止觀輔行傳弘決 5.2

English (machine translation) 5.2

Language: English

5.2.1

First, in explaining the correct contemplation, [the text] first clarifies the intention of its occurrence, which is also called concluding what precedes and giving rise to what follows. Within this, first [it is] brief, and next extensive. The first text concludes what precedes, and from "now relying on" onward it gives rise to what follows. Question: In the previous five summaries, there are practice and understanding, cause and effect; why is it only said that the six levels are understanding? Answer: The great purport crowns practice and understanding, self and other, cause and effect. Since the purport is difficult to manifest, it is in turn explained in terms of practice and understanding, cause and effect, etc.; it does not mean that one already possesses practice, fruit, and so on. Therefore, the great purport is general, and the remaining eight are specific; the specific is the specific explanation of practice and understanding, cause and effect. Just as the beginning of the ten chapters explaining the Dhyāna-pāramitā is also the great purport, the meaning of general and specific is also like this. If someone were to cultivate practice according to the previous five summaries, realize the fruit, and be able to benefit others, that is naturally one path, just as noted at the beginning of the third fascicle. If we discuss the purport of the text, it pertains only to understanding. Within pertaining to understanding, fearing that understanding might not be comprehensive, it is necessary to detail the names, substances, subsumption of dharmas, and so forth, before one is competent to form the ten objects and ten vehicles below. For example, although in the great purport it speaks of ten kinds of differences in arousing the aspiration [for awakening], and the four samādhis clarify distinctions in practice, it merely lists the items without fully distinguishing their aspects; therefore, it does not touch upon the ten objects and ten contemplations at all. Compared to the five [preceding chapters], the expedients somewhat resemble the beginning of practice, but compared to the correct contemplation, they do not discuss practice at all; they also run through the twenty-five methods to generate understanding with respect to phenomena, only then becoming competent as expedients for correct cultivation. Therefore, the previous six [chapters] all pertain to understanding, and all are established by relying on the teaching; hence it says "relying on the sūtras." To set aside the biased and crude, it says "wondrous understanding." Furthermore, the teaching relied upon does not distinguish between the differences of great and small, biased and perfect, because they together accomplish a single perfect understanding. In addition, the name sūtra encompasses the three pitakas, just as the Dharmottara speaks of the treatise root, which is also named sūtra. Furthermore, among the twelve [divisions], it is not limited to a single division; from beginning to end they are universally termed sūtras. Therefore, what was previously cited, whether treatises or vinaya, whether Mahāyāna or Hīnayāna, together accomplish wondrous understanding; hence it now universally refers to them saying "sūtras." Speaking of giving rise to what follows: one must use the previous understandings to be competent to advance in practice. As in explaining the names, first relative, next absolute; absolute is simply opening: universal virtue harmonizes differences to jointly accomplish the meaning of absolute. The four sections manifesting the substance all take first biased and then perfect as relative and absolute. The substance is what is expressed: since the name is opened and revealed, the substance also follows the name. Using the opened substance to universally subsume all dharmas, because the characteristics of dharmas are difficult to understand, it is still divided into six meanings, pervading phenomena and principle, cause and effect, self and other, each universally passing through within and outside the realm, in turn mutually containing one another with the six meanings. Further judging the subsumed dharmas with the five gates, one only then understands that what is subsumed within the substance is mutually merged. Further realizing that within the merging, the real and provisional are not confused, it further mutually manifests them through the four chapters on the provisional and real, so that the perfect understanding becomes somewhat sharper. Further using this understanding to guide the expedients, the merging and identity of phenomena and principle is precisely called wondrous understanding, and relying on this wondrous understanding, correct practice is established. When taking up the wondrous principle with such understanding and practice is still difficult, how much more so if one wishes to point exclusively to a single text within the work—by what means could one ascend to the wondrous stage of the perfect and true? One should know that such a person has not seen the intention of merging and penetrating. Therefore, one must be thoroughly clear about the interlocking and crowning of the preceding great chapters, gathering the text's purport and grasping it into a single mind; one still needs the ten dharmas harmonized to form the vehicle, attuning each one and investigating object after object; even if not yet awakened, it can serve as a wondrous cause. Take the śrāvakas whose stage