止觀輔行傳弘決 8.19

8.19

○次釋病患境者，先總明來意中，初文略明權實二病。初明實病中，云「四蛇」者，以譬四大。於中復以鴟梟性升以譬火風，蟒鼠居穴以譬地水。此並《金光明》文。「梟」者，食父母不孝鳥也。「蟒」者，大蛇也。「毒器、重擔、苦藪」，此三並譬陰苦。藪者，大澤也。此中無人唯聚水草，故可以譬苦無主宰眾法聚集。若一大違反，能造諸惡，故《大經》二十一云「四蛇害人不墮諸惡，四大害人定墮三惡。」四大相違故造諸惡，名為害人。毒器重擔，思之可知。「四國為隣」等者，隣者近接也。四大和合即隣近義，此亦《金光明》文也。「虛」者，弱也。「乘」者，接也、便也。「休」者，美也。「否」者，衰也。故〈空品〉云「業力機關假偽空聚，地水火風共相殘害，猶如四蛇同共一篋。四大蚖蛇其性各異，二上二下諸方亦然，心識二性躁動不安。」「諸佛問訊」等者，問者，命也，此以上問下。故鄭玄云：「小聘曰問。」又以下啟上為問。今文意者，同輩相問。《漢書》云「令問休預。」「訊」者，亦問也。亦廣辭也，廣以己意宣其問辭。如《法華》中分身佛集，皆遣侍者問訊釋迦少病少惱等。《大論》廣解佛問訊辭云「佛示同人，故但云少。」「病有二義」下，次分權實。「若偃臥」下，初明權疾，即如淨名託疾方丈，國王長者大臣人民皆往問疾，因以身疾廣為說法，即凡俗眾也。言「斥小」者，如〈弟子品〉。言「呵大」者，如〈菩薩品〉。又因文殊傳如來旨問果疾竟，即自問云：「居士！是疾何所因起？其生久如？當云何滅？」問因疾也。淨名因為廣說因疾，因茲以明三觀調伏、四教慰喻，廣說因疾及以果疾。他云淨名彈呵聲聞，是故經初不歡聲聞。若爾，下文亦呵菩薩，何以經初亦歎菩薩？有歎無歎，自是經家或存或略，此乃不關呵與不呵。又古人云：《淨名經》意折挫聲聞、褒揚菩薩，失意同前。今家但云折小彈偏、歎大褒圓，同用八字，得失天隔。故今略云斥小呵大。三觀折伏等，已如前說。「寄滅譚常」者，《大經》文中寄應迹滅度譚法身圓常，故於序中因純陀請住與文殊往復已開常宗，至第五卷云「我為聲聞諸弟子等說毘伽羅論，謂如來常存無有變易。若有說言如來無常，云何是人舌不墮落？」文中處處研覈問答，顯於佛性常恒不變。若不因於唱滅請住，無由譚於斯身不滅。「因病說力」者，〈現病品〉中迦葉問佛：「如來往昔已於無量萬億劫中修菩薩行，常行愛語，利益眾生不令苦惱，施諸病者種種醫藥，何緣於今自言有病？世尊！世人有病，或坐或臥不安其處，或索飲食、教誡家屬修治產業。何故如來默然而臥，不教弟子聲聞人等？何緣不說尸羅諸禪及解脫等？何緣不說大乘經典？何故不以無量方便教大迦葉人中象王令其不退菩提之心？又不治於諸惡比丘？云何默然右脇而臥？」如經廣說（云云）。又云「如來四大無不和適，身力具足。」迦葉又以三牛、十四象、力士鉢健提、八臂那羅延，後後十十增較十住一節，是故菩薩力為最大。況如來成道，初坐道場逮得十力，今者不應如彼嬰兒。如來因即放大光明種種神變已，語迦葉言：「我於往昔無量無邊億那由他百千萬劫，已除病根永離倚臥。是諸眾生不知大乘方等密語，便謂如來實有病惱。」如是說者，並因現病迦葉請問。又因疾者，三惑也。果疾者，二死也。實疾者，眾生實惑及斷未盡者。權疾者，諸大菩薩隨斷何惑，則能示現權同實疾。如是權實並非今所觀。從「今所觀」下，判也。今所觀境是凡夫四大實疾，仍因觀陰及煩惱等。四大增損，即前所引《金光明經》所明病相為今境也。「上智利根」等者，正明來意，先法、次喻。初法中云上智等者，上智之人解前陰入境中安忍，不隨彊軟。已入十信，不須至此。故前文云「若安忍者不須餘九」，謂安於內外煩惱病患，是則病患前已安竟。「如躄樹」等者，躄者，倒也。斵者，如第三卷釋。鈍根病重，故須重重辯於觀行，如大樹巨石非一下一斧可穿可斷。故重於此更辯十乘，如億下萬斧。「夫長病」等者，通舉經中病能為障。今此文意未必須長，但能障禪即須觀察。故《阿含》中四法能退阿羅漢果，謂長病、遠行、諫諍、營事。今非全爾。下結云「四悉」者，初文即世界。從「經云」下，證為人。既明三學，即生善意。戒定如文。從「起邪倒」下，即是失慧。以失顯得，得即生善，戒定亦然。從「復次」下，即對治意。從「又」下，即第一義意。

Next, in explaining the object of illness, first, in generally clarifying the reason for its introduction, the opening text briefly clarifies the two kinds of illness: provisional and real. In first explaining real illness, "four snakes" is used as a metaphor for the four great elements. Within this, the soaring nature of the horned owl and screech owl is further used as a metaphor for fire and wind, while the dwelling in burrows of the python and rat is used as a metaphor for earth and water. These are both from the text of the Suvarṇaprabhāsa. "Horned owl" (xiao) refers to the unfilial bird that eats its parents. "Python" (mang) refers to a large snake. "Vessel of poison, heavy burden, and marsh of suffering": these three are all metaphors for the suffering of the aggregates. "Marsh" (sou) refers to a great swamp. In it there are no people, only an accumulation of water and weeds; hence it can serve as a metaphor for suffering being devoid of a master, where myriad dharmas gather together. If a single great element becomes disordered, it can produce all kinds of evil. Therefore, the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra, fascicle twenty-one, states: "Four snakes harming a person do not cause them to fall into the evil destinies; the four great elements harming a person definitely cause them to fall into the three evil destinies." Because the mutual discord of the four great elements produces all kinds of evil, it is called "harming a person." The "vessel of poison" and "heavy burden" can be understood upon reflection. In "four nations acting as neighbors," and so forth: "neighbors" means bordering in close proximity. The harmonizing of the four great elements has the meaning of being neighbors; this is also from the text of the Suvarṇaprabhāsa. "Feeble" (xu) means weak. "Seize upon" (cheng) means to take advantage of or find an opening. "Good fortune" (xiu) means excellence. "Misfortune" (pi) means decline. Therefore, the "Chapter on Emptiness" states: "The mechanical contraption of karmic forces is a false, deceptive, empty heap; earth, water, fire, and wind mutually injure one another, just like four snakes sharing the same basket. The four great vipers each have distinct natures: two ascend and two descend, and likewise for the various directions; the two natures of mind and consciousness are restless and unstable." In "the Buddhas inquiring after health," and so forth: to "inquire" (wen) means to command; here, it refers to a superior inquiring of an inferior. Hence Zheng Xuan says: "A minor diplomatic mission is called an 'inquiry.'" It also refers to an inferior petitioning a superior as an "inquiry." The meaning of the present text is that of peers inquiring after one another. The Hanshu states: "Fine tidings and good fortune." "To inquire after" (xun) also means to