大乘義章 20.29

20.29

次第八門明修六通次第之義。理實六通無定次第，今且言之次第有三：一修成次第。據佛論之，佛將成道，魔王波旬恐佛道成，故來惱亂，如來于時須以神力而降伏之，以是義故先修身通。魔既被降，隱形空中。如來于時不知所在，須以天眼知其所在，故次第二修起天眼。眼雖見形，不解其言，須以天耳聽其所說，故次第三修起天耳。耳雖聞言，不測其心，不知內心為怯為勇，故次第四修他心通。以此通故，知其內心惶怖不安。雖知現心，不知過去福德多少，福若勝我或能障礙妨我道成。為知往福，次修宿命通，見魔過去作一無遮大會因緣，今受此報。吾於過去無量億劫，為諸眾生捨身手足頭目髓腦受種種苦，我福勝彼。既知勝彼不懼彼障，便能斷結，證成漏盡，故次第六明漏盡通。又龍樹說：佛於初夜得一通一明。言一通者，得一身通。言一明者，得宿命明。於中夜時，得一通一明。言一通者，得天耳通。言一明者，得天眼明。於後夜時，得一通一明。言一通者，得他心通。言一明者，得漏盡明。以何義故先得其通後得其明？論自釋言「從六通中求三明持，用功力重，故先得通後得其明。」問曰：何故如是次第？論自釋言「初夜魔來欲行惱亂，為降伏之，先起身通。既降魔已，即自思念：我於一身何因緣能得如是大力？便求宿因，見己過去多修福善得如是力，故起宿命。中夜魔去，寂漠無聲，佛便慈念一切眾生，欲聞其言故求耳。以得天耳，聞於十方五道眾生苦樂等音，欲見其形，故求天眼。於後夜時，欲知物心隨為教化，故求他心。知諸眾生皆欲離苦而求其樂，自我不得漏盡之樂無能與之，故求漏盡。」此亦是其修成次第。一義如是。二明修成次第，亦約佛說，如律中辨。佛初夜時得宿命明，無明盡明生、闇盡光生。於中夜時得天眼明，無明盡明生、闇盡光生。於後夜時得漏盡明，無明盡明生、闇盡光生。此三是其修成次第。得漏盡已欲化眾生，不知何等眾生須化，須以天耳聽諸眾生苦樂等音，次起天耳。雖知眾生苦樂差別，彼此隔別難往攝化，次起身通。雖到其所，不知所欲無宜授法，次起他心。此後三種，起化次第。第三直明起化次第，亦約佛說。欲化人不知所在，先用天眼。既見所在，須往攝化，次用身通。既到其所，不解其言，次用天耳。雖解其言，不識其根，次用宿命觀其過去根性大小。雖識往根，不知現欲，次用他心。雖知其心，不知心中煩惱有無，次用漏盡。觀其心中煩惱有無，為說對治，令證漏盡。次第如是。

