大毘盧遮那成佛經疏 17.40

17.40

Vajrapāṇi had already questioned the Buddha at the beginning of the sūtra regarding the meaning of the bodhisattva precepts. Earlier, when the Buddha explained entering the maṇḍala and conferring the precepts upon disciples, he should properly have explained these precept essentials. Having first received these precepts and abiding in these training rules, one is only then fit to hear the secret practices of the Tathāgata. These precepts should properly be explained before constructing the maṇḍala. Earlier, when the Buddha explained entering the maṇḍala, because he was directly explaining the upāya for entering the maṇḍala, he had not yet had the opportunity to explain them. Therefore, Vajrapāṇi brought up the earlier matter and questioned him again. Hence the sūtra states: *At that time Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Secret, addressed the Buddha, saying: "May the Bhagavat explain the phrases of the bodhisattvas, the great beings..."* "Phrases" means possessing the traces and possessing the dwelling places; that is, the training rules. "Phrases of training and study" possessing upāya and wisdom means that the host of virtues converge upon them, and this person is fully endowed with these precepts. It means that various upāyas and so forth are obtained in the person; it has the meaning of "universally arriving." Wisdom, upāya, and so forth universally direct themselves to the person—this is the correct translation. "Free from doubt and hesitation" refers to having two minds, like being at a fork in the road and unable to advance. "Harmful mind without doubt and hesitation, causing them not to be destroyed in the flow and turning of birth and death"—the above are all textual lines of the sūtra. This means that because the bodhisattva abides in these training rules, they can be made not to abandon mahākaruṇā and to be free from a harmful mind. A harmful mind is precisely doubt and hesitation. Through these precepts, they are indestructible within the flow and turning of birth and death. "Indestructible" means eternally abiding; nothing can harm them. The intent of the question is: How can one obtain these precepts within the flow and turning of birth and death so that they are eternally intact and indestructible? *At that time the Bhagavat Vairocana, dwelling in all, observed the entire dharmadhātu with the buddha-eye and addressed the Vajradhara, the Lord of the Secret, saying: "Listen attentively, Vajrapāṇi!"* Observing the Vajradhara, Lord of the Secret, with the buddha-eye of the dharmadhātu and telling him to listen attentively means that because the Great Being requested him to explain the fundamental practices of all bodhisattvas and he was about to answer, the Buddha first observed the great assembly everywhere with the tathāgata-eye, which is to observe the dharmadhātu everywhere. Here, "dharmadhātus" refers to observing the realm of the buddhas, the realm of the Dharma, and the realm of sentient beings. Because he observed these three dharmadhātus, they are called "the dharmadhātus." Observing the dharmadhātu is precisely the sphere of all tathāgatas. The realm of sentient beings refers to the causes and conditions for delivering all sentient beings, all of which are the dharmadhātu. Having observed them everywhere, knowing that there were those capable of hearing the precepts of this profound practice, he therefore answered Vajrapāṇi. Next he addressed him, saying: *Listen attentively, Vajrapāṇi! I shall now explain the path of skillful practice. If bodhisattva-mahāsattvas abide in this, they will attain mastery over the Mahāyāna.* Explaining the path of skillful practice: if bodhisattvas, the great beings, abide in this and attain mastery over the Mahāyāna, this path of practice is none other than the bodhisattva precepts. The buddhas of the three times all reach bodhi by means of this path; hence it is called the path of practice. Because they abide in this path of practice of the buddhas, the bodhisattvas can attain mastery over the Mahāyāna. Why is this? These precepts here are the precepts of the original source of the intrinsic nature of all sentient beings. If one abides in these naturally pure vajra precepts, one will naturally attain mastery over all dharmas. *Observing the precept of not taking life: that which should not be done* means that one should observe the precept of not taking living beings' lives. Adding the words "living beings' lives" means that one must not cut off life. Next, the Buddha declared the characteristics of the precepts: not taking living beings' lives, not taking what is not given, sexual misconduct, lying speech, harsh speech, divisive speech, frivolous speech, as well as greed, anger, wrong views, and so forth—these are the bodhisattva precepts. Here, "not taking life" means not giving rise to even a single thought of killing toward any kind of living being. Because there is no thought of killing, it is called the precept of not killing. The rest should be explained by analogy to this. When first conferring these precepts, the ācārya should first confer the three refuges. The three refuges here are the eternally abiding, secret Three Jewels; they are not the Dharma and Saṅgha abiding separately, identical to those in the sūtras of incomplete meaning with remainder. As in the *Nirvāṇa-sūtra*, the *Aṅgulimālīya-sūtra*, and so forth, citations should be made to explain them extensively. Furthermore, as in the text above, this is the ritual method for the master to confer the three refuges. Having conferred the three refuges, the ācārya should next encourage and inspire their mind to give rise to a resolute, great vow to receive these ten inexhaustible treasuries, also conferring them three times. Having received them, the master has them state on their own behalf: "I, named so-and-so, now based upon the buddhas of the ten