[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) › 8.18 # 大般涅槃經疏 8.18 大般涅槃經疏 8.18 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [8.18](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1767.8.18) 就文為四：一勸持、二問、三答、四領解。初為二：一勸持、二受持。受持功德不墮四趣者，舊云：聞經修行登於性地是則不墮。二云：為作遠緣，起惡則墮，但藉此緣後能反本。又云：聞經理解與聞慧相應，理數不墮。興皇云：聞經名者，下文自云「名無名故，聞不聞故。」如此聞名無生正解，尚無人天，寧墮四趣？當知所得功德超度有流，是佛境界二乘不知。今皆不然。聞經得解自是生解功德，何關歎於聞經功德？此不相應但持五戒五戒小善尚不墮惡，況復修行。夫大涅槃是深廣極勝第一寂靜具足之名，信此為受，不忘為持，如此聞名自不墮惡，不俟深解。二「白佛」去，是問。為二：一問名功德、二問持功德。向聞勸持及以聞名既猶未了，是故更問。三佛答其二問，即為兩章。答名為三：初判名、次明七善、三明七譬。初文可見。次七善者，舊釋序、正、流通為初中後善。招提云：萬德是初善，萬善是中善，萬果為後善。果與善殊，此不可用。經約行施是初善，持戒為中善，得報為後善（云云）。三、七譬者，他解：六譬釋大，後一譬釋般涅槃。今觀文，初譬釋大，後六譬釋般涅槃。然通釋名，不分別也。問：此中以常釋大，應以大釋常，便為不異。答：一往名異，其意則同。以非常非無常故常，非小非大故大，故互相釋。降伏諸結者，即煩惱魔。魔性者，天魔。放捨身命者，即陰死兩魔。餘五譬可見。最後譬中云八味者，以譬四德開常出恒。不為緣生故常，不為緣滅故恒。開樂出安，外無能壞為安，內無所受為樂。無垢與清涼同皆是淨，不老不死同皆是我。問，云何是酥之八味？有人用八功德水，為答此不爾？水乳體別，本不相關（云云）。耎輕屬觸，不臭是香，飲時無苦調適是功能，云何併之而作味釋？有人以六味為答，此亦不然。苦辛醎酢酥中永無，對義不便，數又不足。今謂乳酪時淡其味不足，醍醐時濃味已純一，酥居季孟之間兼備眾味可得為譬。酥有生熟，去酪近即酪漿二味，乳是其本，即五味也；就甜淡膩，即為八味。二「善男子」下，答奉持問。上答名則廣，今答持何略？既廣達名字，受持功德亦復不少，故不多說。「白佛」下，領解也，初領名、後領持。 > As for the text, it is divided into four: first, exhorting to uphold; second, questioning; third, answering; fourth, expressing understanding. The first has two parts: first, exhorting to uphold; second, receiving and upholding. Regarding the merit of receiving and upholding whereby one does not fall into the four destinies, old commentators say: Hearing the sūtra and practicing so as to ascend to the stage of nature—only then does one not fall. A second view says: It acts as a remote condition; if one gives rise to evil one falls, but by relying on this condition one is later able to return to the root. Yet another says: Hearing the sūtra and understanding the principle corresponds with the wisdom born of hearing, so in the course of principle one does not fall. Xīnghuáng says: Regarding 'hearing the name of the sūtra', the text below itself says: 'Because the name is no-name, hearing is non-hearing.' If one hears the name with such correct understanding of non-arising, even humans and devas do not exist, how much less could one fall into the four destinies? One should know that the merit attained transcends the stream of existence; it is the realm of buddhas, unknown to the two vehicles. Now, we say none of these is so. Hearing the sūtra and gaining understanding is itself the merit of generating understanding; what does that have to do with praising the merit of hearing the sūtra? This does not correspond. Merely upholding the five precepts—a minor good of five precepts—already prevents falling into evil, how much more so actual cultivation! The Great Nirvāṇa is the name that is profound, vast, ultimate, supreme, foremost, tranquil, and completely endowed; having faith in this is 'receiving', and not forgetting it is 'upholding'. If one hears the name like this, one naturally does not fall into evil without waiting for deep understanding. Second, from 'addressed the Buddha' onward is the questioning. It is twofold: first, asking about the merit of the name; second, asking about the merit of upholding. Having just heard the exhortation to uphold and about hearing the name, since he did not yet fully understand, he questions further. Third, the Buddha answers his two questions, which forms two sections. The answer concerning the name has three parts: first, defining the name; next, explaining the seven excellences; third, explaining the seven similes. The first text is evident. Next, regarding the seven excellences, older explanations took the preface, the main body, and the dissemination as the initial, middle, and final excellences. Zhāotí said: The myriad virtues are the initial excellence, the myriad goods are the middle excellence, and the myriad fruits are the final excellence. A fruit is distinct from an excellence, so this cannot be used. The sūtra takes practicing generosity as the initial excellence, upholding precepts as the middle excellence, and obtaining the retribution as the final excellence (and so forth). Third, regarding the seven similes, other commentators explain: Six similes explain 'great', and the final one simile explains 'parinirvāṇa'. Now observing the text, the first simile explains 'great', and the latter six similes explain 'parinirvāṇa'. However, taken generally to explain the title, no distinction is made. Question: Here 'constant' is explained by 'great'; one should also explain 'constant' by 'great', which would make them not different. Answer: At first glance the terms are different, but their meaning is identical. Because it is neither constant nor impermanent, it is constant; because it is neither small nor great, it is great; therefore they explain each other. 'Subduing the fetters' refers to the kleśa-māra. 'Māra-nature' refers to devaputra-māra. 'Renouncing body and life' refers to the two māras of skandha and death. The remaining five similes are evident. In the final simile, the mention of 'eight flavors' serves as a simile for the four virtues, expanding 'constant' to yield 'eternal'. Because it is not produced by conditions, it is constant; because it is not extinguished by conditions, it is eternal. Expanding 'bliss' yields 'ease': being internally indestructible is ease, and internally experiencing nothing is bliss. Stainless and refreshing are together purity; not aging and not dying are together self. Question: What are the eight flavors of clarified butter (sarpis)? Some take the water of eight qualities as the answer; is this not so? Water and milk are distinct in essence and fundamentally unrelated (and so forth). Soft and light pertain to touch; not foul-smelling is fragrance; drinking without distress and feeling harmonious is function—how can these be lumped together to explain 'flavor'? Some take the six flavors as the answer; this too is not correct. Bitter, pungent, salty, and sour are eternally absent in clarified butter; this does not fit the intended meaning, and the number is insufficient. Now we maintain: At the stages of milk and curds, it is bland and its flavor is deficient; at the stage of sarpirmaṇḍa, it is thick and its flavor is already purely unified; clarified butter stands in between, possessing all flavors, and can properly serve as a simile. Clarified butter has raw and cooked states: being close to curds, there are the two flavors of curds and whey; milk is its root, making five flavors; together with sweet, bland, and rich, these constitute the eight flavors. Second, from 'Good man' onward answers the question about upholding. The answer above on the name was broad; why is the answer on upholding so brief? Since one has broadly realized the name and designation, the merit of receiving and upholding is likewise not small, so it is not spoken of at length. From 'addressed the Buddha' onward is expressing understanding: first expressing understanding of the name, and then of upholding. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 8.17](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1767.8.17) - [Next: 8.19](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1767.8.19) - [Up: 8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1767.8) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1767~en-mt.8.18) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1767.8.18](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1767.8.18) · Pramāṇa