金剛般若經旨贊 1.11

1.11

經。希有世尊至付囑諸菩薩　贊曰。此正申不斷也。前以身行肅敬。表自恭勤。此乃語盡虔誠。述其尊德。希有世尊者。總談妙德。善護念等者。別嘆勝能。希有有四。一時希有。曠劫難逢故。二處希有。大千唯一故。三德希有。福惠起絕故。四事希有。救護巧便故。雖有四種。今者唯取事之希有。此為總標。善護念等。是別釋故。護念付囑。巧便事故。由能護念付囑。菩薩未成熟者。而成熟之已。成熟者。轉復增進。當成正覺。紹佛菩提。展轉相續。佛種不斷。故護念等。是佛勝能。善現欲表佛說此經。能令眾生佛種不斷。偏舉此德。以歎如來。即因讚佛。顯經意也。故說此經名種姓不斷。加衛覆攝。是名護念。加被擁衛。覆陰攝受。即是此中護念義。故委託授與。是名付囑。故委大訓小。託深化淺。委杖憑託。是付囑故。謂佛世尊。斷一切障。心歸本源。名曰如來。由此方能護念付囑。雖菩薩等亦能攝付。今就最勝。唯說如來。乘如實道。來成正覺。說一切位。極深妙法。能遍攝付。非餘能故。故說如來善護念等。如彼師父勝昆友等。雖佛大悲普皆饒益。然行二利。求三菩提。餘乘不能。唯大乘者故。菩提者智所求果。言薩埵者。悲所度生。具此智悲。名為菩薩。由此能勝。而偏攝付。猶如三子及三田等　然菩薩者。有大有小。根熟未熟。可退不退。若佛在世。轉法輪時。以菩薩法。而為護念。若入滅時。以菩薩法。及未熟者。付大菩薩。如父在日悉陰諸子。及臨終時而付囑故。菩薩法者。即下所說依等五義。於中別詮菩薩所行。名菩薩法。以是菩薩三種轉道。斷惑證理。生智義故。是故論言。其五義中菩薩法。而建立故等。雖所攝付皆菩薩法。然其行相。各有差別。謂各六種。第一義故。且護念中六種義者。一時。二差別。三高大。四牢固。五普遍。六異相。所言時者。顯菩薩法。是二世勝得。現世安樂。當來利益故。言差別者。顯菩薩法。是超過勝。不同世間二乘法故。言高大者。顯菩薩法。是最上勝。非餘護念所能及故。言牢固者。顯護念法。是究竟勝。乃至成佛。非可捨故。言普遍者。顯護念法。是廣大勝。問護念者。誠二利故。言異相者。顯護念法。是清淨勝。異於地處未淨法故。言付囑中六種義者。一入處。二法爾得。三轉教。四不失。五大悲。六尊重。云何入處。為佛以法付囑。根熟與未熟。作入學故。云何法爾得。謂根熟者。得佛付囑。於未熟者。法爾攝故。云何轉教。謂現以法付囑根熟。令其轉教根未熟故。此三如次。即是後三。云何入處。而名不失。謂前根熟。作入處故。不失而化。應時攝引。令根未熟。不失行故。云何法爾得。名為大悲。得付囑者。於未熟人。法爾生悲。又由悲故。於未熟人。法爾攝故。云何轉教。而名尊重。謂佛付囑。令其轉教。由尊重佛。及尊重教。於未熟人。能轉教故。由佛最勝護念力故。乃令根熟諸菩薩等。得智惠力。成就佛法。得教化力。成熟眾生。初即大智。後即大悲。得此二身。固於佛行。故佛付囑。名故善巧。由其最勝。付囑力故。令根未熟。諸菩薩等。於已修得大乘行願。而不退失。於未修得大乘行願。而能進求。故佛付囑。亦名善巧。故天親論頌此義云。

