金光明經文句 4.5

4.5

此品有四十五行偈，分為二：初四行半敘欲說空、次四十行半正說空。無量餘經者，指廣而明略，亦是標略以顯廣。若指《般若》，則此經非方等攝；若不指《般若》，諸經不廣明空義。此復云何？答：諸經前分結集人應作次第，而其後分皆攝入前例。且舉一以類諸。如《阿含經》云「佛將涅槃，舍利弗不忍見佛滅，前佛而去。均頭頭擎衣鉢來至佛所。」此是窮後之事。而在十二年前《阿含》中集，當知《阿含》後分至《涅槃》也。又方等次第在《法華》前，而云「先於靈山已為聲聞授記」，豈非方等至於《涅槃》。又《大品》次第在《法華》前，《釋論》云「須菩提於法華中授記故，而諸菩薩為畢定？為不畢定？」當知《般若》亦至《涅槃》。以此推之，言次第者是前分也，互相指者是後分也。結集者以後分明義氣類若同，向前集之；或者不知言乖次第，實不乖也。此經屬方等後分，指《般若》為廣說，於義無妨。略而解說者，佛有略廣二門，應作四句分別：或名義俱廣，如十八空、二十空、二十四空是也；或名義俱略，如一獨空是也；或名廣義略，如法性、實相、實際、如如、法界等眾多名，共名一義是也；或名略義廣，如生法二空之名，而義大廣。迄從凡地至于極佛皆名眾生。《釋論》云「眾生無上者佛是」。從凡夫之五陰極至佛地，亦稱色解脫、受想行識解脫。《釋論》云「法無上者涅槃是」。今言略說生法二空，下文云「五陰舍宅，觀悉空寂。善女當觀何處有人及以眾生？」即其義也。眾生根鈍者根緣不同，或廣說得悟名利根，或略說得悟名鈍根。此語似倒？身子一聞得悟，是略是利；目連再聞得悟，是廣是鈍。此經意不就得悟邊明利鈍，乃是聞持邊論利鈍。利人廣聞則能持，鈍人略聞方能持。今機但有得悟之機，無有廣持之機，故言不能廣知也。無量空義者，二乘真諦是有量空義，菩薩中道是無量空義。此經明法性實相，即是無量空義也。異妙方便者，即是悉檀方便，巧作上來辦果明因、滅惡生善種種分別等是也。起大悲心者，一段眾生著有病重，故大悲亦重也。我今演說者，演名為廣，與略相違。上論生法二空是名略，今論生法二義，故言演爾。知眾生意者，知此一機樂略宜略、對略悟略，故言知意也。敘欲說空意竟。

This chapter has forty-five lines of verse, divided into two: the first four and a half lines recount the intention to speak of emptiness; the next forty and a half lines are the main discourse on emptiness. "Immeasurable other sūtras" refers to the extensive to clarify the brief, and also marks the brief to reveal the extensive. If it refers to the *Prajñāpāramitā*, then this sūtra would not be subsumed under the vaipulya; if it does not refer to the *Prajñāpāramitā*, other sūtras do not extensively clarify the meaning of emptiness. How is this again explained? Answer: For the earlier portions of the various sūtras, the compilers should have arranged an order, whereas their later portions were all subsumed under the preceding categories. Let us raise one case to analogize the rest. As the *Āgama-sūtra* says: "When the Buddha was about to enter nirvāṇa, Śāriputra could not bear to see the Buddha's extinction, so he departed prior to the Buddha. Cunda, carrying the robes and bowl upon his head, came to where the Buddha was." This is an event at the very end; yet it was compiled in the *Āgamas* of the first twelve years. One should know that the later portion of the *Āgamas* extends up to the *Nirvāṇa-sūtra*. Furthermore, the sequential order of vaipulya comes before the *Lotus Sūtra*, yet it says: "Previously on Vulture Peak predictions were already bestowed upon the śrāvakas"—does this not mean vaipulya extends up to the *Nirvāṇa-sūtra*? Furthermore, the sequential order of the *Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā* comes before the *Lotus Sūtra*, yet the *Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa* says: "Because Subhūti received a prediction in the *Lotus Sūtra*, are all bodhisattvas definitive or not definitive?" One should know that the *Prajñāpāramitā* also extends up to the *Nirvāṇa-sūtra*. Deducing from this: what is called "sequence" pertains to the earlier portions, whereas mutual cross-references pertain to the later portions. Because the compilers saw that the principles and flavors in the later portions were similar, they compiled them forward; deluded people do not know this and say it contradicts sequence, but in truth it does not contradict it. This sūtra belongs to the later portion of the vaipulya, and pointing to the *Prajñāpāramitā* as the extensive exposition presents no obstacle in principle. As for "briefly explained", the Buddha has two gates, brief and extensive, which should be analyzed through a tetralemma: either the names and meanings are both extensive, as in the eighteen emptinesses, twenty emptinesses, and twenty-four emptinesses; or the names and meanings are both brief, as in the single solitary emptiness; or the names are extensive and the meaning is brief, as in dharmatā, true mark, reality-limit, thusness, and dharmadhātu—many names jointly naming a single meaning; or the names are brief and the meanings are extensive, as in the names "emptiness of sentient beings" and "emptiness of dharmas", yet their meanings are vastly broad. Extending from the stage of an ordinary person up to the ultimate Buddha, all are called "sentient beings". The *Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa* says: "The unexcelled among sentient beings is the Buddha." From an ordinary person's five aggregates up to the Buddha stage, they are also called the liberation of form, and the liberation of feeling, perception, karmic formations, and consciousness. The *Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa* says: "The unexcelled among dharmas is nirvāṇa." Now, speaking briefly of the two emptinesses of sentient beings and dharmas, the text below says: "The house of the five aggregates, when contemplated, is completely empty and quiescent. Good woman, you should contemplate: where is there a person or a sentient being?"—this is that meaning. As for "sentient beings of dull faculties": faculties and conditions differ. Some awaken through extensive exposition, called sharp faculties; some awaken through brief exposition, called dull faculties. Does this statement seem inverted? Śāriputra awakened upon hearing once, which was brief and sharp; Maudgalyāyana awakened upon hearing twice, which was extensive and dull. The intent of this sūtra does not clarify sharp and dull on the side of attaining awakening, but discusses sharp and dull on the side of hearing and retaining. Sharp persons, upon hearing extensively, are able to retain; dull persons, upon hearing briefly, only then are able to retain. The present capacity only has the capacity to attain awakening, and lacks the capacity to retain extensively; therefore it says they cannot know extensively. "Immeasurable meanings of emptiness": the absolute truth of the two vehicles is measurable meaning of emptiness; the Middle Way of the bodhisattva is immeasurable meaning of emptiness. This sūtra clarifies dharmatā and the true mark, which is precisely the immeasurable meaning of emptiness. "Extraordinary and wondrous expedient means": these are precisely the siddhānta expedients, skillfully producing the aforesaid results and clarifying causes, destroying evil and generating good through various analyses and so forth. "Giving rise to great compassion": this group of sentient beings is heavily afflicted with the disease of clinging to existence; therefore, great compassion is also heavy. "I now expound": expounding denotes being extensive, which is contrary to being brief. Above, the discussion of the two emptinesses of sentient beings and dharmas was brief in name; now, discussing the two meanings of sentient beings and dharmas, it is therefore called "expounding". "Knowing the minds of sentient beings": knowing that this capacity delights in the brief and is suited to the brief, facing the brief and awakening to the brief, hence it says "knowing the minds". Recounting the intention to speak of emptiness is finished.