淨名經關中釋抄 2.9

English (machine translation) 2.9

Language: English

2.9.1

Above, outside the room, three chapters broke attachments and subjugated them. From here below, the chapters master the Dharma and embrace them. Thus the Śrīmālādevī Sūtra says: 'Those who should be subjugated, subjugate them; those who should be embraced, embrace them.' Because of subjugation and embracing, it is said that the true Dharma will long abide. For the scripture text of the six chapters from here below, Tiantai briefly uses four considerations to explain them generally: first, to clarify the reason for their coming; second, to clarify that Mañjuśrī alone is capable of inquiring after the illness; third, [there are five points: first, to answer the needs of the time...]; fourth, to take the two [teachings] to comprehensively explain the sūtra. First, regarding the reason for their coming: the thirst and longing in the minds of the assembly. Second, to clarify the embracing and guiding of the three contemplations. Third, to swiftly accomplish the Tathāgata's transformation of the pure land. Fourth, to serve in due course as an expedient means for entering the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra and Lotus Sūtra. Fifth, to return to the Buddha for confirmation. First, regarding meeting the thirst and longing of the assembly: above, the kings, officials, commoners, disciples, and bodhisattvas praised Vimalakīrti's superior wisdom and superior virtue. Although the great assembly gave rise to thirst and longing, they had not yet been able to see or hear [him]. If Mañjuśrī had not received the command to inquire after the illness, how could he meet their faithful minds, understand the two illnesses—provisional and ultimate—and awaken to the profound purport of inconceivable liberation? Second, clarifying the embracing and guiding of the three contemplations: above, the Expedient Means Chapter rebuked the minds of kings and ministers clinging to existence; the Disciples Chapter rebuked the śrāvakas' delusion of emptiness; the Bodhisattvas Chapter rebuked the expedient bodhisattvas' unconsummated practice. If Mañjuśrī and Vimalakīrti did not mutually praise and embrace [them], how could they awaken and enter the gate of consummate wondrousness? Therefore Mañjuśrī entered, and together with Vimalakīrti they praised each other and proclaimed the single-mind three contemplations, causing [the assembly] to awaken to the ultimate, inconceivable path of non-duality. Therefore these following chapters come forward. Third, regarding swiftly accomplishing the Tathāgata's transformation of the pure land: if, through Mañjuśrī inquiring after the illness, they hear the teaching of inconceivable liberation, cut off doubts through the three contemplations, and awaken and enter non-duality, they will spontaneously understand that both pure and defiled are neither defiled nor pure; defiled and pure are for beings, not true defilement or purity; and they will attain the pure land of the Dharma-nature. Fourth, regarding serving as the preparation for entering the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra and Lotus Sūtra: sharp-rooted ones among the two vehicles and expedient bodhisattvas, awakening right on their seats, attain the forbearance of non-arising dharmas, which serves as the cause of contemplating faculties. The Great Beings loudly praise consummate wondrousness; the śrāvakas wail in self-pity; the bodhisattvas' clinging gradually melts away. Reaching the expedient means of the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra and Lotus Sūtra, they attain the forbearance of non-arising dharmas, open the Buddha's knowledge and vision, and even attain the marvelous fruit of eternal abiding. Fifth, regarding returning for confirmation: if through Mañjuśrī expounding the texts of the six chapters, extensively proclaiming the provisional and ultimate [...], extensively benefiting beings through the true and responsive, they immediately attain [the fruit]. Vimalakīrti leads the assembly back to the consummate, praising and confirming, distinguishing the differences in Buddha-deeds. Seeing Abhirati and benefiting beings, they accomplish the great benefit of inconceivable liberation and the pure land. Regarding Mañjuśrī alone being capable of inquiring after the illness: the reasons are many, but only five kinds are set forth. First, he is capable because his stage is high. Although Mañjuśrī and the other bodhisattvas all abide in equal awakening, between the initial mind and the final stage there is still shallow and deep. Hence the Yingluo jing says: 'Although abiding in equal awakening, one abides for hundreds of thousands of myriad kalpas to enter the gate of twofold mystery.' This means that the others who enter equal awakening have the initial mind and are therefore shallow; Mañjuśrī and Vimalakīrti have the final mind of equal awakening, and their stage is high, so they are capable. The other people's stage is low, so they are not capable. Second, he is capable because of manifesting traces. Most of the other people truly abide in equal awakening. Mañjuśrī and Vimalakīrti were