金剛般若論會釋 1.100

1.100

From where the sūtra says "Why is this? Because by the unconditioned..." onward, it explains the second "Why is this?", which, being manifestation, has two parts: first, explaining the sūtra; second, introducing the subsequent text. The various subsequent texts of the sūtra all explain why the unconditioned gets the name of "noble person." In the first text, it first explains the meaning of "unconditioned," and then explains "all noble persons." "The unconditioned means the non-conceptual meaning": that is, the tathatā of cessation through deliberation (pratisaṃkhyā-nirodha), neither arising nor perishing, is called the non-conceptual meaning; "meaning" signifies principle. This explains the meaning of "unconditioned." "Therefore a bodhisattva is named 'trainee (śaikṣa)':" partially realizing tathatā, there is still cultivation. "In the absence of arising and absence of making, the Tathāgata's transformation of the basis is called purity; therefore the Tathāgata is named 'non-trainee (aśaikṣa)':" Because this principle-entity of tathatā is without arising, it is without origination; because it lacks an agent, it is without making. In this principle, the Tathāgata has already abandoned the dharmas of defiled hindrances, which is called the transformation of the basis, free from defilement and pure. "Therefore the Tathāgata is named 'non-trainee'" means that there is nothing left to cultivate. This explains "all noble persons." The *Vajracchedikā* says: "Because all worthy ones and nobles are manifested by the unconditioned"—due to the fact that their realization of the unconditioned has partial and full degrees. Vasubandhu's treatise says: "What meaning does this line clarify? That dharma is the cause of preaching." Because all noble persons inwardly realize tathatā, and the subtle principle of tathatā can neither be grasped nor expressed, conforming with tathatā, the speaker, the Tathāgata, has nothing preached and nothing displayed, and the listener, the bodhisattva, has nothing heard and nothing grasped. With this serving as the cause, it only then manifests that the noble person, like what they realize, still cannot be spoken of, how much less could the listener grasp it? Because that tathatā is free from the characteristics of verbal expression and is not an expressible matter. Why does it not say "Buddha," but says "all noble persons"? Because all noble persons derive their name based on the purity of tathatā. The Tathāgata possesses complete purity, while the bodhisattva has purity according to their portion; this precisely agrees with what was said earlier, that the bodhisattva is named "trainee" because they are partially pure in tathatā. Relying on the explanation of this treatise, "Therein, the first meaning of unconditioned is associated with samāpatti..." and so forth clearly appears. This matches the five meanings: since on the causal stage faults of concentration and distraction still arise at times, by cultivating higher concentration to realize the unconditioned, one subdues the stage of distraction; hence the first unconditioned is called meditative attainment (samāpatti) and subduing the time of distraction. Second, the Tathāgata's name of "non-trainee" is complete purity in tathatā, solely in the ultimate Buddha-fruit of unsurpassed awakening; hence it is not the cultivation of meditative attainment and subduing the mind, because meditative attainment and subduing the mind both belong to the causal stage, not to the ultimate fruition stage.