金光明最勝王經疏 4.84

4.84

Regarding the four [perfections] beginning with skillful means, Yogācārabhūmi fascicle 49 states: "As explained previously, the twelve aspects of skillful means should be known as skillful means. As explained previously, the five great vows are called vows; the preliminary practices for all the ten powers are called powers; and the pure, wondrous knowledge that establishes all phenomena in accordance with reality is called knowledge." Question: How does this tenth [perfection] differ from the sixth? Answer: In that same [text] it says: "The pure, wondrous wisdom that apprehends the ultimate truth and operates nonconceptually is called prajñā; the pure, wondrous knowledge that apprehends conventional truth and operates conceptually is called jñāna." This explains the distinction between the two. Regarding the twelve aspects of skillful means, fascicle 45 states: "Skillful means should be known to be, in brief, of twelve kinds: there are six based on internal cultivation and realization of all Buddha-dharmas, and six based on externally accomplishing all sentient beings. The six based on internal cultivation are: 1. looking upon sentient beings with a mind of compassion and fond regard; 2. completely knowing all conditioned phenomena as they truly are; 3. delighting with a deep mind in bodhi; 4. fondly regarding sentient beings without abandoning saṃsāra; 5. completely knowing all conditioned phenomena so that one is untainted by cyclic existence; 6. taking delight in the Buddha's knowledge and applying fervent vigor. These are called the six kinds of skillful means based on internal cultivation." These denote svārtha. "The six kinds of skillful means practiced with respect to external sentient beings are: 1. causing them to cultivate minor good to produce immeasurable [results], and even dedicating slight good [roots]; 2. causing them to attain great bodhi with small effort, and being able to cause them to abandon false paths and practice rejoicing, and so forth; 3. causing those who hate and turn away from the noble teaching to eliminate resentment and afflictive anger; 4. causing those who remain indifferent to enter [the Dharma]; 5. causing those who have entered to attain accomplishment; 6. causing those who have attained accomplishment to obtain liberation. For the latter four among these latter six skillful means that have been accomplished, one further cultivates six kinds of skillful means: 1. conforming and harmonizing, which means harmonizing and explaining apparent contradictions in the teachings; 2. establishing agreements together, causing them first to abandon evil and cultivate good through skillful means, benefits, and so forth; 3. different intentionalities, seeing unwholesome deeds and the like that presently contradict [the teacher's] intent or violate previous promises, yet not out of a defiled mind, but in order to cause them to change and cultivate; 4. producing [good through] coercion, dwelling in an exalted position and coercing them to cultivate good; 5. bestowing benefits and repaying kindness, meaning when another wishes to repay a kindness received, one merely causes them to cultivate good as the kindness repaid; 6. ultimate purification, which refers to manifesting the eight aspects [of a Buddha's life] to benefit beings ultimately, and so forth." This is explained extensively in that commentary. Vows and practices are explained differently: some speak of a single vow, namely the initial resolve to deliver sentient beings and jointly seek the fruit of buddhahood. The Bodhicittotpāda-śāstra states: "From this vow are drawn forth the ten great vows." As stated in the Vijñaptimātratāsiddhi-śāstra and elsewhere, there are two vows: 1. the vow to seek bodhi; 2. the vow to benefit and bring joy to others. Across various texts it is generally said there are four universal vows, namely causing those not yet crossed over to cross over, and so forth. Yogācārabhūmi fascicle 45 states that there are five great vows: 1. the vow of resolving [on bodhi]; 2. [the vow of] taking rebirth; 3. [the vow of] deeds performed; 4. the correct vow; 5. the great vow. Initially resolving to seek supreme awakening is called the vow of resolving. Next, wishing to be born in good realms for the benefit of sentient beings is called the vow of taking rebirth. Vowing to cultivate wholesome dharmas is called the vow of deeds performed. Vowing to gather all merit is called the correct vow. This correct vow is said to give rise to the great vows, and the great vows are the ten great vows: 1. vowing to delight in offering all superior and wondrous offerings to all Buddhas; 2. vowing to uphold and protect the saddharma of all Buddhas; 3. vowing to constantly attend upon and follow [a Buddha] from [the Tuṣita heaven of] contentment up to entering nirvāṇa; 4. vowing to practice all the correct practices of a bodhisattva; 5. vowing to universally accomplish all sentient beings; 6. vowing to travel to all Buddha-worlds; 7. vowing to be able to purify universally all Buddha-lands; 8. vowing to enter the Great Vehicle with the same intention and application as the bodhisattvas; 9. vowing that all unerring benefit to sentient beings will not be in vain; 10. vowing to quickly achieve supreme bodhi. The Bodhicittotpāda-śāstra and the Mahāyānasūtrālaṅkāra each state ten, largely identical with minor differences. The Ratnameghasūtra's ten are mostly different. Powers and knowledge are also like this: various accounts differ in number, and it would be too tedious to cite them all. For now, they are explained in their general characteristics according to the Mahāyānasaṃgraha and the Vijñaptimātratāsiddhi-śāstra. Third, in the itemized enumeration in response to the inquiry, there are five [for each], which are five sections, clearly indicating [the topics] without a structural breakdown. Among the five for skillful means, the first three are skillful means for rescuing [beings], and the latter two are skillful means of dedication. Regarding "the differences in the inclinations, afflictions, and mental workings of all sentient beings": in order to rescue sentient beings, one must know their inclinations, afflictive minds, and workings of greed, anger, and delusion. All the various differences among the