reached the ultimate fruit: rebuked in the Vaipulya, augmented by the Prajñā, arriving at the Lotus they made three requests and received four refusals, yet it still required the broad and brief opening of the provisional by the five Buddhas. With dharmas, parables, and causes and conditions, earnest and solemn, there were still those who did not fully understand, arriving at the Nirvāṇa. How could someone of dull roots in the final age, secretly pointing to a single sentence, be able to discern the Buddha vehicle? One who marvelously penetrates in accordance with the sentence, if not at the [purification of the] six sense faculties, must be at the five grades. Therefore, the Guanxin lun says: "Those who can answer the question are allowed to be of the five grades." This is wondrous penetration of one's own mind—why depend on other texts? If one is still confused when reading the text, please do not exalt oneself. Therefore, the previous six levels are all wondrous understanding. Hence in each text, gradualness is used to reveal non-gradualness, opening the provisional, and so on; only in the contemplation of the mind in accordance with one's own intent, which briefly speaks of the ten realms and three truths, the correct intention is simply to have a single mind cultivate the wondrous contemplation with respect to the provisional and real; hence it says "establishing practice by relying on understanding." From "oil and lamp" onward, in extensively clarifying the intention of occurrence, it first clarifies the benefit for persons and dharmas. Within this, it first clarifies the benefit of one's own practice, matching the wondrous practice of correct contemplation with the wondrous understanding of the preceding six chapters. First, it uses a metaphor for the mutual reliance of understanding and practice: oil is able to sustain light, serving as a metaphor for the practice of contemplation; light can burn oil, serving as a metaphor for the understanding of contemplation; eyes can guide feet, serving as a metaphor for the understanding of calming; feet can take eyes [to their destination], serving as a metaphor for the practice of calming. Bringing up both metaphors together to jointly illustrate the two dharmas: "each other" and "further," "relying" and "benefiting"—though the stylistic phrasing varies, the meaning must interpenetrate. "Relying" means depending on; "benefiting" means aiding. Hence we know that without the previous six chapters, practice has no way to be complete. From "practice and understanding" onward, obstacles arise due to practice, clarifying the reason why obstacles arise. Regarding "three obstacles" and so forth, universally binding the ten objects into three or four is detailed below in the nine pairs and seven singles. Because of contemplating the aggregates, the various objects mutually arise, obstructing calming and contemplation and rendering them neither bright nor tranquil. The phrasing follows convenience, forming pairs across words: namely, heavy darkness obscures brightness, brightness being contemplation; vast distraction agitates concentration, concentration being calming. The character chong/zhong passes through both level and falling tones: sudden ignorance follows the level tone; deep and thick follows the falling tone. Ju means great. There are not two tones for da, and its meaning also passes through both. Frequent arising and thickness both get the name great, meaning that demonic obstacles come frequently, and their coming is always deep and heavy. Also, following the convenience of pairing, the name "demonic obstacles" is set aside, and it is spoken of as darkness and distraction. Darkness and distraction are what can obstruct; heavy and vast are the characteristics of the obstruction; obscuring and agitating are the functions of the obstruction; concentration and brightness are what is obstructed. Although what is obstructed is fundamentally present, the habituation in concentration and brightness is still slight. What can obstruct has beginningless habituation, hence the force of darkness and distraction is robust. Regarding "cannot" and so forth, it contemplates the substance and nature of demonic obstacles. If demonic obstacles arise, they will certainly hinder contemplation and cause one to fall into evil. Now, wishing to set up contemplation, one makes [the practitioner] neither follow nor fear them: fearing them completely hinders correct cultivation; following them still requires discerning whether to advance or not. If when obstacles arise they all pull one into evil, then all would head toward the evil destinies. The obstacles are not purely evil, so falling into the evil destinies is spoken of in terms of the majority. For instance, when the seven objects such as afflictions and illness arise, following them entirely leads to falling into birth-and-death; when the latter two arise, one falls into expedients. However, because the latter two objects are in the initial mind, and the former seven objects are fundamentally transmigration, both have the meaning of pulling one into the evil destinies; hence it says the majority pertain to transmigration. Furthermore, one must distinguish that illness is neutral or gives rise to good and evil. Afflictions exclusively increase evil; within karma, covering and pāramitā naturally divide into good and evil. Demons also cause people to fall into good or fall into evil. Although dhyāna is dull good, because it gives rise to slander, it is evil.

