大般涅槃經義記 2

English (machine translation) 2

Language: English

2.1

Narrated by the Śramaṇa Shi Huiyuan of Jingying Monastery under the Sui dynasty.

The mournful requests of the monks above served as the occasion; below is the second [section], in which the Tathāgata preaches for them, and the text has two distinct parts: first, in response to the grief of the aforementioned assembly, he restrains their mournful feelings; second, from "Furthermore, bhikṣus..." onward, in response to the requests of the aforementioned assembly, he directly proclaims the Dharma for them. Because the sorrow and grief of the assembly would obstruct and confuse their reception of the Dharma, he first restrains it. Therein, he first stops their outward signs of grief, and from "spoke verses for them" onward he opens and unties their minds. In the former, the Tathāgata first exhorts them to cease their grief, and thereafter it explains that the great assembly, hearing the exhortation, ceased their grief. In the Tathāgata's exhortation, "You bhikṣus must not be like ordinary beings, the devas, and so forth" admonishes and exhorts them to stop grieving. The bhikṣus have eliminated craving, and therefore should not be like ordinary beings; and precisely because the bhikṣus were those for whom this was done, he specifically admonished them. Although this text says it addresses the bhikṣus, the intention encompasses the great assembly, which is why below the great assembly, hearing the teaching, ceased their grief. From "You should be vigorously diligent, and reverently cultivate good mindfulness" onward explains that the bhikṣus, hearing the teaching, ceased their grief. First is the statement in terms of Dharma; from "like a person" onward is the simile. Although the outward signs are restrained, the grief within is hard to stop; therefore, like someone burying a child, they stop their weeping and wailing. Below he opens their minds; therein are two verses: the former verse uses principle to exhort them to abandon grief and suffering, and the latter verse relies on the good to exhort them to give rise to joy. In the former, opening their minds so that they should not be sorrowful and anguished directly exhorts them to stop grieving. "Such is the nature of all buddhas; therefore, you should remain silent" uses principle to open and untie their minds.

2.3

In the latter, he first instructs them to cultivate good dharmas: "Delight in heedfulness" instructs them to cultivate the practice of precepts; "Guard the mind with correct mindfulness" instructs them to cultivate the practice of concentration; "Stay far away from non-Dharma" instructs them to cultivate the practice of wisdom—wisdom can cure faults, hence it is called "staying far away from non-Dharma." Alternatively, the first line, "delight in heedfulness," can be taken as exhorting the cultivation of the study of wisdom—wisdom is prajñā, the root of heedfulness, and is called "heedfulness"; "guard the mind with correct mindfulness" exhorts the cultivation of the study of concentration; "stay far away from non-Dharma" exhorts the cultivation of the study of precepts—precepts abandon all faults, hence called "staying far away from non-Dharma." "Comfort the mind and experience joy" exhorts them to give rise to joy. "Comfort the mind" relates to the present—you should open your minds; "experience joy" relates to the present—you should not be sorrowful and anguished.

