金剛般若論會釋 2.50

2.50

Therefore, the separate explanation of the sūtra in the passage below is divided into two parts: first, explaining how practicing in accordance with the five dharmas eliminates the obstacle of attachment to meditative absorption and causes one to cultivate alignment with wisdom developed through contemplation, for this is the practice of contemplation; second, interpreting the passage from 'after an asaṃkhyeya of kalpas' onwards, which re-explains the previously mentioned meaning of embracing merit. Following Vasubandhu's explanation, what follows is divided into three parts in total: first, clarifying 'in what dharma one practices', which refers to the Tathāgata's mindful recollection; second, clarifying 'what kind of merit is obtained' through practice, which refers to this embracing of merit; third, clarifying 'further, what karma is accomplished', which refers to the passage from 'praising the practice of the Dharma' onwards up to the re-explanation, where the prior careful analysis of embracing merit in the preceding [section] all belongs to the third part. Within this third text there are again five [sections], which will be known later. Among the five, there are again two texts, which are Asaṅga's re-explanation of embracing merit. In terms of the initial text, it is divided into three: first, marking the five [practices] to exhort the elimination of the obstacle of distraction; second, listing the five names; third, matching them to the sūtra to explain them. In the marking, 'samādhi' means the state of mental balance (samāhita); 'taking as an object' means attention (manaskāra). The Abhidharma-samuccaya says that one whose mind has attained stabilization is said to have attained attention. What is eliminated here is precisely the obstacle of distraction. 'In accordance with the Dharma' means: 'Dharma' refers to the scriptural teachings, which is the subsequent text of the sūtra; cultivating attention in conformity with the sūtra is able to eliminate the obstacle of distraction, possesses five merits, and naturally produces superior wisdom developed through contemplation to sever ignorance. In matching with the sūtra to explain it, there are five sections. The first has two parts: first, a question; second, an explanation addressing difficulties. Vasubandhu says: ''In what dharma one practices' reveals that, with respect to this sūtra, hearing externally from another and maintaining it internally without forgetting, contemplating it repeatedly, wisdom developed through contemplation then arises.' The verse says: 'The three dharmas of names: / accepting, retaining, hearing, and expounding broadly; / cultivation comes from others and from within; / obtaining what is heard is the wisdom of cultivation.' What meaning does this express? Relying on those names, wisdom developed through hearing is accomplished; the meaning is that the sūtra speaks of this dharma-gate—the 'dharma-gate' is the teaching, and names are its substance. This is hearing externally from another; what is heard is the teaching, which is accomplished because it has already been heard. Due to these names, three dharmas are accomplished: first, accepting; second, retaining; third, reading and reciting. The meaning of this treatise's explanation is that 'accepting' is practicing recitation, that is, practicing chanting. It further explains that the sūtra has four: what has already been accepted is read; 'reciting and retaining' means not forgetting, hence remembering clearly in mind without forgetting is called 'retaining'. That [treatise] says that practicing accepting and retaining is based on dhāraṇī; apart from accepting there is separately retaining, which combined are called dhāraṇī, namely, retaining what is heard is attaining dhāraṇī, taking in and remembering without forgetting. Because first there is accepting and afterwards retaining proceeds, they are opened into two. Apart from this reading, there is separately a 'grasping'; examining this 'grasping', it is precisely that 'retaining', because it grasps and holds the Dharma; among the ten dharma-practices there is no separate practice of 'grasping'. Reading for the sake of accepting: by practicing chanting, one first reads the text. Grasping for the sake of retaining: having first gathered it together, one afterwards remembers it. These both explain below what is above: practicing reading and gathering its meaning is contemplating its principle. That treatise says: 'Practice of reading and reciting is based on wisdom developed through hearing; extensive reading and practice is also called wisdom developed through hearing'—this reveals that apart from accepting there is separately practicing recitation. Based on the ten dharma-practices, first, accepting and retaining; second, reading; third, reciting, constitute three kinds of dharmas. When that treatise speaks of retaining after having accepted, and treats reading and reciting as one, this is because the substance of the practice of accepting and retaining is dhāraṇī, and because one first accepts and afterwards retains, it is opened into two; reading and reciting are both the single wisdom developed through hearing, hence they are combined into one to distinguish three kinds. This treatise speaks of four, whose meaning is slightly difficult to understand. It says that the practice of reading and reciting is based on wisdom developed through hearing, and extensive reading and practice is also called wisdom developed through hearing, which agrees with the Madhyāntavibhāga-śāstra; this reveals that reading little and understanding little of the meaning is innately acquired wisdom, not wisdom developed through hearing. Bodhiruci's sūtra speaks of three practices, because it also contains the words 'practice', and 'practice' is the general designation for the three practices. Moreover, that treatise says: 'How is practice attained? Through hearing the Dharma from another and reflecting internally by oneself, one attains practice.' Hearing the Dharma from another is wisdom developed through hearing; reflecting internally by oneself is wisdom developed through reflection; and attaining practice is wisdom developed through contemplation. 'Another' is a good spiritual friend (kalyāṇamitra); what has been stated above combines the four practices of approaching [a teacher]. Neither Bodhiruci nor Kumārajīva has 'explaining for others', 'proper attention' (yoniśomanaskāra), and so forth. Paramārtha's version again mentions 'teaching others to practice' and 'properly expounding for others'. The Vajracchedikā has five: accepting and retaining, reading, reciting, thoroughly mastering, expounding for others, and proper attention; because it only speaks of wisdom developed through hearing as the cause, wisdom developed through contemplation then arises. 'Expounding for others' is for other sentient beings; the rest are all for self-benefit. Only here in Bodhiruci's sūtra text are there the three wisdoms, as explained above.