涅槃玄義發源機要 4.4

4.4

二、「走雖」下，求旨天台，二：初、別示緣差，二：初、八障喪聽，二：初、師存喪聽，二：初、正明八障。凡稱走或僕，或蒙皆謙也。《東京賦》曰「走雖不敏，庶斯達矣。」注云：「走謂走使之人，公子自謙敏達也。」願聞旨趣者，既誦其文，願知其義。負笈天台者，《切韻》曰「笈負書箱也。」《史記》云「後漢蘇章，字士成，北海人。負笈追師，不遠千里。」天台，指智者所居之山也。陶隱居《真誥》曰「高一萬八千丈，周回八百里。山有八重，四面如一，當斗牛之分，上應台星，故曰天台。」《輿地志》曰「天台山一名桐栢，眾嶽之極秀者也。」心忻藍染者，劉子云「青出於藍而青於藍。」染，使然也。此以染義，喻從師求解，不取勝義。登山甫爾者，甫，始也，言未久也。仍逢出谷者，又值智者奉陳後主詔出山也。疏主傳曰「陳至德元年，隨師出京，住光宅寺。」「不惟」下，自謙也。言不思已德荒薄，而輒侍奉，隨從智者於皇帝朝廷也。《易緯》曰「帝者，天號也。德象天地，不私公位，稱之曰帝。」香塗三宮者，或作六宮，並由斯文古無章記、講貫者寡，故令傳寫魚魯成訛。今謂三宮，定非二六通用。有云：三宮為正，乃地名也。引唐《僧傳》疏主傳云「三宮廬阜，九向衡峰，無不揖迹依迎。訪問遺逸，此不應爾。」今敘大師正宮京輦，地乃金陵，非三宮也。今按三宮，即東嶽泰山，故《茅君內傳》曰「岱宗山之洞，周回三千餘里，名三宮空洞之天。」言二宮者，《文選》曰「婉變二宮，徘徊殿闥。」注云「婉孌徘徊，皆顧慕貌。」二宮，謂帝及太子宮也。故《大師別傳》云「陳主幸寺，捨身大施。」又云「皇太子已下並託舟航，咸宗戒範。」故云二宮也。《續高僧傳》中皆指帝宮及儲宮為二宮。既稟戒法，故云香塗。即經云「常用戒香塗瑩體也。」或謂大師為陳隋二帝戒師，即是二宮。此亦不然。此中正敘陳主欽崇，下云「金陵土崩，方歸隋國」，豈於陳世預說隋朝？無乃不可。或作六宮，即特指天子，其義亦通。言六宮者，《周禮》「天子后立六宮、三夫人、九嬪、二十七世婦、八十一御妻。」鄭玄注曰「六宮者，前一宮，後五宮也。五者，后一宮、三夫人一宮、九嬪一宮、二十七世婦一宮、八十一御妻一宮，凡一百二十人。后正位宮闈，體同天子。」七眾者，一比丘、二比丘尼、三式叉摩那、四沙彌、五沙彌尼、六優婆塞、七優婆夷也。比丘等六，翻名釋義具在疏文。式叉摩那者，此云學法女，不別得戒也。先以立志，六法練心，為受緣也。《四分》云「十八童女應二歲學戒。」又云。「小年曾嫁，年十歲者，與六法。」《十誦》中，六法者，練心也，試看大戒受緣。二年者，練身也，可知有胎無胎。此式叉尼具學三法：一、學根本，謂四重是；二、學六法，謂一染心相觸、二盜人四錢、三斷畜生命、四小妄語、五非時食、六飲酒也；三、學行法，謂一切大尼戒行並須學之。言光輝七眾者，此謂戒香既塗於二宮，道光彌耀於七眾也。道俗參請者，道謂出家五眾，俗謂在家二眾。交絡者，謂參玄請法之人往來不絕也。雖欽下，甘露喻涅槃旨趣也。《瑞應圖》云「露色濃甘者為之甘露。王者施德惠，則甘露降其草木。甘露，仁澤也，一名天酒。」「如俟」下，謂待智者講說此經，如待黃河之清，言其難者也。王子年，《拾遣記》曰「丹丘千年一燒、黃河千年一清，皆至聖之君以為大瑞。又黃河清而聖人生。」