天台菩薩戒疏 1.48

1.48

From "Those who skillfully learn..." onward is the third part, concluding with exhortation, which also has three parts: first, adducing the Dharma to be upheld; second, admonishing and exhorting; third, referring to the extensive [version]. Each of the three passages has two aspects. Of the two in the first passage: first, generally adducing the practitioners. "Those who skillfully learn" is an expression of praise. Next, from "these bodhisattvas..." onward, adducing the Dharma. Because the fruit is spoken of within the cause, it is called "mokṣa"; "mokṣa" means liberation. Next, from "should..." onward, the two aspects of admonition and exhortation are: first, exhorting them to learn and uphold; next, from "if there are..." onward, adducing the loss to illuminate upholding. First, regarding "a dust mote": as in secular speech it is said, "The subject has not even the merit of a mote of dust or a drop of dew for the state"; in the Nirvāṇa Sūtra, it is like guarding a floating float so that not even a dust mote's [breach] is committed; this adduces what is exceedingly small to serve as an analogy. Next, within adducing the loss, there are again two aspects: first, explaining the present loss of the ten benefits; next, explaining the future retribution in the three wretched realms. As for the first text: violating the original universal vows without repentance and not losing the Dharma, the bodhicitta ceases; hence it says "cannot generate bodhicitta in the present". For kings of scattered-grain realms and wheel-turning kings, the precepts serve as the cause; when the cause is lost, the fruit perishes; hence it says "also loses", and so forth. Since monks, nuns, and others have lost the precepts, their retribution enters the three evil realms; how could they attain human rebirth to realize subsequent stages? Hence it says "also loses [the status of] monk, nun", etc. "The ten orientations", etc., lists the subsequent stages that are lost, the first four being causes. "The wondrous fruit of the eternal Buddha-nature" is the fruit of wondrous enlightenment. The eternal Buddha-nature spans from beginning to end; here, in contrast to the ultimate stage, it refers to the fruit belonging to the eternal Buddha-nature, hence called the wondrous fruit, just as the Benevolent Kings [Sūtra] does not explicitly teach equal enlightenment. Next, in explaining falling into the three evil realms: because violations of the prohibitions differ, the retributions entering the three evil realms and the intervals until hearing the Dharma are long or short. Parents' loving nurture is profound in grace; the Three Jewels are the utmost in rescue and protection, worthy of trust and reliance. Since one will not even hear their names, there is nowhere to place one's trust and reliance; therefore they are specifically adduced. A "kalpa" is an aeon. The four periods of formation, abiding, destruction, and void each have twenty increasing and decreasing aeons; one increasing and decreasing aeon constitutes a small kalpa, twenty increasing and decreasing aeons constitute a medium kalpa, and eighty increasing and decreasing aeons constitute a great kalpa (and so forth). "Therefore..." and so forth concludes with exhortation. Third, from "etc." onward, referring to the extensive version has two aspects: first, exhorting to study; next, referring to the extensive root text. The extensive root text of this sūtra contains the "Chapter on the Eighty Thousand Deportments".