英語訳
【Right page, upper section】
It represents the middle and upper grades of no-birth forbearance. "Dharma-joy flowers" represents the upper grade of no-birth forbearance. The four eloquences freely expound dharma-joy. "Vajra flowers" represents the lower grade of extinction forbearance. These seven flowers above represent Mahayana dharma. "Dependent contemplation middle way flowers" represents pratyekabuddha dharma. Because they realize and understand the middle way contemplation of dependent origination. "Thirty-seven factors flowers" represents śrāvaka dharma. Because they attain mastery within the contemplation of the path factors.
The sutra says: "Scattering them upon the Buddha and nine hundred billion great bodhisattva assemblies." Commentary: This separately reveals offerings. Based on Brahmā gods and others attaining the three vehicle contemplation, they scatter the three vehicle flowers upon the Buddha and others.
The sutra says: "All other beings证得道迹果 (realized the fruit of the path)." Commentary: This clarifies the benefits for other beings. "Path" refers to the approaching stage, also the learning stage. "Fruit" refers to the fruition stage, also the no-learning fruit.
The sutra says: "Scattered-mind emptiness flowers, mind-tree flowers, six pāramitā flowers, marvelous awakening flowers." Commentary: Listing the flower names. "Scattered-mind emptiness flowers" refers to the four emptinesses. "Mind-tree flowers" refers to dependent origination contemplation. The twelve links of dependent origination are called "flower trees." "Six perfections flowers" refers to the ten grounds' practices. These three flowers sequentially reveal the three vehicle dharmas. "Marvelous awakening flowers" refers to Buddha-fruit flowers.
The sutra says: "Scattering them upon the Buddha and all great assemblies." Commentary: This clarifies the offerings.
The sutra says: "Ten thousand bodhisattvas contemplate future sentient beings." Commentary: This clarifies the bodhisattvas' benefits. As the text shows, these are all benefits for ground-stage bodhisattvas. With universal great compassion, they show loving concern for sentient beings.
The sutra says: "Immediately realizing marvelous awakening samādhi, perfect illumination samādhi, and vajra samādhi." Commentary: This reveals the samādhis they realize.
【Right page, lower section】
Within this there are three: first, supreme fruit samādhi; second, objective condition samādhi; third, obtaining other samādhis. Buddha-fruit attains marvelousness and exhausts conventional and ultimate truth, hence called "marvelous awakening." Illuminating principle to perfect completion, hence called "perfect illumination." Indestructible, hence called "vajra." These three samādhis are named from their objects.
The sutra says: "Conventional truth samādhi, ultimate truth samādhi, supreme meaning truth samādhi." Commentary: The second objective condition samādhi. Within this there are two: first three samādhis, then three supreme ones. Contemplating conditioned samādhi is called "conventional truth samādhi." Contemplating unconditioned samādhi is called "ultimate truth samādhi." Contemplating non-established suchness is called "supreme meaning truth samādhi."
The sutra says: "These three truth samādhis are the king samādhi of all samādhis." Commentary: The second reveals the three supreme ones. Through these three samādhis, they completely encompass all samādhis and have great supreme function, hence named "king."
The sutra says: "Also attaining immeasurable other samādhis, seven treasures samādhi, twenty-five existences samādhi, and all practices samādhi." Commentary: The third obtaining other samādhis. "Immeasurable samādhis" refers to the four immeasurable samādhis. "Seven treasures samādhi" contemplates the seven treasures as its object. The "seven treasures" are: first faith, second precepts, third shame, fourth remorse, fifth learning, sixth wisdom, seventh giving. "Twenty-five existences samādhi" contemplates the twenty-five existences: four continents, four evil destinies, four formless realms, four dhyānas, Brahmā king, six desire heavens, unconscious heaven, pure abode heavens - these are called the twenty-five existences. "All practices samādhi" completely encompasses the samādhis of all practices.
The sutra says: "Furthermore, one billion bodhisattvas ascend to the vajra peak and manifest perfect awakening." Commentary: One billion bodhisattvas
【Left page, upper section】
manifest the benefit of becoming Buddha. Tenth ground bodhisattvas, through the power of hearing conditions, ascend to the vajra seat and manifest Buddhahood.