originally Nāgavamśa and Golden Grain Tathāgatas, yet in their traces they abide in equal awakening. The other people who are real are not capable; Mañjuśrī likewise manifests traces, so he is capable. Third, revealing the consummate. How could the fundamental and traces of these Great Beings be definitively measured? However, the other bodhisattvas, in assisting the Buddha, mostly displayed expedient gates of teaching, and so were all subjugated by Vimalakīrti. Mañjuśrī and Vimalakīrti assist the Buddha in revealing the consummate. Since what they reveal is the same, he alone is capable. Fourth, satisfying the feelings of beings: when the other bodhisattvas practiced in assisting the Buddha, how could they not expound the consummate at all? It was merely that their affinity to transform beings was shallow; even if they went to inquire after the illness, the assembly's feelings would not be satisfied. Mañjuśrī's affinity to transform beings is deep; if he goes to inquire, they will surely rejoice and be comforted, so he alone is capable. Fifth, differences in responsive affinities: the other bodhisattvas and Vimalakīrti have the affinity of subjugation and embracing, like an anvil and hammer fashioning an object. Mañjuśrī and Vimalakīrti have the affinity of striking and resounding, like two hammers fashioning an object. Therefore, Mañjuśrī entering the room, they alternately serve as host and guest, mutually completing one another, further accomplishing the benefit to beings, where the advantages are truly manifold. Third, clarifying the illness that is inquired about: there are two kinds. First, real illness, which has defiled karma as its cause. Second, provisional illness, which arises from great compassion. Vimalakīrti, capable of transforming, is not ill yet appears ill; hence it is called provisional. Sentient beings, who are to be transformed, incur illness through affliction and karma; this is called real. Hence the text below says: 'The bodhisattva's illness arises from great compassion'—this is the provisional. 'Now these pains of mine are all born from the afflictions of erroneous marks and inversions in past lives'—this is the real. Explaining these two illnesses comprises two gates: first the real, then the provisional. Explaining the real illness briefly forms three gates: first, distinguishing cause and effect; second, the intertwining of cause and effect; third, the pairing of light and heavy. First, distinguishing cause and effect: the causes are greed, anger, delusion, and an equal proportion of these—the karma and fruit arisen from these four afflictions serve as the cause. Hence the sūtra says: 'They are all born from the afflictions of erroneous marks and inversions in past lives.' Furthermore, the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra says: 'Greed, anger, delusion, and pride are the causes of pain.' The painful aspects of the fruit: due to those defiled causes, one experiences the fruit of the body of the four great elements—earth, water, fire, and wind—and the sufferings of birth, old age, sickness, death, and the five flourishing aggregates. In their correspondence: greed corresponds to the water element; the sūtra says: 'Water [...] arises.' Second, anger corresponds to the fire element; the sūtra says: 'Anger burns roots of goodness.' Third, delusion corresponds to the wind element; the sūtra says: 'The violent wind of the four inversions.' Fourth, an equal proportion corresponds to the earth element; the aspect of equal proportion means that the three poisons arise equally, and the earth element likewise must coexist with the other three elements. Furthermore, the Ruiying jing says: 'Greedy desire brings about old age; anger brings about sickness; delusion brings about death.' Inferring from this meaning, an equal proportion corresponds to birth. Hence the text below says: 'As long as there are birth and death, there is illness.' Second, the intertwining of cause and effect: the six sense faculties and the myriad objects mutually arouse greed and anger; then there are eighty-four thousand afflictions as causal illnesses. The four great elements each arise and rub against one another; when one element is out of harmony, there are one hundred and one illness-afflictions, culminating in the fruit-epidemic of the four hundred and four illnesses up to the myriad illnesses. Third, the pairing of light and heavy: complying with the ordinary three poisons while concurrently cultivating the refuges and precepts is called light. The ten evil acts, the four grave offenses, the five heinous sins, cutting off roots of goodness, and slandering the Dharma are called increased heaviness. Light causes bring about the retribution of the four elements and four sufferings among humans and gods; this is called a light fruit. Avīci in the three bad destinies, where the four elements and four sufferings increase in severity, is called a heavy fruit. Second, clarifying the provisional illness: the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra explains five practices, namely noble practice, heavenly practice, pure practice, infant practice, and illness practice.

