御注金剛般若波羅蜜經宣演 1.11

1.11

解經文中先科判。後解釋。依無著菩薩判釋。此經有十義句十八住處。餘二論釋無別科判。真諦三藏。正宗分中分四。一護念付囑。二住。三修。四斷疑。兼序流通為六分。菩提流支金剛仙記。判為十二。一一廣多。既非論意。今並不取。然晉朝道安法師。時人稱為寶印手菩薩。科判諸經。以為三分。序分。正宗。流通。後譯佛地論。親先菩薩釋佛地經。三分正同是。知妙理潛通。惠心玄合彌天之稱。豈虛也哉。言三分者。一教起因緣分。二聖教所說分。三依教奉行分。名雖少差義理無別。即依此判經文有三。始從如是至敷坐而坐。為序分。時長老須菩提在大眾中。至應作如是觀。為正宗分。餘名流通。序分又二。初通序。即如是等。後別敘。爾時世尊以下文是。經此二序有五對名。一通別對。諸經共有當部別緣故。二證信發起對。初傳法者引證令信。後說法者別緣發起。三經後序經前序對。經後教置經前自有故。四阿難序如來序對。從請得名為說方便故。五未來序現在序對。阿難後請當時緣起故。雖有多名。初二對名。義理周盡能。然各隨勝以立二名。不爾證起豈不遍也。將釋通序證信。先以三門分別。一起之因由。二建立所以。三開合不同。起之因由者。摩訶摩耶經。大悲經。智度論等。具述其事。然大悲經。優波離教阿難問。大術經等。阿泥樓豆教。二人共教互舉其一。請問四事者。一佛滅度後諸比丘等以誰為師。二依何住。三惡性比丘如何調伏。四一切經首當置何言。佛教之云。我滅度後。以波羅提木叉為汝大師。依四念處住。惡性比丘梵檀治之。梵默然故。不應打罵但擯默故。一切經首當置如是我聞等言。問。何故阿難但申四問。不增減耶。答。戒能止惡可以為師。念處破倒依之修學。梵法默然能伏惡人。初明正行。次明正解。次明除障。此之三門必依聖教。由斯所問不增不減。又破生死病。要具四事。一須名醫。二求妙藥。三識觸犯。四善經方義。如次佛大醫王滅度之後。此四為要。是故問之。又此即是三寶不斷。以戒為師。即當佛寶。不斷惡性比丘。既調伏已。眾得和合。即僧寶。不斷餘二法寶。念住即通理行二法。結集教法。理等不斷果法自是故四義更無增減。後結集時。阿難依命置如是等。建立所以者。立如是等。自有四意。一為除疑。二為生信。三為簡邪。四為顯正。言除疑者。真諦引微細律。阿難昇高座。眾有三疑。一疑佛大悲從涅槃起。二疑更有佛從他方來。三疑阿難轉身成佛為眾說法如是等。三疑併斷。二生信者。智度論云。說時方令人生信。故信為能入。智能度故。問。信何功能最初令生。答。夫信體者。心淨為性。如水清珠。能清濁水能與一切善而為根本。故花嚴云。信為道元功德母。且如發心趣向三乘有善法欲信為欲依故初令生於大乘位。聖胎三十以信為首。五根五力及七聖財。皆信為初。入聖即證四不壞信。信三寶故能越惡道由信戒故離貧賤因。故論亦說有信現觀。又婆沙論說學佛法者如大龍象以信為首。以捨為牙。以念為頸。以惠為頭。於其兩肩擔集善法。象所飲噉以鼻為手。故學法者最初令生。又拔眾生出生死泥。須舉信首。後陳正宗。為佛教手。序令生信為眾生手。兩手相接出淤泥。故智度論云。如人有手至於寶山。隨意所取。若其無手空無所得。有信心人入佛法寶。能證道果。若無信心雖解文義。空無所得。是故經初令生淨信。三簡邪者。外道教初皆置阿漚二字云梵王有七十二字。以訓於世。眾生轉薄。梵王嗔怒吞噉諸字。唯此二字在口兩角。阿表於無。漚表於有置。彼教初令置六句。為簡於彼。故智論云。一切經首當置何言簡異外道。四顯正者。三寶最吉祥故。我經初說化為佛寶。我聞比丘為僧寶。如是一時及處為法寶。法寶三者。一所說法。二說時。三說處故。第三開合者真諦記中開為七事。一如是者標所聞法。二我者辯能聞人。三聞者親承音。四一時者。顯所聞法。善合時宜。五佛者。明能說主。六住處者。顯說有處。七大比丘等顯非獨聞。智度論中。合我聞為一。總說六義。一信。二聞。三時。四主。五處。六眾。世親菩薩般若燈論。亦有六義。故彼頌云。前三明弟子。後三證師說。一切修多羅。其事皆如是。有引法花論云。證信序中分六成就者謬也。或總分五。如佛地論。一總顯又聞。二說經時分。三明說經主。四說經處。五同聞眾。即合如是我聞為一。今又助釋可分為五。謂能說為一。然佛說法離四種失。一無非法即如是。二無非根即我聞比丘。三無非時即一時。四無非處在舍衛等。或總為四。真諦三藏所釋七事總唯有四。初如是者。明所聞法。次我聞者。辨能聞人。次二證所聞法。後二證能聞人。今又解云。能說能受所學依故分為四。佛為能說主。我聞比丘為受教人。如是為所學法。一時及處為說所。能依受弟子有眾別。故說法所依有時處。故或合為三。即前三寶。又依佛地義可分三。一總顯已聞及說教時。二別顯教主及說教處。三教所被根。或合為二。一人法人稟法以成得。法藉人以弘宣。兩相資成互為因果。一佛。二我聞。三比丘眾。此三屬人。一如是。二時。三處。此三屬法。人有師資。資中傳證。法有假實。假中時處。故總為二。成合為一。即證信通序。

In explaining the text of the sūtra, there is first the structural division (kepan) and then the commentary. According to Bodhisattva Asaṅga’s division and interpretation, this sūtra contains ten semantic phrases (padārtha) and eighteen abodes (sthāna). The other two treatises and commentaries make no distinct structural division. The Tripiṭaka Master Paramārtha divides the main body into four: 1. the caring protective entrustment; 2. abiding; 3. cultivation; and 4. severing doubts. Adding the preface and transmission sections makes six divisions. Bodhiruci’s Record of the Vajrarṣi divides it into twelve, each having extensive subdivisions; since these do not accord with the intent of the treatises, neither is adopted now. However, Master Dao'an of the Jin dynasty, whom contemporaries called the 'Bodhisattva of the Jewel-Seal Hand', divided the sūtras into three parts: the preface section, the main body, and the transmission section. Later, when the Buddhabhūmi-śāstra was translated, Bodhisattva Bandhuprabha’s commentary on the Buddhabhūmi Sūtra was found to have the exact same threefold division; thus one knows that the subtle principle was covertly connected and their intuitive wisdom profoundly agreed—how could the acclaim that he was 'vast as the heavens' have been in vain? As for the three sections: 1. the section of the conditions for the arising of the teaching; 2. the section expounded by the holy teaching; and 3. the section on practicing in accordance with the teaching. Though the names differ slightly, their doctrinal meaning is identical. Based on this division, the text of this sūtra has three parts: from 'Thus' up to 'he prepared his seat and sat down' constitutes the preface section; from 'At that time the Venerable Subhūti was in the great assembly' up to 'one should view it thus' constitutes the main body; the remainder is called the transmission section. The preface section is further divided into two: first is the general preface, namely 'Thus…' and so forth; second is the specific preface, which is the text beginning with 'At that time the World-Honoured