2.4

Below is the second [section], preaching in response to their requests, in which there are three parts: first, raising doubts to encourage questioning; second, from "I shall also first explain for your sake" onward, in response to what was requested above, promising to preach while refusing to abide; third, from "The Buddha appears in the world" onward, directly proclaiming [the Dharma]. In the first part, the Tathāgata feared that the bhikṣus would be unable to inquire and ask, so he raised [topics] to encourage questioning. Therein he first raises doubts to have them question, and thereafter promises to answer. In the former, "Bhikṣus, if you have doubts, you should ask" is the general exhortation; from "whether empty..." onward is specific. In the specific, he briefly raises fourteen gates to encourage their questioning. "Whether empty or not empty" has multiple connotations: if discussed in terms of the mutual opposition between birth-and-death and nirvāṇa, birth-and-death is called "empty" and nirvāṇa is "not empty"; hence the text below says, "Empty means all birth-and-death; what is called not empty means great nirvāṇa." If discussed in terms of the mutual opposition between the two truths, the meaning is indefinite: if one speaks of the emptiness of marks as the ultimate truth, the ultimate truth is called "empty" and conventional truth is "not empty"; if one speaks of the real nature of the tathāgatagarbha as the ultimate truth, the ultimate truth is "not empty" and conventional truth is called "empty," because it is unreal. Therefore, in the Śrīmālādevī Sūtra, deluded dharmas are called the "empty tathāgatagarbha," and real dharmas are called the "not-empty garbha." "Whether permanent or impermanent" also has multiple connotations: if birth-and-death and nirvāṇa are contrasted, birth-and-death is impermanent and nirvāṇa is permanent; if the two truths are contrasted, conventional truth is impermanent and ultimate truth is permanent. "Whether a refuge or not a refuge" also has multiple connotations: contrasting the heterodox and orthodox, the Three Jewels can be relied upon, while external paths are not a refuge; contrasting the real and delusive, real dharmas can be relied upon, while delusive dharmas cannot be relied upon; therefore in the Śrīmālādevī Sūtra it says that the tathāgatagarbha is the single refuge. "Whether going or not going" also has multiple connotations: contrasting the heterodox and orthodox, correct practice departing [from saṃsāra] is called "going," while heterodox practice sinking down is called "not going"; contrasting cause and fruit, the cause is called "going" and the fruit is "not going." "Whether tending toward or not tending toward" also has multiple connotations: contrasting the great and small, the small vehicle heading toward the great is called "having a destination," while the great having nowhere to head is called "not having a destination"; contrasting cause and fruit, the cause has a destination, while the fruit has no destination. "Whether eternal or not eternal"—what difference is there between this and the earlier "permanent or impermanent"? Interpreted comprehensively, they are one; but distinguishing them specifically, unarisen is called "permanent," while unceasing is called "eternal." It also has multiple connotations: contrasting defiled and pure, birth-and-death is not eternal and nirvāṇa is eternal; contrasting the two truths, ultimate truth is called eternal and conventional truth is not eternal. "Whether severed or permanent" also has multiple connotations: contrasting defiled and pure, birth-and-death is ultimately severed and nirvāṇa is permanent; contrasting real and delusive, false thinking can be severed and the true consciousness is permanent. "Whether sentient being or non-sentient being" also has multiple connotations: contrasting internal and external, the internal is a sentient being and the external is not a sentient being; contrasting nominal and real, the nominal is a sentient being and the real is not a sentient being; contrasting empty and existent, the existent is a sentient being and the empty is not a sentient being; in terms of persons, the Buddha is not a sentient being because he is free from birth and death, while others are sentient beings. "Whether existent or nonexistent" also has multiple connotations: if differentiated in terms of conditioned and unconditioned, the three conditioned realms of dharmas are called "existent," and the three unconditioned dharmas are called "nonexistent"; if differentiated in terms of the two truths, conditioned and unconditioned are both called "existent," while the lack of self and mine is called "nonexistent." As the Bodhisattvabhūmi says, if discussed in terms of persons, ordinary beings have birth-and-death but no nirvāṇa, whereas sages have nirvāṇa but no birth-and-death, as explained in the text below. "Whether real or unreal" also has multiple connotations: contrasting defiled and pure, birth-and-death is unreal and nirvāṇa is called real; contrasting provisional and real, the One Vehicle is real and the three vehicles are unreal; contrasting real and delusive, deluded feelings are unreal and buddha-nature is real; contrasting the two truths, conventional truth is unreal and ultimate truth is real; contrasting shallow and deep, the three truths are not real, while the one reality is real. "Whether true or untrue" also has multiple connotations: contrasting defiled and pure, birth-and-death is untrue and nirvāṇa is true; contrasting the two truths, ultimate truth is true and conventional truth is untrue. "Whether cessation or non-cessation" also has multiple connotations: contrasting the four truths, the truth of cessation is cessation and the remaining three are not cessation; contrasting real and delusive, delusive dharmas can cease, while real dharmas do not cease. "Whether secret or not secret": discussing this in terms of teaching, great and small are not fixed: either the small teaching is called secret and the great teaching not secret—the small vehicle concealing reality is called secret, while the great teaching revealing reality is called not secret; or the great teaching is called secret and the small teaching not secret—the Mahāyāna being profound and hidden is called secret, while the small vehicle being coarse and obvious is called not secret. "Whether dual or non-dual": discussing this in terms of vehicles, provisionally dividing them into great and small is called "dual," while in reality there is only one Great [Vehicle], which is called "non-dual." "Such various doubts, ask them now" is a general concluding exhortation. "I shall accord with them and cut them off for you" promises to answer.

2.5

Below is the second [part], in response to what was requested above, promising to preach while refusing to abide. "I shall also first explain ambrosia for your sake" is the promise to preach; in contrast to the earlier promise to answer, it therefore says "shall also." Looking forward to entering extinction, it is called "first explain"; and thereafter entering nirvāṇa refuses their request to abide. Earlier, in the fifth request of the bhikṣus, it was said: "Show us the correct path of ambrosia," and therefore he promises to preach it for them; it was also said: "Abide long and do not enter nirvāṇa," and therefore he now refuses this.

2.6

From here below is the third [part], directly expounding [the Dharma] for them. Within this there are two [sections]: [first,] exhorting them to abandon their past falsehood and causing them to cultivate the present truth; second, from "I shall now cause all sentient beings" downward, expounding the three aspects of nirvāṇa in terms of the truth, directly responding to the previous request. Within the first there are three: first, jointly revoking cause and effect and exhorting cultivation of the present truth; second, from "How is the castle of the true Dharma adorned?" downward, individually revoking the past effect and exhorting cultivation of the present truth; third, from "Although you have obtained ordination..." downward, individually revoking the past cause and exhorting cultivation of the present truth. In the first section, he first revokes past falsehood. From "In the past, I..." downward, he exhorts cultivation of the present truth. Within revoking past falsehood, he first clarifies that what was attained in the past was difficult; from "parting from the eight difficulties" downward, he cites this to revoke it.