5.2.2

Actions created based on views can also be wholesome or unwholesome, whereas arrogance is entirely unwholesome; therefore, on the unwholesome side it pulls one into falling into evil, while on the wholesome side it pulls one into falling into goodness. If one discusses wholesome and unwholesome from the standpoint of contemplation of principle, then even the latter two objects are also called unwholesome, not to mention the prior seven. Therefore, in the chapter on Subhūti in the Vimalakīrti, the three unconditioned states are rebuked as the three evil destinies. For this reason, from the perspective of being feared they are the same—they equally obstruct correct cultivation. From the perspective of following them they differ—the meanings of evil destinies are distinct. From "One should, by means of…" onward directly explains establishing contemplation. It is not because of fear that one is able to attain bodhi. Although torpor and distraction are explicitly clarified, their essence is fundamentally inherent in both. The two do not have two distinct essences; the essence is one while the names differ. Therefore, the names 'torpor' and 'distraction' have no real essence; rather, they take quietude and illumination as their nature. Thus we know that although the roots of torpor and distraction may be rampant, one should cultivate quietude and illumination to penetrate torpor and distraction: illuminating this essence of torpor as a single contemplation that is threefold is called 'radiant even in torpor'; stilling this essence of distraction as a threefold calming that is one is called 'quiescent even in distraction'. This is the great outline of quieting and illuminating the nine objects, such as illness, to accomplish inconceivable calming and contemplation. From "Like a pig…" onward sets forth similes for initiating practice based on understanding, illustrating the calming and contemplation directed toward quietude and illumination. The first two illustrate calming, and the latter two illustrate contemplation; this means that when movement and distraction multiply, they all the more enhance the quietude of calming; when darkness and torpor become ever more dense, they doubly enhance the brightness of contemplation. According to a transmission heard from Juechen, he explained: the rubbing pig illustrates the understanding of calming; the myriad streams illustrate the practice of calming; the blazing firewood illustrates the understanding of contemplation; and the increasing wind illustrates the practice of contemplation. At first glance this seems plausible, yet it contradicts the purport of the text. Earlier, oil and light were already used to illustrate understanding and practice; here it merely illustrates that in practice, being identical with torpor and identical with distraction, one illuminates and stills. Merely matching the two pairs of similes respectively to calming and contemplation is the correct interpretation. Regarding the pig rubbing and so forth illustrating the practice of calming, chapter thirty of the Dazhidulun, explaining the perfection of forbearance, states: 'If someone inflicts evil [upon one], it is like a pig rubbing against a golden mountain: the body of the gold becomes all the purer.' Here it illustrates peaceful forbearance, where the three obstacles and four māras increasingly enhance one's quietude. Regarding 'the myriad streams' and so forth, as the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra states: 'When the myriad streams enter the sea, they lose their original names; when the ten thousand flows all converge, the [sea's] body neither increases nor decreases; when the nine objects press ever closer, the body of calming suffers no diminution; calming stills movement, and movement enhances quietude.' Thus, the pig and the streams are used to illustrate movement, and the gold and the ocean are used to illustrate quietude. Hence, no matter how many pigs there are, the essence of the gold does not alter; no matter how swiftly the streams rush in, the nature of the sea does not increase. 'Firewood blazing' and so on illustrates the practitioner of contemplation: the more firewood, the fiercer the fire, and its fierceness does not choose its wood; the more demonic obstacles, the brighter the illumination, and the illumination does not select its object. Regarding 'the wind increasing the kāla-kula', chapter seven of the Dazhidulun, explaining the Buddha radiating light, states: 'Question: From under the soles of the feet up to the uṣṇīṣa, each radiates sixty trillion rays of light; these can still be counted. Using this light to illuminate a three-thousandfold world cannot yet fill it, let alone the ten directions? Answer: The body's light is the root of all lights; from the root flow forth immeasurable rays of light. Like the kāla-kula insect: its body is minute, but when it catches the wind it grows larger and larger, even to the point of being able to devour everything. The light is also like this: when it encounters beings capable of being liberated, it increasingly multiplies without limit.' Here it is also like this: when the power of contemplation is not yet mature, that which it illuminates is not yet unhindered; touching objects and turning them into illumination, its function becomes ever brighter. Because all dharmas arise, prajñā arises, and so forth, neither arising nor non-arising; therefore, the kula is borrowed to illustrate the capable and the objective. Contemplation illuminates darkness, and darkness enhances brightness; thus firewood and wind illustrate darkness, while the insect and fire illustrate brightness. Hence, the more the firewood, the fiercer the appearance of the fire; the more violent the wind, the larger the insect's body. From "This vajra…" onward clarifies the mutual enhancement once contemplation is accomplished. The initial passage first illustrates the depth of merit in practice and understanding. 