大乘起信論義疏 2.47

2.47

"The section explaining [the teachings] has already been stated; next the practice of faith will be stated." From this point onward is the third [major division], clarifying the eliciting of practice based on principle; it may also be said that this section on the practice of faith is spoken for the sake of those of lower capacities. Within this there are four parts: first, distinguishing according to persons; second, from "What..." onward, posing questions to initiate [the discussion]; third, from "Briefly stated..." onward, correctly explaining the practice of faith; fourth, from "Furthermore, when sentient beings first learn..." onward, clarifying that practicing this teaching constantly results in birth in the Pure Land. In "Among these, based on sentient beings who have not entered the determinate assembly," this refers to the indeterminate stage. In the second part, posing questions, there are two: first, inquiring about faith; second, inquiring about practice. In the third part, the explanation, there are two: first, explaining faith; second, explaining practice. From "there are five gates" onward clarifies practice. Within faith there are two: first, stating the number; second, listing the names. This explains the Three Jewels and the principle, and thus there are four. The objects believed in do not exceed these four, so four are stated. Within the second part, practice, there are three: first, stating the number and briefly distinguishing them; second, listing the chapter sections; third, explaining them broadly. In "Practice has five gates that can accomplish faith," because concentration and wisdom are combined among the six perfections, there are five. In the broad explanation, it explains the five chapter sections, and therefore there are again five. In explaining the gate of giving, there are two: first, stating the name; second, from "If one sees..." onward, the correct explanation. In the second, there are three: first, clarifying the giving of wealth; second, from "If one sees hardship..." onward, clarifying the giving of fearlessness; third, from "If there are sentient beings..." onward, clarifying the giving of Dharma. In explaining the gate of morality, first the name is stated, and next the correct explanation is set forth. In the correct explanation, there are two: first, clarifying active precepts; second, from "One must not disparage..." onward, clarifying prohibitive precepts. Within the first, there are two: first, clarifying the active precepts of the ten virtues; second, from "If one has left household life..." onward, clarifying the precepts of deportment. Within the second, true precepts, there are two: first, clarifying the grave natural infractions; second, from "One should protect..." onward, clarifying the precepts of deportment. In the gate of patience, there are two: first, clarifying patience without a vengeful mind; second, from "One should also endure..." onward, enduring the eight worldly winds. In the gate of vigor, there are two: first, clarifying vigor with regard to oneself; second, from "Furthermore, if a person..." onward, exhorting with regard to others. In the first, there are three: first, clarifying non-slothful vigor; second, from "One should be mindful..." onward, exhorting based on the past; third, from "Therefore..." onward, concluding the exhortation. In the second, exhorting with regard to others, there are three: first, clarifying difficult obstacles of sentient beings as conditions for exhortation; second, from "One should..." onward, clarifying the exhortation to cultivate causal practice; third, from "Transferring merit to awakening..." onward, clarifying the exhortation to cultivate transference of merit. In [the gate of] calm and insight, there are three: first, briefly clarifying calm and insight; second, from "If one cultivates calm..." onward, separately and broadly clarifying calm and insight; third, from "If the practitioner of insight counteracts..." onward, clarifying the mutual assistance of calm and insight. In the first, there are two: first, separate explanations; second, from "How does one comply..." onward, a combined explanation. *Śamatha*, translated into other terms, is called concentration (dhyāna/samādhi). *Vipaśyanā*, translated into other terms, is called wisdom. In the second, broad [clarification], there are three: first, generally clarifying the cultivation of insight and concentration; second, from "Furthermore, diligently..." onward, clarifying the benefits obtained from cultivating concentration; third, from "Furthermore, if a person only cultivates..." onward, separately clarifying the cultivation of insight. In the first, there are three: first, clarifying the method of cultivation; second, from "Or there are sentient beings..." onward, revealing the marks of difficulties in concentration; third, from "One should know that non-Buddhists..." onward, distinguishing the marks of the heterodox and orthodox. In the first, there are two: first, clarifying the method by which one cultivates; second, from "Furthermore, relying on this samādhi..." onward, clarifying the characteristics of the samādhi cultivated. In the first, there are two: first, clarifying those who cultivate correctly; second, from "Except for doubts..." onward, clarifying those who cannot cultivate. In the first, there are three: first, clarifying the preliminary expedients; second, from "This right mindfulness..." onward, clarifying the characteristics of attaining concentration; third, from "Deeply subduing..." onward, clarifying how concentration subdues afflictions, which merely explains the names of the initial section. Regarding the preliminary expedients, whatever objects are grasped are entirely eliminated; once the objective marks are gone, the matching mind is also eliminated; hence the text says 'eliminating mind by means of mind.' In the *Daśabhūmivyākhyāna*, the same is also stated. The words "tathatā samādhi" refer to concentration on principle. In the Hīnayāna, merely stopping the flow of the mind and abiding in a single object is called attaining concentration. In the Mahāyāna, understanding the principle behind delusions and causing the mind to abide in principle is called attaining concentration; hence the sūtra says, "The Buddhas and bodhisattvas are constantly dwelling in concentration, roaming in the dharmatā." In "Furthermore, relying on this samādhi..." onward, the second part clarifies