大般涅槃經疏 1.44

1.44

Next, from "At that time there were immeasurable..." onward is the specific summoning and entreating. The text has two [parts]: first, summoning this land; next, summoning other lands. This land has three: first, summoning the assembly of Jambudvīpa; next, summoning the intermediate assembly; third, summoning the assembly of the upper realms. Jambudvīpa has three, namely śrāvakas, bodhisattvas, and the mixed assembly. The Da zhidu lun explains that because bodhisattvas practice the middle way, they dwell between the junior and senior; fully it should be like the text of the Lotus Sūtra Commentary, having both the literal matter and the symbolic representation (and so forth). Others previously divided this into two intentions: first, listing by increasing numbers; second, listing by decreasing numbers. Under the first, they distinguished the monastic and lay assemblies, and so forth; our present interpretation is as above. First, the śrāvakas also have two: first, monks; second, nuns. The monks also have two: first, the assembly beside the Buddha; next, the assembly coming from outside. Question: Why use a summons for those beside the Buddha? Answer: Although they are not summoned to come from afar, they are startled to cause them to ask later. Moreover, in accord with the majority, it can also be called a summons. The assembly beside the Buddha has three: first, those summoned; second, receiving the summons; third, complying with the summons. First, saying "At that time there were immeasurable": above, the number was already fixed. Mentioning "immeasurable" is because above the leaders were listed; here it includes their followers, so it says "immeasurable." "Great disciples": like younger brothers and like sons, yielding respect to the two pillars and designating one matter (and so forth). "Venerable ones": all who practice pure conduct (brahmacarya) mutually revere one another and are addressed as "venerable ones." As in the Āgama: "O monks! From now on, address elders as 'Great Virtuous Ones' and younger ones as 'Elders'." Praising their virtuous conduct, they are called elders (and so forth). Kātyāyana is translated here as "fan string." Bakkula is translated here as "good countenance." Upālaṭha is translated here as "great joy" or "double joy." His appearance was upright and handsome, and his parents named him "Great Joy." At home he was a wheel-turning king, and abandoning his body he became a māra king. The māra king, knowing future events, manifested eighteen transformations: "If you can leave the household life, you will attain this." His parents consented, and he attained the three clarities and six supernatural knowledges, so he was named "Double Joy." Next, encountering the Buddha's light is receiving the summons. It should say encountering the voice, light, and earth-quaking; listing one briefly encompasses the two. Third, from "their bodies trembled" onward is complying with the summons. In the previous text, encountering the light eliminated the three obstacles and produced the three goods; now it omits the obstacles and retains the goods, as in the text. Question: Arhats have completely ended grief and sorrow; why do they suddenly reach this point? Answer: These are residual traces (vāsanā), not principal defilements. Moreover, they display a model to make living beings yearn [for the Buddha]. Furthermore, their separate delusions are not yet eliminated, though common delusions are. Grief and sorrow are the Buddha's dharmadhātu, which subsumes all dharmas. Later the text says: "Having grief and lacking grief are all the realm of the Tathāgata." Differentiating according to the four teachings will not be discussed in detail. Next, from "At that time there were further eighty hundred thousand..." onward summons the assembly coming from outside. It has two [parts]: those summoned, and receiving the summons. Those summoned have four: number, category, praise, and conclusion. First, the number is intelligible. Next, "bhikṣus" is the category, explained as before. From "all were arhats" onward, it first praises their virtues of self-cultivation. Arhat is the stage of no-more-learning (aśaikṣa). "Minds at ease" refers to those liberated in both ways (ubhayatobhāgavimukta), which praises the virtue of non-rebirth. "What had to be done had been completed" praises the virtue of being worthy of offerings through the wisdom of no-more-learning. "Freed from afflictions and with faculties subdued": the faculties are also thieves, as the Bequeathed Teaching Sūtra says, "these five sense thieves"; this praises the virtue of slaying the thieves. Next, from "like great dragon-kings" onward praises the virtue of transforming others. Since it says they have great majestic power, they could not possess majestic power merely for themselves; we know it benefits beings and is revered by others. An elephant has great strength on land, symbolizing wisdom; a dragon has great strength in water, symbolizing samādhi. Or, an elephant is simply called a dragon-elephant, like Indra's Airāvata jewel-elephant that walks in the sky, surpassing ten thousand li in the blink of an eye, transforming its body into thirty-two tusks, each tusk having seven ponds, each pond seven lotus blossoms, each blossom seven jade maidens, and the maidens playing musical sounds to delight the thirty-three heavens. If we take dragon-elephant as a metaphor, it conforms even more to transforming others. Sandalwood symbolizes benefiting beings through morality; the lion symbolizes benefiting beings through wisdom. Able to mold and complete others through these two dharmas, they in turn are surrounded by the pure assembly. Fourth, from "such immeasurable merits" onward is the conclusion. Since it says "immeasurable," we know it concludes both self and other. "True sons of the Buddha": their trace is the Hinayana, but the true sons are fundamentally the true sons of the Mahāyāna; by means of the true sons of the Mahāyāna, it concludes the above merits of self and other (and so forth). Next, receiving the summons. Within this are three: first the light, next the voice, and afterwards the quaking. First, the summons by light. Second, from "each in the early morning" onward is receiving the summons of the light. Morning is the beginning of dawn. Using willow twigs symbolizes the practice. The beginning can symbolize the stirring of capacity revealing superior practice. First, encountering the Buddha's light. Next, from "mutually saying to one another" onward is complying with the summons of the light. Compared to the previous passage, it also lacks the text on eliminating the three obstacles, but has the text on the goodness of the three karmas. Mutually saying to one another is the goodness of verbal karma; the hair of the whole body standing on end is the goodness of bodily karma; generating great anguish is the goodness of mental karma. Palāśa is the name of a tree: its leaves are green, and its flowers have three colors; before the sun shines on them they are black; when the sun shines on them they are red, and the red veins all appear; when the sun sets they are yellow. This symbolizes that before receiving the summons, the three goods do not arise, like black; receiving the summons and grieving is like red; being without a Buddha is like yellow (and so forth). From "desiring to benefit" onward, it clarifies the intention of complying with the summons. Benefiting sentient beings clarifies that it is not just self-cultivation; accomplishing the Mahāyāna clarifies that it is not the lesser path; practicing the supreme emptiness clarifies that it is not shallow and near. This accords with the text on the "true sons of the Buddha." Next, from "to reveal and uncover the Tathāgata's..." onward is receiving the summons of the voice. This also has two: first, the great voice universally notifying to cause the final questioning. Now receiving this summons, they reveal and uncover the Tathāgata's expedient secret teaching, opening the permanent to question the ultimate, and the final teaching arises. Next, from "so as not to sever..." onward is complying with the summons of the voice. If one complies with the Buddha's vocal teaching, the exposition of the Dharma is not severed. Third, from "for the sake of sentient beings..." onward is receiving the summons of the earth-quaking. This also has two: first, above, the quaking of mountains and seas overturned the nature of wrong views; now they receive this summons. Next, as causes and conditions for subduing, they swiftly arrive at the Buddha's place, which is complying with the summons of the quaking. Those who can summon and those who are summoned mutually understand; wisdom recognizes wisdom—this is what it means (and so forth).