大般涅槃經疏 6.11

6.11

次從「時諸比丘」去，是破其偏行，亦名酬請。文為二：初騰請、後酬請破行。初騰為三：一領旨歎佛、二因歎正請、三要命結。請，如文。從「爾時佛告」去，是酬請。又二：初訶不應、次正酬。初訶者，如來去住非汝境界，汝既不能知佛往來，寧得隨去？故言不應。次酬請，為二：初以人酬、次以法酬。汝前請住，正欲學法；今留人法於學頓足，更何所請？人酬中為三：一標付囑人、次歎人同如來、三釋歎。初二，如文。第三釋中意者，如王委任大臣。巡者行也，佛欲巡行餘方，故委任迦葉。從「汝等當知」去，以法酬請。又二：初酬請、次破偏行。初酬中有法譬。合譬中從「春時」去，為偏行作譬。舊云：聞思修慧。觀文不會。今隨河西朗師，分文為兩：先明起惑失理、後修學求理。初一句是起惑。春時者，年初物生，譬起惑之始。又因惑生解，故言春時。有諸人等二句，失珠之處。舊云：大池是無常教。朗師云：是生死海。浴字或作沼，多作浴。乘船游戲三句，失珠之緣。舊云：聞慧解淺故云游戲。河西云：恚慢心如乘船，五欲樂如游戲。失瑠璃寶，喻失佛性。舊或言失理或失解。沒深水中，一往沒失，非永失也。舊云：圓理蘊在無常教下，故言沒深水中。又佛性理為恚慢生死所沒，不能得現。次「是時諸人」下，習解求理。為二：先依昔教偏修即是偽修、二明今教圓修即是勝修。初云競捉者，即是偏修無常苦觀而習學之。瓦石自傷害，譬苦。草木虛浮，譬無我。砂礫水底分分離散，譬無常。各各自謂，無非得理。次「歡喜持出」下，譬今教圓修。舊亦三慧，今意不爾，猶是偏修之未明、理未極，故言乃知非真。一往為四：一悟昔非真、二由佛性力令眾生悟、三明信解、四明慧見即是得理。初文即今教起已方悟昔非。舊兩釋：歡喜向前，持出向後。莊嚴云：歡喜持向前，出非真向後。今皆為一句。次「是時寶珠」下，由佛性力始明真修。此聞今教說於佛性，由佛性力令眾生悟。在水中者，佛性非遠，只在生死五陰身中。水澄清者，由佛性力令眾生悟。三「於是大眾」下，明一往信解，喻之如見而未得取。如月形者，中道圓理究竟無缺。四「是時」下，慧見也。安徐者，處在生死如在涅槃，故言安徐。次「汝等比丘不應」下，合譬。又四：先合偏修、次合圓修、三「復應當知」下重合偏修、四「欲得真實」下重合圓修。此中經文是留心處，故存舊解，請勿嫌煩。

