大般涅槃經疏 7.9

7.9

Third, from "At that time Kāśyapa..." onward is the humble questioning. The text has three [parts]: first, greatness and smallness form a pair; second, loftiness and vastness form a pair; third, relying on assistance forms a pair. As for the first part: the Tathāgata's compassionate pity is great friendliness and great compassion, the greatest of the great; I possess the small wisdom of a gnat or mosquito, the smallest of the small. In using the small to question the great, how could they match each other? As for the second pair: the Buddha's virtue is lofty and majestic, showing that the Buddha's majesty is lofty; lions are difficult to subdue, showing that the assembly is vast. The Tathāgata's body is like true vajra; because the Buddha's physical form is vast, his wisdom is also vast; surrounded by an ocean of wisdom, the wisdom of the great assembly is vast. The Buddha and the great assembly are lofty and vast like this; how could I, a gnat or mosquito, be equal to this? As for the third pair: if one speaks of the immense and the minute, it goes without saying that they are completely disparate; now, relying on the Buddha's spiritual power and drawing support from the power of wisdom and the roots of goodness of the great assembly, these add to my aptitude and eloquence so that I am able to raise questions. Fourth, from "immediately before the Buddha..." is the formal questioning. Old interpretations held three different views: first, on the division of the verses; second, on the number of questions; third, on their origin. First, regarding the differences in dividing the verses: Héxī states that the first nineteen verses are questions, and the latter four verses request an answer. Another master says: the first twenty-one lines are questions, and the latter two lines are humble self-deprecation. Another master says: from beginning to end, all are questions. Yet another master says: accommodating both views, the latter are also not questions, but rather the residual momentum of Kāśyapa's skillfully framed questions, serving to introduce the various chapters; or they may also be questions: "profound practices" and so on questions the five practices and ten virtues, and "nature of peace and bliss" questions the [chapters on] Siṃhanāda, Kāśyapa, and so on (and so forth). Second, regarding the differences in the number of questions: Emperor Wu of Liang counts thirty-two questions; Héxī counts thirty-four questions, which Lǐngwèi Liàng, Yěchéng Sù, and Zhuāngyán Mín all follow; Zhōngsì Ān counts thirty-five questions; Kāishàn counts thirty-six questions; Guāngzhái counts thirty-seven questions. Third, regarding the differences in origin: Kāishàn says that each and every question arises from Cunda's sorrowful lamentation. Tàichāng Zōng says that all were questions raised on the spur of the moment, none arising from the preceding text. Línggēn Lìngzhèng says: some arise from the preceding, and some do not arise from the preceding; how could they be treated uniformly? As for those arising from the preceding: the question on how to attain longevity arises from the "Cunda Chapter"—"One should know that the Tathāgata is indeed of long life"; the question on the vajra body arises from the Dharmakāya, the eternal body, and the vajra body; "May the Buddha reveal the subtle and secret" arises from the secret treasury in the "Lamentation Chapter"; "How does one become vast and great?" arises from Kāśyapa acting as a refuge for the assembly. Those that correspond may arise from the preceding; those that do not correspond do not arise from the preceding. Xīnghuáng says: these questions should not merely derive proximately from Cunda, but universally discuss the teaching of Śākyamuni's single lifetime of transformation, beginning from the royal palace and ending at the Twin Trees. Why so? The text says: "In the great ocean of birth and death, how does one act as a helmsman?"—this asks about the beginning, the events at the time of first attaining the Way. Later it asks: "How does one cast off birth and death, like a snake shedding its old skin?"—this asks about the end, the events at the time of final nirvāṇa. The teaching conferred in between comprises many Dharma gates, wishing to make manifest the Tathāgata's expedient secret teachings, appearing and departing in diverse manifestations. This conception is grand and encompasses the vast; it brilliantly illuminates the path of enlightenment and embraces ancient and modern times. Now, observing these twenty-three verses: although the first nineteen verses are questions, within the questions there are requests, namely: "We only pray that the Great Sage will explain it"; although the latter four verses are requests, within the requests there are questions, namely: "the nature of peace and bliss, the various practices," and so on. Furthermore, opening and combining them differ: for instance, the first single verse combines into two questions, or opens into four questions; the single verse "How does one recognize heavenly māras?" combines into one question, or opens into two questions. If one straightforwardly counts the "how"s, there are thirty-two questions; if one counts the combined verses, there are also only thirty-two questions; if one counts the opened verses, there are thirty-four