大般涅槃經疏 5.9

5.9

Bitter pain lodged in the breast is called sorrow; the uttering of mournful wails is called lamentation. Labelled concisely after the event, it is called the 'Chapter on Sorrow and Lamentation'. Expounding it more broadly: losing the qualities of the Path within is called sorrow; losing the compassionate protection from without is called lamentation. The text states: 'Losing shelter and the flavor of the Dharma is like a calf losing its mother'—this is the worldly [siddhānta]. Furthermore, that good already produced deteriorates is the reason for sorrow; that good not yet produced is obstructed is the reason for lamentation. The text states: 'To rear children and deliver them over to a caṇḍāla; afflicted by the sufferings of age, youth, and sickness, they travel on a perilous path'—this is producing goodness [the individual siddhānta]. Furthermore, that present evils are not yet exhausted is the reason for sorrow; that impending evils are just arising is the reason for lamentation. The text states: 'Just like a gravely sick person eating what ought not to be eaten'—this is the therapeutic [siddhānta]. Furthermore, sorrow arises because one ought to attain the secret [teaching] yet does not attain it; lamentation arises because one ought not to lose the secret [teaching] yet loses it. The text states: 'He exclusively teaches the secret Dharma solely to Mañjuśrī, casting us aside'—this is the supreme truth [paramārthasatya siddhānta]. Thus, when the four conditions stimulate the Buddha, the Buddha arises in the world; when the four capacities subside, the Buddha proclaims his passing away. Therefore, the 'Chapter on Sorrow and Lamentation' is explained in terms of the four siddhāntas.

In the Sanskrit original, this text still belonged to the 'Chapter on the Lifespan'; Master Xie divided it into two, which broadly have ten differences: the previous chapter was named from the person, while the subsequent chapter is named from the event; the previous chapter addressed the laity, while the present chapter addresses the religious; the previous chapter involved offerings, while the present chapter has no offerings; the previous chapter had a twofold request, while this chapter has a single request; the previous chapter depended on another, while this chapter comes forth from oneself; the previous chapter briefly clarified the permanence of the buddhadhātu, while this chapter fully explains the three dots [of the letter i] and the four virtues; the previous chapter discussed the present teaching, while this chapter encompasses both present and past; the previous chapter was a debate between two people, while the present chapter is a discussion facing the Buddha; the previous chapter agitated attachments and gave rise to doubts, while this chapter smashes attachments and eliminates doubts; in the previous chapter, hearing the Dharma they suppressed and held back their sorrow, while in this chapter, seeing the earth shake, they sorrowed and lamented. However, these ten points fully contain both the general and the particular; here one side is cited to specifically highlight their differences.

[Master] Xīnghuáng explained this chapter with seven points, namely: three requests, three replies, and the concluding synthesis and origination. He says that because the Buddha is entering nirvāṇa and sentient beings will be left solitary and unprotected, they sorrowfully entreat him to remain in the world. The Buddha replies: 'You originally came to present offerings and hear the Dharma. Now the offerings have been accepted, generating merit for you, and the new letter i has already been preached, generating wisdom for you; yet you are unwilling to learn—what benefit would there be in my remaining?' Next, they pray and entreat: 'The Tathāgata's past teaching of impermanence took some fifty years to achieve completion; now that you preach the new letter i of permanence, bliss, self, and purity, you should remain long to teach and guide us. If you enter nirvāṇa, it would be better to return to cultivating the old teaching.' Citing the elephant's footprint and autumn plowing, they dread the teaching and do not accept it. The Buddha then replies: 'It is not that I will not teach at all; I will ultimately cause you to understand the new letter i. Thus it is said: I place all my sons within the secret treasury, and I too abide within it—this is termed entering nirvāṇa.' Having already sorrowfully prayed, and since he did not permit remaining, they could only make a pressing entreaty using mockery and their own lives: 'If the Tathāgata possesses permanence, bliss, self, and purity, he is free from the four inverted views, and would obtain sovereignty and remain long in the world. If you must enter nirvāṇa, you are not free from inversion, and the words "permanence and bliss" are set forth in vain. If you do not remain, how could our poisonous bodies be allowed to remain long? We should also enter nirvāṇa together with the Buddha.' The Buddha then replies: 'How could my going or remaining be known by you? You say that going is definitely going and remaining is definitely remaining. My going and remaining are like two birds flying together: going yet ever remaining—what need is there to entreat me to remain? Remaining yet ever going—what need is there to entreat? If you do not understand this, how could you enter nirvāṇa together with me?' Having had their three requests denied, their minds had no purchase, and they immediately gave rise to doubts: 'If impermanence is incorrect, it should not have been preached in the past; if permanence and bliss are correct, why were they not preached earlier? The Tathāgata would then have the fault of misjudging capacities.' The Buddha then harmonizes: 'In the past I preached impermanence to smash your sickness of permanence; now you take impermanence as a sickness, so for you I preach permanence. Your sicknesses have an earlier and a later, so the teachings have arising and setting aside. You yourselves arbitrarily think the presentation of the teaching is too late or too early, circuitous and roundabout, as the Tathāgata bends and turns to follow along. How could the Buddha have misjudged the capacity or the timing? You are merely turning around to blame the Tathāgata.' Origination such as this is easy to see in meaning. However, having the three requests placed before and the three replies placed behind, with the sub-sections in between interlinked everywhere—this was merely that master's profound discussion of the seven points; if one wishes to parse the text with it, it goes entirely contrary to the natural sequence. Now we clarify that this chapter delivers the new letter i to the bhikṣus, surpassing the practices of the three cultivations.