大乘義章 18.17

18.17

次第二門釋名辨相。所言常者，體恒不變目之為常，又復隨緣化用不絕亦名為常。如《涅槃》說「假使烏與鵄，同共一樹栖，猶如親兄弟，爾乃永涅槃。如來視一切，猶如羅睺羅，常為眾生尊，云何永涅槃。」如是等義，是其用常。相狀如何？常義有二：一者無為、二者不變。如《涅槃》說「無為不生，不變無滅。」又復無為明離分段，言不變者明離變易。隨義別分，開合不定。總之一常。或分為二，二有三門：一法報分二，常體有二：一法、二報。如《涅槃》說「法常名常，報常稱住。」無始法性顯成今德，名為法常。方便修生有作行德，依真不壞，名為報常。如經中說「諸佛所修，所謂法也。以法常故，諸佛亦常。」即其義矣。二始終分二，謂常與恒。不生名常，不滅目恒。又經中說「佛是常，無為不變。」以不生故名曰無為，由不生故名曰不滅，故說為不變。三約對分二。一離分段生老死等名之為常、二離變易生住滅等曰之為常。或分為三，三有三門：一就德辨三，所謂涅槃常身、常命、常財。如《勝鬘》說「捨無常身，得不思議常住之身，名為常身。捨無常命，得不思議智慧之命，名為常命。捨無常財，得不思議功德之財，名為常財。」經中說此為三堅法，堅猶常矣。二隨想分三。如《涅槃》說：一無別異想，三歸同體，故不離不脫，故名為常；變異無常，如汝父母各各別異，即是無常。二無無常想，離細生滅。三無變異想，離麁分段。第三約對三種無常以別三種。三無常者：一分段無常，六道報異。翻對彼故，說佛真常無生老死。二念無常，念念生滅。翻對彼故，說佛真常無生住滅。三者自性不成實無常。有為虛集，無有性實。翻對彼故，說佛真常無有虛妄。亦得分四，謂無生老病死等過。又無生住異滅等過，亦得分四。亦得說五，謂常是陰。廣則無量。問曰：向說涅槃斷德方便修得本無今有，云何名常？又經中說「從因得法悉是無常。」涅槃之果從因而得，云何是常？又經中說「以因莊嚴悉是無常。」涅槃如是，縱於無量道品諸行莊嚴而得，云何稱常？又經中說「可見之法悉是無常。」涅槃如是，從緣修見，云何名常？又經中說「有名可說悉是無常。」涅槃有名，云何名常？今對釋之。先就性淨釋去前難，後就方便。性淨如何？涅槃斷德本無今有名無常者，佛自釋言「大般涅槃本自有之，非適今也。而諸眾生斷煩惱已然後證得，得離始今，體本自有。」故名為常。言從因得名無常者，佛自釋言「涅槃唯從了因所顯，非生因生、非作因作。」故得名常。又復不從五因所成，故名為常。言五因者，如《涅槃》說：一是生因，如眾煩惱生苦樂等。二是和合因，如善法與善心和合，如是一切。《毘曇》說此為共有因及相應因。相扶體立名共有因，相扶有用名相應因。三者住因，如因大地諸物得住，如是一切。四增長因，如因飲食眾生增長，因於父母子得增長，因善知識行得增長，如是一切。五者遠因，如因見藥鬼毒不害，依憑國王盜賊不侵，如是一切。涅槃不假如是五因，故得名常。言假莊嚴名無常者，佛自釋言「涅槃之體非因非果、非去來今，常住無為。諸眾生假於莊嚴往見涅槃，非大涅槃假於莊嚴方始成立。」故得名常。言可修見名無常者，所謂眾生無明覆心不見涅槃，後除闇障始見涅槃，非見始有。如人治眼始見日月，非始有故，故得名常。言有名字名常者，佛自釋言「涅槃無名，強為立名。」故得稱常。涅槃無名，何故強立？為求知故。性淨如是。若論方便，斷離生死無常法故，以常法性而為體故，以是常義。

