起信論疏 1.11

1.11

Third is explaining the text. The text has three sections: the first three lines of verse pay refuge and reverence and set forth the intention; from "The treatise says" onward, it directly establishes the treatise's essential body; the final single stanza concludes and dedicates [the merit]. Within the first three stanzas, there are two intentions: the first two stanzas directly take refuge in the Three Jewels; the subsequent single stanza sets forth the intention for composing the treatise. Within the initial taking of refuge and reverence, there are two parts: the two words "taking refuge with one's life" (gui ming) are the aspect of the capacity to take refuge; from "throughout the ten directions" downward reveals the virtues of that in which refuge is taken. As for the aspect of the capacity to take refuge, the meaning of reverence and compliance is the meaning of refuge; the meaning of turning toward is the meaning of refuge. "Life" refers to the life-faculty, which governs all the faculties; the essential point of one's entire body is dominated solely by life, and among all that living beings value, none takes precedence over this. Offering up this non-dual life to honor the Unsurpassed Honored One expresses the utmost of the faithful mind; hence it says "taking refuge with one's life." Furthermore, taking refuge with one's life means returning to the source. Why is this? The six faculties of sentient beings arise from the One Mind, yet they turn their backs on their own source and race distractedly after the six sense-objects; now, by offering up life, it brings together all six faculties to return to the source of their fundamental One Mind; hence it is called "taking refuge with one's life." The One Mind in which refuge is taken is itself the Three Jewels. From "throughout the ten directions" downward reveals the virtues of that in which refuge is taken. Here, the meaning of the Three Jewels should be explained; that meaning is as explained separately, so now we shall merely interpret the text. In the text there are three, meaning the Jewels of Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha. Within this there are also three intentions: first praising mental virtues, next praising bodily virtues, and the third line adduces the person to conclude the praise. Within the praise of mental virtues, it praises the function and the essence. First, saying "whose deeds are most supreme throughout the ten directions" praises the function of deeds: it means the deeds of transforming sentient beings, such as manifesting the eight aspects, which exhaust the realms of the ten directions and pervade the bounds of the three times, performing all Buddha-activities in accordance with those who may be transformed; hence it says "whose deeds are most supreme throughout the ten directions." As the Abhidharma-samuccaya says: "The greatness of karma means exhausting the bounds of saṃsāra, manifesting all [events such as] attaining bodhi, and establishing extensive Buddha-activities." That [treatise] cites the three times, while this [text] reveals the ten directions. Saying "pervasive knowledge" praises the essence of wisdom: the reason why the function of deeds encompasses the ten directions is that the essence of wisdom leaves nothing unpervaded. Because the essence of wisdom is all-pervading, it says "pervasive knowledge." As the Mahāyānasaṃgraha says: "Just like empty space, which pervades the limits of all physical forms without arising, abiding, ceasing, or changing, the Tathāgata's wisdom is also like this: because it pervades all that can be known, it is without error and without change." The praise of mental virtues is concluded. Next is the praise of bodily virtues, which also has two parts: "whose form is unimpeded" praises the subtlety of the essence of form; saying "unconstrained" praises the supremacy of the function of form. First, regarding the essence of form: the Tathāgata's physical form is brought to completion by the myriad practices and by inconceivable vāsanā; although having wondrous form, it is without obstruction. Each major mark and each minor sign is limitless and unbounded; hence it says "whose form is unimpeded." As the Avataṃsaka-sūtra says: "Seeking the limits of space can still be accomplished, but a single pore of the Buddha has no boundary; the Buddha's virtues are inconceivable like this—this is called the Tathāgata's pure vision." Although it lacks physical resistance, it has the function of manifesting in directions and places; hence it may be termed form yet be unimpeded. Saying "unconstrained" praises the function of its form, meaning the mutual function of the five faculties, the ten bodies acting as one another, and so on; hence it says "form is unconstrained." The mutual function of the five faculties is as explained in the eight masteries of the Nirvāṇa-sūtra; the ten bodies acting as one another is as explained in the "Daśabhūmika Chapter" of the Avataṃsaka-sūtra. The praise of bodily virtues is concluded. "The one of great compassion who rescues the world" is the third line, which adduces the person to conclude the praise. The Buddha is like a great elder who regards sentient beings as his children, entering the burning house of the triple world to rescue them from the suffering of being burned; hence it says "rescues the world." The virtue of rescuing the world is precisely great compassion. Free from compassion for self or other, unconditioned compassion is the most supreme among all compassions; hence it says "great compassion." Among all the myriad virtues possessed on the Buddha-ground, the Tathāgata uses only great compassion as his