金剛般若論會釋 3.63

3.63

From here below, the third major division is named in the treatise the purification of abiding in unsoiled practice. Within this unsoiled [practice] there are two parts: first, in the prose, clarifying that the Buddha is unsoiled in teaching the Dharma; next, in the verse text, clarifying that the Buddha is unsoiled in transmigration. Within the first there are again two: first, using the great merit of giving material wealth to show by comparison that it is not equal to the greater merit of teaching the Dharma without defilement, wishing to make all Dharma teachers emulate the Buddha in teaching the Dharma with an unsoiled mind; next, from "How should it be explained to others?" onward, explaining the characteristics of teaching the Dharma without defilement through question and answer. Within the first there are again two: first, bringing up the great merit of great giving; next, from "good son" onward, using that great merit as a comparison to show that it is not equal to teaching the Dharma with an unsoiled mind. The text of the treatise has two parts: first, indicating the names and assigning them to the sūtra; next, properly explaining the meaning of the text. Following the previous division of the sūtra, it is also divided into two sections, the meaning of which is clear and easy to understand. In the Suvikrāntavikramiparipṛcchā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra, the Buddha himself explains this with two meanings: First, giving wealth has an end, while giving Dharma is inexhaustible; this shows that when practicing giving, given wealth is limited and therefore giving it must come to an end, whereas the Dharma is limitless and therefore explaining it is never exhausted. Second, giving wealth only obtains worldly retribution: having obtained it in the past, one then fell; even if one obtains it again now, one must regress and lose it again; if one teaches the Dharma with an unsoiled mind, one who has not attained it is determined to realize great nirvāṇa, and having attained it one does not lose it, benefiting oneself and benefiting others, eternally without end; this clarifies that the times of obtaining the fruit are different. The text of the Da zhidu lun says: the gift of wealth obtains a measurable fruit, obtains a fruit bound to the desire realm, and obtains a fruit bound to the three realms; the gift of Dharma obtains an immeasurable fruit, and obtains fruits both bound and unbound to the three realms. Those texts are all based on the gift of wealth with signs in contrast to the gift of Dharma; now, from here under the purification of seeing and cognition, all the merits brought up are gifts without signs, and the fruit is also immeasurable; yet compared to the gift of Dharma, the gift of Dharma is still superior to merit and virtue. Wisdom is called its guide and is precisely the Dharma of the path, while merit is an auxiliary; because there is this great benefit, the Buddha encourages its cultivation. The treatise says: "Because there is such great benefit, one should definitely expound it; expounding it in this manner, there is nothing defiled." Receiving, holding, reading, and reciting are the causes of teaching the Dharma, and therefore they are cited along with it.