御注金剛般若波羅蜜經宣演 1.5

1.5

In praising and explaining the sūtra and its commentary, I briefly open five gates: first, recounting the causes and conditions for the teaching's arising; second, clarifying the essential nature of the sūtra; third, subsuming it under its essential tenet; fourth, the capacities and temperaments addressed; fifth, providing the correct interpretation according to the text. The causes and conditions for the teaching's arising are divided into two sections: first, recounting the intention behind the teaching's arising; second, the period of its transmission and translation. Within the first section, there are again two parts: first, explaining according to the treatises; second, a general evaluation. Explaining according to the treatises: Bodhisattva Asaṅga explains the intention behind the three questions. The treatise asks: 'For what reason did the elder Subhūti raise these questions?' There are six causes and conditions. Furthermore, the essential tenet of the entire text everywhere rests upon the three questions. Subhūti is the master who occasioned the teaching. Since he had this intention, the World-Honoured One answered in accordance with his questions; their intention was necessarily identical. Thus, the six conditions are the intention behind the teaching's arising. What are these six? The treatise says: 'To sever doubt; to generate faith and understanding; to enter the profound meaning; to prevent falling back; to give rise to joy; and to ensure the long abiding of the true Dharma.' This is the Prajñāpāramitā causing the lineage of the Buddhas not to be severed. How does it cause the lineage of the Buddhas not to be severed by this? If there are those with doubts, it is so that they may sever their doubts. For those bodhisattvas who delight in merit but whose minds have not yet matured, it is so that upon hearing of the abundant merit, they may give rise to faith and understanding regarding the Prajñāpāramitā. For those whose minds are already mature, it is so that they may enter the profound meaning. For those who have already attained not being despised, it is because through eagerly receiving, holding, and practicing [it], they possess much merit and will not fall back again. For those who have already attained compliant gathering and purity of mind, it is so that they may personally enter into the Dharma and, seeing it, give rise to joy. It is to cause the Great Vehicle teaching to abide long in future ages. The exposition states: The first five are to benefit and gladden sentient beings; the last one is to ensure the long abiding of the true Dharma. Among the first five: the first two are because those outside the Buddha's Dharma, having doubts, do not generate settled faith. The middle two are because those who have already entered the Buddha's Dharma, though rejoicing in the true Dharma, do not yet understand how to advance in practice. The last one is because those who have advanced in practice are not yet able to attain realization. For teaching is only to bring understanding to those who do not understand, and deliverance to those who are not yet delivered; if one has already realized and awakened, spoken teachings completely vanish. Therefore, here it is to cause sentient beings who do not believe to believe, those who have not practiced to practice, and those who have not attained realization to realize. Now, these six causes are subsumed into three pairs: the first two are the pair of eliminating doubt and generating faith; the middle two are the pair of giving rise to wisdom and gathering merit; the last two are the pair of awakening to the principle and promoting the teaching. Furthermore, each preceding cause leads to each subsequent condition: because doubt is severed, faith and understanding arise; because faith and understanding arise, one enters the profound Dharma; because one enters the profound Dharma, one does not fall back; because one does not fall back, joy is generated; because joy is generated, the Dharma abides long. Their correlation with the stages and grounds will be explained when we reach the text. Furthermore, according to the treatise of Bodhisattva Guṇaprabha: 'The Dharma spoken by the Buddha all resolves into two truths: the first is conventional truth, and the second is ultimate truth.' As for conventional truth, it refers to all ordinary beings, śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and Tathāgatas, down to the mutual correlation of names, meanings, cognitive objects, and karmic retribution. The exposition states: Within conventional truth, persons and phenomena differ. Among persons, there are ordinary beings and noble ones; among noble ones, there are the three vehicles, and the causes and effects of the Great Vehicle—such distinctions. Among phenomena, signifiers and signified, apprehending consciousness and objective support, that which causes retribution and the retribution caused, are each bound to one another. This is called conventional truth. The treatise also says: 'As for ultimate truth, it refers to completely finding nothing to be apprehended within this. As it is said, "The highest truth is not the domain of discursive cognition, let alone words," down to the noble spiritual lineages lacking karma and karmic retribution.' The treatise, having explained the two truths, next applies them: 'The sūtra says: "Therefore in this prajñā, giving without abiding in marks is spoken of; all phenomena are markless, non-graspable, and non-expressible; beings and phenomena lack self; there is nothing to be attained, no one who realizes, no achievement, no coming, no going," and so forth. This explains ultimate truth. It also speaks of the internal and external, mundane and supramundane, the marks of all phenomena, and all merits. This establishes conventional truth. Thus should it be known.' The exposition states: The six sense objects are external, the five eyes are internal; form is external, mind is internal; sentient beings and the physical