大毘盧遮那成佛經疏 2

English (machine translation) 2

Language: English

2.2

Continuation of Chapter 1: Entering the Mantra Gateway and the Abiding Mind

The sūtra says: “The exalted one.” This is Nārāyaṇa. Non-Buddhists impute that this deity is clear, calm, eternal, and unmoving, yet has ministers who produce all things. It is just as a ruler governs by non-action, while officials receive commands and carry them out. Because there is no one more exalted than the creator lord, he is called “exalted.” Furthermore, this school imputes that the exalted one pervades all places of earth, water, fire, wind, and space. Formerly, a dialectician wished to refute that school’s tenet, so he went to the temple of the deity, sat on the body of the deity's statue, and ate and drank. In the Western regions, food remnants are considered extremely impure, so they were all enraged. The dialectician asked: “According to your tenet, does he not pervade all places with the characteristics of the realms of earth, water, fire, wind, and space?” They answered: “It is so.” The dialectician said: “He is precisely earth, water, fire, and wind, and I am also like this. If they interpenetrate, what is impermissible that you should be enraged?” The crowd was silent and could not answer. This also arises from not contemplating the intrinsic nature of the self, giving rise to such false imputations.

2.4

The sūtra says: “Spontaneity.” This refers to a class of non-Buddhists who impute that all dharmas exist spontaneously and have no creator. Just as when a lotus is born, its color is fresh and pure—who dyed it? The sharp tip of a thorn—who carved it? Thus they know that all dharmas are naturally so. A master refuted this, saying: “Now, seeing with our eyes people in the world building boats, houses, and the like, all exist from multiple conditions and are not formed spontaneously; how can they be naturally so? If one says that although they exist, they are not yet evident, and therefore require human effort to bring them forth, this too is not correct. Since they require human effort to bring them forth, they depend on conditions and do not exist spontaneously.”

2.5

The sūtra says: “An internal self.” There are those who impute that within the body, apart from the mind, there is a separate nature of the self, which is able to move this body and perform all activities. The refuter says: “If it is so, the self is impermanent. Why is that? Because if a dharma is a cause or produced from a cause, all are impermanent. If the self is impermanent, then the retribution of sin and merit would all be cut off.” Such various arguments will be explained at length in the appraisal section.

2.6

The sūtra says: “The measure of a human.” This refers to the imputation that the measure of the spiritual self is equal to the human body: when the body is small, it is also small; when the body is large, it is also large. The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: “There are those who impute: the size of the spirit accords with the human body; at the time of death and destruction, the spirit also emerges first.” This is identical to that. However, that school considers the self to be a permanent, autonomous dharma; now, since it accords with the size of the body, it is impermanent, so one knows it is not so.

2.7

The sūtra says: “Pervasively adorned.” This refers to imputing that this spiritual self is able to produce all dharmas. Yet the noble and pervasively adorned affairs of the world are what I do; this differs slightly from the imputation of Īśvara. As the treatise refutes Īśvara, saying: “Why does Īśvara not make everyone happy, or make everyone suffer? Since there are those who suffer and those who are happy, one must know this arises from attachment and aversion, hence he is not autonomous.” Now, since the pervasively adorned one can produce all blessings and joy, yet cannot ward off suffering with joy, how can he be called pervasively eternal and autonomous?

2.8

The sūtra says: “Or life.” This refers to non-Buddhists who impute that all dharmas, up to the four great elements, grasses, and trees, all possess life (jīva). For instance, when grasses and trees grow again after being cut down, one should know they possess life. Furthermore, at night they fold up, so one should know they also possess sentience, because they sleep. The refuter says: If seeing that they grow again after being chopped down you consider them to possess life, then when a person has a limb severed it does not grow again—could they be without life? If the mimosa tree has sleep, then water flows day and night without rest—could it be perpetually awake? All this arises because of not contemplating the intrinsic nature of the self, thereby giving rise to various false views.

2.9

The sūtra says: “Pudgala.” This refers to that school’s imputation of a “taker of repeated births,” which is just a single self, merely given different names according to the circumstance. If there is one who proceeds from this life to a future life, then the conscious spirit is eternal. If the conscious spirit were eternal, how could there be death and birth? Death is called ceasing in this place, and birth is called emerging in that place; therefore one cannot say the spirit is eternal. If it is impermanent, then there is no self. Just as within the Buddha-Dharma, the Vātsīputrīyas and the Sarvāstivādins—these two schools impute that dharmas exist in the three times. If the past, future, and present definitely exist, then they are identical to having a pudgala, and lose the Buddha’s three seals of Dharma; the bodhisattvas of the Western regions constructed various syllogisms to refute their tenets.

2.10

The sūtra says: “Or consciousness.” This refers to a class that clings to this consciousness as pervading all places, even up to the realms of earth, water, fire, wind, and space, with consciousness filling them completely. This too is not correct. If the conscious spirit were pervasive and eternal, it ought to be able to see, hear, sense, and know on its own. Yet now consciousness only arises through the combination of sense faculties and sense objects; thus your conscious spirit is useless. Furthermore, if the conscious spirit pervades the five destinies, how could there be death and birth? Therefore one knows it is not so.