One…' There are five pairs of names applied to these two prefaces: 1. the General and the Specific pair: because the former is common to all sūtras, while the latter belongs to the specific circumstances of this particular text; 2. the Verification of Faith and the Initiation pair: the former is cited by the transmitter of the Dharma to generate faith, while the latter initiates the teaching through the specific circumstances of the expounder; 3. the Post-Sūtra Preface and Pre-Sūtra Preface pair: the former was placed after the sūtra's expounding by instruction, while the latter naturally existed before the expounding; 4. the Ānanda's Preface and the Tathāgata's Preface pair: named after the one who requested it, and named after the expedients for expounding it; 5. the Future Preface and the Present Preface pair: because of Ānanda’s later request versus the contemporary origination of events. Although there are multiple pairs of names, the first two pairs are comprehensive in their doctrinal meaning; nevertheless, each establishes these two designations following its prominent aspect—otherwise, how could 'verification' and 'initiation' not be pervasive? Before explaining the general preface that verifies faith, we first differentiate it through three approaches: 1. the cause of its arising; 2. the reason for its establishment; and 3. differences in expansion and condensation. As for the cause of its arising: the Mahāmāyā Sūtra, the Mahākaruṇā Sūtra, the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa, and other texts relate this matter in detail. However, in the Mahākaruṇā Sūtra it is Upāli who instructs Ānanda to ask, while in the Da zhu jing and others it is Aniruddha who instructs him; the two instructed together, and the texts each mention one of them. The four matters inquired about were: 1. After the Buddha passes into nirvāṇa, whom shall the bhikṣus take as their master? 2. What shall they dwell in reliance upon? 3. How shall malevolent bhikṣus be subdued? 4. What words should be placed at the beginning of all sūtras? The Buddha instructed him, saying: 'After my passing into nirvāṇa, take the Prātimokṣa as your great master; dwell in reliance upon the four foundations of mindfulness; subdue malevolent bhikṣus by the brahmadanda punishment—brahma means silence, meaning they should not be beaten or scolded, but merely ostracized through silence; and at the beginning of all sūtras, you must place the words "Thus have I heard…" and so on.' Question: Why did Ānanda make only four inquiries, neither more nor less? Answer: Precepts can stop evil and may serve as the master; the foundations of mindfulness destroy inversions and are what one relies upon for practice and study; the method of brahma-silence can subdue wicked people. The first clarifies right practice, the second clarifies right understanding, and the next clarifies the removal of obstacles. These three approaches must rely on the holy teaching. For this reason, what was asked was neither more nor less. Furthermore, to cure the sickness of birth and death, four things are requisite: 1. one needs an eminent physician; 2. one seeks wonderful medicine; 3. one recognizes what causes injury; and 4. one understands the meaning of the medical manuals. Correspondingly, after the Buddha, the Great Physician King, enters nirvāṇa, these four are essential; therefore he inquired about them. Furthermore, these preserve the unbroken lineage of the Three Jewels: taking the precepts as master corresponds to the uninterrupted Buddha Jewel; once malevolent bhikṣus are subdued, the saṅgha attains harmony, which corresponds to the uninterrupted Saṅgha Jewel; the remaining two correspond to the Dharma Jewel—the foundations of mindfulness encompass both the doctrinal principle and the practice, while the compilation of the teaching ensures that principle and the like are not interrupted, and the fruit of Dharma naturally follows. Therefore, the four meanings admit neither addition nor subtraction. Later, at the time of the compilation, Ānanda placed 'Thus…' and so forth in accordance with the command. As for the