廣弘明集 19.59

19.59

The Imperial decree stated: Manqian observed that speech is by no means easy, and where the ultimate truth is concerned, it is even more impossible to express. Though one exhausts both alternatives, one must in the end feel ashamed before the four methods of response. The wisdom of reality is unmoved; the ultimate truth is wordless. Profound and inscrutable, transcendent and uniquely remote, its illumination exhausts the realm of empty space without exerting its brightness; its function plumbs the domain of existence without expending its effort. Through non-abiding, it abides in abiding; through non-attainment, it attains what is to be attained. The diverse signs of the hundred merits jointly enter into non-arising; the divergent streams of the ten thousand virtues all converge in equality. Thus it can guide the blind multitude to march in unison, and align the six vessels to cross over together, accomplishing the wondrous fruition of bodhi and entering the profound gateway of nirvāṇa. The three vidyās cannot fathom its mechanism; the seven eloquence abilities cannot proclaim its reality. The Great Sage, the World-Honoured One, did not contravene his original vow; using the power of skillful means to receive and guide sentient beings, he applied provisional names and signs to that which lacks names and signs, so that those seeking the Path might recognize the road, and those inquiring for the crossing might know their destination. Therefore, in the city of Rājagṛha, he gave the great lion's roar and expounded the Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra. This sūtra is also called the Great Chapter Sūtra (Dapin jing). From antiquity, it has been handed down that there are Prajñā expounded in five periods; yet an exhaustive investigation of the sūtras and treatises shows no such account. Only the Benevolent King Prajñā (Renwang banre) contains this text in the title list at the end of the fascicle: First, the Buddha in the city of Rājagṛha expounded the Large Chapter Prajñā; second, the Buddha in the Jetavana Grove of the state of Śrāvastī expounded the Diamond Prajñā; third, the Buddha in the Jetavana Grove of Śrāvastī expounded the Heavenly King Prajñā; fourth, the Buddha in Rājagṛha expounded the Light-Praising Prajñā; fifth, the Buddha in Rājagṛha expounded the Benevolent King Prajñā. It is said that the Diamond Prajñā has eight fascicles, whereas Huainan possesses only the single chapter on 'Weighing the Merit', whose original title is Diamond Prajñā. The title note at the end of the fascicle states: 'The Buddha expounded the Prajñā in five periods; this was expounded in the first period; this land has not yet received the exposition of the second period.' The two accounts contradict each other and can hardly be relied upon. The Dazhidu lun states that the divisions and sections of Prajñā have many or few [fascicles], mentioning only Guangzan, Fangguang, and Daoxing; it adduces these three sūtras without listing five periods. In this land there are the three sūtras: Guangzan, Fangguang, and Daoxing. Fangguang is indeed the Great Chapter (Dapin). Guangzan and Daoxing are no different from Fangguang; their difference lies solely in being detailed or abridged. Guangzan begins with the 'Introductory Chapter' and ends with the 'Scattering Flowers Chapter', totaling twenty-seven chapters. The large edition has twenty-nine chapters up to 'Scattering Flowers'; Guangzan lacks two chapters. Daoxing begins with the three provisional designations and ends after the entrustment, comprising thirty chapters in total. According to the large edition, after the first six chapters there should still be eighty-four chapters; Daoxing lacks fifty-four chapters. In substance and doctrine, Guangzan and Daoxing do not differ from the Great Chapter. Is this because the translators varied in ornate or plain style, or had it already been divided into three recensions when in India? The earlier commentary on the Great Chapter was also split into five divisions; analyzing the principle in accordance with the text does not make them distinct works. Sengrui's preface to the Small Chapter (Xiaopin) states: 'The authentic text of this sūtra has four versions in all; they are the Buddha's expositions of broad and concise teachings adapted to guide beings at different times. The longest version consists of one hundred thousand verses, while the shortest consists of six hundred verses. This Great Chapter is in fact the middle recension of India.' It speaks only of four versions and makes no mention of five periods. What was previously thought to be Sengrui's preface to the Small Chapter was in fact the seven-fascicle Prajñā, which followed old accounts and led to discrepancies and omissions; having returned without straying far, may there be no cause for deep regret. That the 'Small Chapter' mentioned by Sengrui is none other than the Daoxing Prajñā—how do we know this to be so? We know it through investigation of three points: First, the conclusion of the Daoxing Prajñā also bears the title 'Small Chapter' on its own. Second, the seven-fascicle text has twenty-nine chapters, whereas the Daoxing text has thirty chapters; Sengrui prefaced the thirty-chapter text, not the twenty-nine-chapter text. Third, Sengrui's preface praises only the two characters dao (Path) and xing (Practice). His text says: 'Though the profound chapters are thirty, they are crowned by the Path; though the words are one hundred thousand, they are doubled by Practice. Once practice coalesces, there is non-arising; when the Path is complete, one reaches the stage of succession.' For these reasons, we know that the Daoxing jing is indeed the Small Chapter. The name 'Great Chapter' (Dapin) came into use after Master Dao'an produced