2.11

The sūtra says: “Ālaya.” It has the meaning of holding and storing, and also the meaning of a dwelling. This school says there is an ālaya capable of holding this body, performing actions, and storing the myriad forms; when condensed, it is non-existent, and when expanded, it fills the world. It is not the same as the meaning of the eighth consciousness in the Buddha-Dharma. However, the Bhagavat with hidden intention spoke of the tathāgatagarbha as the ālaya; if people within the Buddha-Dharma do not contemplate the true nature of their own mind, but discriminate and cling, this is also identical to the view of self.

2.12

The sūtra says: “Knower and seer.” This refers to non-Buddhists who impute that within the body there is a knower and a seer, able to know things such as suffering and joy. There are further those who impute that the seer is precisely the true self. The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: “The eye beholding form is called the seer; the five consciousnesses knowing is called the knower. All are imputations of a self, given different names according to circumstances.” The refuter says: You claim that the seer is the self; but are the hearer and the tactile knower the self or not? If all are, the spheres of the six faculties do not know each other; one cannot make six, and six cannot make one. If there are those that are not the self, this is likewise subject to doubt. Thus one knows that when the faculties and objects harmonize, there is knowing and seeing; there is no separate self.

2.13

The sūtra says: "Grasper and grasped." This refers to non-Buddhists who state: "Apart from the conscious mind within the body, there is another distinct grasper, which is the true self, capable of directing body, speech, and mind to perform all activities." Others state: "The grasper is merely the conscious mind, whereas the realm grasped by it is named the true self; this self is omnipresent." However, inner and outer body, feeling, mind, and phenomena all arise from conditions by nature, without intrinsic nature. Among these, grasp and grasped—even grasping itself cannot be found, let alone a self! It is also because of not observing the intrinsic nature of the self that they make such statements.

2.14

The sūtra says: "Inner knower, outer knower." These are also alternative names for the knower. They are divided into two views: some hold the inner knower to be the self, saying that within the body there is another inner realiser that is the true self; others take the outer knower to be the self, saying that that which can know the realms of outer dust objects is the true self.

2.15

The sūtra says: "Jantvā." This means that its doctrine largely agrees with the non-Buddhist views of the knower, but because it belongs to a distinct sectarian division, it is specially singled out.

2.16

The sūtra says: "Or manuṣya." The *Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa* translates this as "human" (ren), which is the grasping onto a human; a full translation should be "human-born" (manuja). This is a faction of the Īśvara non-Buddhists, who hold that humans are born from humans, and thus take this as their name. The Tripiṭaka Master of the Tang says "mind-born" (manas-ja), which is incorrect. *Manas* is mind; here it is *manu*, which has shifted in sound and differs in meaning, hence an error.

2.17

The sūtra says: "Māṇava." This is a faction of the Viṣṇu non-Buddhists. A correct translation would be "supreme self," stating that the self is the most supreme and subtle within body and mind. They constantly contemplate in their minds a self of about one inch. The *Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa* also says: "Some hold that the spirit resides in the mind, subtle as a mustard seed. Being pure, it is called pure form; or it is like a bean or grain of barley, up to one inch. When first receiving a body, it is received earliest of all, like the armature of an image; when the body is completed, it is like the image fully adorned." The Tripiṭaka Master of the Tang translated it as "Brahmanical youth" (ru-tong), which is incorrect. A Brahmanical youth is *māṇavaka* in Sanskrit; here it is *māṇava*, which differs in meaning, hence an error. (These two names were explained by Ācārya Bodhi.)

2.18

The sūtra says: "Constantly and definitely born." Those non-Buddhists hold that the self is eternal and indestructible, naturally and constantly born without being born anew, and therefore take this as their name.

2.19

The sūtra says: "Sound and non-sound." "Sound" refers to the Sound-Theorist (Śabda) non-Buddhists. If they are Sound-Manifestationists, they hold that the essence of sound exists fundamentally, awaiting conditions to manifest it, and its essential nature is eternal. If they are Sound-Originationists, they hold that sound fundamentally originates, awaiting conditions to originate it, and having originated, it remains eternal. Among them, they further divide into different views, as explained at length elsewhere. "Non-sound" differs from the previous views: whereas they hold that sound is all-pervading and eternal, this school completely rejects it as non-existent, falling into a state where there are no good or bad dharmas, nor any sound or phonemes, regarding this as the truth.

