大般涅槃經疏 26.19

26.19

From “There are two kinds of śamatha” onward is the third part, further expanding the essences of the three dharmas, explaining them by increasing numbers. First, expanding concentration increases up to ten dharmas. Those with “great benefit” are called in the Śataśāstra the “samādhi of penetrating factors.” As for “both cause and effect being joyful,” Héxī says: this refers to the concentration attained by the Buddha, entering and emerging with mastery, being constantly joyful from beginning to end. Regarding “mindfulness of vitarka and vicāra,” both wholesome and unwholesome vitarka and vicāra are faults. Regarding “contemplating arising and cessation,” people often give rise to views of annihilation or permanence regarding arising and cessation. Regarding the ten kṛtsnāyatanas, listing only earth, water, and wind without clarifying fire, some say: the sūtra text erroneously lost the character for fire. Héxī says: the practitioner contemplates the four great elements within the body, not the external four great elements. Three great elements within the body are obvious: bones and flesh are earth, tears and saliva are water, and breath is wind—these three are manifestly evident. The fire element is inferior, being only a little warmth, which is why there are only three. And regarding “the base of nothingness,” it clarifies from the lower stages up to the base of nothingness. Zhāotí says: the fire element is not constant; it depends on fuel to exist and does not flare without fuel, whereas the three great elements are constant, which is why they are used. The base of nothingness clarifies that when this contemplation is perfected, it exhausts the base of nothingness, so it is counted as one. From “There are two kinds of wisdom” onward extensively brings forth the essence of wisdom. Prajñā is precisely wisdom. Vipa- is precisely contemplation, also called seeing. Jñāna is precisely knowledge. In explaining prajñā as being called all sentient beings, it reveals that prajñā is wisdom because it can know the number of all sentient beings. Furthermore, vipa- is explained as the general mark, and also as samādhi, which is why wisdom in samādhi can know generally. Common interpretations say: wisdom is non-delusion, so it resides in ordinary beings; seeing is called slightly superior, so it resides in noble ones; knowledge is decisive judgment, being most superior in the Buddhas. Particular marks, general marks, and destructive marks are also based on superiority and inferiority. Xīnghuáng says: ordinary beings’ differentiation is the particular mark; the two vehicles’ noble ones generalizing the impermanence of all preceding dharmas is the general mark; the Buddhas and bodhisattvas demolishing all of these is the destructive mark. Now we clarify that this is not so: this discusses the three wisdoms in a single mind—the destructive mark illuminates emptiness, the particular mark illuminates the provisional, and the general mark illuminates the middle; obtaining the three wisdoms within a single mind discusses inconceivable wisdom. Equanimity is not mentioned because it has no separate essence.