金剛般若經旨贊 1.9

1.9

經。爾時世尊至敷座而坐　贊曰。上明證信。下顯發起。言發起者。即表彰也。言明內真。先與外化。表正宗之意義。行發起之事相。然釋此文。總分二義。先別明化相。後總顯其意。於中則顯十種化相。爾時世尊者。即化主也。指陳控引。名曰爾時。當爾世尊說經時也。具足六義。備有三德。更無與等。世所欽重。名曰世尊。即十號中。第十號也。故佛地論。六義頌云。自在熾盛。與端嚴名稱。吉祥及尊貴。具此六種。最勝義成。薄伽梵功德名。婆伽婆名。與此無別。言食時者即化時也。謂即辰時以。此時中人家饌食。或即初熟。或當正飯。求之易得。不惱自他。若乞得已。還至本處。正時齋前。不失時節。若過於此。即是外道諸惡鬼神。畜生食時。今顯出家清淨勝法故。於此時而行乞也。言著衣等。顯化具也。著初三衣出家淨居之衣。初無田相。後變成故。然出家法。皆畜三衣。若於行道作務之時。著安多會五條之衣。若於大眾及說法時。著欝多羅僧。七條之衣。若入王宮乞食等時。僧伽梨九條等衣。總名袈裟。依色立稱。亦名功德衣。成勝功德故。亦名消瘦衣。衰損諸障故。亦名福田衣。是世福田故。亦名涅槃印。要服得度故。亦名佛標相。諸佛儀服故。持四天王所舉石鉢。及三衣并錫杖等。各有所在。如來懸記。展轉隨緣。至於漢地。非如儒道。唯有虛名。此即為入城故著衣。為乞食故持鉢。言入舍衛大城者。顯化處也。城過十延居家九億。處廣人多名大。自外之內名入。言乞食者。顯化緣也。然佛身者。金剛為體。豈資於食而行乞耶。有多因緣。示行求食。瓔珞女經說二十益。瑜伽論說由十因緣。今總參揉有其十意。一為引攝已乞未乞。令住頭陀功德法故。二為未來作大照明故。免生譏毀乞食事故。三為救引麁弊外道。既不歸伏因行化故。四為正彼承聲起謗。現妙相儀令驚信故。五為處中未信眾生。以其少功獲多福故。六為雖信放逸眾生。令生愧恥而修行故。七為六根不具眾生。種種災患。皆靜息故。八為六種有障苦人。見佛植福。離苦障故。九以八部導從世尊。令世間人深歸學故。十令八部羨仰世人。勤加護故。賓衛無災害故。於其等者。明化等也。謂由內證平等理故。慈悲之心。無偏濟故。不簡貧富貴賤人故。而於美惡無愛憎故。具大威德。無所懼故。永離諸過。無猜謗故。降二乘人之偏濟故。止外道之嫌疑故。具斯八義故。於城中次第乞已。還至本處。明化終也。前已知足。乞不過量。此□少欲。顯其樂靜。本自祇園。入城乞食。既等乞已。故還本處。飯食訖者。顯化滿也。本言利生。入城乞食。今若不食。事涉憑虛。為滿福田。故示飯食。雖金剛身實無食事。為成滿福故食訖焉。收衣鉢者。顯化息也。本以入城乞食故。藉著衣持鉢。今既事終食訖。迺須併攝資緣衣鉢。不收攀緣心起。既增勞慮。豈得安禪。雖復佛無散心。為後軌模故。須收置。即疊僧伽梨大衣。還著欝多羅僧七條。洗滌其鉢。著常著處。故言收衣鉢也。洗足已者。顯化淨也。由諸如來受步行法。途跣而行。故須洗足。然佛行時。下生蓮華。豈有塵垢而須洗邪。表清淨義。故言洗足。敷座而坐。顯化儀也。謂將說法。自施座具。敬佛母故。不使人敷。即於此座。結跏趺坐。端其身正。其念一心不亂。對真境也。雖四威儀佛常在定。為後軌摸故。敷座而坐。前來已顯發起事相。既發起者。表彰之義。即表眾生本淨而後染。因說經故。返動而歸寂謂眾生心。本來清淨。具恒沙德。是真法身。無明覆染。遂入生死。味著五欲。輪轉四生。六道巡環。八苦更受。因佛說經。返照心本。永離貪著。除滅無明。顯淨法身。常住安樂。爾時世尊者。即表眾生真法身也。食時著衣持鉢者。即為無明覆染時也。入舍衛大城者。入於生死大苦趣也。言乞食者。染著世間六塵境也。於其城中次第乞已者。於六道中。備受輪轉也。還至本處者。由般若力。照心本也。飯食訖者。永離貪著也。收衣鉢者。除滅無明也。洗足已者。顯淨法身也。敷座而坐者。安樂無為也。從始至終。表彰斯意。是故現此發起事焉。

[Sūtra:] At that time, the World-Honoured One […] having spread his seat, sat down. / Commentary: Above, the verification of faith was clarified; below, the initiation [of the teaching] is revealed. "Initiation" means symbolic revelation. It means that to reveal the internal truth, one first accords with the external transformation, symbolizing the meaning of the main body and enacting the phenomenal signs of initiation. In explaining this text, there are altogether two meanings: first, individually clarifying the transformative signs, and second, revealing their collective meaning. Within this, ten kinds of transformative signs are revealed. / "At that time, the World-Honoured One": this is the master of conversion. Pointing to and introducing [the event] is called "at that time," namely, when the World-Honoured One was about to speak the sūtra. Being endowed with the six meanings and complete with the three virtues, having none equal to him, and being revered by the world, he is called "the World-Honoured One." This is the tenth of the ten epithets. Thus the Buddhabhūmi-śāstra states in a verse on the six meanings: / "Sovereignty, flourishing, / alongside dignity, fame, / auspiciousness, and nobility— / endowed with these six, / the most supreme meaning is accomplished." / The title of the Bhagavān's virtues, or the name bhagavat, is no different from this. / "Mealtime": this is the time of transformation. That is, the chen hour (7–9 a.m.). At this time, households' food is either freshly cooked or it is the very time for meals; seeking it, one easily obtains it without troubling oneself or others. If, having begged, he returns to his original place before the midday meal, he will not miss the proper time. If it were later than this, it would be the mealtime of non-Buddhists, evil ghosts and spirits, and beasts. Now, to reveal the pure and supreme Dharma of the renunciant, he goes begging at this time. / "Put on his robes, etc.": this reveals the implements of conversion. He put on the three initial robes, the pure robes of renunciants. Initially they had no field-like pattern; later they became so. Now, according to the renunciant rules, everyone keeps three robes: when walking the path or performing labor, one wears the antarvāsa, the five-strip robe; when among the great assembly or expounding the Dharma, one wears the uttarāsaṅga, the seven-strip robe; when entering royal palaces