Next, from "At that time the monks..." onwards, this refutes their one-sided practice; it is also called "answering the request." The text has two parts: first, repeating the request; second, answering the request and refuting their practice. The first, repeating the request, has three parts: 1. grasping the purport and praising the Buddha; 2. making the formal request on the basis of the praise; 3. concluding the request by offering their lives. The text makes this clear. From "At that time the Buddha addressed..." onwards is the answer to the request. This again has two parts: first, rebuking it as inappropriate; next, the formal answer. The first rebuke means: the Tathāgata's going and staying is not within your realm; since you cannot know the Buddha's coming and going, how could you be permitted to follow him? Therefore he says it is inappropriate. Next, answering the request has two parts: first, answering by means of a person; next, answering by means of the Dharma. You previously requested that he stay precisely because you wished to learn the Dharma; now he leaves behind both person and Dharma so that your learning is fully satisfied—what more is there to request? Answering by means of a person has three parts: 1. designating the person to whom it is entrusted; next, praising that person as being identical to the Tathāgata; 3. explaining the praise. The first two are clear from the text. The meaning within the third, the explanation, is like a king entrusting a great minister. "巡" (xún) means to travel; because the Buddha wished to travel through other lands, he entrusted Kāśyapa. From "You all should know..." onwards is answering the request by means of the Dharma. This again has two parts: first, answering the request; next, refuting the one-sided practice. Within the first answer, there are the Dharma, the simile, and the application. In the simile, from "in springtime..." onwards forms a simile for the one-sided practice. The old [commentators] say this refers to the wisdoms of hearing, reflection, and cultivation, but looking at the text, this does not fit. Now, following Master Lǎng of Héxī, we divide the text into two: first, explaining the arising of delusion and the loss of the principle; later, cultivating learning to seek the principle. The first sentence is the arising of delusion. "In springtime": at the beginning of the year, things are generated; this is a simile for the inception of delusion. Moreover, because understanding arises dependent on delusion, it says "in springtime." The two sentences "there were various people..." are the place where the jewel was lost. The old [commentators] say: the great pond is the teaching of impermanence. Master Lǎng says: it is the ocean of birth and death. The character 浴 (yù, bathe) is sometimes written 沼 (zhǎo, pond), but mostly 浴. The three sentences "boarded a boat and amused themselves..." are the conditions for losing the jewel. The old [commentators] say: because the understanding of the wisdom of hearing is shallow, it says "amused themselves." Héxī says: the mind of anger and pride is like boarding a boat; the pleasures of the five desires are like amusing themselves. Losing the vaiḍūrya jewel illustrates losing the buddhadhātu. The old [commentators] say either losing the principle or losing understanding. "Sank into the deep water": it was lost for the time being, not lost forever. The old [commentators] say: the perfect principle was concealed beneath the teaching of impermanence, and therefore it says "sank into the deep water." Furthermore, the principle of the buddhadhātu was submerged by anger, pride, and birth and death, and could not be made manifest. Next, from "At that time the people..." downwards concerns practicing understanding to seek the principle. It has two parts: first, one-sided cultivation relying on the former teaching, which is false cultivation; second, explaining the perfect cultivation of the present teaching, which is supreme cultivation. First, "competed to grab": this is one-sided cultivation of the contemplation of impermanence and suffering, and training in it. Tiles and stones injuring oneself illustrates suffering. Grass and wood being hollow and floating illustrates non-self. Sand and gravel at the bottom of the water being fragmented and dispersed illustrates impermanence. Each of them thought of themselves that none had failed to attain the principle. Next, from "joyfully took it out..." downwards illustrates the perfect cultivation of the present teaching. The old [commentators] also took this as the three wisdoms; the present interpretation does not hold this, but rather that it is still the one-sided cultivation not yet being clear and the principle not yet being ultimate, and therefore it says "only then did they realize it was not real." Taking a preliminary overview, there are four points: 1. awakening to the former being unreal; 2. causing sentient beings to awaken through the power of the buddhadhātu; 3. explaining faith and understanding; 4. explaining seeing with wisdom, which is attaining the principle. The first passage means that only after the present teaching has arisen does one awaken to the former being unreal. The old [commentators] gave two explanations: taking "joyfully" with the preceding, and "took it out" with what follows. Zhuāngyán took "joyfully took" with the preceding, and "out, not real" with what follows. Now we take them all as a single sentence. Next, from "At that time the precious jewel..." downwards, only through the power of the buddhadhātu does true cultivation begin to become clear. This means that upon hearing the present teaching expound the buddhadhātu, through the power of the buddhadhātu sentient beings are brought to awakening. "In the water": the buddhadhātu is not far away; it is right within the body of the five aggregates of birth and death. "The water became clear and pure": through the power of the buddhadhātu, sentient beings are brought to awakening. Third, from "Thereupon the great assembly..." downwards explains the initial faith and understanding; it is illustrated by seeing it without yet being able to take it. "Like the shape of the moon": the perfect principle of the middle way is ultimate and without defect. Fourth, from "At that time..." downwards is seeing with wisdom. "Calmly and slowly": dwelling in birth and death as though dwelling in nirvāṇa, hence it says "calmly and slowly." Next, from "You monks should not..." downwards applies the simile. This again has four parts: first, applying it to one-sided cultivation; next, applying it to perfect cultivation; third, from "You should further know..." downwards, reapplying it to one-sided cultivation; fourth, from "Desiring to attain the real..." downwards, reapplying it to perfect cultivation. The sūtra text here is a place to apply close attention, and so the old explanations are retained; please do not find it troublesome.