西方合論 2.16

2.16

九、堅忍力者，龍樹菩薩曰：「童子過四歲以上，未滿二十，名為鳩摩羅伽地。若菩薩初生菩薩家者如嬰兒；得無生法忍，乃至十住地，離諸惡事，名為鳩摩羅伽地。欲得如是地，當學般若波羅蜜，常欲不離諸佛。問曰：『菩薩當化眾生，何故常欲不離諸佛？』答曰：『有菩薩，未入菩薩位，未得阿鞞跋致受記莂故，若遠離諸佛，便壞諸善根沒在煩惱，自不能度安能度人？如人乘船，中流壞敗，欲度他人，反自沒水；又如小湯投大氷池，雖消少處，反更成氷。菩薩未入法位，若遠離諸佛，以少功德無方便力，欲化眾生，雖少利益，反更墜落。以是故新學菩薩，不應遠離諸佛。』問曰：『若爾者，何以不說不離聲聞、辟支佛？聲聞、辟支佛，亦能利益菩薩。』答曰：『菩薩大心，聲聞、辟支佛雖有涅槃利益，無一切智故，不能教道菩薩。諸佛一切種智故，能教導菩薩。如象沒泥，非象不能出，菩薩亦如是。若入非道中，唯佛能救，同大道故。故說菩薩，常欲不離諸佛。』復次菩薩作是念：『我未得佛眼故，如盲無異；若不為佛所引導，則無所趣，錯入餘道。設聞佛法，異處行者，未知教化時節，行法多少。復次菩薩見佛，得種種利益，或眼見心清淨；若聞所說，心則樂法，得大智慧，隨法修行，而得解脫。』如是等值佛無量益利，豈不一心常欲見佛。譬如嬰兒不應離母；又如行道，不離糧食；如大熱時，不離涼風冷水；如大寒時，不欲離火；如度深水，不應離船；譬如病人，不離良醫；菩薩不離諸佛，過於上事。何以故？父母、親屬、知識、人天王等，皆不能如佛益利。佛益利諸菩薩，離諸苦處，住世尊之地。以是因緣，故菩薩常不離佛。問曰：『有為之法，欺誑不真，皆不可信。云何得如願不離諸佛？』答曰：『福德智慧具足故，乃應得佛，何況不離諸佛。眾生有無量劫罪因緣故，不得如願。雖行福德，而智慧薄少；雖行智慧，而福德薄少，故所願不成。菩薩求佛道故，要行二忍：生忍、法忍。行生忍故，一切眾生中，發慈悲心，滅無量劫罪，得無量福德。行法忍故，破諸法無明，得無量智慧。二行合和故，何願不得？以是故菩薩世世常不離諸佛。復次菩薩，常愛樂念佛，故捨身受身，恒得值佛。譬如眾生習欲心重，受婬鳥身，所謂孔雀、鴛鴦等；習瞋恚偏多，生毒蟲中，所謂惡龍、羅剎、蜈蚣、毒蛇等。是菩薩心，不貴轉輪聖王、人天福樂，但念諸佛，是故隨心所重，而受身形。復次菩薩，常善修念佛三昧因緣故，所生常值諸佛。』」

