無量壽經義記卷下 1.25

1.25

第四勸修。從無量壽佛為諸聲聞菩薩已下。明阿彌陀佛於七寶樹下廣說妙法也。嘆七寶出五音聲。此音聲中辯宮商角徵羽苦空無常無我之音聲。聞音皆悟道也。從生彼佛國諸菩薩等已下。明菩薩內備無盡之法。外能自在為人說法。就此章有三子段明義。隨順知慧者。明菩薩三業。隨佛智行身業。隨佛智慧行口業。隨佛智慧行意業。隨佛智慧行也。無違無失者。明身無失口無失意無失也。於其國土所有萬物無我所心者。此下歎三善根。有四句。明八住無意地貪欲也。照無生理。不見我之可受我之可取。混然無相。豈有貪欲可得也。無染著心者。若內有煩惱見境。是有生著。內既無煩惱外何所可染也。去來進心者情無所係者。內無有貧。外能隨意現化也。隨意自在無所適莫者。有感斯應不偏。為一人故言無所適莫也。無彼無我者。此四句明無瞋恚也。無競無訟者。第二句。若是凡地可有諍訟。明此八地菩薩心會無生平等理中。豈有瞋恚在德也。於諸眾生得大慈悲饒益之心者。第三句。明菩薩內德慈悲救苦眾生。常行利益之心。明知無瞋柔軟調伏無忿恨心者。第四句。若剛強眾生以柔和語調伏。教令入正道。亦無致忿也。離蓋清淨無厭怠者。此下明無愚癡也。離三界惑蓋得清淨之心。明心精進懃策故無厭怠心也。等心者。平等之心也。勝心者。八地無生之心。求於上地故言勝也。深心者。入無生寂滅之理。念念增進。為深心也。定心者。在境而不散也。愛法樂法憙法之心者。始起心觀境為愛見。境應心為樂。混然一相不見無之別故憙法之心也。滅諸煩惱離惡趣心者。滅三界或累也。究竟一切菩薩所行者。究竟十地之行也。得深禪定者。不但解四禪而已。乃深入四空定。空處識處不用處非非想處也。諸通明慧者。通是六神通。此是定家果。明是三明慧能決斷也。遊志七覺者。明小乘行七覺。從斯陀含至阿羅漢斷思惟惑盡。菩薩行七覺從四地至七地。亦斷思惟惑盡故判七覺。何等為七。一擇法覺者。簡擇諸法取最勝法也。二精進覺。就思惟中晝夜懃察不息也。三憙覺。得正觀在心欣悅無量也。四念覺。念念增明也。五定覺。定是念家果心緣在境而不亂也。六猗覺。明受樂唯泰也。七捨覺。捨於三界麁細之惑盡也。肉眼清徹者。此中凡有五眼。前四眼制因地。後一眼主在佛地。若不判作境智唯是一慧眼。若不爾唯一法眼境。是所照智。是能照就墳自為四眼。於法眼中離出三眼對色者名為眼。天眼色有麁妙。肉眼見麁。天眼見妙。十四種色中唯一色法麁故是肉眼所見。餘有十三種色細妙故屬天眼所見也。因緣之法莫過有無有者。是色屬肉眼所見。無者是第一義諦法身佛性。是妙有。照於妙有妙無名為慧眼也。照於四陰非色非心心數及無為法有漏無漏行不同肉眼。天眼之麁不及慧眼之妙。三眼所不攝。還伏法眼名也。肉眼天眼約根受名法眼。從境以立稱。慧眼就慧體以立號。四眼所不周見色不盡。乃至照空未窮窮原盡性。其唯是佛。是以迦之佛眼也。肉眼清徹靡不分了者。明肉眼唯見麁色未及細色也。天眼通達無量無限者。明天眼見細色明了故。言通達非一切處通達也。此二眼從根受名制在三十心中也。法眼觀察究竟諸道者。此法眼從初地至七地明。此法眼攝一切有為無為數緣。非數緣無作佛性等法也。慧眼見真能度彼岸者。此慧眼從八地至十地。慧能鑒空會無生真如之理。與佛果相近故能度彼堓也。佛眼具足覺了法性者。此一眼是佛眼。五眼具足。覺了一切有無之法無不朗然。大明降金剛已下未得此眼。唯成佛當得了　以無礙智為人演說者。如來以四無礙辯法辯義辯辭辯樂。說辯常為眾生演說妙法也。等觀三界空無所有者。三界之法悉為虛偽。無有一法真實也　志求佛法具諸辯才者。不見三界一法可樂。便求如來真實妙典而具於四辯也。除滅眾生煩惱之患者。如來有無量智慧之力。除眾生煩惱之患也。從如來生者。八地以上智慧辯才從如來而得故。言從如來生也。解法如如者。明八地以上解與佛同。善能應現作佛身說法。亦如佛所說故言解法如如也。善智習滅音聲方便者。善知三界外習滅應現音聲以接眾生也。修諸善本志崇佛道者。修念進崇於佛果也。知一切法皆悉寂滅者。會無生理不見有無之相故。言寂滅也。生身煩惱二餘俱盡者。三界內生者是因。身者是果。煩惱業為因。生死五陰身為果。明八地菩薩除三界內分段報身。是一除三界麁煩惱是二。此二麁報於八地邊成餘。今八地除此二餘麁報故言二餘俱盡也。又一解生身煩惱二餘俱盡者。判餘此細習煩惱在三界外。唯八地菩薩至十地能斷盡。明此細習有二種餘。一者業餘。二者是煩惱餘。所以言餘者。寔由七地菩薩斷三界麁內麁業麁煩惱盡。未斷三界外無明住地細習故言餘也。今言生身煩惱二餘俱盡者。明八地菩薩斷已自分盡。未能斷九地十地分也。生者是業。即是因也。身者是果。以念念為身。八地菩薩斷意生身餘業餘煩惱盡故。言生身煩惱二餘俱盡也。聞甚深法心不疑懼常能修行者。明八地菩薩上斷二餘煩惱唯有念念。意生身與無生理會聞九地十地甚深妙法。念念修進何容心德疑懼也。

Fourth, exhortation to practice. From “Amitāyus expounded the wondrous Dharma to all the śrāvakas and bodhisattvas” onward: this clarifies that Amitābha broadly expounded the wondrous Dharma beneath the seven-jewelled trees. It praises the seven jewels as emitting five notes, and within these notes explaining the sounds of gong, shang, jue, zhi, and yu, as well as suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and non-self. Hearing these sounds, all awaken to the Path. From “all the bodhisattvas born in that Buddha Land” onward: this clarifies that the bodhisattvas inwardly possess inexhaustible dharmas and outwardly can freely expound the Dharma for others. In this passage there are three subsections clarifying the meaning. “Accord with wisdom”: this clarifies the three karmas of the bodhisattvas. Following the Buddha's wisdom, they practice bodily karma; following the Buddha's wisdom, they practice verbal karma; following the Buddha's wisdom, they practice mental karma—they practice by according with the Buddha's wisdom. “Without contrariety and without fault”: this clarifies that their bodily [karma] has no fault, their verbal [karma] has no fault, and their mental [karma] has no fault. “Regarding all things in that realm, they have no thought of ‘mine’”: below this, it praises the three wholesome roots. There are four clauses clarifying that at the eighth stage there is no desire of the mental bhūmi. Illuminating the principle of non-arising, they see nothing of a self that could be received, nothing of a self that could be grasped. Merged and signless, how could there be any desire that could be found? “No stained attachment in mind”: if internally there were afflictions, upon encountering sensory objects they would generate attachment. Since there are no afflictions internally, what could be stained externally? “Regarding going, coming, advancing, and retreating, their affections have no clinging”: internally they have no craving, and externally they can manifest apparitions as they wish. “At ease