大般涅槃經疏 22.10

22.10

From "How does one cultivate a pure body..." below, the seventh chapter is explained. It also has three parts: indicating, explaining, and concluding. First, indicating. Next, in the explanation, the "Chapter on Siṃhanāda" explains that either one karma produces one mark, or one karma produces two or three marks; here it explains that a hundred merits complete a single mark. The text is divided into two: first, explaining the karma of marks, and next, explaining the karma of secondary characteristics. What non-Buddhists worship each points to a single mark, whereas the Buddha gathers all marks together in one body. "Twelve days" refers to the twelve days of zi, chou, and so forth. Héxī said: "In one year there are twelve auspicious days suitable for offering sacrifices to seek blessings." Furthermore, cultivating the marks and characteristics also contains the meaning of the four siddhāntas: first, the essence of the Dharma King should adorn itself with marks and characteristics; all buddhas are like this, and this is the mundane [siddhānta]. Causing those who see them to give rise to faith and produce goodness is the individual [siddhānta]. Possessing all the secondary characteristics on one body to refute non-Buddhists is the counteractive [siddhānta]. Because physical form is pure, prajñā is pure; because prajñā is pure, physical form is pure; this is the primary meaning [siddhānta]. The text cites four metaphors, which perhaps correspond to these (and so forth).