金光明經文句 4.9.4

4.9.4

This matter is genuinely volitional formations; the mind in its midst is called consciousness; consciousness operating together with form is called name-and-form—each is as explained before. Furthermore, contemplating the single thought of entering the womb is name-and-form; the unfurling of the five vesicles is called the six sense-bases; the six sense-bases confronting sensory objects is called contact; receiving and experiencing them is called feeling. Within this feeling, one makes the fourfold discrimination: either there is feeling, there is no feeling, there is both feeling and no feeling, or there is neither feeling nor non-feeling. For instance, the eye receiving form: failing to understand form is ignorance; the mind of attraction and aversion is called formations; consciousness operating together with form is called name-and-form; greed arising at the six bases is called the six sense-bases; the rest are as explained above. Up to the mind's consciousness failing to understand dharmas is ignorance; attraction and aversion are all the formations; the rest are as explained above. Investigating the great tree of the twelve links of dependent origination in this way, its branches spread out, completely covering the three realms: who can recognize it? Who can chop it down? Since the present sūtra is an abridged exposition, it does not discuss the three times, the single thought, and so forth; it merely adduces the sentient being and dharmas as the objects of the two contemplations. It should be illustrated by an analogy: like seizing a firebrand and twirling it in the dark, a circular wheel continues in a round, unbroken circle. The fire is the real dharma; the wheel is the provisional designation. Sentient beings throughout the long night cling to provisional designations, twirling the embers without ceasing, bewildered by the firewood of the aggregates and sense-bases with the fire never dying out: by what means could the twelve links of dependent origination ever be exhausted? If one realizes that the wheel depends on the fire, then by halting one's hand there is no wheel; the fire relies on the firewood, and by removing the firewood there is no fire. When both the wheel and the fire are gone, that is the two emptinesses of the sentient being and dharmas. The object of the emptiness of the sentient being follows the pattern in the text of being threefold: The two lines on the substance and characteristics of ignorance explain that the original nature is neither existent nor non-existent; this is the object of the Middle contemplation. 'Existing through the conjunction of conditions of delusive conceptualization'—these two lines are the provisional contemplation. 'Because the object is non-existent'—these two lines are the object of the contemplation of emptiness. 'Therefore I say'—these two lines conclude it thus. The one verse line on formations, consciousness, and name-and-form explains the object of the emptiness of dharmas; by analogy it should have three, but the text is particularly abridged, and grasping the idea one can understand it. From 'karmic formations of manifold sufferings' onwards, it explains the contemplation of the two emptinesses of the sentient being and dharmas. The text also has three senses: The one verse line 'karmic formations of manifold sufferings are inconceivable' explains the contemplation of neither emptiness nor existence. The two lines 'Originally there is no birth, nor is there any conjunction' explain the contemplation of emptiness: the upper line 'originally there is no birth' is the emptiness of the sentient being, and the lower line 'nor is there any conjunction' is the emptiness of dharmas. The two lines 'improper reflection' explain the provisional contemplation: past improper reflection brought about present name-and-form; present improper reflection will further produce future aging and death (and so forth). Although designated as the contemplation of the two emptinesses of the sentient being and dharmas, it is simultaneously empty, simultaneously provisional, and simultaneously middle; its text is brilliant and luminous. When the explanation tallies with the principle, what room is there for doubt? Furthermore, for people of dull faculties, the characteristics of the contemplation of emptiness are explained: If the provisional designation is self-produced, it does not require real dharmas. If it is produced from dharmas, it is not produced from the provisional designation. If the provisional and real combine to produce it, there should be two provisionals. If it is separate from both provisional and real, that is impossible. The provisional designation of the present merely has a name; the name is not located inside, outside, or in between the two, nor does it eternally exist on its own. Because it is unobtainable, this is called contemplating the emptiness of provisional designations. Contemplating the emptiness of real dharmas: If name-and-form were self-produced, they should not depend on karma. If karma were able to produce them, an arhat has karma; why are they not produced? If karma and result co-produce them, each would have its own share of producing together; if each is devoid [of productive power], how could they produce together? If they