[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [大般涅槃經疏](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1767) › 17.4 # 大般涅槃經疏 17.4 大般涅槃經疏 17.4 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [17.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1767.17.4) 諸師謂梵行四心為體，聖行三品為體，引經云「說四無量是梵天道，名轉梵輪；說四諦是第一義天道，名轉法輪。」又師言：慧定戒為梵行體，七善悉知，知即慧也；四心是十二門禪，即定也；後明持戒得失，即是戒也。若然，與聖行何異？異者，梵是化他，聖是自行。聖以慧為正，戒定相成；梵以戒為正，慧定相成。聖是聖人所行；梵是淨道，道通凡聖。聖先戒後慧，梵先慧後戒。是為梵聖異也。又師言：因果是梵行體。梵者言淨，是涅槃因，能得涅槃，故以因果為梵行體。義皆不然。若四心為體，斯乃梵天道，非大涅槃。若三品為體，雖異聖行，不出二乘，非大涅槃。因果為體者，尚存因果，云何名淨？非大涅槃。若非大涅槃，是誰梵行？名義無取，故皆不用。今言梵者名淨，淨義有三，謂淨淨、不淨淨、非淨淨非不淨淨。云何淨淨？所謂七善、四無量心、三品六念，如是等法悉是出世涅槃淨道。今以梵行遍淨諸淨，文云「誰是一切諸善根本？當言慈是。」是名淨淨。云何不淨淨？「我說是慈有無量門，所謂神通，調象調狂、治眼治創。」慈游世間、悲入湯鑊，慈善根力無所不現，使諸不淨悉皆得淨，是名不淨淨。云何非淨淨非不淨淨，所謂大乘大般涅槃，非因非果、非自非他、非染非淨，畢竟清淨，即是如來常樂我淨。文云「慈若有無是有是無，是聲聞慈。慈若有無非有非無，如是之慈是如來慈。」如來慈者，乃是非淨淨非不淨淨。若此三慈縱橫並別，非妙非淨，即一而三即三而一，不可思議，乃得名為清淨梵行。從三得名，名梵行品。 > Various masters claim that pure practice takes the four \[immeasurable\] minds as its essence, while noble practice takes the three grades as its essence, citing the sūtra which states: 'Teaching the four immeasurables is the path of the Brahmā heavens and is called turning the wheel of Brahmā; teaching the four truths is the path of the heaven of the paramārthasatya and is called turning the wheel of Dharma.' Another master says: 'Wisdom, concentration, and precepts constitute the essence of pure practice: knowing all seven kinds of goodness is wisdom; the four minds are the twelve gates of dhyāna, which is concentration; the subsequent explanation of the gains and losses in keeping the precepts is precepts.' If so, how does it differ from noble practice? The difference is that pure practice converts others, while noble practice is one's own practice. Noble practice takes wisdom as primary, with precepts and concentration complementing it; pure practice takes precepts as primary, with wisdom and concentration complementing it. Noble practice is that which is practiced by noble ones; pure practice is the pure path, a path shared by ordinary persons and noble ones alike. Noble practice begins with precepts and ends with wisdom; pure practice begins with wisdom and ends with precepts. This constitutes the difference between pure practice and noble practice. Yet another master says: 'Cause and effect constitute the essence of pure practice. "Pure" means pure; it is the cause of nirvāṇa and able to attain nirvāṇa; therefore, cause and effect are taken as the essence of pure practice.' None of these meanings is correct. If the four minds are the essence, this is merely the path of the Brahmā heavens, not the great nirvāṇa. If the three grades are the essence, although distinct from noble practice, they do not transcend the two vehicles and are not the great nirvāṇa. As for cause and effect being the essence, while cause and effect still remain, how can it be called pure? It is not the great nirvāṇa. If it is not the great nirvāṇa, whose pure practice is it? Their terms and meanings are untenable, so none of them is accepted. Now, 'pure' (brahma) means purified; the meaning of purification is threefold: the purification of the pure, the purification of the impure, and the purification of neither-pure nor-impure. What is the purification of the pure? Namely, the seven kinds of goodness, the four immeasurable minds, the three grades, and the six recollections; such dharmas are all the pure path to supramundane nirvāṇa. Now, by means of pure practice, all purities are universally purified; the text states: 'What is the root of all goodness? One should say it is friendliness.' This is called the purification of the pure. What is the purification of the impure? 'I say that this friendliness has immeasurable gates, namely supernatural powers, taming elephants, taming the mad, healing eyes, and healing wounds.' Friendliness wanders through the world; compassion enters the cauldrons; the power of the wholesome roots of friendliness manifests everywhere, causing all impurities to attain purity. This is called the purification of the impure. What is the purification of neither-pure nor-impure? Namely, the Mahāyāna great parinirvāṇa, which is neither cause nor effect, neither self nor other, neither defiled nor pure, but ultimately pure—that is to say, the Tathāgata's permanence, bliss, self, and purity. The text states: 'If friendliness pertains to existence and non-existence, being existent and non-existent, this is the friendliness of a śrāvaka. If friendliness pertains to existence and non-existence, being neither existent nor non-existent, such friendliness is the friendliness of the Tathāgata.' The friendliness of the Tathāgata is indeed the purification of neither-pure nor-impure. If these three kinds of friendliness were horizontally or vertically separate and distinct, they would be neither subtle nor pure; being precisely three yet one, and one yet three, it is inconceivable, and only then can it be called pure practice. Taking its title from these three, it is called the Chapter on Pure Practice. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 17.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1767.17.3) - [Next: 17.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1767.17.5) - [Up: 17](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1767.17) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1767~en-mt.17.4) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1767.17.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1767.17.4) · Pramāṇa