觀彌勒上生兜率天經贊 1.23

1.23

贊曰：今此經中總有三分。初從「如是」下，至「合掌住立佛前」，說經因起分。次「爾時優婆離」下，至「若他觀者名為邪觀」，是發請廣說分。後「爾時尊者阿難」下，至「禮佛而退」，是聞名喜行分。神光炬燭驚集有緣，舌相舒耀總持方演，慈氏應時獨悟請記佛前，釋迦為益當來因斯記別，故名說經因起分也。婆離見悕記相，復念往昔佛言，所以發言申請。世尊為其廣說，故名發請廣說分。陳事既周，時眾獲益，將冀流通後代，慶喜問其經名。聞法者積喜於胸懷，愛道者奉言以行學，故名聞名喜行分。初分之中復分為二：一說經通所因。「如是我聞」等，諸經通有故。二說經別所緣。「爾時世尊出廣長舌」下，是此經別有故。或初名證信序，委證此經，破疑生信故。後名發起序，顯發此經起之所由。今隨義增，各標別稱，不爾信起豈不通耶？若依古師，通序有六；今依《佛地》，通序有五：一為令生信，總顯己聞，言如是我聞。二說者聽者共相會遇，時分無別，故名一時。三法必有主，欲顯主尊法必勝益，故須稱佛。四說必依處，在舍衛國祇樹給孤獨園，化身所居，非報土也。五教所被機，放光召集根宜聞故。阿難請其四事，佛遣致其通。由世尊為斷眾疑，慶喜又陳別序，俱承佛教並利玄宗，觀教釋文何容一准。《佛地論》說：如是之言，依四義轉：一依譬喻。如有說言：如是富貴如毘沙門。如是所傳所聞之法，如佛所說定無有異，定為利樂方便之因，或當所說如是文句如我昔聞。二依教誨。如有說言：汝當如是讀誦經典。此中如是，遠則佛之教誨、近即傳法者之教誨也。或告時眾：如是當聽我昔所聞。三依問答。謂有問言：汝當所說昔定聞耶？故此答言：如是我聞。四依許可。如有說言：我當為汝如是而思、如是而為、如是而說。謂結集時，諸菩薩眾咸共請言：如汝所聞，當如是說。傳法菩薩便許可言：如是當說如我所聞。或信可言是事如是，謂如是法我昔曾聞，此事如是，齊此當說定無有異。由此四義，故經初置如是我聞。真諦師云：「微細律說：阿難昇坐集法藏時，身如諸佛具諸相好，下座之時還復本形。勘集藏傳，亦作是說。眾生有三疑：一疑佛大悲，從涅槃起，更說妙法。二疑更有佛，從他方來，住此說法。三疑彼阿難轉身成佛，為眾說法。故經初言如是我聞，非此三事，為令先信除此三疑。」《注法花》云「如是者，感應之端。如以順機受名、是以無非立稱，眾生以無非為感、如來以順機為應，傳經者以名教出於感應，故立言如是。」《注無量義經》云「聖人說法但為顯如，唯如為是，故言如是。」瑤公云：「以離五謗，名為如是。第一句如是此經，離執有增益謗。第二句如是此經，離執無損減謗。第三句如是此經，離執亦有亦無相違謗。第四句如是此經，離執非有非無愚癡謗。第五句如是此經，離執非非有非非無戲論謗。」光宅云：「如是將傳所聞前，題舉一部也。如是一部經義，我親從佛聞，即為我聞。作呼轍耳。」梁武帝云：「如是，如斯之義。是佛所說，故言如是。」長耳三藏云：「如是有三：一就佛，三世諸佛共說不異名如，以同說故稱是。由斯可信，以同說故。二就法，諸法實相古今不異，故名為如。如如而說，故稱為是。既稱理言不增不減，決定可信，故稱如是。三就僧，以阿難言望佛本教，所傳不異，故名為如。求離過非，故稱為是。」又如是者，信順之言。《智度論》云「如是我聞，生信也。信受奉行，生智也。信為能入、智為能度，信為入法之初基、智為究竟之玄術。信則所言之理順，順則師資之道成。因信故所說之法皆可順從，由順故說聽二徒師資達立。」於此信中，略為十釋。一信者依《仁王》等經，趣聖道之初因、證諦理之鴻漸，故四十心以信為首。將入聖位，有信根、信力，有信根故，七覺因此而生；有信力故，四魔不能屈伏。故由斯經首創令信生。二依《大毘婆沙論》，信者食法味之喜手。學佛法者如大龍象，以信為手、以捨為身、以念為頸、以慧為頭、於兩肩擔集善法。象所飲噉以鼻為手，故學法者最初信生。三學者大商，元規法實，故初生信獲彼聖財。《顯揚論》云「七聖財者，謂信、戒、聞、捨、慧、慚、愧」，信即一焉。四《瑜伽論》云「入一切法，欲為根本，起希望故。作意所生，數警覺故。觸所集起，時對境故。受所引攝，領在心故。定為增上，心微寂故。慧為最勝，擇善惡故。解脫為賢固，息纏縛故。出離為後邊，覺道滿故。信既為欲依，故最初令起。」五《成唯識論》云「信如水精珠能清濁水，能治不信自性渾濁。」故宣尼云「兵、食、信三，信不可棄。」《春秋》亦謂「苟有明信，㵎溪沼沚之毛、蘋蘩薀藻之菜，可薦於鬼神、可羞於公王」也。六《俱舍論》云「拔眾生出生死泥，正法佛手即正宗也，信為眾生手序分也，兩手相接出淤泥故。」七諸論云：信者能越惡道、離賤貧因，故入聖已有不壞信，故初令起。以下三解，准經為釋。八浮大溟海，假手以行舟；渡生死河，資信以發慧。九見珍財，資手以採拾；聞法寶，藉信而方得。十遊曠野而有手，持甲伏以捍群賊；出生死源而有信，發慧解而斷煩惱。由斯經首如是我聞，為令眾生起正信故。以上合有二十六釋。言我聞者，傳法菩薩自指己身，言如是法親從佛聞，故名我聞。我謂諸蘊世俗假者。然我有三：一妄所執我，謂外道等所橫計我。二假施設我，謂大涅槃樂淨常我，除二乘倒強施設故。三世流布我，謂世共傳天授等名。今傳法者隨順世間自指稱我，不同前二，即是無我之大我也。

The commentary says: Now in this sūtra there are altogether three sections. First, from "Thus" below down to "joined his palms and stood before the Buddha" is the section on the causes and occasions for expounding the sūtra. Next, from "At that time Upāli" below down to "if another contemplates, it is called false contemplation" is the section of making requests and broad expounding. Last, from "At that time the Venerable Ānanda" below down to "prostrated to the Buddha and withdrew" is the section of hearing the name and joyfully putting it into practice. The divine light like a torch amazed and gathered those who had karmic affinity; the tongue mark extending its radiance, the dhāraṇī was then expounded; Maitreya, responding to the moment, had an independent awakening and requested a prophecy before the Buddha; Śākyamuni, to benefit the future, bestowed a prophecy on this account; therefore it is named the section on the causes and occasions for expounding the sūtra. Upāli, seeing the sign of wishing for a prophecy and recalling the Buddha's past words, therefore gave voice to apply and request. The World-Honoured One expounded broadly for him, hence it is named the section of making requests and broad expounding. The setting forth of matters having been completed, the assembly at that time gained benefit; hoping to circulate it to future generations, Ānanda asked for the name of this sūtra. Those who heard the Dharma accumulated joy within their breasts; those who love the path accepted the words in order to practice and study; therefore it is named the section of hearing the name and joyfully putting it into practice. Within the first section, there is again a division into two: First, the common causes and conditions for expounding the sūtra, because "Thus have I heard" and so forth are shared by all sūtras. Second, the specific objective conditions for expounding the sūtra, because from "At that time