金剛般若論會釋 2.60

2.60

The commentary has two parts: first, stating and correlating; second, explaining the sūtra. Explaining the sūtra has three parts: first, the purpose of the question passage—namely, explaining the initial question and answer passages of the sūtra; next, explaining the passage 'he is not a bodhisattva'; finally, explaining that there is not the least dharma called one who sets forth. In the purpose of the question and answer, there are three parts: first, the question; next, the answer; finally, citing the sūtra to establish it. The first stage is called the path of realization; within the path of realization, one realizes the absence of the two graspings, and the sign of true clarity appears before one. In the position of heat, one initially attains the absence of the grasped object; when the sign of clarity first arises, excitement and restlessness immediately arise: 'I am capable of abiding,' etc. In the treatise, four are mentioned: 'I am capable of abiding,' etc. The first three are practices for one's own benefit, and the last one is practice for benefiting others. Asaṅga regards the three practices as for one's own benefit, after which comes benefiting others: when one's own benefit is achieved, benefiting others is also fulfilled. Alternatively, without distinguishing self-benefit and other-benefit, both have the three practices; hence each passage provides three answers. Vasubandhu holds that bodhicitta has three aspects: the first is for benefiting others, and the latter two are for one's own benefit; hence the text answers them separately before and after. As for the three queries, in citing the teaching to establish it: that which is abided in, that which is practiced, and that which is subdued are the grasped object; and the mind refers to those three minds being precisely the grasping subject. In the position of heat, the two graspings still remain, so he causes them to be eliminated—initially eliminating the grasped object. Subhūti questioned the Buddha, who cited the superior practices of the ten stages to expound to him, eradicating that grasping and causing him to advance into the summit. Vasubandhu's treatise states: 'Why were the three kinds of practice explained previously, and are now explained again?' The verse says: 'Practicing in the internal mind, / retaining the self as a bodhisattva, / this then obstructs the mind / and opposes the non-abiding path.' This is identical to the present treatise. Answering the first three questions appears similar to this, but what it addresses is completely different. If a bodhisattva, regarding the three kinds of practice in his own person, generates such a thought: 'I abide in practice, and am able to subdue the mind'—generating this conceptual discrimination, it obstructs the bodhi practice, the mind, and mental factors. Harboring the non-abiding path means that wisdom is precisely the bodhi practice. Furthermore, obstructing the mind means that, due to the arising of conceit, it severs and obstructs the subsequent mind of the summit; when this mind does not arise, the non-abiding path of the first stage cannot arise either. This doubly contradicts the proximate mind and the distant path. Thus, because in the position of heat one still retains the self, one generates such conceit and cannot enter sainthood.