2.7

Within the former, first he explains the difficulties in terms of dharmas. The difficulties are of six kinds: (1) it is difficult for a Buddha to appear in the world; (2) it is difficult to obtain a human body; (3) it is difficult to encounter the Buddha appearing in the world; (4) it is difficult to give rise to faith; (5) being able to patiently accept what is difficult to accept, which clarifies the difficulty of hearing the Dharma. Patient acceptance (kṣānti) is approval; that one can patiently accept a Dharma that is difficult to believe is therefore called difficult. Or, acceptance is another name for understanding: that one can understand and know a Dharma that is difficult to understand is therefore called difficult; (6) having complete moral precepts and attaining arhatship is difficult; complete precepts is the cause, and arhatship is the effect. Among the six, the first one explains difficulty with respect to the Buddha, while the latter five explain difficulties with respect to the bhikṣus; below, metaphors are used to illustrate them. "Like seeking gold in sand" illustrates the latter five difficulties: to seek gold in sand is extremely difficult to obtain; to seek these five things within the dharmas of birth and death is exceedingly difficult to obtain. "Like the udumbara flower" illustrates the difficulty of a Buddha appearing. The above has clarified that what they attained is difficult; from here below is the second [part], citing them to revoke them. "Parting from the eight difficulties" cites what the previous six difficulties departed from. When the bhikṣus attained the latter five difficulties, they immediately parted from the eight difficulties; hence it is cited now. The eight difficulties are: the three wretched realms are three; being born blind, deaf, and so forth is the fourth; worldly intellectual brilliance is the fifth; being before or after a Buddha is the sixth; Uttarakuru is the seventh; and the heaven of long life is the eighth. Among the eight, the first three are in the three lower destinies, the next four are among humans, and the last one is in heaven. Because of obtaining a human body, they part from the difficulty of the three wretched realms; encountering a Buddha, they part from being before or after a Buddha; giving rise to faith, they part from the difficulty of the wrong views of worldly intellectual brilliance; hearing the Dharma, they part from the difficulties of blindness, deafness, and so forth; possessing precepts and attaining the fruit, they part from the difficulty of Uttarakuru and the heaven of long life, because there is no attainment there. From "having obtained a human body" downward, he cites what they attained. Among the latter five difficulties, he selectively cites the first two. The first two are also what the Mahāyāna relies upon and need not be revoked and broken; hence he selectively cites them. "Difficult to obtain a human body" cites the first previous one. "You have encountered me" cites the second previous one. "You should not pass your lives in vain" relies on the first two to revoke the latter three kinds. Although in the Hīnayāna they possess faith and the rest, viewed from the perspective of the Mahāyāna they have attained nothing at all; hence it is said to "pass in vain."

2.8

The above revokes falsehood; below he exhorts the cultivation of truth. There are four distinct clauses: (1) presenting his own past causes; (2) from "Now having attained..." downward, presenting his own present effect: the attained virtue of the fruit surpasses the two vehicles, hence it is called "unsurpassed"; attaining great nirvāṇa without abandoning the mundane realm, with unobstructed skill-in-means, hence it is called "expedient means"; (3) from "For your sakes..." downward, clarifying the purpose of cultivation in terms of his own past causes, wishing to cause sentient beings to bear the kindness and accept the practice—"relinquishing bodies, hands," and so forth refers to the previous austerities; (4) from "Therefore..." downward, concluding with an exhortation to cultivate in terms of his own present fruit: because for your sakes I sought and attained such an unsurpassed fruit, you should not be negligent, discarding it without learning it.

2.9

In individually revoking the fruit, first he explains the present truth; from "You now having encountered..." downward, he relies on the truth to revoke falsehood. In the former, "How is the Dharma castle adorned?" asks in order to initiate [the discourse]. The true Dharma of nirvāṇa resembles a mundane treasure castle; named after the metaphor, it is called the jewel castle of Dharma. From "How is this jewel castle of Dharma adorned?" downward, he explains it in response. "Endowed with diverse virtues" generally reveals the adornments. "Precepts, concentration, and wisdom are its walls and moats..." and so forth individually reveals the adornments. Precepts can ward off wrongdoing, hence they are called the wall; concentration is deep and tranquil, so it is called the moat; wisdom can illuminate and observe, so it is called the parapet. In what follows below, where he relies on the truth to revoke falsehood: "You now having encountered this, you should not grasp these false things" directly exhorts discarding falsehood. From "For example..." downward clarifies the loss in grasping falsehood, first with a metaphor and then an application. From "You all..." downward concludes with the exhortation to abandon falsehood.

2.10

In individually revoking the cause, first he revokes past falsehood; from "You must now..." downward, he exhorts cultivation of the present truth. In the former there are four clauses: (1) revoking going forth from home, (2) revoking dyeing the robes, (3) revoking begging for food, and (4) revoking shaving the head. The text is clear and can be understood. In exhorting the cultivation of truth, "I now truly instruct you" generally indicates the permission; below he instructs them individually. Within this there are three: (1) clarifying that currently the conditions of the Three Jewels are complete, exhorting them to cultivate diligently. "I am now present" means the condition of the Buddha Jewel is complete; "the great assembly is harmonious" means the condition of the Sangha Jewel is complete; "the nature of dharmas is not contrary" means the condition of the reality of Dharma is complete. From "Therefore..." downward concludes with an exhortation to cultivate: "You should be vigorously diligent, gathering your minds with courage" exhorts cultivation of good dharmas; "destroy all fetters" instructs the severing of evil dharmas. (2) From "When the Ten Powers sink..." downward, he points out the loss when the sage passes away, urging them to cultivate quickly. The Buddha is called the wisdom sun of the Ten Powers; after the Buddha passes into extinction, there will be no one to instruct you to cut off dark obstacles, therefore you will be covered by ignorance. While the Buddha is still present now, you should cultivate swiftly. (3) From "Just as..." downward, he praises the Dharma as having many benefits, causing them to cultivate without fail, first by metaphor and then by application. "My Dharma is also like this" matches the medicinal herbs on the ground; "producing wondrous..." and so forth matches their function of producing. "Producing the wondrous, good, ambrosial flavor of Dharma" clarifies that it can produce good; "and acting as a good medicine for the illnesses of sentient beings" clarifies that it can extinguish evil. The assembly below makes their request on account of what was thus revoked and exhorted; this should be remembered.