the World-Honoured One put forth his broad and long tongue" below is unique to this sūtra. Alternatively, the first is called the preface testifying to faith, because it fully verifies this sūtra, breaking doubt and producing faith. The latter is called the initiating preface, revealing and disclosing the origins from which this sūtra arose. Now, according to the predominance of meaning, each is marked with a specific title; otherwise, how could faith and arising not be universal to both? If relying on ancient masters, the universal preface has six [factors]; now relying on the Buddhabhūmi[-upadeśa], the universal preface has five: First, to engender faith, it generally reveals what one personally heard, stating "Thus have I heard." Second, the speaker and the listeners meet together with no distinction of time, hence it is called "at one time." Third, the Dharma must have a master; wishing to reveal that the master is supreme and the Dharma necessarily has superior benefit, one must name the "Buddha." Fourth, the expounding must rely on a place, at Anāthapiṇḍada's Park in Prince Jeta's Grove in the kingdom of Śrāvastī, which is the dwelling of the nirmāṇakāya, not a saṃbhogakāya land. Fifth, the capacities addressed by the teaching, radiating light to summon and assemble those whose faculties are suitable to hear. Ānanda inquired about his four matters, and the Buddha instructed him to place the universal [preface]. Because the World-Honoured One severed the assembly's doubts and Ānanda also set forth the specific preface, both received the Buddha's teaching and together benefited the profound tenet, so when observing the teaching to explain the text, how could only one standard be permitted? The Buddhabhūmi-upadeśa says: The words "thus" (evaṃ) operate according to four meanings: First, relying on metaphor. As someone might say: "As rich and noble as Vaiśravaṇa." The Dharma transmitted and heard in this way is definitely without divergence from what the Buddha expounded, definitely serving as the cause for expedient means of benefit and joy; or the sentences to be expounded are like what I heard in the past. Second, relying on instruction. As someone might say: "You should read and recite the scriptures like this." Here, "thus," from a distant view, is the instruction of the Buddha; from a proximate view, it is the instruction of the transmitter of the Dharma. Or telling the assembly of that time: "You should listen to what I heard in the past like this." Third, relying on question and answer. Meaning someone asks: "Was what you are about to say definitely heard [by you] in the past?" Therefore this answers: "Thus have I heard." Fourth, relying on consent. As someone might say: "I shall think for you like this, act like this, and speak like this." Meaning at the time of compilation, the host of bodhisattvas all made request together, saying: "According to what you heard, you should speak like this." The transmitter bodhisattva then gave consent, saying: "I shall speak like this according to what I heard." Or consenting with faith that "this matter is thus," meaning "such a Dharma I personally heard in the past, this matter is thus, and to this extent I shall speak definitely without divergence." Because of these four meanings, "Thus have I heard" is placed at the beginning of the sūtras. Master Paramārtha said: "The Sūkṣma-vinaya says: When Ānanda ascended the seat to compile the Dharma treasury, his body was like all the Buddhas, complete with all major and minor marks; when he stepped down from the seat, he returned to his original form. Examining the biographies of the compilation of the treasury, they also make this statement. Sentient beings had three doubts: First, they doubted that the Buddha out of great compassion arose from nirvāṇa to expound the wondrous Dharma again. Second, they doubted that another Buddha came from another direction and abided here expounding the Dharma. Third, they doubted that Ānanda had transformed his body and attained Buddhahood to expound the Dharma for the