大般涅槃經義記 1.80

1.80

The above was the first [part], contemplating the five faults of the body; from here down is the second [part], revealing the faults through two matters. They are explained with two meanings: First is differentiating difficulty and ease. [Taking] an ox's footprint to hold the ocean, and rolling the earth into balls like jujubes or even dust motes—these matters are extremely difficult, yet they can still be done; but to fully state the faults of the body is ultimately impossible. Second is differentiating amount. The great ocean is deep and broad, yet if held in an ox's footprint, its amount could still be exhausted; the great earth is vast and wide, yet if rolled into balls like jujubes or even dust motes, its amount could still be exhausted; the afflictions of the body are more numerous than those, so fully stating them cannot be exhausted. 'Therefore one should cast it away, like discarding mucus and spittle' is the third section, summarizing and generating revulsion. The above was the first [part], contemplating faults to generate revulsion. From 'For these reasons' down, one cultivates remedies to sever and eliminate them. Because there are the causes and conditions of the body having many faults, one cultivates emptiness and so forth as remedies. Emptiness, marklessness, and wishlessness are explained extensively in a separate chapter. In the fourth section, extensively protecting the lesser, their present and future merits are praised, while past ones are not praised, the meaning being the same as explained before. Within the present, their benefit for self and benefit for others are praised. The text has three distinct pairs: the first pair is the beginning of practice; the second is the sequence of practice; the third is the culmination of practice. 'Deeply delighting in consulting and receiving' is the beginning of practice for self-benefit; 'having heard, they expounded it' is the beginning of benefit for others. This is the first pair. 'Protecting original vows' and so forth is the sequence of practice for self-benefit. Protecting and maintaining original vows means guarding the bodhicitta. From 'reviling female [bodies]' down, they arouse bodhisattva practices: first feeling revulsion toward the conditioned, next aspiring toward the unconditioned. Within feeling revulsion toward the conditioned, 'reviling female [bodies]' and so forth means being able to feel revulsion toward present faults; 'destroying birth' and so forth means being able to eliminate future faults; 'thirsting for and looking up to the Mahāyāna' is heading toward the unconditioned. From 'having personally satisfied [themselves]' down is the sequence of benefit for others. This is the second pair. From 'deeply delighting in the great' down is the culmination of practice for self-benefit. 'Deeply delighting' and 'guarding and protecting' praise merit according to reality: deeply delighting is still the practice of gathering the Dharma, and guarding and protecting is still the practice of protecting the Dharma. From 'although manifesting female [bodies]' down brushes aside the provisional to reveal the real. From 'skillfully able to accord' down is the culmination of benefit for others: skillfully according with the world is transforming through worldly dharmas. Crossing over those not yet crossed over and so forth is transforming through the Hīnayāna Dharma, causing them to cross over painful results and understand their causes in accumulation. From 'continuing the Three Jewels' down is transforming through the Mahāyāna Dharma. This is the third pair. In praising the future, they will turn to benefiting others. Praising their self-benefit by means of great adornment and so forth: great adornment is the practice of gathering goodness; firmly maintaining the prohibitive precepts is the practice of leaving evil. The above was praising them separately. Below summarizes it: 'all accomplished' and so forth summarizes the preceding self-benefit; 'among all beings' and so forth summarizes the preceding benefit for others. The above was the first [part], listing the assembly and praising their virtues; the latter three can be known.