《左傳》子駟曰：「周詩有之曰：俟河之清，人壽幾何。」杜預注曰「言人壽促而河清遲。」詎，豈也。有期無日者，雖許講宣，以我多障，竟無日得聞也。逮，及也。金陵，地名也，吳晉宋齊梁陳謂之江南，六朝悉都其地。《建康實錄》云「本楚金陵邑，秦改為秣陵，吳改為建業。晉愍帝諱業，改為建康。元帝即位稱建康宮。」土崩者，隋開皇八年，文帝命晉王楊廣、清河公楊素，督兵五十萬以伐陳，旌旗千里、金鼓震天，俄而平江東、膚陳主。陳國傾壞，喻以土崩。《文選．陳琳檄書》曰「必土崩瓦解，不俟血刃。」師徒雨散者，陳國既破，法集遂停，師徒相捨，如雨分散。《絕交論》云「駱驛縱橫，烟飛雨散。」大師遺囑云「朝同雲集，暮如雨散。」或作「兩」字者，誤。後會匡嶺者，匡嶺即廬山也。《廬山記》曰「匡俗出於周威王時，生而神靈，隱淪潛景，廬于此山。俗稱廬君，故山取號焉。」大師《別傳》曰「金陵既敗，旋錫荊湘，路次湓城。忽夢老僧曰：『陶侃瑞像，敬屈守護，遠公冥請也。』於是住憇廬山。俄而潯陽反叛，寺宇焚燒，獨有茲山全無侵撓。」復屬虔劉者，《左傳》曰「虔劉我邊垂。」杜注云「虔、劉，皆殺也。」即是值潯陽反叛也。江陵，荊州也。仍遭霧露者，仍值兵亂也。《抱朴子》曰「白霧四面圍城，不出百日大兵必至。」又《三國名臣譖》曰「雖遇塵霧」，注云「塵霧，謂恥辱也。」「勅徵」下，江浦，即江都，今揚州也，亦曰洛浦。《文選》曰「歸骸洛浦」，注云「揚州，則梁之洛陽也。」勅徵者，即煬帝潛龍之時，鎮守江淮，兩請智者。初請出江都，求受戒法，即開皇十一年也。事畢，仍歸江陵，建玉泉寺。後又請出江都，撰《淨名疏》。此言再出江都，時疏主滯疾於洪州也。若初出江都，則獲隨從，故疏主傳云「開皇十年，晉王作鎮揚越，陪從智者止于邗溝。」漢制天子曰勅，太子曰令，諸王曰教。煬帝鎮揚越時猶是諸王，後既登極故云勅徵。故《別傳》云「奉勅撰淨名疏」也。頂滯疾豫章者，頂，疏主稱名也。始稱余，次稱走，今稱名，文體之變也。豫章，郡名，今洪州也。大師既再出江都，而疏主滯疾洪州，不獲隨從。既遠聖師，安聞斯典？始舉飄南湖等者，南湖，即宮亭湖，亦曰拱亭。謂於豫章病愈，始舉掉飄帆，速往江都以就智者。而值隋文東巡狩，晉王入朝，於是大師東旋台岳，是故無暇講演，且給侍東歸。此乃大師最後入天台，即開皇十六年春也。東旋者，旋或作還同，似泉切。《文選》曰「祇召旋北京」，作此旋字也。秋至佛隴者，神邕《天台山記》曰「從修禪寺南行二百步，有盤石，平正猶如削成。古老相傳，佛嘗於此放光，故名佛隴。」春離江都秋時方至者，以隨處利人，行程故緩。冬逢入滅者，即其年十一月二十四日未時，於天台西門石城寺彌勒像前加趺而終也。嘆伊余之法障者，伊，維也，語辭耳。余，我也。法障者，欲聞此經法義，竟不獲聞，由前八事為障也。一逢師出谷障、二參請交絡障、三金陵土崩障、四復屬虔劉障、五仍遭霧露障、六滯疾豫章障、七東旋台嶺障、八冬逢入滅障。由具八事障我聞法，故曰法障。若不出谷，則合得聞。雖在帝庭，若參請事簡，則合得聞。雖其人交絡，若金陵久安，亦當得聞。乃至若不入滅，雖有前障，終當講演，令我得聞，故入滅之障最為深重。故下嘆云「日既隱於重崖，盲龜眠於海底」也。奚可勝言者，奚，何也。勝，平聲，謂法障之多，非言所載也。

