大般涅槃經義記 5.12

5.12

戒聖行中，初問，次辨，後結。下釋。「云何菩薩所修聖行」是初問也。「若彼」下辨，辨中有二：第一明其因分所修，「即得住於初不動」下果分所成。因在地前，果在地上，諸行齊爾。因中有四：一從師聞法、二因聞生信、三因信起思、四「即至」下因思起修。「有人依」下近友聞法，思惟修行。四義科分，觀其文勢似若不然，如前所科別更是其一行次第。

Within the noble practice of morality, first is the question, next is the explanation, and finally the conclusion. Below it explains. 'What is the noble practice cultivated by a bodhisattva?' is the initial question. From 'If that...' onward is the explanation. Within the explanation there are two parts: first, clarifying what is cultivated on the causal stage; from 'he immediately attains abiding in the first immovable...' onward, what is accomplished on the resultant stage. Cause is before the stages; result is on the stages. All practices are alike in this. Within the cause there are four: first, hearing the Dharma from a master; second, giving rise to faith through hearing; third, initiating contemplation through faith; fourth, from 'he immediately goes to...' onward, initiating cultivation through contemplation. From 'A person relies...' onward, one associates with a spiritual friend to hear the Dharma, contemplates, and practices. Analyzing this into four meanings, observing the flow of the text, it seems not to be so; as analyzed previously, it is separately the sequential progression of this one practice.