'Vajra' and so forth praises the depth of merit in understanding. When the understanding of calming and contemplation is accomplished, it cuts through the battle formations of the three delusions. 'Firm and strong' and so forth praises the far-reaching virtue of practice. When the practice of calming and contemplation accumulates, it crosses the wilderness of the two kinds of death. The 'Ganquan Fu' in the Wen Xuan states: 'Viewing the quintessential hardness of the Dao and its virtue.' Gang means hardness among metals and stones. Zhen means an array, that is, deployment. In Taigong's Liutao there are battle formations of heaven, earth, humanity, clouds, birds, and so forth. Here, the vajra contemplation leaves no battle formation unbroken; since the three delusions are all destroyed, it is like the five battle formations being utterly routed. Outside the city wall is called the suburbs; outside the suburbs is called the wilderness. The city wall is like three hundred [yojanas], the suburbs like four hundred, and the wilderness like five hundred. Thus, destroying the two kinds of death surpasses five hundred [yojanas], which is called 'crossing the wilderness'. If one reaches the first abidance, although practice is not yet ultimate, one temporarily uses the practice of the middle to destroy the two kinds of death of co-dwelling and provisional means. Although the principle is without distinction, understanding relies on practice for fulfillment, thereby obtaining the name 'vajra' and the ability to cut through the three delusions; practice relies on understanding for progression, thereby obtaining the designation 'firm and strong' and the ability to cross the two kinds of death. Provisionally expressed in terms of affairs, the names obtained are not single. Although the text speaks of them separately, in meaning they truly assist each other. From "Wisdom purifies…" onward explains the characteristics of mutual assistance. Wisdom is the understanding of calming and contemplation. Practice is the practice of calming and contemplation. When practice obtains understanding, practice is not confused; when understanding obtains practice, understanding has attainment. Thus it is said: 'Wisdom purifies practice, and practice advances wisdom.' From "Illuminating and moistening…" onward continues by citing four similes to illustrate mutual assistance. Understanding is like the sun 'illuminating'; practice is like rain 'moistening'. When illuminating and moistening are equal, the myriad things can mature; when practice and understanding are unbiased, all virtues can be perfected. Understanding is like the merchant leader 'guiding'; practice is like the merchant 'arriving'. With guiding and arriving, the jewel repository can be anticipated; with practice and understanding complete, the true mark is not far off. Understanding purifies practice, so practice is without flaw, the meaning being like polishing; practice adorns understanding, so understanding becomes delightful, the meaning being like ornamentation. They assist each other, and thus it is said to be 'intertwined'. From "One essence…" onward uses this simile again to illustrate the previous three similes. Although they are said to mutually adorn, being not two yet two, it is feared that people might suspect that practice and understanding, like illuminating and moistening, are still of different essences. Therefore, based on the one reality, it discusses how practice and understanding mutually guide and master each other, ultimately manifesting reality. Just as the two hands of a body are merely one essence, not two yet two, they can also cleanse the body, being two yet not two. From "Not only…" onward explains the attainment of transforming others. Once wondrous practice is fulfilled, one gives rise to teachings to benefit others; thus it says not only for one's own practice alone, which is the stage of the first abidance. From "Furthermore, having penetrated thoroughly…" onward refers to giving rise to teachings. Tuo means wide, or great. Zhe means to check or stop, namely like the four māras. Zhang means to obstruct, namely like the three obstacles. Both three and four are real, as fully explained below. Qi means to open. From "This is spoken in terms of…" onward refers to the stage of encountering the true and emerging into the provisional. It is not so for the middle and upper [capacities], as in the sixth fascicle. Regarding 'crafting oneself' and so forth: a craftsman finishes objects, a master artisan of vessels; this clarifies the accomplishment of merit for oneself and others. If practice and understanding are not comprehensive, both self and other will fail.