2.9.2

Among these five practices, the first three concern self-benefit, while the latter two concern benefiting others. Thus, aligning with the side of minor goods is called 'infant-like practice'; aligning with the side of afflictions is called 'sickly practice'. Great kindness gives rise to infant-like practice; great compassion gives rise to sickly practice. Therefore, the text below states: 'The bodhisattva's sickness arises sequentially from great compassion.' The Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra states: 'The bodhisattva abides in the samādhi of the threefold truth, possesses the twenty-five samādhis, and destroys the sicknesses of sentient beings in the twenty-five realms of existence.' As for the twenty-five samādhis for the realms of existence, the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra says: 'First, the Untainted Samādhi destroys existence in hell; the Non-retrogressing Samādhi destroys existence as animals; the Joyous Mind Samādhi destroys existence as hungry ghosts; the Joyous Samādhi destroys existence as asuras; the Illusion-like Samādhi destroys existence in Jambudvīpa; the Sunlight Samādhi destroys existence in Pūrvavideha; the Moonlight Samādhi destroys existence in Aparagodānīya; the Blazing Flame Samādhi destroys existence in Uttarakuru; the Immovable Samādhi destroys existence among the Four Heavenly Kings; the Hard to Subdue Samādhi destroys existence in Trāyastriṃśa Heaven; the Delighting the Assembly Samādhi destroys existence in Yāma Heaven; the Blue Samādhi destroys existence in Tuṣita Heaven; the Yellow Samādhi destroys existence in Nirmāṇarati Heaven; the Red Samādhi destroys existence in Paranirmitavaśavartin Heaven; the White Samādhi destroys existence in the First Dhyāna; the Various Samādhi destroys existence under Brahmā; the Dual Samādhi destroys existence in the Second Dhyāna; the Thunder Sound Samādhi destroys existence in the Third Dhyāna; the Pouring Rain Samādhi destroys existence in the Fourth Dhyāna; the Unobstructed Samādhi destroys existence in the realm of non-conception; the Mirror-reflecting Samādhi destroys existence as an anāgāmin; the Space-like Samādhi destroys existence in the realm of infinite space; the Eternal Samādhi destroys existence in the realm of infinite consciousness; the Blissful Samādhi destroys existence in the realm of nothingness; the Self Samādhi destroys existence in the realm of neither-conception-nor-non-conception.' Fourth, comprehensively explaining this chapter and the following five chapters through the two sicknesses of the provisional and the ultimate. Explaining this chapter: from 'Householder, from what did this sickness arise?' down to 'the sickness of sentient beings arises from the four great elements; because they are sick, I therefore am sick', it clarifies Vimalakīrti's expedient means of using the provisional sickness of great compassion to benefit living beings. From consoling beings and subduing onward, external matters serve as consolation, while internal contemplation and subjugation serve as the ultimate truth for those being transformed. The text contains three sicknesses—namely, subjugation. In the text, first, sickness of existence is regulated by means of emptiness. Second, from 'experiencing feelings without having anything received' onward, by entering the provisional with great compassion, sickness of emptiness is regulated by means of existence. Third, from 'neither real nor existent' onward, the practice not yet heard is regulated. That is to say, first, regulating existence through emptiness destroys the sickness of views and deliberations; second, exhausting emptiness through wonderful existence destroys the sickness of ignorance vast as dust and sand; third, the correct contemplation of the middle way dispels the sickness of the ground of abiding ignorance. Comprehensively explaining the text of the following five chapters: because in the Inquiry into Sickness Chapter the two sicknesses of the provisional and ultimate were briefly queried, eight thousand devaputras of light defilements gave rise to the bodhi-mind, while the other great beings were not immediately awakened. Hence, in the subsequent five chapters, Vimalakīrti and Mañjuśrī extensively expound the two sicknesses. How so? In the Inconceivable Chapter, the great beings' provisional application and vast functioning are expounded, which is called extensively explaining the provisional sickness. The Contemplating Sentient Beings Chapter extensively explains emptiness; the Buddha Path Chapter extensively explains the provisional; the Non-dual Dharma-gate and Sarvagandhasugandhā Chapters extensively explain the middle way, which is extensively explaining the ultimate sickness. The words and principles are broad, and the metaphors are plentiful; great are the path realized, the fruit attained, and the benefit derived! Thus we know that in these six chapters, although Mañjuśrī's intentions and expressions appear varied, their underlying principles coincide; all of them clarify the bodhisattva's sickly practice. 