出三藏記集 6.20

6.20

The Scripture on the Origin of Human Desires and Birth illuminates the twelve links of conditioned arising to accomplish the four truths. 'Origin' is ignorance; 'desire' is craving; 'birth' is birth-and-death. It briefly raises three of the twelve to serve as the title. When people are in birth-and-death, there are none who do not drift and stagnate in the three periods of time, flutter and become entangled in the nine abodes of beings, or remain bound up in the eight bonds. Among the nine abodes, the twelve links of conditioned arising concern the first, human as well as heavenly. That which the four truths examine examines the nine abodes. That which the eight liberations correct corrects the eight wrongs. When wrongs are corrected, there is nowhere one goes without serenity; when the abodes are examined, there is nowhere one goes without joy. Because there is nowhere one goes without joy, one can clearly illuminate and broadly penetrate. Because there is nowhere one goes without serenity, one can spiritually transform and respond to encounters. Spiritually transforming and responding to encounters, one is swift without haste; clearly illuminating and broadly penetrating, one transforms without speaking. Transforming without speaking, therefore no person is abandoned; swift without haste, therefore no thing is neglected. That things are not neglected and people are not abandoned is due to dhyāna and wisdom. Therefore, a scripture says: 'The Path approaches nirvāṇa by means of dhyāna and wisdom.' How could this be false? Truly, it is the essential of drawing near and returning. This scripture appears to have been translated into the Jin language by An Shigao. The words are ancient and the text is thorough; the meaning is wondrous and the principle is refined. Those who behold the beauty of its inner halls and the richness of its palace courts are perhaps few. Whenever I read its text, though wanting to rest, I cannot. What brings me delight and appears before me is the wonder of the three contemplations; what I contemplate and preserve are the words on the cessation of thought. Taking advantage of my leisure, I have dared to make an excerpted commentary on it. Where the meaning is the same but the text differs, I have added no further explanation.