菩薩戒本疏 1.33

1.33

佛自序中亦有三：一、告誦戒法，二、釋光因緣，三、勸受持等。初告誦中「半月自誦」者，雖果德圓滿而不忘因詮，雖一切時誦，為新學故言半月誦。「發心菩薩」者，謂十信也。「十發趣」者，謂十解，亦名十住，亦名習種姓。其十名者，謂捨、戒、忍、進、定、慧、願、護、喜、頂心也。此十種法初始發心趣入大乘，故云發趣。「十長養」者，即十行，亦名性種姓。其十名者，謂慈、悲、喜、捨、施、好語、益、因、定、慧心也。此十習已成性長養聖胎，故云長養。「十金剛」者，謂十迴向，亦名道種姓。方便行就不可爼壞，故云金剛。其十名者，謂信、念、迴向、達、圓直、不退、大乘、無想、慧、不壞心也。「十地」者，亦名聖種姓。十名，謂體性平等地、體性善慧地、體性光明地、體性爾炎地、體性慧照地、體性華光地、體性滿足地、體性佛吼地、體性華嚴地、體性入佛境界地。廣說行相如上卷經。「是故戒光」下，釋光因緣。「有緣非無因」者，謂外有時眾感法勝緣，內有如來大悲本因，方得現瑞表所說法故。「光光」者，所放光明有多重也。「非青黃赤白黑」者，以末即本故。「非五色非色心」者，非礙緣故。「非有無」者，非凡夫有、非二乘無。「非因果法」者，非苦集法也。「諸佛之本原行」者，成果之本也。「菩薩之根本」者，成因之本也。「大眾諸佛子根本」者，別舉時眾也。次勸受持等。「應受」者，從師初受也。「應持」者，受後護持也。「應誦」者，誦文句也。「善學」者，學義意也。「若受」已下廣釋受義，餘三存略，以初兼後故。「國王」等者，俗等貴族也。「比丘比丘尼」者，先受聲聞具足戒者，亦兼下三眾。「十八梵」者，色界天也。何者十八？一云：下三各三九，第四亦有九，謂無雲等、三無想、五淨居。無想既許初後有心，容有發心受菩薩戒。經說淨居下來受佛記，故知亦有發心受戒。有云：別有十八梵天，無想、五淨不入其數。如《本業經》列色天眾，謂梵天、梵眾天、梵輔天、大梵天（此四是初禪天）、水行天、水微天、水無量天、水音天（此四是二禪天）、約淨天、無想天、遍淨天、淨光明天（此四是三禪天）、守妙天、微妙天、極妙天、福果天、果勝天、大靜天（此六是四禪天）。「六天」者，欲界天。無色界者，若就顯教無受法義，故不說也。「庶民」者，無官位人。「黃門」者，五種半擇迦。「畜生乃至變化人」者，謂畜生中能變化者。「但解法師語盡受得戒」者，此所列中若能領解法師語，亦能發菩提心，皆得受戒也。又在家戒，如上所說解語皆受。若出家戒則不如是，唯人趣中若男若女無遮難者方許為受，義同聲聞出家受法。又應戒法皆得通受，文無簡故，但應遮其比丘等性。如半擇迦許受五戒，但應遮止近事男性。序文已訖。

