止觀輔行傳弘決 10.7

10.7

Next, listing the seven masters: the original ancestors were Kapila and the others, whose branch traditions diverged into the six teachers. Now, Kumārajīva's explanation is listed first, followed by the distinction of differences in the *Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra*. First, regarding 'Pūraṇa': Kumārajīva says, 'Kāśyapa is his mother's clan name. Pūraṇa is his personal name. He posits that all dharmas are like empty space, neither arising nor ceasing.' Sengzhao says, 'This person posits that all dharmas are annihilated like space, and that there are no ways of loyalty and filial piety between ruler and minister or father and son.' Regarding 'Maskarin': Kumārajīva says, 'Maskarin is his personal name. Gośālī is his mother. He posits that the sins and merits of sentient beings have no causes and conditions.' Sengzhao says, 'He posits that the suffering and pleasure of sentient beings are cut off without cause, and are naturally so.' Regarding 'Sañjayin': Kumārajīva says, 'Sañjayin is his personal name. Vairaṭī is his mother. He posits that one must pass through birth-and-death and traverse kalpas, after which the limit of suffering will naturally exhaust itself on its own.' Sengzhao says, 'He posits that his path need not be sought; like a ball of thread rolling down a high mountain, when the thread is exhausted, it stops. What need is there to seek it?' Regarding 'Ajita Ke[sakambalin]' and so forth: Kumārajīva says, 'Ajita Kesakambalin is his personal name. Kambala means coarse garment. Positing a non-cause as a cause, wearing coarse garments, plucking out hair, smoking the nostrils, and so forth, he takes various ascetic practices to be the path.' Sengzhao says, 'Asceticism in the present life leads to eternal bliss in future lives.' Regarding 'Kakuda [Kātyāyana]' and so forth: Kumārajīva says, 'This is the name of a non-Buddhist. This person raises views according with the object. If someone asks him "Is there?", he replies "There is." It is the same with "Is there not?" and so forth.' Sengzhao says, 'Kātyāyana is the clan name. The rest is his personal name. He posits that all dharmas both exist and do not exist.' Regarding 'Nirgrantha' and so forth: Jñāti is his mother. He posits that sin, merit, suffering, and pleasure are entirely caused by previous lives and must inevitably be repaid. Even if one practices the path now, they cannot be cut off. These six masters were all naked and proclaimed themselves to be omniscient people. Furthermore, these four doctrines and six doctrines do not go beyond the sixty-two views, such as views concerning the past and views concerning the future, as fully explained in the fifth fascicle. They can be understood by comparing them with it. Sengzhao says, 'Nirgrantha is the general name for renunciant non-Buddhists, like the name śramaṇa in the Buddha's teaching.' Before the Buddha appeared, these six masters all reigned as kings of doctrines in India. By the time the Buddha appeared in the world, their schools were already flourishing; hence it says 'until the Buddha appeared in the world.'