2.20

The sūtra says: "Master of Mysteries! Such components of self have since antiquity been associated with conceptual discrimination, seeking liberation in accordance with principle." In the sūtra, thirty cases are briefly given; if categorized by their varieties, they are limitless and boundless. For instance, when a person attains the four dhyānas through sitting [in meditation], they immediately hold this state to be the true, eternal principle. Or they give rise to this thought: "I am one who has attained dhyāna." Such instances are all associated with components of self, and the rest can be known by analogy. They all stem from not contemplating the dharmatā of the self, but merely inheriting and customarily repeating these views from long ago, each claiming for themselves: "There is a great teacher, a bhagavat, an omniscient and all-seeing one who, having practiced yoga well, has realized this dharma in the present and expounds it for the world. This alone is the ultimate path; there is no other path." For example, at the beginning of an eon, a single deity was first born in the Brahmā realm and thought: "If only more sentient beings were to come and dwell together with me, would that not be fine!" At that time, a deity from a higher realm died and was born into this realm. The first-born deity then said to him: "Due to the power of my thought, you were able to be born here; you are indeed born of me." And the other also thought: "This venerable one can give birth to us." Thus conforming to one another, they conceived him to be the first possessor of a self. From then on, it was believed that King Brahmā was capable of creating the world. In this way, different views arose through succession, too numerous to record. As for "seeking liberation in accordance with principle," "in accordance with principle" in Sanskrit is *yogin*, which refers to ancient practitioners of yoga. They claimed that attaining true liberation is the source of all things, and now by conforming to their practices they seek liberation; hence it is described thus. The above all represent minds that destroy inner and outer cause and effect and contradict principle. Next, the first mind that conforms to principle will be explained: conforming to the wholesome refers to the eight worldly minds.

2.21

The sūtra says: "Master of Mysteries! The class of childish ordinary beings is like a ram; sometimes a notion of a single practice arises, namely, observing the fast. Reflecting on this small portion, they give rise to joy and practice it repeatedly. Master of Mysteries! This is the arising of the initial seed of wholesome karma." A ram has the basest nature among animals, thinking only of water, grass, and sexual desires, knowing nothing else; thus, following Western linguistic convention, it is used as a metaphor for childish ordinary beings who do not understand wholesome and unwholesome cause and effect. In the world, from long ago, the name of wholesome dharma has been passed down through succession; however, seeking it through various ways with a mind that contradicts principle, they were unable to attain it. Later, suddenly a thought naturally arises: "I will now moderate my food and observe the fast." This is indeed a wholesome dharma, though it is not yet the eight precepts of the Buddhadharma. By moderating food and restraining themselves, they perceive that external duties are reduced, allowing their food and drink to be easily sufficient, without generating the exhaustion of running about in pursuit; at that time, they generate a small degree of non-attachment, their mind rejoices, and they find peace. Seeing this benefit, they practice it repeatedly; this is the very first subtle awareness of wholesome and unwholesome cause and effect, and therefore it is called the "seed mind."

2.22

The sūtra says: "Further taking this as a cause, on the six fast days, one gives to parents, sons, daughters, and relatives. This is the second: the sprout seed." These six fast days are those of which the *Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa* says: "Ancient rṣis of the five superknowledges exhorted people to abstain from food on these days. It both accords with wholesome dharmas and avoids calamities from ghosts and spirits," as explained there at length. Seeing that ceasing craving brings inner benefit and joy, and wishing to practice this dharma to make it grow, on the fast day they give away their own wealth and possessions to their six relations, thinking to themselves: "I am free from the worry of guarding it, while causing others to love and respect me, and I obtain a reputation for filial piety and righteousness." Seeing this cause and effect, their joy increases further. Because of joy, their wholesome mind slightly increases, just as a sprout grows from a seed.

2.23

The sūtra says: "Further presenting this gift to those who are not relatives or acquaintances is the third: the bud seed." This means that wishing to accomplish this wholesome practice of observing the fast, one cultivates a mind of non-greed and wise giving. Through repeated practice, the wholesome mind gradually grows, and one is further able to give to people who are not relatives or acquaintances, seeing the merit and benefit of this mind of impartial giving. At that time, the sprout of goodness doubles in growth and expansion, just as the sprout and stem flourish before leaves are produced; therefore, it is called the "bud seed."

2.24

The sūtra says: "Further giving this to those of noble capacity and high virtue is the fourth: the leaf seed." This means that having already become accustomed to practicing wise giving, relying on this as a cause, one gradually becomes able to select the field of giving: "A person like this has lofty and superior virtue; I should now draw near to them and make offerings to them." This is the gradual unfolding of the nature of wisdom, the gradual cause of encountering good spiritual friends (kalyāṇamitra).

2.25

The sūtra says: "Further joyfully presenting this gift to performers of music and the like, and offering it to venerable elders." This means that as the nature of wisdom gradually unfolds, one further discriminates the recipient of giving, seeing the benefit of helping others: because musicians can transform the great assembly and make them joyful, one rewards their merit. All such instances are numerous, which is why it says "and the like." As for venerable elders of advanced age, they have seen and heard much, and their learning and conduct are lofty, serving as models for the world; because they bring much veneration and benefit, one joyfully gives to them with utter sincerity, which also doubles the joy in one's mind at the time of giving; this is the "flower seed."

2.26

The sūtra says: "Further with this giving, giving rise to an affectionate mind and making offerings to them, is the sixth: the maturation of fruit." This means that what one has practiced has matured: not merely being joyful, one is further able to give to those of venerable conduct with an affectionate mind. Moreover, due to the conditions of the previous giving, one gets to hear the benefit of the Dharma and knows that they harbor superior virtue within—namely, the ability to transcend desires and the like—so one becomes intimate with, draws close to, and makes offerings to them. Looked at from the initial seed, this is the "mind of matured fruit."

