止觀輔行傳弘決 4.3

4.3

Next, in explaining according to the headings, first the five conditions are explained. For both the Great and Small Vehicles, the precepts are the foundation, which is why they are explained first. Although inner restraint may be strict, it necessarily relies on clothing and food; advancing in the cultivation of concentration and wisdom requires relying on quiet solitude; although the place is quiet and solitary, one relies on breaking off external entanglements; and though the four conditions are complete, guidance depends on a teacher—all fully as stated in the Meditation Sūtra. Furthermore, regarding these five conditions: the text is fivefold and the meanings are fivefold, but the intent is only in one. The intent has a proximal and a distal aspect: the proximal refers to guidance, and the distal refers to correct practice. Furthermore, each of the five texts contains two meanings, namely the phenomenal and the noumenal. Again, regarding these four chapters: the text is fourfold and the meanings are twofold, but the intent is only in one. The twofold meaning refers to original pure dedication and purification through repentance; both phenomenal and noumenal precepts possess these two. The noumenal purity of the three virtues is called original purity; contemplating phenomena as identical to the noumenon is what is called purification through repentance. Regarding the listing of the names of the precepts: they are fully given in the Dapin under 'mindfulness of precepts', and in fascicle twenty-one of the Dazhidulun, which is identical to the Xianhu jing; in the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra the number is the same, with different names but identical meaning; the 'Ten Inexhaustible Treasuries' chapter of the Avataṃsaka Sūtra also lists ten precepts, but compared to this it is still incomplete. That text states: 1. the precept of benefiting sentient beings; 2. the precept of not receiving non-Buddhist precepts, receiving only the pure precepts of the Buddhas of the three periods; 3. the precept of non-attachment, because of not dedicating them to the three realms of existence; 4. the precept of abiding peacefully, because of not violating any precept; 5. the precept of non-contention, neither rejecting former regulations nor creating new ones, and not afflicting sentient beings on account of this precept; 6. the precept of non-harm, because of not afflicting sentient beings through incantations; 7. the precept of non-mixture, because of being free from the sixty-two views and contemplating only conditioned origination; 8. the precept of abandoning deviance, not putting on an appearance of keeping precepts to make others know it, manifesting signs of virtue when devoid of real virtue within; 9. the precept of non-malice, because of not slighting those who break precepts when seeing them; 10. the precept of purity, relinquishing the ten unwholesome actions and maintaining the ten wholesome actions. Among these ten kinds: the second, fourth, sixth, eighth, and tenth belong to the disciplinary vows; the third and seventh belong to non-attachment in accord with the path; the fifth and ninth belong to the basis for venturing into the provisional. The first precisely corresponds to benefiting others: since the bodhisattva originally takes beneficial activity as fundamental, therefore among these ten, benefiting sentient beings comes first. That sūtra possesses the phenomenal as well as emptiness and the provisional, yet still lacks sovereignty, and entering the middle is completely absent. When various sūtras list precepts, the treatise's ten encompass them completely; the treatise's meanings such as 'non-broken' also embrace both intrinsic and prohibited [precepts]. First, the treatise is cited to explain the intrinsic precepts, and on this basis the adventitious and original three trainings are distinguished. First, the existence or non-existence of the original three trainings is explained. What is termed 'intrinsic' is the original precepts. Not awaiting the Buddha's prohibition, their nature is intrinsically wholesome or unwholesome, and hence they are called 'intrinsic'. Together with original concentration and wisdom, they are called the original three trainings, because the original precepts serve generally as the root of the ten precepts. The ten precepts of the treatise are the adventitious three trainings. How so? The first three precepts are adventitious precepts, whose meaning embraces the original; the next one is adventitious concentration; the next six are adventitious wisdom. First, two passages from the treatise are cited, which whether eight or ten are all intrinsic precepts. What is termed 'eight' means that alcohol guards the mental ground, which is identical