reason for its establishment: establishing 'Thus…' and so forth naturally has four purposes: 1. to dispel doubts; 2. to engender faith; 3. to distinguish from the heterodox; and 4. to reveal the orthodox. Regarding dispelling doubts: Paramārtha cites the Weixi lü that when Ānanda ascended the high seat, the assembly harboured three doubts: 1. they doubted whether the Buddha, out of great compassion, had arisen from nirvāṇa; 2. they doubted whether another Buddha had come from another direction; 3. they doubted whether Ānanda had transformed his body, attained Buddhahood, and was preaching the Dharma for the assembly. By stating 'Thus…' and so forth, all three doubts were severed at once. Second, engendering faith: the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa states that stating the time and place causes people to engender faith, for faith is that by which one enters, and wisdom is that by which one crosses over. Question: What function does faith possess that it is caused to arise first? Answer: As for the nature of faith, its essence is clarity and purity of mind; like a water-clearing pearl that can purify muddy water, it can act as the root of all good. Therefore the Avataṃsaka Sūtra says: 'Faith is the source of the path and the mother of merits.' Furthermore, when one resolves to advance toward the Three Vehicles, one possesses the aspiration for good qualities, and faith serves as the basis for this aspiration; thus it is first made to arise in the Mahāyāna stages. The thirty stages of the holy embryo take faith as foremost; the five faculties, five powers, and seven noble treasures all place faith first. Upon entering the holy state, one realizes the four kinds of indestructible faith. Because of faith in the Three Jewels, one can transcend the evil destinies; because of faith in the precepts, one avoids the causes of poverty and lowliness. Hence the treatises also speak of the abhisamaya of faith. Furthermore, the Mahāvibhāṣā states that one who studies the Buddha's Dharma is like a great naga-elephant: taking faith as its head, renunciation as its tusks, mindfulness as its neck, and wisdom as its head, carrying the accumulation of good dharmas on its two shoulders; and that which the elephant drinks and eats it takes with its trunk as a hand. Therefore, one who studies the Dharma must first bring faith into being. Furthermore, to pull sentient beings out of the mire of birth and death, one must raise the head of faith; subsequent presentation of the main body serves as the hand of the Buddha's teaching, while the preface causing faith to arise serves as the hand of sentient beings. When the two hands join together, they emerge from the mire. Therefore the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa states: 'Like a person who has hands arriving at a jewel mountain, he takes whatever he desires; if he has no hands, he departs empty-handed with nothing gained.' A person endowed with faith enters the jewel of the Buddha's Dharma and can realize the fruit of the path; if devoid of faith, though he understands the words and meaning, he gains nothing in emptiness. Therefore, pure faith is made to arise at the beginning of the sūtra. Third, distinguishing from the heterodox: at the beginning of non-Buddhist teachings, the two syllables 'A' and 'Auṃ' are always placed. They say that the God Brahmā had seventy-two letters to instruct the world. As sentient beings grew increasingly deficient, Brahmā grew enraged and swallowed all the letters, leaving only these two letters at the two corners of his mouth: 'A' signifies non-existence and 'Auṃ' signifies existence. They place them at the beginning of their teachings; here, six phrases are established in order to distinguish from them. Hence the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa asks: What words should be placed at the beginning of all sūtras to distinguish them from the non-Buddhists? Fourth, revealing the orthodox: because the Three Jewels are the most auspicious, at the beginning of our sūtras, the preaching of the transformation corresponds to the Buddha Jewel; 'I heard'—referring to the bhikṣu—corresponds to the Saṅgha Jewel; 'Thus', 'at one time', and the location correspond to the Dharma Jewel. The Dharma Jewel comprises three aspects: 1. the Dharma expounded; 2. the time of expounding; and 3. the place of expounding. Third, as for the expansion and condensation: in Paramārtha’s record, it is expanded into seven matters: 1. 