大乘法苑義林章 6.42

6.42

Ninth, the differences in realization across the stages: The "Merits of the Dharma Preacher" chapter of the *Lotus Sūtra* says: "If, after the passing of the Tathāgata, one upholds this sūtra—whether reading, reciting, explaining, or copying it—one will obtain twelve hundred merits of the mental faculty. With this purified mental faculty, down to hearing a single verse or a single line, one will penetrate immeasurable and boundless meanings. Having understood these meanings, one will be able to expound a single line or a single verse for a month, four months, or up to a year. Whatever Dharma is spoken, in accord with its meaning, will not contradict the true nature of reality. Although one has not yet obtained anāsrava prajñā, one's mental faculty is purified like this. Whatever this person ponders, estimates, or speaks is all the Buddha Dharma, none of it untrue." This passage demonstrates that prior to entering the ten bhūmis, one realizes and attains superior prajñā arisen from hearing and thinking. Furthermore, the "Sadāparibhūta" chapter says: "Bodhisattva Sadāparibhūta practiced the practice of never disparaging. When his life was about to end, in open space, he heard in full the two hundred ten thousand billion verses of the *Lotus Sūtra* originally spoken by the Buddha Bhīṣmagarjitasvararāja, and was completely able to uphold them. He immediately obtained the purification of the six faculties as described above, and his lifespan was further increased by two hundred myriad billion nayutas of years. After his life ended, he encountered two thousand billion buddhas, all named Candrasūryapradīpa. Later, he encountered two thousand billion buddhas, all named Meghasvararāja. In the Dharma of these buddhas, he upheld, read, and recited this sūtra, and preached it for the fourfold assembly. Therefore, he obtained this constant purification of the eye, and the faculties of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind were purified, and preaching the Dharma to the fourfold assembly his mind had no fear." The intent of that sūtra is: When Bodhisattva Sadāparibhūta, at the point of death, heard the *Lotus Sūtra*, purified the six faculties, and had his lifespan prolonged, this was at the stage of the four roots of goodness prior to the path of seeing (*darśanamārga*), because it is not said that he obtained the *constant* purification of the six faculties, nor that his mind had no fear in preaching the Dharma; hence this definitely does not speak of the noble stage of the ten bhūmis. When it says that after this life ended he encountered many buddhas, obtained constant purification of the six faculties, had no fear in his mind when preaching the Dharma, and realized entry into the first bhūmi: from this we definitely know that this was not the stage of the aids to liberation (*mokṣabhāgīya*) of the forty minds, because upon the death of one at that stage, one has not yet obtained constantly purified faculties and fearlessness of mind. Looking back to the preceding passage, "Although one has not yet obtained anāsrava prajñā, one's mental faculty is purified like this" refers to the stage of the four roots of goodness belonging to the aids to penetration (*nirvedhabhāgīya*). This explains that hearing and thinking are pre-eminently obtained before the bhūmis, whereas that which arises from cultivation [is obtained on the bhūmis]. The *Mahāyānasaṃgraha* and other texts say: "Why is the third bhūmi called the Light-Emitting [Stage]? Because it is the basis for irreversible samādhis and meditative attainments (*samāpatti*), and the basis for the great illumination of the Dharma." Asvabhāva explains: "This means that on this bhūmi one realizes rare meditative stabilization, which can emit the light of prajñā to illuminate all dharmas; hence it is called Light-Emitting." The dhyāna concentrations are called samādhi; the formless absorptions are called samāpatti. Alternatively, samādhi is one-pointedness of mind, and samāpatti is meditative absorption manifesting directly before one. The *Cheng weishi lun* also says: "On the first, second, and third bhūmis, one practices giving, morality, and cultivation, which are similar to the worldly." The earlier text said that on the third bhūmi one obtains superior prajñā arisen from cultivation; Vasubandhu's *Mahāyānasaṃgraha*, the *Cheng weishi lun*, and the *Daśabhūmika-śāstra* all speak of ten hindrances, the third being the hindrance of dullness, which is forgetting the teachings that one has heard, thought upon, and cultivated. By abandoning that, one obtains the three superior prajñās of hearing, thinking, and cultivating. This explains that on the third bhūmi one obtains three superior prajñās. Furthermore, the *Daśabhūmika* and other texts state that the ten pāramitās neither increase nor decrease, meaning that on the ten bhūmis, because one antidotes the ten hindrances and realizes the ten tathatās, there is neither increase nor decrease. This shows that on the fifth bhūmi one obtains superior samādhi, primarily cultivating the pāramitā of meditation, while also practicing the remaining perfections according to one's strength and capacity. Vasubandhu's *Mahāyānasaṃgraha* explains the meaning of the basis for mastery over action and so forth as: this dharmadhātu is the basis of mastery over physical and other actions, as well as the basis of mastery over dhāraṇīs and samādhi-doors. If one knows this, one can enter the tenth bhūmi. This explains that only on the tenth bhūmi does one attain superior meditative stabilization. To summarize the preceding text: The attainment of excellence in the three sāsrava prajñās occurs in the four roots of goodness. Abandoning conceptual grasping and attaining anāsrava cultivation occurs on the first bhūmi. Abandoning the hindrance of dullness and attaining the three anāsrava prajñās that illuminate the Mahāyāna Dharma occurs on the third bhūmi. Properly cultivating the various concentrations, entering and emerging with mastery, benefiting oneself and others, and eliminating the hindrance of distraction occurs on the fifth bhūmi. Being able to endure, contemplate, and retain with respect to all dharmas, where the function of a single prajñā is divided into three prajñās, occurs on the eighth bhūmi, as extensively distinguished earlier in accord with the *Daśabhūmika-sūtra*. Attaining unhindered eloquence and the superior prajñā arisen from cultivation on which dhāraṇī relies occurs on the ninth bhūmi. Arising great supernormal faculties, pervading the worlds of the ten directions, and extensively enacting benefit and joy occurs on the tenth bhūmi. Therefore, the teachings explain that realization across the stages differs, and when inferring from the texts through reasoning, there is no contradiction.