維摩義記 1.28

1.28

Next, regarding the Dharma Jewel to reveal their difference: in the first round, opening, demonstrating, and expounding the twelve divisions of scriptures propagates the teaching; in the second round, discriminating and revealing the twelve links of dependent origination analyzes and explains the Dharma of principle; in the third round, protecting and upholding the Dharma establishes the practice of the Dharma. Teaching is shallow and meaning is profound, but practice is supreme. Next, regarding the Saṅgha Jewel to distinguish the gradation: in the first round, receiving and upholding all rules of decorum is the expedient means of monastic practice; in the second round, cultivating the six concords consummates practice without discord; in the third round, skillfully directing the great assembly consummates virtue and gathers others. This is also: the first is lower, the next is middling, and the last is supreme. By this, teaching others to transmit and learn without ceasing, they cause the Three Jewels never to be cut off. The preceding was teaching the correct [Dharma]; below, crushing heterodoxy is clarified, first removing the various māras and afterwards subduing the non-Buddhists. Māra is the barbarian tongue, here translated as "killer," because it harms people's goodness. Generally speaking there are four, or extensively spoken of as eight. As for the four: first, the affliction-māra, meaning all afflictions such as greed and anger that can harm wholesome dharmas; second, the skandha-māra, meaning the body of the five skandhas mutually destroying one another; third, the death-māra, which can destroy the life-faculty; fourth, the heavenly māra, in that sixth Paranirmitavaśavartin heaven there is separately a māra heaven that delights in destroying the goodness of others. Among the four, the first is the condition for birth and death; the intermediate skandha and death are the fruits of birth and death. These four kinds are taught in common by both the Mahāyāna and the Hīnayāna. As for the eight: as taught in the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra], adding to the previous four kinds the mind of the four inverted views regarding the unconditioned makes eight. Because the four inverted views regarding the unconditioned can destroy the four kinds of correct understanding of Mahāyāna—permanence, bliss, self, and purity—they are called māras in the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra]; in the Hīnayāna Dharma they are not yet considered afflictions, so it mostly does not speak of them. Furthermore, these are generally also subsumed under afflictions, so most sūtras do not speak of them either. Such is the dharma of māras. Speaking generally, these eight must all be subdued. Why is this? The afflictions, skandhas, death, and the four inverted views regarding the unconditioned obstruct and oppose one's own practice, and therefore must be subdued. The methods of subduing are different: regarding that affliction-māra, the Hīnayāna mostly uses the contemplation of the truths to subdue it, while the Mahāyāna mostly uses empty wisdom to subdue it. For the skandha-māra, the Hīnayāna mostly uses nirvāṇa without remainder, because extinction and relinquishment are attained; the Mahāyāna mostly uses the permanently abiding dharmakāya. The four inverted views regarding the unconditioned are subdued during the great cause by correct understanding, and during the great fruit by the true virtue of bodhi and nirvāṇa. The single heavenly māra obstructs one's own practice and also obstructs transforming others, so it must be subdued. The methods used are different: during the cause of one's own practice, it is subdued by correct knowledge, knowing heterodoxy and not following it, so that the other retreats of himself; during the fruit of one's own practice, it is subdued by the ten powers, because the ten powers are firm and solid, not to be overthrown by māra's heterodoxy. Such is one's own practice. In transforming others, the methods used are not fixed. If on the stage of the cause, subduing māras by oneself mostly uses supernatural powers; teaching others to subdue māras mostly uses divine dhāraṇīs, because those [others] lack supernatural powers to subdue them. If on the stage of the fruit, subduing māras by oneself mostly uses a compassionate mind; teaching others to subdue māras also uses divine dhāraṇīs, because those [others] lack the power of compassion to subdue them. Such is subduing māras. Now in terms of benefiting others, it particularly subdues heavenly māras; when bodhisattvas subdue them themselves, they mostly use supernatural powers. Below, subduing non-Buddhists: those who make deluded reckonings outside the Dharma are called non-Buddhists; these also obstruct one's own practice and outward transformation, and all must be controlled and subdued. Yet according to differences in practice, the methods used are different: during the cause of one's own practice, they are subdued by right view, because with the principle of right view one does not follow heterodoxy; during the fruit of one's own