Ninth, the power of firm forbearance: Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna said: “A child from over four years of age up to under twenty is said to be on the stage of kumārabhūmi. A bodhisattva newly born into the bodhisattva household is like an infant; when he attains the forbearance of the non-arising of dharmas up to the ten abodes, free from all evils, it is called the kumārabhūmi stage. To attain such a stage, one must learn the prajñāpāramitā and constantly wish not to be separated from the Buddhas. “Question: ‘A bodhisattva should transform sentient beings; why should he constantly wish not to be separated from the Buddhas?’ “Answer: ‘There are bodhisattvas who have not entered the bodhisattva stage and have not received the prediction of avaivartika. If they distance themselves from the Buddhas, they destroy their roots of goodness and sink into afflictions; unable to deliver themselves, how could they deliver others? It is like a person riding a boat that breaks apart midstream: wishing to save others, he instead drowns. It is also like pouring a little hot water into a large frozen pond: although a small spot melts, it instead turns into ice. When a bodhisattva has not entered the Dharma stage, if he distances himself from the Buddhas, with little merit and lacking the power of expedients, he might wish to transform sentient beings, but despite minor benefit, he falls back instead. For this reason, newly studying bodhisattvas should not be separated from the Buddhas.’ “Question: ‘If so, why not speak of not being separated from śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas? Śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas can also benefit bodhisattvas.’ “Answer: ‘Bodhisattvas have great aspiration. Although śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas offer the benefit of nirvāṇa, lacking omniscience, they cannot instruct bodhisattvas. The Buddhas possess knowledge of all aspects and thus can instruct bodhisattvas. Just as an elephant stuck in mud cannot be pulled out except by an elephant, so it is with bodhisattvas. If they enter improper paths, only a Buddha can rescue them, for they share the Great Path. Therefore it is said that bodhisattvas constantly wish not to be separated from the Buddhas.’ “Furthermore, the bodhisattva reflects: ‘Since I have not attained the Buddha-eye, I am no different from a blind man; if not guided by the Buddha, I have nowhere to go and will mistakenly enter other paths. Even if I hear the Buddha's Dharma, practicing in different places, I will not know the timing of teaching or the measures of practice. Furthermore, when bodhisattvas see the Buddha, they obtain diverse benefits: either their eyes see and their minds become pure; or upon hearing what is spoken, their minds delight in the Dharma, they attain great wisdom, practice according to the Dharma, and achieve liberation.’ With such immeasurable benefits from meeting the Buddha, how could they not single-mindedly and constantly wish to see the Buddha? “It is like an infant who should not leave its mother; like a traveler who should not leave his provisions; like one in intense heat who does not part from cool wind and cold water; like one in severe cold who does not wish to leave the fire; like crossing deep waters where one should not leave the boat; like a sick person who does not leave a skilled physician. A bodhisattva not leaving the Buddhas surpasses all the above. Why? Parents, relatives, good friends, human and heavenly kings, and the like, cannot benefit like a Buddha. The Buddha benefits bodhisattvas, freeing them from realms of suffering and placing them on the stage of the World-Honoured One. For this reason, bodhisattvas never part from the Buddhas. “Question: ‘Conditioned phenomena are deceptive and unreal, entirely untrustworthy. How can one attain one's wish not to be separated from the Buddhas?’ “Answer: ‘Because merit and wisdom are fully complete, one attains Buddhahood, not to mention not being separated from the Buddhas. Sentient beings fail to attain their wishes due to karmic causes from immeasurable eons. Although they cultivate merit, their wisdom is deficient; although they cultivate wisdom, their merit is deficient; hence their wishes are not fulfilled. Because a bodhisattva seeks the Buddha Path, he must cultivate two forbearances: patience toward beings and forbearance of dharmas. By practicing patience toward beings, he gives rise to compassion toward all sentient beings, extinguishes sins of immeasurable eons, and attains immeasurable merit. By practicing forbearance of dharmas, he destroys ignorance regarding all dharmas and attains immeasurable wisdom. With these two practices combined, what wish could not be fulfilled? For this reason, a bodhisattva throughout lifetimes is never separated from the Buddhas. “Furthermore, because a bodhisattva constantly loves and delights in buddhānusmṛti, upon casting off and receiving bodies, he always meets the Buddhas. It is like sentient beings with strong habits of desire who receive the bodies of lustful birds, such as peacocks and mandarin ducks; those with excessive habits of anger are born among venomous creatures, such as evil dragons, rākṣasas, centipedes, and poisonous snakes. The mind of this bodhisattva does not prize the wheel-turning sage king or the blessings and pleasures of humans and devas, but is mindful solely of the Buddhas; therefore, according to what the mind values, he receives bodily forms. Furthermore, because a bodhisattva constantly and skillfully cultivates the causal conditions of the buddhānusmṛti samādhi, wherever he is born he constantly encounters the Buddhas.’”