ask. It is also an expansive expression, extensively proclaiming one's words of inquiry with one's own intention. As in the Lotus Sūtra, when the emanated Buddhas gathered, each sent an attendant to inquire after Śākyamuni, whether he had few illnesses and few troubles, and so forth. The Dazhidulun extensively explains the Buddhas' words of inquiry, stating: "The Buddhas manifest identity with human beings; hence they merely say 'few.'" Under "illness has two meanings," next, provisional and real are distinguished. Under "if lying down," first provisional illness is explained, just like Vimalakīrti feigning illness in his ten-foot-square room, where kings, elders, ministers, and the common people all went to inquire after his illness, and seizing upon his bodily illness, he extensively preached the Dharma for them—this refers to the crowd of ordinary worldlings. As for "rebuking the small," it is as in the "Chapter on the Disciples." As for "scolding the great," it is as in the "Chapter on the Bodhisattvas." Moreover, because Mañjuśrī delivered the Tathāgata's intent and finished inquiring after his fruit-illness, he then asked himself: "Layman! From what does this illness arise? How long has it existed? How should it be extinguished?" This was asking about the cause-illness. Vimalakīrti therefore extensively explained the cause-illness for him, and on this basis explained the subduing through the threefold contemplation and the consolation through the four teachings, extensively expounding both cause-illness and fruit-illness. Others say that Vimalakīrti denounced the voice-hearers, and therefore at the beginning of the sūtra he took no delight in the voice-hearers. If that were so, since the text below also scolds the bodhisattvas, why does the beginning of the sūtra also praise the bodhisattvas? Having praise or lacking praise is simply a matter of the sūtra's compiler retaining or abridging; this has nothing to do with scolding or not scolding. Furthermore, ancient figures said: "The intent of the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa is to crush the voice-hearers and extol the bodhisattvas"—their failure of understanding is identical to the former. Our school merely says: "Crushing the small and denouncing the biased; praising the great and extolling the perfect." Using the same eight characters, the success and failure are as far apart as heaven and earth. Therefore, here it is briefly said to "rebuke the small and scold the great." The subjugation by the threefold contemplation and so forth have already been explained above. In "relying on extinction to discuss eternity," the text of the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra relies on the extinction of the trace of the response-body to discuss the perfect eternity of the Dharma-body. Thus, in the introductory chapter, through Cunda's request for the Buddha to abide and the exchange with Mañjuśrī, the doctrine of eternity has already been opened. Reaching the fifth fascicle, it states: "For the voice-hearers and other disciples I preach the vyākaraṇa, stating that the Tathāgata is eternally abiding and without change. If anyone says the Tathāgata is impermanent, why does that person's tongue not fall out?" Throughout the text, questions and answers are closely scrutinized in every place, revealing that the Buddha-nature is eternal and unchanging. Were it not for relying on proclaiming extinction and requesting abiding, there would have been no occasion to discuss the non-extinction of this body. In "expounding strength by relying on illness," in the "Chapter on Manifesting Illness," Kāśyapa asked the Buddha: "In the past, the Tathāgata already cultivated bodhisattva practices for immeasurable tens of thousands of millions of kalpas, constantly practicing kind words, benefiting sentient beings without causing them affliction, and bestowing all kinds of medicine on those who were ill. For what reason do you now say of yourself that you have an illness? World-Honoured One! When worldly people are ill, they either sit or lie down, uneasy in their place, or they ask for food and drink, or admonish their family members to manage their livelihood and estates. Why does the Tathāgata lie down silently, not instructing his disciples, the voice-hearers and others? For what reason do you not preach śīla, the various dhyānas, liberation, and so forth? For what reason do you not preach the Mahāyāna scriptures? Why do you not, through immeasurable expedient means, instruct the great Kāśyapa, that elephant king among men, so that he does not regress from the mind of bodhi? Nor do you discipline the wicked monks? Why do you lie silently on your right side?"