止觀輔行傳弘決 5.6

5.6

Opening the chapter is clear. Saying that calming and contemplation is opened into ten means that the objects contemplated by calming and contemplation are opened into ten; it is merely an abbreviated phrasing, hence it only says "calming and contemplation." Furthermore, these ten objects are the very substance revealed in the preceding text. Previously, in terms of what is revealed being able to encompass, the name "substance" was established; now, in contrast to what is manifested by the contemplator, the name "object" is established. Furthermore, previously it was spoken from the side of principle, so the substance was only one; now it is from the side of phenomena, so the objects are ten. Phenomena are principle, so each single object is inconceivable; principle is phenomena, so the marks of each single object are distinct and different. In this text, the ten divisions of the text and the ten meanings intend to cause what is contemplated to collectively form the one reality, and to show that the contemplator resides solely in the one ultimate. It can also have ten meanings, as in the analytical section; it can also have three meanings, meaning that turning the three obstacles is the three virtues. Next, the meaning in the arising [order]: through contemplating the aggregates and sense bases, the lower nine objects are born; the subjective and objective mutually assist and successively arise to form the ten meanings. However, this arising is provisionally attached to the textual structure; in this school's writings, whenever chapter headings are set up, they never fail to show arising. If one relies on the mutual manifestation of the ten objects below, then there is no longer a fixed order. This is according to practice. The text possesses two meanings, and it stands first among the ten. "The *Dapin* says śrāvakas rely on the stations of mindfulness" and so forth cites proof for the sequential meaning. Thus, whenever the *Dapin* and the *Mahāprajñāpāramitā-sūtra* list dharma-gates, they always take the five aggregates as foremost; the five aggregates are simply the objects of the stations of mindfulness. "Also, the practitioner" below is the meaning of being present before oneself. The subsequent scrutiny uses these two meanings. Saying "heavy burden": the five aggregates are the burden; birth and death are layered and multiplied, hence called "heavy." Ordinary people cannot cast it off, and the two vehicles cannot bear it; the bodhisattva can cast it off and can bear it. Because they can cast it off, they forever abandon birth and death; because they can bear it, they return to enter birth and death. Therefore, the bodhisattva casts off the burden and is able to bear the burden. Practitioners are also like this: for the sake of casting off and for the sake of bearing, they must contemplate. "Later manifestations of different marks" and so forth: among the ten objects, the aggregates possess both meanings and must come first; the remaining nine, being born due to contemplating the aggregates, have a separate sequence, as listed below. Our school uses these ten dharmas as objects, unlike the common path which separately establishes pure true suchness, unproduced and without outflows. Such contemplation is like seeking emptiness apart from this emptiness. Now, relying on the sūtras and conforming to practice, the aggregates are taken as foremost, and the lower nine objects are contemplated as they manifest, each using the ten vehicles of contemplation. Even Laozi knew to view the body as a misfortune; yet worldly people protect their defiled bodies and seek pure principle elsewhere, which is an extreme error! From "The five aggregates" below, it clarifies that afflictions arise after and due to the aggregates. The phrase "the aggregates unite with the four elements": it is feared this text is mistaken and should read "the aggregates unite with the four divisions." The five aggregates of the retributive dharma have never been separated from defilement since beginningless time; if one does not contemplate the aggregates, one accords with afflictions, hence it says "If one does not observe" and so forth. From "Like a closed boat" below, it provides a metaphor for not contemplating. The metaphor encompasses two meanings: first, for not contemplating, drifting with the current serves as the metaphor; from "if one" below, for stirring the object of afflictions due to contemplating the aggregates, sailing against the current serves as the metaphor. "Turning to go upstream" is like contemplating the aggregates; "first perceiving the swift flow" is like the arising of afflictions. A boat is that which carries upon water. "Rushing" (ben): the *Erya* says: "On a great road it is called rushing; in the courtyard it is called running." Rushing is the vigorous appearance of running: drifting along with it without realizing the speed of the departure. "Bursting forth" (beng) means scattering and running; drifting along with it swiftly is like scattering and running. "Go upstream" (su) means against the current. From "Having contemplated" below, it