御注金剛般若波羅蜜經宣演 2.61

2.61

Sūtra: Subhūti, I recall in the past [...] none was passed over in vain. Exposition: Above, the separate explanation of the five kinds of merits has ended. From here below, this major section re-explains the previously mentioned second [topic], "gathering the accumulation of merit." In this, following the commentary, it is divided into three: first, revealing the majesty of the sūtra; next, explaining the abundance of merit; third, what kind of person is able to expound it. The first [part] again has two: first, adducing other merits; later, comparative calculation to demonstrate superiority. This is the first. At the beginning of the commentary it states: "Majesty should be known because of maturity and blazing brilliance; abundance [should be known] because of being complete, superior, and vast." Applying this to explain the present text, it is precisely the majesty of the accumulation of merit, because its accumulation of merit is far superior and exalted. Here, "asaṃkhyeya kalpas" means up to Dīpaṃkara Buddha. "Beyond asaṃkhyeya kalpas" should be known as going even beyond what was before. Exposition: Revealing the majesty of the sūtra, the accumulation of merit it possesses is far superior and exalted. Speaking of "countless kalpas in the past," this means from the vajra-samādhi up to the completion of the seventh bhūmi is one asaṃkhyeya, where Dīpaṃkara Buddha was encountered; that is not what is discussed here. Here we take what was prior to Dīpaṃkara Buddha: the offerings cultivated during the two asaṃkhyeya kalpas, excluding upholding the sūtra, are taken for comparative calculation. Therefore, other versions of the sūtra all have two tiers of asaṃkhyeyas: one tier before Dīpaṃkara, and one tier after Dīpaṃkara Buddha. The Zhenguan edition says: "previously and again exceeding the previous." Here it speaks of "immeasurable asaṃkhyeya kalpas," which is a general statement. For there are sūtras stating that before encountering Dīpaṃkara Buddha, with an apprehending mind, one did not receive prediction; about to enter the eighth bhūmi, upon encountering Dīpaṃkara Buddha, one attained the forbearance of non-arising [dharmas], and only with an unapprehending mind did one receive prediction. For this reason, it is not compared with the merits after Dīpaṃkara Buddha, because signless cultivation is itself the perfection of wisdom. Prior to this, although there were times of training in the signless, it was not continuous, and there was still preparation (prayogamārga); thus the merit was inferior. Hence a treatise states: "The merit possessed in a single kṣaṇa upon entering the eighth bhūmi surpasses the previous two kalpas." This precisely agrees with this. Furthermore, it is said that the merit of offering to the physical forms of buddhas cultivated during the two kalpas is not as great as the superior merit of upholding the sūtra during that time. The former conforms to the signs of worldly conditioned [phenomena] and again brings about a physical form (rūpakāya); hence the merit is inferior. The latter generates the three wisdoms, severs defilements, realizes the truth, and swiftly realizes the dharmakāya; hence the merit is superior. However, that inferior merit all pertains to before the seventh bhūmi; from the eighth bhūmi onward, it is purely signless cultivation where merit and wisdom are united. The number of buddhas encountered differs among sūtra editions; the numbers may be larger or smaller without contradiction. As for nayuta, according to the Lotus Sūtra, it is a colloquial counting term. According to this land's counting, it is millions, trillions, and so on; counting by the twelve colloquial terms of the capital, it would be extremely few. According to the Avataṃsaka Sūtra, from one hundred lakṣas is one koṭi; a koṭi of koṭis is an ayuta; an ayuta of ayutas is a nayuta. Yet the Lotus Sūtra uses this land's large number to designate a nayuta; in truth one should follow the numbers in the Avataṃsaka Sūtra. However, this number of buddhas merely adduces the buddhas encountered at a single stage; according to the two asaṃkhyeyas, it was not merely this amount. An ancient commentary on this says: "It generally adduces the causal stages of the three asaṃkhyeya kalpas for comparative calculation." If so, it should only say "I recall in the past immeasurable kalpas," etc.; why would it need to separately mention "before Dīpaṃkara Buddha"? There is also an explanation stating: "Because offering to buddhas is merely a cause of merit, whereas upholding the sūtra is a cause of wisdom, they cannot be compared." This is not so: if it were merely a cause of wisdom and not of merit, why would the two commentaries explain upholding the sūtra as gathering the accumulation of merit? Thus we know that by upholding the sūtra, both merit and wisdom arise together; it is merely that by conforming to the signless dharmakāya, it is exceptionally superior. If so, why does the verse say: "Merit does not tend toward bodhi"? The answer is: conditioned merit such as giving does not tend toward bodhi; it is not that the signless merit of upholding the sūtra does not tend toward it, because the two bodhis of merit and wisdom, through correct practice, induce the dharmakāya. Question: Other editions, regarding Dīpaṃkara, all speak of "before" or "prior"; why does the Liang sūtra say "after the Buddha"? Answer: That translator's intention was different; because it was in the past, it was called "behind" (hou), just as speaking of the future is called "in front" (qian). This is stated in terms of facing toward or turning away: the future is facing forward, while turning away faces the past. The commentary says: "'Serving closely' means by making offerings; 'none was passed over in vain' means never departing from making offerings." Thus it explains "not passed over in vain" as constantly offering.