說無垢稱經疏 3.3

3.3

Within this, it is distinguished briefly through four portals: first, the sectional sequence of the chapters; second, subsumption under the varieties of skillful means (upāya); third, explanation of the chapter title; fourth, identification of the essence of the chapter. Regarding the sectional sequence of the chapters: from here downward there are eleven chapters, which constitute the second [major division], the section presenting the main doctrinal purport. [These are:] 1. "Chapter on Revealing the Inconceivable Skill in Means"; 2. "Chapter on the Śrāvakas"; 3. "Chapter on the Bodhisattvas"; 4. "Chapter on Inquiring after the Illness"; 5. "Chapter on the Inconceivable"; 6. "Chapter on Observing Sentient Beings"; 7. "Chapter on the Bodhipakṣa-dharmas"; 8. "Chapter on the Dharmaparyāya of Non-Duality"; 9. "Chapter on the Fragrant Terrace"; 10. "Chapter on the Bodhisattva Practice"; 11. "Chapter on Observing the Tathāgata." The *Bodhisattvabhūmi* says: "How should all bodhisattvas train? That is to say, there are three kinds: first, the domain of training; second, training in such a manner; third, one who is capable of cultivating the training." The seventeen stages of the *Yogācārabhūmi* and the ten excellences of the *Mahāyānasaṃgraha* are all summarized into three: first, object; second, practice; third, fruit. These are all identical with the *Bodhisattvabhūmi*, meaning that one must first know the domain of training, next one should train in such a manner based on that, and only then does one become one capable of cultivating the training. If one does not recognize and know suffering and happiness, good and evil, ordinary beings and noble ones, truth and delusion—all such spheres—one cannot generate the various supreme practices of revulsion toward suffering and delight in happiness, cultivating good and eliminating evil, abandoning the ordinary and resorting to the noble, and realizing the true and departing from the deluded. If practice is not cultivated, how could the fruit be attained? Therefore, first know the object, next cultivate the wondrous practice, and later achieve the accomplishment of the fruit. Since the main doctrinal purport of this sūtra illuminates the principle of the Mahāyāna, from "Upāya" down to "Fragrant Terrace," these nine chapters are the bodhisattva's object; next, the single "Bodhisattva Practice" chapter is the bodhisattva's practice; and the final single "Observing the Tathāgata" chapter is the bodhisattva's fruit. In the *Bodhisattvabhūmi*, there are five domains of training: first, the domain of those to be converted—this is the "Chapter on Observing Sentient Beings," because all sentient beings are those to be converted; second, the domain of beneficial practice—this is the "Upāya Chapter," the "Śrāvaka Chapter," the "Bodhisattva Chapter," and the "Inquiring after the Illness Chapter," because these are practices that benefit others; third, the domain of real meaning—this is the "Bodhipakṣa-dharmas Chapter" and the "Dharmaparyāya of Non-Duality Chapter," because they concern the principles of the diversity of phenomena (yāvadbhāvikatā) and the nature of phenomena (yathāvadbhāvikatā), and so forth; fourth, the domain of majestic power—this is the "Inconceivable Chapter," because it concerns spiritual powers, majestic power, and so forth; fifth, the domain of bodhi—this is the "Fragrant Terrace Chapter," because it clarifies the supreme virtues possessed by the Buddha. The *Bodhisattvabhūmi* says: "First and foremost, one must understand the capacities and proclivities of those to be converted; only then is it called generating the supreme practice of benefiting others. Next, knowing the real meaning, what can be abandoned and what can be cultivated, one cultivates and accomplishes self-benefit through the portal of majestic power. Next, one cherishes, seeks, and diligently cultivates and realizes the unexcelled bodhi at the stage of fruition." Now this [sūtra] is not so: among the nine chapters of the object, what the bodhisattva cultivates takes other-benefit as foremost; therefore, the first five chapters clarify practice benefiting others, because within the portal of majestic power, it extends to other-benefit, and spiritual powers and majestic power exist solely for benefiting others. Fearing that one might say there are real sentient beings in benefiting others, it now refutes the grasping at real entities and reveals that none are real, but that there are only conventional sentiments taken as what is benefited; therefore, the next single chapter clarifies the domain of those to be converted. Once other-benefit is complete, one should cultivate self-benefit; therefore, the next two chapters clarify the domain of real meaning, because