questions; if one counts the three questions within the request verses and adds them to the combined verses, there are thirty-five questions; if one counts the three verses within the requests and adds them to all the "how"s, there are also thirty-five questions; if one counts the three verses within the requests and adds them to the opened verses, there are thirty-seven questions. Each has its selections and omissions, resulting in different counts; the underlying intent lies in this. These are additions and subtractions in numerical matters; there is no need for people to dispute over them. We now follow Héxī in counting the opened verses and not counting the request verses, taking them simply as thirty-four questions and answers, running through the "Chapter on the Questions of the Great Assembly." Regarding whether the origins are near or far: if one claims that the various questions arise from the preceding text, the śrāvakas had never before heard of permanence, so upon hearing it doubt could arise; but the bodhisattvas had long heard of it, so why would they raise doubts? Furthermore, when the śrāvakas heard it explained, their doubts and attachments were already broken; the bodhisattvas are of sharp faculties, so how could they suddenly not understand? A defense says: they doubted for the sake of other conditions. If so, then the questions do not depend on the preceding. It is also said: the bodhisattvas knew that the Buddha ought to preach this Dharma and, receiving the Buddha's spiritual power, inquired in advance; but the Buddha's power reaches everywhere, so why would it be restricted only to these two proximate chapters? Furthermore, it is said that asking about the beginning and end of a lifetime of transformation stands completely at variance with the sūtra. The sūtra asks about the cause of longevity, and the Buddha answers that in the past, listening to the Dharma with a focused mind and upholding the precept against killing were the causes of longevity. If one now takes the single lifetime of transformation from the royal palace onwards: where did the Buddha listen to the Dharma? From whom did he receive precepts? At the end under the Twin Trees, whose sūtra did he listen to, and what precepts did he receive? If there were no such matters, a lifetime of transformation would not be established. That [author] considered his view the ultimate discourse; we now maintain that it does not accord with the text, and therefore is not the ultimate discourse. Let us now attempt to set forth the meaning. "How does one attain long life?" asks about the original cause of the eternal fruit. The Buddha replies: if there is karma capable of being the cause for bodhi, listening to and receiving it with a focused mind, and having heard it, expounding it to others—I practiced such karma and attained sambodhi, and now again explain this meaning extensively for others. Such a cause is by no means of recent times; as in the Lotus Sūtra, even through kalpas as numerous as specks of dust, it cannot be known. Now, it specifically asks about this remote cause: if the origin were impermanent, the fruit should not be permanent; if the origin were permanent, permanence could not be cultivated. Yet one does not yet know what the cause of the permanent fruit of long life is. If one asks about this meaning, it spontaneously reveals the permanent cause that is neither permanent nor impermanent, obtaining the permanent fruit that is neither permanent nor impermanent. Once the permanent meaning of cause and fruit is revealed, the myriad virtues of the fruit are all the cause of the dual negation, obtaining the fruit of the dual negation. Although the meaning is boundless, summarizing it preliminarily, it asks about the primordial cause and fruit of the past, practice, stages, vows, merits, wisdom, the factors of enlightenment, the six perfections, and other Dharma gates. If one asks, "How does one ultimately reach the other shore in this sūtra?", this asks about the beginning and end of a single lifetime of transformation, the various teachings conferred according to present conditions. Why so? If there is no beginning, there is no end; now, having asked about the end, one spontaneously asks about the beginning; having asked about the beginning and end, the middle can be known. One should know that the beginning and end of a single lifetime of transformation, facing immeasurable faculties and conditions, confers verbal teachings that cannot be exhausted. Although inexhaustible, summarizing it preliminarily, it asks about the immeasurable Dharma gates of the present age: following others, following oneself, and following both oneself and others. If one asks, "How does one become vast and great, acting as a refuge for the assembly?", this asks about the expedients to be conferred in the future, guiding sentient beings as state preceptors, Daoist masters, and the foremost among Confucian scholars. Abiding in the śūraṅgama[-samādhi], manifesting variously without measure or limit—although inexhaustible, summarizing it preliminarily, it asks about the provisional and real, intricate and skillful methods of the future: guiding, gathering, shouldering, and delivering through various Dharma gates. Briefly citing these three phrases shows that the intent of these questions