Second, from "Although I am clumsy" downward, seeking the essential purport at Mount Tiantai has two parts: first, distinguishing the untoward conditions; which has two parts: first, eight obstacles causing the loss of hearing [the teaching]; which has two parts: first, losing the hearing while the Master was still alive; which has two parts: first, properly clarifying the eight obstacles.

Whenever one refers to oneself as "I, the clumsy runner" (走) or "servant" (僕) or "the ignorant" (蒙), all are expressions of humility. The "Eastern Capital Rhapsody" says: "Although I am not clever, I hope to attain this." The commentary says: "'Clumsy runner' refers to a servant sent on errands; the gentleman humbles himself [by questioning] his cleverness and comprehension." "Wishing to hear its essential purport" means that having already recited its text, he wished to know its meaning.

"Carrying book-boxes to Tiantai": The Qieyun says: "Ji (笈) means a book-box carried on the back." The Records of the Grand Historian states: "In the Later Han, Su Zhang, styled Shicheng, was a native of Beihai. Carrying his book-boxes, he pursued his teacher, not regarding a thousand li as distant." Mount Tiantai refers to the mountain where Zhizhe dwelt. Tao Yinju's Declarations of the Perfected says: "It is eighteen thousand zhang high and eight hundred li in circumference. The mountain has eight tiers, identical on all four sides. It corresponds to the division of the Dipper and Ox constellations, and answers above to the Platform Stars (Taisheng); hence it is called Tiantai." The Record of Geography says: "Mount Tiantai is also called Tongbai; it is the most preeminent among the peaks."

"The mind rejoicing in indigo dyeing": Liu Zi says: "Blue comes from indigo and is bluer than indigo." Dyeing means causing it to be so. Here, taking the meaning of dyeing serves as a metaphor for seeking understanding from a teacher, not adopting the sense of surpassing [the teacher].

"Scarcely had I ascended the mountain": Fu (甫) means just beginning, indicating that it was not long. "When I happened upon [his] leaving the valley": He again encountered Zhizhe receiving the edict of the Latter Ruler of the Chen to leave the mountain. The Biography of the Author of the Commentary states: "In the first year of the Zhide era of the Chen (583 CE), following his master, he departed for the capital and dwelt in Guangzhai Temple."

From "Not considering" downward, he humbles himself. It means that without considering his own virtue to be desolate and meager, he rashly attended upon and followed Zhizhe to the court of the August Emperor. The Apocrypha to the Book of Changes says: "'Emperor' (Di) is a celestial title. His virtue resembles Heaven and Earth; he does not treat public status as private—he is called Emperor."

"Incense anointed the three palaces": Some versions read "six palaces." Both are due to this text having had no punctuated annotations in antiquity and few lecturers, causing errors between 'fish' and 'Lu' to arise in transcription. Now we hold that "three palaces" is certainly not interchangeable with "two" or "six". Some say: "Three palaces" is correct, being a place name. Citing the Biography of the Author of the Commentary in the Tang Biographies of Eminent Monks: "Three Palaces of Mount Lu, nine times facing the peaks of Heng; none failed to salute his traces and welcome him, inquiring after forgotten hermits. This should not be interpreted so." Now, recounting the Great Master's [visit to the] imperial capital and imperial carriage, the location was Jinling, not the Three Palaces. Now according to our view, "Three Palaces" refers to Mount Tai, the Eastern Peak; thus the Inner Biography of Lord Mao says: "The cave of Mount Daizong is over three thousand li in circumference, named the Heaven of the Hollow Cave of the Three Palaces."

