淨名經關中釋抄 1.28.2

1.28.2

"Endowed with great vows" (vows being great is called 'great', which refers to the four universal vows), "their minds immovable" (the mind being great is called 'great', unmoved by the four māras), and "advancing vigorously without turning back" (able to endure what is hard to endure). The first, great vows, constitutes the meaning of sentient beings. The second, great mind, constitutes the meaning of sentient beings with great minds. The third, great vigor, constitutes the meaning of bravery and strength. The *Daśabhūmikavyākhyāna* lists ten kinds: first, bodhi-sattva, because of being born from awakening-wisdom; second, mahā-sattva, because of abiding in the Great Vehicle; third, agra-sattva (foremost sattva), because of realizing the foremost dharma; fourth, viśiṣṭa-sattva (distinguished sattva), awakening to the distinguished dharma; fifth, uttama-sattva (supreme sattva), because wisdom is supreme; sixth, uttara-sattva (higher sattva), because of giving rise to higher vigor; seventh, anuttara-sattva (unexcelled sattva), because of disclosing the unexcelled dharma; eighth, bala-sattva (empowered sattva), because of broadly knowing the ten powers; ninth, anupama-sattva (incomparable sattva), because of being incomparable in the world; tenth, acintya-sattva (inconceivable sattva), because of achieving Buddhahood in a single thought-moment. Furthermore, as explained below in "Not Exhausting the Conditioned," not departing from great loving-kindness, not abandoning great compassion, being courageous in mind through countless kalpas of saṃsāra, and being tireless in intent upon hearing of the Buddha's immeasurable virtues—all these elucidate the mind of a bodhisattva. / Regarding "bodies born of defilement and karma": what is explained in the Lesser Vehicle's *Kośa* is that up until achieving Buddhahood and entering nirvāṇa, all are bodies born of defilement and karma, not recognizing responsive births of the dharmakāya. What the Great Vehicle explains is responsive births of the dharmakāya. The *Benevolent Kings Sūtra* states that the thirty minds of bodhisattvas prior to the stages are born of defilement and karma; from the first to the seventh stage they are born according to their vows; and from the eighth stage onward the dharmakāya is unborn, manifesting births in response to beings. This is the dharmakāya. / Regarding "great wisdom and fundamental practices," Tiantai states: "Great wisdom praises understanding; fundamental practices praise conduct. Understanding is like the eyes; conduct is like the feet. When eyes and feet are both complete, one reaches the cool pond." Furthermore, there are two kinds of wisdom: both ultimate and provisional wisdom; ultimate wisdom is the fundamental, hence it is great. Furthermore, there are three kinds of wisdom: first, all-knowledge, which contemplates emptiness; second, knowledge of the aspects of the path, which illuminates the provisional; third, knowledge of all aspects, which illuminates the middle. Because wisdom's substance and function are complete, it is called 'great wisdom'. Furthermore, there are four kinds of wisdom: first, the wisdom of accomplishing actions; second, the wisdom of marvelous observation; third, the wisdom of equality; fourth, the great round mirror wisdom. Here, the fourth is the great one. The ten wisdoms of the Lesser Vehicle are not what is explained here. / "Dharma city": In Wei Zhao's *Shimeng*, it is said: "'City' (*cheng*) means abundant (*cheng*), because it abounds in people and goods." The *Bowuzhi* says: "Yu of the Xia built cities: the strong attack, equals battle, and the weak defend." Now the Buddha's Dharma is also like this: the weak defend with precepts, equals battle with concentration, and the strong attack with wisdom. Thus a metaphor is borrowed. The *Daśabhūmika Sūtra* speaks of four kinds of protection: first, protecting the teaching-dharma, by copying and expounding it; second, protecting the principle-dharma, by personally realizing it and teaching others; third, protecting the practice-dharma, by personally practicing it and teaching others; fourth, protecting the fruit-dharma, by personally attaining it and causing others to attain it. / "All have been completely purified": Non-Buddhists sever fetters through the six practices, but once severed they arise again. When the two vehicles sever defilements via the paths of seeing and cultivation, they do not comprehend that the original nature is quiescent and extinguished; hence neither is called 'completely'. Bodhisattvas comprehend original quiescence and extinction, hence it is called 'completely'. / The five hindrances and ten bonds are as usual. Regarding "immeasurable hindrances and bonds": in the complete Great Vehicle, all