world are the mundane; the undefiled and unconditioned are the supramundane. Speaking comprehensively of these, they are called all marks of phenomena; all the weighing of life and wealth, the merit of upholding the sūtra, and all virtues. The intent of the treatise is: sentient beings do not recognize the two truths and constantly sink into cyclic existence. To cause sentient beings to recognize and penetrate the two truths, generate superior wisdom, and attain liberation, it is as a verse says: 'It is not without seeing tathatā / that one can comprehend that all conditioned factors / are all like illusory people and the like— / though existing, they are not real.' By contemplating ultimate truth, correct wisdom is born to awaken to true emptiness; by penetrating the conventional, pṛṣṭhalabdha-jñāna is generated to know dependent origination. Briefly, there are six pairs: wisdom of principle and wisdom of phenomena; sarvajñatā and sarvākārajñatā; wisdom like awakening from a dream and wisdom like a lotus blooming; wisdom of emptiness and wisdom of existence; wisdom of self-benefit and wisdom of benefiting others; yathāvad-bhāvikatājñāna and yāvadh-bhāvikatājñāna. The immeasurable merits of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas take the two wisdoms as their root. Because of recognizing the ultimate and conventional, these wisdoms arise. Therefore the sūtra is spoken to cause awakening to the two truths. Furthermore, because of realizing the ultimate, wisdom arises and one does not abide in saṃsāra; because of awakening to the conventional, compassion arises and one does not abide in nirvāṇa. Or, as the provisions for apratiṣṭhita-nirvāṇa, it forever surpasses the two vehicles, benefiting and gladdening boundlessly; hence the sūtra is spoken. The above was explaining according to the treatises. Next is the general evaluation: Bodhisattva Asaṅga bases practice on the teaching; Guṇaprabha's treatise generates wisdom based on cognitive objects. Each relies on one meaning, yet they do not contradict each other. However, comprehensively comparing the sūtra and the treatises, opening from one to six completely subsumes the intentions. As for the 'one intention': it is to cause the lineage of the Buddhas not to be severed. Bodhisattva Asaṅga concludes the six causes, saying: 'This is the Prajñāpāramitā causing the lineage of the Buddhas not to be severed.' If this intention were reversed by the six causes—doubts not ceasing and so forth—superior wisdom would not arise, the true principle would not be manifest, and the lineage of the Buddhas would be severed forever. Because the sūtra is spoken, doubt is eliminated and faith is generated, one enters the Dharma without falling back, and with joy one propagates it, destined to achieve correct awakening; hence it says 'the lineage of the Buddhas is not severed.' As for the 'two intentions': these are the two truths spoken of in the treatise above. Opening them into three: first, to awaken to the profound subtlety of the teaching and its principle; second, to generate the wondrous practice of abandonment and cultivation; third, to recognize the ultimate and transformed aspects of the fruit's virtues. The first gate again has two: first, the profundity of the teaching; second, the subtlety of the principle. As for the profundity of the teaching: the Buddha said, 'Prajñāpāramitā is not Prajñāpāramitā. All Buddhas are born from this sūtra.' Subhūti deeply understood its meaning and wept tears of sorrow: 'From the past until now, with the eye of wisdom I have attained, I have never before heard such a sūtra.' Asaṅga's treatise says: 'To cause the Great Vehicle teaching to abide long in the world.' On this account, it extensively praises the merit of upholding and explaining [the sūtra] as surpassing the giving of immeasurable lives and wealth, to make known the profundity of the teaching, so that its surpassing and great merit will inspire dedicated study. As for the subtlety of the principle: it is to reveal the markless tathatā, the ultimate principle of the dharmakāya. Although it speaks of the ultimate principle, it does not destroy conventional truth. Therefore Guṇaprabha's treatise designates its title based on the sūtra: through destroying grasping and attachment, one enters ultimate truth; without destroying conventional designations, one awakens and penetrates conventional truth. The tenth fascicle of the Śataka-śāstra-vaipulya says: 'However, among what the Buddha taught, there is nothing that is not extremely profound; the Dharma-gate of the two truths is the most difficult to fathom.' The Vijñaptimātratā-śāstra says: 'Denying the two truths is an evil grasping of emptiness; the Buddhas speak of it as incurable.' Because of this, some say that the Prajñā sūtras' statement that all is empty does not exhaust the principle. Second, generating the wondrous practice of abandonment and cultivation also has two: first, that which is abandoned; second, that which is cultivated. As for that which is abandoned: wishing to enter the Buddha's Dharma, faith is foremost; hesitating and harbouring doubt obstructs the generation of pure faith. Explaining based on the initial entry into the Dharma, the treatise speaks of severing doubt. In truth, this sūtra also severs the remaining hindrances. There are two kinds of hindrances: kleśāvaraṇa and jñeyāvaraṇa. Tracing their source, the two graspings are the root. This sūtra directly eliminates the two graspings of self and phenomena. Once the root is exhausted, the branches and leaves perish with it. As the sūtra says: 'If there is a mark of self, person, sentient being, or life span, then one is not a bodhisattva,' and so forth—this is eliminating ātmagrāha. 'There is no mark of phenomena, nor mark of non-phenomena,' and so forth—this is eliminating dharmagrāha. Furthermore, there are three hindrances, which are the three defilements. 