Speaking of the "two palaces": The Selections of Refined Literature says: "Graciously attending the two palaces, lingering in the halls and pavilions." The commentary says: "'Graciously attending' and 'lingering' are both appearances of looking back with admiration." The "two palaces" refer to the palaces of the Emperor and the Crown Prince. Thus the Separate Biography of the Great Master says: "The Chen ruler visited the temple, renouncing his body in great donation." It also says: "From the Crown Prince on down, all entrusted themselves to his vessel, taking his precepts and norms as their model." Hence it says "two palaces." In the Further Biographies of Eminent Monks, the imperial palace and the palace of the heir apparent are always referred to as the "two palaces." Since they received the precepts, it is called "incense anointed." This corresponds to the sūtra saying: "Constantly using the perfume of precepts to anoint and polish the body." Some say the Great Master was the precept master to the two emperors of Chen and Sui, and that these are the "two palaces." This is also incorrect. Here it specifically recounts the Chen ruler's veneration; below it says, "When Jinling collapsed, only then did he return to the Sui realm." How could he speak in advance of the Sui dynasty during the Chen period? Surely this cannot be. If it is written as "six palaces," it specifically designates the Son of Heaven, and its meaning also holds. As for the "six palaces," the Rites of Zhou says: "The queen of the Son of Heaven establishes six palaces, three madams, nine concubines, twenty-seven wives of hereditary officers, and eighty-one imperial consorts." Zheng Xuan's commentary states: "The six palaces are one palace in front and five palaces in back. The five are: one palace for the queen, one for the three madams, one for the nine concubines, one for the twenty-seven wives, and one for the eighty-one consorts, totaling one hundred and twenty persons. The queen sits properly in the palace quarters, of equal status with the Son of Heaven."

"The seven assemblies" are: first, bhikṣus; second, bhikṣuṇīs; third, śikṣamāṇās; fourth, śrāmaṇeras; fifth, śrāmaṇerikās; sixth, upāsakas; and seventh, upāsikās. The translation and explanation of the names of the six, from bhikṣu onwards, are fully provided in the commentary's text. A śikṣamāṇā is translated here as a woman training in the Dharma; she does not separately obtain full ordination. First establishing her intention, she trains her mind in the six rules as a condition for receiving [full precepts]. The Dharmaguptaka Vinaya says: "An eighteen-year-old maiden should train in the precepts for two years." It also says: "One who was married at a young age, if ten years old, is given the six rules." In the Sarvāstivāda Vinaya, the six rules train the mind, testing to see the conditions for receiving the great precepts. The two years train the body, to know whether she is pregnant or not. This śikṣamāṇī fully trains in three dharmas: first, training in the fundamentals, which are the four pārājikas; second, training in the six rules, which are: 1. touching with a lustful mind, 2. stealing four coins from someone, 3. ending an animal's life, 4. minor lying, 5. eating at improper times, 6. drinking alcohol; third, training in the practice of the rules, which means she must train in all the precept-practices of a senior nun.

Saying "illuminating the seven assemblies" means that after the incense of precepts anointed the two palaces, the radiance of the Way all the more illuminated the seven assemblies. "Clergy and laity coming to consult": "Clergy" refers to the five assemblies of renunciants; "laity" refers to the two assemblies of householders. "Intertwining in dense succession" means that those who came to explore the profound and request the Dharma came and went without interruption.

From "Although revering" downward: "Sweet dew" is a metaphor for the essential purport of nirvāṇa. The Diagram of Auspicious Responses says: "Dew whose color is thick and sweet is called sweet dew. When a king dispenses virtuous favor, sweet dew falls upon his grasses and trees. Sweet dew is benevolent grace, also called heavenly wine."

