金光明經文句 2.17

2.17

「億百千萬」下合譬偈也。舊解有二失：一僻取文、二偏執義。舊云：四譬皆有齊畔可盡之物。百千是數法，數必有窮，據此為無常。今釋不爾，四佛引四譬者，乃是舉量以況無量，量物尚非思算所知，無量之法寧可圖度？億百千萬，此舉數法以明無數法。既不能數數，那能知無數？縱令知數知無數、知量知無量者，秖是化用，都不關體本。僻取之失非但自毀，又亦誣經。偏執義者，〈三身品〉云「化身亦常，處處說法」，是故為常。當知化身備有常無常義，舊人那忽一向無常（云云）？「以是因緣」下兩行，斷疑偈也。若作因緣者，因親緣疎。命是正報，不殺為因；食是依報，施之為緣。以此因緣，得壽命長。若作二緣者，不殺是不殺戒家止善、施食是不盜戒家行善，互舉止行俱是二緣。法性菩提心名之為因、止行福慧等併皆是緣，緣能顯性，會非常非無常、能常能無常。法食、不殺等皆如上說。修因既長，得果又長，顯體又長、起用又長，破其短疑也。「是故汝今」下一偈，結成也。「爾時信相」下，聞偈斷疑生信也。聞壽命無量者，解迹中之能常，其壽無量也。疑去者，解迹中之能短，其壽八十也。深心信解者，悟其本識非量非無量也。踊躍者，登位也。歡喜者，信生也。別教釋者，信相似位中疑惑去，登歡喜地中信生也。圓教釋者，信相鐵輪位中疑惑去，入住銅輪位中歡喜也。若作普賢似位釋者，下地中疑惑去，十地頂深信堅固猶若金剛，隣真接極而生歡喜也。從「說是如來」下，是第三當機上根初悟也。從「時四如來」下，第四息化也。佛本為緣興，緣已利益則攝化還本，故言忽然不現也。觀解者，諦境發智，覺慧相應，深觀此慧，亦不得慧亦不見境，境智俱寂，即是不現義也（云云）。

From "hundreds of millions, billions, and trillions" onward is the verse that applies the similes. The older interpretations have two defects: first, a perverted reading of the text; second, a one-sided clinging to a doctrine. Older [commentators] said: All four similes involve things that have boundaries and can be exhausted. "Hundreds of thousands" is a method of reckoning numbers; numbers necessarily come to an end, and based on this they take it to be impermanent. The present explanation is not so. The four Buddhas adducing the four similes is rather raising what has measure to illustrate the immeasurable. If even things with measure are not within the scope of thought or calculation, how could an immeasurable dharma be reckoned? "Hundreds of millions, billions, and trillions"—this raises numerical calculation to illuminate what is beyond numbers. Since one cannot even count what is countable, how could one know what is beyond numbers? Even if one could know numbers and know what is beyond numbers, or know measure and know what is beyond measure, that is merely the function of transformation and has nothing to do with the fundamental substance. The fault of a perverted reading not only brings self-ruin, but also slanders the sūtra. As for one-sided clinging to a doctrine: the "Chapter on the Three Bodies" states, "The transformation body is also permanent, preaching the Dharma everywhere"; therefore it is permanent. One should know that the transformation body possesses both the sense of permanence and of impermanence; how could the older [commentators] hastily consider it solely impermanent? And so on. From "through these causes and conditions" onward are two lines, which are verses that sever doubt. If taken as causes and conditions, causes are proximate and conditions are distant. Life is direct retribution (vipāka), and not killing is the cause; food is dependent retribution, and giving it is the condition. Through these causes and conditions, one attains a long life. If taken as two kinds of conditions: not killing is the good of cessation belonging to the precept against killing; giving food is the good of action belonging to the precept against stealing. In mutually citing them, cessation and action are both the two kinds of conditions. The bodhicitta of dharmatā is termed the cause; the meritorious blessings and wisdom of cessation and action and so forth are all conditions. Conditions can reveal the nature, converging into neither permanence nor impermanence, and capable of both permanence and impermanence. The Dharma-food, non-killing, and so forth are all as stated above. Since cultivating the cause is long, the fruit attained is also long; the substance revealed is also long, and the function arisen is also long, thereby shattering his doubt about shortness [of lifespan]. From "therefore you now" onward is one verse, which concludes and confirms. From "at that time, Ruciraketu" onward, hearing the verses severs doubt and produces faith. Hearing that the lifespan is immeasurable, he understands its capability of permanence in the traces, that his life is immeasurable. That doubt departed means he understands its capability of shortness in the traces, that his life was eighty [years]. Faithfully understanding with a profound mind means he awakens to the fundamental consciousness being neither measured nor immeasurable. Leaping [with joy] means ascending in stage. Rejoicing means faith has arisen. Explaining according to the distinctive teaching: within the stage of resemblance, doubts and uncertainties depart for Ruciraketu, and in ascending to the ground of joy (pramuditā-bhūmi), faith arises. Explaining according to the perfect teaching: doubts and uncertainties depart for Ruciraketu in the iron-wheel stage, and in entering to abide in the bronze-wheel stage, he rejoices. If explaining according to the Samantabhadra-like resemblance stage: doubts and uncertainties depart in the lower grounds, and at the peak of the ten grounds profound faith is firm like a vajra, adjoining the absolute truth and approaching the ultimate, thereby producing joy. From "having spoken of this Tathāgata" onward is the third [part]: the one endowed with capacity of sharp faculties first awakens. From "at that time, the four Tathāgatas" onward is the fourth [part]: cessation of transformation. Buddhas fundamentally arise for the sake of conditions; when conditions have already brought benefit, they withdraw the transformation and return to the origin, which is why it says they suddenly did not appear. As for contemplative explanation: the object of the truth stimulates wisdom, awakening and insight correspond; deeply contemplating this wisdom, one neither grasps wisdom nor perceives the object; object and wisdom are both tranquil, which is the meaning of "not appearing." And so on.