—as the sūtra extensively states (and so forth). It also says: "The Tathāgata's four great elements are completely harmonious and his bodily strength is perfect." Kāśyapa further used three oxen, fourteen elephants, the strongman Upakaṇṭaka, and eight-armed Nārāyaṇa, progressively multiplying by tens to compare them with a single joint of the ten abodes; hence the bodhisattva's strength is greatest. How much more so for the Tathāgata's attainment of enlightenment: when first sitting at the place of awakening he attained the ten powers; now he should not be like that infant. The Tathāgata thereupon emitted a great radiance and [manifested] various spiritual transformations, after which he said to Kāśyapa: "In the past, immeasurable, boundless hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of nayutas of kalpas ago, I already eradicated the root of illness and forever left behind lying down to rest. These sentient beings do not understand the esoteric words of the Mahāyāna Vaipulya, and so they think that the Tathāgata truly has the affliction of illness." Such expositions all arose because of Kāśyapa's inquiry occasioned by the manifestation of illness. Furthermore, the cause-illness refers to the three delusions. The fruit-illness refers to the two kinds of death. The real illness refers to sentient beings' real delusions and those who have not completely severed them. The provisional illness refers to the great bodhisattvas: according to whichever delusion they have severed, they are able to manifest provisional identity with real illness. Such provisional and real [illnesses] are both not what is contemplated here. From "what is contemplated now" downward, this is a determination. The object contemplated now is the real illness of the four great elements of ordinary worldlings, which moreover arises due to contemplating the aggregates, afflictions, and so forth. The increase or decrease of the four great elements—namely, the marks of illness clarified in the previously cited Suvarṇaprabhāsa-sūtra—constitutes the present object. In "those of superior wisdom and sharp faculties," and so forth, this directly clarifies the reason for its introduction: first by dharma, next by metaphor. In the first, the dharma, "those of superior wisdom" and so forth means that a person of superior wisdom understands and patiently endures within the previous object of the aggregates and sense-entrances, not following strong or soft [influences]. Having already entered the ten faiths, they do not need to reach this point. Therefore the earlier text states, "If one patiently endures, one does not need the remaining nine," meaning that one is settled in the face of internal and external afflictions and illnesses; thus illness has already been settled previously. In "like felling a tree," and so forth: "felling" (bi) means toppling. "Chopping" (zhuo) is as explained in the third fascicle. Because those of dull faculties have severe illnesses, one must repeatedly delineate the practice of contemplation, just as a great tree or a gigantic rock cannot be pierced or cut down with a single strike or a single axe. Therefore, one repeatedly delineates here the ten vehicles [of contemplation], like a hundred million strikes and ten thousand axes. In "as for prolonged illness," and so forth, it generally adduces that illness in the sūtras can act as an obstacle. The meaning of the text here is that it does not necessarily have to be prolonged; as long as it can obstruct dhyāna, it must be observed. Hence, in the Āgamas, four dharmas can cause regression from the fruit of arhatship: prolonged illness, traveling afar, admonition and disputation, and managing practical affairs. The present case is not entirely like that. Below, in concluding with "the four siddhāntas": the initial text is the mundane [siddhānta]. From "the sūtra says" downward, it proves the individual [siddhānta]. Since the three trainings have been clarified, this is the intent of generating goodness. Precepts and concentration are as in the text. From "giving rise to perverse inversions" downward, this is the loss of wisdom. By means of loss, gain is revealed; gain is precisely generating goodness, and the same holds for precepts and concentration. From "furthermore" downward is the intent of the therapeutic [siddhānta]. From "moreover" downward is the intent of the supreme meaning [siddhānta].