請觀音經疏闡義鈔 4.17

4.17

The detailed explanation of the sūtra text should be divided into two: first, from "how" downward, it explains the preliminary expedients; second, from "composed and serene" onward, it explains the cultivation and realization. "Methods of dhyāna" refers to the sequential gates of dhyāna (Ci di chan men). Saying "and so forth" means possessing the five conditions, reproaching the five desires, abandoning the five hindrances, harmonizing the five matters, and practicing the five dharmas, thus making twenty-five kinds. Therefore, the Chan men states: "'Expedient' is another name for skillful study and practice. When a practitioner practices skillfully amid the initial conditions, it is called an expedient." Regarding "both phenomenal and principle explanations," just as the Zhiguan explains expedients in terms of contemplating the mind, which is the explanation in terms of principle, the Chan men contains only the phenomenal explanation. Harmonizing the five matters means: harmonizing food so that one is neither hungry nor satiated; harmonizing sleep so that it is neither curtailed nor indulged; harmonizing the body so that it is neither loose nor tense; harmonizing the breath so that it is neither rough nor slippery; and harmonizing the mind so that it is neither sunken nor agitated. However, among these five matters, food and sleep are each harmonized outside of absorption, while the latter three are harmonized together within absorption. The present sūtra only shows the harmonizing together among the five matters. The three expedients are spoken from the essentials; the practitioner must be equipped with the twenty-five dharmas, fully as in the Chan men. Regarding "beginning with the three matters," and so forth, it directly clarifies the intention of the present sūtra in following the essentials. The Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra states: "At the time of the kalala, there are three matters: first, vitality; second, warmth; third, consciousness." The incoming and outgoing breath is called vitality. Not decaying and not rotting is called warmth, which is maintained by karma; because of the fire element, form such as earth and water does not decay or rot. The mind within this is called consciousness, which is the mind of awareness from moment to moment. When the three dharmas harmonize together, from birth to growth there is neither increase nor decrease. The foolish do not understand; among them, they falsely conceptualize a self, a person, and a sentient being, performing various karmic actions with minds generating defiled attachment, and due to inverted causes and conditions they transmigrate in the three realms—this is called delusion. If one traces back to their source, they do not go beyond these three dharmas—this is called understanding. Regarding "cultivating these six characters," this means desiring to cultivate the six subtle gates; hence one must use this as the preliminary expedient. "Uprighting the body" refers to the full lotus posture. Regarding "this pertains to precepts," precepts guard against bodily and verbal [misconduct], hence it is explained in terms of uprighting the body. Concentration regulates the scattered mind, hence it is explained in terms of "correcting the mind." Wisdom can discriminate moment to moment, hence it is explained in terms of "continuity."