佛頂尊勝陀羅尼經教跡義記 1.40

1.40

第三正解其時者，法王啟運之日，大眾嘉會之時，故云一時。《佛地論》云：「說一部經之時，非為剎那相續，乃至究竟，總名一時。」又真諦三藏解云：「輪王出世七寶一時，法王出世法寶一時，令機教符會無差異時，故言一時。」良謂小品立彼有斯，大乘元無來無往。當常現常之代，妄見空華；不滅實滅之初，劫石於茲。假稱所以，六十小劫攝在一時，明知妄立之言；託境方稱，時義所為說聽無二。故言一時。又三藏解云：「具足十義故名一時：一、佛出世時；二、說正法時；三、聽正法時；四、持正法時；五、思正法時；六、修正法時；七、下善種時；八、成熟善種時；九、解脫善種時；十、心平等時。且一、佛出世時者，如輪王出世時七寶一時可得，法王出世時法寶一時可聞，輪王出世未見者令聞。二、說正法時者，佛說正法，一切狂聾皆得醒悟，故名一時。三、聽正法時者，有四因緣：一者有宿因；二、有正信；三、願樂；四、生尊重。具此因緣是聽法時，故名一時。四、持正法時者，有三因緣：一、為自行圓滿；二、為他行成就；三、為他諮承有處。具此三緣，是持正法時。五、思正法時，有五因緣：一、思擇相似簡為取真；二、思擇轉勝如鍊真金；三、思擇得果，如月朗雲除，眾所樂見，又女質覆以為嚴；四、思擇無窮，如如意珠出財無竭，擇法亦是顯理無窮；五、思擇利益，如見日光作業不息，得佛法味化導無邊。具此五義是思擇時。六、修正法時者，有五因緣：一、智根利除煩惱障；二、信具足除業障；三、生人天除報障；四、樂寂靜除散亂障；五、值佛正法除邪歸障。具此五緣是好修時。七、下善種時者，為發菩提心有十因：一、依本，佛性故；二、依器，依人天道；三、依地，依八禪故；四、依三寶，為行不退故；五、依因，依一切眾生為下種因故；六、依意樂願，唯發大菩提心故；七、依智，觀過失功德故；八、依信，信三寶四諦七處故；九、依行，依割肉飼鷹等行故；十、依迴向，所有善根為眾生故。具此十事名下善種時。八、成就善種時者，有四因緣：一、宿植善根，即因成就；二、生於中國，即處所相應；三、親近善友，諮承為他；四、如說修行，離諸放逸。具此四緣，名為成就善種時。九、解脫善種時者，有五因緣：一、親近善友時；二、聽聞正法時；三、持正法時；四、思正法時；五、歸正法時。具此五事，名解脫善種時。十、心平等時者，心若高下聽法不入，若能拔沈抑浮念智平等，得入正法，名心平等時。具此十義故名一時。」又長耳三藏解時云：「有三種：一、分段時；二、不思議時；三、假名時。一、分段時者，五蘊為體，四相為相，一期報限，如陶家輪，世極即住，名分段身時。二、不思議變易時者，謂變易生死相續，於法分齊難知，名不思議變易時。三、假名時，外國名劫波，自有三義：一、迦羅；二、三摩耶；三、世流布。迦羅者，此云別相，如制戒律，大戒時聞，小戒時不聞，出家時聞，在家時不聞，國王時得聞，餘人不得聞。二、三摩耶時者，此云破邪見時，為五部阿含、九分達磨，不簡黑白一切得用。三、世流布者，如云一時在中首林中，一時在恒河岸，調音起轉即是世人法語，令依破邪見時及世流布時，故名一時。」問：「此中時者依何建立？」答曰：「《佛地論》云：『時者，即是有為法上假立分位影像，依色心等總假立，故不相應行蘊所攝矣。』」上來三種不同，總明第三時成就竟。