2.27

The sūtra says: "Furthermore, Master of Mysteries, their guarding the precepts and being born in heaven is the seventh: the seed of enjoyment." This means that having already performed fasting and giving and seen their benefits, one knows that the unwholesome actions of the three karmas are all causes of decline and distress: "I should abandon them and abide by guarding the precepts." Due to guarding the precepts, in the present life one obtains various wholesome benefits, great renown, peace of body and mind, and an even greater increase in virtuous goodness, and at the end of life one attains birth in heaven. Just as when a planted fruit has ripened, one enjoys its actual fruit, it is therefore called the "seed of enjoyment." It is also said that from a single seed hundreds of thousands of fruits are formed, and each fruit in turn produces further numbers, progressively multiplying beyond count. Now, this mind of enjoying the fruit again becomes the seed for subsequent minds; it is also like this, and therefore it is called the "seed of enjoyment."

2.28

The sūtra says: “Vajrapāṇi, wandering through birth and death with this mind, one hears from a good friend such words as: ‘This is the Great God; the god gives all happiness; if you make offerings with sincere devotion, all that you desire will be fulfilled,’ namely Īśvara and so forth, until, hearing this, their heart is filled with joy, and they follow and practice with earnest reverence. Vajrapāṇi, this is called the eighth infantile mind, the fearless refuge for foolish, childlike, ordinary beings wandering in birth and death.”
Having already known that persons of venerable conduct should be approached and made offerings to, and having also seen that keeping the precepts can generate good benefits, one thereby gradually recognizes cause and effect. Now, hearing further from a spiritual friend that there are these great gods capable of granting all happiness, and that if one devoutly recognizes them and makes offerings, all wishes will be fulfilled, one is able to produce a mind of refuge. Although they have not yet heard the Buddhadharma, they nevertheless know that these gods obtained these good retributions because of having practiced good actions. Furthermore, they gradually develop faith and understanding to distinguish the superior field [of merit], and when they subsequently hear the extraordinary wondrousness of the Buddhadharma, they will certainly be able to take refuge, have faith, and accept it; therefore, this is the supreme worldly mind.
Question: Previously it was said that [adhering to] Īśvara and the like are all false attachments; now it is said again that taking refuge in them is an excellent worldly mind. What is the difference between this and the previous one?
Answer: The previous one was a mind that did not recognize cause and effect, merely positing that all phenomena were created by Īśvara and the like. Now, because the good roots have matured, one seeks a fearless refuge amidst the transmigration of birth and death, wishing to emulate their causes in the hope of accomplishing superior results; hence it is not the same as the previous attachment.
“Śaṅkara” is another name for Maheśvara. “Kāla” is in Sanskrit Rudra, an attendant of Īśvara. “Nāgendra” refers to the great nāgas. “Kubera” and so forth are all great gods revered by the world. “Brahmāṇī” is an exalted deity revered in the world; however, in the Buddhadharma the Brahmā king is free from desire and has no consort. From “Padma” onward, the so-called Takṣaka nāga, Vāsuki nāga, Śaṅkha nāga, Karkoṭaka nāga, Mahāpadma nāga, Kulika nāga, Mahāphaṇi nāga, Adideva nāga, Sadā nāga, Nanda nāga, and so forth are all exalted deities revered in the world. “Deva-ṛṣi” refers to the divine seers with the five supernormal powers, whose number is measureless, so their names are not listed. “Veda” refers to the four treatises of knowledge expounded by the Brahmā king. The “Great Veda masters” are those who uphold those scriptures and can instruct others; because they can reveal the practice of transcending desire, one should take refuge in them. Among those classes, the Brahmā king is like the Buddha, the four Vedic scriptures are like the twelve divisions of scriptures, and those who transmit this teaching are like the harmonious Saṅgha. When they hear of such worldly Three Jewels, they joyfully take refuge, follow, and practice; this is the eighth fearless refuge for ordinary persons in birth and death.

