金剛般若論會釋 1.18

1.18

Under "for non-defilement in transmigration," there are two parts: first, matching with the sūtra; second, explaining the nine metaphors separately. Under the nine metaphors, there are two parts: first, indicating the four characteristics of the conditioned; second, explaining them separately. Under indicating the four, Vasubandhu's treatise groups the nine into three: 1. contemplating characteristics; 2. contemplating enjoyment; 3. contemplating matters of the three periods of time. Grouping them within these four, the second, the savor enjoyed in dwelling, and the third, conforming faults, form the single [category of] contemplating enjoyment. That treatise combines the object enjoyed and the body that enjoys into a single enjoyment, comprising both the enjoying agent and the enjoyed object. This treatise takes the sphere of objects as the enjoyed, and its body along with feeling as the enjoying agent, dividing the two separately into what is savored and the faults, because the savored body and the body's feelings are all faults. Furthermore, this treatise begins with characteristics, using stars as the metaphor, and follows with seeing, using cataracts as the metaphor; that treatise begins with seeing, using stars as the metaphor, and follows with characteristics, using cataracts as the metaphor. There are roughly two explanations. The first says that the two treatises differ in perspective, yet do not contradict each other. The second says that this interpretation is a mistake regarding the correct meaning of that treatise; based on the second contemplation of enjoyment, which begins with the object attached to as savored and only afterward speaks of the enjoying agent, one knows that in contemplating the characteristic of intrinsic nature it is also thus, beginning with characteristics and following with seeing. Therefore, this treatise first mentions characteristics, taking the seeing that can see characteristics, and secondly mentions seeing, taking the characteristics seen; the translated texts differ, yet do not contradict each other. Both are agents before and after; they are diverse aspects conveying the same sense, being the two aspects of seeing and consciousness, and are thus raised at the outset. That treatise has the same intention; it initially raises the object in all cases and only afterward raises the agent, while the rest are all identical. The characteristic of intrinsic nature broadly discusses the nature of phenomena of all worldly non-Buddhists and delusional ordinary beings: the characteristic of seeing is the nature of delusion, and the characteristic of consciousness is the nature of an ordinary being. Attachment to the savor enjoyed in dwelling and conforming faults separately elucidate two categories: not knowing that arising from causes or karma is due to the five external dusts serving as what is savored and clung to, the body on which one depends, and the feelings that can be used give rise to faults, grasping impermanence and so forth as permanent, self, and so on; their ability to enjoy accords with the arising of the three sufferings, yet they do not know it.