'Mañjuśrī' is translated here as 'Wondrous Virtue', and in the new translation as 'Wondrous Auspiciousness'. Under the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, it is cited that he previously manifested as a buddha named [...]. 'Deeply [moved] the sentiments of those who went' means praising Vimalakīrti so that those Dharma-companions who went with him would deeply generate faith and conviction; hence it is called 'deep'. 'Empty room': this represents the broad fundamental principle of the pure land. Śākyamuni clearly preached the Dharma and manifested the buddha-lands inside the parasol; Vimalakīrti showed non-deviation from the fundamental principle, manifesting the empty room within a ten-foot square. Thus Mañjuśrī inquired about the room being empty, and he therefore replied: 'All buddha-lands are likewise also empty.' Furthermore, in the past, because sentient beings were deluded, the pure land turned into the three realms, and the dharmakāya turned into heavenly Māras and non-Buddhists; Vimalakīrti's compassionate transformation likewise did not appear. Now Mañjuśrī enters the room to converse, and the multitudes of beings decisively awaken. When they awaken, then the nature of the three realms is empty; hence the empty room represents this. When craving and views return to the Path, there are no attendants; this represents Vimalakīrti's compassionate vow, and seeing his salvation represents coming without the mark of coming. Sengrui said: 'Dharma Master Kumārajīva rectified the profound texts and extracted the hidden meanings, whereupon we first realized how earlier translations had compromised the original text and strayed from its purport through erroneous phrasing.' For instance, 'coming without the mark of coming' had been taken as 'condescending to come'; 'seeing without the mark of seeing' as 'seeing each other'; 'dharmas not yet conditioned' as 'initiating the spirit'; and 'conditions uniting dharmas' as 'stopping the mind'. Instances like these were found in every chapter, and the Dharma Master corrected them all. Furthermore, coming from the mango grove, it is coming without coming; seeing the empty room, it is seeing without seeing. Furthermore, hundreds of thousands of devas and humans were attached to existence, so they definitively saw the five hundred śrāvakas; because he taught emptiness, they did not see the bodhisattvas; abiding in the middle, it is seeing without seeing. Furthermore, sentient beings are deluded about birth, so they see coming; they are deluded about death, so they see going. Since they cannot transcend their own coming and going in birth and death, they must rely on the great being's coming and going in response to living beings before they awaken to the fact of no coming and no going. Moreover, seeing the markless reality is called true non-seeing; grasping the marks of the six sensory objects is not true seeing. In the past, sentient beings falsely clung to erroneous views; now that Mañjuśrī enters the room, he will surely cause sentient beings to see what can be seen in markless seeing, while false views of marks and inverted views will naturally not arise continuously and will no longer be visible. 'Is it indeed bearable or not?': since the bodhisattva himself has no sickness, how could there be bearable or unbearable? Since it is the sickness of sentient beings, then when the sickness of sentient beings is bearable, the bodhisattva's sickness is bearable; when the sickness of sentient beings is unbearable, the bodhisattva's sickness is also unbearable. If we discuss sickness and discern bearable and unbearable in terms of sentient beings: not falling into the eight difficulties and being born to encounter the Buddha-Dharma is called bearable; hearing the Dharma and putting it into practice is called healing with relief; once receiving it and never retrogressing is called increasing. Furthermore, the five heinous deeds, cutting off good roots, and