2.29

The sūtra says: “Vajrapāṇi, furthermore, as for the superior practice, abiding in what is superior among that which is spoken by them, the wisdom seeking liberation arises...” and so forth, which means that within this eighth fearless refuge there is again a superior mind. Having heard that the worldly bhagavats spoken of above ought to be worshipped and taken refuge in, a thought subsequently arises: “Among these Three Jewels, which one is superior? I shall select the good one and follow and practice it.” By the power of the previous good roots, one attains a superior abiding within the teachings spoken by them, and there arises the knowledge seeking liberation. However, because they do not yet know the principle of dependent origination, whatever wisdom contemplates emptiness does not depart from annihilationism and eternalism; hence it is called “empty of permanence and impermanence,” merely following such teachings and diligently cultivating them.
Herein there are again two kinds: if the knowledge seeking liberation arises, it is called the “superior mind”; having realized the phenomenon of emptiness, it is called the “resolute mind.” If differentiated, together with the preceding there are ten minds in all.
The World-Honoured One, wishing to contrast and clarify the supramundane wisdom that contemplates emptiness, next said: “Vajrapāṇi, it is not that they understand the meaning of emptiness and non-emptiness, or comprehend annihilation and permanence; although they engage in an equal contemplation of neither-existence-nor-non-existence terminating all conceptual proliferation, they still cannot be free of both of these views, because they do not understand correct cause and condition.” However, in the Buddhadharma, because one knows the existence of cause and condition, one is free from the view of non-existence; because one contemplates the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the view of existence does not arise. If one is free from the views of existence and non-existence, one does not fall into annihilationism or eternalism. If one does not master such a meaning of emptiness, even though one does not cling to existence or non-existence and is detached from words and marks, in the end one is merely constructing this non-conceptualizing mind with conceptualizing thought. It is like the long-nailed renunciant (Dīrghanakha) who contemplated the true nature of all phenomena, not accepting any phenomenon, and yet accepted this view. True emptiness is free from discrimination; how could emptiness be discriminated? If one does not understand the meaning of emptiness, even though one single-mindedly and vigorously strives to seek liberation, one cannot know nirvāṇa. Therefore the Buddha said: “If you wish to seek nirvāṇa, you should fully understand the emptiness of dependent origination and be free from annihilationism and eternalism.”
Because that initial seed-mind diminishes a minute fraction of the defilement of greed, it accords with a minute fraction of the pure mind. From then on, as fasting and giving gradually increase, the power of the pure mind gradually begins to sprout. Through this perfuming, one is able to discern and select where to take refuge, and wisdom seeking liberation arises. If one does not encounter good conditions, one will fall back from the emptiness of annihilation and permanence into wrong views. Yet the seeds of those eight minds will never be destroyed; if one hears the Buddhadharma, merely directing them from the emptiness of annihilation and permanence to contemplate the emptiness of dependent origination, they will enter the correct path. If one is a person without capacity who has not yet generated the seed, though one explains it to them in various ways, they will ultimately be unable to believe and understand.
Furthermore, like a practitioner who, at the eighth mind, seeks a fearless refuge in birth and death: if they encounter a spiritual friend who explains the true refuge of the Three Jewels to them, because they have gradually recognized cause and effect in the present life, they will be able to believe and accept it. Setting this aside for a moment: as when observing the fast, if this person meets a spiritual friend who says to them: “Seeing what benefit do you perform this fasting and giving?” they will answer: “I see that through the conditions of greedy seeking and guarding there are various sorrows and sufferings, whereas with few desires and practicing giving, one obtains joyful and peaceful abiding.” Then the spiritual friend says: “Excellent, good man! Just as the Buddha taught, because sentient beings are stingy and greedy, in the present life they have various sorrows and sufferings, and at the end of life, through these causes and conditions, they fall into the bad destinies. Because their minds are free from the defilement of stinginess and greed, in the present life they enjoy peace and happiness and great renown, at the end of life they are born in heaven, and later they attain nirvāṇa. Therefore, you should now accept the eightfold fasting precepts with a superior mind.” Having heard this, they will believe, accept, and practice as taught. If it were a person without capacity who merely says that worldly suffering and happiness are all created by Īśvara, or transformations of earth and the like, or have time as their cause, then upon hearing of such minor peace and purity of the eightfold fast, they would not even be able to believe it, how much less the other profound matters?
Question: What is the cause of the very first seed among these eight minds?
Answer: From long ago in the world there have been the names of good and evil; the seed arises from this. For example, when sentient beings at the beginning of the kalpa greedily ate the fat of the earth, at that time eating much was regarded as unwholesome, and eating little as wholesome. Or some, seeing that from eating much various faults and afflictions arose, formed this thought: “I shall now eat little of this flavor and constantly discipline myself; would this not be good?” Yet these sentient beings had not yet recognized the retribution of cause and effect in future lives; merely handing it down successively, they took benevolence, righteousness, shame, and conscience to be wholesome qualities, and when there were those able to act thus, the world praised them together. Again, for example, when the small kalpa comes to an end, sentient beings suddenly generate the resolve, recognizing the faults of unwholesome worldly things, and mutually encourage each other to practice good deeds together. At that time, there was also no spiritual friend to encourage or cause it; one should know that all this is the power of the perfuming causes and conditions of the true nature of one's own mind. Just as with the initial seed, when it is separated from a dust-mote of mental defilement, the power of a dust-mote of the pure mind is revealed. Although it is said that the wholesome seed is born, in reality it is the birth of the unborn; because of this firm and solid nature, it is never destroyed within the consciousness of sentient beings, and until reaching the great vajra wheel of the ultimate reality of one's own mind, there is no other dwelling place in between. Leaving the fruit it again becomes a seed, successively flourishing, yet it never departs from the syllable A gateway. Therefore it is said: “The supreme Mahāyāna verse, the mark of the mind's continuous arising: the great secret of all Buddhas, which non-Buddhists cannot know.” The “Chapter on the Parable of the Medicinal Herbs” in the Lotus Sūtra also has its purport here.
Furthermore, the practitioner takes refuge in the Three Jewels, follows the Tathāgata’s vinaya, and receives the eightfold fasting precepts for a single day; protected by the noble precepts, they are tranquil and at peace. Being at peace, they believe in the conduct of the noble ones and repeatedly cultivate it; this is called the initial seed. To cause this goodness to increase, they cultivate various goods, until through the purity of the precepts they are definitely born in heaven and later reach nirvāṇa; this is called the enjoyment seed. Furthermore, through approaching a spiritual friend and hearing the benefit of the true Dharma, they do not produce any other thought of refuge; this is the eighth true fearless refuge for ordinary persons wandering in birth and death. Moreover, abiding in what is superior within this, the wisdom seeking liberation arises, and through pondering and observing, a resolute thought is produced; from this, the initial seed-mind of śrāvaka bodhi is generated. All these should be broadly differentiated by analogy with the previous text. Even to each and every bhūmi of the three vehicles, each possesses ten minds, and up to the tenth bhūmi, each also possesses seeds, sprouts, buds, leaves, flowers, and fruits, wherein the wisdom seeking the Buddha-stage arises, and contemplating ultimate emptiness, one is able to reach the limit of the vajra.