2.11

The above revoked past falsehood and exhorted cultivation of the present truth; from here below is the second [section], which expounds the three aspects of nirvāṇa in terms of the truth. The text has three divisions: (1) promising to settle sentient beings and cause them to abide in the secret treasury; (2) from "I also..." downward, he promises to abide [there] himself; (3) from "What is..." downward, reveals the characteristics of the secret treasury in which they abide. In the first, "shall cause all sentient beings" refers to ordinary sentient beings; "and my sons" refers to bodhisattvas being called sons, because the virtues of bodhisattvas are capable of continuing the lineage, hence they are called sons; "the fourfold assembly" refers to the śrāvaka assembly, divided into male and female, at home and left home, hence there are four assemblies. Directing them all together to realize Mahāparinirvāṇa is called settling them in the secret treasury. Mahāparinirvāṇa was concealed and not spoken of in the past, hence it is called secret. Because it was covered by the provisional teachings, it is further called treasury; hence the text below says: "Because it was not spoken of in the eleven divisions [of scriptures], it is called a treasury." Moreover, because it encompasses all virtues within it, it is also called a treasury. In the second section, "I also shall abide in this and enter nirvāṇa" promises that he himself will abide; already abiding in common with others, he therefore says "also." In reality, he has long abided in it; in contrast to now ceasing his transformative activity and just entering it, he says "shall." Ceasing transformation and returning to the true is called entering nirvāṇa. In the third section, "What is the secret treasury?" cites the question to initiate [the discourse]; below he explains it in response. One should first explain the three aspects of nirvāṇa and then explain the text; the meaning is as in the separate chapter. In the text, the metaphor comes first. In the metaphor, it first says "just like the letter *i*," generally citing the metaphor; this cites the letter *i* in the Indic script. Below, it explains the characteristics of the metaphor. The text has four clauses, not in strict order. If arranged correctly, it should say: if the three dots are placed side by side, they do not form an *i*; vertically, they also do not form it; if the three dots are separate, they also cannot form it; only like the three eyes on the face of Maheśvara do they form an *i*. According to the application, it should be so. But in the present text, it first cites vertical and side by side, next cites Maheśvara's three eyes forming the *i*, and then clarifies their separateness. Saying "like the three eyes on the face of Maheśvara" establishes a metaphor to elucidate the metaphor. In the application, it first says "I also am like this," matching the initial letter *i*. These words are incomplete; if complete, it should say "The secret treasury attained by me is also like this." Below, it matches them individually. First, it matches non-formation: "The dharma of liberation is also not nirvāṇa, up to wisdom also is not nirvāṇa" matches the above where vertical or side by side cannot form an *i*; "the three dharmas being separate from each other is also not nirvāṇa" matches the above text where the three dots being separate also does not form it. This formation and non-formation are discussed fully in a separate chapter; here we briefly explain it with three meanings: (1) Distinguishing them in terms of the contrast between the true and the responsive: the responsive and transformational three aspects, being impermanent and subject to arising and ceasing, do not constitute nirvāṇa; because they do not constitute it, they must now be extinguished. The three aspects of true virtue only then constitute nirvāṇa; because they truly constitute it, he now enters into them. (2) Distinguishing them in terms of the naturally pure and expedient means: the three aspects of expedient means are subsumed under the gate of bodhi and do not constitute nirvāṇa; the three aspects of natural purity only then constitute nirvāṇa, because this sūtra specifically clarifies the fruit of natural purity as nirvāṇa. (3) Distinguishing them in terms of the general and specific of natural purity: distinguished separately, they do not constitute it; taken together as a whole, they do constitute it, just as those three dots separately do not form an *i*, but taken together as a whole they do form it. From "I now abide in such three..." downward matches that, like the three eyes of Maheśvara, it only then forms an *i*. This is abiding in the three true and eternal aspects, or it can also be abiding in the three naturally pure aspects, hence constituting nirvāṇa. Although what he abides in is eternal, for the sake of transforming sentient beings he extinguishes the manifestation and returns to it; therefore it is said that for the sake of sentient beings it is called entering nirvāṇa, which refers to entering the nirvāṇa of transformation and extinction. Hence the great assembly below, hearing it, weeps sorrowfully. "Like the mundane letter *i*" adduces the metaphor to apply it, roughly distinguishing according to the dharmas.