Third, as for directly explaining the time: the day when the Dharma King commences his cycle, the time when the great assembly holds their auspicious gathering; hence it is said, 'at one time.' The Buddhabhūmi-śāstra states: "The time of expounding a single sūtra is not a succession of kṣaṇas; up to its final completion, it is collectively named 'at one time.'" Moreover, the Tripiṭaka Master Paramārtha explained: "When a wheel-turning king appears in the world, the seven treasures appear at one time; when the Dharma King appears in the world, the Dharma treasures appear at one time. When capacity and teaching coincide without discrepancy, that time is therefore called 'at one time.'" Truly, the small vehicle posits that this exists because of that, whereas in the Mahāyāna there is fundamentally neither coming nor going. In an era when the permanent manifests as the permanent, one falsely sees flowers in the sky; at the beginning of true cessation that is non-cessation, the aeon-measuring stone is here. Designating it conventionally is why sixty small aeons are subsumed in one time; know clearly that these are conventionally established words. Only by relying on an object is it designated; what the meaning of time constitutes is the non-duality of teaching and hearing. Hence it is said, 'at one time.' Furthermore, the Tripiṭaka Master explained: "Because it is endowed with ten meanings, it is called 'at one time': 1. the time when the Buddha appears in the world; 2. the time of expounding the true Dharma; 3. the time of listening to the true Dharma; 4. the time of retaining the true Dharma; 5. the time of contemplating the true Dharma; 6. the time of practicing the true Dharma; 7. the time of planting good seeds; 8. the time of maturing good seeds; 9. the time of liberating good seeds; 10. the time when the mind is impartial. As for 1, the time when the Buddha appears in the world: just as when a wheel-turning king appears in the world, the seven treasures can be obtained at one time, so when the Dharma King appears in the world, the Dharma treasures can be heard at one time; when a wheel-turning king appears in the world, those who have not seen them are caused to hear of them. 2. The time of expounding the true Dharma: when the Buddha expounds the true Dharma, all the mad and deaf are awakened; hence it is called 'at one time.' 3. The time of listening to the true Dharma: there are four causes and conditions: first, having past causes; second, having right faith; third, aspiring with joy; fourth, generating reverence. Being endowed with these causes and conditions is the time of listening to the Dharma; hence it is called 'at one time.' 4. The time of retaining the true Dharma: there are three causes and conditions: first, to fulfill one's own practice; second, to accomplish the practice of others; third, to provide a source for others to inquire and receive [teachings]. Being endowed with these three conditions is the time of retaining the true Dharma. 5. The time of contemplating the true Dharma: there are five causes and conditions: first, scrutinizing the similar to eliminate [the false] and adopt the true; second, scrutinizing so that it becomes increasingly superior, like refining pure gold; third, scrutinizing and attaining the fruit, like the moon shining brightly with clouds removed, which all delight to see, or like a woman's body adorned by coverings; fourth, inexhaustible scrutinizing, like a wish-fulfilling jewel yielding inexhaustible wealth, where discriminating phenomena likewise reveals inexhaustible principles; fifth, scrutinizing for benefit, like seeing the sun's light and working without cessation, where tasting the flavor of the Buddha's Dharma transforms and guides boundlessly. Being endowed with these five meanings is the time of scrutinizing. 6. The time of practicing the true Dharma: there are five causes and conditions: first, sharp faculties of wisdom removing the obstacle of afflictions; second, complete faith removing the obstacle of karma; third, being born among humans or devas removing the obstacle of retribution; fourth, delighting in tranquility removing the obstacle of distraction; fifth, encountering the Buddha's true Dharma removing the obstacle of taking wrong refuges. Being endowed with these five conditions is the propitious time for practice. 7. The time of planting good seeds: for generating the mind of bodhi there are ten causes: first, relying on the basis, because of the Buddha-nature; second, relying on the vessel, relying on the paths of humans and devas; third, relying on the ground, because of relying on the eight dhyānas; fourth, relying on the Three Jewels, so that practice does not retrogress; fifth, relying on the cause, because of relying on all sentient beings as the cause for sowing seeds; sixth, relying on joyful aspiration, solely generating the great mind of bodhi; seventh, relying on wisdom, because of contemplating faults and merits; eighth, relying on faith, having faith in the Three Jewels, the four noble truths, and the seven abodes; ninth, relying on practice, relying on practices such as cutting one's flesh to feed the hawk; tenth, relying on dedication, directing all roots of goodness for the sake of sentient beings. Being endowed with these ten matters is called the time of planting good seeds. 8. The time of maturing good seeds: there are four causes and conditions: first, having planted roots of goodness in the past, which is the fulfillment of the cause; second, being born in the central country, which is correspondence of place; third, associating with good spiritual friends, inquiring and receiving [teachings] for the sake of others; fourth, practicing in accordance with the teachings, free from all negligence. Being endowed with these four conditions is called the time of maturing good seeds. 9. The time of liberating good seeds: there are five causes and conditions: first, the time of associating with good spiritual friends; second, the time of hearing the true Dharma; third, the time of retaining the true Dharma; fourth, the time of contemplating the true Dharma; fifth, the time of taking refuge in the true Dharma. Being endowed with these five matters is called the time of liberating good seeds. 10. The time when the mind is impartial: if the mind is haughty or base, hearing the Dharma will not penetrate; if one can lift what is sunken, suppress what is flighty, and balance mindfulness and wisdom equally, one can enter the true Dharma; this is called the time when the mind is impartial. Because it is endowed with these ten meanings, it is called 'at one time.'" Furthermore, the Tripiṭaka Master Chang'er explained time, saying: "There are three kinds: 1. the time of apportioned existence; 2. inconceivable time; 3. conventional time. 1. The time of apportioned existence: the five aggregates are its essence, the four characteristics are its marks, and a single lifetime's limit of retribution, like a potter's wheel that stops when its momentum runs out, is called the time of the apportioned body. 2. The inconceivable time of transformation: meaning that inconceivable transformative saṃsāra continues in succession, and its delimitation regarding phenomena is difficult to know; this is called the inconceivable time of transformation. 3. Conventional time: called kalpa in foreign lands, which itself has three meanings: first, kāla; second, samaya; third, worldly convention. Kāla is translated here as 'distinct characteristics,' like establishing the monastic precepts: heard at the time of the major precepts, not heard at the time of the minor precepts; heard at the time of leaving the household, not heard at the time of staying at home; heard at the time of the king, not heard by other persons. Second, the time of samaya: translated here as 'the time of destroying wrong views,' which, for the five Āgama divisions and the ninefold Dharma, can be used by all without discriminating between monastic and lay. Third, worldly convention: as when it is said 'at one time in the Middle Forest' or 'at one time on the bank of the Ganges'; modulating tones to commence utterance is precisely the conventional Dharma discourse of worldly people, causing them to rely on the time of destroying wrong views and the time of worldly convention; hence it is called 'at one time.'" Question: "Upon what is 'time' here established?" Answer: "The Buddhabhūmi-śāstra states: ''Time' is a nominal status-representation conventionally established upon conditioned phenomena; being established conventionally on the basis of form, mind, and so forth, it is subsumed under the non-concurrent formative forces aggregate.'" The three different aspects above conclude the general explanation of the third, the fulfillment of time.