as they wish, with neither favoritism nor aversion”: where there is a stimulus, they respond without bias; not being for one person alone, it is said that they have neither favoritism nor aversion. “Free from that and this”: these four clauses clarify freedom from anger. “Without contention and without litigation”: the second clause. If it were a worldly stage, there could be dispute and litigation; but this clarifies that these bodhisattvas of the eighth bhūmi have minds attuned to the principle of non-arising and equality—how could any anger abide in their virtue? “Toward all sentient beings they attain a mind of great compassion and abundant benefit”: the third clause. It clarifies that the bodhisattvas' inner virtue is compassion that rescues suffering sentient beings, constantly practicing the mind of benefit, which clearly shows freedom from anger. “Gentle, subdued, and free from resentment”: the fourth clause. If sentient beings are stubborn and hard, they tame them with gentle speech and teach them to enter the correct path, without giving rise to anger either. “Free from hindrances, pure, and without weariness or indolence”: from here down clarifies freedom from ignorance. Being free from the hindrance of afflictions of the three realms, they attain a pure mind; and because their minds are vigorous and diligently exert themselves, they have no mind of weariness or indolence. “Equal mind”: a mind of equality. “Superior mind”: the mind of non-arising of the eighth bhūmi, seeking the higher bhūmis, hence called superior. “Profound mind”: entering the principle of non-arising and quiescence, advancing thought after thought, which constitutes the profound mind. “Concentrated mind”: remaining upon the object without distraction. “The mind that loves the Dharma, delights in the Dharma, and rejoices in the Dharma”: initially giving rise to the mind to contemplate the object is 'loving'; seeing that the object corresponds to the mind is 'delighting'; and being merged into a single characteristic without seeing any distinction is the 'mind that rejoices in the Dharma'. “Extinguishing all afflictions and abandoning the mind of evil destinies”: extinguishing the entanglements of afflictions of the three realms. “Completely perfecting all that bodhisattvas practice”: completely perfecting the practices of the ten bhūmis. “Attaining deep dhyāna concentrations”: not only understanding the four dhyānas, but thoroughly entering the four formless concentrations: the concentration of boundless space, of boundless consciousness, of nothingness, and of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. “All supernormal knowledges and bright wisdom”: the supernormal knowledges are the six supernormal knowledges, which are the fruition belonging to concentration; the clarities are the three clarities, and wisdom can make decisive determinations. “Directing their aspiration to the seven limbs of awakening”: this clarifies that the Small Vehicle practices the seven limbs of awakening from the stage of the sakṛdāgāmin to the arhat, completely severing the afflictions abandoned by cultivation; the bodhisattva practices the seven limbs of awakening from the fourth bhūmi to the seventh bhūmi, likewise completely severing the afflictions abandoned by cultivation; hence it is categorized as the seven limbs of awakening. What are the seven? First is the awakening-limb of dharma discrimination: discriminating among all dharmas and choosing the most supreme dharma. Second is the awakening-limb of vigor: in cultivation and contemplation, diligently examining day and night without ceasing. Third is the awakening-limb of joy: attaining correct contemplation in the mind, rejoicing immeasurably. Fourth is the awakening-limb of mindfulness: becoming increasingly luminous from thought to thought. Fifth is the awakening-limb of concentration: concentration is the fruition of mindfulness, with the mind conditioned upon the object without scattering. Sixth is the awakening-limb