2.12

The above clarified the three aspects of nirvāṇa; from here below reveals the real meaning of the four dharmas. If one divides the text into four sections, the first two sections are finished; from here below, the third is based on the bhikṣus' renewed sorrowful entreaty. "Hearing that the Buddha, the World-Honoured One, would definitely enter nirvāṇa, they were all grieved..." and so forth clarifies the sorrowful weeping of the assembly. From "bowed their heads" downward is the entreaty: bowing their heads is the bodily entreaty; addressing the Buddha is the verbal entreaty. The verbal entreaty has three [parts]: (1) praising the past to make an entreaty; (2) from "Just as a king..." downward, the bhikṣus cite their own delusion to make an entreaty; (3) from "Like a person who praises the plantain tree..." downward, praising themselves to make an entreaty. For what reason do the bhikṣus praise the past to make an entreaty? Because earlier, in individually revoking the fruit, the Buddha told the bhikṣus: "You should not grasp false things." Therefore now the bhikṣus conversely praise the truth of the Dharma they attained in the past and the superiority of their contemplative thoughts, wishing to cause the Tathāgata to overturn them and reveal the truth. Why does the second cite delusion to make an entreaty? Because earlier, in individually revoking the cause, the Buddha exhorted the cutting off of fetters: "After the Ten Powers are extinguished, you will be covered by ignorance; my Dharma can serve as a good medicine for illness." Therefore now the bhikṣus cite their own delusion and ask the Buddha to remain and cut it off. Why does the third praise their own understanding? Because earlier, in jointly revoking the bhikṣus' cause and effect, the Buddha told the bhikṣus: "You have encountered me; you should not pass your lives in vain, and you should not be negligent." Therefore now they praise themselves as having well cultivated non-self and hence not being negligent; and because cultivating non-self can attain nirvāṇa, they have not passed their lives in vain. Making these remarks, they wish to cause the Tathāgata to overturn their understanding and further clarify correct cultivation.

2.13

Following these three, the Tathāgata responds individually, which should be noted and understood. In the first [part], there are four sections: first, because the Buddha is now to pass into extinction, [the bhikṣus] inversely praise the past teaching, showing that the Dharma they attained in the past is real and not false; second, from "Just as among the footprints of living beings" onward, they show that their past ability to contemplate and conceptualize was superior and not false; third, from "If the Tathāgata were free from the concept of impermanence" onward, they raise an objection to refute the Tathāgata's meaning of "peaceful abiding", clarifying that the Buddha definitely passes into extinction, thus establishing the truth of the dharma of impermanence in the first section; fourth, from "Just as a farmer" onward, they reiterate their praise of their past ability to contemplate and conceptualize as superior, establishing the superiority of the ability to contemplate and conceptualize from the second section above.

2.14

In the first section, "Delightfully expounded impermanence and suffering" and so forth inversely praises the past teaching. Why do the bhikṣus praise the Buddha's past exposition? Because the Buddha is now to pass into extinction. Since the Buddha is now definitely to pass into extinction, this clarifies that dharmas are definitely impermanent, suffering, and empty. Since dharmas are indeed like this, the past words corresponded to the reality of dharmas; therefore, they say "delightfully [expounded]". Why do they praise it? In order to show that the dharma of impermanence, suffering, and emptiness which they themselves attained is real, so as to cause the Buddha to overturn it and further reveal the true Dharma.

2.15

In the second section, first is a simile, next is the application, and afterward the superior features are revealed. In the simile, the "footprints of living beings" is a simile for contemplations such as the five gates of deliverance—impurity and the rest; the "elephant's footprint" is a simile for contemplations such as impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self. The elephant's footprint is broad and large; because it refutes extensively, it is superior. In the application, the initial statement that "this contemplation of impermanence is also like this" applies to the elephant's footprint mentioned before. This text is slightly abbreviated; if fully stated, it should say that the concepts of impermanence, suffering, non-self, and so forth are also like this. In the text, taking the beginning, it provisionally states "impermanence". This is actually wisdom, but is spoken of by the name "concept". Why is this? The various mental states and mental factors take names from one another; just as the essence of the four applications of mindfulness is actually wisdom yet they are named "mindfulness", this is also the same. Furthermore, this wisdom grasps marks and is therefore called "concept". "It is the most supreme among all concepts" corresponds to "the highest among all footprints" above. Next, the superior features are revealed: "If one diligently cultivates it, one can eliminate sensual desire, up to arrogance", which clarifies that it can sever the afflictions of the path of cultivation and attain the fruit of [nirvāṇa] with residue. Sensual desire in the desire realm, desire in the form and formless realms—these are the defilements of craving across the three realms; ignorance and arrogance are the two defilements of delusion and conceit across the three realms. Ill-will, belonging to the desire realm, can already be severed when attaining the state of an anāgāmin, so it is briefly omitted from discussion. Cultivating the concept of impermanence can eradicate all of them, and also severs the delusions of seeing. The text mentions the end, so the beginning can be known. "And the concept of impermanence" clarifies that it can extinguish the cognitive wisdom to realize the fruit [of nirvāṇa] without residue; it also extinguishes concepts such as suffering, emptiness, and non-self, though provisionally only "impermanence" is mentioned. From here onward, the third section raises an objection to refute the Tathāgata's meaning of "peaceful abiding", clarifying that the Buddha definitely passes into extinction, thus establishing the truth of the dharma of impermanence from the first [section] above. Among the three elements, it provisionally raises an objection against the meaning of abiding in terms of prajñā; the rest can be known by analogy. However, here, drawing upon the aforementioned concept of impermanence, the objection is framed through dilemmas, because the concept of impermanence and that prajñā are both alike in being wisdom. What is the intent of the objection? If the Tathāgata were free from this concept of impermanence and had another, permanent dharma in which to peacefully abide, then by peacefully abiding he would not be extinguished, and so now he ought not to enter nirvāṇa; yet now he enters nirvāṇa, which clarifies that beyond this concept of impermanence the Buddha has no other permanent dharma in which he can peacefully abide. If the Buddha is not free from this concept of impermanence and ultimately abides peacefully in such a concept, then this concept would be permanent and could not be severed or extinguished; how then could it have been said in the past that cultivating the concept of impermanence can eradicate afflictions and the concept of impermanence itself? Cultivating the concept of impermanence can in turn eradicate the concept of impermanence itself—where then could he peacefully abide, such that one could say he is "not free" from it? Both being free and not being free lack the meaning of abiding, which clarifies that the Buddha definitely passes into extinction; because the Buddha definitely passes into extinction, the principle of impermanence is definite, and the dharma of impermanence is real.

