[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [止觀輔行傳弘決](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1912) › 7.52 # 止觀輔行傳弘決 7.52 止觀輔行傳弘決 7.52 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [7.52](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1912.7.52) 初懺悔者，初文釋名。「陳露」者，陳，列也、首也。「悔」者，伏也。《金光明疏》釋〈懺悔品〉，彼廣釋名云「懺名白法、悔名黑法，白法須尚、黑法須捨。又懺名改往，悔曰修來。又懺名披陳，悔名斷續。」「五體」者，如前所釋。又今文但是說其懺意，懺辭具在《法華三昧》，亦可隨己智力任意廣陳。次勸請者，大為二意：一者請住於世、二者請轉法輪。「大論至云云」者，《大論》十五具釋。問：諸佛之法，法應說法，何須勸請？又若諸佛現見在前，請佛可爾；今乃不見，云何可請？答：佛雖必說而不待請，請者得福，何得不請。猶如大王雖多美膳，若有請者，必得恩福，錄其心故，是故有益。如修慈心令眾生樂，眾生雖無得樂之者，念者得福，請佛亦爾。復次佛法，待請為說。又眾生雖不面見諸佛，諸佛何嘗不見其心、聞其所請？假令諸佛不聞不見，請亦得福，何況聞見而無益耶？又破外道作如是言：「道法常定，何須多言。」防其謗故，故須待請。又外道言：「諸佛不應貪壽住世。」為防此謗，是故須請。又若不請，謂佛愛著，令知無著故須待請。又諸外道皆無請說，故今須請。次「謂轉下至住世」者，盡是論文。有此諸意，故須二請。若佛初成先轉四諦，今為求圓是故通請。「夫命至得住」等者，明勸請所指。所言請者，為請何等？謂請佛大悲，非請色陰。若大悲不息，身則久住，故舉命業以譬請住。報命如佛，我心如業。又報命如色身，業如大悲心。我心請佛不息，願佛大悲住世。變化亦爾，作意神通隨心所期，期心未息，變化不止。我心如心，佛身如化，我心不息，願佛莫滅。又佛身如化，大悲如心，願莫息大悲，則色身不滅。我今請佛如大炬火，為破無明，我心不息，願佛勿滅。次隨喜者，佛轉法輪，眾生得三世益。「我助彼喜」者，喜前勸請也。過去下種，現在重聞得成熟益；未曾下種，現在成種，未來方益。故三世益皆因法輪，故我隨喜眾生得益。《大論》六十一云「隨喜者有二種：一者世間、二者出世。若人無有出世善根，我今隨喜眾生世福。」是故隨喜通於有漏無漏，俱名為福。又福德者是菩薩摩訶薩根本，能滿菩提，聖人讚歎。智者行處無智遠處，是福因緣能得輪王諸天乃至一切種智。知如是等得正知見，是故見福而生歡喜。復次我應與眾生善，其自修福，是故我喜。復次眾生有善，與我相似，是我同伴，是故我喜。復次菩薩摩訶薩於十方三世佛及菩薩二乘一切修福者而生歡喜，故名隨喜。若無福德，畜生無異，但同飲食淫欲鬪諍。修福之人眾生尊敬，猶如熱時清涼滿月，是故隨喜。《大論》三十二云「如賣買香等。」問：云何隨喜心過二乘上？答：以隨喜善迴與眾生故。「觀眾生至正緣了」等者，如《法華》中〈常不輕品〉。不輕菩薩見諸眾生具足三因，皆當作佛，故不敢輕。此但敬其正因故也。正因之中三因具足，況無始時曾聞一句即了因種，彈指合掌即緣因種。故此菩薩凡見眾生皆悉與記，乃至身行不輕之行等（云云）。「毒鼓」者，《大經》第九云「譬如有人以新毒藥用塗大鼓，於大眾中擊令出聲。雖無心欲聞，若有聞者遠近皆死。唯除一人不橫死者，謂一闡提。」纔聞即能破無明惑，名為近死。聞未即益，作後世因，名為遠死。諸教諸味及經時節，以論遠近。《四念處》云「若有聞者遠近不死，謂但破於見思塵沙。」「法華隨喜法」等者，〈隨喜品〉中從法座起，至於餘處為他人說，他人聞已復隨喜轉教，如是展轉至第五十，校量聞法而生隨喜，故云隨喜法。「大品隨喜人」者，經云「若聲聞人能發心者，我亦隨喜。」聲聞是人，隨喜其人，名隨喜人。人必有法，法必藉人，故云互舉。迴向者，以隨喜福與眾生共及向菩提。菩提如文。「施眾生」者，然修因福不可得共，若得果時則以此福施於眾生，是故菩薩得世四事利益眾生。又自以福淨其身口，人見歡喜所說信受，今得十善乃至種智，乃至舍利能令一切眾生得道，是故果報與眾生共。今因中說果，故云與共。若言福因與他共者，從初發心所修善根盡與眾生，後時將何以為成道之因？以善法體不可與人，故今直以無畏無惱以施眾生，用無所得故至菩提。故《淨名》云「迴向心是菩薩淨土，迴向為大利」等。故《法華》梵天施宮殿時，皆發願云：「願以此功德等（云云）。」「如迴聲入角」等者，《大論》三十二云「迴向者，如少物上王，如迴聲入角。」問：菩薩功德勝於二乘，有何奇特？答：今此不以功德比之，但以隨喜迴向心比。如巧匠指示，倍得價直。執斧之人倍用功力，直不足言。聲聞自行如執斧者，菩薩教他而行迴向猶如大匠。《大論》「問曰：何故名二乘為自調、自淨、自度，而不迴向？答：戒為自調、禪為自淨、慧為自度，二乘唯自修此三故。」「不取」等者，釋上斷三界等四，謂不取苦、不念集、不見滅、不得道。於此四中而不分別世及出世因果等相，名不分別，如是名為正迴向也。實相無取，乃至無有分別故也。「能迴向至妄想等不生」者，《大論》云「菩薩心空檀波羅蜜乃至種智，一切皆空，一相無相如佛所說。」如是迴向，如箭射他無不中者，以見無相，不見不得一切諸法故爾。能謂迴向之心，所謂眾生佛果，如是能所及一切法，一心推求皆不可得。亡能亡所，如是一切所迴向之法無不歸實，故不可得。「無已今當」等者，三世推求此之能所生滅不住。又發心為已，迴向為今，所迴向處為當。又所迴向中極果為當，眾生為現。又眾生者亦有當現，即諸眾生名之為現，共福當得名之為當。如是三世畢竟叵得。「如三世諸佛所知」等者，唯一實相是佛所知所見所許。於中能知即種智，能見即佛眼也，能許即是本時弘誓及一切行。「是名真實」等者，如佛所知，方名真實。非向權果，權果虛妄，即對破藏通所期之果。言「最上」者，非上中下之上，即指圓教名為最上，最上故具足，此破別教也。「則不謗佛」等者，計佛果為有乃至非有非無，皆名謗佛。何以故？佛果非有乃至非有非無。非苦故無過咎，非集故無繫著；有道故無毒，有滅故無失。此依無作四諦為迴向也。言無苦集唯有道滅，且約事說，理即苦集本是道滅。「何但」等者，前三謂懺悔、勸請、隨喜，後一謂發願，前後皆例今迴向意。依無作諦而不見諦，名真五悔，能發真位，故引《婆沙》證成圓意。故知五悔並依無作，方令懺悔見罪性本空，勸請知法身常住，隨喜了福等真如，發願達能所平等。次明發願者，初釋名云「如許人物」等者，卷者約也，亦契也。《說文》云「券別之書以刀判其旁，故謂之契，故字從刀。」「御」者，侍也，主也。一切諸法以願侍之，以願為主。「亦名下至盛物」者，四弘誓中，眾生煩惱為惡，法門佛道為善。遮惡為遮持，持善為總持。諸行如坯，誓願如火。坯者，瓦未燒也。堪任利他，名為盛物。「四弘為總願」等者，一切諸願四弘攝盡，故名為總。「法藏」等者，《觀經》、《悲華》並云「彌陀因名法藏，於自在王如來所，聞說二百一十億佛剎發願。」又《觀經》云「法藏比丘為欲攝取諸佛土故，發四十八願。發是願已，地為六動，為佛所記。」《大阿彌陀經》云「為菩薩時發二十四願云：不得是願終不作佛。」願數不同，部異見別，不須和會。《悲華經》中則無別願，但云為取佛土故發四弘誓願。故知一切菩薩凡見諸佛，無不發於總願別願。故《大論》第八「問曰：菩薩修行，自得淨報，何須發願？答：福若無願，如牛無御則無所至。如佛所說，不知法人聞天中樂心便念著。問：若無願者，不得報耶？答：雖得，不如有願。有願則少福而得大果。」「華嚴」者，新經第十四，歷事別願。又如《梵網》發十大願、十三誓等。《大經．聖行》願文大同。又第十四〈梵行品〉云「若施食時，令諸眾生得大智食、法喜食、般若食。若施漿時，令諸眾生趣涅槃河，飲八味水得甘露味。」準如此例及《華嚴》等隨境發願，隨其智力，何必如文。若有文者，幸依佛說。如此等文並別願也。今五悔中義兼總別，故知五悔非小行所宜。如《彌勒問經》「佛告阿難：『彌勒往昔不修苦行，但修善巧方便安樂之道，積習無上正等菩提。』阿難言：『云何名為善巧方便？』佛言：『彌勒昔行菩薩道時，但晝夜六時勤修五悔而得菩提。』」彼經悔文有二十三行，亦無別列五悔辭句，但數數請佛數數說悔，餘三亦然。如云「有罪悉懺悔，是福皆隨喜，我今請諸佛，願成無上智。」若準此例，未必各說，但修行者智力微弱、緣心難當，故須一準。如《婆沙》四悔雖僧常儀，亦須善其意以為運念。具如南山正行儀中注解。從「令於道場」等者，總結悔意，皆為破罪故也。昔作大惡三業俱重，故今懺悔三業並運，發大勇猛方破大惡。「勸請破謗法罪」者，亦應先云懺悔破於三業遮性等罪，文闕義足。次文者，昔聞諸法而生誹謗，今請佛說令一切聞，是故能翻謗法之罪。「隨喜破嫉妬罪」者，昔對境生嫉，今隨喜一切，故得翻破昔嫉妬心。「迴向破為諸有罪」者，昔所作福但順生死，為諸有因不能自免，豈能令他離於有因？今具二迴向，自免免他，是故迴向順涅槃門，故云「順空無相」等也。亦應更云發願者破邪願罪，即導前四令至所在。 > First, regarding confession and repentance: the opening text explains the terms. 'Disclose' (chenlu): chen means to set forth or to acknowledge at the head. 'Repentance' (hui) means to submit. The Commentary on the Suvarṇaprabhāsa-sūtra, in explaining the chapter on confession and repentance, broadly explains the terms, saying: 'Confession (kṣama) refers to white dharmas, and repentance refers to black dharmas; white dharmas must be honored, and black dharmas must be cast away. Further, confession means altering the past, and repentance means cultivating the future. Further, confession means baring and laying forth, and repentance means cutting off continuation.' 'Five limbs \[to the ground\]' is as explained before. Furthermore, the present text merely sets forth the meaning of confession; the words of the confession are fully given in the Lotus Samādhi, or one may broadly set them forth at will according to one's own power of wisdom. / Next, regarding entreaty: broadly, there are two intentions—first, entreating \[the Buddhas\] to remain in the world; second, entreating \[them\] to turn the wheel of the Dharma. As for '\[citing\] the Dazhidulun, etc.': fascicle 15 of the Dazhidulun explains this in full. / Question: By the dharma of the Buddhas, the Dharma ought naturally to be preached; why is entreaty needed? Furthermore, if the Buddhas were visibly present before us, entreating the Buddhas would be reasonable; but now they are not seen, so how can they be entreated? / Answer: Although the Buddhas will surely preach without waiting to be entreated, the person who entreats gains merit, so why should one not entreat? Just as when a great king has abundant delicious food, if someone requests it, they will surely receive grace and fortune because \[the king\] takes note of their mind; therefore there is benefit. It is like cultivating a mind of loving-kindness to bring joy to sentient beings: though there are no sentient beings who \[immediately\] obtain joy, the one who contemplates obtains merit; entreating the Buddhas is also like this. Furthermore, by the Buddha-dharma, \[Buddhas\] wait for a request before preaching. Moreover, though sentient beings do not see the Buddhas face-to-face, how could the Buddhas ever fail to see their minds and hear their entreaty? Even supposing the Buddhas neither heard nor saw it, entreating would still yield merit—how much more so when they hear and see, could it be without benefit? Further, to refute the non-Buddhists who make such a claim as: 'The principle of the Path is constantly fixed; what need is there for many words?'—to prevent their slander, \[the Buddhas\] must wait for an entreaty. Further, non-Buddhists say: 'The Buddhas should not greedily crave lifespan to remain in the world.' To prevent this slander, one must therefore entreat. Further, if one does not entreat, it might be thought that the Buddha has affectionate attachment; to make known \[his\] non-attachment, he must wait for an entreaty. Further, the non-Buddhists are entirely without entreating for preaching, so now one must entreat. / Next, the passage from 'That is, turning \[...\] down to remaining in the world' is entirely the text of the treatise. Because of these various intentions, the two entreaties are necessary. If \[referring to\] when the Buddha first attained \[awakening\], he first turned the four noble truths; now, seeking the perfect, he is entreated universally. / 'As for lifespan \[...