to the last three karmas of the mind among the ten, differing in number but identical in meaning. From 'When the Buddha does not appear' downward, the original concentration is explained. Regarding 'eight dhyānas': specifically speaking, they are the four dhyānas and four formless absorptions. If speaking generally, they are called either eight dhyānas or eight concentrations. Concentration is contrasted with the distraction of desire; dhyāna is also called stillness, so the holy teachings use them non-definitely as appropriate. Regarding 'the former physician' and so forth: in the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra the former physician is an outsider, and the milk medicine is the deviant [view of] permanence and the like. From 'Conventional interpretations' downward, the explanations of earlier masters are refuted. Earlier masters posited only adventitious precepts and adventitious wisdom, not positing adventitious concentration, and thus used precepts and wisdom to challenge concentration. From 'Now we use' downward, the adventitious three trainings are explained. First, in explaining the adventitious precepts, they are first listed, and next their differing arisings are explained. In the initial listing, 'three refuges' means taking the Three Jewels of the Tripiṭaka as the three refuges. Thus the Kośa states: 'People pressed by fear / Mostly take refuge in mountains, / Parks, groves, / Solitary trees, caityas, and the like. / This refuge is not supreme, / This refuge is not noble; / Not through this refuge / Can one be liberated from all suffering. / Whoever takes refuge in the Buddha, / And takes refuge in the Dharma and the Saṅgha, / Within the four noble truths, / Can observe with wisdom. / This refuge is supreme, / This refuge is noble; / Definitely through this refuge, / One can be liberated from all suffering.' According to the intent of our school, it is simply cutting off defilements with thirty-four moments of mind that constitutes the Buddha, the four noble truths of arising and ceasing that constitute the Dharma, and those in training and beyond training that constitute the Saṅgha. If following the explanations of the Three Jewels in the Vibhāṣā and the Kośa, the meaning is slightly different. As outlined in the Shiqian and treatises, there is no leisure to discuss it now. Regarding 'five precepts': four are intrinsic and one is prohibited, so the Kośa states: 'Among prohibitions, it is solely abstaining from alcohol, / In order to protect the other disciplinary vows.' When discussing after the prohibition, a single prohibitive fault is added atop each intrinsic [offense]. Regarding 'two hundred and fifty precepts': after the regulatory teaching was fulfilled, they were called two hundred and fifty; discussing them in general from the beginning, they are simply called disciplinary vows, which is why the ten different roots are listed. The Mahāsāṃghika has four ways of receiving: namely, natural, 'come, [bhikṣu]', five-member saṅgha, and ten-member saṅgha. The Mahīśāsaka has five ways of receiving: namely, natural, 'come, [bhikṣu]', three refuges, eight weighty rules, and formal ecclesiastical act (karman). The Dharmaguptaka also has five: namely, coming, supreme [understanding], refuge, respect, and formal ecclesiastical act. There are further treatises such as the Pāsādika and the Mother of Vinaya that explain differences in receiving. The ten ways of receiving in the present text are derived directly from the Daśabhāṇavāra, combined with the views of the Vibhāṣā masters, which accounts for one or two points of divergence. The Daśabhāṇavāra initially mentions 'natural'; here, when it says 'The Buddha called out "Come, bhikṣu!" and he naturally attained the full precepts', it refers to the natural precepts within the person of an arhat. According to the texts of various schools, only in the Dharmaguptaka does 'come, [bhikṣu]' stand first. Moreover, it lacks the word 'natural', which is the passage on the supreme dharma regarding Kāśyapa. Below in this text, 'come, [bhikṣu]' appears independently, so we know that the first text refers to 'natural'. Regarding 'self-vowal': in the Dharmaguptaka it is called instruction, and also called supreme dharma—different names, identical intent. Regarding 'eight weighty rules': in the Daśabhāṇavāra they are called eight weighty dharmas, which are simply the eight weighty rules. Regarding 'fifth in a border region': according to the Dharmaguptaka, it simply refers to regions outside White Wood where it is difficult to find the required number of monks, allowing five people for ordination. Now, based on the chapter on karma in the Kośa quoting the Vibhāṣā masters who establish ten ways of ordination, it says: 'The eighth ordination is the fifth