金剛般若論會釋 1.52

1.52

In the main explanation, if one grasps the sentient beings to be saved with an afflicted mind and conceives the three notions, then for that transforming bodhisattva the two characteristics of self and other will operate, thereby giving rise to perversion; how then could he be called a bodhisattva? The commentary, in establishing this, states that 'the bodhisattva does not operate regarding them' because a bodhisattva who has realized reality does not give rise to the notion of sentient beings as an alien body with respect to those beings to be transformed. Due to two causes and conditions, he does not operate with the notion of sentient beings as an alien body: first, he has already severed the view of self and attained selflessness, so afflictions are absent; second, because he has attained the notion of the equality of his own practice, attachment to phenomena is absent. Therefore the treatise below says that because he has attained equality regarding what is coarse and evil, he is able to have faith and understanding in the equality of self and other; those who are exhorted to generate the mind should also be like this. The comprehensive conclusion establishes: regarding 'that bodhisattva does not possess grasping views of sentient beings, life-span, or person,' 'not' means 'without.' Because bodhisattvas are without grasping attachments such as sentient beings, there is no self or other, no transformer or transformed; this is the meaning of the sūtra, hence it is non-perverted. If there were such a mind capable of grasping views, it would indeed be called perversion. The Vajracchedikā further concludes: 'Subhūti! Therefore, there is no dharma whatsoever called one set forth in the bodhisattva vehicle,' concluding the establishment of selflessness: since the object transformed is non-existent, the transforming agent is also non-existent; the other versions lack this. Furthermore, Kumārajīva's version has only one clause in the sūtra text, 'he is not a bodhisattva,' lacking the initial conclusion, combining them into one text. Vasubandhu's treatise matches and explains this sūtra using only a single verse. The Bodhisattvabhūmi states that the initial generation of the mind has two extraordinary dharmas not shared with the worldly: first, embracing all sentient beings as one's retinue—the explanation above is this; second, being unable to be defiled by the faults of embracing the retinue: because of the absence of defilements of increase, decrease, opposition, and compliance, one generates the intention of benefit and well-being toward those sentient beings, abandoning evil and advancing in good, eradicating suffering and granting happiness, and so on; hence these four intentions are generated at the very beginning.