大般涅槃經疏 6.8

6.8

Next, from “World-Honoured One, it is like an emperor…” onwards is the request. Having heard above about the new [shape of the letter] *i*, they wished and rejoiced to cultivate and learn it, [thinking:] if the Tathāgata leaves, from whom shall we receive it? Because of this, they then made the request. In the disparagement and request above, they mostly made analogies of kinship, which the Buddha rejected as unreal; now they dare not make analogies of kinship, but only make analogies of a ruler and teacher. The analogy [of a ruler] is precisely that of governing, because its meaning of instruction is broad. In all there are five analogies: the first one is an analogy requesting a ruler, and the latter four are analogies requesting a teacher. Examining the text that matches the analogies, they request to learn the new *i*. Why? The arhats have already broken the ignorance of the four residences, but fundamental ignorance is what they have not yet eliminated; since distinct afflictions are raised, we know they request the new *i*. The first, [the analogy of] the imperial pardon, makes a general request on behalf of the śrāvakas who have not yet eliminated both afflictions; the analogy of the incantation master also makes a general request on behalf of the śrāvakas who have not yet eliminated ignorance; the analogy of the fragrant elephant makes a specific request on behalf of those in training (śaikṣa) who have not yet eliminated the afflictions of thought; the analogy of malaria makes a specific request on behalf of those beyond training (aśaikṣa) who have not yet eliminated the one extreme; the analogy of the drunkard makes a general request on behalf of all ordinary beings and nobles. The first two analogies are as in the text. In the third analogy of the fragrant elephant, there is first the analogy and next the matching. In the matching, when it mentions the fifty-seven afflictions, interpreters have three explanations: Five are the five hindrances. Ten are the ten entanglements. Seven are the seven outflows. The abhidharma masters say: The four dull [afflictions] of the desire realm—greed, anger, delusion, and conceit—pervade and confuse the five practices. As for the five practices, four belong to seeing the truths and one to contemplation. Each of the five practices has four, four times five being twenty; in each of the upper two realms anger is eliminated, so each of the five practices has three, three times five being fifteen, which makes thirty for both realms; added to the twenty of the desire realm, this makes fifty. The seven underlying tendencies (anuśaya) pervading the mind, namely the seven outflows, are the root. The treatise masters say: The ten underlying tendencies of seeing the truths, confusing the four truths, make forty; the four underlying tendencies of contemplation, also confusing the four truths, four times four make sixteen; combined with seeing the truths they make fifty-six, and together with ignorance this makes fifty-seven. [Master] Xīnghuáng says: The five gate-contemplations each have three inversions, namely thought, view, and mind; three times five is fifteen, which across the three realms makes forty-five. Furthermore, the four truths each have three inversions, three times four being twelve, which added to the former makes fifty-seven (and so forth). In the analogy of drunkenness, performing the evil of the three karmas results in retribution; in the matching, taking medicine vomits out afflictions (and so forth).