大乘起信論略述 1.8

1.8

Treatise: Taking refuge in [the Buddhas of] the ten directions, most supreme in karma [...] practicing in accordance with reality, and so forth. Exposition: The second [part] below explains the meaning of the treatise's text. Within this, it is divided into three overall parts: the first three stanzas of verse express reverence and state the author's intention, which is the introductory section; from 'The treatise says' downward, it directly establishes the substance of the treatise, which is the main doctrine section; and the single verse following that concludes with vows and dedication of merit, serving as the transmission section. Within the introductory section there are two parts: first, revealing the refuge and reverence; second, clarifying the intent of the exposition. This is the first. Approaching the composition of the treatise, he relies on [the Three Jewels'] power to request aid; therefore, at the very beginning, he takes refuge in the triratna. The text has a second division. The two words 'taking refuge' are the utmost sincerity of the one who takes refuge; from 'the ten directions' downward reveals the depth and breadth of that in which refuge is taken. As for 'refuge', it has two meanings: first, reverence and obedience; second, turning toward in recompense. 'Life' (prāṇa/ming) has two meanings: first, the command of the teaching; second, physical life. He composed this treatise wishing to cause sentient beings to cultivate the Buddha's doctrinal commands and accord with their fundamental mind-source; dedicating his physical life to head toward the triratna, he relies on their power to request aid, and therefore says 'taking refuge with life'. Within that in which refuge is taken, there are again two divisions: 'the ten directions' is the boundary of reverence; 'the most supreme', and so forth, is the triratna that is revered. 'The ten directions' means not merely revering the triratna of a single direction of the Buddha, but taking refuge in and revering all triratnas throughout each and every kṣetra in the ten directions; to show that reverence is comprehensive and complete, it says 'the ten directions'. Among the triratna, the first three lines reveal the Buddha jewel. 'Most supreme' reveals the Buddha: because he surpasses all three bodies. Transcending the Hinayāna is called 'most'; surpassing the causal [stage] is called 'supreme'. 'Karma' refers to karmic function, namely the karmic functions of the Buddha body's three wheels, three virtues, and two benefits. 'All-knowing' reveals the Buddha's mental karma, the virtuous function of great wisdom. Because his mind possesses the radiance of great wisdom that shines everywhere and is able to know everything, [he is all-knowing]. All-knowing has two aspects: first, ultimate cognition, which completely knows the sands-of-the-Gaṅgā virtues and so forth of the mind in terms of suchness; second, conventional cognition, which completely knows the conditional distinctions and so forth of the mind in terms of arising and ceasing. Toward these two aspects, he has elevated discernment of their principles and is all-knowing without error. 'Unobstructed and sovereign' reveals the Buddha's physical karma, the virtuous function of great samādhi, because relying on samādhi there arises an unobstructed and sovereign conditional physical body. Unobstructedness has four aspects: first, unobstructedness of large and small: although each sensory faculty pervades the dharmadhātu, it does not destroy the nature of the faculty nor does it diminish the form of the faculty; second, unobstructedness of mutual function: although each faculty performs the functions of the others, it does not exchange the nature of the faculty nor abandon the form of the faculty; third, unobstructedness of principle and phenomena: although physical form appears distinctly, essence and nature are not two; although the wondrous essence is quiescent, its karmic functions are boundless; fourth, unobstructedness in responding to capacities: when many capacities [...] are stimulated, the body does not divide yet universally appears; although responding everywhere, perfect wisdom is fully engaged throughout the entire essence. Because of great samādhi, form arises from true suchness itself; its meaning does not depend on others, hence it is called 'sovereign'. All of this is the Buddha jewel's function of benefiting oneself. 'Saving the world', and so forth, reveals the Buddha's vocal karma, the conditioned virtuous function of great compassion benefiting others. Through the virtue of great compassion, he is able to arouse vocal karma, expounding wondrous conditional dharmas to benefit other beings. 'World' refers to sentient beings: because they are confrontable and perishable, they should be saved. 'Great compassion' is that which can save: revealing the condition of the Buddha's compassion, he says 'great compassion'. This is the compassion without conditions among the three types of compassion; it is not like the non-constant and non-universal compassion for self and phenomena found in ordinary beings and Hinayānists. 'Those who cross over all sentient beings' refers to the conventional person, associating the virtues with the person; the person endowed with the three wheels, three virtues, and two benefits as described above is designated as 'those who'. The two lines below reveal the Dharma jewel, namely the two greatnesses of essence and attributes among the three greatnesses, because the greatness of function is subsumed under the Buddha jewel. The word 'and' (tathā/ji) has two meanings: first, the meaning of distinction, revealing that this Dharma jewel and the previous Buddha jewel are two matters; second, the meaning of inclusion, meaning that one not only reveres the previous Buddha jewel of the greatness of function, but also reveres the Dharma jewel of essence and attributes. To reveal these two meanings, the word 'and' is placed here. 'Their bodies' refers to the three bodies of the Buddha; in contrast to this Dharma jewel, they obtain that designation. 'Essence and attributes': 'essence' refers to the greatness of essence, and 'attributes' refers to the greatness of attributes; because they are the essence and attributes of the previous transformation body of the Dharma jewel of the greatness of function, it says 'the essence and attributes of their bodies'. Among the four dharmas of teaching, principle, practice, and fruition, it reveals the profound and perfect dharma of principle and fruition; therefore, he adduces the Buddha to record his Dharma. This line directly presents the essence and attributes of the Dharma jewel. 'Dharmatā' reveals that this Dharma jewel is not only the essence and attributes for the aforementioned Buddha, but also serves as the essential nature for all phenomena; being the nature of phenomena, it is called 'dharmatā'. 'Suchness' (tathatā) reveals that although this Dharma jewel serves as the essential nature for all phenomena, it is not like phenomena which have delusion; reality is entirely free from falsity, hence it is called 'true' (zhen); showing that it is unalterable, it is called 'such' (ru). 'Ocean' uses a metaphor to reveal two meanings: first, revealing meaning relying on metaphor: the Dharma jewel accords with conditions to produce all phenomena, yet its nature is neither deluded nor real, just as the water of the great ocean produces waves due to wind; although waves arise and cease, the nature of wetness lacks real [arising and ceasing]; one should know that the principle here is also like this; second, revealing virtues in terms of metaphor: revealing that the Dharma jewel is endowed with virtues like an ocean, as it is constantly said: 'Just as the deep great ocean has inexhaustible rare jewels', and so forth, down to detailed explanations. Among the Saṅgha jewel, there are two lines. Within them, the first line adduces the virtuous persons. 'Saṅgha' applies to both ordinary and noble, as well as Mahāyāna and Hinayāna; here, the refuge is the noble Saṅgha of the Mahāyāna, the bodhisattvas of the bhūmi stages. Following the cultivation of a single practice, the ten thousand practices are all accomplished; each and every practice is equal to the dharmadhātu, obtained through accumulated merits. Therefore, it is said to be 'persons of immeasurable merit'. Because they can contain virtues, they are called a 'treasury'. The lower line reveals the stages of practice upon which these persons rely. As the treatise explains below: perfuming by the power of the Dharma is practice prior to the bhūmis; practicing in accordance with reality is practice on the bhūmis; fulfilling expedient means is the stage of completion of the bhūmis. Now, adducing the bhūmis, it also includes the stage of completion; therefore it says 'practicing in accordance with reality, and so forth'.