his edition of the sūtra. Dao'an said: 'Formerly, while at Han'yin for fifteen years, I lectured on the Fangguang jing usually twice each year. At that time it was not yet named the Great Chapter.' The previous Small Chapter and the later-arriving Small Chapter have thirty chapters, while the Great Chapter has ninety chapters. Because the quantities differ, they stand in contrast, and thus the names 'Small' and 'Great' came into being. Furthermore, some say that the Buddha taught the five-period doctrine: in the first period, turning the Wheel of the Dharma of the Four Noble Truths at the Deer Park, down to the fifth period, turning the Great Parinirvāṇa between the twin trees; and they assert that the Great Chapter Sūtra is the teaching of the second period, Vimalakīrti and Viśeṣacinti are the teachings of the third period, and the Lotus Sūtra is the teaching of the fourth period. This interpretation is incorrect. The commentary [Dazhidu lun] states that Subhūti heard in the Lotus Sūtra that voice-hearers (śrāvakas) would all become Buddhas, and therefore he now asked whether this was definitive or non-definitive. Thus hearing the Lotus was prior, and expounding the Great Chapter was subsequent. On account of this circumstance, one cannot say that the Great Chapter Sūtra was taught in the second period. Furthermore, as the Two Nights Sūtra (Er ye jing) states, from the night the Buddha attained the Path until the night of his nirvāṇa, all the sūtras and teachings expounded between these two points are real and non-inverted. By this meaning we know that from the day he first attained the Path beside the Nairañjanā River down to the night he entered nirvāṇa in the śāla grove, he constantly expounded the Prajñāpāramitā. The Zhong benqi jing states that when the Tathāgata first attained the Path, Udāyin returned, and King Śuddhodana asked: 'Dwelling alone now, what matters do you contemplate?' Udāyin replied: 'The World-Honoured One sees only that suffering and pleasure are empty and unreal.' King Śuddhodana said: 'What a calamity! For Siddhārtha all things exist; how can he say they are nonexistent? This is perversity! Siddhārtha makes himself an enemy to humanity.' This occurred when he first attained the Path, expounding the Prajñāpāramitā. The Gaogui Dewang jing says: 'When a bodhisattva practices the Great Parinirvāṇa of the Vaipulya teachings, he does not hear of giving, nor does he see giving; down to not hearing of Great Nirvāṇa, nor seeing Great Nirvāṇa. Knowing and seeing the dharma-realm, he understands the true mark to be empty and nonexistent.' The Ninth Merit Sūtra says: 'When a bodhisattva cultivates Great Nirvāṇa, he has no perception whatsoever of any phenomena. If he has any perception, he does not see the Buddha-nature, cannot cultivate the Prajñāpāramitā, and cannot enter the Great Parinirvāṇa'—and so on at length. By such causes and conditions, one should know that from the day he first attained the Path down to the night of nirvāṇa, he constantly expounded the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra. The Prajñāpāramitā is the mother of all Buddhas; the Tathāgatas of the three periods of time are all born from it. This great signless Dharma cannot be subjected to conceptual play. How could it be restricted to a sequential order or confined to five periods? Since capacities differ, what is suitable to be heard is not unitary; nor is it limited to merely five periods. In former years, I instructed Dharma Master Sengmin of Zhuangyan and various scholars to examine and investigate together the capacities of those who should hear the teachings, and there were three hundred and eighty kinds of people in all. Thus, the occasions and teachings are exceedingly numerous. When one person appears in the world, many beings gain benefit; how could the Great Dharma Wheel be turned in the sequence of five periods for only one single type of capacity? As for the title Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra, titles are established according to three principles: first, by person; second, by Dharma; third, by adducing both person and Dharma. The Viśeṣacinti-brahma-paripṛcchā names the sūtra by person; the Lotus and Nirvāṇa name the sūtras by Dharma; the Vimalakīrti and Śrīmālā adduce both person and Dharma. The naming of this sūtra is naming by Dharma. If there is no person apart from Dharma, and no Dharma apart from person, how can one say that this sūtra is named by Dharma? Prajñā is real Dharma, while the person is a nominal designation; this is the Dharma of the person, not the person of the Dharma. Just as the Truth of the Path is subsumed under the Dharma jewel, this sūtra is named by Dharma, being called Mahāprajñāpāramitā. This is the Indian phonetics; jing ('sūtra') is the speech of this land. In foreign countries it is called sūtra (xiu-duo-luo), which here translates as 'the foundation of the Dharma' (faben). It fully encompasses five meanings: first, emerging/giving birth; second, a gushing spring; third, displaying; fourth, the carpenter's marking-line; fifth, weaving a garland. In glossing the character jing, there are also three meanings: first, enduring; second, penetrating; third, serving as the source. 'Enduring' means not changing or perishing; hence it is called enduring. Being unshifting across the three times is the meaning of eternity. 'Penetrating' means that the principle is unobstructed and free-flowing; hence it is called penetrating. Being unhindered in all things is the meaning of penetrating. 