西方合論 2.16

2.16

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.’”