御注金剛般若波羅蜜經宣演 2.59

2.59

Sūtra: this person's prior lifetimes, up to will then be eradicated. Exposition: In explaining the reason: Other recensions contain a question: the place where the sūtra is spoken is reverently respected even by the eight classes of beings, and the person who upholds and recites it ought reasonably to be praised by ordinary beings and sages; why instead are they despised and slighted? What is the reason? In the explanation there are two [parts]: first, clarifying the eradication of transgressions; second, obtaining bodhi. This is the first. That treatise's seventh [line], "and leaving far behind all obstructions," comments: "Why is one despised and slighted by others yet leaves behind all obstructions? Because one has great merit." Exposition: The sūtra says "prior lifetimes," which means past lifetimes: first, birth in past lifetimes; second, prior to reciting the sūtra is also called "prior lifetimes." Relying on the former "prior lifetimes," one transforms karma of subsequent retribution; relying on the latter "prior lifetimes," it generally transforms karma of rebirth retribution, subsequent retribution, and present retribution. Among these various karmas, through the power of upholding the sūtra, one transforms indeterminate karma: light transgressions are all eradicated, and heavy transgressions are made light; being reviled by others and the like serves as [the retribution for] what would previously have been the heavy suffering of the three evil destinies. There are four kinds of karma: experienced in the present life, in the next life, in subsequent lives, and the fourth is indeterminate. Of indeterminate there are three: time is determinate but retribution is indeterminate; retribution is determinate but time is indeterminate; both time and retribution are indeterminate. What is transformed here is the second case. Why is that? Because retribution is determinate, the heavy is transformed into light; because time is indeterminate, karma that would cause falling into the evil destinies is experienced among humans. The other two cases are entirely eradicated. The Abhidharma-samuccaya states: "If done but not accumulated, one does not necessarily experience vipāka." Furthermore, there are five kinds of karma: first, commanded by another; second, exhorted by another; third, without awareness. These three karmas, through the power of upholding the sūtra, are entirely eradicated, because the karma is not determinate as to experiencing retribution. Fourth, fundamental clinging; fifth, inverted conceptualization. These two karmas are heavy: if done, they are certainly accumulated and definitely experience vipāka; through the power of upholding the sūtra, these two karmas are transformed so that they are experienced lightly. Question: Can karma of the present, subsequent, and next lives where both time and retribution are determinate be transformed or not? Answer: Through upholding the sūtra, all are transformed; otherwise, how could one quickly realize bodhi? If so, since all can be transformed, why are they called determinate? Answer: This is based on not having generated the aspiration [for bodhi]; if generated, they are indeterminate. Hence the Nirvāṇa Sūtra says: "Not having entered my Dharma is called determinate karma; if one enters my Dharma, then it is not determinate." Another explanation: according to King Ajātaśatru, who committed the five heinous sins, both time and retribution were determinate; when he saw the Buddha, repented, and heard the Small Vehicle sūtras, through his initial repentance, what should have sent him to the bouncing-ball hell was transformed from heavy to light; later, hearing the Great Vehicle, with utmost sincerity and earnest repentance, his heinous transgressions were eradicated. Therefore, entering the Buddha's Dharma is called indeterminate karma. If according to this meaning, what is spoken here provisionally refers to middling upholding transforming heavy into light experiences; if the mind is refined and earnest, all are entirely eradicated. Question: According to the Large Prajñāpāramitā, only excepting determinate evil karma that is due to ripen, why is it now said that determinate karma is also transformed, and so forth? Answer: That is based on determinate experience, where experience has degrees of heaviness and lightness; here, transforming it to be light is not non-experiencing entirely. There is no contradiction with that, nor is it in conflict with the Nirvāṇa Sūtra, because upholding the sūtra is precisely entering the Buddha's Dharma. This relies on the former explanation. If relying on the latter explanation, that text is also based on middling upholding; one may adopt or reject at will. Question: The imperial commentary states: "If the karma was previously determinate, one should fall into the evil destinies; thus, those of dull faculties who hear it will certainly be terrified and alarmed—how could they faithfully accept, revere, and recite this sūtra? If in the latter five hundred years those who hear these verses and phrases are able to generate faithful confidence, such persons have already planted wholesome roots before tens of millions of buddhas—how then could they be despised and slighted by others? How is this reconciled?" Answer: The imperial intention is heavenly, earnest, and profound; difficulties arise like clouds. Were it not for the sagely mind's profound discernment, how could such subtle and abstruse matters be unfolded? Where there is a question without an explanation, it is surely intended to ascribe merit to the treatise and demonstrate the deep subtlety of the Buddha's intention. Now, relying on the tenets of the treatise, I respectfully proclaim its purport: Among the five kinds of superior merit in this treatise, this falls under the fifth, the eradication of transgressions. Among the nine causes of accomplished karma in that treatise, this corresponds to the seventh, leaving far behind all obstructions; hence the prose commentary says: "Because it demonstrates leaving far behind all obstructions." Why is one despised and slighted by others yet leaves behind all obstructions? Because one has great merit. The Zhou recension of the sūtra says: "This is a good thing." The New Treatise states: "'This is a good thing' means that when one encounters slight and insult, it reveals that the person being insulted possesses a virtuous nature; therefore it says 'this is a good thing.'" According to this, transgressions and merits each have their distinct seeds; because of merit, one is able to have faith in this sūtra and cause sinful karma to be eradicated. In the sūtra text below, not only are transgressions eradicated, but one also attains bodhi.