大乘義章 12.80

12.80

六種決定，出《地經論》。斯乃出世菩提之心，即實不退，名為決定。此之決定是十地體，故《地經》中創始開宗標言「菩薩願善決定無雜，不可見廣大如法界，究竟如虛空，盡未來際覆護一切眾生界，能入三世諸佛智地。」雖言願善，統納眾德無不在中。眾德之狀難以具論，今據一門且說六種。六名是何？一觀相善決定、二真實善決定、三勝善決定、四因善決定、五大善決定、六不怯弱善決定。六中前五自分功德，後一勝進，故《地持》中第六名為增長勝分究竟菩提。就自分中，初四自利，後一利他。就自利中，前二行體，次一行德，後一行能為因之義。體中初一明其觀解破相入如，後一彰其契實離相。言觀相者，論自釋言「謂真如觀一味之相。」言一味者，從喻為名，如似大海雖復浩廓，醎同一味。諸法雖廣，如性一味，觀此如理更無異緣，名一味相。言真實者，論自釋言「非世境界」。以行契真，不為世智之所照見，名非世境。言勝善者，行德深廣如於法界，故名為勝。言因善者，願善之行能為常果無常果因，故云因善。言常果者，謂大涅槃。無常果者，謂佛菩薩大悲作用，隨世生滅故曰無常。此二猶是《涅槃經》中二種莊嚴，常者猶彼智慧莊嚴，故彼經言「智慧莊嚴無礙常住。」無常是彼功德莊嚴，故彼經言「功德莊嚴有礙非常。」又《涅槃》云「諸佛如來無常共常。」常共無常，是此常果；常共無常，是此所說。無常愛果，願善望彼同能出生，故名為因。言大善者，上來自利，此一利他。利他行廣等眾生界，故名為大。故經說言，覆護一切眾生界矣。不怯弱者，諸佛智德，菩薩分證，於深能入心無憚退，故云不怯。故經說言「能入三世諸佛智地。」六種決定，釋之云爾。

The six determinations are from the *Daśabhūmikā-sūtra-śāstra*. This is the mind of supramundane bodhi, which is in fact real and non-regressing, and is termed 'determination'. These determinations are the essence of the ten grounds. Therefore, at the very beginning of the *Daśabhūmika-sūtra*, when introducing its essential thesis, it states: 'The bodhisattva's vow is wholesome, determined, and unmixed; invisible, vast like the dharmadhātu, ultimate like space, protecting all realms of sentient beings to the end of future limits, and able to enter the ground of knowledge of all Buddhas of the three times.' Although it speaks of the 'wholesome vow', it integrates and includes all virtues, leaving none out. The aspects of these multiple virtues are difficult to discuss in full; now, relying on a single approach, we shall briefly speak of six kinds. What are their six names? 1. Wholesome determination of contemplating marks; 2. Wholesome determination of reality; 3. Wholesome determination of excellence; 4. Wholesome determination of the cause; 5. Wholesome determination of greatness; 6. Wholesome determination of intrepidity. Among the six, the first five are merits of one's own stage, and the last one is superior advancement. Hence, in the *Bodhisattvabhūmi*, the sixth is named 'increasing superior factors toward ultimate bodhi'. Within one's own stage, the first four are for self-benefit, and the last one is for benefiting others. Within self-benefit, the first two are the essence of practice, the next one is the virtue of practice, and the last one is the principle that practice can serve as a cause. Within the essence, the first clarifies that contemplative understanding breaks down marks and enters suchness; the latter demonstrates that tallying with reality leaves marks behind. Concerning 'contemplating marks', the *Śāstra* itself explains: 'It refers to the mark of the single flavor of contemplating tathatā.' The term 'single flavor' is named from a metaphor: just as the great ocean, though vast and broad, is uniformly of one salty flavor, so too dharmas, though extensive, are of the single flavor of the nature of suchness; contemplating this principle of suchness with no other cognitive object is called the 'mark of a single flavor'. Concerning 'reality', the *Śāstra* itself explains: 'It is not a worldly domain.' Because practice tallies with the real and is not illuminated and perceived by worldly knowledge, it is called 'not a worldly domain'. Concerning 'excellence', the virtue of the practice is deep and vast like the dharmadhātu, hence it is named 'excellence'. Concerning 'the cause', wholesome practice rooted in vows can serve as the cause for both the eternal fruit and the non-eternal fruit, hence it is called 'wholesome determination of the cause'. 'The eternal fruit' refers to great nirvāṇa. 'The non-eternal fruit' refers to the functioning of the great compassion of Buddhas and bodhisattvas, which arises and ceases in accordance with the world, and is thus called non-eternal. These two correspond to the two kinds of adornments in the *Nirvāṇa-sūtra*: the eternal corresponds to its adornment of wisdom, hence that sūtra states, 'The adornment of wisdom is unobstructed and eternal'; the non-eternal corresponds to its adornment of merit, hence that sūtra states, 'The adornment of merit is obstructed and impermanent.' Furthermore, the *Nirvāṇa-sūtra* states, 'The non-eternal of all Buddha-Tathāgatas shares with the eternal.' The eternal sharing with the non-eternal is this eternal fruit; the eternal sharing with the non-eternal is what is spoken of here. Towards that, the desirable non-eternal fruit can equally be produced by the wholesome vow, and is therefore termed the 'cause'. Concerning 'greatness', the preceding ones pertain to self-benefit, whereas this one pertains to benefiting others. The practice of benefiting others is broad and equal to the realm of sentient beings, hence it is termed 'great'. Thus the sūtra states, 'protecting all realms of sentient beings'. Concerning 'intrepidity', the wisdom and virtue of all Buddhas is partially realized by the bodhisattva; when able to deeply enter them, the mind is without fear or retreat, hence it is called 'intrepid'. Thus the sūtra states, 'able to enter the ground of knowledge of all Buddhas of the three times.' The explanation of the six determinations is as such.