of pliancy: clarifying that experiencing bliss is completely tranquil. Seventh is the awakening-limb of equanimity: completely abandoning the coarse and subtle afflictions of the three realms. “The fleshly eye is clear and transparent”: herein there are five eyes in total. The first four eyes are established on the causal stage, while the last eye resides primarily on the Buddha stage. If one does not distinguish them into object and wisdom, it is simply the single wisdom eye. If not so, it is simply the single Dharma eye: the object is that which is illuminated, and wisdom is that which illuminates; based on their domains, four eyes are distinguished. Within the Dharma eye, three eyes are differentiated: that which faces form is called the [fleshly] eye and the divine eye. Form has the coarse and the subtle: the fleshly eye sees the coarse, while the divine eye sees the subtle. Among the fourteen kinds of form, only one dharma of form is coarse, hence it is seen by the fleshly eye; the remaining thirteen kinds of form are subtle, hence they belong to what is seen by the divine eye. The dharmas of conditioned arising do not exceed existence and non-existence: existence is form, belonging to what is seen by the fleshly eye; non-existence is the ultimate truth, the dharmakāya, and buddha-nature—this is subtle existence. Illuminating subtle existence and subtle non-existence is called the wisdom eye. Illuminating the four aggregates that are neither form nor mind, the mental concomitants, unconditioned dharmas, and conditioned and unconditioned practices—unlike the coarse perception of the fleshly eye and divine eye, and not reaching the subtlety of the wisdom eye, not being subsumed by these three eyes—it is instead subsumed under the name of the Dharma eye. The fleshly eye and divine eye receive their names based on the sense faculties; the Dharma eye establishes its designation based on the object; the wisdom eye establishes its title based on the essence of wisdom. What the four eyes cannot encompass—seeing form incompletely, even illuminating emptiness without fully exhausting it—to exhaust the source and fully fathom the nature is unique to the Buddha; hence the Buddha eye is added. “The fleshly eye is clear and transparent, with nothing not clearly perceived”: this clarifies that the fleshly eye sees only coarse form and does not reach subtle form. “The divine eye penetrates through, boundless and limitless”: this clarifies that because the divine eye sees subtle forms clearly, it is said to penetrate through, but it does not penetrate everywhere. These two eyes take their names from the faculties and are established within the thirty minds. “The Dharma eye observes and completely fathoms all paths”: this Dharma eye is from the first bhūmi to the seventh bhūmi; it clarifies that this Dharma eye encompasses all dharmas—conditioned, unconditioned, cessation through deliberate analysis, cessation not through deliberate analysis, and the non-conditioned buddha-nature. “The wisdom eye sees reality and can cross over to the other shore”: this wisdom eye extends from the eighth bhūmi to the tenth bhūmi; wisdom can reflect upon emptiness and accord with the principle of non-arising suchness, and being close to the fruition of buddhahood, it can cross over to that shore. “The Buddha eye is fully possessed, awakening to and understanding the dharma-nature”: this single eye is the Buddha eye; fully possessing the five eyes, it awakens to and understands all dharmas of existence and non-existence, with nothing that is not brilliantly clear. Below the culmination of the diamond-like [samādhi], one has not yet attained this eye; only upon becoming a buddha will one fully achieve it. “Expounding for others with unhindered wisdom”: the Tathāgata, with the four unhindered eloquence[s]—the unhindered eloquence in Dharma, in meaning, in phrasing, and in delight of speech—constantly expounds the wondrous Dharma for sentient beings. “Viewing the three