\] being able to remain,' etc., clarifies what the entreaty refers to. As for what is called entreaty: what is it that one entreats? It means entreating the Buddha's great compassion, not entreating the aggregate of form. If great compassion does not cease, the body will long remain; hence lifespan and karma are cited as an analogy for entreating \[him\] to remain. The recompensed life is like the Buddha; our mind is like karma. Further, the recompensed life is like the physical body; karma is like the mind of great compassion. Our mind entreats the Buddha unceasingly, wishing that the Buddha's great compassion remain in the world. Transformations are also like this: intentional supernatural powers follow what is anticipated by the mind; while the anticipated mind has not ceased, transformations do not end. Our mind is like the mind, and the Buddha's body is like the transformation: while our mind does not cease, we wish that the Buddha does not pass into extinction. Further, the Buddha's body is like the transformation, and great compassion is like the mind: wishing that great compassion does not cease, then the physical body does not perish. Now our entreaty of the Buddha is like a great torch: to destroy ignorance, our mind does not cease, wishing that the Buddha does not pass into extinction. / Next, regarding rejoicing: when the Buddha turns the wheel of the Dharma, sentient beings obtain the benefits of the three periods of time. 'I assist in their rejoicing' means rejoicing in the preceding entreaty. In the past seeds were planted; hearing again in the present, they obtain the benefit of ripening. If seeds were never planted, in the present seeds are formed, and in the future they will indeed benefit. Thus the benefits of the three periods of time all depend on the wheel of the Dharma; therefore I rejoice in sentient beings obtaining benefit. / Fascicle 61 of the Dazhidulun says: 'Rejoicing is of two kinds: first, worldly; second, world-transcending. If a person has no world-transcending roots of goodness, I now rejoice in sentient beings' worldly merit.' Therefore, rejoicing extends across both the contaminated and the uncontaminated; both are named merit. Further, meritorious virtue is the foundation of bodhisattva mahāsattvas; it can fulfill bodhi and is praised by the noble ones. It is where the wise walk and what the unwise stay far from; by the cause and condition of this merit, one can attain \[the status of\] a wheel-turning king, the gods, and even the knowledge of all modes. Knowing such things, one obtains right views; therefore, seeing merit, joy arises. Furthermore, I ought to bestow good upon sentient beings, and they cultivate merit on their own; therefore I rejoice. Furthermore, sentient beings have goodness similar to mine and are my companions; therefore I rejoice. Furthermore, a bodhisattva mahāsattva generates joy toward all those in the ten directions and three periods of time—Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and the two vehicles—who cultivate merit; hence it is named rejoicing. If one lacks meritorious virtue, one is no different from beasts, merely sharing in eating, drinking, sexual desire, and strife. A person who cultivates merit is revered by sentient beings, just as the cool full moon in a time of heat; therefore one rejoices. Fascicle 32 of the Dazhidulun says: 'Like buying and selling incense,' etc. / Question: Why is the mind of rejoicing superior to that of the two vehicles? / Answer: Because one dedicates the good of rejoicing to sentient beings. / 'Contemplating sentient beings \[...