within these two portals one cultivates self-benefit. From cherishing and seeking the virtues of fruition, the next single chapter therefore clarifies the domain of bodhi. Among the five chapters on other-benefit, the first four chapters clarify benefiting others by concealing traces, and the last single chapter clarifies benefiting others by manifesting traces. Among the four chapters on concealing traces to benefit others, the first chapter gives a general account of provisional means, and the latter three chapters give particular accounts of provisional means. The "Śrāvaka" and "Bodhisattva" chapters give particular accounts of past provisional means, while the single chapter "Inquiring after the Illness" gives a particular account of present provisional means. This "Upāya Chapter" gives a general account of provisional means. Furthermore, within the first nine chapters of the object of training, they are divided into two: the first eight chapters separately clarify the two benefits, and the last single chapter, "Fragrant Terrace," comprehensively clarifies the practice of the two benefits. Within the separate clarification of the two benefits, from the beginning up through the six chapters ending with "Observing Sentient Beings," they clarify practice benefiting others, and the latter two chapters, "Bodhipakṣa-dharmas" and "Dharmaparyāya of Non-Duality," clarify practice benefiting oneself. Among the six chapters on other-benefit, the first five chapters clarify that which is capable of benefiting, and the last single chapter, "Observing Sentient Beings," clarifies that which is benefited. Among the five chapters on that which is capable of benefiting, the first four chapters clarify the esoteric provisional means capable of benefiting, because they secretly perform provisional traces to benefit others; the last single chapter, "Inconceivable," clarifies the manifest provisional means capable of benefiting, because it manifestly performs provisional traces to benefit others. Among the four chapters on esoteric provisional means, the first chapter gives a general account of esoteric provisional means, and the latter three chapters give particular accounts of esoteric provisional means. The "Śrāvaka" and "Bodhisattva" chapters recount past esoteric provisional means, and the single chapter "Inquiring after the Illness" recounts present esoteric provisional means. Now this "Upāya [Chapter]" gives a general account of esoteric provisional means, and is therefore the opening declaration. As for subsumption under the varieties of skillful means in the "Chapter on Revealing the Inconceivable Skill in Means": according to the forty-fifth fascicle of the *Bodhisattvabhūmi*, "There are twelve kinds of skill in means for a bodhisattva. Based on internal cultivation and realization of all buddha-dharmas, there are six kinds; based on external maturation of all sentient beings, there are also six kinds. Those six kinds based on internal cultivation and realization are: 1. acting together with a mind of compassion toward sentient beings, being solicitous of them without abandonment; 2. thoroughly knowing all conditioned phenomena as they truly are; 3. deeply delighting in the wondrous wisdom of unexcelled bodhi; 4. being solicitous of sentient beings and not abandoning saṃsāra; 5. knowing conditioned phenomena, thus revolving in saṃsāra without the mind being defiled; 6. taking delight in the Buddha's wisdom and thus being ardently energetic. Those six kinds based on external maturation are: 1. being able to cause sentient beings to experience boundless fruits through minor roots of good—meaning admonishing sentient beings to give away trifling and inferior items, down to displaying at the very least merely two lumps of roasted barley, giving them to base and impure fields [of merit] down to squirming beasts and animals, and dedicating this toward seeking unexcelled, perfect bodhi; although the items and the fields in this giving are base, due to the power of dedication, it brings about boundless fruits; 2. causing sentient beings to draw forth vast roots of good through little effort: if they believe in the fast-day observances, one explains to them the noble eight-branch fast-day precepts, down to proclaiming and explaining the Buddha's teaching to others to cause pure faith to arise; if they, merely through this single thought of virtuous faith, are yet able to gather extensive roots of good, how much more so their continuum; being able to make offerings with requisites and urge others to make offerings with requisites, they are also able to rejoice in all acts of offering in the ten directions; constantly cultivating the six mindfulnesses (anusmṛtis), in sound and thought taking refuge in and