or begging for food, one wears the saṅghāṭī, the nine-strip (or more) robe. Collectively they are called kaṣāya, a name based on color. It is also called the robe of merit, because it accomplishes supreme merits; it is also called the emaciation robe, because it diminishes all hindrances; it is also called the field-of-merit robe, because it is the world's field of merit; it is also called the seal of nirvāṇa, because wearing it is essential for attaining crossing-over; it is also called the Buddha's emblem, because it is the ceremonial attire of the Buddhas. / Carrying the stone bowl held up by the Four Heavenly Kings, together with the three robes and monk's staff, each has its location; through the Tathāgata's prior prophecy, passed on according to conditions, they reached the land of Han—unlike Confucianism and Daoism, which have only empty names. Here, he puts on robes to enter the city, and carries the bowl to beg for food. / "Entered the great city of Śrāvastī": this reveals the place of conversion. The city covers more than ten leagues, with nine hundred million households; because the area is vast and the people numerous, it is called "great." Going from outside to inside is called "entering." / "Begging for food": this reveals the condition for conversion. Now, the Buddha's body has vajra as its substance; how could he depend on food to go begging? There are multiple causes and conditions for manifesting the pursuit of food: the Ratnamālā-sūtra speaks of twenty benefits, and the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra states it is due to ten causes and conditions. Now, combining them generally, there are ten intentions: / 1. To attract and gather those who have already begged and those who have not yet begged, causing them to abide in the meritorious Dharma of dhūta; / 2. To serve as a great illumination for the future, avoiding slander regarding begging for food; / 3. To rescue and guide coarse and degraded non-Buddhists who, not yet submitting, may be transformed through this practice; / 4. To correct those who give rise to slander upon hearing rumors, manifesting wondrous physical marks and deportment to make them feel awe and faith; / 5. For sentient beings of middling status without faith, to obtain much merit with little effort; / 6. For sentient beings who, though faithful, are heedless, to give rise to shame and cultivate practice; / 7. For sentient beings lacking the six sense faculties, so that their various disasters and afflictions may all be quelled; / 8. For the six kinds of hindered, suffering people, seeing the Buddha to plant merit and leave behind suffering and hindrances; / 9. Because the eight classes [of beings] guide and follow the World-Honoured One, causing worldly people to take deep refuge and learn; / 10. To cause the eight classes [of beings] to admire worldly people and diligently protect them, so that guests and guards suffer no calamities. / "In its [midst, etc.]": this clarifies the equality of conversion. That is, because of internally realizing the principle of equality, his mind of compassion rescues without partiality; because he makes no discrimination between rich and poor, noble and lowly; because he has neither love nor hate toward delicious or bad [food]; because he possesses great majesty and virtue and has nothing to fear; because he is eternally free from faults and has no suspicion or slander; because he humbles the partial rescue of the two vehicles; and because he halts the doubts and suspicions of non-Buddhists. Being endowed with these eight meanings, having begged successively in the city, he returned to his original place. / "Returned to his original place": this clarifies the end of conversion. Previously knowing contentment, his begging did not exceed the measure; here [it reveals] having few desires, showing his delight in quiescence. Originally coming from the Jeta Grove to enter the city to beg for food, having begged equally, he returned to his