大般涅槃經疏 9.28

9.28

Next, from "As the Buddha has said" onward is discussing the doctrine. This also has two parts: first, discussing the doctrine; next, acknowledging understanding. The first doctrinal discussion has two rounds of question and answer. The first question has three parts: first, acknowledging the present permanence; next, citing past impermanence; third, asking how this can be. The Buddha's response has two parts: first, clarifying past provision; later, clarifying present reality. First, in past provision, regarding Prasenajit: the Aṅgulimāla Sūtra calls him "Harmonious and Joyful." The Āgamas call him "Nourished by Grandmother." Next, from "I now" below, clarifying reality: one whose tongue falls out incurs this fault by taking permanence to be impermanence. Dharma Master Sōng of Péngchéng Monastery said: "The Buddha's wisdom is fluid and flowing; when faced with impermanence, the tongue rots in the mouth—this is still not easy." From "Kāśyapa spoke again" onward is the second round of question and answer. This question arises directly from the Tathāgata being eternally abiding without change. The verses are cramped, containing only three questions, while the prose has four questions. The Buddha's reply to the first question has three meanings. "Having no accumulation": by raising accumulation, he clarifies the absence of accumulation. "Accumulation is twofold": this clarifies the accumulation of non-accumulation. "The Saṅgha is also like this": this clarifies the non-accumulation of accumulation. "Śrāvakas are conditioned": because śrāvakas act with intentional effort, they are conditioned, and because they grasp realization out of season, it is called accumulation. Bodhisattvas practice within the unconditioned, hence it is called unconditioned; not taking emptiness as realization is called having no accumulation (and so forth). Next, "also may be called": this answers the second question. "Their traces are difficult to trace": this answers the third question. "I say this person": this answers the fourth question. Now it is clarified: the Buddha's answers to the four questions extensively reveal eternal abiding: having no accumulation is purity; knowing contentment is bliss; being difficult to trace is self; having no destination is permanence. Furthermore, having no accumulation is the absence of origination; knowing contentment is the absence of suffering; being difficult to trace is the presence of the path; having no destination is the presence of cessation. Because there is cessation, there is no suffering; because there is the path, there is no origination; both the path and cessation are permanence, bliss, self, and purity—the meaning of eternal abiding is thus clear. Next, Kāśyapa speaking again is acknowledging understanding. From "The Buddha told Kāśyapa: What is called great" onward, some have used this text to explain and substantiate [it].