大般涅槃經疏 9.26

9.26

From the beginning of this fascicle onward is the third [part], disclosing the secret of the mind to clarify the virtue of liberation. The text has two parts: first, clarifying the disclosure of the secret; next, clarifying liberation. In others' explanations of disclosing the secret of the mind, [Master] Xīnghuáng says: The disclosure of the secret of the body was not yet complete, so now it is clarified as comprehensively disclosing the secrets of the three karmas. The text states: "The words of the Tathāgata are uncovered, disclosed, and exposed"—is this not disclosing the secret of speech? "The mind of the Tathāgata is free from stinginess"—is this not disclosing the secret of the mind? "The Dharma-body of the Tathāgata is complete and without deficiency"—is this not disclosing the secret of the body? Since the sūtra has comprehensive text, one should not explain it one-sidedly. Why is this? The Buddha manifests a common appearance and speaks the half-letter Dharma according to what is suitable for others; the provisional three karmas conceal the real three karmas, and the foolish, failing to understand, call it a treasury. Now disclosing the provisional as precisely the real, the wise thoroughly comprehend that there is nothing kept secret and stored away: this is disclosing the secret in terms of the three karmas. Furthermore, the secret is disclosed in terms of four propositions: namely, others disclose the Buddha's secret; the Buddha discloses others' secret; the Buddha discloses the Buddha's secret; and others disclose others' secret. "Others disclose the Buddha's secret": at the beginning of the chapter, Kāśyapa says that the Buddha's Dharma is not like that, but causes all sentient beings to fully know and see. "Knowing" is disclosing the secret of the mind; "seeing" is disclosing the two secrets of body and speech (and so forth). "The Buddha discloses others' secret": he displays to all sentient beings the treasure store of all awakenings, and reveals the forehead jewel placed in the secret treasury—this is disclosing others' secret. "The Buddha discloses the Buddha's secret": "Ever since I attained the Way, I have constantly spoken of prajñā, the Dharma-body, and liberation. This present body and all forms of mine are precisely the Dharma-body; if the son is grown up and has sufficient capability, the Tathāgata has no mind of stinginess"—this is the meaning of the Buddha disclosing the Buddha's secret. "Others disclose others' secret": as King of Virtue says, "I understand one phrase or half a phrase. Because I understand one phrase or half a phrase, I see a little of the buddhadhātu. As the Buddha has said, I too shall attain entry into great nirvāṇa" (and so forth). Furthermore, disclosing the secret in terms of twelve propositions means that within each of the four propositions, each of the three karmas is disclosed, thus yielding twelve propositions for disclosing the secret (and so forth). Furthermore, there is neither disclosing nor concealing, neither revealing nor keeping secret. Why is this? The principle of the buddhadhātu has never been disclosed; who then would conceal it? Since there is neither disclosing nor concealing, how could there be revealing or keeping secret? When not a single phrase can be apprehended, there are no multitudes [of propositions]. It is merely because sentient beings hear but cannot understand that it is called secret; when the wise thoroughly comprehend it, then there is no longer revealing or secret. Because there is neither revealing nor secret, it is called disclosing; disclosing without disclosing is as distinguished above. Question: The Treatise [on the Great Prajñāpāramitā] states: "Prajñā is explicit disclosure, the Lotus Sūtra is secret." The old explanation of this says: the teaching of non-abiding in the great path of prajñā is explicit disclosure; the Lotus Sūtra's rebuking of the Hinayāna is secret. The secret is provisional, while explicit disclosure is definitive. This meaning is not so. Dharmatā is neither explicit nor secret; it is explicit or secret according to conditions. Every sūtra is like this; how could Nāgārjuna's specific intent be universally applied to undermine all sūtras? This text also rebukes the permanent with the impermanent—could it be non-definitive? Therefore, the earlier disclosure of the secret and this explanation of liberation are interrelated in their two meanings. Why is this? If it were definitively disclosing or definitively concealing, one would be confined by disclosing and concealing, and it would not be called liberation. Being neither disclosing nor concealing, yet able to disclose and able to conceal, with unconstrained mastery in disclosing and concealing—only this is liberation. Therefore, both passages are subsumed under the virtue of liberation.