[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [大乘義章](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1851) › 12.43 # 大乘義章 12.43 大乘義章 12.43 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [12.43](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1851.12.43) 次辨體相。聖行體者，經說有三：一戒、二定、三者智慧。此三如上三學章中具廣分別。梵行體者，依經有二：一七善法化他之德、二四無量化他之心。何者七善？如經中說：一者知法、二者知義、三者知時、四者知足、五者知自、六者知眾、七知尊卑。七中前五是自利行、後二利他，自利二行具足方堪益物，是以明之。言知法者，知佛所說十二部經。言知義者，知經所說一切法義。言知時者，知起行時，知如是時任修寂靜、如是時中任修精進、如是時中任修捨心、如是時中任修施戒，如是一切。言知足者，是節量行。知於飲食湯藥眾具受求以限，故曰知足。言自知者，於前所修自行功德，有成就者如實知之，故曰自知。故經說言「菩薩自知我有如是信戒施等。」言知眾者，善知剎利婆羅門等種種眾別，如應教化。知尊卑者，知彼所化行有優劣，量宜勸道。七善如是。四無量心，如上廣辨。有人更說：知見覺等以為梵行。案經以求四無量慧、知見覺心及六念等，亦是第四捨中所收，不應別分。天行體者，謂八禪定，此義如後八禪章中具廣分別。此前三行，猶《地持》中三住所攝，初聖行者是彼聖住，第二梵行是彼梵住，第三天行是彼天住。前三攝善，後二離過。懺治前法名為病行，不起後過名嬰兒行，又化嬰兒令不起過亦得名為嬰兒行矣。體相如是（此二門竟）。 > Next, the distinguishing of their essential characteristics. The essence of noble practice is explained in the sūtra to be threefold: first, precepts; second, samādhi; third, wisdom. These three have been broadly differentiated above in the chapter on the three trainings. The essence of pure practice, according to the sūtra, is twofold: first, the virtues of the seven wholesome dharmas that transform others; second, the minds of the four immeasurables that transform others. What are the seven wholesomes? As the sūtra states: 1. Knowing the Dharma; 2. Knowing the meaning; 3. Knowing the time; 4. Knowing contentment; 5. Knowing oneself; 6. Knowing the assembly; 7. Knowing the superior and inferior. Among the seven, the first five are self-benefiting practices, and the latter two benefit others; only when the two practices of self-benefit are complete is one capable of benefiting beings, which is why they are explained. "Knowing the Dharma" means knowing the twelve divisions of scriptures taught by the Buddha. "Knowing the meaning" means knowing the meaning of all dharmas taught in the sūtras. "Knowing the time" means knowing the time to initiate practice—knowing that at such a time it is suitable to cultivate tranquility, at such a time it is suitable to cultivate vigor, at such a time it is suitable to cultivate the mind of equanimity, at such a time it is suitable to cultivate giving and precepts, and all such things. "Knowing contentment" is the practice of moderation: knowing limits in seeking and receiving food, drink, medicines, and requisites, it is therefore called knowing contentment. "Knowing oneself" means knowing truly if there is attainment in the merits of one's own practice cultivated previously, hence it is called knowing oneself; thus the sūtra states, "The bodhisattva knows oneself: I have such faith, precepts, giving, and so forth." "Knowing the assembly" means skillfully knowing the distinct kinds of assemblies, such as kṣatriyas, brahmins, and so forth, to teach and transform them appropriately. "Knowing the superior and inferior" means knowing that those being transformed have superior or inferior practice, and counseling them in accordance with their capacity. Such are the seven wholesomes. The four immeasurable minds have been broadly distinguished above. Some people further say: knowing, seeing, awareness, and so forth constitute pure practice. Searching according to the sūtras, the wisdom of the four immeasurables, the mind of knowing, seeing, and awareness, and the six recollections are also subsumed under the fourth, equanimity, and should not be separately differentiated. The essence of divine practice refers to the eight meditative concentrations; this meaning will be broadly differentiated below in the chapter on the eight dhyānas. These previous three practices correspond to what is subsumed under the three abidings in the Bodhisattvabhūmi: the first, noble practice, is its noble abiding; the second, pure practice, is its pure abiding; the third, divine practice, is its divine abiding. The first three subsume wholesomeness; the latter two leave faults behind. Repenting and remedying past dharmas is named sickness practice; not giving rise to subsequent faults is named infant practice; furthermore, transforming infants so that they do not give rise to faults may also be named infant practice. Such are their essential characteristics (this concludes the second section). > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 12.42](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1851.12.42) - [Next: 12.44](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1851.12.44) - [Up: 12](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1851.12) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1851~en-mt.12.43) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (1) - [大般涅槃經](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.mahaparinirvana-mahayana*zh-t375.14.26) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1851.12.43](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1851.12.43) · Pramāṇa