大般涅槃經疏 26.6

26.6

From "Siṃhanāda said: 'The five aggregates of sentient beings'" downward is the fourth major section, explaining the cultivation of the path. Since there is bondage, how can one attain release? Therefore, the cultivation of the path to release its bondage is discussed. The text has four questions and answers: first, explaining that the path can be cultivated; second, directly explaining the cultivation of the path; third, the function of cultivating the path; fourth, exhorting cultivation. As for the sequence of these four: although all dharmas are ultimately empty, the path can be cultivated, and therefore one directly cultivates it. Cultivation can cut off delusion, and therefore there is an exhortation. The first round has three questions and answers. The first question asks: if the five aggregates and sentient beings, both persons and dharmas, are empty, why is there cultivation? The Buddha answers: the various minds continue from thought-moment to thought-moment without interruption. Although they cease from thought-moment to thought-moment, afflictions are linked in succession; therefore there is cultivation. Therefore the second asks again: if the mind ceases from thought-moment to thought-moment, how can there be cultivation of the path? The Buddha answers: although it ceases from thought-moment to thought-moment, cultivation of the path can be discussed, just as a lamp, although ceasing from thought-moment to thought-moment, can dispel darkness. From "you say that it ceases from thought-moment to thought-moment" downward, the meaning is taken up again for explanation: you say there is no growth, but this is not so. Later, six parables are adduced, all explaining that there is growth, as in the text. The third round of questions further follows on the preceding six parables to raise a challenge. Although ceasing from thought-moment to thought-moment, it can dispel darkness, and so forth. Cultivating the path is also like this: although not yet complete at first, over time it can destroy delusion. Siṃhanāda takes this up to challenge further: for a person of the first fruit, the five aggregates of wholesome dharmas should also continue similarly and be born in a pure land; how could they suddenly arrive in an evil land and be born into a family of sheep slaughterers? The Buddha answers: although born in an evil land, they do not lose the name; "name" refers to the outflow-free, and the outflow-free is always present, whereas the aggregates are not so. Wholesome aggregates and evil aggregates are obtained through karma; they are not drawn and summoned by outflow-free dharmas. Therefore the Buddha answers that they are not similar: that although born in an evil land, they do not commit evil is because they are sustained by the power of the outflow-free. In the answer, the phenomenon comes first, also presenting six parables. Mount Gandhamādana is a parable for the initial body; the lion is a parable for the outflow-free of the darśanamārga; the snowy mountains are a parable for the evil five aggregates; the flying birds and running beasts are a parable for the various evil dharmas. Furthermore, Mount Gandhamādana is a parable for wholesome aggregates, and the snowy mountains are a parable for evil aggregates; that the birds and beasts of the snowy mountains all dare not stay is a parable that, within both wholesome and evil lands, evil dharmas do not arise. This concerns the meaning of the two causes of habituation and retribution: the habituation-cause has similar kinds that constantly arise and ultimately do not commit evil, whereas the retribution-cause pulls along the fruit of a different kind, and therefore one is born in an evil land. The existence of a person is a parable for the body of a srotāpanna; immense wealth and property is a parable for the merit of cutting off delusion through the outflow-free of the darśanamārga. Having only one son refers to the first fruit among the four fruits. Furthermore, between the two paths of seeing and cultivation, it is solely the path of seeing; hence it is called "one son." Having already passed away previously means that the outflow-free of the darśanamārga is not currently manifest, and upon emerging from contemplation it is absent. That his son, and so forth, [has a son] means that the outflow-free of cultivation arises dependent on the path of seeing; hence it says that his son has a son. Being again in another land means that the outflow-free of cultivation, viewed in relation to the path of seeing, is called "another land." Suddenly passing away means that the srotāpanna passes away at the end of seven lifetimes. The grandson, having heard this, returning to take possession of the property means that within the path of cultivation one still receives and continues the preceding merit of the path of seeing. Although knowing that the wealth and goods are not his own means that it is the outflow-free of the path of seeing, not the outflow-free within cultivation. That there is no hindrance or guarding means that although seeing and cultivation are distinct, they are identical in being outflow-free.