梵網經菩薩戒本疏 1.23

1.23

前中二：初、舉法辨勝；後、「是故諸佛子應受」下，正勸修學。前中二：初、約人顯勝；二、「是故戒」下，約法辨勝。前中二：初、約佛自誦，顯勝人誦，故明戒勝也；二、約五位菩薩眾誦，明多人誦，故明戒勝也。以信行不成位，故但云「發心」也。以十住是三賢之初，入位之始，故云「發趣」也。十行增修善根，故云「長養」。十回向是世間修終，堅固不壞，故云「金剛」。「十地」可知。「是故戒光從口出」者，是前從初發心至十地，滿三無數劫，常誦持故，致後誦時，口中每出說戒之光。如《智論》中有三藏比丘，以多生說法，口出香，類同此也。又釋：以此戒法破無明闇，從用名光。又釋：從佛口光中出戒光故，從緣為名，故云光。「有緣非無因」者，今此誦戒，口出戒光，非無因緣，以多劫積集，因緣深固，致令如此。又釋：此屬第二約法辨勝。於中有三：初、明戒無自性，起藉因緣。謂此戒法既從因緣，必無自性，無自性戒名為戒光。以佛說為緣，機感為因，或師授為緣，菩提心為因，無自性戒方得發起，故云「有緣非無因」也。二、明戒體甚深。言「故光光」等者，光猶戒，謂是因緣所發戒體無量數多，故曰「光光」也。「故」者，所由也。謂此戒光因緣生故，是故無性離相，故云「非青」等也。於中三句：初、離色心者，謂此真戒性非質礙，又非緣慮，故云「非色心」。又釋：戒於思種而建立故，用思種為體，故云非青等色也。於思種上假立為色，故云非心也。二、離有無者，謂緣起之戒便無自相，即緣非戒，離緣無戒，除即除離，不得中間。如是求戒，永不是有無。然此不無此不有之戒，以不同菟角無因緣故，是故此戒俱絕有無。又可非所執故不有，從緣起故非無。又從緣起故不有，非所執故不無，故云「非有非無」也。三、離因果者，以稱性之戒離能所生，故非因果也。又釋以戒能成彼大菩提果，故非果法也。又藉菩提心為因起，故非因法也。以是果非果即因故，是因非因即果故，是故剋性非因果也。「三世諸佛之本」下，明戒用廣。於中三：初、明戒雖非果而能作果，故云「諸佛之本原」。二、明戒雖非因而能作因，故云「菩薩之根本」，以菩薩是因位故。三、雖俱非因果，然能通為大眾之本。二、「是故」下，結勸修學中，應受、應持、應誦文、應學義。

In the former, there are two: first, presenting the Dharma to distinguish its excellence; later, from 'Therefore, all sons of the Buddha should receive' onward, directly encouraging cultivation and study. In the former, there are two: first, revealing excellence in terms of persons; second, from 'Therefore the precept...' onward, distinguishing excellence in terms of the Dharma. In the former, there are two: first, in terms of the Buddha himself reciting, revealing excellence through recitation by a superior person, thereby clarifying the excellence of the precepts; second, in terms of the assembly of bodhisattvas of the five ranks reciting, clarifying that many people recite, thereby clarifying the excellence of the precepts. Because the practice of faith does not constitute a rank, it merely says 'arousing the mind.' Because the ten abodes are the beginning of the three kinds of worthies and the start of entering the ranks, they are called 'directional aspirations.' The ten practices augment the cultivation of good roots, hence they are called 'nourishments.' The ten dedications of merit are the conclusion of worldly cultivation, firm and indestructible, hence they are called 'vajra.' The 'ten bhūmis' can be understood. 'Therefore the light of the precepts emerges from the mouth': having constantly recited and upheld them from the initial arousing of the mind up to the ten bhūmis throughout three incalculable kalpas, whenever reciting later, light expounding the precepts constantly emerges from his mouth. Just as in the *Dazhidulun* there is a Tripiṭaka monk whose mouth emitted fragrance through expounding the Dharma for many lifetimes, this is analogous. Another explanation: because this precept Dharma destroys the darkness of ignorance, it is called light from its function. Another explanation: because the light of the precepts emerges from the light of the Buddha's mouth, taking its name from conditions, it is called light. 'Having conditions and not being without cause': in this recitation of the precepts, light emerging from the mouth is not without causes and conditions; through accumulation over many kalpas, causes and conditions are profound and solid, bringing about this result. Another explanation: this belongs to the second, distinguishing excellence in terms of the Dharma. Therein are three: First, clarifying that the precepts lack self-nature and arise depending on causes and conditions. Since this precept Dharma arises from causes and conditions, it must lack self-nature; precepts lacking self-nature are called the light of the precepts. Taking the Buddha's exposition as the condition and the capacity's responsiveness as the cause, or the master's transmission as the condition and bodhicitta as the cause, the precepts without self-nature can only then arise; hence it says 'having conditions and not being without cause.' Second, clarifying that the precept-essence is extremely profound. As for 'therefore light upon light,' and so forth: 'light' is like precepts, meaning that the precept-essences generated by causes and conditions are infinitely numerous, hence it says 'light upon light.' 'Therefore' indicates the reason: because this light of the precepts is born from causes and conditions, it is devoid of nature and free of characteristics; hence it says 'not blue,' and so forth. Therein are three lines: First, being free from matter and mind: the true precept-nature is not obstructive, nor is it cognitive deliberation, hence it says 'not matter nor mind.' Another explanation: because precepts are established upon volition seeds and take volition seeds as their essence, it says not blue or other colors. Imputing it as matter upon volition seeds, it says not mind. Second, being free from existence and non-existence: precepts of dependent origination have no intrinsic characteristics; being identical to conditions, they are not precepts, yet apart from conditions, there are no precepts; eliminating both identity and separation, no middle can be found. Seeking precepts in this way, they are never existent or non-existent. However, this precept that is not non-existent and not existent is not like a rabbit's horns which lack causes and conditions; therefore, this precept transcends both existence and non-existence. Alternatively, because it is not an object of grasping, it is not existent; because it arises dependently, it is not non-existent. Furthermore, because it arises dependently, it is not existent; because it is not an object of grasping, it is not non-existent; hence it says 'neither existent nor non-existent.' Third, being free from cause and effect: because precepts conforming to nature are free from producer and produced, they are neither cause nor effect. Another explanation: because the precepts can accomplish that fruit of great bodhi, they are not a fruit Dharma. Furthermore, depending on bodhicitta as cause to arise, they are not a causal Dharma. Because being a fruit, it is non-fruit, which is identical to cause; and being a cause, it is non-cause, which is identical to fruit; therefore strictly in terms of their nature, they are neither cause nor effect. From 'the root origin of all Buddhas of the three periods of time' onward, it clarifies that the function of the precepts is broad. Therein are three: First, clarifying that although the precepts are not the fruit, they can produce the fruit, hence 'the root origin of all Buddhas.' Second, clarifying that although the precepts are not the cause, they can serve as the cause, hence 'the foundation of bodhisattvas,' because bodhisattvas are in the causal stage. Third, although they are neither cause nor fruit, they can universally serve as the root of the great assembly. Second, from 'therefore' onward, concluding by encouraging cultivation and study: one should receive, uphold, recite the text, and study the meaning.