Sūtra: "Rare, World-Honoured One!" up to "entrusts to the bodhisattvas." Commentary: This properly sets forth the non-interruption. Previously, by means of bodily conduct he showed awe and veneration, expressing his own reverence and diligence; here, his words convey total sincerity, recounting the [Tathāgata's] exalted virtues. "Rare, World-Honoured One" speaks generally of his wondrous virtues; "well mindful [of the bodhisattvas]," and so forth, specifically praises his supreme capabilities. There are four kinds of rareness: first, rareness in time, because he is difficult to encounter across vast kalpas; second, rareness in place, because he is unique throughout the trichiliocosm; third, rareness in virtue, because his merit and wisdom are peerless; fourth, rareness in action, because his rescue and protection are skilful. Although there are four kinds, here we take only the rareness of action; this serves as the general heading, while "well mindful," and so forth, is the specific explanation, since mindfulness and entrustment are skilful actions. Because [the Buddha] can protectively keep them in mind and entrust them, he matures those bodhisattvas who are not yet mature, and those who are already mature advance even further; they are to accomplish right awakening and succeed to the Buddha's bodhi, so that from one to another, in continuous succession, the Buddha lineage is never interrupted. Therefore, mindfulness and the rest are the Buddha's supreme capabilities. Subhūti wished to reveal that the Buddha's proclamation of this sūtra can cause the Buddha lineage in sentient beings not to be cut off, so he specifically cited this virtue in order to praise the Tathāgata; thus, through praising the Buddha, he revealed the purport of the sūtra. Therefore, the proclamation of this sūtra is named "non-interruption of the lineage." Augmenting, protecting, covering, and gathering in—this is called "mindfulness"; blessing and guarding, overshadowing and gathering in, are precisely the meaning of mindfulness here. Delegating, relying upon, conferring, and bestowing—this is called "entrustment"; therefore, delegating the great to instruct the small, relying on the deep to transform the shallow, and entrusting with reliance constitute entrustment. The Buddha, the World-Honoured One, has severed all hindrances and his mind has returned to the fundamental source; hence he is called Tathāgata. By this he is able to be protectively mindful and to entrust. Although bodhisattvas and others can also gather in and entrust, here, referring to what is supreme, we speak only of the Tathāgata. Riding the path of true reality, he comes to achieve right awakening and expounds the most profound, wondrous Dharma of all stages, being able to universally gather in and entrust, which others cannot do. Therefore, it is said that the Tathāgata is "well mindful," and so forth, just like that teacher, father, excellent elder brother, or friend. Although the Buddha's great compassion universally benefits all, nevertheless, practicing the two benefits and seeking the three [kinds of] bodhi cannot be done by the other vehicles, but only by the Mahāyāna. Bodhi is the fruit sought by wisdom, while "sattva" refers to sentient beings to be delivered by compassion. Endowed with this wisdom and compassion, one is named a bodhisattva. Because of this capability, they are specifically gathered in and entrusted, just like the three sons and the three fields. Furthermore, among bodhisattvas there are great and small, those whose faculties are mature and those not yet mature, those liable to regress and those non-regressing. While the Buddha is in the world turning the wheel of Dharma, he protectively keeps them in mind with the bodhisattva-dharma. When he is about to enter parinirvāṇa, he entrusts the bodhisattva-dharma and those not yet mature to the great bodhisattvas, just as a father shelters all his sons while alive and makes an entrustment when near death. The "bodhisattva-dharma" refers to the five meanings, such as "basis," expounded below; among them, that which specifically explains the practices of bodhisattvas is named bodhisattva-dharma, because it signifies the bodhisattvas' three kinds of turning-paths, severing delusions, realizing the principle, and giving birth to wisdom. Therefore, the treatise says that it is established among the bodhisattva-dharmas within the five meanings, and so forth. Although that which is gathered in and entrusted is in all cases the bodhisattva-dharma, their active aspects have distinctions, each possessing six kinds of supreme meanings. First, the six meanings in "mindfulness" are: (1) time; (2) distinction; (3) elevation; (4) firmness; (5) universality; (6) distinct character. What is called "time" reveals that the bodhisattva-dharma is a supreme attainment of the two lives, peace and happiness in the present life and benefit in the future. "Distinction" reveals that the bodhisattva-dharma is uniquely surpassing, unlike the dharmas of the worldly and the two vehicles. "Elevation" reveals that the bodhisattva-dharma is the most exalted, beyond what other [forms of] protective mindfulness can reach. "Firmness" reveals that the dharma of protective mindfulness is supremely ultimate, not to be abandoned even up to the attainment of buddhahood. "Universality" reveals that the dharma of protective mindfulness is vast and supreme, truly perfecting the two benefits for those who are kept in mind. "Distinct character" reveals that the dharma of protective mindfulness is pure and supreme, distinct from dharmas that are not yet pure in stage or place. In "entrustment," the six meanings are: (1) point of entry; (2) spontaneous attainment; (3) passing on the teaching; (4) non-loss; (5) great compassion; (6) reverent esteem. What is the "point of entry"? It is that the Buddha entrusts with the Dharma, serving as an entry into training for those whose faculties are mature and those not yet mature. What is "spontaneous attainment"? It means that those whose faculties are mature obtain the Buddha's entrustment and spontaneously gather in those who are not yet mature. What is "passing on the teaching"? It means that he presently entrusts the Dharma to those whose faculties are mature, causing them to pass on the teaching to those whose faculties are not yet mature. These three correspond, in order, to the latter three. Why is "point of entry" called "non-loss"? Because those mature in faculties previously serve as the point of entry; transforming them without lapse, gathering and guiding them in due season, causes those not yet mature in faculties not to lose their practice. Why is "spontaneous attainment" called "great compassion"? Those who obtain the entrustment spontaneously give rise to compassion toward the immature; furthermore, by virtue of compassion, they spontaneously gather in the immature. Why is "passing on the teaching" called "reverent esteem"? The Buddha entrusts them to pass on the teaching, and out of reverent esteem for the Buddha and reverent esteem for the teaching, they are able to pass on the teaching to the immature. By the power of the Buddha's most supreme protective mindfulness, those bodhisattvas whose faculties are mature obtain the power of wisdom to accomplish the Buddha-dharma, and obtain the power of edification to mature sentient beings. The former is great wisdom and the latter is great compassion; having attained these two bodies, they become steadfast in the Buddha's practices; therefore, the Buddha's entrustment is called skilful. By the power of his supreme entrustment, those bodhisattvas whose faculties are not yet mature do not regress or lose the Mahāyāna practices and vows they have already cultivated and attained, and they are able to advance and seek the Mahāyāna practices and vows they have not yet cultivated and attained; therefore, the Buddha's entrustment is also called skilful. Hence, Vasubandhu's treatise expresses this meaning in verse: