大乘四法經論廣釋開決記 1.1.2

1.1.2

眾生根熟。 為感如來逼機而應。 藥病相應。 隨言得益。 說者聽者。 時分無差。 共相會過。 名一時失。 外道世典無如是能。 故我佛教名一時也。 前簡說聽餘部經時。 後簡說聽前後之時。 □顯佛教勝令生信也。 若爾諸法應非唯識。 說一及時心外法故　答。 雖言一時。 不離心識。 謂此識心隨色分瘠。 妄相建立一一與時。 若離色心。 則不可得。 故不相應行蘊所攝。 攝論說為世識數識所聞之法。 尚不離心。 況一及時而別有也　更有徵答。 如餘處明。 四言主成就者。 經曰薄伽梵。 顯說經主是最勝尊。 表經可信。 無非時主失主成就。 若不言薄伽梵。 不知此經是誰所說。 一切生疑。 智論說言。 能說有王。 一佛世尊。 二聖弟子。 三天龍等。 四神仙等。 五變化等。 若不言薄伽梵。 恐謂餘說。 今言薄伽梵說表可崇信。 薄伽梵者。 佛地論云。 謂薄伽聲依六義轉。 一自在義。 二熾盛義。 三端嚴義。 四名稱義。 五吉祥義。 六尊貴義。 如有頌言。 自在熾盛與端嚴。 名稱吉祥及尊貴。 如是六種義差別。 應知總號名薄伽。 如是一切如來。 具有於一切種。 皆不相離。 是故如來名薄伽梵。 其義云何。 謂。 諸如來身。 不繫屬諸煩惱。 故具自在義。 炎猛智火所燒練。 故具熾盛義。 妙三十二大士相等所莊飾。 故具端嚴義。 一切殊勝功德圓滿無不和。 故具名稱義。 一切世間親近供養咸稱讚。 故具吉祥義。 具一切德。 常起方便。 利益安樂。 一切有情無懈廢。 故具尊貴義。 或能破壞四魔怨。 故名薄伽梵。 四魔怨者。 謂。 煩惱魔。 蘊魔。 死魔。 自在天魔　佛具十種功德名號。 何故如來教傳法者。 一切經首但置如是薄伽梵名。 謂。 此一名世咸尊重故。 諸外道皆稱本師名薄伽梵。 又此一名總攝眾德　餘名不爾。 是故經首皆置此名。 然佛世尊有其三身。 今此經者是應身說。 若對地前。 即化身說。 如對地上。 即應身說。 若法報身。 亦無說法。 自受法樂。 不說法故。 佛佛不相為說法故。 非諸菩薩所見身故。 既三身者其體不殊。 是則三身無說不說　五言處成就者。 經曰住室羅筏城誓多林給孤獨薗。 是說法處。 顯說此經必有其處。 無非處失處成就也。 此有通別。 通言羅筏城。 別言誓多林給孤獨薗也。 通別令其遠者知聞。 別則為欲近者不謬若不說處。 未知此經何處而說。 一切生疑。 為令生信故。 說其處。 言住有其三種。 一威儀住。 謂。 四威儀是身業也。 二說法住。 謂。 教誡門從是語業也。 三禪定住。 是其意業。 此復有三。 一梵住。 謂。 四無量。 二無住。 謂。 四靜慮。 及四空處。 二佛住。 謂。 三解脫。 言羅筏城者梵音。 此云聞有。 昔二仙人。 一名為聞。 二則名為有。 此二仙人置此城故。 又有釋云。 此名豐德。 謂。 豐財寶女色多聞解脫四德故名豐德。 亦名聞物。 以多寶物及以人物諸方聞故。 言誓多者。 此云戰勝。 即勝軍王之太子也。 太子生日王破敵軍。 因而立名。 謂之戰勝。 言林者。 戰勝有薗地。 周十里。 在於城南五六里餘。 花卉茲繁。 泉池文影。 於薗圃中。 特為殊勝。 言給孤獨者。 國之大臣。 本名蘇達多。 此云善施。 仁而聰敏。 積而能散。 極濟貪哀孤恤老。 時美其德。 號給孤獨焉。 有七男子。 六已婚聚。 因為小兒聘室。 遂至王舍大城。 佛初成道。 正在彼國。 見佛聞法。 果證預流。 遂請世尊降臨舍衛。 如來既許願造僧房。 佛令鶖子隨而瞻撥。 唯有此處堪造僧房。 遂詣太子。 殷求貨買。 太子戲言。 金遍乃賣。 須達聞之。 心裕如也。 即出藏金。 隨言布地太子感念而告之曰。

Sentient beings' faculties being mature, they respond to the Tathāgata's manifestation matching their spiritual capacities; medicine and disease correspond, and in following his words they obtain benefit. The speaker and the listener meet together at that very time without error, which is called 'at one time' without fault. The non-Buddhist secular scriptures possess no such capacity; therefore in our Buddhist teaching it is called 'at one time.' The former [distinction] excludes times of speaking and listening to the sūtras of other traditions; the latter excludes times before and after the speaking and listening. [This] is […] to demonstrate the superiority of the Buddhist teaching so as to generate faith. If so, then all dharmas should not be mere cognition (vijñapti-mātra), because 'one' and 'time' are dharmas external to the mind! Answer: Although we say 'at one time', it is not separate from the mind and consciousness. That is to say, this conscious mind, according to differences of form, errantly posits each [unit of] time. If separated from form and mind, it cannot be obtained; hence it is subsumed under the aggregate of conditioning factors not associated with mind (citta-viprayukta-saṃskāra). The Mahāyānasaṃgraha explains this as the consciousness of time and consciousness of number. Even the Dharma heard is not separate from the mind, so how could 'one' and 'time' exist separately? There are further questions and answers, as clarified elsewhere. Fourth, regarding the 'fulfillment of the host': the sūtra states, 'the Bhagavat.' This shows that the master who expounded the sūtra is the most supreme and venerable one, signifying that the sūtra is worthy of trust, without the fault of a master inappropriate to the time; thus it is the fulfillment of the host. If 'Bhagavat' were not stated, one would not know by whom this sūtra was expounded, and everyone would give rise to