大乘義章 8.53

8.53

次辯其相。此之八種，有四義故，所以是難。一苦障故難、二樂障故難、三惡增故難、四善微故難。一切三塗、盲聾瘖瘂，苦障故難。長壽、欝單，樂障故難。世智辯聰，惡增故難，以其邪見違正道故。佛前佛後，善微故難。所言地獄鬼畜難者，一切三塗報障深重，無能會聖，是故為難。問曰：若使三塗是難無會聖者，是義不然。如方等說「有諸眾生在地獄中，遇佛光明，尋光詣佛，聞法得道。」如龍樹說「鬼畜兩趣，聞佛說法，有得道者。」如《長阿含．天品》中說「鬼子母神，聞法得道。」如《提謂經》「諸龍鬼等，聞佛說法，亦皆得道。」三塗之中不妨會聖，云何是難？釋言：三塗是障難處，不應得道。但有眾生久習勝因，遇墮三惡，今值如來及大菩薩不思議力，為品緣故，有得道者。如難陀等，煩惱障纏，不應得道；佛為緣故，得入聖道。此亦如是，無有自力及舍利等小因緣故能入聖道，故名為難。又三惡中，值聖得道多是權人，為引餘生令起出心，示有所得，非是實凡。實凡不得，故名為難。所言盲聾瘖瘂難者，盲不覩聖、聾不聞法、瘂不諮受，不堪入聖，是故為難。問曰：一切盲聾瘖瘂悉皆是難，有非難者？釋言：生盲生聾生瘂是八難收，餘者非難。問曰：一切盲聾瘖瘂皆無見聞、不堪諮受，何故偏說生盲聾瘂以為難乎？釋言：若非生盲聾瘂，容先見友聞法諮受，後依階道。以非全障，是故非難。世智辨者，有人聰利妄執難迴，所以是難。所言佛前佛後難者，佛前佛後無佛法時，不知出道、無心求聖，所以是難。問曰：辟支出無佛世，佛前佛後有何難乎？釋言：辟支久修純熟，自力能度，不假師教。其餘眾生，無如是者，故就餘人說之為難。欝單越者，北欝單越，樂報殊勝，覩無苦事。其中眾生，慧力微弱，不知厭離觀過求出，是故為難。問曰：欲天樂勝欝單，何故非難？釋言：六天樂報雖勝，而彼天中慧力增強，堪能厭離觀過求出，是以非難。又彼天中有佛所化鏡林鏡壁，諸天於中見己來世所向惡趣，愁憂心深，失於天樂，如隔千世，無有遺餘。又報欲盡五衰現時，愁憂無賴。此二時中，能厭三有，趣求出離，是以非難。欝單越國，無如是事，所以是難。長壽天者，色無色界命報延長，下極半劫，名長壽天。彼天之中寂靜安隱，凡夫生彼多謂涅槃，保著情深，又無佛法可依求出，所以是難。問曰：經說生般涅槃行無行等皆在長壽得涅槃果，云何說言長壽是難？釋言：難者就凡以說。彼生般等是那含人，生上得滅，是以無過（此二門竟）。

