止觀輔行傳弘決 4.12

4.12

From "Furthermore" below, the indeterminate nature of upholding and violating combines the preceding two approaches. In the preceding two approaches, upholding meant fully upholding the ten precepts, and violating meant fully violating the ten precepts; hence they were called "absolute." In the present combined evaluation, the first four of the ten belong to precepts, while the latter six belong to the vehicle. Precepts and vehicle are distinguished in four alternatives through their mutual interplay. The two "both" alternatives belong to the preceding two approaches, while the two intersecting alternatives pertain to the intention here; therefore, it is called indeterminate. Thus, as for these four alternatives, the text has four while the meaning has two, the intention being that both should be upheld. Revealing what is right by means of what is not, it is therefore re-examined. That "the meaning has two" refers to the vehicle and the precepts. From "If considered comprehensively" below, wishing to clarify the four alternatives, the comprehensive and specific are first determined. If one says that the ten dharmas are comprehensively named "precepts," it is as stated previously, meaning that the path, concentration, and so forth are also named precepts. It is also permissible for the ten dharmas to be comprehensively named "vehicle," for all can set in motion and emerge [from saṃsāra], meaning that the first four precepts enable one to emerge from the three paths [of rebirth]. If one wishes to divide them into four alternatives, one should follow their specific meanings; thus the first four are precepts and the latter six are the vehicle, each divided into three grades to correspond to laxity and urgency. Moreover, one may also correlate precepts and merit to form four alternatives: having no precepts but having merit is like the king's elephant; having precepts but lacking merit is like a monk who cannot obtain alms; being complete in both precepts and merit is like a monk who receives offerings; and lacking both merit and precepts is like a hungry dog or a hungry ghost. Furthermore, the presence and absence of merit and wisdom should mutually form four alternatives: this alternative should be equipped with the two adornments of merit and wisdom, being urgent in both vehicle and precepts. "Flawless in phenomena and principle": phenomena are the first four, and principle is the latter six. A practitioner of the perfect [teaching] has the principle of transcending and ascending directly to the ten stages in a single lifetime; therefore it is said that it can be attained in a single lifetime. Nanyue said: "Aiming to enter the bronze wheel [stage] in a single lifetime, one merely purifies the six senses." He also said: "If one can practice the four peaceful and joyful practices, one will enter [the purification of] the six senses in a single lifetime; for the extremely slow, it takes no more than three lifetimes. But if done for fame and profit, one will not attain it for countless kalpas." The sharp-rooted and dull-rooted of the Avataṃsaka are simply practitioners of the distinctive and perfect teachings. The number of grades therein can be seen according to the previous evaluation. The next alternative is: those in which they are equally not both urgent. As the text of the Great Sūtra says: "It is better to hear the Dharma while in a body in the evil destinies than to fail to hear the Dharma in a body among humans or devas. If one hears the Dharma, there is an end to birth and death; among humans and devas, one may regress and fall into the three evil paths." The text speaks from the most severe, hence it says "all are devoured by them." If all five categories are broken and body and speech are both deficient, yet past seeds still remain and one can focus on the precepts of principle, because the faculties are sharp one may eventually attain the path; therefore, this is superior to being lax in the vehicle and urgent in the precepts. In the third alternative, the phrase "Zhendan" is spoken with respect to the Buddha's presence in the world. If the teaching spreads to this land, then one knows [of him] without seeing [him]. The two characters "Zhendan" are both suspected to be a scribal error. What is cited below in the tenth fascicle reads "Zhidan." Master Lin explained: "The east belongs to the zhen [trigram], which is the direction of the sunrise; hence it is called Zhidan." The New Vibhāṣā says "Zhina" and the Record of the Western Regions says "Zhina"; because these sounds are all close to Zhidan and Zhendan, we know they all belong to Sanskrit transliteration. As for "three hundred million" and so forth, fascicle eleven of the Great Treatise says: "Śrāvastī had nine hundred million households: three hundred million saw the Buddha with their eyes, three hundred million heard of him with their ears but did not see him, and three hundred million neither heard nor saw him." The Buddha was in Śrāvastī for twenty-five years, yet these people neither heard nor saw him—how much more so for the devas attached to pleasure? "And birth in difficult circumstances" refers to the Northern Continent and the three evil destinies, plus the heaven of long life, worldly argumentative intellect, before and after the Buddha, and deficiency of the sensory faculties: these are the eight difficulties. From "For example" below, a simile is adduced to resolve a latent doubt. The doubt asks: Since one does not encounter the Buddha, why is this precept needed? Therefore the simile explains, "hoping to meet with a pardon." A pardon means encountering the Buddha and hearing the Dharma. In the past, one did not cultivate the vehicle and lacked the conditions to hear the Dharma, being imprisoned in the triple world like a captive in jail. Precepts and goodness are like wealth, the path of karma is like great strength, obtaining a human or deva body is like life not yet ending, and happening upon the Buddha-Dharma is like receiving a pardon. Fearing that even among humans and devas one would still not accept conversion, it therefore further rebukes: If one does not cultivate the vehicle, one will never encounter the Buddha; when the merits of humans and devas are exhausted, one will fall back into the three paths. Thus we know that cultivating the vehicle must not be neglected. From "The practitioner" below, the statement in the examination, "this is the provisional coming to guide the real," means that since one who is lax in precepts and urgent in the vehicle falls into the three paths, a dharma-body bodhisattva of the same kind will definitely guide them, and will even plant seeds and entice those who are lax in both vehicle and precepts. From "If in detail" below, the causes and results are determined according to the teachings. As for distinguishing the causes according to the four teachings, the differing insights of contemplation cultivated formerly in the four teachings serve as the seeds of the vehicle, and the differing attainments of the path now experienced through the five flavors clarify their results.