中觀論疏 1.8

1.8

From "Vast and magnificent..." onward is the fourth part, praising the functional power of the treatise. It also has three divisions: first, praise through revealing the Way and benefiting beings; next, praise through contrasting the great against the small, also called praise by subordinating the small and elevating the great; third, praise in rejoicing at this fortunate encounter. "Vast and magnificent" (dangdang): the Book of Documents says, "The king's way is vast and magnificent, without partiality or partisanship." This indeed obliterates both inner and outer delusions and pacifies the two views of the ordinary and the sage, returning together to the Great Way; hence it is called "vast and magnificent". "Vast and magnificent" is an appearance of broadness and vastness. "Leveling the easy road upon the subtle steps": before Nāgārjuna appeared, empty words and the true teaching flourished side by side, and perilous paths vied with the easy road for passage. Therefore, when the treatise master appeared in the world, he once again smoothed the easy road; hence it says "leveling". Once the easy road was smoothed, then the stages of the bodhisattva's cause and the enlightenment site's fruit could be scaled; hence it says "upon the subtle steps". "Opening the profound gate within the universe": the former was his transforming reaching one region; this clarifies his proclaiming it afar to the six directions. The "profound gate": Laozi says, "Mystery upon mystery, the gate of all marvels." He borrows these words to designate the present treatise. Heaven, earth, above, and below are called "yu"; past, present, and future are called "zhou"; hence it says "opening the profound gate within the universe". "Fanning the gracious wind upon the old branches": the former two lines clarify the revelation of the Way; the present two lines clarify the benefit to beings. "Old branches": "old" (chen) is a name for the decayed and aged. The Mao Commentary on the Book of Songs says, "Cut down its twigs and branches"; a "branch" (mei) is a small bough. "Gracious wind" refers to the spring wind. By fanning the wind of wisdom of this treatise, he causes the sort of ordinary beings to attain benefit. "Shedding sweet dew upon the withered trunks": the former line explains benefiting the ordinary; this passage clarifies benefiting the sage. The former line benefits outer paths; the latter line benefits the Hīnayāna. Again, the former line benefits the Hīnayāna; the latter line benefits bodhisattvas—it possesses all these meanings. "Now, the construction of the Cypress Beam Terrace arose": second, praise through contrasting the great against the small. It also has two divisions: first, the metaphor; second, the application. "Cypress Beam" was the name of a terrace of Emperor Wu of the Han. Outer texts have two traditions explaining this: one says that cypress wood was used for the beams, hence it is called Cypress Beam. When this terrace was first completed, the fragrance of the cypress wood drifted for tens of li. Emperor Yuan contrasted the Cypress Beam Terrace with the Cane Cottage; examining it by this, it should be beams of cypress wood. Another says: the beams were a hundred (bai) in number, hence it is called the Hundred-Beam Terrace. "A thatched and narrow, crude hut": ci ("thatched") means "ordered"; selecting and ordering thatch, hence it is called ci. Ze ("narrow") means that Bian Que's lodge in Chang'an had only one side; hence it is called ze. "Crude" is also the meaning of cramped. Furthermore, the great Cypress Beam Terrace is precisely the great mansion of the Elder in the Lotus Sūtra; the thatched and narrow, crude hut is like the grass hut outside the gate. Master Sengrui's single statement embraces both outer and inner affairs. From "beholding this treatise..." onward is the second part, applying the metaphor. "Despised and perverse" comes from the Analects. "Despised" is like vile; "perverse" is contrary and rebellious. "How fortunate is the Red County of this region!": third, praise in rejoicing at this fortunate encounter, also in two lines. "Fortunate" means a fortunate encounter. "This region": region is called territory; "this" is said in contrast to "that". "That" is collectively called India; subdivided, India has five regions, then sixteen great states, five hundred middle states, and ten thousand small states. "This region" is collectively called the Red County. The Hetu says: To the east of Mount Kunlun, the land is five thousand li square; it is called the Divine Continent and also named the Red County. Yu marked out the land and divided the boundaries within the Red County to make the Nine Provinces, and thus cast nine tripods to stabilize the Nine Provinces. Thus we know that the Red County is the collective name for the Nine Provinces. "Suddenly able to transplant Vulture Peak to serve as its anchor": the Red County had only the Five Sacred Mountains as its anchors, but now it is hypothesized that Vulture Peak was transplanted to anchor the Red County, a metaphor for this treatise transforming the Nine Provinces. "The perilous sentiments of this frontier then received the remaining wisdom of the flowing light": second, reiterating the matter to apply the above metaphor. The Mao Commentary on the Book of Songs says, "Inwardly having the intention to assist the Duke and advance the worthy; outwardly having no private, corrupt, or perilous mind." The Commentary on the Rites says, "Standing lopsidedly is called slanted; hence it says: 'Weary without baring oneself, standing without being slanted.'" "Perilous" means a biased and precarious mind. "The remaining wisdom of the flowing light": the light of the right contemplation of the middle way flows to this land, bestowing benefit upon perilous persons. Why are they called "sentiments of the frontier"? First, designating this land as a frontier land, while that land is called the Middle Country. In the past, Master Hecheng and Dharma Master Yan debated the biased and central nature of this land versus India. Master Yan, being skilled in foreign calendars and calculations, said: "In the month of upright yang, at precise noon there is no shadow; thus we know that India is the upright country." Master Hecheng, though skilled in the calendars and calculations of this land, could not refute him; thus we know that that is the Middle Country and this is called frontier sentiments. Moreover, that land has Buddhas appearing, hence it is called the Middle Country; this land has no Buddhas appearing, hence it is called frontier sentiments. Furthermore, the four reliances and the like appear in that land, hence it is called the upright country; they do not appear in this land, hence it is termed frontier sentiments. Furthermore, wheel-turning sage kings always appear in that land, hence it is the Middle Country; here there are only scattered-grain rulers, hence it is called frontier sentiments. "Remaining light": Nāgārjuna composed the treatise primarily to benefit that land and secondarily to transform this country; hence it is named remaining light. "From now on, the worthy who discuss the Way may at last discuss reality with one another": the Analects says "From now on"; he makes use of this matter. Master Sengrui said: "Before Kumārajīva crossed over, since the lecture halls had been chanting and reciting, the concept-matching (geyi) method was roundabout and deviated from the source, and the Six Schools were biased and did not directly touch [reality]. The texts of the two treatises, the Madhyamaka and the Śata-śāstra, had not yet arrived here, and there was no comprehensive discernment—who could correct them? This is truly why past masters broke off their writings with deep laments, wishing to resolve their questions with Maitreya. From now on, since the two treatises, the Madhyamaka and the Śata-śāstra, have been transmitted to this land, the worthy who discuss the Way may at last discuss reality with one another." Thus we know that this treatise determines the biased and the upright in the Buddha-Dharma, and decides the root source of errors and gains.