金剛般若經旨贊 1.24

1.24

Sūtra: “Furthermore, Subhūti, […] should practice giving.”
Commentary: Next below, the second part clarifies the purity of the pāramitās among the eight abodes of practice—that is, the abode of practice associated with the pāramitās among the eighteen [abodes]. Previously, [the sūtra] had them generate the aspiration [to bodhi] in order to hope for the fruit of buddhahood; next, it has them cultivate practice as the causal practice of bodhi, for if one does not cultivate the practice, the fruit will not be achieved. Therefore, the myriad practices are called the “all-encompassing maintenance,” because they are able to maintain the complete fruit of the stage of buddhahood. If so, given that the wondrous activities number eighty-four thousand, why is only giving mentioned here? Answer: Because giving is the beginning of the myriad practices, and is coarse and easy to train in. Moreover, the word encompasses the six pāramitās, and mentioning this also subsumes the rest. What is the meaning of this? There are three kinds of giving: first, the giving of material sustenance, which means using material wealth to support their livelihoods; second, the giving of fearlessness, which means using loving-kindness to make them secure; third, the giving of the Dharma, which means using wholesome teachings to relieve their suffering. Through these three kinds of giving, the six pāramitās are subsumed: the first, the giving of material sustenance, subsumes the initial pāramitā of giving, because one gives material wealth to benefit them; next, the giving of fearlessness subsumes discipline and patience, for through upholding discipline one does not harm or trouble others, so that those who have not yet had harm inflicted on them regarding the bodhisattva know that [the bodhisattva] does not do harm and do not produce fear; through patience, one is able to endure others' harm, so regarding the bodhisattva they know he can endure and will ultimately never retaliate, and they likewise do not fear; finally, the giving of the wholesome Dharma subsumes vigor, meditative concentration, and wisdom, for when explaining the Dharma to sentient beings, through vigor one does not shy away from cold or heat, does not proclaim fatigue, and is constantly diligent in explaining the Dharma; through meditative concentration one does not crave honor and offerings, and is able to know their minds well and explain the Dharma according with their capacities; through wisdom one understands the Dharma without inversion or error, and explains it in accord with reality. Since the three givings fully encompass the six pāramitās, the word “giving” extends to all three, which is just the six pāramitās. Therefore, Vasubandhu’s commentary states in verse on this meaning:

“The meaning of giving subsumes the six:
Material sustenance, fearlessness, and the Dharma;
Here, one, two, and three [respectively],
Are named the abode of practice.”

Because one practices these six pāramitās, one obtains twofold fruits and retributions for each of them: present retribution of requiting kindness, reverence, and offerings; and future retributions, which are said to be the distinct fruits of the six pāramitās—giving obtains great wealth, discipline achieves great honor, patience attracts good retinues, vigor obtains uninterrupted fruits, meditative concentration brings about an unharmed body, and the faculties of wisdom become sharp, joyous, and pleasant. However, there are two kinds of practice: if one seeks these fruits, it is called practice that abides in marks; if one does not seek these fruits, it is called non-abiding practice. If one practices giving without seeking retribution, then one accords with the seven kinds of supremacy; since one attains them all, it is called “reaching the other shore,” closely achieving this retribution and distantly achieving the fruit of buddhahood. If one practices while seeking fruits and retributions, because the practitioner’s mind has defilement, the practice is not refined and pure; since one does not attain the name “reaching the other shore,” how could it bring about the ultimate fruit of bodhi? To prevent giving that abides in marks, [the Buddha] has them not abide in mind. Furthermore, the text is divided into two: first, clarifying giving with non-abiding practice in order to answer the three questions; second, resolving this doubt and difficulty to exhort and encourage them to cultivate it. The first text also has two parts: first, clarifying giving with three kinds of non-abiding to answer the question on abiding; second, having them not abide in marks, combining the answers to the questions on cultivation and subduing. In the first part there are again two: first, not abiding in dharma in giving; second, not abiding in the six dusts in giving. This is the first. Following other recensions of the sūtra, there are three non-abidings, and therefore the treatises explain according to these three. The three non-abidings are: giving without abiding in matters, giving without abiding in anything whatsoever, and giving without abiding in the six dusts. In the first, “matters” has three meanings: the matter of one's own physical body in the present life; the matter of things given to sustain life; and the matter of the fruits of the given objects in future lives. If in the present life one is attached to one's own body to preserve oneself, an obstacle of non-practice arises; even if one has no choice but to practice giving, one may produce pain or later feel regret, or due to abiding attachment, one seeks future material fruits. Because of this, the sought-after supreme body is not achieved; even if one attains future fruits, they are neither complete nor eternal. To prevent this, the sūtra says: “Not abiding in matters, one should practice giving.” Since this sūtra text is spoken to keep free of the three matters, the three treatises each clarify one meaning. The next two non-abidings should also be understood accordingly. Next, “that which is abided in” has two meanings: first, abiding in present requital of kindness and offerings, forming an obstacle of deviant practice and being a cause for deviance; second, abiding in future deviant fruits. This again has two kinds: either the fruits of fearlessness, discipline, and patience; or, setting aside material giving, the fruits of the remaining five pāramitās, because they are all general and distinct future fruits. If one seeks these, since the mind is deviant, it is called seeking disparate matters, and supreme fruits are not achieved. To prevent these, the sūtra says: “Not abiding in anything whatsoever, one should practice giving.” Because the fruits of discipline, patience, and so forth cannot be distinguished separately, it speaks generally of “not abiding in anything whatsoever.” Wealth and the five fruits are all future fruit dharmas; one’s own body and requiting kindness are all present dharmas; material sustenance and fearlessness are all worldly path dharmas. Therefore, this sūtra combines both texts together and calls it “abiding in dharmas.” Since one abides in none of them, it generally says, “with no abiding in dharmas.” Although this principle is constructed for this text, in the end it was merely an erroneous addition of words by the translator.