御注金剛般若波羅蜜經宣演 1.12

1.12

Sūtra: Thus. Exposition: From antiquity there have been many explanations; now I set forth three approaches: first, explaining “thus” separately; second, explaining “thus” together; third, explaining it in connection with “I have heard”. The first takes the two characters “thus” (ru shi) and glosses each separately. The second expresses the meaning of the two characters as a whole. The latter takes the two characters “thus” and explains them in connection with “I have heard”, rather than explaining “I have heard” alone. Regarding the first, separate explanation: across Chinese and Sanskrit, clerical and lay, there are nine explanations in all. First, Master [Dao]an says: “Non-duality of existence and non-existence is ‘thus’ (ru); neither existence nor non-existence is ‘right’ (shi). Since there is nothing that is ‘thus’ and nothing that is ‘right’, it is called ‘thus’ (rushi).” Second, the Venerable You says: “That the teaching can reveal principle is ‘thus’; that wisdom can illuminate principle is ‘right’.” Third, Dhyāna Master Zhi[yi] says: “Taking the text as ‘thus’ and principle as ‘right’. The text, through skillful expression, is ‘thus’; principle, through having no error, is ‘right’.” Fourth, the Commentary on the Lotus Sūtra says: “‘Thus’ is the origin of resonance and response. ‘Thus’ receives its name by according with capacities; ‘right’ establishes its appellation through being without error. Sentient beings take freedom from error as the resonance; the Tathāgata takes according with capacities as the response. The transmitter of the Dharma, wishing to reveal that the nominal teaching arises from resonance and response, therefore initially establishes the words ‘thus’.” Fifth, the Commentary on the Anantanirdeśa Sūtra says: “When the Perfected Person expounds the Dharma, it is solely to reveal the Thus; only the Thus is right, and so it is said ‘thus’.” Sixth, the Master of Zezhou says: “The Dharma expounded accords with past events, so it is said: expounding events accords with events, and expounding principle accords with principle; cause and fruit are also like this. These words expounded all correspond to principle, and are therefore called ‘thus’. What contravenes the Dharma is wrong; what conforms to the Dharma is right. This is an explanation in terms of Dharma. Explained in terms of persons: Ānanda states that the Dharma expounded by the Buddha is not different from what past Buddhas expounded, hence it is named ‘thus’; it is correct and not heterodox, hence it is named ‘right’.” Seventh, Emperor Wu of Liang says: “‘Thus’ indicates the Dharma; ‘right’ is a definitive word. Words such as these were expounded by the Buddha; therefore it is said ‘thus’.” Eighth, Tripiṭaka Master Chang’er says: “‘Thus’ has three aspects. First, regarding the Buddha: that the Buddhas of the three periods speak identically without difference is called ‘thus’; that they speak in unison is called ‘right’. Second, regarding the Dharma: that the true nature of all phenomena is unchanged from antiquity to the present is called ‘thus’; speaking in accordance with Thusness is called ‘right’. Third, regarding the Saṅgha: Ānanda's hearing, when compared with the Buddha’s original teaching, being transmitted without difference, is ‘thus’; being eternally free from faults and errors is ‘right’. Therefore, because their concordant exposition corresponds to principle without error, the sūtra can be trusted.” Ninth, the traditionally transmitted explanation: that the ultimate does not contradict the conventional is ‘thus’; that the conventional does not contradict the ultimate is ‘right’. According with principle is ‘thus’; blocking delusion is ‘right’. Gathering merit is ‘thus’; generating wisdom is ‘right’. The teaching according with principle is ‘thus’; engaging in practice based on the teaching is ‘right’. The objective domain being ‘thus’ and wisdom being ‘right’, and so on—applying it extensively across all phenomena, the meanings are indeed inexhaustible. Next, explaining “thus” together: there are also six explanations. First, Master Sengzhao: “‘Thus’ is a phrase of faith and compliance. When there is faith, the principle expounded is complied with; when complied with, the way between teacher and