'Thus' indicates the Dharma heard; 2. 'I' distinguishes the person capable of hearing; 3. 'heard' signifies personally receiving the teaching; 4. 'at one time' shows that the expounded Dharma suitably coincided with the occasion; 5. 'the Buddha' clarifies the master capable of expounding; 6. the dwelling place shows that the teaching took place at a specific location; 7. 'together with a great community of bhikṣus' and so forth shows that it was not heard alone. In the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa, 'I heard' is combined into one, giving six general aspects: 1. faith; 2. hearing; 3. time; 4. master; 5. place; and 6. assembly. Bodhisattva Vasubandhu’s Prajñāpradīpa-śāstra also contains six aspects; hence its verse states: 'The first three clarify the disciple, the latter three verify the master’s teaching; in all sūtras, the matter is just like this.' Those who cite the Saddharmapuṇḍarīkopadeśa as dividing the preface of verification into six fulfillments are mistaken. Alternatively, it is divided into five in general, as in the Buddhabhūmi-śāstra: 1. generally indicating that it was heard; 2. the time of the sūtra's expounding; 3. clarifying the master who expounded the sūtra; 4. the place where the sūtra was expounded; and 5. the assembly that heard it together. This combines 'Thus have I heard' into one. Now, as an auxiliary explanation, it can also be divided into five: taking the one capable of expounding as one; however, the Buddha's preaching of the Dharma is free from four kinds of faults: 1. free from non-Dharma, which is 'Thus'; 2. free from improper faculties, which is the bhikṣu who heard it ('I heard'); 3. free from an improper time, which is 'at one time'; 4. free from an improper place, which is 'in Śrāvastī' and so forth. Alternatively, it is grouped into four in general: the seven matters explained by the Tripiṭaka Master Paramārtha amount in total to only four: first, 'Thus' clarifies the Dharma heard; next, 'I heard' distinguishes the person capable of hearing; the next two verify the Dharma heard; the last two verify the person capable of hearing. Now, another explanation is: because there are the one capable of expounding, the one capable of receiving, and that which is studied and relied upon, they are divided into four: the Buddha is the master capable of expounding; the bhikṣu who heard it is the recipient of the teaching; 'Thus' is the Dharma studied; 'at one time' and the place are the basis for the expounding. The disciple capable of receiving has both the individual and the assembly; the basis for preaching the Dharma has both time and place. Alternatively, they may be combined into three, which are the previous Three Jewels. Furthermore, relying on the meaning in the Buddhabhūmi-śāstra, it may be divided into three: 1. generally indicating that it has been heard and the time of preaching the teaching; 2. specifically indicating the lord of the teaching and the place of preaching the teaching; 3. the capacities addressed by the teaching. Alternatively, they may be combined into two: persons and Dharma. Persons rely on the Dharma to attain realization, and the Dharma depends on persons to be propagated; the two support each other and mutually serve as cause and effect. 1. the Buddha; 2. 'I heard'; and 3. the assembly of bhikṣus—these three pertain to persons; 1. 'Thus'; 2. the time; and 3. the place—these three pertain to the Dharma. Among persons, there are master and disciple, and within the disciples there is transmission and verification; among Dharma, there are nominal and real, and within the nominal are time and place. Therefore they are generally combined into two; or fully combined into one, namely the general preface that verifies faith.