止觀輔行傳弘決 4.34

4.34

From "if one waits" onward, he directly concludes and demonstrates that when a single mind is present in ordinary persons, it can be practiced immediately. From "therefore the Dapin" onward, he cites the scripture to show the marks. Since the scripture makes clear that desire possesses all dharmas, one should know that the hindrance of desire is itself the dharma-dhātu; therefore all dharmas converge upon desire. From "explaining convergence" onward, he explains the scripture's intention, first briefly and then extensively. The first brief text is simply the three truths, and the three truths are simply the three [aspects of] convergence and so forth. The brief is the inconceivable, and the inconceivable is difficult to see. From "now further" onward, he extensively draws upon the conceivable to demonstrate the marks of the inconceivable. All the texts below first clarify the conceivable and next condense the conceivable into the inconceivable. All the texts above first set forth the sequential and next clarify the non-sequential. Only this single text afterward explains the inconceivable by means of the conceivable; hence we know that the mutual revelation of extensive and brief in the preceding and subsequent texts lies entirely in penetrating the principle—how could the textual forms be constant? People do not see this, but give rise to conceptualisations following the text and lose the text by chasing after words, and so within this work they wish to select this text as cultivatable and that as non-cultivatable; they have not seen the overarching framework of our school from beginning to end. Once one recognises the overarching framework, whether to select or not select is already contained within it; therefore, regarding the brief text, one must properly understand its intent. Thus fascicle 17 of the Dazhidulun says, "Just as in dhyāna one abandons the hindrances and collects the mind in one place, this bodhisattva, with sharp wisdom, contemplates the five hindrances without abandoning anything. He has no grasping toward dhyāna, and knows all dharmas are empty, neither internal nor external nor in between. If one attains the true mark of all dharmas, then one knows the five hindrances are empty and non-existent; this is called knowing that the true mark of the hindrances is the true mark of dhyāna. The bodhisattva is also like this: he knows that desire and the hindrances, dhyāna and its branch-groves, are of one mark, which is markless; relying on this he cultivates and enters—this is the perfection of dhyāna (dhyāna-pāramitā). It is likewise even up to the four stations of mindfulness." Next, in the extensive explanation, where it says "desire is the dharma-dhātu," this points directly to the very first single thought of desire, within which the nature of the ten dharma-realms is already possessed; it will inevitably give rise sequentially to the desire realm, beginning and end both being present within the first single thought; therefore it is called "the root of all dharmas." "All dharmas" refers to all the dharmas of causes, effects, intermediate, beginning, and end; thus it says "like the first arising of the awareness of desire already possessing all dharmas" and so forth. Because of not knowing this, one simply considers it a light thought whose fault is minor. If previously one had known that it fully possesses all dharmas, one's hair would stand on end in shock and terror; how could one let body and mouth perform actions that plunge into wild confusion? As for "first testing to quench the heat" and so forth: desire-thoughts accumulate, heating the mind within; when one first acts on it, it seems to quench slightly, but it continues to arise and continues to be acted upon without ceasing even for a moment, so that one has never been free from desire-thoughts for the span of a single meal or a single sip. As for "either stealing or robbing" and so forth: taking what is not given by concealment is called stealing, which is clandestine illicit intercourse with what is protected by human law. Taking what is not given face to face is called robbing, which is overt, violent seizure of a protected object. "Forcing" refers to coercing another, whether protected or unprotected, against their will. "Trading" refers to selling and seeking wealth with an unprotected object. "And such" encompasses what is not of the above categories, so long as it is bodily intercourse fulfilling the act of desire. As for "if this object is obtained" and so forth: presenting from below to above is called an offering (gong), while supporting the superior from a lowly position is called maintenance (yang). This person abandons the excellent field of the Three Jewels and solely esteems the defiled objects of the five desires, supplying what is needed; hence it is called "making offerings." The Commentary on the Lotus Sutra says, "Giving one's dependent reward is called making an offering." The first manuscript version says, "If this object is obtained, one greatly needs to supply it." Although the phrasing seems smooth, it does not match the present text. Once the object of desire is obtained, regardless of whether one is poor or rich, faults and transgressions arise. As for "just as this exists, this exists" and so forth: merely turning toward the object of desire is called "just as this exists"; when the karma of desire is completed, it is called "this exists." Reaping retribution in the future is called "immediately having birth and death"; increasing life after life, one universally receives the fruition. Moreover, due to killing, stealing, and so forth, the reception of fruition is also universal. Outside the dharma-dhātu of desire, there are no other dharmas; we provisionally bring up a single thought as fully possessing the sharp and the dull. The sharp and dull pervade the ten directions and the three periods of time; also, due to the sharp and dull, the three truths arise. One should know that the dharma of desire subsumes all dharmas completely; this is precisely the single thought of desire possessing the dharmas of the six realms as an object of contemplation. "As above" refers to the sharp and dull explained above. Below "it says", he deduces the emptiness of desire in terms of the four propositions and the three periods of time. Within the three periods of time, where it says "the condition of past desire" and so forth: the five dusts that have fallen away into the past are called the past. Although the dusts have passed, they still manifest present desire, and this is called the condition of desire. Present desire-thoughts are called the "cause of desire." Performing the acts of desire is called the produced dharma; this dharma will inevitably bring about painful fruition. Now, when deducing through the three periods of time, none can be found. "Horizontal and vertical" concludes the two previous deductions: horizontal refers to the four propositions, vertical refers to the three periods of time. From "having recognised" onward, he explains contemplating the hindrances as provisionality. The analogy says that one sets up battle arrays against invaders: invaders are bandits. If the invaders are numerous, the battle array set up must be vast; since what is shattered is immense, the merit is all the higher. Because desire is vast and the efficacy is deep, it is the root of merit. Shattering desire to enter the stages is called "great merit." The stages possessing all dharmas is called "great wealth and nobility." Taking greed and desire as the seed is because it can produce Buddhas. Within a single mind distinguishing the immeasurable, it can therefore give rise to immeasurable Dharma gates. Desire is like abundant firewood or manure, while contemplation is like blazing fire or flowers blooming; combining the analogies is readily understood; this is provisionally spoken in terms of the conventional truth. As for "crumbled" (huai): the Shangshu says, "Earth without clods is called crumbled." If conventional truth is accomplished, the stage is in the seventh or eighth [grades] of faith; hence it says "able to purify all sense-faculties." From "like this" onward, he determines the stages.