assembly. Therefore, the beginning of the sūtra says 'Thus have I heard,' not these three matters, in order to cause faith first and eliminate these three doubts." The Commentary on the Lotus Sūtra says: "'Thus' is the starting point of stimulus and response. Because it accords with capacity it receives the name 'as' (ru), and because it is without error it establishes the name 'is' (shi). Sentient beings take being without error as the stimulus, and the Tathāgata takes according with capacity as the response; because the transmitter of the sūtras took the nominal teaching as issuing from stimulus and response, he established the words 'thus' (rushi)." The Commentary on the Amitārtha-sūtra says: "When the sage expounds the Dharma, it is solely to reveal suchness (tathatā); only suchness is right, hence it says 'thus' (rushi)." Master Yaogong said: "Because of departing from the five slanders, it is called 'thus'. The first phrase 'thus is this sūtra' departs from the slander of increase by grasping at existence. The second phrase 'thus is this sūtra' departs from the slander of decrease by grasping at non-existence. The third phrase 'thus is this sūtra' departs from the slander of contradiction by grasping at both existence and non-existence. The fourth phrase 'thus is this sūtra' departs from the slander of foolishness by grasping at neither existence nor non-existence. The fifth phrase 'thus is this sūtra' departs from the slander of proliferation by grasping at not non-existence and not not-non-existence." Master Guangzhai said: "'Thus' presents the entire work as a title prior to transmitting what was heard. 'Such the meaning of an entire sūtra, I personally heard from the Buddha,' which constitutes 'I heard.' It merely serves as an introductory call." Emperor Wu of Liang said: "'Thus' means 'like this'. Because it was spoken by the Buddha, it is said to be 'thus'." The Long-Eared Tripiṭaka Master said: "'Thus' has three [aspects]: First, in terms of the Buddha, that all Buddhas of the three times expound identically without difference is called 'as' (ru); because they expound it identically, it is called 'is' (shi). Due to this it can be trusted, because of the identical expounding. Second, in terms of the Dharma, the real mark of all dharmas does not differ past and present, hence it is called 'as'; expounding in accordance with suchness, it is called 'is'. Since it accords with the principle without increasing or decreasing, it is definitely trustworthy, hence it is called 'thus'. Third, in terms of the Saṅgha, viewing Ānanda's words against the Buddha's original teaching, what was transmitted does not differ, hence it is called 'as'; seeking to depart from fault and error, it is called 'is'." Furthermore, "thus" is an expression of faith and compliance. The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: "'Thus have I heard' generates faith; accepting with faith and putting into practice generates wisdom. Faith is that which can enter, and wisdom is that which can ferry across; faith is the initial foundation for entering the Dharma, and wisdom is the ultimate profound art. With faith, the principle of what is spoken is complied with; with compliance, the path of teacher and disciple is accomplished. Because of faith, the Dharma that is expounded can all be complied with; due to compliance, the two groups of speaker and listener, teacher and disciple, are established." Regarding this faith, we briefly provide ten explanations: First, relying on sūtras such as the Humane King, faith is the initial cause for heading toward the noble path, the gradual progress toward realizing the truth of principle; hence among the forty minds, faith is foremost. When about to enter the noble stages, one has the faculty of faith and the power of faith; because of the faculty of faith, the seven factors of awakening arise based on it; because of the power of faith, the four māras cannot subdue one. Therefore, by this sūtra's beginning, faith is initially caused to arise. Second, relying on the Mahāvibhāṣā-śāstra, faith is