觀彌勒上生兜率天經贊 1.23

1.23

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.