doubt. The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says that those capable of expounding are of five kinds: first, the Buddha, the Bhagavat; second, holy disciples; third, devas, nāgas, and so forth; fourth, divine ṛṣis and so forth; fifth, apparitional creations and so forth. If 'Bhagavat' were not stated, it might be feared to be spoken by others. Now, stating 'Bhagavat' indicates that it is worthy of veneration and faith. As for 'Bhagavat', the Buddhabhūmy-upadeśa says that the word bhaga is explained according to six meanings: first, the meaning of sovereignty; second, the meaning of flaming splendor; third, the meaning of majestic appearance; fourth, the meaning of fame; fifth, the meaning of auspiciousness; sixth, the meaning of venerability. As a verse says: 'Sovereignty, flaming splendor, and majestic appearance, / Fame, auspiciousness, and venerability: / Such sixfold differences in meaning / Should be known as collectively designated by bhaga.' All Tathāgatas possess these in every aspect, none being separate; therefore the Tathāgata is named Bhagavat. What does this mean? It means that the bodies of all Tathāgatas are not bound to any defilements, hence possessing the meaning of sovereignty; they are burned and refined by the blazing fire of knowledge, hence possessing the meaning of flaming splendor; they are adorned with the marvelous thirty-two marks of a great being, hence possessing the meaning of majestic appearance; all supreme merits are fully perfected without lack of harmony, hence possessing the meaning of fame; all the world approaches, makes offerings to, and praises them, hence possessing the meaning of auspiciousness; possessing all virtues, they constantly give rise to skillful means to benefit and gladden all sentient beings without indolence or negligence, hence possessing the meaning of venerability. Or, it means being able to destroy the four enemies that are the māras, hence named Bhagavat. The four enemies that are the māras are: the kleśa-māra, the skandha-māra, the mṛtyu-māra, and the devaputra-māra. The Buddha possesses ten kinds of epithets of merit; why did the Tathāgata instruct the transmitters of the Dharma only to place the name 'Bhagavat' at the head of all sūtras? Because this single name is universally revered by the world; all non-Buddhists call their own original teachers Bhagavat. Furthermore, this single name collectively encompasses all virtues, whereas other names do not; therefore, this name is placed at the head of every sūtra. However, the Buddha, the Bhagavat, has his three bodies. Now, as for this sūtra, it was spoken by the saṃbhogakāya. When facing those before the bhūmis, it was spoken by the nirmāṇakāya; when facing those on the bhūmis, it was spoken by the saṃbhogakāya. As for the dharmakāya and saṃbhogakāya [in their ultimate aspect], there is also no preaching of the Dharma: enjoying the bliss of the Dharma for oneself, one does not preach the Dharma; Buddhas do not preach the Dharma to one another; and they are not bodies visible to ordinary bodhisattvas. Since the essence of the three bodies is not different, then across the three bodies there is neither preaching nor non-preaching. Fifth, regarding the 'fulfillment of place': the sūtra states, 'dwelling at Śrāvastī, in the Jetavana, in Anāthapiṇḍada's Park.' This is the place of preaching the Dharma, showing that the preaching of this sūtra must have its place, without the