the joyful hand that eats the flavor of the Dharma. A learner of the Buddha's Dharma is like a great nāga-elephant, taking faith as the hand, renunciation as the body, mindfulness as the neck, wisdom as the head, and shouldering and gathering wholesome dharmas on both shoulders. What an elephant drinks and eats uses the trunk as a hand; therefore, for a learner of the Dharma, faith first arises. Third, the learner is a great merchant who fundamentally plans for the reality of the Dharma; therefore initially engendering faith, he obtains that noble wealth. The Prakaraṇāryavācā-śāstra says: "The seven noble riches are faith, morality, learning, renunciation, wisdom, shame, and remorse"; faith is one of them. Fourth, the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra says: "In entering all dharmas, aspiration is the root, because it gives rise to hope. It is produced by attention, because it frequently alerts. It is brought together by contact, because it timely faces the object. It is drawn in by feeling, because it receives it in mind. Concentration is the predominance, because the mind is subtly serene. Wisdom is the most supreme, because it selects the good and bad. Liberation is the firmness, because it puts an end to entanglements. Renunciation is the final limit, because the path of awakening is perfected. Since faith is the support for aspiration, it is caused to arise first." Fifth, the Vijñaptimātratāsiddhi-śāstra says: "Faith is like a water-clearing pearl, able to clarify muddy water, able to cure the inherent turbidity of non-faith." Therefore Confucius said: "Weapons, food, and trust—among these three, trust cannot be abandoned." The Spring and Autumn Annals also says: "If there is bright sincerity, the grasses of valleys, creeks, marshes, and islets, and the greens of duckweed, pondweed, water-mat, and pond-silk may be offered to ghosts and spirits, and presented to dukes and kings." Sixth, the Abhidharmakośa-śāstra says: "Pulling sentient beings out of the mud of saṃsāra, the Buddha's hand of the true Dharma is the main section, and faith is the hand of sentient beings, the preface section; because the two hands join together, one emerges from the muddy silt." Seventh, various treatises say: Faith can cross over bad destinies and depart from the causes of lowliness and poverty; hence upon entering nobility, one already possesses indestructible faith, so it is caused to arise first. The following three explanations are interpreted by analogy to the sūtra: Eighth, floating upon a vast ocean relies on hands to steer the boat; crossing the river of saṃsāra relies on faith to give rise to wisdom. Ninth, seeing precious wealth relies on hands to gather it; hearing the jewel of the Dharma relies on faith to finally obtain it. Tenth, wandering in the wilderness with hands, one holds armor and weapons to defend against bands of robbers; emerging from the source of saṃsāra with faith, one produces the understanding of wisdom to sever afflictions. For this reason, "Thus have I heard" is placed at the beginning of the sūtra to cause sentient beings to give rise to right faith. In total, there are twenty-six explanations above. The words "have I heard" indicate the transmitter bodhisattva pointing to his own person, stating that such a Dharma was personally heard from the Buddha, hence it is called "I heard." "I" refers to the conventional designation based on the aggregates. However, there are three kinds of "I": First, the falsely grasped self, referring to the self arbitrarily conjectured by non-Buddhists and the like. Second, the conventionally established self, referring to the permanent self of bliss and purity of the Great Nirvāṇa, forcibly established to eliminate the inversions of the two vehicles. Third, the conventionally circulated self, referring to names commonly transmitted in the world such as Devadatta. Now, the transmitter of the Dharma, following along with worldly convention, points to himself and calls it "I"; it is not the same as the first two, being the Great Self of no-self.