英語訳
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[The text states that] bodhisattvas are born in both good and evil destinies for the benefit of sentient beings. How should this be understood?
Privately speaking: The Doctrine of the Study Hall states: When bodhisattvas enter the holy nature of separation from birth, since discriminative afflictions have already been severed and general retribution karma is exhausted, regarding general retribution, they attain non-birth in evil destinies. They do not newly create general retribution karma. Creating general retribution karma is the function of discriminative afflictions. However, since bodhisattvas intentionally retain co-arising afflictions without severing them, through these they create particular retribution karma for evil destinies and receive particular retribution births in the three evil paths. Therefore, when the Great Master judged "receiving the three evil paths is indeed a real body," this was his meaning. The reason the Yogācāra Treatise does not speak of vowing to be born in evil destinies is because it discusses general retribution.
Someone says: Karma-power birth connection is exhausted when entering seeing. Wisdom-power birth connection still exists after entering seeing. Therefore, non-birth in evil destinies refers to karma-power birth connection. The vow for evil destiny birth reception is at the time of wisdom-power birth connection.
Question: The sūtra text explains that at the time of Buddha's enlightenment, Brahmā kings and Indra requested the turning of the dharma wheel. Did they request the four noble truths dharma wheel practiced commonly by the three vehicles, or how should this be understood? If they did not request the four noble truths dharma wheel, wouldn't the dharma wheel turned according to the request of Brahmā kings and Indra definitely be the four noble truths dharma wheel? Here, Master Cízhōu explains the sūtra text: "If initially enlightened but not yet having turned the dharma wheel, [they] request turning the dharma wheel." Since it already states that at the time of initial enlightenment they requested turning the dharma wheel, how could it not be the four noble truths dharma wheel? Also, examining the Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom, it judges that according to Brahmā and Indra's inquiry, the dharma wheel was turned at Vārāṇasī. The text is uncontroversial and clearly refers to the first turning of the dharma wheel. If it is like this, the Great Master states in one place that "the first turning of the dharma wheel
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was taught without waiting for inquiry." How should this be understood?
The Buddha Mother Commentary objects: Looking at the Lotus Sūtra's explanation: "At that time the various Brahmā kings, celestial beings and Indras, the four heavenly kings protecting the world, and Maheśvara, up to [all] respectfully joining palms, reverently requested me to turn the dharma wheel." This passage clearly shows turning the four noble truths dharma wheel according to inquiry. The Chapter on Twelve Division Teachings states: "Even in Hīnayāna sūtras, Buddha's compassion and the characteristics of all dharmas are revealed, speaking spontaneously without waiting for inquiry, like the first turning of the dharma wheel, therefore there are self-proclaimed [teachings]." The response states: Although this sūtra was taught according to the inquiry of Brahmā kings and others, since they were not the intended audience, it is still called a sūtra spoken without inquiry. That sūtra was taught to the five monks including Kauṇḍinya.
Also states: Although the celestial beings made inquiry, they did not specify which dharma wheel to turn. Therefore we know their request encompassed both great and small vehicle treatises, including the teachings of the three periods. According to this, in the Treatise on Wisdom, Brahmā kings' requests also exist in the Prajñāpāramitā, and Jízàng also extends this to the Lotus Sūtra. If so, the celestial beings' inquiry does not specifically refer to the first turning of the dharma wheel. Since it is not the same as Subhūti requesting the Prajñāpāramitā or Tébĕn inquiring about the three natures, is it therefore called a sūtra spoken without inquiry?
Question: Does the sūtra text "neither born nor destroyed, neither existent nor non-existent" teach the dharma body or not? There are problems on both sides. If it is not the dharma body, since the dharma body has no arising and ceasing, observing "neither born nor destroyed" and being free from characteristics of coming and going, it teaches "neither existent nor non-existent." What is taught should definitely be the dharma body. Don't other teachings describe "neither arising nor ceasing, also neither going nor coming" as teaching the dharma body? If according to this it teaches the dharma body, in the present commentary it explains "it is the transformation body." How should this be understood?
