金光明經文句記 2.22

2.22

First, directly explaining it. Previously, taking non-severance was named keeping non-killing. Now, clarifying that there is severance, it is called the transgression of killing. The Perfect Teaching intrinsically treats the two meanings of severance and non-severance as simultaneous. Since the six identities are clarified: because of the six, there is severance; because of the identity, there is non-severance. One may also clarify the two meanings solely with respect to the single character 'identity' (ji): the essence of obstacles is itself virtue, and there are no obstacles to speak of—this is the meaning of severance. Since obstacles are themselves virtue, how have obstacles ever been severed?—this is the meaning of non-severance. Therefore, afflictions are bodhi, and saṃsāra is nirvāṇa; severance and non-severance are wonderfully contained therein. The various Mahāyāna sūtras speaking of the perfect and sudden contemplation have these two approaches. Here, taking the presence of severance as killing of principle, it is said that analyzing and dispelling entanglements and attachments takes karma and afflictions as what is severed. The tree spirit is an analogy for the person cultivating contemplation; the kalpa fire is an analogy for the wisdom capable of severing. Thus the Great Commentary, fascicle 30, states: 'It is like a large tree in an empty swamp where a flock of birds roosts. A dove arrives later and settles on a branch, which immediately breaks. The swamp spirit asks why. The tree spirit replies: "This bird comes from the tree of my enemy. It ate the seeds of that nyagrodha tree; if it drops excrement containing seeds to the ground, an evil tree will grow again, and the harm will surely be great. Therefore, I would rather sacrifice one branch so that the greater whole is preserved." The bodhisattva is likewise: toward the delusions and karmas of māras and outsiders, he has no such fear, but he fears the two vehicles. To the bodhisattva, the two vehicles are like that bird, destroying their Mahāyāna mind and permanently extinguishing the Buddha-vehicle mind.' The present text merely uses the enemy bird to represent entanglements and attachments, etc. The phrase 'kalpa fire,' etc., is also from the text of the Great Commentary. Fascicle 2 of the Commentary states: 'Although the two vehicles destroy the three poisons, the residual energy is not exhausted. It is like grass and wood fuel burned by fire: smoke emerges, and charcoal and ash are not exhausted because the fire's power is weak. The Buddha exhausts the three poisons permanently without remainder, just as the kalpa fire burns Mount Sumeru, and the entire earth is completely consumed, leaving neither smoke nor ash.' Now I say that the Buddha's wisdom is the Perfect wisdom. Severing the aggregates, sense fields, and realms is saṃsāra being itself nirvāṇa. Explaining severance in terms of identity is called 'transgression having grasped its principle.' Severing and shattering through the contemplation of principle is called 'not keeping the precepts'—this is a true proof. All the subsequent principle transgressions are established with this meaning. All dust and toil are the seeds of the Tathāgata: this is the inherent seed, and also the counteractive seed. If delusion were not inherently defiled, how could it be called a Buddha-seed? By knowing that the defilement cultivated from the nature is fundamentally empty, and that fundamental emptiness is termed extinction, this is killing of principle.