'Serving as the source' means giving birth to all kinds of goodness; hence it is called the source. Serving as the track for all practices is the meaning of Dharma. The character jing replaces the word sūtra because sūtra is a general term while jing is a specific term. Why is sūtra general? It is common to ordinary beings and sages alike, and therefore general. Why is jing specific? What the sages of this land proclaimed is called jing, which is why it is specific. Replacing sūtra with the character jing is intended to enable hearers to immediately achieve faith and understanding. Mahā here means great. Prajñā here means wisdom. Pāra here means the other shore. Mita here means crossing over, and also arriving. Fully translated, it means 'Great Wisdom Crossing over to the Other Shore'. Saying 'crossing to the other shore' is merely due to the differences in local languages: here it is regarded as incorrect while there it is regarded as correct, or here regarded as correct while there regarded as incorrect; following customary parlance, there is no difference in meaning. Here there are four aspects: first, praising the virtue; second, identifying the essence; third, discerning the function; fourth, clarifying the principal tenet. 'Great' praises the virtue; 'wisdom' identifies the essence; 'crossing over' discerns the function; and 'the other shore' clarifies the principal tenet. Here there are further two meanings: first, teaching by direct Dharma; second, teaching by metaphor. 'Great' is teaching by direct Dharma; 'the other shore' is teaching by metaphor, using the other shore as a metaphor for nirvāṇa. What is the meaning of 'great'? Emptiness is the meaning of 'great'. The eighteen emptinesses of the Nirvāṇa Sūtra state: 'What is called the great emptiness refers to the emptiness of the prajñāpāramitā.' This sūtra says: 'Because form is great, prajñā is great; it does not await small emptiness to be called great emptiness.' If greatness were determinately great, it would not be called great; being praised without having any virtue [to cling to] is the meaning of 'great'. What is the meaning of 'wisdom'? Being able to know the true mark of all dharmas is the meaning of zhi (knowledge); being able to illuminate the non-arising of all dharmas is the meaning of hui (insight). If there is illumination and attainment, it is not called wisdom. When there is neither illumination nor attainment yet it is fundamentally completely tranquil, that is the meaning of wisdom. What is the meaning of 'crossing over'? Saṃsāra is this shore; nirvāṇa is the other shore; afflictions are the midstream. Crossing over the four floods by means of the supreme crossing—for this reason, it is called crossing over. If crossing over were determinately crossing over, it would not be called crossing over; having neither going nor coming is the meaning of crossing over. Furthermore, as for 'arriving': being able to realize nirvāṇa through non-arising wisdom, calling it arriving when not yet arrived means its essential nature can arrive, hence it is called arriving. Not seeing that the cause possesses the capacity to arrive, nor seeing that the fruit has anywhere arrived at—this is the meaning of arriving. What is the meaning of 'this shore' and 'the other shore'? Saṃsāra is this shore, and nirvāṇa is the other shore. Saṃsāra is not different from nirvāṇa, and nirvāṇa is not different from saṃsāra; not practicing dualistic dharmas is the meaning of 'this shore and the other shore'. Therefore, Subhūti said to the Buddha: 'World-Honoured One, if a bodhisattva-mahāsattva cultivates the prajñāpāramitā, will he attain sarvajñā (all-knowledge)?' The Buddha said: 'No.' 'World-Honoured One, if he does not cultivate the prajñāpāramitā, will he attain sarvajñā?' The Buddha said: 'No.' 'World-Honoured One, if he both cultivates and does not cultivate, will he attain sarvajñā?' The Buddha said: 'No.' 'World-Honoured One, if he neither cultivates nor does not cultivate, will he attain sarvajñā?' The Buddha said: 'No.' 'World-Honoured One, if it is not so, how will he attain sarvajñā?' The Buddha said: 'The bodhisattva-mahāsattva attains sarvajñā in accordance with its true marks.' Subhūti asked further: 'World-Honoured One, if a bodhisattva does not rely on dual dharmas nor on non-dual dharmas, how will he attain knowledge of all modes (sarvākārajñatā)?' The Buddha said: 'Non-attainment is itself attainment; through this attainment, he attains non-attainment.' Furthermore, the Buddha said: 'Form is itself sarvajñā, down to knowledge of all modes being sarvajñā. The true mark of form, down to the true mark of knowledge of all modes, are all a single mark, without duality and without distinction.' By this meaning, it is called prajñāpāramitā. If one can depart from attachments and seizing upon conditions, forget the conscious mind, and seek the principle—receiving sound like an echo, listening to the Dharma like a phantom—this can truly be called the prajñāpāramitā. If one merely recites the opening chapter without possessing exceptional understanding, the principle deviates from the transmission of the lamp and the mind fails to receive the water; how could one proclaim the golden mouth in the hall of wisdom, or disperse amṛta in the fragrant city, moistening the seeds of the fertile field and causing the sprouts of bodhi to shoot forth? It would be like the puddle water of a hollowed courtyard following the hundred streams into the great ocean, or like the eyes of a midge gazing at great brilliance through a thousand suns: how could one know where its shores come to rest, or perceive whether its illumination is near or far? Relying on the roots of virtue planted by the great assembly in past lives, and reverently looking up to the Tathāgata's compassionate roots of power, should there be doubts or difficulties, I hope to be able to respond to them. The remaining questions and answers comprised twelve fascicles; as the original manuscript could not be found upon inquiry, that text is entirely missing.