not answered; both are set aside without reply.
71.57
The brahmacārin said, "World-Honoured One! If this body […] eradicating the afflictions of the three realms, he attained arhatship."
71.58
Sengliang comments: He again requests the Buddha to explain the cause of the body for him, and upon hearing it, he is immediately enlightened.
71.59
"Furthermore, there was a brāhmaṇa named Hongguang […] able to arouse the unsurpassed, vast aspiration."
71.60
Sengliang comments: Hongguang concealed his traces to guide the ignorant, in order to propagate this sūtra. As the time approached to reveal his traces, he showed that what he heard was not from far away. Baoliang comments: Having no further attachments, he simply formed a thought in his mind to test the Buddha. The Buddha immediately knew what he was thinking, which surpassed what his own mind had seen; thereupon he submitted. Thus Kauṇḍinya first challenged what he did, and the Buddha immediately revealed his traces.
71.61
The Buddha said, "Stop, stop, Kauṇḍinya! […] you can now arouse such a great mind."
71.62
Sengliang comments: Entering means entering nirvāṇa; emerging means emerging from birth and death.
71.63
At that time, having known this, the World-Honoured One told Kauṇḍinya […] where the monk Ānanda is now."
71.64
Sengliang comments: There are two people for the propagation of the sūtra: from Hongguang above, what was retained, to Subhadra below, should be entrusted to Ānanda; the later text seems to be so. It may also be that the principle was entrusted to Hongguang, while the text was entrusted to Ānanda. Baoliang comments: From here on, it directly reveals the purpose of propagation. In asking where Ānanda is, there are three reasons: first, he wished to reveal that Ānanda has eight inconceivable virtues; second, for the propagation of the sūtra; third, for the sake of naming Subhadra.
71.65
Kauṇḍinya said, "World-Honoured One! The monk Ānanda […] did not come into this great assembly."
71.66
Sengliang comments: Māra wished to cause the Buddha's Dharma to have no one to whom it was entrusted, so that it would be extinguished and not transmitted; therefore he troubled Ānanda. Baoliang comments: This shows Ānanda's virtue, that although he was not seated there, he was able to accept and uphold it.
71.67
Then Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva-mahāsattva […] asked Kauṇḍinya where Ānanda was."
71.68
Sengliang comments: Wishing to reveal Ānanda's virtue, he therefore posed the question.
71.69
Then the World-Honoured One told Mañjuśrī […] if the Buddha permits, I would go to attend on him."
71.70
Sengliang comments: This clarifies that Ānanda had two things: first, he was a kinsman, respected and trusted by people; second, he received and retained the Buddha's words without any lapse.
71.71
"Mañjuśrī! Ānanda has served me […] eighth, he is endowed with wisdom born of hearing."
71.72
Sengliang comments: The narrative concerning Ānanda has three purposes: first, it describes what he did in his conduct, that having eight inconceivable virtues, he would certainly be capable of propagating [the Dharma]; second, it cites evidence to clarify that disciples of the seven Buddhas who possessed eight virtues were all employed to propagate [the Dharma]; third, it directly explains Mañjuśrī's question.
71.73
"Mañjuśrī! The attendant of Vipaśyin Buddha […] the monk Ānanda is a treasury of extensive hearing."
71.74
Sengliang comments: Second, he cites the seven Buddhas as an example.
71.75
"Good son! As you have said, in this great assembly […] what Ānanda has heard, he will naturally be able to proclaim and propagate."
71.76
Sengliang comments: Third, he directly answers the question.
71.77
"Mañjuśrī! The monk Ānanda […] bowed with utmost sincerity and stood to one side."
71.78
Baoliang comments: As the time was about to arrive, he commanded Mañjuśrī to dispel Māra with a dhāraṇī and summon Ānanda back.
71.79
The Buddha told Ānanda, "Outside this Śāla Grove […] returned with Subhadra to the Buddha's place."
71.80
Sengliang comments: That his residual habits were not exhausted means that he had suppressed the fetters of the desire realm, but had not yet subdued residual habits.
71.81
At that time, Subhadra, having arrived, inquired […] immediately attains nirvāṇa—what is the meaning of this?"