correlates with the metaphor of contemplating the aggregates. From "The four elements" below, it clarifies that illness arises next after contemplating afflictions. "Physical illness" is the previous object of the aggregates. "Mental illness" is the previous object of afflictions. Since beginningless time they have always accompanied the sick body, never conflicting with it, hence called "equal." It also first describes not contemplating, hence it says "unperceived in one's feelings." From "Now the great divisions" below, it clarifies that due to contemplating the former two, illness is stirred. "Great" refers to the four great elements, provisionally indicating the aggregate of form. Because the remaining four aggregates transform into afflictions, they are called the "four divisions," hence it says "great divisions." "Divisions" refers to the four divisions, namely the former afflictions. Having already contemplated the aggregates and now again contemplating afflictions, it says "contemplating both." Due to these two contemplations impacting form, it says "striking the pulse and viscera." It is fully explained in fascicle eight. Because of striking, it causes the pulses of the four seasons to conflict with the five viscera; also, the mutual overcoming of the five elements is called conflict, and so the four venomous snakes arise biasedly to form illness. From "Immeasurable karmas" below, various karmas arise due to contemplating the three objects. It also first clarifies that without contemplating they do not manifest, so ordinary scattered goodness does not manifest marks of karma. From "Now cultivating" below, it directly clarifies that marks of karma manifest due to contemplation. "Robust" means having contemplated the great divisions; "sick" means having contemplated the object of illness. All three have been contemplated, hence it says "not deficient." Because contemplation stirs karma, it says "stirring the wheel of birth and death." The mark of karma is what transports, birth and death is what is transported; the wheel that carries birth and death is called the "wheel of birth and death." Thus the *Dazhidulun* says: "The wheel of birth and death carries people; mixed with all the knots of affliction, it turns freely in the wilderness, and none can halt it. Actions done by oneself in previous lives turn into various forms; karmic power is the greatest, foremost in the world." "Either good sprouts" and so forth clarifies that when marks of karma arise, harm and benefit differ. The first line is the mark of good habitual causes sprouting. From "evil is destroyed" below, it clarifies the mark of evil habitual causes being destroyed. From "good manifests" below, it clarifies the mark of good retribution fruits. From "evil comes" below, it clarifies the mark of evil retribution fruits. From "Because evil" below, it clarifies that demonic events arise due to contemplating karma. In the text, it only describes the marks of subsequent arising, lacking the marks of non-manifestation when not contemplating and manifestation only due to contemplation. Looking toward the preceding text, it should say: since beginningless time one only accorded with what has outflows; even if good arose and evil ceased, one still followed the realm of Māra. Now contemplating karma, because evil is destroyed one accords with nirvāṇa, and because good arises one accords with bodhi; Māra fears one will leave his realm and only then creates obstructions. Alternatively, due to contemplating the three objects, although mundane goodness arises it also accords with bodhi, and although mundane evil ceases it also accords with nirvāṇa; because evil is stirred, it refers back to both evil habitual and retribution causes from the previous text, and because good arises, it also refers back to both good habitual and retribution causes from the previous text. If good ceased and evil arose, it would accord with Māra's realm, so he would not create obstructions. From "If passing" below, it clarifies that due to contemplating demons, various dhyānas arise. It should also say that if one does not observe, past habituations do not appear; due to employing contemplation, which is brought about by present power of practice, past habituations are stirred and various dhyānas appear. Tasted and pure, horizontal and vertical, are fully explained in the dhyāna object below. From "Dhyāna has" below, it explains views manifesting after dhyāna. "Indulgent" (yi) means unrestrained. From "If discerning" below, it explains conceit arising after views. Employing contemplation to observe views, the view-mind temporarily subsides, so the foolish claim to have attained nirvāṇa. Thus, people of excessive conceit do not completely lack Dharma, but merely fail to understand the greatness, smallness, deepness, and shallowness of the dharma-gates and stages, and blindly give rise to arrogance, which is called excessive conceit; regarding the superior Dharma, claiming to have attained what they have not attained, they are conceited toward others. This merely broadly presents the characteristics of excessive conceit.