slandering the Vaipulya sūtras cannot be expiated through repentance, which is unbearable; the rest are not in the realm of definitive falsehood, hence they are bearable. It can also be that whenever transgressing preceding precepts causes falling into the three evil paths, it is unbearable; taking the three refuges and five precepts, and already knowing to cultivate superior good roots, is bearable. Furthermore, transmigration in the three realms is all unbearable; the two vehicles' transcendence is bearable. Furthermore, the two vehicles' half-letter teaching and lingering in that conjured city are unbearable; the Mahāyāna's full-letter teaching is then called bearable. Furthermore, expedient Mahāyāna that has not yet entered the round and wondrous is called unbearable; the round, sudden, and ultimate is then called bearable. 'Healing with relief': this is also discussed in terms of sentient beings regarding whether the bodhisattva experiences relief or not. The great being heals living beings with the Dharma medicine, which may provide relief or no relief; this should be analyzed in four propositions.

2.9.3

First, faculties are dull and obstacles are heavy: the power of their wholesome roots is faint, and they are weighed down by heavy karma; even when the medicine of the Dharma is administered to treat them, it cannot be diminished. Second, faculties are dull and obstacles are light: like the monk [Cūḍa]panthaka, who recited a single verse and attained the fruit of an arhat. Third, faculties are sharp and obstacles are heavy: like Aṅgulimāla, who killed people but upon seeing the Buddha attained awakening. Fourth, faculties are sharp and obstacles are light: like Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana, who upon hearing the two truths attained the Way; Kāśyapa's innate nature was naturally like this as well. Among these four types, the first, upon entering absorption, is not diminished; the second and third persons, by meeting the supreme condition of the Buddha, can have [their affliction] diminished, but without meeting the supreme condition it is not diminished. / As for why the fourth person, upon meeting [it], is entirely diminished and does not proceed to increase: this also explains increase and non-increase through the increase and non-increase of sentient beings' illnesses. It is like the four types of illness in worldly people: first, from contracting the illness it gradually increases, termed 'increase-increase'; second, initially heavy and later recovering, termed 'increase-diminution'; third, initially diminishing and later increasing, termed 'diminution-increase'; fourth, initially light and later diminishing, termed 'diminution-diminution'. In terms of this, the bodhisattva's deliverance of sentient beings likewise has four types. The first is 'increase-increase': like Sunaksatra, Devadatta, and their ilk, who broke the Dharma and destroyed the Saṅgha. The second is 'first increase and later diminution': like the class of Aṅguli[māla], whose initial deeds of killing and the like were extremely heavy, but who later went forth into the homeless life, heard the Dharma, and attained an extremely supreme awakening. The third is 'first diminution and later increase': as explained in the Treatise [Da zhidu lun], a monk cultivated and attained the fourth dhyāna, considering it to be the fourth fruit [of arhatship]; at the brink of death he saw his place of rebirth, slandered [the Dharma] claiming there is no nirvāṇa, and thereupon fell into hell; as well as those who go forth into the homeless life for the sake of the Dharma but later become attached to fame and profit, clinging to their teachers and slandering the Dharma—these are called 'diminution-increase'. The fourth is 'diminution-diminution': namely, holy persons such as Śāriputra and the others. / Regarding 'arising from ignorance there is craving': some masters explain that ignorance is wrong view, straying from principle; craving is greed and anger, straying from phenomena. These two delusions encompass all delusions; the numerous sicknesses of birth-and-death arise from this. It is also said that ignorance is the past cause, which leads to the arising of the present body; craving and views are the present causes, which lead to the arising of future bodies. Through this continuous succession of ignorance and craving, the twelve links of dependent origination revolve without end; hence it is said to arise from them. / Regarding 'explaining that the beginning of