does not exceed the three periods of time; hence the text says: "Such profound realms of all Buddhas, immeasurable Dharma gates of benefiting oneself and others—how could they exceed the three periods of time?" If one traces the ancient beginning, its source is inexhaustible; if one traces the present age, its breadth is limitless; if one traces the future bounds, it is forever unending. Such a framework indeed embraces ancient and modern times, brilliantly illuminating the path of enlightenment; it can be called the realm of all Buddhas. How could it merely proximately stem from two chapters, or remotely depend on only a single lifetime of transformation? Now, setting forth the intent of the questions as grand and far-reaching as this, we still fear not matching the explicit text on the realm of all Buddhas; how much less could what the various masters say accord with the Buddha's intent? Master Xīnghuáng mocked others, saying: "Without knowing whether a hare's horn exists or not, they vainly dispute its length; without knowing whether the questions advance or not, what benefit is there in arguing whether the number of questions is few or many?" We now follow Héxī in dividing the twenty-three verses of the questions into two: the first nineteen verses formally constitute thirty-four questions, and the latter four verses request an answer. The first single line asks about the Buddha's cause and fruit. The Buddha practiced causes and attained the fruit; this cannot be said to be present or future, but can forcibly be designated as past. The next single line, "How in this sūtra...", asks about the present teaching. The present teaching is preached in response to the capacities present; it cannot be said to be past or future, but can forcibly be called present. From "How does one become vast and great..." downward, the seventeen lines, although their meaning extends through the three periods of time, since the above has already been assigned to two periods of time, can forcibly be named the future. Why say "forcibly"? The great parinirvāṇa is not subsumed under the three periods of time; it is not that bodhi has past, future, and present—all are merely forcibly spoken of by means of worldly words. The latter four verses request answers to the previous three intents. The first single verse, "We pray that for the sake of the bodhisattvas you will speak of the subtle practices...", previously asked about the fruit of long life; the fruit must have a cause, and the cause is practice; thus we know that this verse requests an answer concerning past Dharma gates. The next single line requests an answer concerning the present: previously it asked, "How to reveal the secret?", and here it requests an answer regarding the nature of peace and bliss. The nature of peace and bliss had not previously been revealed, so we know this requests an answer concerning the present. The latter two verses request answers concerning the future: above it asked about the vast refuge, and here it requests an answer concerning future Dharma gates, which is very clear. Having listed the number of questions and concluded the request text, we next indicate the locations of the answers. "How does one attain long life?" has four questions in total, answered in the lower text of this chapter and the "Vajra Body Chapter." "How does one in this sūtra ultimately reach the other shore?" is answered in the "Chapter on Name and Merit." "May the Buddha reveal the subtle and secret" is answered in the "Chapter on the Four Characteristics." "How does one become vast and great, acting as a refuge for the assembly, while not truly being an arhat, etc.?" is answered in the "Chapter on the Four Refuges." "How does one recognize heavenly māras?" has two questions in total, answered in the "Chapter on the Heterodox and the Correct." "How do the tamers rejoice in mind and preach the true truth?" is answered in the "Chapter on the Four Truths." Expounding the four inversions is answered in the "Chapter on the Four Inversions." "How does one perform good karma and be able to see the nature that is difficult to see?" is answered together in the "Chapter on the Tathāgatadhātu." "How does one understand the complete letters?" is answered in the "Letters Chapter." "How does one practice together with the holy?" is answered in the "Bird Metaphor Chapter." "How is one like the sun, moon, Venus, and Jupiter?" is answered in the "Moon Metaphor Chapter" (concluding fifteen questions). From "How does one who has not yet generated the aspiration..." downward there are twelve questions, all answered in the "Bodhisattva Chapter." "How does one who has not yet generated the aspiration [do so]?" is answered by dreaming of a rākṣasa coercing one to generate the aspiration. "How does one attain fearlessness in the great assembly?" is answered by three verses. "How does one abide in a defiled world?" is answered by the four flower metaphors. "How does one dwell among afflictions?" is answered by the fourteen parables of the physician and others. "In the great ocean of birth and death, how does one act as a helmsman?" is answered by the four parables of the wind king. "How does one cast off birth and death like a snake shedding its old skin?" is answered by the two parables of the goldsmith (a dragon shedding its