bowing to the precious Three Jewels of the ten directions; wishing to undergo suffering on behalf of all with one's own body; if there is any transgression, visualizing standing before the Buddhas to reveal and repent past deeds; thus doing so oneself and also observing others doing so; moreover, those who have attained a bodhisattva's superior spiritual powers manifest various transformed deeds, going to the great gatherings of merit subsumed under the Buddhas and Saṅgha of the ten directions, constantly cultivating the immeasurable and also urging others to do so; 3. for sentient beings who resent and turn their backs on the noble teaching, eliminating their resentment and vexation; 4. for those abiding in neutrality, causing them to enter; 5. for those who have already entered, causing them to mature; 6. for those who have already matured, causing them to attain liberation. In order to accomplish the latter four kinds, one further cultivates six kinds of skill in means: 1. conforming and reconciling; 2. mutually establishing agreements; 3. intentions of a different kind; 4. generated through coercion; 5. bestowing kindness and repaying kindness; 6. ultimate purity." Conforming and reconciling is for communicating sūtra meanings. Mutually establishing agreements means diligently practicing good deeds, and only afterward giving them material goods; if they cannot swiftly cultivate the path, later on one gives nothing to them; it is solely to benefit them, and not out of any other intention that one does not give, and so forth. If there is a master of a household, he should announce to the family members: if there are those who do not recognize kindness or who violate precepts, he should cut off the regular gifts of clothing and other articles, or he should beat them; through this, fearing the punishment administered, they will diligently eliminate evil and diligently cultivate all goods; although they do not delight in it, he coerces them by force to cultivate. If one bestows kindness upon sentient beings according to one's capacity, and they hope to repay the kindness, one urges them to cultivate good; when receiving their repayment of kindness, one speaks worldly matters, saying: 'It is not by these that I am repaid; you must know the kindness of parents, up to receiving and upholding the pure precepts—only that is called greatly repaying my kindness.' If one abides on the first stage and is born in Tuṣita Heaven, causing sentient beings to be mindful that this bodhisattva will attain bodhi, and to vow to always encounter him wherever they are born, causing sentient beings to give rise to this delight—and so on, up to extensive explanations. These are named the six kinds of skill in means. Now, this [chapter] is precisely the latter six kinds of skill in means based on externally maturing all sentient beings. In the text above and below, each is present according to its meaning; they cannot be cited in full. Furthermore, there are four kinds of upāya: 1. upāya of progressive advancement, like the seven upāyas; 2. upāya of acting and executing, which is the perfection of skill in means (upāya-kauśalya-pāramitā); 3. upāya of integrated completion, where all dharmas are of the same essence and skillfully integrated, as when it is said that tathatā is endowed with virtues as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, that wisdom is the portal, and so on, subsuming all dharmas, which is why the *Daśabhūmika* speaks of general, identical, formed, particular, different, and disintegrated, and so forth; 4. upāya of expedient skillfulness, where there is in reality no such matter, but one performs actions in response to beings, meaning the transformations of the three karmas, and so forth. In this context, it refers precisely to the second and fourth upāyas. Furthermore, another explanation has three: 1. upāya of receiving the inferior, solely for inferior persons; 2. upāya of revealing the superior, solely revealing the excellent and wondrous; 3. upāya of universally displaying, pervading both superior and inferior. This [chapter] is called upāya in the sense of receiving the inferior. Manifesting bodily illness and the like for the sake of expounding the Dharma can also reveal the superior, because it recounts his virtues. Praising the excellence of the Tathāgata's merits can also be subsumed under the third, universally displaying upāya. The underlying intent here is fundamentally the upāya of receiving the inferior, manifesting bodily illness for the great householder and the like in order to expound the wondrous Dharma and cause them to generate the aspiration [for awakening]. Furthermore, there are two kinds: 1. dedication; 2. pulling out and rescuing. This is pulling out and rescuing.