compassion need not be spoken of in terms of oneself': compassion with conditions arises from the initial resolve; the various forms of unconditioned compassion share the same essence with the bodies of all buddhas. This means that sentient beings' ignorance and craving share the same source with the Dharma-nature; great compassion without conditions joins into one essence with true thusness. When sentient beings initially turn their backs on the Dharma-nature, it is named ignorance and craving; when bodhisattvas reverse delusion and penetrate the nature, it is named great compassion. Therefore, speaking now in terms of the essence of compassion and not taking its designation from the initial resolve, it is stated thus. / Regarding the 'sixty-two views': they are called views because one generates views by turning one's back on principle. Concerning the number 'sixty-two', the 'Nirvāṇa Chapter' verse in the Treatise on the Middle [Mūlamadhyamakakārikā] says: / 'Existence, non-existence, and so on after cessation, / Having an end and so on, permanence and so on— / All these views rely on nirvāṇa, / The future, and the past.' / The commentary states: 'Existence, non-existence, and so on after cessation' refers to whether after the Tathāgata's cessation there is a Tathāgata, there is no Tathāgata, there both is and is not a Tathāgata, or there neither is nor is not a Tathāgata; these four views arise relying on nirvāṇa. The four views of the soul and the world having an end, being endless, and so on arise relying on the future world. The four views of the soul and the world being permanent, impermanent, and so on arise relying on the past world. These three times four—twelve views—when applied across the five aggregates, give rise to sixty views. The verse also says: '[What is identity, what is difference? / They are one fruit.]' The prose commentary explains: 'What is the body being identical to the soul (this is the meaning of identity, which is the annihilationist view); what is the body being different from the soul (this is the meaning of difference, which is [the eternalist view]).' Adding to these sixty views these fundamental two views of annihilation and permanence makes sixty-two views. The 'Mother of Buddhas Chapter' in the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā Sūtra states: 'Holding that the soul and the world are permanent is real and true, and everything else is false speech, up to the soul and the world having an end or being endless'—holding fast to such views is called the sixty-two views. / Question: Why is freedom from the sixty-two views itself the liberation of all buddhas? / Answer: The verse in the Treatise states: / 'The actual limit of nirvāṇa / And the limit of the worldly realm— / Between these two limits, / There is not the slightest difference.' / The Treatise also says in verse: / 'All dharmas cannot be apprehended, / Extinguishing all conceptual proliferations; / With no person and no place, / The Buddha also expounded nothing.' / That is to say, the equality of the two limits and freedom from all conceptual proliferations is named the liberation of the Dharma-Buddha. / 'All māras and non-Buddhists are my attendants': māras are attached to the delusion of craving; non-Buddhists cling to the delusion of views. The provisional teaching explains that craving is turned into dhyāna-concentration, and destroying views is turned into wisdom; these concentrations and insights conform to the truth, so it is said that there are attendants. Now, in the perfect and wondrous teaching, one awakens to the fact that attachment to craving is itself liberation, and understands that wrong views are themselves right views. Since bondage and liberation are equal, and the wrong and the right are non-dual, therefore there are no attendants. / Regarding 'consoling and admonishing', etc.: fearing that newly practicing bodhisattvas might dread birth-and-death and fall back from great compassion, he consoles them. If one awakens to conditioned things being impermanent, suffering, and so forth, one will not covet the world. Since one does not covet the world and is not attached to the world, one can broadly accumulate merit and wisdom. Once merit and wisdom are accumulated, naturally birth-and-death cannot become a misfortune. If one can be fearless of birth-and-death, the practice of great compassion is accomplished. Furthermore, if there were karmic guilt, birth-and-death would be feared; if one is able in a single thought to generate the