大般涅槃經疏 9.31

9.31

Second, from "At that time Kāśyapa addressed the Buddha: 'We only pray that out of pity...'" downward is the extensive explanation of liberation. There are questions and answers. The question may be divided into two: the practice of nirvāṇa asks about the cause; the meaning of liberation asks about the fruit. Master Guān said: "One need not distinguish cause and fruit; it simply asks about this practice and virtue of liberation, practice and virtue being practice." Now I say this is not so; it is rather requesting the expansion of the three meanings above. "Practice" (xíng) is pronounced héng; it means to carry out and expound so as to cause it to unfold and broaden, requesting the expansion of the vast meaning above. Saying "liberation" requests the expansion of the meaning of having no wounds and warts above. "Meaning" requests the expansion of the locus of liberation above. Since the three meanings above were brief, now is an extensive request; why seek another explanation? Next, in the answer, tradition holds that there are one hundred phrases. Zhāotí said: "Counting just the main headings, there are only eighty-four or five; if counting large and small together, there are ninety-seven or eight; speaking most minutely, there are over a hundred. However, one hundred is a round number, hence it is called one hundred phrases. For example, the one hundred pāramitās in the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra are actually only ninety, and so on." Since antiquity, no one has been seen to explain these hundred phrases, except for a one-fascicle doctrinal record by Tripiṭaka Master Paramārtha, which is brief and incomprehensible. The Great Master Tiāntái once explained these hundred phrases of liberation during a summer retreat at Língshí, making a hundred phrases within each single phrase. All of the ten thousand Dharma-doors were absorbed by former students for themselves, but they did not record them, so now there is no way for them to be transmitted. How lamentable, how lamentable, that later generations have not heard them! The three meanings presented above briefly explained liberation; the hundred phrases below extensively explain that each and every phrase is fully endowed with the horizontal and vertical. Having no wounds or warts, reaching the locus of liberation, and subduing sentient beings—every phrase is like this. Why? The three dots are mutually identical and completely fulfilled without lack. Being fully endowed with the three meanings can only be contemplated from afar; how could words be applied to them? Wanting to explain them extensively, my strength being insufficient, yet ceaselessly drilling into and looking up to them, I have ventured to divide the text: First, from "is called distant separation" down to "like the sun and moon not pressing upon sentient beings" expands upon the meaning of the absence of wounds and warts above (three sheets). From "is called the unmoving Dharma" down to "not giving rise to a single thought of goodness" expands upon the meaning of the locus of liberation above (seventeen lines). From "like a heap of grain" down to "like an illusory object" expands upon the meaning of its nature being vast above (one sheet and six lines). Furthermore, from "having no physical body" down to "able to rescue all who are terrified" further expands upon the meaning of the absence of wounds and warts above (one sheet and eighteen lines). Furthermore, from "is precisely the refuge" down to "bathing and returning home" further expands upon the meaning of the locus of liberation above (two sheets). Furthermore, from "the bliss of non-action" down to "severing all greed and all characteristics" expands upon the meaning of the absence of wounds and warts above (thirty-seven lines). Since this is an extensive text, there is no fault in repeatedly explaining them. Master Guān gave a biased interpretation of one or two phrases, saying that liberation is not like this. "Although there is no this shore, there is that shore": this is mutual opposition between this and that. If both are negated, as in "neither this nor that," once this and that are removed, one subsequently concludes with "neither that nor this." For example, the absolute negates both small and great, concluding as "great"; neither that nor this concludes as "that shore." Furthermore, in relative explanation, like evil descending and good ascending, the wrong is used to reveal the right. "This shore" is saṃsāra, and "that shore" is named nirvāṇa; wishing to deprecate the inferior and honour the superior, it therefore says, "Although there is no this shore, there is that shore." Furthermore, "liberation severs the four poisonous serpents": taking the four dull afflictions to be the four serpents, namely greed, anger, delusion, and arrogance. Precisely speaking, these four pervade views and thoughts, and can injure the dharmakāya and damage the wisdom-life. Question: Severing delusions is the cause, and liberation is the fruit; how can liberation sever the four poisonous serpents? Kāishàn cited the sūtra, saying: "The power of fundamental ignorance is great, and only the Buddha's bodhi-wisdom can sever it. In the fruit, there are equal awakening and wondrous awakening; equal awakening immediately severs [it]." Zhuāngyán cited the sūtra, saying: "The superior person severs it; the unexcelled does not sever it." Master Guān said: "The stage of the fruit is neither severing nor non-severing; when conditions require hearing of severing, it is like Kāishàn; when conditions require hearing of non-severing, it is like Zhuāngyán." Now, if we take the doctrine of the four teachings: in the Tripiṭaka teaching, the fruit severs, but the cause does not sever. In the shared teaching, at the time of the cause one severs primary [afflictions], and with the arising of the fruit one severs residual habits. In the distinct teaching, the cause severs the greater part, and the fruit severs one part. In the perfect teaching, from cause to fruit, all accord with the Buddha's wisdom; all are neither severing nor non-severing—severing without severing, non-severing being precisely severing. From "severing all existences" onward is removing saṃsāra outside principle; giving birth to outflow-free wholesome dharmas is precisely approaching nirvāṇa within principle. "Severing and blocking all paths" means severing all paths of grasping onto attainments, whether self or non-self, all four propositions being eliminated. "Not eliminating the view of self" means not eliminating the self within principle. Now we clarify that severing all existences is precisely breaking through the provisional; giving birth to the outflow-free is precisely entering emptiness; severing and blocking all paths is precisely negating both two extremes; not eliminating the view of self is precisely entering the middle: this is called liberation. Comparing this meaning with those of various masters, the discerning will see it for themselves.