From "Like waiting for" downward: It means waiting for Zhizhe to lecture on this sūtra was like waiting for the Yellow River to clear, expressing its great difficulty. Wang Zinian's Researches into Lost Records says: "Danqiu burns once in a thousand years; the Yellow River runs clear once in a thousand years; both are great portents of a most sagely ruler. Moreover, when the Yellow River runs clear, a sage is born." In the Zuo Tradition, Zisi says: "The Zhou poetry has a saying: 'Waiting for the River to clear—how long is a person's life?'" Du Yu's commentary says: "It means a human life is brief, while the River's clearing is slow." "How could": Ju (詎) means how. "Having an appointed period but no [actual] day": Although he had promised to lecture, because I had many obstacles, there was never a day on which I could hear it. "Reaching": Dai (逮) means reaching. Jinling is a place name; under the Wu, Jin, Song, Qi, Liang, and Chen, it was called Jiangnan; the Six Dynasties all made it their capital. The Veritable Records of Jiankang says: "Originally Jinling District of Chu, Qin changed it to Moling, and Wu changed it to Jianye. Emperor Min of Jin had the taboo name Ye, so it was changed to Jiankang. When Emperor Yuan ascended the throne, it was called Jiankang Palace."

"The collapse of the earth": In the eighth year of the Kaihuang era of the Sui (588 CE), Emperor Wen commanded the Prince of Jin, Yang Guang, and the Duke of Qinghe, Yang Su, to command fifty thousand troops to attack the Chen; with banners stretching a thousand li and gongs and drums shaking heaven, they soon pacified Jiangdong and captured the Chen ruler. The ruin of the Chen state is compared to the collapse of the earth. Chen Lin's proclamation in the Selections of Refined Literature says: "It will surely collapse like earth and shatter like tiles, without waiting for blood on the blades."

"Teacher and disciples scattering like rain": Once the Chen state was destroyed, the Dharma assemblies were halted; teacher and disciples parted from one another, scattering like rain. The Treatise on Severing Relations says: "Traveling back and forth in all directions, vanishing like smoke and scattering like rain." The Great Master's final bequest says: "In the morning gathering like clouds, in the evening scattering like rain." Some texts have the character "two" (兩); that is an error.

"Later meeting at Kuangling": Kuangling is Mount Lu. The Records of Mount Lu states: "Kuang Su appeared during the reign of King Wei of Zhou; born with divine spiritual powers, he concealed his traces in seclusion, living in a hut on this mountain. The common people called him Lord Kuang, hence the mountain took its name from him." The Separate Biography of the Great Master says: "After Jinling fell, he turned his staff toward Jing and Xiang, stopping en route at Penchen. Suddenly he dreamed of an old monk saying: 'As for the auspicious image of Tao Kan, we respectfully entreat you to guard it; this is Master Yuan's unseen request.' Thereupon he stayed and rested at Mount Lu. Soon Xunyang rebelled and the monastery buildings were burned down, yet this mountain alone suffered no harassment whatsoever."

"Again encountering slaughter": The Zuo Tradition says: "Slaughtering (qianliu) our borders." Du's commentary says: "Qian and liu both mean to kill." This refers to encountering the rebellion in Xunyang. Jiangling is Jingzhou.

"Still encountering fog and mist": Still meeting with military chaos. Baopuzi says: "When white mist surrounds a city on all four sides, a great army will surely arrive within a hundred days." Furthermore, the Eulogy on Famous Ministers of the Three Kingdoms says: "Although encountering dust and mist"; the commentary says: "Dust and mist refer to disgrace."

From "An imperial summons" downward: Jiangpu is Jiangdu, modern Yangzhou, also called Luopu. The Selections of Refined Literature says: "Returning one's remains to Luopu"; the commentary says: "Yangzhou was the Luoyang of the Liang." "Imperial summons": When Emperor Yang was still a hidden dragon (prince), guarding Jianghuai, he twice invited Zhizhe. The first invitation was to come out to Jiangdu to seek the precepts, which was the eleventh year of the Kaihuang era (591 CE). When the matter concluded, he returned to Jiangling and founded Yuquan Temple. Later, he invited him again to Jiangdu to compose the Commentary on the Vimalakīrti-sūtra. This refers to going out to Jiangdu a second time, when the author of the commentary was detained by illness in Hongzhou. If it were the first departure for Jiangdu, he had been able to accompany him; hence the Biography of the Author of the Commentary says: "In the tenth year of the Kaihuang era, the Prince of Jin was garrisoned in Yangyue, and [Guanding] accompanied Zhizhe to stay at Hangou." In the Han system, the Son of Heaven's command was called chi (勅), the Crown Prince's was ling (令), and the Princes' was jiao (教). When Emperor Yang was garrisoned in Yangyue, he was still one of the princes; later, having ascended the throne, it is called an "imperial summons." Hence the Separate Biography says: "Receiving the imperial summons to compose the Commentary on the Vimalakīrti-sūtra."

