金剛般若論會釋 2.13

2.13

The treatise is divided into two parts: first, explaining the text that refutes the distraction of complying with heterodox treatises; second, from 'revealing this' below, explaining the refutation of grasping at meaning according to literal words. The first text is divided into three: first, listing [the points]; next, explaining them in turn; finally, explicating the teaching. In comparison, there are people in the world who comply with mundane texts and heterodox treatises, considering them profound, and thereby become distracted and do not practice the internal scriptures. Now, to refute them, it is said: even offering the seven jewels filling as many sands of the Gaṅgā River is still not equal to receiving, upholding, and explaining to others a single four-line verse from this sūtra, whereas complying with heterodox treatises gives rise to distraction. Furthermore, people of little learning mostly cultivate the merit of giving, which is called the distraction of complying with heterodox treatises; they do not cultivate and uphold this sūtra to serve as the cause of wisdom. Now, in order to eliminate this, even using the giving of as many Gaṅgā worlds as a metaphor is still not equal to upholding a single verse and explaining it to others, which is far greater. Therefore, another sūtra says: 'If one fills worlds as numerous as the sands of the Gaṅgā with precious jewels / and offers them to all Tathāgatas, / it is not equal to the giving of Dharma. / Though giving jewels is immeasurable, / it is not equal to giving a single dharma; / the merit of a single verse is already superior, / how much more so many, as discussed in the scriptures.' Now, in order to eliminate this, the subsequent text discusses distraction caused by complying with heterodox texts, which is precisely what is prohibited in the 'Comfortable Conduct' chapter of the Lotus Sūtra, not allowing the study and practice of external books and treatises. Corresponding to the six kinds of distraction, the first embraces both the cognitive obscurations and the affliction obscurations; through four causes and conditions, it reveals that the internal Dharma is superior and distinct from secular texts and treatises, as well as the merit gathered by giving. Second, regarding the comprehensible worship: Paramārtha, Bodhiruci, and Kumārajīva have only 'upholding' and 'explaining'; the Vajracchedikā has five, namely copying, reciting, upholding, explaining, and mental cultivation; this treatise has only three: first, explaining; second, conferring; third, commenting—that is, explaining without receiving and upholding. According to the preceding, there should only be, first, upholding, and second, explaining; or, among the ten Dharmic practices, five and three are stated because the reciters differ. 'Caitya' is what the Vajracchedikā calls a 'numinous shrine', and other versions call a 'stūpa shrine'. In Sanskrit it is caitya, erroneously called zhidi; stūpa has the meaning of being high and prominent, whereas caitya is a numinous shrine. This reveals that wherever it is located, that place is noble. 'Difficult to do' reveals that the practitioner's practice is in accord with the principle, and is therefore difficult to do. 'Arising of recollection' means: there is a dharmakāya Buddha, or when the saṃbhogakāya or nirmāṇakāya Buddha is absent, a similar saṃbhogakāya or nirmāṇakāya is present here and also speaks this; therefore it is worthy of respect, and disciples are also like this. The Vajracchedikā has three: first, where the Great Master dwells; second, an honoured place, because the place where this sūtra is located is precisely Jetavana Anāthapiṇḍada's monastery and the like; third, fellow practitioners of pure conduct, meaning bodhisattvas and śrāvakas who speak within it, and so forth. Explaining what the sūtra teaches, there is a distinction between explaining and conferring; other versions only have 'explaining' and lack the meaning of 'conferring'. Vasubandhu's treatise says: What is the meaning of this? 'Respect in two places, / due to practice one realizes the great reality.' First is the place where it is taught: whatever place this sūtra is taught, it causes people to generate signs of respect and wonder; second is the person who can teach: whatever person can uphold and explain it provides the causal condition for the Buddha to verify all dharmas. First, offerings by devas and others constitute the honour of the place; next, accomplishing what is rare constitutes the excellence of the person; finally, in the arising of recollection, both superiorities are explained together.