金光明經文句記 6.88

6.88

Third, from "having had this [thought]" onward, correctly preaching the Dharma. First, he recites the ten epithets; next, he preaches conditioned origination. The ten epithets pertain to awakening and result; conditioned origination pertains to delusion and cause. Although the names of delusion and awakening, cause and effect, are distinct, their substance is not different. This is because the result of the ten epithets is the ultimate fulfillment of the three virtues, while the twelve links of conditioned origination are the inherently present three virtues. If the three virtues do not change, how could cause and effect be distinct? Therefore, the Contemplation of Samantabhadra says: "The cause of the Great Vehicle is the true nature of all phenomena. The result of the Great Vehicle is also the true nature of all phenomena." All phenomena are the two cultivations; the true nature is the single essence. These three are completely interfused, neither sequential nor simultaneous; entirely in their substance they are the cause, and entirely in their substance they are the result. Although sentient beings are deluded, the ten epithets are not reduced; although the buddhas have reached the culmination of awakening, the twelve [links] are not deficient, because worldly aspects are all constantly abiding. Now, the result is first proclaimed; when the principle of the result has already been made manifest, it causes their understanding to arise. First reciting "Ratnacchatra" (Baosheng) is a distinct name, naming a single Buddha. The ten from "Tathāgata" onward are common names, fully possessed by every Buddha in the three times and ten directions. If one takes the common to follow the distinct, it appropriately results in the names Ratnacchatra Tathāgata, Ratnacchatra Buddha, and Ratnacchatra World-Honoured One. Since these three are so, by analogy one should say Ratnacchatra Worthy of Offerings (Arhat), Ratnacchatra Truly and Universally Awakened One (Samyaksambuddha), down to Ratnacchatra Teacher of Gods and Humans (Śāstā Devamanuṣyāṇām). The names of these ten common epithets appear in the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra and the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa; their meanings are brought out by Tiantai and Ci'en, and their characteristics have already been made manifest. Now, relying on various commentaries, we further summarize them in terms of three sets of three and a single conclusion to explain the ten epithets, causing it to be known that each and every one is nothing other than the secret storehouse. If this meaning is clear, then the names of the person who has attained the result will not be dishonoured. Since the first three take "Tathāgata" as their head, they are the three within the Dharma-body. "Tathāgata" is suchness, which pertains to the Dharma-body; "Worthy of Offerings" (Arhat) benefits sentient beings, which is liberation; "Truly and Universally Awakened One" (Samyaksambuddha) possesses the single wisdom, which is prajñā—because the Dharma-body must possess the [other] two virtues. Since the next three take "Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct" (Vidyācaraṇasampanna) as their head, they are the three within liberation. The conduct of the three clearances is liberation; "Well-Gone" (Sugata) being able to proceed to the ultimate is prajñā; "Knower of the World" (Lokavid) understanding the three worlds as each constantly abiding is the Dharma-body—because liberation must possess the [other] two virtues. Since the final three take "Unsurpassed Person, Tamer of Men" (Anuttara-puruṣadamyasārathi) as their head, they are the three within prajñā. Seeing the nature is called a "hero" (puruṣa), hence corresponding to prajñā; "Teacher of Gods and Humans" (Śāstā Devamanuṣyāṇām) guiding and instructing diverse capacities is liberation; "Buddha" returning to original great awakening is the Dharma-body—because prajñā must possess the [other] two virtues. These nine are the three; these three are the one; the one has no single mark, and the three and nine are clearly evident. In the three thousand worlds, across the nine realms of time and an instant, in oneness and multiplicity, extension and brevity, there is ultimate sovereignty; therefore he is called the "World-Honoured One" (Bhagavān). The twelve links of conditioned origination are gathered into the three paths. The three links of ignorance, craving, and grasping pertain to the path of affliction; the two links of volitional actions and becoming pertain to the path of karma; consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense fields, contact, feeling, as well as birth, aging and death, pertain to the path of suffering. Although these are dark delusion, bound in transmigration, their entire substance is none other than the Buddha-nature of the three causes, all inconceivable, manifest differently according to a person's contemplation. Therefore, the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra says that contemplating this with lower, middle, or superior wisdom attains the bodhi of the three vehicles; if one contemplates it with supreme wisdom, one attains the Buddha's bodhi. Because the wisdom of the preceding three teachings involves deliberation, by contemplating the twelve [links] they merely attain the three vehicles; only the inconceivable wisdom of the Perfect Teaching realizes that ignorance and the rest are identical with the inherent nature of defilement, not made by buddhas, gods, humans, or asuras, each constantly abiding and fully interfused in its very place—only then is it said that the cause inherently possesses the nature of the result. Furthermore, although the three paths and three consciousnesses in the Profound Meaning are inherently positioned, they are neither two nor different from the three virtues after the result. Once this meaning is grasped, one can then distinguish the twelve individual names. Ignorance means not understanding that the six feelings are identical with emptiness, provisionality, and the middle; volitional actions mean being stirred by the uncomprehending mind to perform karmic actions; consciousness means karma drawing the intermediate existence, consciousness lodging in the mother's womb; name-and-form means the two drops forming form, while mind has only name; the six sense fields mean the growth of name-and-form into the six sense faculties; contact means the six faculties encountering external objects and being touched by dust; feeling means contact giving rise to the three feelings—painful, pleasant, and neutral; craving means being deluded about the three feelings and thus attached to pleasure; grasping means craving-attachment entangling and searching in all four directions; becoming means that due to grasping one creates karma, which must produce future retribution; birth means that karma having ripened, future aggregates arise; aging and death mean that birth must undergo change and extinction, entangled in grief and distress. These twelve links may be treated in terms of the three times, the two times, or a single thought-moment; although these three differ, all match the twelve to the three paths. Phenomenon being identical with principle, each is ultimately pure and sovereign, neither sequential nor simultaneous, both lofty and vast; one who contemplates thus attains the Buddha's bodhi. As for abbreviating the three refuges, the meaning is already complete. For the substance of the three jewels and three virtues is originally not different: having recited "Namo to Ratnacchatra's ten epithets," is this not taking refuge in the three virtues of the result? Furthermore, expounding the profound twelve links of conditioned origination is none other than the mind relying on the three virtues within the cause. The ultimate extremes of delusion and awakening have no difference in the three virtues: the single substance has its meaning complete, and the three are all fully possessed; eternity, bliss, self, and purity are truly taking refuge in the three jewels, its meaning ultimately accomplished. One should know that Master Kṣema's intended meaning was profound and wondrous.