bodhisattva mind and in a single thought rejoice in the Mahāyāna, all sins will naturally be extinguished—what fear could there be? Therefore, the Ratnakūṭa Sūtra says: 'Generating the bodhisattva mind in a single thought extinguishes all sins.' The Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] says: 'Hearing the two words "ever-abiding", one does not fall into evil destinies.' The Lotus Sūtra says: 'Hearing the sūtra with pure faith, one is constantly born before the Buddha.' Furthermore, pitying their receiving a body not bound by one's own karma, there is no burden. Moreover, having undergone birth uselessly for long kalpas in past lives, previously unable [to benefit oneself], now one can respond to sentient beings; what misfortune could there be? Moreover, when the compassionate mind cherishes sentient beings, merit increases boundlessly; with accumulated merit and supreme retribution, what could there be to fear? Furthermore, since principle is naturally so, one is at peace and without anxiety; being without anxiety is called advancing on the Way. Advancing on the Way means acting as a king of physicians. When the fruit is achieved, one can universally rescue all classes of beings. Such is what is hoped for. Therefore, it is said that the Buddha provisionally expounded the aggregates, realms, and bases, etc. Now one knows that within dharmas such as the aggregates there is truly no self. Having eliminated the view of self, one attains the fruits of the two vehicles. Although the two vehicles have eliminated the view of self, they do not understand that the Tathāgata provisionally expounded the aggregates and realms, and they cling to these as real; this is called attachment to dharmas. Therefore, the Buddha next expounded for them in the Mahāyāna that the aggregates and realms are dependently arisen and lack self-nature in their arising, causing them to awaken to the contemplation of dharmas as unborn and unceasing. Thus, the three dharmas of the aggregates and bases are all attachments to self; the three provisionalities—formation by causes, continuity, and relativity—all break attachment to dharmas. The illness of emptiness also empties the previous two illnesses of self and dharmas. Clinging to dharmas as definitely existent is an illness; awakening to dharmas as fundamentally illusory eliminates the illness. Now, this third illness of clinging to emptiness is abandoning existence to cling to non-existence, taking words to constitute an illness. If one awakens to words being provisional, the illness naturally resolves. Therefore, [Seng]zhao said: 'For the time being, eliminate it by means of the traces of words.'

2.9.4

These are the traces of words, seeming to exist but not being verbal realities. Furthermore, the Buddha uses the provisional designation to call it emptiness, so as to discard ordinary people's existence that is definitely existent. Thus, since existence is already not existent, emptiness is also not empty. Yet those who are deluded, hearing of emptiness, cannot discard existence, and instead abandon existence to cling to emptiness. Therefore [Seng]zhao says: 'Emptiness, through being without illness, takes the emptiness of existence as its illness.' This means that being empty right within existence—this emptiness has no illness; abandoning existence to cling to emptiness—having emptiness is the illness. Therefore the Great Treatise [Da zhidu lun] says: 'All expoundings are right within emptiness in order to destroy all forms of existence; if anyone grasps at emptiness, the buddhas do not treat them.' Master Zhao also said: 'To abandon existence and go to emptiness is like fleeing a peak and plunging into an abyss; both fail to avoid disaster.' / Regarding 'by not experiencing, experiencing all experiences': this is the great being entering provisionality through great compassion to transform beings, which is the second contemplation—entering provisionality from emptiness—in the Yingluo jing. Earlier, praising the bodhisattva's virtues, it said that they open and close all gates to evil destinies, yet are born in the five destinies to manifest their bodies. In the Expedient Means Chapter, Vimalakīrti stays in brothels and wine shops, and later in the Buddha-Path Chapter it explains that practicing non-paths is the Buddha-path; all these represent the bodhisattva's correct awakening to non-arising, contemplating the three realms, the six destinies, and the nirvāṇa of the two vehicles as dreams, illusions, and bubbles—their