涅槃玄義發源機要 4.10

4.10

二、「斆群」下，正明述作時處，二：初、謙光述懷。經第三十云「譬如王告大臣：『汝牽一象以示盲者。』時彼眾盲各以手觸。其觸牙者即云象如萊茯根，其觸耳者言象如箕等。經自合云：王喻如來，臣喻方等大涅槃經，象喻佛性，盲喻一切無明眾生。」獨夢談刀，如經第十八，略如上記。刀喻佛性，夢寱謬談非親得刀，此皆疏主謙也。謂心思經旨，如盲觸象，豈識全軀；口說經文，如夢談刀，故非實有。二、「以大」下，著述時處，二：初明時處，二：初、示染筆時處。大業，即隋煬年號。十年，即甲戌歲也。廬于天台之南者，《小爾雅》云「廬，寄也。」謂寄止也，亦別舍也。黃帝為廬，以避寒暑，春秋去之，冬夏居之，故云寄止也。神邕《天台雜記》云「赤城為南門，石城為西門。」今云天台之南，謂赤城也。二、「管窺」下，明憑師述作。管窺智者義意者，《莊子》云「以管窺天」也。謂智者法門如天之高遠，已解推尋如以管窺。義意者，五時四教之義，三觀六即之意。依此義意，輒為此經解釋旨趣也。為，去聲。《尚書．序》曰「承詔為五十九篇作傳。」大業，明製撰之時。天台之南，顯筆削之處。管窺智者，示所學之宗。

Second, from "Imitating the crowd" downward, directly clarifies the time and place of composition, in two parts: first, a modest expression of his feelings. Fascicle thirty of the sutra says: "For example, the king told a minister: 'Lead an elephant to show to the blind.' Then the blind crowd each touched it with their hands. The one who touched the tusk said an elephant was like a radish root; the one who touched the ear said an elephant was like a winnowing basket, and so forth. The sutra itself draws the analogy: the king symbolizes the Tathāgata; the minister symbolizes the Vaipulya Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra; the elephant symbolizes the Buddha-nature; and the blind symbolize all ignorant sentient beings." Speaking of a sword only in a dream is as in fascicle eighteen of the sutra, briefly mentioned above. The sword symbolizes the Buddha-nature; talking erratically in a dream is not having personally obtained the sword. These are all the commentary author's modesty. That is, reflecting in mind upon the sutra's purport is like the blind touching the elephant—how could one know the whole body? Speaking the sutra's text aloud is like discussing a sword in a dream, hence it is not real possession. Second, from "In Daye" downward, concerns the time and place of writing, in two parts: first, clarifying the time and place, which itself has two parts: first, indicating the time and place of setting pen to paper. Daye is the reign era of Emperor Yang of the Sui. The tenth year was the jiaxu year. "Dwelling in a hut south of Tiantai": the Xiao Erya says, "Lu (a hut) means to lodge temporarily." It means a temporary lodging, or a detached lodge. The Yellow Emperor made huts to avoid cold and heat, leaving them in spring and autumn, and dwelling in them in winter and summer; hence it means lodging temporarily. Shenyong's Tiantai Zaji says: "Chicheng is the south gate, and Shicheng is the west gate." Now saying "south of Tiantai" refers to Chicheng. Second, from "Viewing through a tube" downward, clarifies composing [the work] based upon the master. "Viewing Zhizhe's meaning and intention through a tube": the Zhuangzi says, "viewing the sky through a tube." This means that Zhizhe's dharma-gate is as high and distant as the sky, while one's own understanding and investigation are like viewing it through a tube. "Meaning and intention" refers to the meaning of the five periods and four teachings, and the intention of the three contemplations and six identities. Relying on this meaning and intention, he ventured to interpret the purports for this sutra. Wei is in the falling tone. The preface to the Shangshu states: "Receiving the edict, he made commentaries for the fifty-nine chapters." "Daye" clarifies the time of compilation. "South of Tiantai" reveals the place of writing and editing. "Viewing Zhizhe through a tube" shows the lineage of what was learned.