大般涅槃經疏 6.11

6.11

Next, from "At that time the monks..." onwards, this refutes their one-sided practice; it is also called "answering the request." The text has two parts: first, repeating the request; second, answering the request and refuting their practice. The first, repeating the request, has three parts: 1. grasping the purport and praising the Buddha; 2. making the formal request on the basis of the praise; 3. concluding the request by offering their lives. The text makes this clear. From "At that time the Buddha addressed..." onwards is the answer to the request. This again has two parts: first, rebuking it as inappropriate; next, the formal answer. The first rebuke means: the Tathāgata's going and staying is not within your realm; since you cannot know the Buddha's coming and going, how could you be permitted to follow him? Therefore he says it is inappropriate. Next, answering the request has two parts: first, answering by means of a person; next, answering by means of the Dharma. You previously requested that he stay precisely because you wished to learn the Dharma; now he leaves behind both person and Dharma so that your learning is fully satisfied—what more is there to request? Answering by means of a person has three parts: 1. designating the person to whom it is entrusted; next, praising that person as being identical to the Tathāgata; 3. explaining the praise. The first two are clear from the text. The meaning within the third, the explanation, is like a king entrusting a great minister. "巡" (xún) means to travel; because the Buddha wished to travel through other lands, he entrusted Kāśyapa. From "You all should know..." onwards is answering the request by means of the Dharma. This again has two parts: first, answering the request; next, refuting the one-sided practice. Within the first answer, there are the Dharma, the simile, and the application. In the simile, from "in springtime..." onwards forms a simile for the one-sided practice. The old [commentators] say this refers to the wisdoms of hearing, reflection, and cultivation, but looking at the text, this does not fit. Now, following Master Lǎng of Héxī, we divide the text into two: first, explaining the arising of delusion and the loss of the principle; later, cultivating learning to seek the principle. The first sentence is the arising of delusion. "In springtime": at the beginning of the year, things are generated; this is a simile for the inception of delusion. Moreover, because understanding arises dependent on delusion, it says "in springtime." The two sentences "there were various people..." are the place where the jewel was lost. The old [commentators] say: the great pond is the teaching of impermanence. Master Lǎng says: it is the ocean of birth and death. The character 浴 (yù, bathe) is sometimes written 沼 (zhǎo, pond), but mostly 浴. The three sentences "boarded a boat and amused themselves..." are the conditions for losing the jewel. The old [commentators] say: because the understanding of the wisdom of hearing is shallow, it says "amused themselves." Héxī says: the mind of anger and pride is like boarding a boat; the pleasures of the five desires are like amusing themselves. Losing the vaiḍūrya jewel illustrates losing the buddhadhātu. The old [commentators] say either losing the principle or losing understanding. "Sank into the deep water": it was lost for the time being, not lost forever. The old [commentators] say: the perfect principle was concealed beneath the teaching of impermanence, and therefore it says "sank into the deep water." Furthermore, the principle of the buddhadhātu was submerged by anger, pride, and birth and death, and could not be made manifest. Next, from "At that time the people..." downwards concerns practicing understanding to seek the principle. It has two parts: first, one-sided cultivation relying on the former teaching, which is false cultivation; second, explaining the perfect cultivation of the present teaching, which is supreme cultivation. First, "competed to grab": this is one-sided cultivation of the contemplation of impermanence and suffering, and training in it. Tiles and stones injuring oneself illustrates suffering. Grass and wood being hollow and floating illustrates non-self. Sand and gravel at the bottom of the water being fragmented and dispersed illustrates impermanence. Each of them thought of themselves that none had failed to attain the principle. Next, from "joyfully took it out..." downwards illustrates the perfect cultivation of the present teaching. The old [commentators] also took this as the three wisdoms; the present interpretation does not hold this, but rather that it is still the one-sided cultivation not yet being clear and the principle not yet being ultimate, and therefore it says "only then did they realize it was not real." Taking a preliminary overview, there are four points: 1. awakening to the former being unreal; 2. causing sentient beings to awaken through the power of the buddhadhātu; 3. explaining faith and understanding; 4. explaining seeing with wisdom, which is attaining the principle. The first passage means that only after the present teaching has arisen does one awaken to the former being unreal. The old [commentators] gave two explanations: taking "joyfully" with the preceding, and "took it out" with what follows. Zhuāngyán took "joyfully took" with the preceding, and "out, not real" with what follows. Now we take them all as a single sentence. Next, from "At that time the precious jewel..." downwards, only through the power of the buddhadhātu does true cultivation begin to become clear. This means that upon hearing the present teaching expound the buddhadhātu, through the power of the buddhadhātu sentient beings are brought to awakening. "In the water": the buddhadhātu is not far away; it is right within the body of the five aggregates of birth and death. "The water became clear and pure": through the power of the buddhadhātu, sentient beings are brought to awakening. Third, from "Thereupon the great assembly..." downwards explains the initial faith and understanding; it is illustrated by seeing it without yet being able to take it. "Like the shape of the moon": the perfect principle of the middle way is ultimate and without defect. Fourth, from "At that time..." downwards is seeing with wisdom. "Calmly and slowly": dwelling in birth and death as though dwelling in nirvāṇa, hence it says "calmly and slowly." Next, from "You monks should not..." downwards applies the simile. This again has four parts: first, applying it to one-sided cultivation; next, applying it to perfect cultivation; third, from "You should further know..." downwards, reapplying it to one-sided cultivation; fourth, from "Desiring to attain the real..." downwards, reapplying it to perfect cultivation. The sūtra text here is a place to apply close attention, and so the old explanations are retained; please do not find it troublesome.