"[Guan]ding was detained by illness in Yuzhang": Ding is the author of the commentary referring to himself by name. First he referred to himself as "I" (余), next as "the clumsy runner" (走), and now by his personal name—this is a variation in literary style. Yuzhang is the name of a commandery, modern Hongzhou. Since the Great Master went out to Jiangdu a second time, and the author of the commentary was detained by illness in Hongzhou, he could not accompany him. Having been separated from the holy master, how could he hear this scripture?

"Only just raising oars and drifting on the South Lake," etc.: The South Lake is Lake Gongting, also called Gongting. It means that having recovered from his illness in Yuzhang, he had only just raised oars and hoisted sails to hasten to Jiangdu to join Zhizhe, when he encountered Sui Emperor Wen's eastern inspection tour, and the Prince of Jin entered court. Thereupon the Great Master returned east to the Tiantai peak; therefore, having no leisure to lecture, [Guanding] merely attended upon his eastward return. This was the Great Master's final entrance into Mount Tiantai, namely the spring of the sixteenth year of the Kaihuang era (596 CE). "Returning east": Xuan (旋) is sometimes written as huan (還), with the same meaning; it has the fanqie pronunciation si-quan. The Selections of Refined Literature says: "Respectfully summoned to return to the Northern Capital," using this character xuan.

"Reaching Folong in the autumn": Shenyong's Records of Mount Tiantai says: "Walking two hundred paces south from Xiuchan Temple, there is a flat boulder, level and upright as if planed smooth. Ancients passed down that the Buddha once emitted light here, hence it was named Folong (Buddha Ridge)." Departing Jiangdu in spring and only arriving in autumn was because he benefited people wherever he went, so his journey was slow.

"In winter encountering his entry into extinction": Namely on the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month of that year, during the wei hour (1–3 p.m.), in front of the Maitreya statue at Shicheng Temple at the western gate of Tiantai, he passed away sitting cross-legged.

"Lamenting my obstacles to the Dharma": Yi (伊) means wei (維), an exclamatory particle. Yu (余) means I. "Obstacles to the Dharma": Wishing to hear the Dharma-meaning of this scripture, he ultimately could not hear it, because the preceding eight events served as obstacles. First, the obstacle of encountering the Master's departure from the valley; second, the obstacle of the intertwined stream of visitors; third, the obstacle of Jinling's collapse; fourth, the obstacle of again encountering slaughter; fifth, the obstacle of still meeting with fog and mist; sixth, the obstacle of being detained by illness in Yuzhang; seventh, the obstacle of the eastward return to the Tiantai ridge; eighth, the obstacle of encountering his entry into extinction in winter. Because these eight events obstructed my hearing the Dharma, they are called "obstacles to the Dharma." If he had not left the valley, I ought to have heard it. Even at the imperial court, if visitors had been few, I ought to have heard it. Even with visitors in dense succession, if Jinling had remained peaceful, I should also have heard it. ...And so forth, down to: had he not entered extinction, even with the preceding obstacles, he would ultimately have lectured on it and allowed me to hear it. Therefore, the obstacle of his entering extinction was the most profound and severe. Hence below he laments: "The sun having hidden behind layered cliffs, the blind turtle sleeps on the ocean floor."

"How can words express it?": Xi (奚) means how. Sheng (勝) is in the level tone; it means that the obstacles to the Dharma were so many that words cannot record them.