practice, they are subdued by fearlessness, because the non-Buddhists' heterodox wisdom challenges the Buddha as lacking virtue, and the Tathāgata has virtue and is not daunted by them, being able to subdue them. Such is one's own practice. Transforming others purely uses the four eloquence to subdue them; with the four unhindered eloquence, extensively knowing dharmas and meanings, one is able to raise objections and debate. Now in terms of transforming others, crushing heterodoxy with the four eloquence is called subduing non-Buddhists. The preceding was benefiting others; below clarifies benefiting oneself. Therein, first, it clarifies their virtue of abandonment; from "minds always abiding" downward, it clarifies their virtue of practice. Within the former virtue of abandonment, "having all been purified" clarifies their mastery and cure. "Forever free from hindrances and the like" reveals their departure from obstacles. Furthermore, "having all been purified" clarifies departure from evil karma; the disappearance of both active defilements and latent traces is called "having all been purified." "Forever free from hindrances and fetters" clarifies freedom from afflictions. "Hindrances" refers to the five hindrances: sensual desire, ill-will, torpor and sleepiness, restlessness and remorse, and doubt; they are extensively [explained] as in a separate chapter; or, all affliction-fetters are generally called hindrances, because they hinder sentient beings and cover the pure mind. "Fetters" refers to the ten fetters: shamelessness, lack of remorse, sleepiness, remorse, stinginess, jealousy, restlessness, drowsiness, anger, and concealment are the ten; they are also as in a separate chapter; or, all affliction-fetters are generally called fetters, because they entangle sentient beings and bind the mind. Because active defilements and latent traces have disappeared regarding these hindrances and fetters, it says "forever free." Within the virtue of practice below, the text has two parts: first, distinctive praise according to virtue; second, from "giving" downward, distinctive praise according to stages. Within the former [praise] according to virtue, "minds always abiding in unhindered liberation" refers to the liberation of emptiness; or, it may mean abiding in the unhindered liberation of all dharmadhātus—this is the greatness of liberation of the tenth bhūmi. "Mindfulness" refers to correct mindfulness. The approaches to mindfulness differ: some teach three kinds, mindfulness of the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha; some teach four kinds: body, feelings, mind, and dharmas. Again, as in the Daśabhūmika-śāstra, supreme mindfulness, conformity with Dharma, virtue, and seeking meaning are also four. Some teach six kinds: mindfulness of the Buddha, Dharma, Saṅgha, precepts, giving, and gods, as explained in the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra]. Some teach eight kinds: as Nāgārjuna explained, adding two kinds to the previous six: first, mindfulness of inhalation and exhalation, tying the mind to dwell on the gate of counting breaths; second, mindfulness of death, constantly cultivating the perception of death. Some teach ten kinds: as explained in the "Chapter on the Mahāyāna" of the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa, adding two kinds to the previous eight: first, mindfulness of cessation, being mindful of that unconditioned quiescence of nirvāṇa, raising the thought to pursue it; second, mindfulness of the body, being mindful of one's own body as impermanent, suffering, empty, non-self, and impure, cultivating revulsion and detachment. Some teach eleven kinds: as taught in the Daśabhūmika Sūtra, mindfulness of the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha, mindfulness of bodhisattva practice, mindfulness of bodhisattva pāramitās, mindfulness of the ten bhūmis, mindfulness of indestructible powers, mindfulness of fearlessnesses, mindfulness of exclusive dharmas, up to not departing from mindfulness of omniscient knowledge; if spoken of extensively they are immeasurable, and the bodhisattva is mindful of them all. "Samādhi" refers to the so-called nine successive cessations: the eight dhyānas and the cessation [absorption] are the nine samādhis; or, all samādhis attained are called samādhi—this is the greatness of samādhi of the tenth bhūmi. As for "dhāraṇī," it is dhāraṇī—this is the great dhāraṇī of the tenth bhūmi. As for "eloquence," it is the four unhindered eloquence; discerning and clearly understanding dharmas is called "discernment" (biàn); furthermore, expounding with clarity is also called "discernment," and because words are skillful it is called "eloquence" (cái). Because they constantly manifest in thought after thought, it says "unbroken"; furthermore, expounding without interval is also called "unbroken." The above was the first, distinctive praise according to virtue. Some people say: this praises virtues prior to the bhūmis. This should certainly not be so. In praising practice prior to the bhūmis, one mostly does not cite these superior and sublime virtues.