2.16

In the fourth [section], which reiterates and reveals the superiority of the ability to contemplate, first there is the direct praise, and below it is reiterated and concluded. In the former part, first is a simile: above, the elephant's footprint was said to be superior because of its extensive refutation, whereas here autumn plowing is said to be superior because of its complete eradication. The application below can be understood. In reiterating and concluding below, it first reiterates the plowing simile, taking advantage of the flow of words; next it reiterates the footprint simile, and from "among all concepts" onward, comprehensively applies it to reveal its superiority.

2.17

In the second major section, which presents defilements to make the request, the text is divided into five parts: the first two show that their own ignorance has not yet been dispelled and request the Buddha to remain and sever it; the next two show that their own four entrenchments have not yet perished and request the Buddha to remain and sever them; the last one shows that their own inverted conceptions have not yet been eliminated and requests the Buddha to remain and sever them. Why do the bhikṣus cite these to request their severance? Because earlier the Buddha, in separately overturning the cause, stated: "After the Ten Powers have passed into extinction, you will be covered by ignorance"; therefore, they cite ignorance to request the Buddha to teach its severance. Because earlier the Buddha exhorted the crushing of the defilements, they cite the four entrenchments to request the Buddha to remain and sever them. Because earlier the Buddha said: "My Dharma can serve as a good medicine for illness", they cite inverted conceptions to request the Buddha to remain and sever them.

2.18

Question: The sūtras say that the two vehicles are able to sever the afflictions of the four entrenchments; the bhikṣus should not have them. Why do they now request the severance of the four entrenchments? Explanation: The four entrenchments have coarse and subtle aspects; the coarse ones have long been eliminated, but the subtle ones still remain, which is why they now request their severance.

2.19

Another question: How do inverted conceptions differ from the preceding four entrenchments and ignorance, such that they separately request their severance? Explanation: Inverted conceptions arise from ignorance and are the causes belonging to the four entrenchments; therefore they separately request their severance. How is this known? As the Bodhisattvabhūmi says: "Suchness as it truly is, ordinary fools do not know, and give rise to eight false conceptions." Thus we know that inverted conceptions arise from ignorance; and that very text explains that the eight false conceptions can give rise to matters of views, conceit, craving, anger, and delusion; thus we know that inverted conceptions are the causes of the four entrenchments.

2.20

Among the five, what is the distinction between the first two? The former shows that their own ignorance has not been severed; the latter clarifies that because their own ignorance remains, they cannot attain the Tathāgata's three-element nirvāṇa. What is the distinction between the next two? The former shows that their own four entrenchments have not been severed; the latter clarifies that because their own four entrenchments remain, they cannot attain peace and joy. Thus there are five distinctions.

2.21

Regarding the first request, first an analogy is established: the "emperor" is a simile for the Buddha; "knowing the end, grants an act of grace so that the prisoners are freed" is an analogy for the Buddha approaching extinction and being obliged to teach living beings to eradicate ignorance; from "The Tathāgata now" onward, drawing on the analogy, they beseech the Buddha; from "We now" onward, they show that they have not yet escaped, inquiring and requesting the Buddha to remain.

2.22

In the second request, first an analogy is established: "Just as a person possessed by a ghost", the bhikṣus compare themselves to being bound by ignorance; "encounters an excellent spell-master whose mantra power removes the illness and cures it", an analogy for the Buddha's ability to save; here, "the person attaining peace and joy" is missing [in the phrasing]. Below, drawing on this, they beseech the Buddha: "The Tathāgata is also like this" corresponds to the excellent spell-master; "For the sake of the śrāvakas" and so forth beseeches the Buddha, just like the aforementioned mantra power, to expel the ghost; from "so that they attain peace" onward corresponds to the sick person attaining peace and joy. This mentions prajñā and liberation as equal to the dharmakāya. Just as the worldly letter 'i' serves as an analogy for distinct dharmas, the three elements of the Mahāyāna are like the worldly letter 'i', whereas the three elements of the Hīnayāna are either vertical, parallel, or separate, not resembling the letter 'i'. Now saying that it is like the letter 'i' shows that it is not like the three elements of the Hīnayāna.