Next, distinguishing their characteristics. These eight kinds are difficulties because of four meanings: first, difficulty due to the obstacle of suffering; second, difficulty due to the obstacle of pleasure; third, difficulty due to the increase of evil; fourth, difficulty due to the slightness of wholesome roots. All of the three wretched paths, as well as blindness, deafness, muteness, and lameness, are difficulties due to the obstacle of suffering. The long-lived [gods] and Uttarakuru are difficulties due to the obstacle of pleasure. Worldly knowledge and dialectical eloquence is a difficulty due to the increase of evil, because false views go against the correct path. Before or after a Buddha is a difficulty due to the slightness of wholesome roots. As for the difficulties of hell, ghosts, and animals: in all the three wretched paths, the retribution obstacles are deep and heavy, and beings are unable to meet sages; therefore they are difficulties. Question: If the three wretched paths are difficulties where none can meet sages, this meaning is not so. As the Vaipulya sūtras state: 'There are sentient beings in hell who encounter the Buddha's light, follow the light to visit the Buddha, hear the Dharma, and attain the path.' As Nāgārjuna says: 'In the two destinies of ghosts and animals, there are those who hear the Buddha preach the Dharma and attain the path.' As stated in the 'Deity Chapter' of the Dīrgha-āgama: 'The deity Hārītī heard the Dharma and attained the path.' As in the Trapuṣa Sūtra: 'Various dragons, ghosts, and others heard the Buddha preach the Dharma, and all likewise attained the path.' Since meeting sages is not precluded within the three wretched paths, how are they difficulties? Explanation: The three wretched paths are places of obstacles and difficulties; one should not attain the path there. It is only because certain sentient beings have long cultivated superior causes and happened to fall into the three bad destinies, that now encountering the inconceivable power of the Tathāgata and great bodhisattvas, which serves as a superior condition, there are those who attain the path. It is just as Nanda and others were wrapped in affliction obstacles and should not have attained the path, but because the Buddha served as the condition, they were able to enter the noble path. This is also like that: they are unable to enter the noble path by their own power or by minor conditions like Śāriputra, which is why they are called difficulties. Furthermore, those who meet sages and attain the path in the three bad destinies are mostly provisional persons; in order to guide other beings to give rise to the intention to escape, they manifest having attainment, but are not real ordinary beings. Because real ordinary beings cannot attain it, they are called difficulties. As for the difficulty of blindness, deafness, muteness, and lameness: the blind do not see the sages, the deaf do not hear the Dharma, and the mute cannot inquire and receive it; they are incapable of entering sagehood, which is why it is a difficulty. Question: Are all instances of blindness, deafness, muteness, and lameness difficulties, or are there any that are not difficulties? Explanation: Those born blind, born deaf, or born mute are subsumed under the eight difficulties; the rest are not difficulties. Question: All the blind, deaf, mute, and lame lack seeing and hearing, and are incapable of inquiring and receiving; why does one specifically say that those born blind, deaf, or mute constitute the difficulty? Explanation: If one was not born blind, deaf, or mute, one might previously have seen good friends, heard the Dharma, and inquired and received it, subsequently relying on it to ascend the path. Because they are not entirely obstructed, they are not difficulties. As for worldly knowledge and eloquence: some people are clever and sharp, yet cling to delusion and are difficult to turn back; therefore it is a difficulty. As for the difficulty of before or after a Buddha: at times before or after a Buddha when there is no Buddha-dharma, one does not know the path of escape and has no intention of seeking sagehood; therefore it is a difficulty. Question: Pratyekabuddhas appear in eras without a Buddha; what difficulty is there before or after a Buddha? Explanation: Pratyekabuddhas have long cultivated to maturity and can cross over by their own power without relying on a teacher's instruction. Other sentient beings are not like this, so it is spoken of as a difficulty with respect to other persons. As for Uttarakuru: in Northern Uttarakuru, pleasurable retributions are extraordinary, and they witness no suffering events. The sentient beings there have weak wisdom power and do not know how to generate revulsion, observe faults, and seek escape; therefore it is a difficulty. Question: The pleasures of the desire-realm heavens surpass those of Uttarakuru; why are they not difficulties? Explanation: Although the pleasurable retributions of the six heavens are superior, the wisdom power in those heavens is strengthened, and they are capable of revulsion, observing faults, and seeking escape; hence they are not difficulties. Furthermore, in those heavens there are mirror-forests and mirror-walls created by the Buddha, wherein the gods see the evil destinies to which they are bound in future lives; their grief and sorrow become deep, and they lose their heavenly pleasure as if separated by a thousand lifetimes, with nothing remaining. Moreover, when their retribution is about to end and the five signs of decay manifest, their grief and sorrow are helpless. In these two periods, they are capable of detesting the three realms of existence and aspiring to seek renunciation; hence they are not difficulties. In the land of Uttarakuru there is no such thing, which is why it is a difficulty. As for the long-lived gods: in the form and formless realms life retributions are prolonged, the lowest lasting half a kalpa; these are called long-lived gods. In those heavens it is tranquil and secure, and ordinary beings who are born there mostly consider it to be nirvāṇa, having deep emotional attachment, and moreover there is no Buddha-dharma to rely on to seek escape; therefore it is a difficulty. Question: Sūtras say that those attaining nirvāṇa upon rebirth, those with effort, those without effort, and so forth, all attain the fruit of nirvāṇa among the long-lived [gods]; how can one say that the long-lived [gods] are a difficulty? Explanation: It is called a difficulty with respect to ordinary beings. Those attaining nirvāṇa upon rebirth and so forth are anāgāmins; they are born above and attain cessation, so there is no fault. (This concludes the second gate.)