Next, the eighth section explains the meaning of the sequence of cultivating the six superknowledges. In reality, the six superknowledges have no fixed sequence; speaking provisionally here, there are three sequences: First, the sequence of cultivation and accomplishment. Discussing this with reference to the Buddha: when the Buddha was about to achieve awakening, Māra Pāpīyān, fearing that the Buddha's path would be accomplished, came to cause disturbance. At that time, the Tathāgata needed to subdue him with supernatural power; for this reason, he first cultivated bodily superknowledge. Once Māra was subdued, he concealed his form in the sky. At that time the Tathāgata did not know where he was, and needed the divine eye to know his location; therefore, second, he cultivated and aroused the divine eye. Although the eye saw his form, he did not understand his speech, and needed the divine ear to hear what he said; therefore, third, he cultivated and aroused the divine ear. Although the ear heard his speech, he could not fathom his mind, not knowing whether his inner mind was timid or courageous; therefore, fourth, he cultivated the superknowledge of others' minds. By means of this superknowledge, he knew his inner mind was terrified and uneasy. Although he knew his present mind, he did not know the extent of his past merit; if his merit surpassed his own, it might pose an obstacle and hinder his accomplishment of the path. In order to know his past merit, he next cultivated the superknowledge of past lives, and saw that Māra had in the past made a great unrestricted assembly as a causal condition, and now received this retribution. [The Buddha thought:] 'In the past, across immeasurable billions of kalpas, for the sake of all sentient beings I gave up body, hands, feet, head, eyes, marrow, and brain, undergoing all manner of suffering; my merit surpasses his.' Having known he surpassed him and no longer fearing his hindrance, he was able to sever the fetters and realize the destruction of outflows; therefore, sixth, the superknowledge of the destruction of outflows is explained. Furthermore, Nāgārjuna states: In the first watch of the night, the Buddha obtained one superknowledge and one clear knowledge. Obtaining one superknowledge means obtaining the bodily superknowledge; obtaining one clear knowledge means obtaining the clear knowledge of past lives. In the middle watch of the night, he obtained one superknowledge and one clear knowledge. Obtaining one superknowledge means obtaining the superknowledge of the divine ear; obtaining one clear knowledge means obtaining the clear knowledge of the divine eye. In the final watch of the night, he obtained one superknowledge and one clear knowledge. Obtaining one superknowledge means obtaining the superknowledge of others' minds; obtaining one clear knowledge means obtaining the clear knowledge of the destruction of outflows. For what reason did he first obtain the superknowledges and later obtain the clear knowledges? The treatise itself explains: 'Seeking the retention of the three clear knowledges from among the six superknowledges requires weighty effort, so one first obtains the superknowledges and later obtains the clear knowledges.' Question: Why is there such a sequence? The treatise itself explains: 'In the first watch of the night, Māra came desiring to cause disturbance; in order to subdue him, he first generated bodily superknowledge. Having subdued Māra, he immediately reflected: By what causes and conditions can I in a single body attain such great power? He then sought the past causes and saw that having extensively cultivated merit and goodness in his past, he attained such power; therefore he generated [the knowledge of] past lives. In the middle watch of the night, Māra departed and all was silent without a sound; the Buddha then thought compassionately of all sentient beings, and wanting to hear their speech, sought the [divine] ear. Having obtained the divine ear, he heard the sounds of suffering, pleasure, and the like of sentient beings in the ten directions and the five destinies; wanting to see their forms, he sought the divine eye. In the final watch of the night, wanting to know the minds of beings so as to teach them accordingly, he sought [knowledge of] others' minds. Knowing that all sentient beings wish to be free from suffering and seek happiness, and that if he himself had not obtained the bliss of the destruction of outflows he would be unable to give it to them, he sought the destruction of outflows.' This is also the sequence of cultivation and accomplishment. Such is the first explanation. Second, explaining the sequence of cultivation and accomplishment also in terms of the Buddha, as analyzed in the Vinaya: In the first watch of the night, the Buddha obtained the clear knowledge of past lives: ignorance was exhausted and clear knowledge arose, darkness was exhausted and light arose. In the middle watch of the night, he obtained the clear knowledge of the divine eye: ignorance was exhausted and clear knowledge arose, darkness was exhausted and light arose. In the final watch of the night, he obtained the clear knowledge of the destruction of outflows: ignorance was exhausted and clear knowledge arose, darkness was exhausted and light arose. These three are the sequence of cultivation and accomplishment. Having obtained the destruction of outflows, he wished to convert sentient beings, but did not know which sentient beings needed conversion, and had to listen to the sounds of suffering, pleasure, and the like of sentient beings with the divine ear; next he generated the divine ear. Although knowing the differences in sentient beings' suffering and pleasure, being separated from one another made it difficult to go and gather them in for conversion; next he generated bodily superknowledge. Although arriving at their location, not knowing what they desired meant he could not appropriately bestow the Dharma; next he generated [the knowledge of] others' minds. These latter three are the sequence of initiating conversion. Third, directly explaining the sequence of initiating conversion, also with reference to the Buddha: Wishing to convert people without knowing their whereabouts, one first uses the divine eye. Having seen their whereabouts and needing to go and gather them in, one next uses bodily superknowledge. Having arrived at their location without understanding their speech, one next uses the divine ear. Although understanding their speech, not recognizing their faculties, one next uses [knowledge of] past lives to observe the greatness or smallness of their past disposition and faculties. Although recognizing their past faculties, not knowing their present desires, one next uses [knowledge of] others' minds. Although knowing their minds, not knowing the presence or absence of afflictions in their minds, one next uses the destruction of outflows. Observing the presence or absence of afflictions in their minds, one preaches the antidotes for them, causing them to realize the destruction of outflows. Such is the sequence.