2.30

“At that time Vajrapāṇi again requested the Buddha, saying: ‘I only pray that the World-Honoured One will explain those minds.’ Having spoken thus, the Buddha told Vajrapāṇi, Master of Secrets: ‘Vajrapāṇi, listen attentively! As for the characteristics of the mind, they are the mind of greed, the mind free of greed; the mind of anger, the mind of loving-kindness; the mind of delusion, the mind of wisdom; ... up to: What is the mind of taking birth? It refers to those who cultivate actions and are born accordingly, their minds having the same nature.’ ”
This answers the phrases regarding the characteristics of the various minds in the previous question. First, it lists the names of the sixty minds, and next explains their characteristics.

2.31

“Vajrapāṇi, what is that mind of greed? It means following defiled phenomena.” This means being defiled and attached to the objective realm before one, which is defiling the pure mind. If one follows and cultivates this phenomenon, it is called having a mind of greed. Because mental phenomena are subtle and difficult to discern, one merely observes the activities performed by them, which must have characteristics manifested externally. For example, by observing the appearance of smoke, the nature of fire can be known by inference. Therefore, most of the phrases clarify the meaning through following and cultivating, as can be analogously understood. All these are minds that arise mixed with various goods before one attains the supramundane mind; if the practitioner skillfully discerns the true from the false, just as a farmer strives to eliminate weeds to support the fine sprouts, the power of the pure mind will gradually increase. Do not regard them merely as matters of cause and condition and disregard these ultimate words, causing the mind to sink into them without self-awareness.

2.32

Second, “What is the mind free of greed? It means following non-defiled phenomena.” This means running contrary to the previous mind, even up to not generating aspiration or joy toward wholesome states that one should strive to seek. Therefore, both non-defilement and wholesome phenomena obstruct the sprout of goodness; having the same name as the undefiled mind but a different reality, it must be observed most carefully. Therefore, the practitioner should simply contemplate the true nature of the mind of greed, and naturally greed will not defile the mind; one should not give rise to such conduct of non-greed devoid of wisdom.

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Third, “What is the mind of anger? It means following phenomena of wrath.” Wrath means that the mind of anger is activated and the matter is manifested externally; because mental phenomena are difficult to discern, it is explained through following and cultivating phenomena of wrath. If such unpeaceful characteristics frequently arise, one knows that this is the characteristic of the mind of anger. Simply by observing amidst these numerous conditions that the mind of anger itself has no abode, this hindrance will not arise.

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Fourth: regarding "What is the mind of loving-kindness? It means according with and cultivating the dharma of loving-kindness": this loving-kindness is also the opposite of anger. It is a loving-kindness defiled by attachment and views, not produced from wholesome seeds. The first character 'loving-kindness' refers to the inner mind, and the second character 'loving-kindness' refers to the activities performed in external manifestations. Once this has been perceived, one merely remedies the fault that obstructs the Path, continuously cultivating the immeasurable mind of loving-kindness; this is its antidote.

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Fifth: regarding "What is the mind of delusion? It means according with and cultivating dharmas of non-contemplation": this means not examining whether previous words were wholesome or unwholesome, right or wrong, but readily believing and accepting whatever one encounters. In all undertakings, one is unable to first distinguish and deliberate right from wrong with a mind of wisdom; having many mistakes and errors such as these is the mark of the mind of delusion.

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Sixth: regarding "What is the mind of intellect? It means according with and cultivating superior and preeminent dharmas": this means that among diverse teachings, this person always selects with intellect what is superior and what is inferior, what should be accepted and what should not be accepted, taking the superior ones and only then putting them into practice; this is the mark of non-delusion. However, dharmas that transcend ordinary humans are not things that the power of intellect and deliberation can reach; only those with faith can enter. Therefore, contemplating [the defect of] the difficulty of worldly wisdom and cleverness of speech is its antidote.