5.2.3

Therefore, the Great Master wrote in a letter to Jizang: "If one has understanding without practice, one cannot subdue beings; if one has practice without understanding, one lacks externally the means to transform others." In "teachers of humanity," and so forth, this is an expression of praise. One who possesses both practice and understanding is fit to be a teacher of humanity, a treasure of the realm. After Emperor Ling of the Later Han passed away, during the reign of Emperor Xian there lived Master Mou, who had deep faith in the Buddhist lineage and criticized Zhuangzi and Laozi, composing a treatise in three fascicles and thirty-seven essays. In the twenty-first essay, 'Rescuing Monastics from Discussing Right and Wrong,' he posed the question: "Laozi said, 'He who knows does not speak; he who speaks does not know.' He also said, 'Great eloquence resembles hesitation.' And he also said, 'The noble person is ashamed of his speech exceeding his deeds.' Supposing a monastic knows the ultimate Way, why does he not sit and practice it? Idly discussing right and wrong and vainly debating crooked and straight—is this not a despoiler of virtuous practice? Answer: Laozi also had the saying, 'If one does not speak, what would I transmit? To know and not speak is unacceptable. Not to know and not speak is a fool.' One who can speak but cannot practice is a teacher of the realm. One who can practice but cannot speak is an asset to the realm. One who can practice and can speak is a treasure of the realm. Among the three grades, only one who neither can speak nor can practice is a despoiler of the realm." Now it says that one shapes oneself and shapes others; hence one is called a "treasure of the realm." Master Mou also said: "If one conceals gold and does not show it to people, who will know that within there is a precious jewel? If one dons embroidery but does not step out the door, who will know that within there are exquisite patterns? If horses crouch at the trough and do not eat, the nag and the thoroughbred are grouped together; if a scholar holds his voice and does not discuss, the foolish and the wise are indistinguishable. The secular men of today lack outstanding talent in wisdom, yet wish not to speak, expressing nothing with words, like an ordinary fellow presenting himself as greatly eloquent. For such people to sit and attain the Way would be like wanting to see without eyes or wanting to hear without ears—how could it not be difficult?" Therefore, now that one's own practice is fulfilled, one must use the teachings to benefit others; this is compared to being able both to speak and to practice, fit to be a treasure of the realm. For instance, in the *Spring and Autumn Annals*, in the twenty-fourth year of King Wei of Qi, the King of Wei asked the King of Qi: "Does Your Majesty have treasures?" He replied: "None." The King of Wei said: "Small as my state is, yet I possess ten pearls of an inch across, which can illuminate twelve chariots before and behind. How can a state of ten thousand chariots have no treasures?" King Wei said: "What I consider treasures differs from Your Majesty's treasures. I have ministers such as Tanzi and others: when each guards a border, Chu, Zhao, and Yan dare not venture forward. If they guard against bandits and thieves, items dropped on the roads are not picked up. Appointing them as generals, they illuminate a thousand li. Is it merely twelve chariots?" The King of Wei left in shame. This refers precisely to the treasure of the realm who can both speak and practice. "And moreover," and so forth, directly explains bestowing the Buddha vehicle, which is the mind capable of transforming others. Question: Practitioners of the perfect and sudden fundamentally cultivate the unconditioned; how could it be that only upon reaching the first abodement do they speak of studying the Buddha? Answer: Looking up in admiration to the ultimate stage is called studying the Buddha. Furthermore, it encourages the intermediate and inferior to speak in accordance with their practice. The Tathāgata also benefits others with what he has realized; therefore, he encourages speaking of realization to benefit others. "This is precisely," and so forth, is an analogy. If one transforms others by means of provisional dharmas, even though the dharma-gate is opened, it is not called emptying out the storehouse. Now, opening the gate of benefiting beings from within the single mind, one empties the secret storehouse and displays the genuine jewel. Since the