翻譯名義集 2.245

2.245

[Apanagati] The Sounds and Meanings of the Scriptures says: "Here this is translated as 'evil destinies'. There are three evil destinies, also called the 'three paths' (tu)." Regarding the 'three paths', the Zhihua says: "'Tu' means a road." The Analects says: "Meeting him on the road (tu)." According to the Scripture of the Four Liberations: "Hell is called the fire-path; hungry ghosts are called the sword-path; animals are called the blood-path." 'Tu' has two meanings: first, taking the meaning of harm and ruin, where 'tu' means mud and ashes (tutan), as the Book of Documents states: 'The people fell into mud and ashes'; second, taking the meaning of where one goes, where 'tu' means a road (tudao), as the Book of Changes states: 'Returning to the same destination by different roads (tu).' However, the Spring and Autumn Annals mentions the 'Four Sacred Mountains and the Three Paths (Santu).' Master Ying says: "The Spring and Autumn Annals mentions the Santu, which were hazardous places; this name was borrowed from them." Tonghui says: "Some editions have 途 (tu), which is incorrect. It must be written as 塗 (mud/mire). Later people erroneously say that animals, hungry ghosts, and hells are called the three paths (tu); it should be understood that this refers solely to hell." Yet this explanation in the Zhigui not only contradicts the text of our teaching's Scripture of the Four Liberations regarding sword, blood, and fire, but also slanders Master Ying's Sounds and Meanings. When later scholars investigate it, they will see for themselves that it is an erroneous assertion. Furthermore, various scriptural texts explain the eight difficulties: the three evil destinies make three; fourth, the Northern Continent; fifth, the long-lived heavens; sixth, before or after a Buddha; seventh, worldly intelligence and debating eloquence; eighth, incomplete sense faculties. Now it is versified: / "The three paths, the Northern Continent, the long-lived heavens, / Incomplete sense faculties, along with worldly intelligence, / And before or after a Buddha make eight difficulties." / In receiving these retributions one cannot receive noble transformation, hence they are called difficult places. Alternatively, worldly intelligence and debating eloquence is called being born into a family of wrong views. The Commentary on the Vimalakīrti explains two kinds of eight difficulties: "First, the eight difficulties of phenomenal clinging of ordinary beings; second, the eight difficulties of clinging to principle of the two vehicles. The phenomenal refers to the eight difficulties within the realm; the principle refers to the eight difficulties beyond the realm." Jingxi says: "If we wish to explain them briefly, then the people of the thirty minds within the remainder [of defilements] correspond to the three evil destinies; abiding in the dharma of non-self is called the Northern Continent; attachment to dharma prior to the bhūmis is like the long-lived heavens; not yet possessing the ten kinds of six sense faculties of the initial bhūmi is called incomplete sense faculties; shallow wisdom prior to the bhūmis is like worldly intelligence and debating eloquence; not exhausting the middle principle is like being before or after a Buddha. If within the retribution of reality, one views each stage in relation to the others and analyzes them section by section, these all obstruct the principle of the Middle Way." The Chengshi lun explains that bodhisattvas preach four wheels to destroy the eight difficulties: first, the wheel of being born in a central land, which can destroy five difficulties, namely the three paths, the Northern Continent, and the long-lived heavens; second, the wheel of cultivating correct vows, which destroys worldly intelligence and debating eloquence; third, the wheel of planting wholesome causes, which destroys deafness, blindness, muteness, and dumbness; fourth, the wheel of associating with good persons, which destroys being born before or after a Buddha. If one wishes to destroy the eight difficulties, one should practice these four wheels. Therefore, they are presented now so that people may reflect upon and cultivate them.