karmic causes, hence 'without experience'. Through the provisional traces of great compassion and working in shared activities to undergo rebirth, it is said to 'experience'. The experiences in the three realms, six destinies, and the nirvāṇa of the two vehicles are not uniform; hence it says 'all experiences'. As for 'craving the flavor of dhyāna is the bodhisattva's bondage': the commentary says that undergoing rebirth in the higher realms and the two vehicles grasping realization are all due to attachment to dhyāna. Another explanation is that the flavor of dhyāna in the higher realms was subsumed under the previous gate of craving and views; here, 'flavor of dhyāna' refers exclusively to the two vehicles abiding in the samādhi of emptiness, sinking into emptiness and stagnating in quiescence, which is why it constitutes bondage. Thus the Śrīmālā Sūtra says: 'The two vehicles holding the vessel of the samādhi of emptiness are intoxicated with the unconditioned wine of prajñā.' Does it not mean this? Regarding 'arising through expedient means': the commentary says, 'Undergoing birth for the sake of beings, neither other nor self is bound; this is why it constitutes liberation.' This means that if one undergoes rebirth following clinging, it becomes bondage; using great wisdom to understand that arising is non-arising, yet manifesting birth through expedient means—expedient means is named liberation. / Regarding 'having expedient means, wisdom liberates': these four distinguish the two wisdoms of provisional and ultimate. Possessing only one constitutes bondage; realizing them completely brings liberation. Guanzhong considers that from the sixth abode downward, all are partial realizations that are not yet complete, and from the seventh bhūmi upward, both wisdoms are completely realized, only then being liberated; this may also be accepted. Furthermore, according to the Benevolent Kings Prajñā Sūtra, upon ascending to the bhūmis the two wisdoms become complete, and from the eighth bhūmi upward, functioning is ever quiescent; thus before the bhūmis is bondage, and ascending the bhūmis is liberation. Moreover, among these four passages, the first two explain expedient means with respect to benefiting others, and the latter two explain expedient means with respect to one's own practice. / Regarding 'although delighting in seclusion, not relying on the extinction of body and mind': it means that the two vehicles attain extinction when the fire of transformation burns the body, which is called the body's extinction; extinguishing wisdom to discuss emptiness is called the mind's extinction. The bodhisattva's dharmakāya has no body, yet as a body is identical to the six destinies; the true mind has no mind, yet being without mind, wisdom pervades all existences; therefore it is said to 'not be extinguished'. / Regarding 'although moving through the three realms, not destroying the Dharma-nature': the three realms arise dependently; arising, they lack reality, which is itself the Dharma-nature. Yet the deluded undergo rebirth in the six destinies and become defiled and attached according to their physical forms; being attached to forms, they lose benefit, which is spoken of as destroying the Dharma-nature. The thirty-seven aids to awakening are as explained previously in the Buddha Land Chapter. / Regarding 'practicing the four immeasurables without craving rebirth in the Brahmā world': ordinary people, relying on the fundamental concentrations of conditions, additionally cultivate the immeasurables as the kings of all dhyānas; bodhisattvas know them to be like illusions and therefore do not generate attachment. / Regarding 'practicing dhyāna-concentration and liberation': dhyāna-concentration belongs to the form realm; the four absorptions are the four formless concentrations of emptiness. Samādhis here are not emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; rather, they are the three samādhis of with vitarka and vicāra, etc.—namely, with vitarka and vicāra is the first dhyāna; without vitarka and with vicāra is the intermediate dhyāna; without vitarka and without vicāra is the second dhyāna and above. In these three samādhis, ordinary people undergo rebirth according to their dhyāna, which is not the case for bodhisattvas. As for the three contemplations of emptiness, signlessness, and so on, and the principle of the four truths, they are not dharmas of undergoing rebirth; hence they are not the same.

Linked texts (1)

淨名經關中釋抄 — Classical Chinese