觀心論疏 1.7

1.7

As for urging reliance on the prātimokṣa precepts, upholding the Śrāvakayāna precepts possesses ten beneficial merits. What are they? First is said to be gathering the saṅgha. 'Saṅgha' is translated here as 'community'; community has the sense of harmony. Thus, though from different regions and foreign lands, if they together go forth and possess the full precepts within the Buddha-Dharma, sharing wealth and Dharma alike and gathered so as not to deviate, this is harmony in phenomena. The unmanifest precepts nurture and generate concentration and wisdom, tallying with the uncontaminated and together returning to the single ultimate; this is harmony in principle. Second is gathering exceedingly well: together receiving the pure precepts and each guarding the three karmas, there is no mutual torment or annoyance; this is gathering exceedingly well. Third is the saṅgha abiding in comfort: because each guards body and speech with the precepts and there is no mutual torment or disorder, the saṅgha attains abiding in comfort. Fourth is subduing the haughty mind: because the precepts are pure, one can attain dhyāna-concentration, the mind of contemplative understanding arises, and one can subdue the haughty mind of defilements. Fifth is those with shame and conscience attaining abiding in comfort: through having pure precepts, one can generate concentration and wisdom, and internally cherishing shame and conscience, this is attaining abiding in comfort. Sixth is those without faith attaining pure faith: this is the internal ordinary persons attaining concentration and wisdom of provisional designations, dispelling the disbelief of external ordinary persons. Seventh is those who have already believed increasing their faith: advancing in cultivating the emptiness of real phenomena and attaining the three dharmas of warmth, summit, and patience, their faithful understanding becomes ever deeper. Eighth is blocking the afflictions and contaminants of the present lifetime: this is the supreme mundane dharma, the completion of the path of subduing. Ninth is cutting off the evils of future lifetimes: from the initial mind of patience regarding suffering up to the arhat's adamantine mind, because they return to the real and cut off delusions. Tenth is the long abiding of the brahma-practice: 'brahma' means pure, and also means nirvāṇa; this is the ultimate fruition of the arhat, having accomplished what was to be done. These are the ten benefits attained by upholding the Śrāvakayāna precepts; hence one is urged to abide by relying on the prātimokṣa. Next, to clarify upholding the Mahāyāna precepts: these are the precepts praised by the wise, the autonomous precepts, the complete precepts, and the various pāramitā precepts. Upholding these also has ten benefits; the names are the same as before, but the meaning is vastly different. What are they? First, gathering the saṅgha: this is the saṅgha of the single-essence Three Jewels, where the three wisdoms and the principle of the three truths are harmoniously integrated; this is the meaning of saṅgha. Wisdom illuminates the object and no object is not illuminated—this is wisdom gathering the object. The object gives rise to wisdom and no wisdom is not brought forth—this is the object gathering wisdom. The mutual gathering and harmonious integration of object and wisdom is therefore called gathering the saṅgha. Second, gathering exceedingly well: wisdom illuminates the object, and in gathering the object none is not the middle; the object gives rise to wisdom, and in gathering wisdom none is not perfect. Therefore it is called gathering exceedingly well. Third, the saṅgha abiding in comfort: the wisdom of the three contemplations lodges in the object of the three truths, and the object and wisdom correspond and harmoniously integrate; therefore it is called abiding in comfort. Fourth, subduing persons of haughty mind: attaining the Mahāyāna precepts, one can subdue the haughty mind of delusions under the three truths. Fifth, those with shame and conscience attaining abiding in comfort: feeling shame before heaven is feeling shame before the Heaven of the Primary Meaning; feeling conscience before humans is feeling conscience before persons on the path of expedient means; therefore it is called those with shame and conscience attaining abiding in comfort. Sixth, those without faith attaining pure faith: causing all those who do not yet believe the principle of the truths to attain clear faith. Seventh, those who have already believed increasing their faith: advancing their faith in the Middle Way. Eighth, blocking the contaminants of the present lifetime: the completion of the Mahāyāna path of subduing. Ninth, cutting off the evils of future lifetimes: cutting off the delusions of the five entrenchments, concluding at the adamantine mind. Tenth, the long abiding of the brahma-practice: this is the marvelous enlightenment of great nirvāṇa, only then named ultimate purity; this is the long abiding of the brahma-practice. Thus, one who upholds the pure precepts attains the benefit of the ten Mahāyāna benefits; hence one is urged to abide by relying on the prātimokṣa.