2.23

In the third request, first an analogy is established; from "I have not yet" onward, they show that they are not yet equal [to this]; from "How could..." onward, they inquire and request the Buddha to remain. In the analogy, "Just as an elephant is bound by a human" is an analogy for the buddhas and bodhisattvas originally being bound by the afflictions of the four entrenchments. The human is an analogy for the objects of delusion; the reins and fetters are an analogy for the afflictions; entanglement of the mind is called being bound. "Though there is a good trainer, he cannot restrain it" is an analogy for the aforementioned five desires and the hosts of Māra being unable to bind them. "Suddenly breaking the reins and fetters, it departs at will" is an analogy for the buddhas and bodhisattvas severing hindrances and departing. Next, drawing upon the preceding analogy, they show that they are not yet equal [to this]. "I am not yet like this" means not yet equal to the scent-elephant; "Not yet free from the fifty-seven afflictions" is a phrasing whose textual source I have not personally seen. Some report that it comes from the *Fo piposha* (Buddha-vibhāṣā), which has eighteen fascicles; it states that the delusions of seeing are fifty—namely, the ten defilements deludingly covering the five aggregates—and the delusions of cultivation are seven: four in the desire realm, namely craving, anger, delusion, and conceit; and three in the higher realms, with ill-will excluded and the rest remaining. The meaning is very apt, but the *Fo piposha* is not in the sūtra catalogues, so whether it is authentic or not is unknown. From "How could..." onward, they inquire and request the Buddha to remain.

2.24

In the fourth request, an analogy is also first established, and next, drawing upon it, they reveal themselves. From "How could..." onward, they inquire and request the Buddha to remain. In the analogy, the initial statement "Just as a person suffering from malaria" is an analogy for the buddhas and bodhisattvas originally being bound by defilements, where subtle defilements reside in the mind and, before flaring up, are like malaria; "encountering an excellent physician, the suffering is removed" is an analogy for the buddhas and bodhisattvas encountering past buddhas and hearing the Dharma to remove hindrances. Next, drawing upon it to reveal themselves, "I am also like this, with many afflictions" and so forth clarifies that they are like the sick person mentioned before, with the residual bonds of the four entrenchments plaguing body and mind, which is called "many afflictions and sufferings"; views are wrong livelihood, and craving is a febrile disease. From "Although having encountered" onward shows that they are not yet equal to the one whose suffering was removed. "Although having encountered the Tathāgata, the illness is not yet healed" means that unwholesome dharmas have not yet been abandoned, supreme tranquility and constant bliss have not yet been attained, and pure virtues are not yet completed. From "How could..." onward, they inquire and request the Buddha to remain.

2.25

In the fifth request, first an analogy is established, next drawing upon it the Dharma is revealed, and afterward they request the Buddha to remain. Within the analogy there are two parts: first, a simile for their own confusion and delusion; second, from "At that time there is an excellent physician who gives medicine" onward, a simile for the Buddha's ability to cure. In the former, the initial statement "Just as an intoxicated person" raises the case of the analogy: the intoxicated person is a simile for oneself; the ground of ignorance and the false sense faculties and sense objects can generate inverted conceptions, which are compared to liquor; the deluded mind giving rise to falsity is described as being drunk. Below, the faults of drunkenness are revealed; there are three kinds of faults: first, an analogy for giving rise to afflictions; second, from "Speech" onward, an analogy clarifying the creation of karma; third, from "Lying in feces and filth" onward, an analogy clarifying the undergoing of suffering. In giving rise to afflictions, "Without self-awareness, not recognizing relatives and strangers, mother and daughter, sister and sister" is an analogy for one's own delusion. Not knowing that one's own essence, the nature of the tathāgatagarbha, is fundamentally tranquil and unconditioned is called "not being self-aware"; not knowing that the deluded mind directly arises out of confusion concerning the real is called "not recognizing relatives"; not knowing that deluded objects arise from the deluded mind is called "not recognizing strangers". Not recognizing these is therefore called "delusion". "Dazed and confused, wanton and disorderly" is an analogy for giving rise to inverted conceptions. "Conceptions" refers to the eight false conceptions, as stated in the Bodhisattvabhūmi. In the analogy for creating karma, speech is verbal karma, and negligence is physical karma; undergoing suffering can be understood.

2.26

In the second part, which is an analogy for the Buddha's ability to cure, first the state of intoxication is cured; from "Returning to oneself" onward, the faults of intoxication are removed. In curing the state of intoxication, the "excellent master" is a simile for the Buddha; preaching the Dharma and bestowing it upon people is called "giving medicine to take"; receiving the Dharma and practicing it is called "having taken it"; abandoning delusion and afflictions and not grasping at false objects is called "vomiting the wine". In removing the faults of intoxication, awakening to the understanding that one's own essence is fundamentally pure is called "remembering oneself", which reverses the earlier statement "without self-awareness"; knowing and recognizing relatives and strangers is called "recognizing", which reverses the earlier "not recognizing relatives and strangers" and so forth; "harboring shame and remorse in the mind, deeply reproaching oneself" and so forth reverses the earlier "dazed and confused, wanton and disorderly" and so forth. Negligence in speech and lying in feces and filth are briefly not overturned here.