Vinaya master; that is, in a border region where people are few, among the five-person ordination there must be one who upholds the Vinaya to perform the karman, taking the karman master as the fifth.' Regarding 'ten monks in the central region': the Daśabhāṇavāra calls it karman, which also follows this statement. The Kośa simply speaks of a community of ten. Thus we know that the present text is not exclusive to a single school. Having known the similarities and differences, what are their characteristics? As for 'come, [bhikṣu]': the Buddha called out, 'Come, bhikṣu!', and right upon his words, beard and hair naturally fell away, the kāṣāya was on his body, and the alms bowl was in his hand, just like a monk of five years' standing who knows the Dharma. As for 'self-vowal': Kāśyapa said, 'Whoever in the world has become an arhat, in them all do I take refuge.' The commentary cites the Duolun: 'The Buddha is my teacher, I am his disciple. The Sugata is my teacher, I am his disciple. Immediately, both the fruit and the precepts were attained.' As for 'seeing the truths': upon first attaining the first fruit, one sees what was never seen before. 'Truth' means the principle of truth; previously one had not seen the truth, but now one has come to see the truth. When seeing the truths arises, both the fruit and the precepts are attained. As for the 'eight weighty rules': the World-Honoured One did not permit women to leave home and receive the precepts; at that time Mahāprajāpatī Gautamī shaved her own hair and stood leaning against the gate of the Jetavana. Ānanda interceded on her behalf, and the Buddha had Ānanda proclaim the weighty rules from afar: if she could practice them, she would attain full ordination. That is, the hundred-year homage, rebuking, formal instruction, repentance, invitation, and saṅgha assemblies. As for 'sending a messenger': a certain nun was beautiful, and due to danger from bandits, the Buddha permitted sending a messenger. When the nun's preliminary rules were completed, the messenger went into the assembly of monks, who conducted the rite for her. When the messenger returned to convey the saṅgha's command, this nun attained the precepts. It is also called twelve proclamations, because of the three motions and four proclamations. As for 'disputation': a seven-year-old novice debated with the Buddha, and the Buddha asked whether the five aggregates were identical or different, and so forth. Since his wisdom surpassed a twenty-year-old, the Buddha permitted him to receive ordination. The Kośa states: 'The Buddha asked: "Where is your home?" He answered: "In the three realms I have no home." Finding this agreeable to the holy mind, the Buddha ordered a formal ecclesiastical act to grant him full ordination.' 'Come, [bhikṣu]' is as explained before. Since 'come, [bhikṣu]' is included here, we know that the former was 'natural'. It differs from the other ordinations by relying on one's own power of wisdom, and is thus called 'natural'. Nor is it completely devoid of causes and conditions, as it takes the Buddha-Dharma as condition, and so forth. As for 'three refuges': after the Buddha crossed over the five people, the Three Jewels were complete. The Buddha conferred the three refuges, and also had the monks propagate the teaching everywhere and guide people to the Buddha's place. Later, due to loss of trust, the Buddha had the monks confer them locally everywhere. After six years had elapsed, the Buddha ceased the three refuges and instituted ordination by karman; hence there are distinctions such as ten in the central region versus five in border regions, sending a messenger, disputation, and so forth. Regarding karman: this translates as 'accomplishing the matter', and this term is widely used. The Vinaya division is not our principal school, so it is not elaborated extensively. Question: Now explaining the Mahāyāna gateway, why is it necessary to use the Hīnayāna regulations and explain the ten kinds of persons who receive the precepts? Answer: Just as the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra everywhere supports the Vinaya, so it is here. The small serves as a provisional expedient. Therefore we know that for a renunciant bodhisattva, the six harmonies and ten benefits are identical to those of the śrāvaka, while the six perfections and four great vows differ from Hīnayāna practice. If a lay bodhisattva's three refuges and five precepts all tend toward bodhi, how much more so the Brahmā Net's eighty thousand dignified deportments, which support all seven assemblies and universally cover all five destinies! How could breaking the precepts be called the Buddha vehicle? Therefore, the four propositions of vehicle and precepts are set against each other to discriminate them.