realms equally as empty and devoid of anything”: the dharmas of the three realms are entirely deceptive and false, lacking a single dharma that is real. “Aspirations seeking the Buddha's teaching, fully possessing all eloquence”: seeing not a single dharma in the three realms that is desirable, one seeks the Tathāgata's true and wondrous scriptures and becomes endowed with the four unhindered eloquences. “Eliminating the affliction and misery of sentient beings”: the Tathāgata possesses immeasurable power of wisdom to remove the affliction and misery of sentient beings. “Born from the Tathāgata”: from the eighth bhūmi upward, wisdom and eloquence are obtained from the Tathāgata; hence it says “born from the Tathāgata”. “Understanding dharmas as suchness”: this clarifies that from the eighth bhūmi upward, understanding is identical to the Buddha's; being well able to manifest apparitionally as a buddha body to expound the Dharma, just as the Buddha expounds it, it is said that they “understand dharmas as suchness”. “Skillfully knowing the expedient methods of habitual extinction and sounds”: they skillfully know how, beyond the three realms, habitual extinction manifests apparitional sounds to receive and guide sentient beings. “Cultivating all wholesome roots, aspiring to venerate the Buddha Path”: cultivating mindfulness and vigor, they venerate the fruition of buddhahood. “Knowing all dharmas to be entirely quiescent”: according with the principle of non-arising, they see no characteristics of existence or non-existence; hence it is called “quiescent”. “The two remnants of birth-body and afflictions are both exhausted”: within the three realms, birth is the cause, and body is the fruition; afflictional karma is the cause, and the five-aggregate body of saṃsāra is the fruition. This clarifies that the bodhisattvas of the eighth bhūmi eliminate the karmically conditioned physical body within the three realms, which is the first, and eliminate the coarse afflictions of the three realms, which is the second. These two coarse fruitions constitute remnants with respect to the eighth bhūmi; now the eighth bhūmi eliminates these two remnants of coarse fruitions, hence it is said that “the two remnants are both exhausted”. Another explanation of “the two remnants of birth-body and afflictions are both exhausted”: the residue of these subtle habitual afflictions is distinguished as being outside the three realms; only bodhisattvas from the eighth bhūmi to the tenth bhūmi can sever them completely. It clarifies that these subtle habits have two kinds of remnants: first, the remnant of karma; second, the remnant of afflictions. Why are they called remnants? It is truly because bodhisattvas of the seventh bhūmi, having completely severed coarse karma and coarse afflictions within the three realms, have not yet severed the subtle habits of the entrenchment of ignorance outside the three realms; hence they are called remnants. Now, in saying “the two remnants of birth-body and afflictions are both exhausted,” it clarifies that the bodhisattvas of the eighth bhūmi have severed their own share, but cannot yet sever the shares of the ninth and tenth bhūmis. Birth is karma, which is the cause. Body is the fruition, taking thought-after-thought as the body. Bodhisattvas of the eighth bhūmi exhaust the residual karma and residual afflictions of the mind-made body; hence it is said that “the two remnants of birth-body and afflictions are both exhausted”. “Hearing the exceedingly profound Dharma, their minds are free from doubt or fear, and they are always able to cultivate and practice”: this clarifies that bodhisattvas of the eighth bhūmi, having severed the two remnants of afflictions above, have only thought-after-thought; their mind-made bodies accord with the principle of non-arising, and hearing the exceedingly profound, wondrous Dharma of the ninth and tenth bhūmis, they cultivate and advance thought after thought—how could their minds admit doubt or fear?