The sutra: "Chapter Eight: Entrustment." In preparing to explain this chapter, there are briefly two meanings: first, explaining the chapter name; second, properly explaining the sutra text. Explaining the chapter name: "entrustment" means entrusting, "accumulation" means repeated accumulation. The Tathāgata repeatedly entrusts this sutra, to flow and circulate through successive generations, hence called "Entrustment Chapter."
The sutra says: "The Buddha told King Prasenajit, 'I command you and others.'" Commentary: Below properly explains the sutra text. First clarifying entrustment, then following the teaching in practice. "Command" means warning and encouragement. "Others" includes the remaining great assembly.
The sutra says: "After my parinirvāṇa, during periods of eighty years, eight hundred years, eight thousand years, when there are no Buddhas, no Dharma, no Saṅgha, no believing men or women." Commentary: Entrustment warning and encouragement. Regarding "eighty years, etc.," in explaining this sutra passage, various explanations differ. Master Zang says: After the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, during one hundred years, five masters maintained the Dharma, each for twenty years: Kāśyapa, Ānanda, Madhyāntika - these three personally witnessed the Buddha's transformative teaching and practice, as when the Buddha was in the world, so the Dharma did not perish. The three spanned sixty years. The fourth, Śāṇakavāsin; the fifth, Upagupta - these two each maintained the Dharma for twenty years. Śāṇakavāsin corresponds to eighty years; because he did not personally witness the Buddha's transformation, the ceremonial Dharma perished. "Eight hundred years" refers to within five hundred years of True Dharma extinction, twenty-five masters, all being sages transmitting successively, so the realization Dharma did not perish. Within six hundred years, Aśvaghoṣa and Nāgārjuna, two people transmitted the Dharma; because the people propagating Dharma were strong, the Dharma did not perish. During eight hundred years, others propagated Dharma; because the people were weak, they caused the Dharma to perish. "Eight thousand years" refers to the extinction of Semblance True Dharma.
【Left page, lower section】
This is extinction. Due to sentient beings of the final age preferring to practice wrong dharma and despising True Dharma, because True Dharma is not practiced, only Semblance-Final Dharma perishes. According to the Nirvāṇa Sūtra, in the semblance-final age there are 120,000 great bodhisattvas who well maintain my Dharma. Before my Dharma perishes, referring to ordinary beings, it is said to perish. "No Buddha, Dharma, Saṅgha" properly clarifies Dharma extinction, therefore entrustment is needed. "No believing men, no believing women" clarifies that because there are no Three Jewels to take refuge in, there is no place to generate faith. Because there is no faithful mind, they slander and destroy the Three Jewels, therefore they do not manifest. Master Ce says: Although there is this explanation, authentic texts are not seen, so it should not be relied upon. Only mentioning "eighty years, etc." refers to this time when the Three Jewels sink and disappear, and people propagating Dharma are rare.
The sutra says: "Entrust this sutra's Three Jewels to kings of various countries and the four groups of disciples to receive, maintain, recite, and explain its meaning." Commentary: Below properly clarifies entrustment.
The sutra says: "For sentient beings of the three realms, open the path of emptiness wisdom, cultivate the seven worthy ones, practice the ten good actions, and transform all sentient beings." Commentary: Entrusting to the assembly to transform others. These are three types of practices: first, emptiness practice; second, seven worthy practices - the seven expedients are called "seven worthy ones"; third, ten good practices. Question: Why does the previous chapter only entrust to kings, while this chapter generally entrusts to the four assemblies? Answer: The previous chapter's entrustment was for circulation, so it was entrusted to kings. This chapter entrusts to the assembly to understand the meaning and principle and teach and transform sentient beings, so it applies to all four assemblies.
The sutra says: "In the later five turbidities age, monks, nuns, four groups of disciples, eight classes of dragons and spirits, all spirit kings, kings, crown princes, and princes will rely on their high status and nobility to destroy and break my Dharma." Commentary: Below extensively discusses the seven warnings.