directions and the ācārya, have completely received the precepts. Today, at this very time, I, named so-and-so, attain the name of bodhisattva." These precepts have no time limit; they are received even to the end of one's physical form, and to the ends of future time there is no abandoning them. If it were like the precepts explained above, received for one month or one year when entering the bodhimanda, meaning that one undertakes this upāya and ceases when the affair is concluded, then there would be a time limit. However, explaining it in the profound sense, it also ceases only upon seeing the truth. Bodhisattva precepts are generally of two kinds: first, householder; second, monastic. Among these two assemblies there are again two kinds of precepts: first, natural practice; second, prescribed precepts. Now, these ten precepts are the bodhisattva's precepts of practice. Because they are of a virtuous nature, all bodhisattvas should practice them. This is what the *Nirvāṇa-sūtra* calls "naturally able to uphold the precepts," also called the precepts of intrinsic nature. The reason they are said to be upheld is that because slander would arise, one must protect their intentions. Moreover, because one accords with their intentions, one must also uphold them. Why is this? All heavenly beings and wheel-turning kings in the world also have the ten virtuous deeds, all non-Buddhists also have the ten virtuous precepts, and all adherents of the two vehicles also have the ten virtuous precepts. If a bodhisattva did not uphold them in this way, they would give rise to thoughts of slight, contempt, and vilification: "We all possess such virtuous teachings. Now this person calls himself a Great Being and engages in exalted, sublime practices, yet lacks pure precepts. One should know that what he studies is not genuine." Because this would generate doubt and unwholesome minds in them, one would bring about disadvantage to the other person and fail to be a good spiritual friend; for this reason, one must uphold these precepts. Second, the precepts prescribed by the Buddha are those that inherently possess upāya. Just as in the śrāvaka Dharma, in order to cultivate the pure conduct and exhaust the root of suffering, the Buddha established this upāya to guard and protect them, so that they might swiftly attain the fruition. Now in the Mahāyāna there are also prescribed precepts, namely, those possessing the skillfulness of upāya and wisdom. Because they have skillful upāya, these ten virtuous deeds become uncommon precepts, not shared in common with śrāvakas, non-Buddhists, and the like; hence the sūtra speaks of "skillful practice." The great recension of this sūtra in one hundred thousand verses fully contains the upāyas for conferring these precepts and so forth, but it has not yet arrived in this land. However, the *Vajraśekhara* inherently contains the method of conferring them, which is not different from that; it should be set forth. Just as the śrāvakas have four grave prohibitions, here they are merely sthūlātyayas, not grave prohibitions. Why is this? These ten virtuous precepts are upheld completely by means of skillful upāya in order to accord with and protect adherents of the two vehicles and non-Buddhists. However, the bodhisattva naturally has fundamental grave prohibitions; the killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, and lying mentioned here are merely sthūlātyayas, not the most grave offenses for that bodhisattva. As in the earlier precepts unobstructed in the three times, one is first made not to abandon the Three Jewels, and also made not to abandon the bodhicitta—these are the true four grave prohibitions of the bodhisattva. If a bodhisattva gives rise to such a thought as to abandon the Buddha, this is called breaking a grave prohibition. Why is this? The Tathāgata is the place from which all virtuous dharmas arise. Because the bodhisattva takes refuge in the Buddha, only then do they achieve the myriad practices, such as all the bhūmis and pāramitās, just as fruit can only grow by relying on a seed. If one abandons the innate, natural wisdom of the syllable A, all virtues cannot arise; therefore, abandoning the Buddha is cutting off the life of all bodhisattvas and severing their root of becoming a buddha. If one engages in sexual misconduct, stealing, killing, or lying, it merely obstructs the path; it does not sever the root of becoming a buddha. Hence it merely constitutes a sthūlātyaya. Because the Buddha cannot be abandoned, the Dharma and Saṅgha are also likewise. Just as śrāvaka sūtras still state that abandoning one scroll of sūtra precepts or abandoning one person among the seven assemblies of beings breaks the meaning of harmony and fails to constitute the complete precepts, how much more so for all bodhisattvas who ride the single path together to reach the bodhimaṇḍa, where buddha and buddha are without difference or distinction! Therefore, one should know that abandoning whatever it may be cuts off the life of all dharmas. The bodhicitta is also likewise; it is the root of all practices. If one departs from the bodhicitta, there are no bodhisattva dharmas at all; hence abandoning it also incurs a grave offense. Just as in the śrāvaka sūtras, having committed a grave offense, one is no longer a śramaṇa, no longer a son of the Śākya, and does not enter into the count of the assembly; now here, if one abandons the Buddha, Dharma, Saṅgha, or the bodhicitta, one does not enter into the count of the assembly, just as those of the two vehicles who break the four grave prohibitions. However, if the practitioner recognizes on their own that they have violated the precepts, washes and cleanses their mind anew, and receives them again, they immediately regain the precepts. This is unlike the precepts of the two vehicles, which, like a broken stone or a severed head, can never be regained.