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Seventh: regarding "What is the resolute mind? It means honouring instructions and orders and practising as taught. Eighth: What is the mind of doubt? It means constantly holding onto indeterminate matters": here the mind of doubt is explained first, so that the mark of the resolute mind will be easily understood and clear. This means that whatever this person hears, an irresolute mind immediately arises. For example, when receiving the precepts, the doubt immediately arises within oneself: "Do I now definitely obtain the precepts, or do I not obtain the precepts?" Or one doubts the master or doubts the Dharma; all instances are like this. It is like a person travelling on a road who, because of doubt and hesitation, is unable to advance. A verse in the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: "[…] just like looking at a fork in the road: one should follow the beneficial path." This is its antidote. Furthermore, regarding the resolute mind: this means that as soon as one hears the instructions and orders of good friends and the like that accord with the Dharma, no doubt or hesitation arises, and one practices them with all one's heart. Yet one should also examine with wisdom to give rise to the correct resolute mind.

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Ninth: regarding "What is the dark mind? It means giving rise to an understanding of doubt and suspicion regarding dharmas that are free of doubt and suspicion": this means that regarding things such as the Four Truths, impurity, and impermanence, wise people in the world should not give rise to doubt; yet when this person hears them, they harbour hesitation in their mind, like seeing a tree stump at night and giving rise to various conjectures. If one sees such a mark, one should know that it is brought about by the dark mind.

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Tenth: regarding "What is the bright mind? It means cultivating without doubt or suspicion regarding dharmas free of doubt and suspicion": this means that regarding dharmas that are determinate dharma-seals and not to be doubted or suspected, as soon as this person hears them they are able immediately to believe them; one should know that this is the bright mind. However, if there is excess or deficiency in this, it is a mind that obstructs the Path; cultivating the wisdom of the middle way is its antidote.

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Eleventh: regarding "What is the accumulating mind? It has as its nature making the immeasurable into one": this means that after this person has given rise to faith and understanding regarding a single matter, when they further hear various distinct dharmas, they gather them all into one. For example, when a person has learned and attained a single samādhi, seeing the distinct, superior matters of the immeasurable Dharma-gateways in other sūtra teachings, they claim they all speak of this mind of meditative concentration, and that apart from this there are no other dharmas; hence it is called the accumulating mind.

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Twelfth: regarding "What is the combative mind? It has as its nature mutual disputation of right and wrong": this means that upon hearing the spoken teachings of others, one always loves to debate right and wrong, saying, "This meaning should be so; that matter is not so." Even if what was said accords with reason, one uses various means to spy out its strengths and weaknesses, desiring to make them fall into error. Even if others come to ask a question, one also seeks out its flaws, saying, "This question is perverse; I should not answer it." When such marks appear, one should know that it is the combative mind.

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Thirteenth: regarding "What is the disputatious mind? It means giving rise to right and wrong within oneself": this means harbouring a mind of right and wrong within oneself. For instance, after reflecting on a meaning by oneself, one immediately sets up differing alternatives on one's own to investigate its flaws. Although one consults and receives [teachings] from others with a wholesome mind, having accepted them, one turns back to investigate gain and loss oneself, saying, "This matter is fitting; this is not fitting." When such marks appear frequently, one should know that it is the disputatious mind.

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Fourteenth: regarding "What is the non-disputatious mind? It means relinquishing both right and wrong": according to the declensions in the Sanskrit text, below the sixty minds there should always be the words 'having as its nature', and by analogy all can be known. This means that the mind harbours neither partiality nor opposition; although one previously held such views from what one practiced and adhered to, upon hearing differing words, if they accord with reason even if contrary [to one's former view], one immediately accepts and practices them. Or if one previously considered something right, but hears that others consider it unwholesome, one is immediately able to change it. The sentiment clings to nothing, relinquishing both right and wrong. If there are such marks, one should know that it is the non-disputatious mind. Perceiving the indeterminate non-disputatious mind and cultivating the non-disputatious mind of the dharmatā of all dharmas is its antidote.

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Fifteenth: regarding "What is the deva mind? It means that mental thoughts are accomplished according to what one wishes": for example, due to the retribution of past lives, if the devas need anything, it arises in accordance with their mind without exertion. When such desires and wishes frequently arise, one should know that it is the deva mind. It is also because of having previously been born in the higher realms that one has this habit. If a mantra practitioner does not look toward the distant and vast fruit, but is merely led by their own mind, it can obstruct the pure bodhicitta. One should be aware of this oneself and not crave worldly siddhis; this is its antidote.

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Sixteenth: regarding "What is the asura mind? It means delighting in dwelling in saṃsāra": 'a' means non, and 'sura' means deva; because their karmic retribution resembles that of devas, but their actions and dwelling places are different, they are named thus. This [person] knows that there is the benefit of liberation, yet deeply delights in the happiness of the retribution of saṃsāra and is unable to advance. If a practitioner has this appearance, one should know that it is called the asura mind. It is also because of having previously been born in this destiny in past lives that one has this habit. Contemplating impermanence, suffering, and the like is its antidote.