71.82
Sengliang comments: An arrogant person does not wish to accept defeat himself, so he feigned an external voice, clarifying that the gains and losses lay with them, not with himself. Baoliang comments: What Subhadra clung to was that present suffering and pleasure are entirely from the past and do not depend on the present; therefore, one undergoes hurling oneself from cliffs and plunging into fire to make suffering come to an end.
71.83
The Buddha said, "Good son! There are śramaṇas […] therefore, I now question you concerning past karma."
71.84
Sengliang comments: This determines what was feared to be an error of the transmitters.
71.85
"If that person says, 'Gautama! I truly do not know […] is it only past karma, and not present?'"
71.86
Sengliang comments: As for whether through the conditions of lower suffering one can obtain middling or upper suffering, he asks whether they can be mutually substituted. If one says they can, then it is unfixed; how can one definitively say that past karma is severed?
71.87
"One should further ask, 'Is this present suffering […] since the past has already ended, how can there be suffering?'"
71.88
Sengliang comments: If the past had suffering, it should end together with the karma, and should not be received again. Baoliang comments: If present ascetic practices can sever past karma, by what means then is the karma of these ascetic practices severed?
71.89
"Virtuous one! Can such ascetic practices cause karma for pleasure […] this is not so. Why is this, virtuous one?"
71.90
Sengliang comments: Next he asks about transforming the karma of the fourth dhyāna and above, which is free of suffering and pleasure. In the absence of outflows there is no retribution; by what cause and conditions does one undergo these ascetic practices? Since they can neither be destroyed nor transformed, for what reason does one undergo them?
71.91
"For instance, there is a person who eliminates an enemy for the king […] does one experience suffering and pleasure through past original karma."
71.92
Sengliang comments: This proves that there is present retribution, and it is not necessarily entirely due to past karma.
71.93
"Virtuous one! If by the power of the causes and conditions of severing karma […] the mind is compared to a forest, and the body is compared to a tree."
71.94
Sengliang comments: Repayment cannot be finished, but when blocked, it is not received. If undergoing suffering were repayment, then animals ought to attain the Way. In saying that one should first tame the mind, the body is compared to a tree; forests are numerous while trees are few. The four aggregates are compared to a forest, and the aggregate of form is compared to a tree; fear arises from the mind, not from form.
71.95
Subhadra said, "World-Honoured One! I have already tamed […] to receive an evil body, let alone others?"
71.96
Baoliang comments: The Buddha having scolded him, [saying] if one can eliminate coarse thoughts, why would one not forcefully eliminate subtle thoughts?
71.97
"World-Honoured One! How can one sever all states of existence […] because of contemplating with superior wisdom, he attained unsurpassed bodhi."
71.98
Sengliang comments: There are conventional emptiness and real emptiness, whereas non-Buddhists subdue fetters by taking existence as their object, not emptiness; taking emptiness as the object is real ideation. Baoliang comments: There are only the two truths; forgetting marks is real ideation, and it is truly through wisdom that afflictions are severed. Producing ideation is a manner of speaking; this is its import.
71.99
When this Dharma was expounded, ten thousand bodhisattvas […] Subhadra attained arhatship."
71.100
Baoliang comments: Attaining the real ideation of a single lifetime means that precisely after one lifetime, one attains Buddhahood. If it were retribution of the avidyāvāsabhūmi, then it could not be measured by one lifetime or two lifetimes; this is merely distinguished in terms of manifestation. If one examines the parallels in other sūtras, it means they are not yet exhausted; in this land there were no conditions, and so they also did not all come.
71.101
Collected Commentaries on the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, Fascicle 71 (End)
71.102
On the tenth day of the fourth month (the hare month) of the second year of Kann'ō (the year xinmao), the punctuation and copying of this was completed at Ōmiwa-dera in Yamato Province.
71.103
From the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month of the first year of Kann'ō to the tenth day of the fourth month of the second year [of Kann'ō], the entire set of seventy-one fascicles—serving as the master copy for the annual lectures and recitations—was fully punctuated in a single effort, solely in veneration to assist the revered vow of the Bodhisattva Kōshō [Eison].
71.104
Vajra-disciple of Ōmiwa-dera, Enshū (sixty-five years of age, forty-five years since ordination).
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