In the Buddha's own preface, there are also three parts: first, announcing the recitation of the precepts; second, explaining the causes and conditions of the light; third, exhorting [the assembly] to receive, uphold, and so forth. In the first part, concerning announcing the recitation, as for "recite it myself every half-month": although his fruition virtues are complete, he does not forget the exposition of the cause; although he recites it at all times, for the sake of beginners he says he recites it every half-month. "Bodhisattvas who have resolved their minds" refers to the ten stages of faith. "The ten directions of entry" refers to the ten understandings, also called the ten abidings, and also called the gotra of practice. Their ten names are: the minds of renunciation, morality, forbearance, vigor, concentration, wisdom, vow, protection, joy, and peak. These ten dharmas represent the initial resolving of the mind to enter into the Mahāyāna, and are thus called "directions of entry." "The ten nourishments" are the ten practices, also called the gotra of nature. Their ten names are: the minds of loving-kindness, compassion, joy, equanimity, giving, kind speech, benefit, cause, concentration, and wisdom. Once these ten practices become one's nature, they nourish the noble embryo, and are thus called "nourishments." "The ten adamantine [minds]" refers to the ten dedications, also called the gotra of the path. Because the practice of skillful means is accomplished and cannot be broken down, it is called "adamantine." Their ten names are: the minds of faith, mindfulness, dedication, penetration, rectitude, non-retrogression, Mahāyāna, non-conception, wisdom, and indestructibility. "The ten bhūmis" is also called the noble gotra. The ten names are: the ground of the equality of essential nature, the ground of the good wisdom of essential nature, the ground of the radiance of essential nature, the ground of the blazing light of essential nature, the ground of the wisdom-illumination of essential nature, the ground of the flower-radiance of essential nature, the ground of the fulfillment of essential nature, the ground of the Buddha's roar of essential nature, the ground of the flower-adornment of essential nature, and the ground of entering the Buddha's realm of essential nature. The detailed exposition of their aspects of practice is as in the preceding fascicle of the sūtra. From "For this reason, the light of the precepts..." onward explains the causes and conditions of the light. "There is a condition and not without a cause": externally, the present assembly's sensing the Dharma serves as an excellent condition, and internally, the Tathāgata's great compassion serves as the fundamental cause; only then could the auspicious sign manifest to display the Dharma that is to be preached. "The rays of light": the light emitted has multiple layers. "Are not blue, yellow, red, white, or black": because the branch is identical to the root. "Are not the five colors, neither matter nor mind": because they are free from obstructive conditions. "Neither existing nor non-existing": not existing as for ordinary persons, not non-existing as for the two vehicles. "Not dharmas of cause and effect": not the dharmas of suffering and origination. "The fundamental practice of the Buddhas": the root that accomplishes the fruit. "The root of the bodhisattva": the root that accomplishes the cause. "The root of the assembly of all Buddha-sons": specifically identifies the assembly of that time. Next is the exhortation to receive, uphold, and so forth. "Should receive": initially receiving it from a teacher. "Should uphold": protecting and upholding it after receiving it. "Should recite": reciting the words and sentences. "Skillfully train": training in the meaning and intent. From "If one receives..." onward broadly explains the meaning of reception, omitting the remaining three, because the first subsumes the latter ones. "Kings..." and so forth refers to the secular nobility. "Bhikṣus and bhikṣuṇīs" refers to those who have previously received the complete precepts of the śrāvaka, and also includes the lower three assemblies. "The eighteen Brahmā [heavens]" refers to the heavens of the form realm. What are the eighteen? One view says: the lower three [dhyānas] have three each, making nine; the fourth also has nine—namely, Cloudless and so forth, the three of Non-conception, and the five Pure Abodes. Since Non-conception is accepted as having consciousness at the beginning and the end, it allows for resolving the mind and receiving the bodhisattva precepts. The sūtras state that [devas of] the Pure Abodes descend to receive the Buddha's prophecy, hence we know that they also resolve their minds to receive the precepts. Another view says: there are eighteen Brahmā heavens separately, and Non-conception and the five Pure Abodes are not included in this number. As the Benye jing lists the assemblies of the form heavens: Brahmā Heaven, Brahmā Assembly Heaven, Brahmā Minister Heaven, and Great Brahmā Heaven (these four are the heavens of the first dhyāna); Water-Walking Heaven, Subtle Water Heaven, Immeasurable Water Heaven, and Water-Sound Heaven (these four are the heavens of the second dhyāna); Boundless Purity Heaven, Non-conception Heaven, Universal Purity Heaven, and Pure Radiance Heaven (these four are the heavens of the third dhyāna); Guarding Excellence Heaven, Subtle Excellence Heaven, Utmost Excellence Heaven, Merit Fruit Heaven, Fruit Excellence Heaven, and Great Tranquility Heaven (these six are the heavens of the fourth dhyāna). "The six heavens" refers to the heavens of the desire realm. As for the formless realm: in terms of the exoteric teaching there is no principle of receiving the Dharma, so it is not mentioned. "Commoners": people without official rank. "Eunuchs": the five kinds of paṇḍaka. "Animals down to transformed persons": refers to those among animals who have the capacity to transform themselves. "As long as they understand the Dharma master's words, they can all receive and attain the precepts": among those listed here, if they are able to comprehend the Dharma master's words and are also able to give rise to bodhicitta, they all may receive the precepts. Furthermore, regarding the lay precepts, as stated above, all who understand the words receive them. But for the monastic precepts it is not so: only those in the human realm, whether male or female, who are free from impediments and difficulties are permitted to receive them, the meaning being the same as the śrāvaka reception of the monastic rules. Alternatively, all should be universally eligible to receive the precepts, because the text makes no exclusion; one should merely bar them from the nature of a bhikṣu and so forth. Just as a paṇḍaka is permitted to receive the five precepts, but should merely be barred from the status of an upāsaka. The text of the preface is now concluded.