fault of an inappropriate place; thus it is the fulfillment of place. This has both general and specific [designations]: the general refers to the city of Śrāvastī; the specific refers to the Jetavana and Anāthapiṇḍada's Park. The general and specific allow those far away to hear of it, while the specific ensures that those nearby do not mistake it. If the place were not stated, one would not know where this sūtra was preached, and everyone would give rise to doubt; in order to generate faith, the place is stated. As for 'dwelling' (vihāra), there are three kinds: first, dwelling in deportment, meaning the four deportments, which are bodily karma; second, dwelling in preaching the Dharma, meaning the approaches to instruction, which are verbal karma; third, dwelling in meditative absorption, which is mental karma. This again has three kinds: first, the brahma dwellings, namely the four immeasurables; second, the noble dwellings, namely the four dhyānas and the four formless attainments; second [read: third], the Buddha dwellings, namely the three liberations. As for 'Śrāvastī', it is a Sanskrit sound, translated here as 'hearing-existence'. In ancient times, there were two ṛṣis: one named 'Hearing' and the other named 'Existence'; because these two ṛṣis established this city, [it was so named]. Another explanation says that this means 'abundant virtue', meaning that it has the four virtues of abundant wealth and treasures, female beauty, broad learning, and liberation; hence it is named 'abundant virtue'. It is also named 'hearing-things', because its many precious things and talented people are renowned in all directions. As for 'Jeta', it is translated here as 'victorious in battle'; he was the crown prince of King Prasenajit. On the day the prince was born, the king defeated an enemy army, and therefore named him, calling him 'victorious in battle'. As for the 'grove' (vana), Prince Jeta owned park grounds with a circumference of ten li, located some five or six li south of the city. Flowers and plants grew in profusion, and springs and ponds cast dappled reflections; among gardens and parks, it was particularly extraordinary. As for 'Anāthapiṇḍada' (benefactor of the destitute), he was a high minister of the state, originally named Sudatta, which is translated here as 'good giver'. Benevolent and intelligent, he was able to amass and distribute, giving utmost relief to the poor and grieving, and caring for orphans and the elderly. People at the time praised his virtue and dubbed him Anāthapiṇḍada. He had seven sons, six of whom were already married. On account of seeking a wife for his youngest son, he went to the great city of Rājagṛha. The Buddha had just attained enlightenment and was residing in that kingdom. Meeting the Buddha and hearing the Dharma, he realized the fruit of stream-entry (srotāpanna). He then invited the Bhagavat to descend upon Śrāvastī. Once the Tathāgata granted permission, he vowed to build a monastery. The Buddha commanded Śāriputra to accompany him to inspect and select [the ground]. Only this place was fit to build a monastery. He then visited the crown prince, earnestly seeking to buy it. The prince jokingly said that only if it were covered with gold would he sell it. Hearing this, Sudatta's mind was completely untroubled; he immediately brought out gold from his storehouses and covered the ground according to his word. Deeply moved, the prince told him: