大般涅槃經疏 12.16

12.16

此品次第者，上有十三或十五問，是問佛事，佛答已竟。從此品去有十九問，問菩薩事，佛皆答之。諸師或言：此品答十二至十七問。今明答十二問，諸問不可備題，從初為名，故言菩薩。釋菩薩義，略有四重：一、三藏菩薩。從見釋迦佛三事供養，名初發心；三阿僧祇百劫修相，名為中心；坐菩提樹，名為後心。二、通菩薩。從初虛信諸法幻化，未霑理水，名乾慧地；理水霑神，伏斷見思，名為中心；游戲神通，淨佛國土，餘有殘習微烟薄障，是名後心。三、別菩薩。從十信三十心是初心，十地是中心，等覺是後心。此三菩薩攝法不盡，退不攝一切眾生、進不攝佛根性人。四、圓菩薩。初謂理性菩薩，名字、觀行、相似、分真、究竟菩薩，始自理性通諸眾生，終于妙覺皆名菩薩。所以迦葉問云：云何未發心而名為菩薩者，故知不問前三菩薩，正問於圓。就圓菩薩，不問五位，正問理性。故從所問得名，正是理性菩薩標品。就如來答中，正答理性，是未發心稱為菩薩。而此理性為因，涅槃教光為緣，從謗而信轉成名字，名字即是發心菩薩。理性即是未發心者，問答之義炳然在文，安作餘解豈會經宗？從此題名，故言菩薩品。然河西明此品答四問，同為一意，謂未發心者因經發心得見佛性，見佛性故處眾無畏，乃至見佛性故如醫療病不為病污。今明經之圓意靡所不通，何但答於四問而已？乃至見性，能為船師、能脫故皮，如天意樹等，佛性之力無所不能，舉體皆通而少於眉目。

Regarding the sequence of this chapter: above there were thirteen or fifteen questions, which inquired about the Buddha's affairs, and the Buddha has finished answering them. From this chapter onward, there are nineteen questions asking about the bodhisattva's affairs, all of which the Buddha answers. Various masters sometimes say: this chapter answers from the twelfth to the seventeenth questions. Now I explain that it answers twelve questions; the various questions cannot all be given in the title, so it takes its name from the first, hence saying "Bodhisattva". In explaining the meaning of "bodhisattva", there are briefly four levels: First, the Tripiṭaka bodhisattva. From seeing Śākyamuni Buddha and making the threefold offering, this is called the initial resolve; cultivating the marks for three asaṃkhyeyas and one hundred kalpas is called the intermediate mind; sitting beneath the Bodhi tree is called the final mind. Second, the shared bodhisattva. From initially giving nominal faith to all dharmas being illusory transformations, not yet moistened by the water of principle, this is called the stage of dry wisdom; when the water of principle moistens the spirit and subdues and cuts off [delusions of] view and thought, this is called the intermediate mind; sporting in supernatural powers, purifying buddha-lands, with remaining residual habits, slight smoke, and thin obscurations, this is called the final mind. Third, the distinct bodhisattva. From the ten faiths through the thirty minds is the initial mind; the ten stages are the intermediate mind; equal enlightenment is the final mind. These three kinds of bodhisattvas do not exhaust the encompassment of dharmas: looking back, they do not encompass all sentient beings; looking forward, they do not encompass persons with the capacity for buddhahood. Fourth, the complete bodhisattva. First, this refers to the bodhisattva of principle-nature; the bodhisattva of verbal identity, of contemplative practice, of resemblance, of partial realization, and of ultimate realization: beginning with principle-nature extending across all sentient beings, and culminating in wonderful enlightenment, all are called bodhisattvas. Therefore, when Kāśyapa asks, "Why is one who has not yet aroused the resolve called a bodhisattva?", we know he is not asking about the former three kinds of bodhisattvas, but specifically about the complete one. Within the complete bodhisattva, he does not ask about the five stages, but specifically about principle-nature. Thus, deriving its name from what was asked, the chapter is titled precisely after the bodhisattva of principle-nature. In the Tathāgata's answer, he directly answers concerning principle-nature, which is called a bodhisattva before arousing the resolve. And with this principle-nature as the cause, and the light of the nirvāṇa teaching as the condition, progressing from slander to faith, one turns into [a bodhisattva of] verbal identity; verbal identity is precisely the bodhisattva who has aroused the resolve. Principle-nature is precisely one who has not yet aroused the resolve; the meaning of the questions and answers is manifest in the text, so how could offering other explanations accord with the sūtra's central purport? From this it takes its title, hence being called the "Bodhisattva Chapter". However, Héxī explained that this chapter answers four questions, which share a single intent, meaning that one who has not yet aroused the resolve arouses the resolve through the sūtra and attains sight of the buddhadhātu; because one sees the buddhadhātu, one dwells in the assembly without fear; up to, because one sees the buddhadhātu, like a physician curing illness, one is not defiled by illness. Now I clarify that the complete meaning of the sūtra is unobstructed and penetrates everywhere; how could it merely answer four questions and no more? Even up to seeing the nature, being able to be a ferryman, being able to slough off old skin, like the wish-fulfilling tree of the devas, etc.—the power of the buddhadhātu is omnipotent; its entire essence is fully pervasive, lacking only in its minor details.