disciple is accomplished. The phrasing is not redundant; it is concise, for without faith it cannot be transmitted. Therefore, at the head of the sūtra, the words ‘thus’ are established.” Second, the Notes of Paramārtha say: “‘Thus’ has the meaning of determination. Determination is twofold: first, in letter; second, in principle.” Third, Master Xinghuang says: “‘Thus’ has the meaning of no difference.” Fourth, Fazhi’s Commentary on the Nirvāṇa Sūtra says: “‘Thus’ is Ānanda’s phrase of self-clarification: what was expounded by the Golden Mouth is deep in purport and far-reaching in intent; it cannot be surmised, yet from beginning to end the passages and sentences are precisely thus.” Fifth, the Venerable Yao says: “Being free from the five calumnies is named ‘thus’. In the first clause, ‘thus’ means this sūtra is free from the calumny of superimposition through grasping existence. In the second clause, ‘thus’ means this sūtra is free from the calumny of deprecation through grasping non-existence. In the third clause, ‘thus’ means this sūtra is free from the calumny of contradiction through grasping both existence and non-existence. In the fourth clause, ‘thus’ means this sūtra is free from the calumny of delusion through grasping neither existence nor non-existence. In the fifth clause, ‘thus’ means this sūtra is free from the calumny of conceptual proliferation through grasping neither not-existence nor not-non-existence.” Sixth, the first fascicle of the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: “The meaning of ‘thus’ is precisely faith. One who lacks faith says, ‘This matter is not thus’.” Finally, bringing in “I have heard”: explaining “thus” in connection with it, there are again five explanations. First, Master Guangzhai says: “‘Thus’, intending to convey what was heard, clearly presents the entire work beforehand: ‘An entire work such as this, I personally heard from the Buddha.’ It simply serves as an announcement for ‘I have heard’.” Second, Huilang says: “‘Thus’ is a phrase of direct indication, meaning: ‘A sūtra such as this, I heard from the Buddha; it was not composed by myself’.” Third, the Guṇaprabha-śāstra says: “‘Thus I have heard’ shows that this sūtra was expounded by the World-Honoured One upon present awakening, and was not composed by oneself.” Fourth, the Buddhabhūmi-śāstra says: “The general term ‘thus’ functions according to four meanings. First, based on metaphor: that the sentences to be expounded are such as I heard in the past. Second, based on instruction: addressing the assembly at that time, ‘Listen thus to what I heard in the past.’ Third, based on question and answer: there being a question, ‘Is what you are about to expound definitely what you heard in the past?’, hence this is answered, saying, ‘Thus I have heard.’ Fourth, based on consent: at the time of the compilation, the assembly of bodhisattvas all requested together, ‘Just as you heard, you should speak thus.’ The bodhisattva transmitting the Dharma then gave them consent, saying, ‘Thus; I shall speak according to what I heard.’ Furthermore, the word ‘thus’ can express verification and determination, meaning: ‘Phenomena such as these, I heard in the past; this matter is thus, and up to this limit I shall speak, definitely without divergence’.” Fifth, Bodhiruci, relying on the Vajra-ṛṣi-śāstra: “1. Arousing the mind thus; 2. Teaching and transforming thus; 3. Metaphor thus; 4. Determination thus. ‘Arousing the mind thus’ means reflecting to oneself, ‘I shall arouse the bodhicitta and cultivate all wholesome practices thus.’ ‘Teaching and transforming thus’ means instructing others, saying, ‘You should arouse the bodhicitta and cultivate all wholesome practices thus.’ ‘Metaphor thus’ means that this person’s majestic virtue is ablaze like the sun’s radiance, and his wisdom is deep and vast like the great ocean. ‘Determination thus’ means ‘I saw thus, I heard thus,’ and so forth. In the present text, ‘thus’ only adopts the fourth: determination thus.” Exposition: These four kinds correspond respectively to the consent, instruction, metaphor, and question-and-answer expounded in the Buddhabhūmi-śāstra, as can be known by careful inference. In general and in detail, there are altogether twenty masters’ explanations.