mind is inexhaustible, the storehouse is boundless; since the storehouse is boundless, the jewel is limitless. Containing all dharmas, it is named the storehouse; the principle-substance being without lack is compared to the jewel. This is opening and revealing the intrinsically present repository of awakening in sentient beings, which does not come from outside. In "this jewel," and so forth, it next re-employs an analogy to praise the substance and function: first collectively regarding the jewel to praise the substance, and next separately regarding the analogy to praise the function. In the first text, this jewel can be compared to the wonderful substance possessing within it practice, understanding, cause, and effect, all fully complete. "Radiating light" is an analogy for wisdom; "raining jewels" is an analogy for concentration. Wisdom is the virtue of knowing; concentration is the virtue of eradication; these are the substances of concentration and wisdom. These two virtues are precisely the two virtues of self-benefit and benefiting others: knowing is self-benefit; eradication is benefiting others. These self and other are two yet not two; with these three virtues one expounds them to others. Now praising what is expounded, it says "this jewel," and so forth. In "illuminating darkness," and so forth, it praises the function. "Illuminating darkness" is the power of the light, destroying others' darkness of ignorance. "Enriching poverty" is the power of the rain, enriching the lack of dharma-wealth in them. "Brightening the night" further explains illuminating darkness. "Relieving poverty" further explains enriching poverty. Generating each other in turn, the lower explains the upper: concentration and wisdom are mutually identical, destroying delusions and possessing virtues, knowing and eradicating simultaneously. In "driving the two wheels," and so forth, it is an analogy that when cultivation succeeds, the goal is reached. The two wheels traveling far compares to concentration and wisdom universally pervading horizontally. The two wings soaring high compares to concentration and wisdom reaching the utmost peak vertically. *Zhu* means flapping wings to fly. Thus the Great Being of the Snowy Mountains was tested by Śakra to see whether he was capable of bearing the heavy burden of bodhi or not. Just as a cart with two wheels can transport loads, and a bird with two wings is capable of soaring in flight. Although seeing that he upholds the precepts, it was not yet known whether that person possessed deep wisdom. In the sūtra it originally compared the fulfillment of vehicle and precepts; here it is borrowed to compare the simultaneity of concentration and wisdom. In "jade moistening," and so forth, it compares the completion of the practice of calming and contemplation, whose function becomes manifest externally. The moistening of jade compares to the virtue of calming; "lustrous green" compares to the virtue of contemplation. *Liu Zi* says: "A mountain harboring jade has moist grass and trees; a stream containing pearls has shores that do not dry up." *Huainanzi* also says: "Where a spring has pearls, its banks do not dry up." As for green (*bi*), the *Shanhaijing* says: "High mountains have much jade and green minerals." Guo Pu says: "*Bi* is jade." The *Shuowen* says: "*Qing* is an exquisite color; *xian* is a fine color." It is also like pines and bamboos having a deep green color in winter, all presenting a lustrous appearance. Some say: "The understanding and practice of calming and contemplation are like jade moistening and lustrous green." This does not grasp the meaning of the text. The intent here is: due to the preceding practice and understanding, calming and contemplation are fulfilled, their functions become manifest externally, and both self and other are benefited. If one were to interpret this merely as practice and understanding, why would the text be so verbose? In "Fragrant City," and so forth, it explains the difficulty of repaying the kindness of the Dharma. Since practice and understanding are accomplished, one knows that the Buddha's kindness received is profound, such that casting down one's body and grinding one's bones would not suffice to repay his virtue. Fragrant City refers to Bodhisattva Sadāprarudita cultivating the vision of Dharmodgata, taking out his marrow and selling his body. It is also like the youth of the Snowy Mountains seeing the rākṣasa and casting down his body to repay a verse.

Linked texts (1)

止觀輔行傳弘決 — Classical Chinese