御注金剛般若波羅蜜經宣演 2.105

2.105

Sūtra: “Subhūti, [...] the Tathāgata speaks of as sand?”
Exposition: Below clarifies the purity of knowledge. The preceding purity of vision illuminates objects; this, arising subsequent to that, discerns the distinctions in the mental activities of sentient beings. Whether defiled or undefiled, inverted or non-inverted, all are fully known, so that each and every mind may be freed from scattered distraction and realize the true realm; hence it is called the dwelling of the purity of knowledge. The commentary says: "To realize within what should be known, vision is established as teaching; to pacify the minds of those respective sentient beings, knowledge is established." Exposition: Vision is to make them know; knowledge is to bring benefit. That commentary does not divide vision and knowledge as distinct; it is merely that through the five eyes one sees the manifold mental abidings of those sentient beings. That is to say, the former clarifies the knowledge that can see, and the latter clarifies the objects seen. Therefore the verse says: "The Buddhas' five kinds are real, because they see those inversions." The rest is the same as this commentary. The text is divided into three: first, adducing the objective support of knowledge; second, explaining that the Buddha is able to know; third, querying and explaining the reason. In the first there are four: first, identifying sand through the river; second, counting realms according to the sand; third, speaking of sentient beings according to the realms; fourth, speaking of minds according to sentient beings. This is the first. First the question, then the answer. The Tathāgata makes this statement based on convention, and therefore speaks of it as sand; Subhūti, knowing his intention, speaks in this manner.