大般涅槃經疏 8.12

8.12

金剛能譬，身是所譬。金剛四義：一紫磨金精世界基本、二其體堅牢無能侵毀、三其用勁利所擬無前、四其色不定煜爚難視。金精譬法身至極攝一切法，體堅牢固譬常住不動離百絕四，勁利譬寂而常照大覺大明，不定譬無閡自在遍一切處。然法身具足無量功德，此中正明離百、絕四、堅牢、常住，答上金剛之問。若從能譬言金剛品，若從所譬應言法身品，此則法譬雙題，故言金剛身品。復次上雖三十四問，通用一意，只長壽故。金剛之身即堅固力而不可壞，法身常身非雜食身，圓通無隔。若解長壽即解金剛之身，乃至諸問皆悉通達；若不解長壽，亦不解金剛之身乃至諸句，為不解者更分別說。若以通當名非無別義，若以別當名非無通義。通不當名則通非通，別不當名則別非別，非通非別而通而別。今從別意明金剛身答第二問。有人解：長壽是法，此法附人。金剛是人，此人有壽。堅固力是用。此是人法體用之異以判通別。今明等欲分別何不附文？上文云「施汝常命色力安無閡辯。」初已略說，今則廣說，言長壽者即是常命，金剛身者即是常色，堅固者即是常力，名字功德即是常安，言四相者常無閡辯。後廣答問亦不離此常住五果，五果故別，常住故通。若別若通、若束若散，皆非總非別、非束非散，自在無閡。直明通別一意統攬理義，推之自明，故不多說。又他明長命短命、可壞不可壞、常無常等，各自兩邊不相關涉。非長非短、非壞不壞、非常無常在兩邊外，此則縱橫並別，乃是一塗，非經正意。今則不然，即長而短故枯林入滅，即短而長故榮林入滅。東方雙者，為破無常而說於常，即非短非長。雙樹中間，非榮非枯中道法性。第一義諦，一中一切中；榮即是真，一真一切真；枯即是俗，一俗一切俗。三諦即一諦、一諦即三諦，差別無差別、無差別差別，非差別非不差別、而差別而不差別，諸佛境界具足如此不可思議、不可破壞，故名金剛身品。

Vajra is that which illustrates; body is that which is illustrated. Vajra has four meanings: 1. purple-burnished gold essence, the foundation of the world; 2. its substance is firm and solid, unable to be invaded or damaged; 3. its function is keen and sharp, with nothing able to stand before what it targets; 4. its color is unfixed, glittering and dazzling to behold. The gold essence illustrates the Dharma-body reaching the ultimate and gathering all phenomena. The substance being firm and solid illustrates being permanent, unchanging, detached from the hundred [negations] and severed from the four [propositions]. Keen and sharp illustrates being quiescent yet constantly illumining, greatly awakened and greatly luminous. Unfixed illustrates being unobstructed, sovereign, and pervading all places. Now, the Dharma-body is endowed with immeasurable virtues; here it properly explains being detached from the hundred, severed from the four, firm and solid, and permanent, answering the earlier question on the vajra. If titled from that which illustrates, it is called the Chapter on the Vajra; if titled from that which is illustrated, it should be called the Chapter on the Dharma Body. This combines both the doctrine and the metaphor in the title, hence it is called the 'Chapter on the Vajra Body'. Furthermore, although there were thirty-four questions above, they universally share a single intent, simply on account of longevity. The vajra body is precisely the solid strength that cannot be destroyed; the Dharma-body is the permanent body, not a body sustained by coarse food, perfectly pervasive without separation. If one understands longevity, one understands the vajra body, and so on up to being thoroughly versed in all questions; if one does not understand longevity, neither does one understand the vajra body or any of the other phrases. For those who do not understand, it is analyzed and explained further. If the general represents the title, it is not devoid of specific meaning; if the specific represents the title, it is not devoid of general meaning. If the general does not represent the title, then the general is not general; if the specific does not represent the title, then the specific is not specific. Being neither general nor specific, it is yet general and yet specific. Now, in accordance with the specific intent, it explains the vajra body in answer to the second question. Someone explains: Longevity is the dharma, and this dharma belongs to the person; vajra is the person, and this person possesses longevity; solid strength is the function. This distinguishes general and specific based on the differences of person, dharma, essence, and function. Now I clarify: if one wishes to differentiate equally, why not accord with the text? The preceding text says: 'I bestow upon you permanent life, form, strength, ease, and unobstructed eloquence.' This was briefly stated earlier, and now it is broadly explained: 'longevity' is permanent life; 'vajra body' is permanent form; 'solid' is permanent strength; 'names and virtues' are permanent ease; 'four characteristics' are permanent unobstructed eloquence. The later extensive answers to the questions also do not depart from these five fruits of permanence. Being five fruits, they are specific; being permanent, they are general. Whether specific or general, whether bound together or dispersed, they are neither aggregate nor specific, neither bound nor dispersed, sovereign and unobstructed. Directly explaining that the general and specific share a single intent comprehensively encompasses the principle and meaning; deduced, it becomes clear on its own, so it will not be elaborated. Furthermore, others explain long life and short life, destructible and indestructible, permanent and impermanent, etc., as two separate extremes that do not concern each other. Neither long nor short, neither destructible nor indestructible, neither permanent nor impermanent, are placed outside the two extremes. This is vertical, horizontal, and mutually distinct, which is just one approach and not the correct intent of the sūtra. Now it is not so: precisely being long, it is short, hence entering extinction in the withered grove; precisely being short, it is long, hence entering extinction in the flourishing grove. The pair in the east is spoken to shatter impermanence by teaching permanence, which is neither short nor long. Between the Twin Trees is the middle-way dharmatā that is neither flourishing nor withered. In paramārthasatya, when one is middle, all are middle; flourishing is the real, and when one is real, all are real; withered is the conventional, and when one is conventional, all are conventional. The three truths are the single truth; the single truth is the three truths. Difference is non-difference; non-difference is difference. Neither different nor non-different, yet different and yet non-different. The realm of all Buddhas is fully endowed with such incomprehensibility and indestructibility, hence it is called the 'Chapter on the Vajra Body'.