original place. / "Having finished his meal": this reveals the completion of conversion. Originally stating that it was to benefit sentient beings that he entered the city to beg for food, if he did not eat now, it would seem fabricated; to fulfill the field of merit, he manifested eating. Although his vajra body truly has no need for food, to bring the merit to completion, he finished eating. / "Put away his robes and bowl": this reveals the cessation of conversion. Originally, because he entered the city to beg for food, he relied on putting on the robes and holding the bowl. Now, the matter being ended and the meal finished, he must gather up the robes and bowl, which are provisions and conditions. If not put away, thoughts directed toward external objects would arise, increasing toil and anxiety; how then could he sit peacefully in dhyāna? Although the Buddha is free from a scattered mind, to serve as a model for posterity, he had to put them away. That is, folding the great saṅghāṭī robe, he once again wore the seven-strip uttarāsaṅga, washed his bowl, and placed it in its usual location; therefore it says "put away his robes and bowl." / "Having washed his feet": this reveals the purity of conversion. Because all Tathāgatas observe the rule of walking on foot, walking barefoot on the road, they must wash their feet. Yet when the Buddha walks, lotus flowers spring up beneath his feet; how could there be dust and grime requiring washing? To symbolize the meaning of purity, it says "having washed his feet." / "Spread his seat and sat down": this reveals the deportment of conversion. That is, about to expound the Dharma, he personally arranged the seating out of respect for the Mother of Buddhas, not having others spread it. Then upon this seat, he sat cross-legged, straightened his body, righted his mindfulness, with mind single and undistracted, facing the true realm. Although across the four deportments the Buddha is ever in samādhi, to serve as a model for posterity, he spread his seat and sat down. / The phenomenal signs of initiation have been clarified above. Since it is "initiation," which means symbolic revelation, it symbolizes how sentient beings are originally pure and subsequently defiled, and how, through the preaching of the sūtra, they reverse movement and return to quiescence. That is, the minds of sentient beings are fundamentally pure and endowed with virtues numerous as the sands of the Ganges; this is the true Dharmakāya. Veiled and defiled by ignorance, they consequently enter birth-and-death, taste attachment to the five desires, transmigrate through the four modes of birth, cycle through the six destinies, and undergo repeatedly the eight sufferings. Because the Buddha expounds the sūtra, they reflect back upon the source of the mind, eternally leave behind craving and attachment, eradicate ignorance, reveal the pure Dharmakāya, and abide eternally in ease and joy. / "At that time, the World-Honoured One" symbolizes the true Dharmakāya of sentient beings. / "At mealtime putting on robes and holding the bowl" symbolizes the time of being veiled and defiled by ignorance. / "Entering the great city of Śrāvastī" symbolizes entering the great suffering destinies of birth-and-death. / "Begging for food" symbolizes defiled attachment to the six sensory objects of the world. / "Having begged successively in that city" symbolizes fully undergoing transmigration in the six destinies. / "Returning to his original place" symbolizes, through the power of prajñā, reflecting upon the source of the mind. / "Having finished his meal" symbolizes eternally leaving behind craving and attachment. / "Putting away robes and bowl" symbolizes eradicating ignorance. / "Having washed his feet" symbolizes revealing the pure Dharmakāya. / "Spreading his seat and sitting down" symbolizes ease, joy, and the unconditioned. / From beginning to end, these meanings are symbolized; therefore, these phenomenal events of initiation are manifested.