\] right, conditional, and complete,' etc., is like the chapter on Sadāparibhūta in the Lotus Sūtra. Bodhisattva Sadāparibhūta saw that all sentient beings are replete with the three causes and will all become Buddhas; therefore he dared not slight them. This is merely revering their right cause. Within the right cause, the three causes are complete; how much more so when from beginningless time having once heard a single phrase is the seed of the complete cause, and snapping the fingers or joining the palms is the seed of the conditional cause. Therefore, whenever this bodhisattva saw sentient beings, he always conferred prophecies upon them, even practicing the conduct of not slighting with his body, and so on. / As for 'poisoned drum': fascicle 9 of the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra says: 'Suppose a person takes fresh poison to smear upon a great drum, and strikes it in a great assembly so that it sounds. Even without the wish to hear it, if there are any who hear it, whether near or far, all die—except for only one person who does not die an untimely death, namely the icchantika.' Hearing it and immediately being able to shatter the affliction of ignorance is called dying near. Hearing it without immediate benefit, making it a cause for future lives, is called dying far. The various teachings, the various flavors, and the elapsed periods of time are used to discuss nearness and farness. The Four Stations of Mindfulness says: 'If there are those who hear it, near or far they do not die—that is, merely shattering \[delusions of\] view, thought, and dust-and-sand.' / 'The Lotus rejoices in the Dharma,' etc.: in the chapter on rejoicing, one rises from the Dharma-seat, goes elsewhere to preach to others, and others having heard it in turn rejoice and transmit the teaching, so proceeding successively up to the fiftieth person; evaluating the hearing of the Dharma and generating rejoicing—hence it is called rejoicing in the Dharma. / 'The Dapin rejoices in the person': the sūtra says: 'If a śrāvaka is able to arouse the aspiration \[for awakening\], I also rejoice.' The śrāvaka is a person; rejoicing in that person is called rejoicing in the person. A person must have the Dharma, and the Dharma must rely on the person; hence they are mentioned interchangeably. / Dedication means sharing the merit of rejoicing with sentient beings and directing it toward bodhi. Bodhi is as in the text. / 'Bestowing upon sentient beings': however, the merit of cultivating the cause cannot be shared; when the fruit is attained, one then bestows this merit upon sentient beings. Therefore the bodhisattva obtains the four worldly requisites to benefit sentient beings. Further, by merit one purifies one's own body and speech; people see them with joy and believe and accept what is preached. Now obtaining the ten goods and up to the knowledge of all modes, and even relics being able to lead all sentient beings to attain the Path—therefore the retribution of the fruit is shared with sentient beings. Here the fruit is spoken of within the cause, hence it is said to be shared. If one were to say that the causal merit is shared with others, all roots of goodness cultivated from the initial arousing of the aspiration would be given to sentient beings, so what would serve as the cause for attaining the Path later on? Since the substance of wholesome dharmas cannot be given to others, now one directly bestows fearlessness and harmlessness upon sentient beings, reaching bodhi by means of non-attainment. Hence Vimalakīrti says: 'The mind of dedication is the bodhisattva's pure land; dedication brings great benefit,' and so on. Therefore in the Lotus Sūtra, when the Brahmā gods bestow palaces, they all make the vow, saying: 'May this merit,' and so on. / 'Like turning a sound into a horn,' etc.: fascicle 32 of the Dazhidulun says: 'Dedication is like presenting a small object to a king, or like turning a sound into a horn.' / Question: Bodhisattvas' merit surpasses that of the two vehicles—what is extraordinary about it? / Answer: Here we do not compare by merit, but merely compare by the mind of rejoicing and dedication. It is like a master craftsman directing: he receives double the price. The one wielding the axe exerts double the labor, but his value is not worth mentioning. The śrāvaka's personal practice is like the one wielding the axe; the bodhisattva's teaching others and practicing dedication is like the master craftsman. / The Dazhidulun asks: 'Why are the two vehicles called self-taming, self-purifying, and self-crossing, but not dedicating? Answer: Precepts are self-taming, dhyāna is self-purifying, and wisdom is self-crossing; the two vehicles exclusively cultivate these three for themselves.' / 'Not grasping,' etc., explains the four \[statements\] above on severing the three realms, etc.—that is, not grasping suffering, not contemplating the origin, not seeing cessation, and not obtaining the path. Among these four, not discriminating worldly and world-transcending causes, fruits, and marks is called non-discrimination; such is called right dedication. The true mark has nothing to be grasped, and likewise has no discrimination. / 'The one who dedicates \[...\] false thoughts and so forth do not arise': the Dazhidulun says: 'The bodhisattva's mind is empty of dāna-pāramitā up to the knowledge of all modes; all are empty, single in mark and without mark, as the Buddha preached.' Dedicating in this way is like an arrow shot at someone, never failing to hit, because of seeing the unconditioned/markless and neither seeing nor obtaining all dharmas. 'The one who' \[can dedicate\] means the mind of dedication; 'that which' \[is dedicated to\] means sentient beings and the Buddha-fruit. Investigating with a single mind, such subject, object, and all dharmas are all unobtainable. When subject and object are both extinguished, all such dharmas dedicated return to the real without exception, hence they are unobtainable. / 'Without past, present, or future,' etc.: investigating through the three periods of time, this subject and object arise and cease without abiding. Further, arousing the aspiration is the past, dedication is the present, and the destination of dedication is the future. Further, within what is dedicated, the ultimate fruit is the future, and sentient beings are the present. Further, sentient beings also have future and present: these sentient beings are called the present, and the shared merit to be attained is called the future. Thus the three periods of time are ultimately unobtainable. / 'As known by the Buddhas of the three periods of time,' etc.: only the single true mark is what the Buddha knows, sees, and permits. Therein, what can know is the knowledge of all modes, what can see is the Buddha-eye, and what can permit is the original vast vows and all practices. / 'This is called true,' etc.: only when conforming to what the Buddha knows is it called true. It is not dedicated to provisional fruits; provisional fruits are false and deceptive, which specifically refutes the fruits anticipated by the Tripiṭaka and shared teachings. As for 'supreme': this does not mean the top of high, middle, and low; it directly refers to the perfect teaching as supreme. Because it is supreme, it is complete; this refutes the distinctive teaching. / 'Then one does not slander the Buddha,' etc.: hypothesizing the Buddha-fruit as existent, or even as neither existent nor non-existent, is in all cases slandering the Buddha. Why? The Buddha-fruit is neither existent nor even neither existent nor non-existent. Because it is not suffering, it has no faults; because it is not the origin, it has no attachments; because it has the path, it has no poison; because it has cessation, it has no failure. This deduces dedication based on the uncreated four noble truths. Speaking of having no suffering or origin and only having path and cessation is spoken provisionally in terms of phenomena; in principle, suffering and origin are originally path and cessation. / 'How only,' etc.: the former three refer to confession, entreaty, and rejoicing; the latter one refers to making vows. Both before and after follow the intention of the present dedication. Relying on the uncreated truths without viewing the truths is called the true fivefold repentance, which can initiate the true stages; hence the Vibhāṣā is cited to verify the perfect intention. Thus we know that the fivefold repentance all relies on the uncreated, only then causing confession to see that the nature of sin is originally empty, entreaty to know that the Dharma-body is eternally abiding, rejoicing to comprehend that merit is equal to suchness, and making vows to realize the equality of subject and object. / Next, explaining the making of vows: first, explaining the terms, 'like promising people goods,' etc.: a juan is a contract, and also a pact. The Shuowen says: 'A contract document was split at the edge with a knife, hence called a pact (qi); thus the character derives from knife.' 'To master' (yu) means to attend, and to govern. All dharmas are attended by vows, with vows as their master. / 'Also named \[...\] holding things': within the four vast vows, sentient beings and afflictions are evil, and Dharma gates and the Buddha-way are good. Warding off evil is warding and holding; holding goodness is dhāraṇī (total retention). Practices are like unbaked clay, and vows are like fire. Unbaked clay refers to pottery not yet fired. Being capable of benefiting others is called holding things. / 'The four vast vows are general vows,' etc.: all vows are completely subsumed by the four vast vows, hence they are called general. / Regarding 'Dharmākara,' etc.: both the Guan jing and the Karuṇāpuṇḍarīka state: 'Amida's causal name was Dharmākara; before Lokeśvararāja Tathāgata, hearing of 210 billion Buddha-lands, he made vows.' Further, the Guan jing says: 'Bhikṣu Dharmākara, wishing to embrace all Buddha-lands, made forty-eight vows. Having made these vows, the earth quaked in six ways, and he was prophesied by the Buddha.' The Da Amituo jing says: 'When he was a bodhisattva, he made twenty-four vows, saying: "If I do not obtain these vows, I will never become a Buddha."' The numbers of vows differ because the lineages are different and their views distinct; there is no need to harmonize them. In the Karuṇāpuṇḍarīka there are no specific vows, merely saying that for the sake of taking a Buddha-land he made the four vast vows. Thus we know that whenever any bodhisattva sees a Buddha, they invariably make both general vows and specific vows. Hence fascicle 8 of the Dazhidulun asks: 'When a bodhisattva cultivates practices, he naturally obtains a pure retribution; why is it necessary to make vows? Answer: If merit lacks vows, it is like an ox without a driver: it reaches nowhere. As the Buddha preached, a person ignorant of the Dharma hears of celestial pleasures and immediately becomes attached. Question: If one has no vows, does one not obtain retribution? Answer: Although one obtains it, it is not as good as having vows. With vows, even with little merit one attains a great fruit.' / As for 'Huayan': the fourteenth fascicle of the new translation sets forth specific vows regarding diverse matters. Further, as in the Brahmā Net, ten great vows and thirteen vows are made, and so on. The text of vows in the 'Noble Practices' of the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra is largely the same. Further, the fourteenth fascicle, 'Brahmā Practices,' says: 'When bestowing food, cause all sentient beings to obtain the food of great wisdom, the food of Dharma-joy, and the food of prajñā. When bestowing drink, cause all sentient beings to head for the river of nirvāṇa, drink the water of eight flavors, and obtain the taste of