2.27

Next is applying [the metaphor] to illuminate the Dharma, in which there are also two parts: first, applying the previous metaphor, explaining their own bewilderment; second, applying the subsequent metaphor, explaining that the Buddha can cure [it], and requesting that the Buddha preach the Dharma. Within the first part, it first matches the [clause] 'like a drunkard': 'I also am like this' matches the person [in the metaphor]; 'ever since the past, drunk on sense faculties and forms' matches the drunkenness [in the metaphor]. 'Sense faculties' refers to the five roots; 'forms' refers to the five sense objects. Because these faculties and objects are conditions that generate delusion, they are spoken of as wine. Relying on these, defilements are produced, which bewilder and throw one's mind into confusion; this is called being 'drunk on sense faculties and forms.' Below, this matches the faults of drunkenness: not being self-aware, not recognizing relatives, and so on, are omitted and not matched. 'Greedily hankering after the five desires' matches the prior licentious confusion; 'conceiving a mother to be no mother, and even conceiving that non-sentient beings are sentient beings' matches the prior wild confusion. Careless speech and negligence are omitted and not matched. 'Therefore, transmigrating and suffering the pain of birth and death' matches lying in excrement and filth. 'Just like that drunkard' brings up the metaphor to affix it.

2.28

From here below, the second part, applying the prior metaphor of the good physician being able to cure [the drunkard], requests that the Buddha preach the Dharma. 'The Tathāgata should now bestow on me the Dharma medicine' is a request corresponding to the good physician giving medicine to be taken. 'Causing me to vomit up the wine of the afflictions' matches taking [the medicine] and vomiting. The text from 'Yet I have not yet' downward reveals that one is not yet the same as an awakened person, and urgently requests that the Buddha remain.

2.29

Regarding the third section, the request praising oneself, the text divides into three parts: first, the monks, based on the Buddha's earlier statement that 'You, having encountered me, should not be negligent and should not let it pass in vain,' praise their own good cultivation, wanting to prompt the Tathāgata to conversely illuminate superior cultivation; second, the Tathāgata affirms and praises them; third, the monks, hearing the praise, produce an error on the basis of these words.

2.30

Regarding the first section, there are five clauses: the first three clauses praise their own good cultivation, and the latter two clarify the extraordinary nature of what they cultivate. Again, regarding the first part: the first clause censures passion and reveals the principle, disclosing their own good cultivation; the latter two clauses contemplate phenomena as devoid of self, clarifying their own good cultivation. In the first part, there is first a metaphor, next a matching to reveal the Dharma, and from 'we' downward it concludes their own good cultivation. In the metaphor, 'like a person praising a plantain tree, taking it to be solid' uses a metaphor for the worldling grasping a self: the plantain tree is a metaphor for the body; to say that the self is solid is impossible. In the matching that censures passion and reveals the principle: 'sentient beings' matches the person above; 'if one praises the self' and so forth matches praising the plantain tree, taking it to be solid; 'this also is impossible' matches 'it is impossible.' From 'we' downward it concludes their own good cultivation: they are also able to cultivate the conception of impermanence and so forth. Because [the contemplation of] non-self is superior in remedying [afflictions], it is spoken of in particular. Regarding the latter two parts: the former clause contemplates the dharmas of the five aggregates as lacking the function of a self, with the metaphor first and the matching after; the latter clause contemplates the dharmas of the five aggregates as lacking the substantial nature of a self, with the metaphor first and the matching after. From 'we' downward, it concludes their own good cultivation. In the latter two clauses praising the superiority of what they cultivate: the former is superior because it can eradicate the delusions of cultivation; within it, earlier teachings of the Buddha are cited to reveal this—greed, hatred, delusion, and conceit are all eliminated and severed; here it merely mentions eliminating conceit, and the rest can be known by extension. The latter is superior because it can eliminate the delusions of views, with the metaphor first and the matching after. 'Cultivating the conception of non-self' matches the aforementioned emptiness; 'and that there should be views is impossible' matches the aforementioned 'the appearance of bird-tracks is impossible.'

2.31

In the second part, the Tathāgata's affirmation and praise: 'Excellent' is an expression of praise. 'You have cultivated well' states what is praised. Toward the faults of the conditioned, this is indeed able to remedy them; hence the Buddha praises it.

2.32

In the third part, producing an error on the basis of these words: first, they produce the error; from 'Like a drunk person' downward, they affirm themselves and fault others. As for the earlier producing of an error, what kind of error is produced? Because the Buddha praised their good cultivation of non-self among conditioned dharmas, they take this basis to produce the four unconditioned inversions of impermanence and so forth in the buddha-ground; hence it is called producing an error. When the monks say to the Buddha, 'We not only cultivate the conception of non-self, but also cultivate the other conceptions,' it means that not only do they cultivate the conception of non-self with regard to the aggregates of worldlings, but they also cultivate the conceptions of impermanence, suffering, non-self, and so on with regard to the aggregates of the buddha-fruit. However, this is strictly termed producing the conceptions of impermanence, suffering, non-self, and so on regarding the buddha-ground; it cannot be termed producing the conceptions of impermanence, suffering, non-self, and so on within unconditioned dharmas. Why is this so? If one knew the unconditioned, one would never produce inversions such as impermanence. For what reason is impurity not mentioned? Because impurity is a concrete contemplation of particulars, it is not discussed. Furthermore, within the Tathāgata's outflow-free dharmas, people generally do not grasp them as impure; hence it is not mentioned, although in principle it is truly present.

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Linked texts (1)

大般涅槃經義記 — Classical Chinese