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Seventeenth: regarding "What is the nāga mind? It means thinking of vast wealth and property": this means frequently thinking: "By what upāya shall I obtain such vast wealth and superior, wonderful treasures?" Having such notions of great greed and insatiability is the mind of the nāga destiny. Coming originally from the nāga destiny, one gives rise to this habit. It tends to make practitioners seek worldly siddhis, obstructing the supramundane pure mind. Contemplating few desires, contentment, impermanence, and the like is its antidote.

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Eighteenth: regarding "What is the human mind? It means thinking of benefiting others": this means loving to seek out and think: "So-and-so has been kind to me; I should use such upāya to make them gain great benefit. So-and-so once did me harm; I must now retaliate against them," as well as various plans to manage people and benefit things—all of these are the human mind. Mindfully contemplating one's own mental activities and seeking the benefit of the Dharma early, without being distracted by contemplating other conditions, is its antidote.

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Nineteenth: regarding "What is the woman mind? It means according with the dharma of desire": this is also a mind of the human destiny, differing only in having much desire. As the sūtras say: "Women have much desire, a hundred times that of men, constantly dwelling on pleasurable experiences they have undergone, or imagining others' forms, complexions, and postures." This can obstruct the practitioner's pure mind. It is also because of having been a woman in many past lives that the original habit still remains. In this, contemplating the dharmatā of the body through the mindfulness of impurity and the like is its antidote.

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Twentieth: regarding "What is the Īśvara mind? It means contemplating the wish that all things accord with my desire": Īśvara is the deva deity worshiped by non-Buddhists; that tradition posits that Maheśvara can create all sentient beings, suffering, pleasure, and other matters according to his thought. Those who cultivate this dharma also constantly keep their thoughts focused on wishing to become like their fundamental deity. If a mantra practitioner frequently thinks of such siddhis, thinking, "May I accomplish things in accordance with my thought," one should know that it is the Īśvara mind, which is also brought about by previous habits. Contemplating that all dharmas belong entirely to causes and conditions and possess no autonomy (īśvara) is the antidote.

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Twenty-first: regarding "What is the merchant mind? It means according with and cultivating the dharma of first gathering and later distributing": like merchants in the world who first devote themselves to accumulating goods and then reflect on and distribute them, saying, "This item should be used in such a place, and that item should be used in that place, to gain great profit." If a practitioner first devotes themselves to internal and external studies so that they are fully prepared, and only then deliberates: "These are worldly scriptures, to be used in such a place; these are teachings of the two vehicles, to receive such a person; these are provisions of the Mahāyāna, required for such a condition"—this is called the merchant mind. It is also brought about by previous habits. Cultivating swift wisdom is its antidote. That is to say, as soon as one hears any dharma, one should immediately contemplate its causes, conditions, and practical application; why wait until one has accumulated extensive learning before seeking places to apply it?

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Twenty-second: regarding "What is the farmer mind? It means according with the dharma of first hearing broadly and only later seeking": just as one who learns farming inquires of an old farmer: "How does one know that the land is fertile? How does one plow, sow, and weed? How does one observe the seasons? How does one reap the harvest?" Having understood them one by one in this way, one only then applies effort. This mind is also like this: first devoting oneself to consulting and receiving broad learning in the factors of the Path from the wise, and only then putting them into practice. All are brought about by past habits. Taking sharp wisdom as the antidote: for example, upon hearing that the aggregates are impermanent, one immediately knows that the elements, sense bases, dependent origination, and the like are all analogous. Furthermore, if a poisoned arrow enters the body, how could one wait for the three agricultural months to inquire broadly before pulling it out?

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Twenty-third: regarding "What is the river mind? It means according with and cultivating the dharma of relying on the two extremes": the nature of this mind is to rely simultaneously on two extremes—sometimes cultivating eternalism, sometimes cultivating annihilationism, or believing concurrently in both the heterodox and the orthodox, just as river water flows relying on both banks, and the objects carried along by it are also not fixed to one side. The antidote here is that if a practitioner focuses their mind on a single object, they can achieve their destination. If the mind does not maintain a fixed focus, expecting that undertakings can all be accomplished is impossible.

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Twenty-fourth: regarding "What is the pond mind? It means according with the dharma of thirst without insatiability": just as with a pond, though many waters flow into it, it is never satiated. This mind is also like this: if matters such as fame, profit, and retinue gather upon their person, they are never satiated, even extending to the dharmas they study. It is like having already obtained milk-porridge, but not applying oneself to eating it quickly, yet thirsting further for other flavours. Here, few desires and contentment serve as the antidote.

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Twenty-fifth: regarding "What is the well mind? It means contemplating thus: 'Deep and yet deeper'": just as looking down into well water, the measure of its depth is difficult to know. The nature of this mind is also like this: whatever it contemplates, it likes to make deep and distant; in all matters, wholesome or unwholesome, it always desires to make people unable to fathom them, so that even those who practice and dwell with them and engage in the same undertakings do not know their mental activities; one should know that this is the well mind. The Dharma-gateway of dependent origination and the marks of good people are all clear and easily understood; this is its antidote.

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大毘盧遮那成佛經疏 — Classical Chinese