power; hence it is cited in particular to reveal the person of the Buddha. As the Ekottara-āgama says: "There are six kinds of power of ordinary beings and noble ones. What are the six? A young child takes crying as power: when wanting to say something, he must always cry first. A woman takes anger as power: relying on anger, she speaks only afterward. Śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas take forbearance as power: always mindful of lowering themselves before others, they only then state their case. A king takes pride as power: relying on this mighty influence, he states his case. An arhat takes concentrated diligence as power when stating his case. The Buddha, the World-Honoured Ones, take great compassion as power to broadly benefit sentient beings." From this we know that the Buddhas singularly take great compassion as their power; therefore, to represent the person, he is called "the one of great compassion." The above three lines praising the Buddha-jewel are concluded. These next two lines reveal the Dharma-jewel. "And the essence and characteristics of that body" means that the previously mentioned body of the Tathāgata is none other than the saṃbhogakāya Buddha, which directly takes the dharmadhātu as its own essence; hence it says "the essence and characteristics of that body." This adduces the Buddha to take his Dharma. The lower line directly presents the essence and characteristics of the Dharma-jewel. Saying "Dharma-nature" refers to nirvāṇa, the fundamental nature of phenomena; hence it is called Dharma-nature. As the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: "'Dharma' is called the phenomenon of nirvāṇa without conceptual proliferation; 'nature' is called the fundamental disposition, just as yellow stone has the nature of gold, and white stone has the nature of silver." In this way, among all phenomena there is the nature of nirvāṇa; hence it is called Dharma-nature. Saying "tathatā": nothing to be discarded is called "true" (tatha); nothing to be established is called "such" (tā). As it says below: "This essence of tathatā has nothing that can be discarded, because all phenomena are entirely true; nor is there anything that can be established, because all phenomena are equally such." One should know that all phenomena cannot be spoken of and cannot be conceptualized; therefore, it is named tathatā. As for the word "ocean," it uses a metaphor to reveal the Dharma. Briefly stated, an ocean has four meanings: first, it is extremely deep; second, it is vast and great; third, its hundreds of treasures are inexhaustible; fourth, the myriad images are reflected in it. One should know that the great ocean of tathatā is also like this: because it eternally cuts off the hundred negations, because it embraces the myriad things, because no virtue is not complete in it, and because no image does not appear in it; hence it says "the ocean of Dharma-nature and tathatā." As the Avataṃsaka-sūtra says: "Just like the deep great ocean, whose rare treasures cannot be exhausted, within which are completely manifested the forms and likenesses of sentient beings; the extremely deep ocean of causes and conditions has inexhaustible treasures of merit; within the pure dharmakāya, there is no image that does not appear." The praise of the Dharma-jewel is concluded. These next two lines praise its Saṅgha-jewel. Saying "treasury of immeasurable merit" adduces the virtues to take the persons, meaning the bodhisattvas on the bhūmis: whatever single practice they cultivate, the myriad practices are brought together; each and every practice is equal to the dharmadhātu and without measure, obtained through accumulating merit, and for this reason it says "immeasurable merit." Such merit entirely belongs to the bodhisattvas; because the persons can gather these virtues, it is called a "treasury." Next, saying "who cultivate in accordance with reality and so forth" directly praises the virtue of their practice. Relying on the Ratnagotravibhāga, in terms of the fundamental wisdom, it is called "practicing in accordance with reality"; its subsequently attained wisdom is called "pervasive practice." Now, here saying "cultivate in accordance with reality" adduces the fundamental wisdom; next, saying "and so forth" takes the subsequently attained wisdom. If we rely on the Dharmasaṃgīti-sūtra, summarizing the myriad practices from beginning to end, they are generally subsumed under two phrases: cultivating in accordance with reality, and non-negligence. As that sūtra says: "'Cultivating in accordance with reality' refers to generating the vow for bodhi; 'non-negligence' refers to fulfilling the vow for bodhi. Furthermore, 'cultivating in accordance with reality' refers to cultivating giving; 'non-negligence' refers to not seeking a reward. In this way, maintaining pure precepts achieves non-retrogression. Or cultivating the practice of patience, attaining the patience of non-arising of dharmas, and seeking all roots of goodness without wearying. Abandoning all activities, cultivating dhyāna without abiding in dhyāna; fulfilling wisdom, not proliferating conceptually over phenomena. In this sequence, cultivating in accordance with reality and non-negligence," and so forth at length. Now saying "cultivate in accordance with reality" subsumes generating the vow for bodhi up to fulfilling wisdom. Next, saying "and so forth" takes non-negligence, which is fulfilling the vow for bodhi up to not proliferating conceptually over phenomena. Taking refuge and reverence toward the Three Jewels has been concluded above; the following stanza sets forth the general intention for composing the treatise.