Next, the second gate explains the names and distinguishes their characteristics. Regarding "permanence": that whose essence is eternal and unchanging is designated as permanent; furthermore, that whose transformative functions in response to conditions never cease is also called permanent. As the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra says: "If a crow and an owl / Were to roost together in one tree / Just like blood brothers, / Only then would [the Tathāgata] enter final nirvāṇa. / The Tathāgata regards all beings / As if each were Rāhula, / Constantly being the Honoured One for sentient beings; / How could he enter final nirvāṇa?" Meanings such as these constitute permanence of function. What are its characteristics? The meaning of permanence is twofold: first, unconditioned; second, unchanging. As the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra says: "Unconditioned means unarisen; unchanging means unceasing." Furthermore, "unconditioned" clarifies freedom from demarcated [birth and death], while "unchanging" clarifies freedom from transformational [birth and death]. When differentiated according to meaning, expansion and contraction are variable. In sum, it is one permanence. Or it is divided into two, and the twofold has three gates: First, divided into dharma and retribution: the essence of permanence is twofold, being dharma and retribution. As the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra says: "The permanence of dharma is called permanent; the permanence of retribution is termed abiding." The beginningless dharmatā manifested to form present virtues is called the permanence of dharma. The virtues of practice that involve activity, cultivated through expedients, are indestructible by relying on the true; this is called the permanence of retribution. As stated in the sūtra: "That which is cultivated by all Buddhas is the so-called Dharma; because the Dharma is permanent, the Buddhas are also permanent." This is precisely the meaning. Second, divided into beginning and end, namely "constant" and "eternal": unarisen is called constant, and unceasing is termed eternal. Furthermore, the sūtra states: "The Buddha is permanent, unconditioned, and unchanging." Because he does not arise, he is called unconditioned; because he does not arise, he does not cease, and is therefore said to be unchanging. Third, divided into two by contrast: being free from demarcated birth, old age, death, and so forth is called permanent; being free from transformational arising, abiding, ceasing, and so forth is called permanent. Or it is divided into three, and the threefold has three gates: First, analyzing three in terms of attributes: namely, the permanent body, permanent life, and permanent wealth of nirvāṇa. As the Śrīmālādevī-sūtra says: "Renouncing the impermanent body, one obtains an inconceivable, permanently abiding body, termed the permanent body. Renouncing impermanent life, one obtains an inconceivable life of wisdom, termed permanent life. Renouncing impermanent wealth, one obtains an inconceivable wealth of merit, termed permanent wealth." The sūtra speaks of these as the three firm dharmas; "firm" is equivalent to permanent. Second, dividing three according to conceptualization. As the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra says: first, having no notion of distinction: the three refuges share an identical essence and are therefore neither separated nor detached, and are thus called permanent; changing variation is impermanent, just as your father and mother are each distinct, which is impermanence. Second, having no notion of impermanence: being free from subtle arising and ceasing. Third, having no notion of changing variation: being free from coarse demarcated [birth and death]. Third, distinguishing three kinds by contrasting them with the three kinds of impermanence. The three impermanences are: first, demarcated impermanence, where retributions in the six destinies differ; contrasting that, the Buddha's true permanence is said to have no birth, old age, or death. Second, momentary impermanence, arising and ceasing from thought-moment to thought-moment; contrasting that, the Buddha's true permanence is said to have no arising, abiding, or ceasing. Third, the impermanence of self-nature lacking substantial reality: conditioned things are insubstantial aggregations without substantial nature; contrasting that, the Buddha's true permanence is said to be free of falsehood. It may also be divided into four, meaning free from the faults of birth, old age, sickness, death, and so forth. Furthermore, being free from the faults of arising, abiding, changing, ceasing, and so forth, it may also be divided into four. It may also be spoken of as five, meaning that the permanent consists of the aggregates. Expounded broadly, it is immeasurable. Question: Just before it was said that the attribute of severance in nirvāṇa is attained through cultivation via expedients, existing now where it previously was not; how can it be called permanent? Furthermore, a sūtra says: "Dharmas obtained from a cause are all impermanent." The fruit of nirvāṇa is obtained from a cause; how is it permanent? Furthermore, a sūtra says: "All that is adorned by causes is impermanent." Nirvāṇa is like this: even if obtained through the adornment of the immeasurable practices of the factors of enlightenment, how can it be called permanent? Furthermore, a sūtra says: "Dharmas that can be seen are all impermanent." Nirvāṇa is like this, being cultivated and seen through conditions; how can it be called permanent? Furthermore, a sūtra says: "Whatever has a name that can be spoken of is all impermanent." Nirvāṇa has a name; how can it be called permanent? Now, these will be resolved in response. First, the previous objections will be resolved in terms of natural purity, and then in terms of expedients. How is it in terms of natural purity? Regarding the objection that the attribute of severance in nirvāṇa is impermanent because it exists now where it was not originally, the Buddha himself explained: "Great parinirvāṇa exists originally by itself; it has not just arisen now. Sentient beings realize and obtain it only after severing afflictions; the attainment is free from beginning and present, and its essence originally exists by itself." Therefore, it is called permanent. Regarding the statement that what is obtained from a cause is impermanent, the Buddha himself explained: "Nirvāṇa is made manifest solely by an elucidating cause; it is not born from a generative cause, nor produced by an operative cause." Hence, it can be called permanent. Moreover, it is not accomplished by the five causes; therefore, it is called permanent. As for the five causes, as stated in the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra: first is the generative cause, as the manifold afflictions generate suffering, pleasure, and so forth. Second is the coordinating cause, as wholesome dharmas coordinate with the wholesome mind, and all such things. The Abhidharma calls these the coexistent cause and the associated cause: supporting one another so that their entities stand is called the coexistent cause; supporting one another to function is called the associated cause. Third is the abiding cause, as all things abide by relying on the earth, and all such things. Fourth is the augmentative cause, as sentient beings grow because of food and drink, a child grows because of parents, and practice grows because of good spiritual friends, and all such things. Fifth is the distant cause, as through seeing an antidote one is unharmed by demonic poison, and by relying on the king one is unmolested by thieves, and all such things. Nirvāṇa does not rely on such five causes, and therefore can be called permanent. Regarding the objection that relying on adornment entails impermanence, the Buddha himself explained: "The essence of nirvāṇa is neither cause nor fruit, neither past, future, nor present; it is permanently abiding and unconditioned. Sentient beings rely on adornment to go and see nirvāṇa; it is not that great nirvāṇa is first established only by relying on adornment." Hence, it can be called permanent. Regarding the objection that being visible through cultivation entails impermanence: sentient beings' minds are veiled by nescience and do not see nirvāṇa; later, having removed the dark obstruction, they first see nirvāṇa, yet it does not begin to exist with that seeing. Just as a person whose eyes are treated first sees the sun and moon, but [the sun and moon] do not just begin to exist; hence, it can be called permanent. Regarding the objection that possessing a name entails impermanence: the Buddha himself explained: "Nirvāṇa has no name; one arbitrarily establishes a name for it." Hence, it can be called permanent. If nirvāṇa has no name, why arbitrarily establish one? In order to seek understanding. Such is natural purity. If discussed in terms of expedients, because it severs and abandons the impermanent dharmas of birth and death, and because it takes the permanent dharmatā as its essence, it possesses the meaning of permanence.