the characteristics of what is cultivated. Here there are three: first, clarifying the essence within concentration; second, from "One should know..." onward, clarifying the fundamental source of all essences of concentration; third, from "If a person cultivates..." onward, adducing the benefits to exhort cultivation. In "Furthermore, relying on this samādhi, one knows the single characteristic of the dharmadhātu," this is the function of concentration. Understanding that principle is non-dual, it is called a single characteristic. Below, its characteristic is revealed: namely, the bodies of the Buddhas and the bodies of sentient beings are equal and non-dual. In the second part on difficulties in concentration, from "Or there are sentient beings..." onward, there are three: first, clarifying disturbance of physical action; second, from "Or manifesting divine forms..." onward, clarifying disturbance of verbal action; third, from "Or causing people..." onward, clarifying disturbance of mental action. In the first, there are two: first, correctly clarifying physical disturbance; second, from "One should be mindful..." onward, clarifying the counteractive understanding. In the second, verbal disturbance, there are four: first, revealing the person who can preach; second, from "If preaching dhāraṇīs..." onward, clarifying the dharma preached; third, from "Or causing a person to know..." onward, clarifying disturbance of supernormal powers; fourth, from "These are all..." onward, clarifying the characteristic that one must know them to be untrue. In the third, mental disturbance, there are two: first, clarifying the characteristics of disturbance; second, from "Because of this meaning..." onward, clarifying that one should contemplate. From "One should know that non-Buddhists..." onward, the third part clarifies heterodox and orthodox concentrations. Here there are three: first, clarifying the characteristics of heterodox and orthodox concentrations; second, from "tathatā samādhi..." onward, clarifying true and correct concentration; third, from "If ordinary beings..." onward, exhorting people to cultivate concentration. What is called "views" refers to the five views. What is called "attachment" refers to the five dull [afflictions]. What is called "conceit" refers to the eight conceits. From "Furthermore, diligently..." onward, the second part clarifies the benefits of cultivating concentration. Here there are two: first, general presentation; second, from "What is..." onward, separate explanation. The ten kinds of benefits of calm are clear in the text and can be understood. From "Furthermore, if a person subsequently cultivates calm..." onward, the second part separately clarifies the cultivation of insight. Here there are two: first, concluding the preceding and introducing what follows; second, "Cultivating insight..." correctly clarifies cultivating insight. In the second, there are two: first, clarifying the wisdom of cultivating insight with reference to the five gates of contemplation; second, from "If all other..." onward, distinguishing the wisdom of contemplation with reference to the gate of the two truths. In the first, there are two: first, correctly clarifying the cultivation of insight; second, from "Thus one should be mindful..." onward, clarifying making vows to broadly transform [others]. These two still mean both awakening oneself and causing others to awaken. In the first, there are four: first, clarifying the contemplation of impermanence; second, from "Therefore..." onward, clarifying the contemplation of suffering; third, from "One should..." onward, causing one to contemplate emptiness and selflessness; fourth, from "One should contemplate that worldly..." onward, clarifying the contemplation of impurity. Within the contemplation of impermanence there are two: first, clarifying the impermanence of portion-and-segmentation; second, from "All mental activities..." onward, clarifying the impermanence of alteration-and-transmutation. In causing one to contemplate, it is distinguished with reference to the three periods of time. The words "like a dream" mean that ceasing lacks the characteristic of ceasing. The words "lightning flash" mean that abiding lacks the characteristic of abiding. The words "like a cloud" mean that arising lacks the characteristic of arising. In the second part, making vows to liberate and transform, there are three: first, from "Thus one should be mindful..." onward, being mindful of the realm to be transformed; second, from "Making this reflection..." onward, correctly clarifying making vows; third, from "By giving rise to such..." onward, clarifying the practice of liberating and transforming. In the second part on the two truths, there are two: first, from "If other..." onward, clarifying generally; second, from "Namely..." onward, explaining separately. In the second, there are two: first, clarifying the contemplation of conventional truth; second, from "Although mindful of causes and conditions..." onward, clarifying the contemplation of ultimate truth. From "If the practitioner of insight counteracts..." onward, the third part clarifies the mutual assistance of calm and insight. If concentration is excessive, one sinks down; if wisdom is lopsidedly excessive, one floats upward; when concentration and wisdom are equal, only then is one balanced and supple. Therefore, the mutual assistance of concentration and wisdom is next distinguished; here there are three: first, separately clarifying the pairing of calm and insight; second, from "Because of this meaning..." onward, clarifying their mutual support; third, from "If calm and insight..." onward, clarifying that lacking them entails detriment. In counteractive practice, there are primary and secondary senses. Concentration can primarily counteract the ordinary being's clinging to existence and scattered mind, while secondarily eliminating the two vehicles' timidity and divergent views; wisdom can primarily counteract the lack of compassion in the two vehicles, while secondarily dispelling ordinary beings' delusion of not cultivating good. From this point onward, the fourth part clarifies that cultivating calm constantly results in birth in the Pure Land. Here there are two: first, clarifying that the Buddha's power gathers and protects, causing birth; second, from "As a sūtra states..." onward, quoting scripture to corroborate. The section of correct explanation is concluded.