大般涅槃經疏 10.9

10.9

From "What is called..." onward is praising [them] by showing their characteristics, which comprises two [parts]: first, showing the characteristics of the four persons; next, generally praising their virtues. The first passage itself comprises four [parts]. The characteristics of the first person comprise three: first, the characteristic of the path of suppression; second, the characteristic of cultivating practice; third, the characteristic of their stage. First, as for the path of suppression: the afflictions have not yet been eliminated, and therefore it is called "possessing the phenomena [of affliction]"; [yet] they have already been suppressed, with only the substance of delusion remaining, and therefore it is called "[affliction-]nature"; thus it is the path of suppression. Next, as for the characteristic of cultivating practice: practicing while suppressing delusion does not go beyond oneself and others; self-practice does not go beyond the two trainings of morality and wisdom; transforming others does not go beyond giving rise to goodness and destroying evil; spoken of in summary, it does not go beyond the two kinds of wisdom: provisional and real. Skillfully knowing expedient means is provisional wisdom; secret Dharmas are real wisdom; this can be seen by consulting the text. The eight awarenesses of great beings come from the Sutra of the [Buddha's] Bequeathed Teaching: few desires, contentment, solitude, diligence, correct mindfulness, correct concentration, correct wisdom, and not indulging in frivolous discourse. Few desires is the path, many desires is not the path, up to: not indulging in frivolous discourse is the path, indulging in frivolous discourse is not the path (and so on). Third, the characteristic of their stage comprises three: first, setting aside the noble with the ordinary; next, setting aside the ordinary with the noble; thereafter, determining their stage by setting aside the fruit with the cause. First, being ordinary and not noble means being a bodhisattva and not a buddha. Not being the eighth person is explained using the shared stage: the eighth person belongs to the path of severance, whereas the first refuge belongs to the path of suppression, so [this person] is not the eighth. Furthermore, counting from back to front, the stage of the eighth person is the eighth, so it says "not the eighth person."