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Privately speaking: Examining the sūtra text, it explains the three bodies separately. "Neither born nor destroyed, neither existent nor non-existent" explains the transformation body; "free from defilement and pure, mind attains stable abiding" observes the reward body; "beyond all characteristics, mind's original suchness" observes the dharma body. These three sections of text comprehensively observe the two truths of ultimate and conventional regarding all dharmas. Each of the three sections separately indicates aspects of the three bodies within principle-wisdom ultimate-conventional, explaining them with progressive depth. However, regarding explaining "neither born nor destroyed" for the transformation body, the commentary explains this matter: "Also observing all things, the dharmas of eight characteristics, neither arising nor ceasing, etc., free from attachment and stably abiding, etc." Although mind belongs to conditioned conventional truth, because it is free from false attachment, it observes "neither born nor destroyed." Definitely clinging to characteristics of arising and ceasing is false attachment. Free from this attachment, conventional truth is neither definitely arising nor definitely ceasing - it is illusory provisional existence. The sūtra text precisely reveals this mind. Other sūtra texts should not be brought as objections. The Prajñāpradīpa Treatise states:
Question: The sūtra text clarifies the sixth ground: "signless contemplation all fully manifest." Is this signless contemplation the operational characteristics of subsequently attained wisdom? Proceeding to say: The commentary states "signless contemplation is precisely non-discriminating wisdom." Regarding this: Since it already says "contemplation," how can it be non-discriminating wisdom? Moreover, in the Yogācāra Treatise: "Contemplating suchness means taking suchness characteristics as object. It does not penetrate suchness." If so, shouldn't this passage definitely be the operational characteristics of subsequently attained wisdom? How should this be understood?
Privately speaking: In the Vijñānavāda Treatise clarifying the sixth ground: "The sixth Manifest Ground, abiding in dependent origination wisdom, draws forth non-discrimination, causing supreme prajñā to manifest." The mind uses the wisdom observing dependent origination as what draws forth,
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drawing forth supreme non-discriminating wisdom and causing it to manifest. Does this quote the meaning of the present sūtra? The wisdom that observes dependent origination dharmas as drawer is precisely preparatory wisdom - conditioned conventional wisdom. "Signless contemplation all fully manifest" refers to the meaning of objective capacity - precisely the wisdom that can realize. Why must "contemplation" necessarily be the meaning of preparation? Conditioned contemplation is inherently the operational characteristics of subsequently attained wisdom. The Yogācāra Treatise should not be brought as an objection.
Question: In this volume's sūtra, regarding clarifying how the ten grounds receive their names, how is explaining the fifth ground being called the Extremely Difficult to Conquer Ground explained? Proceeding to say: "Cultivation methods and expedients, superior wisdom autonomy are extremely difficult to attain. Seeing and cultivation afflictions are difficult to subdue but can be subdued. Therefore the fifth ground is called Difficult to Conquer." The meaning is that the wisdom of ultimate and conventional truths is difficult to unite but can be united; seeing and cultivation afflictions are difficult to subdue but can be subdued, therefore it is called the Extremely Difficult to Conquer Ground. Regarding this, both meanings are unclear. First, regarding the initial reason: in the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra clarifying first ground bodhisattvas: "Good Awakening Bodhisattva, four heavenly kings, illuminating both truths simultaneously, the equal path." Combined observation of ultimate and conventional appears to exist at the first ground. How does this relate to this ground's superior capacity? Next, the latter reason is also unclear. View delusions are already severed at the first ground; cultivation delusions are severed and subdued at preceding and following grounds. How is this a special capacity of this ground?
Privately speaking: Before the fourth ground, there is no combined observation of ultimate and conventional. At the fifth ground, first realizing the suchness of no distinction of categories, the wisdom of ultimate and conventional truths is extremely difficult to unite, but through combined observation, the name Extremely Difficult to Conquer Ground is established. However, regarding the Benevolent Kings Sūtra's explanation, the Vijñānavāda Clarification of Meaning Lamp responds: "According to the aspect-seeing path, transforming both aspects as objects." The mind in the aspect-seeing path transforms aspect-parts to take as object the suchness realized by the true seeing path.