ambrosia.' Following this pattern, as well as the Huayan and so on, making vows according to the situation and according to one's intellectual capacity—why must it be strictly as written? If there is an established text, one fortunately relies on what the Buddha preached. Such passages are all specific vows. Now within the fivefold repentance, the meaning combines both general and specific; thus we know that the fivefold repentance is not suitable for minor practitioners. / As in the Maitreyaparipṛcchā: 'The Buddha told Ānanda: "In the past Maitreya did not cultivate ascetic practices, but merely cultivated the peaceful path of skillful means, accumulating supreme, right and complete awakening." Ānanda said: "What is called skillful means?" The Buddha said: "When Maitreya formerly practiced the bodhisattva path, he merely diligently cultivated the fivefold repentance six times day and night, and attained bodhi."' The repentance text in that sūtra has twenty-three lines, without separately listing the formulas for the fivefold repentance, merely entreating the Buddhas repeatedly and speaking confession repeatedly, and the remaining three are also like this. As it says: 'Whatever sins there are, I confess them all; whatever merits there are, I rejoice in them all; I now entreat all Buddhas, wishing to accomplish unsurpassed wisdom.' Following this model, they need not necessarily be recited separately; but practitioners whose intellectual power is weak find it difficult to maintain focused mindfulness, and so must follow a single standard. Although the fourfold repentance of the Vibhāṣā is the standard monastic ritual, one must also be skilled in its intention to mobilize contemplation. This is fully explained in Nanshan's commentary on the correct ritual practices. / From 'Causing in the place of practice,' etc., summarizes the intention of repentance: all are for shattering sins. Formerly one committed great evils, with all three karmas being heavy; therefore now when confessing, one employs all three karmas, arousing great vigor, only then shattering great evils. / 'Entreaty shatters the sin of slandering the Dharma': one should also first say that confession shatters the transgressions of prohibition and nature regarding the three karmas; the text is elliptical, but the meaning is complete. In the subsequent text, formerly hearing the teachings one gave rise to slander; now entreating the Buddha to preach so that all may hear, one can thereby overturn the sin of slandering the Dharma. / 'Rejoicing shatters the sin of jealousy': formerly facing objects one generated jealousy; now rejoicing in everything, one thereby overturns and shatters the former mind of jealousy. / 'Dedication shatters the sin of \[seeking\] worldly existences': formerly the merit one performed merely conformed to birth-and-death, serving as the cause for various existences, unable to exempt oneself—how could it enable others to be freed from the causes of existence? Now endowed with the two dedications, exempting oneself and exempting others, dedication therefore accords with the gate of nirvāṇa; hence it is said to 'accord with emptiness and marklessness,' etc. One should also further state: making vows shatters the sin of mistaken vows, which guides the preceding four to reach their destination. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 7.51](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1912.7.51) - [Next: 7.53](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1912.7.53) - [Up: 7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1912.7) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1912~en-mt.7.52) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1912.7.52](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1912.7.52) · Pramāṇa