are produced without causes and conditions, that is impossible. Since it cannot be obtained as born, neither can it be obtained as unborn, nor can it be obtained as both born and unborn, nor can it be obtained as neither born nor unborn. Nor can it be obtained as ceased, nor can it be obtained as unceased, nor can it be obtained as both ceased and unceased, nor can it be obtained as neither ceased nor unceased. With neither cessation nor birth, it is termed 'non-arising'. Because of non-arising, the provisional designation is destroyed; because the provisional is destroyed, the sixty-two views are destroyed; because views are destroyed, the real is also destroyed. When fire is not ignited, there is no smoke. When embers are twirled in broad daylight, there is likewise no wheel. This is a brief presentation of the characteristics of the contemplation of emptiness. The Middle contemplation and the provisional contemplation are in a separate record (and so forth). The twelve and a half verses from 'I have cut off all the entanglements of views, etc.' downward constitute the second [section]: the application of the two emptinesses of the sentient being and dharmas at the stage of fruition, explaining the completion of contemplation and the realization of fruition. The text has two parts: first, three and a half verses on the completion of practice for oneself; next, nine verses on the completion of converting others. The text on practice for oneself also has two parts: first, two verses on the perfection of the virtue of wisdom; next, one and a half verses on the perfection of the virtue of elimination. 'All views' refers to the sixty-two views, the eighty-eight anusayas, and so forth; hence it says 'all'. This is the completion of the contemplation of the emptiness of the sentient being. 'With the sword of wisdom' illustrates the sharp function of wisdom: the upper [text] illustrates cutting off views; the lower illustrates cutting off afflictions. 'Entanglements' specifically clarifies the ten entanglements. 'Net of afflictions' generally clarifies the ten anusayas. A net has the defect of entrapping; a house has the fault of darkening and obscuring. Penetrating the aggregates as empty and quiescent, the dark obscurations cannot cover [one]; tearing and destroying the net, the snare cannot obstruct [one]. This is the completion of the contemplation of the emptiness of dharmas. What the two vehicles cut off are the common entanglements of views; what bodhisattvas cut off are the distinctive entanglements of views. The Vimalakīrtinirdeśa says: 'Because the residue of defilements was not exhausted, the flowers adhered to their bodies.' Not yet having cut off the distinctive views, they were adhered to by the flowers. But when it says that the Buddha cuts off the entanglements of views, whether common or distinctive, they are completely and utterly exhausted only in the Buddha. The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: 'The supreme among sentient beings is the Buddha; the supreme among dharmas is nirvāṇa.' The supreme provisional and real are what the Buddha ground is never bewildered by; hence it says 'cut off', that is all. Sūtras and treatises differ: some say that the Buddha's highest of high wisdom cuts off the lowest of low delusions, and because the power of ignorance is great, only the Buddha's wisdom can cut it off; with the wisdom corresponding to a single thought, both direct defilements and residual habits are utterly extinguished without remainder. Some say that only where there is a superior person is it called 'cutting off'; for the unsurpassable person, it is called 'having nothing to cut off'. These accord with the country, the time, the person, and the awakening, and all have their benefit (and so forth). 'Realizing the unsurpassable path' means the direct path of the two emptinesses of the sentient being and dharmas is perfected. 'Subtle and wondrous merits' means the auxiliary paths of the two emptinesses of the sentient being and dharmas are perfected. The one and a half verses from 'opening the gate of ambrosia' downward explain the perfection of the virtue of elimination. Ambrosia is the divine medicine of immortality of the gods; those who partake of it have long life and peaceful bodies, great strength and a luminous physique. This illustrates the Buddhas' virtue of elimination dwelling in great nirvāṇa, the function of true eternity, bliss, self, and purity; know that this is the perfection of the virtue of elimination. Furthermore, this doctrinal meaning is also intended to correspond comprehensively to the stages in the Avataṃsaka-sūtra: 'Opening the gate of ambrosia' corresponds to the ten abodes, because first opening the noble path blocks the two extremes, hence it says 'opening'. 'Showing' corresponds to the ten practices, displaying them individually. 'Entering' corresponds to the ten dedications, turning phenomena into principle. 'Dwelling' corresponds to the ten grounds, dwelling in the room of dharmatā. 'Partaking of the taste' corresponds to marvelous enlightenment; partaking of this taste oneself, one additionally extends it to others. It is not that the lower grounds do not convert others, but because their own practice is not yet complete, their conversion is also not broad.