大般涅槃經疏 14.4

14.4

The first part, explaining the precepts, is threefold: first, jointly explaining the practice of the precepts; next, jointly explaining the fruit of the precepts; and third, jointly explaining the name of the practice. In the first part, explaining the practice, there are two parts: first, explaining the gradual; next, explaining the non-gradual. The first part, explaining the gradual practice of the precepts, is twofold: (1) establishing the mind; (2) establishing the practice. Establishing the mind is twofold: (1) encountering conditions involving persons; (2) encountering conditions involving dharmas. In the first, conditions involving persons, if one proceeds from a śrāvaka, that is encountering a nurse of the sick. If one encounters the Tathāgata, that is encountering an excellent physician. Hearing the Mahāparinirvāṇa is encountering excellent medicine. Having heard it, one gives rise to faith and establishes a mind of aspiration and aversion. Seeking the unexcelled path is prajñā. Possessing the great, correct Dharma is the dharmakāya. Correct practice is liberation. The buddhas are the Buddha jewel, the unexcelled path is the Dharma jewel, and the great assembly is the Saṅgha jewel. Here it is not that there are no conditions involving dharmas, but it is named according to what is predominant. It is named 'encountering conditions involving persons', which is precisely establishing the mind. Next, regarding conditions involving dharmas, there are also the Vaipulya [teachings], which means hearing from the scrolls of the sūtras about the three virtues, the three jewels, and so forth. Loving, enjoying, and eagerly seeking them is generating aspiration. Relinquishing and leaving behind what one loves is generating aversion. Taking the Dharma as a condition, one is able to establish the mind; this is being curable. Having encountered causes and conditions, aspiration and aversion become distinct, which agitates Māra and causes him anxiety and sorrow. From the phrase 'At that time the bodhisattva went to the monastery' onward, this is the second part, establishing the practice, and the text has two parts: (1) receiving the precepts; (2) maintaining the precepts. The text on receiving has two parts: (1) taking a master; (2) receiving [the precepts], as in the text. From 'Having gone forth' onward is the second part, maintaining the precepts, and the text has two parts: namely, the teaching and the analogy. Within the analogy there are two parts: first the analogy, then the application. The initial analogy has five parts, referring to the four pārājikas, saṃghāvaśeṣas, sthūlātyayas, prāyaścittikas, and duṣkṛtas. The text of the application has six, dividing the thirty [naiḥsargika-prāyaścittikas] and ninety [prāyaścittikas] of the third category into two applications (and so forth). Alternatively, the naiḥsargika requires confession overnight, while the [pure] prāyaścittika is confessed face-to-face; for this reason it is divided into two. Regarding the rākṣasa, there are two explanations: one says it is an analogy for external bad companions; the other says it is an analogy for the internal inverted mind—all as explained in full in the fourth chapter of the Mohe zhiguan on purifying the keeping of precepts. From 'If a bodhisattva is able to...' downward is the second part, clarifying the non-gradual precepts, and the text has four parts: (1) possessing both branches and roots; (2) possessing both phenomena and principle; (3) possessing both minor and major; (4) possessing vows. First, the root refers to what is inherently unwholesome (prakṛti-sāvadyam). The preceding and subsequent retinues are the preliminary expedient and subsequent arising. These two belong to the precepts of moral restraint. Being free from all unwholesome thoughts is the concentration-concomitant precept that guards the mental ground. Guarding the correct Dharma and being mindful of the pure precepts is the path-concomitant precept. These two belong to the precepts that gather wholesome dharmas. Dedicating towards the Mahāyāna is the precept of gathering sentient beings. What is inherently unwholesome is the root, from which all the precepts branch out. Next, from 'Kāśyapa, there are furthermore two kinds of precepts' onward, this is possessing both phenomenal and principled precepts. The previous branches and roots both fall under phenomena, which ordinary people are able to practice. From 'the precept of the correct Dharma' onward, it corresponds with principle, which noble ones are able to maintain. Third, from 'Furthermore, there are two kinds' onward, this is possessing both minor and major precepts. The previous phenomena and principle are both called major; from 'ceasing the mockery and disdain of the world' onward, they are called minor; the bodhisattva maintains them fully without distinction. As for zhìzǐ, the old tradition says it sounds like bó (treading) and refers to the class of pears and persimmons. Master Guān says: this has the pronunciation dì (stem), and the Han Marquis of Guǎngchéng was named this. Moreover, the Lǐjì says, 'For a scholar, one cuts a melon and trims the stem straight, merely removing the stem.' The intention is to make clear that one must not hoard various seeds. As for 'placing yellow wooden pillows', there are two explanations: one says its interior is hollow like the reed of an organ; the other says the wood has patterns resembling yellow flowers. As for bāluósāi, Emperor Wu of Liang said: it is double-six (shuānglù), which arose in recent times. Qiāndào is jiáshí (a capture game), and the completed eight-track movement is the board game of sāi. Fourth, from 'Good son, a bodhisattva...' onward, this is possessing vows, first one's own vows, then vows for others. First, making vows for oneself has twelve: first, one vow that inwardly no thought of breaking the precepts arises; next, six vows not to accept external offerings; third, five vows not to be broken by inner sense faculties or external dusts. From 'The bodhisattva protects and maintains' downward, next are vows shared with others. The text has ten kinds: the single one of protecting and maintaining applies generally to both pure precepts and wholesome-dharma precepts, subsumed under gathering wholesome dharmas. 'Not broken' and 'not cracked' belong to both: in terms of prohibitions, they are subsumed under moral restraint; in terms of leaving faults behind, they are subsumed under wholesome dharmas. The latter five are taken for their broad, unhindered operation, all belonging to gathering sentient beings. 'Not retrogressing' means that wine taverns and royal palaces do not cause the precepts to retrogress. 'In accord with' means corresponding with principle. 'Ultimate' means complete and sufficient in all things. 'Pāramitā' means probing the depths from one side to the other. One mind of maintaining precepts endows all precepts, which is called 'one precept is all precepts'. The precepts are the dharmadhātu, gathering all dharmas; this is the perfect practice of the precepts.