bones can serve as a metaphor for nirvāṇa). "How does one view the Three Jewels?" is answered by the āmra and jambu trees. If the three vehicles have no nature, Mañjuśrī raises the doubt, but originally there was no verse answering it. "How do bodhisattvas attain an indestructible assembly?" is answered by citing the causes and conditions of protecting the Dharma. "How does one act as eyes and a guide for the blind from birth?" is answered by [the parable of] a person losing taste and not knowing the six flavors. "How does one manifest many heads?" is answered by constantly being father and mother to sentient beings. "How does an expounder of the Dharma increase like the waxing moon?" is answered by [the parable of] a person having a child who has just reached six months of age. "How does one again manifest ultimate nirvāṇa?" has seven questions in total, all answered in the "Chapter on the Questions of the Great Assembly." "How does one again manifest ultimate nirvāṇa?" is answered by emitting light and receiving offerings. "How does a courageous one recognize the paths of humans, devas, and māras?" is answered by: if there is a monk who can make vows using the Tathāgata's vows, he is supreme in the world; one who cannot clearly contemplate permanence is a caṇḍāla. "How does one know the dharmatā and experience the joy of Dharma?" is answered by expounding twenty-one verses. "How are the bodhisattvas far removed from all sicknesses?" is answered by the three sick persons. "How does one expound the secret for sentient beings?" is answered by extensively explaining the verses with remainder and using the verses without remainder. "How does one speak of the ultimate and the non-ultimate?" is answered by using: What is called the meaning of non-remainder? What is called the meaning of all? Except for the good dharmas that assist the path—permanence, bliss, self, and purity—all the rest are called with remainder. "How does one come close to the supreme, unsurpassed path?" is also answered by taking the earlier [passage on] bodhisattvas being far removed from all sicknesses. The above three kinds of sick persons coming close to the unsurpassed path after eradicating offenses also answers this question. If there is a sick person who recovers whether meeting [a physician] or not, this one is closest to the Buddha; if he recovers upon meeting one and does not recover if not meeting one, this one is next closest; if he does not recover whether meeting one or not, this one is far from the Buddha. It is also said that taking the great assembly's generation of aspiration and the Tathāgata's bestowal of prediction answers this question. We now cite ten proofs to clarify that the answers to the questions are complete. First, the questions arise sequentially in the verses, and the prose responds and answers them sequentially; thus we know the answers to the questions are complete. Second, after posing the questions in the verses, [Kāśyapa] immediately humbles himself, saying: "The profound and subtle nature of peace and bliss and so forth are not known to me; we pray that the Tathāgata will expound them himself for the sake of the bodhisattvas." If following this sense, we know the answers to the questions are complete. Third, if the answers were not complete, thanks should not be given; once the answers to the questions were complete, the contemporary assembly attained benefit, stood up, paid homage, burned incense, and scattered flowers in offering; thus we know the answers to the questions are complete. Fourth, above, the assembly was gathered like clouds and earnestly exhorted to question; if the answers were not yet complete, how could [the Buddha] recline in nirvāṇa? Since he rested his speech on his right side, we know the answers to the questions are complete. Fifth, he entrusted [the teaching] to Mañjuśrī and reclined without speaking, and the great assembly requested again; having received the request, he sat cross-legged with joy and only then spoke of the five practices; thus we know the answers to the questions are complete. Sixth, he addressed Virtue King, where guest and host differ; thus we know the answers to the questions are complete. Seventh, Siṃhanāda questioned further, the questioner being different; thus we know the answers to the questions are complete. Eighth, the text says that when the Tathāgata first opened the Nirvāṇa Sūtra, he spoke of three kinds of persons; the three kinds of persons are at the end of the answers to the questions, not truly the beginning of the initial preaching; here, saying "first opened" means the beginning of the later discourse, not the beginning of the initial discourse; since there is a distinction between the initial discourse and the later discourse, we know the answers to the questions are complete. Ninth, the earlier questions were many but the fascicles of answers were few; the later questions were few, so the fascicles of answers should not be many; thus we know the answers to the questions are complete. Tenth, Héxī personally faced the Sanskrit text and received oral resolution, receiving Dharmakṣema's personal instruction, who earnestly and directly said that the nineteen verses are questions and the latter four verses are not questions; if this person is not to be believed, who can be believed?