eighty-four thousand gates of defilement are what is to be counteracted. Regarding "knowing with the mind all the approaches to counteracting them": next, in order to counteract and eliminate them, one must know the methods of elimination. The eighty-four thousand gates of virtue are precisely the antidotes. Regarding "entering and arising from the samādhi of great loving-kindness and compassion with mastery": having known the methods of elimination, one should go to the various realms to carry out conversion and benefit. Based on great loving-kindness and compassion, one enters and arises from all samādhis with complete mastery, in order to manifest great supernatural powers. Regarding "vowing to practice all the pāramitās": this is because one dedicates them toward bodhi. With skillful means one practices all pāramitās, and regarding "vowing to comprehend and embrace all Buddha-dharmas": one vows to realize, comprehend, and embrace the wisdom, abandonments, and kindness of bodhi and nirvāṇa; this refers to the capacity to realize. In the enumeration of the five vows, the first three are vows seeking bodhi, and the latter two are vows to benefit and bring joy to others. The first three involve observing the three bodies [of a Buddha]. In the first vow of abiding, observing that all phenomena [are fundamentally unborn]: although this is a general observation, it also observes that all phenomena of the eight aspects [of a Buddha's life] are unborn and unceasing, and so forth. Abiding free from grasping: although called "observing and abiding", it is an aspiration and vow. As asked in the Prajñāpāramitā, "How should one abide?" "Observing all phenomena", and so forth, applies to both the subject and object of observation. The knowledge of the reward-body Buddha observes all phenomena: conventional truth's most wondrous principle is the ultimate truth, pure and free from defilement. This is the observing knowledge freed from the two obscurations, through which the mind attains peaceful abiding within the two truths. "Attainment" means realization; that is, the four knowledges of the reward body. Here it is said that the bodhisattva also aspires and delights to abide in the knowledge that observes the defiled and the pure in a Buddha. Regarding "transcending all marks", and so forth: this is the desire to attain the dharmakāya. When it says "the mind attains peaceful abiding", its substance is desire and aspiration. Observing the dharmakāya as transcending all marks, it is the root of the mind; the root of the mind is tathatā. "Uncreated" means not made by afflictions. "Without activity" means being free from the three periods of time. "Not different" means lacking marks of distinction between before and after. "Immovable" means not shifting or perishing. Observing that dharmakāya is free from these four marks, one therefore aspires and delights to abide in it; hence it is said, "the mind attains peaceful abiding." Regarding "for the sake of wishing to benefit", and so forth: speaking of "in conventional truth" refers to the capacities of beings, the teaching that expresses [the Dharma], and so on. For the sake of benefiting others, one must comprehend the teachings that express the Dharma and the capacities of sentient beings; this is conventional truth, within which one's mind aspires and attains peaceful abiding. Regarding "in śamatha", and so forth: wishing to benefit sentient beings, one must rely on calm abiding and special insight to understand them as illusion-like and free from faults, and so forth; thus both must be practiced simultaneously. Śamatha is translated here as "calm abiding". Vipaśyanā is translated here as "special insight". Giving rise to aspiration and delight, it is said that "the mind attains peaceful abiding." Regarding the five kinds of powers: Yogācārabhūmi says: "Powers are the ten powers." Here, the first is the knowledge-power of karma and vipāka, and the knowledge-power of paths leading everywhere. "Wholesome and unwholesome" refers to wholesome and unwholesome karma. "Mental workings" refers to [the paths] leading everywhere. "Correct knowledge" means practicing free from excessive pride. Because knowledge can completely and truly understand all karmas and their directions and destinations. "Being able to cause [sentient beings] to enter the profound and wondrous Dharma" is the knowledge-power of the destruction of outflows. Knowing whether outflows are exhausted or not exhausted, because of realizing the unconditioned, one can cause them to enter the profound and wondrous Dharma. "The cyclic existence of sentient beings" is the knowledge-power of the passing away and rebirth [of beings]. If knowing past rebirths, it also includes the knowledge-power of recollecting former abodes. In accordance with the wholesome and unwholesome, one truly knows their cyclic existence in birth and death. "Correctly distinguishing and knowing the three kinds of faculties and natures": "faculties" is the knowledge-power of the superior and inferior faculties; "nature" is the knowledge-power of various dispositions. The fifth, "expounding in accordance with the truth to bring about maturity and deliverance", encompasses the knowledge-power of what is possible and impossible, the knowledge-power of dhyāna and the like, and the knowledge-power of resolute intentions. Being able to cultivate these is the power of cultivation; being able to understand these is the power of reflection. Among the five knowledges, the first three bring sentient beings to maturity, and the latter one accomplishes the Buddha-dharmas. 1. Being able to distinguish the wholesome and unwholesome for sentient beings; 2. being able to cause sentient beings to abandon dark phenomena and embrace white phenomena; 3. for the benefit of sentient beings, neither wearying of saṃsāra nor delighting in nirvāṇa; 4. because one's practice of merit and wisdom reaches the ultimate state of great nirvāṇa; 5. receiving the supreme consecration on the tenth stage, and obtaining the Buddha's bodhi, all the unshared dharmas, and both fundamental and subsequent knowledges. Here, the ten perfections are cultivated according to one's capacity before and on the stages, while each of the ten stages is described according to what is predominant.