大乘入道次第 1.56

1.56

Next, as for the specific characteristics of cultivation in the stage of cultivation, among the aids to awakening, one cultivates the eightfold noble path. The Madhyāntavibhāga-bhāṣya states: "Because it is established in the path of cultivation." It also states: "First is the factor of discrimination, which is right view. Although this is mundane, it is subsequent to the supramundane, because it is capable of discriminating what was directly realized by oneself in the stage of the path of seeing." The meaning here is that the essential nature of this right view is the subsequently attained wisdom; thus it is called mundane, not that it is called mundane on account of being tainted. Since it is called mundane, and is furthermore said to discriminate what was realized in the path of seeing, we know that in the path of cultivation, one cultivates the eightfold noble path. Furthermore, the ten grounds of the stage of cultivation are not the same; speaking generally, every ground cultivates the ten pāramitās. If explained specifically, the ten grounds cultivate each of the ten perfections in succession. In the ultimate stage, all virtues are luminously complete, and there is no further cultivation. If one were to speak of cultivation, what fault would there be? Answer: If further cultivation were allowed, it could not be called [the stage of] no more learning, nor could one say that all buddhas are equal, because advancing without cessation would mean that earlier and later [buddhas] would differ. Since it is called no more learning and is furthermore designated as equal, it is clear that there is no cultivation in the fruit; the principle is beyond doubt. Hence the Cheng weishi lun states: "This precludes the buddha-fruit, wherein the fully perfected wholesome dharmas neither increase nor decrease; hence it is not an active perfumer. If it were an active perfumer, it would not be fully perfected, and earlier and later buddha-fruits would have superiority and inferiority." "Active perfumer" has the meaning of cultivation. Since the buddha-fruit does not permit being an active perfumer, we know that there is no cultivation in the buddha-stage. Although there have been general and specific differences above, they collectively belong to the second major section, bringing the explanation of cultivation to a close.