'When in the past my body was dismembered limb by limb, if I had had a mark of self, mark of person, mark of sentient being, or mark of life span, anger and hatred should have arisen,' and so forth—this eliminates kleśāvaraṇa. 'If a good man or good woman receives, upholds, reads, and recites this sūtra and is despised by others, their past sinful karma will be extinguished,' and so forth—this eliminates karmic hindrances. 'You should know that the meaning of this sūtra is inconceivable, and its fruit and retribution are also inconceivable,' and so forth—this eliminates retributive hindrances. Furthermore, according to the Ratnagotravibhāga, there are four kinds of hindrances: first, icchantikas' lack of faith; second, non-Buddhists' attachment to self; third, śrāvakas' fear of suffering; fourth, pratyekabuddhas' abandonment of [altruistic] mind. Now in the sūtra, deriving the meaning in accordance with the text, the four hindrances are fully eliminated. As the sūtra says: 'A single thought of pure faith; having long planted good roots under many Buddhas; when faith is pure, the true mark is generated,' and so forth—these all [eliminate] the first hindrance. Therefore the treatise says: 'For those bodhisattvas who delight in merit but whose minds have not yet matured, it is so that upon hearing of the abundant merit, they may give rise to faith and understanding regarding the Prajñāpāramitā.' The passages throughout the sūtra speaking of no self and so forth eliminate the second hindrance. 'The perfection of patience is not the perfection of patience,' and so forth, is determined in the treatise as the abiding place of enduring suffering, which eliminates the third hindrance. 'Vast, foremost, constant, their minds unperverted,' and so forth, the mind of the four kindnesses eliminates the fourth hindrance. 'If there are those who delight in lesser teachings, they cannot receive, read, recite, or explain it to others,' and so forth, along with the text on apratiṣṭhita-nirvāṇa, together eliminate the latter two. Furthermore, according to the eight abiding places of Bodhisattva Asaṅga, subsuming those twelve into the abandonment of obstacles, each is directly counteracted, namely having heard little and so forth; hence this sūtra is spoken to eliminate hindrances. Second, that which is cultivated: although the ten thousand practices are distinct, they do not exceed the six perfections. Vasubandhu's treatise says: 'The perfection of giving subsumes the necessities of life, fearlessness, and the Dharma. Here, one, two, and three are called the abiding place of practice.' Furthermore, relinquishing body and wealth and so forth is giving. 'In the latter five hundred years, upholding the precepts and cultivating merit,' and so forth, is morality. Furthermore, being free from all marks is the morality of restraint. Cultivating all wholesome dharmas to attain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi is the morality of embracing wholesome dharmas. Benefiting all sentient beings is the morality of embracing sentient beings. These are the three clusters of pure precepts. Also in the Yogācāra[-bhūmi], revulsion toward the conditioned and so forth, the three kinds of generating the aspiration, are the causes of the three virtues; these are called morality. Patience can be understood. Practicing for a long time over five hundred lifetimes is diligence. Throughout the text, the contemplative practices cultivated are determined by the treatise to be samāpatti, vipaśyanā, and so forth; this is the wisdom of emptiness. The six perfections are perfected. In the large sūtra, the last are the six luminous perfections; here they are briefly raised and indicated to clarify markless practice and lead into what follows. Third, recognizing the ultimate and transformed aspects of the fruit's virtues: although Subhūti's three questions pertain to the causal stage, the cause necessarily tends toward the unexcelled fruit. 'Those who seek me through form or sound do not see the Tathāgata'—this is the true dharmakāya. Walking, standing, sitting, and lying down are the nirmāṇakāya. The nirmāṇakāya is not the true Buddha, nor is it the preacher of the Dharma. This causes one to recognize the transformed body and seek the true Buddha. Furthermore, Guṇaprabha's treatise explains: 'How should one abide?' refers to: toward a fruit of what mark does the mind abide and make vows? 'How should one practice?' refers to: what practice should one cultivate to attain that fruit? 'How should one subdue?' refers to: subduing the equanimous mind to make the cause pure. All phenomena have causes first and fruits later; why is the fruit spoken of first? It is because praising the virtues of the fruit first causes them to rejoice and seek it, and thereby cultivate the cause. In Bodhisattva Asaṅga's [treatise], three causes are opened; the principle encompasses practice and fruit. The domain of the two truths applies to both fruit and cause. The above concludes the three intentions. Opening them into four: first, to cause hearing of the supreme teaching of non-expression; second, to cause knowing of the superior principle of non-arising; third, to cause cultivation of the wondrous practice of non-attainment; fourth, to cause attainment of the ultimate unconditioned fruit. These are fully present in the sūtra and should be investigated and cited. If opened into five intentions, to the previous four is added: to cause the gathering of markless wondrous merit. As for 'six intentions': these are the six causes of the treatise; or rather, within the previous three intentions, each is opened into two: first, teaching; second, principle; third, abandonment; fourth, cultivation; fifth, ultimate; sixth, transformed. Therefore, according to the overall intention of the sūtra and treatise, it is to eliminate doubt and sever hindrances, generate faith and initiate practice, recognize the principles of the ultimate and conventional, gather the virtues of merit and wisdom, realize the fruit of the dharmakāya, and keep the lineage of the Buddhas unsevered: thus this sūtra arose.