defilements equally obscure the true principle; whenever defilements arise, they are all called hindrances and bonds, because they equally cover the true principle. A later passage says: "All defilements are the seat of awakening, because one knows them as they truly are." It also says: "Knowing all dharmas in a single thought-moment is the seat of awakening, because one accomplishes all-knowledge." According to this, if they did not equally cover the true principle, how could one in a single thought-moment know all dharmas equally at the time of awakening? / Regarding the "seven kinds of eloquence," the *Da zhidu lun* lists: [first,] swift eloquence (being fearless regarding dharmas); second, sharp eloquence (entering deeply with sharp faculties); third, inexhaustible eloquence (the true mark being inexhaustible); fourth, uninterrupted eloquence (free from all conceptual proliferation); fifth, adaptable eloquence (having already severed attachment to dharmas); sixth, meaningful eloquence (obtaining the benefit of nirvāṇa); seventh, supreme worldly eloquence (speaking of the matters of the Great Vehicle). / The "seven virtues" are the seven pāramitās, because they cure the defilements of the seven veils. The first, everything is distinct, such as giving curing stinginess, etc.; because they are formless and not different, it says 'their marks are not different'. / "Attaining non-attainment": 'Attaining' (*dai*) means reaching (*ji*). This means that upon reaching the eighth stage, through non-attainment it is called the forbearance of non-arising dharmas. Non-arising is simply non-birth. / "The irreversible wheel of the Dharma": In the Lesser Vehicle it is merely called the wheel of the Dharma, because it involves arising and cessation. In the Great Vehicle it is called the irreversible wheel of the Dharma, because the principle has no arising or cessation. 'Turning' means speaking. / "Adorning their forms to sway the worldly": 'Sway' (*mi*) means bend down (*yan*). This means that through the thirty-two marks and preaching the Dharma they generate goodness, just as the wind sways the grass. The *Classic of History* says: "The virtue of the gentleman is the wind; the heart of the petty person is the grass. When the wind bends the grass, the transformative guidance proceeds." / "Deeply entering dependent origination, etc.": This refers to the depth of contemplative wisdom. Because non-Buddhists hold wrong causes or no causes, they fall into wrong views. Because the two vehicles contemplate the twelve links of dependent origination as arising and ceasing, and impermanent, they only sever the primary defilements. Because bodhisattvas contemplate dependent origination as neither arising nor ceasing, with no ignorance and no exhaustion of ignorance, deeply penetrating and realizing the true mark, they have no remaining residual habits. / "Approaching the unequaled": The unequaled is the Buddha. Now the great being's sovereign wisdom is able to approach him. Tiantai says: "Equal contemplation is contemplating emptiness; unequal contemplation is contemplating nominal distinctions." / "Those who are equal and unequal": In the correct contemplation of the middle way, its substance is complete, hence 'equal'; its functions are distinct, hence 'unequal'. / "Pure joy": Joyful feeling; the joy of the pure Dharma. / "Nominal devas": The *Da zhidu lun* says: "Just as a king of a country is called the Son of Heaven." / "Born devas": All the gods. / "Noble and sage devas": Those devas who have realized the ultimate meaning. / "Wondrous birth": It can also mean being transformed and born from the Dharma. / The "four brahma practices": The *Viśeṣacintibrahmaparipṛcchā* says: loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. / "The mixed assembly of devas and nāgas": In this assembly there were humans, devas, ordinary beings, sages, fundamental traces, and manifested traces, hence it is called 'mixed'. Question: If these eight classes of beings were invited by wholesome karma, they ought to receive human and deva retributions; if by unwholesome karma, they should not be fit to see the Buddha and hear the Dharma. Now, having received the forms of nāgas and ghosts, why do they attend the assembly and hear the Dharma? Answer: Tiantai says that past causes differ. First, if precepts were urgent but the vehicle was relaxed, one receives a human or deva body but does not hear the true Dharma. Second, if precepts were relaxed but the vehicle was urgent, one receives a body of a nāga or ghost and hears the true Dharma. Third, if both vehicle and precepts were urgent, one receives a human or deva body and hears the Dharma. Fourth, if both vehicle and precepts were relaxed, one receives an evil body and does not hear the Dharma.