英語訳
【Page 52】
【Upper section】
Most Excellent Questions and Answers, Volume Seven
Volume Seven (Non-Attachment Dhāraṇī Chapter)
Question: The Non-Attachment Dhāraṇī explained in this chapter - which of the four total retentions is it? Answer: The commentary states it is the patience with non-arising retention. Regarding this, through the protection of the Non-Attachment Dhāraṇī, one is made to leave disasters and not retreat from practice. Therefore, shouldn't it simply be mantra retention? Isn't the dhāraṇī explained in the Wish-fulfilling Jewel Chapter called mantra retention? Moreover, in this chapter, the dharma functions and stages of patience with non-arising dharma are not further explained. There should be no patience with non-arising retention. For example, in the Dhāraṇī Chapter of the Lotus Sutra, it explains that sixty-eight thousand people attained patience with non-arising dharma, but in the Shèshì commentary, since the dharma functions and stages of patience with non-arising dharma are not explained, patience with non-arising dharma is not explained. Then the present commentary's explanation is unclear. How should this be understood?
In my view: Among the many explanations in the commentary, the meaning of the explanation that speaks of patience with non-arising retention is that generally the essence of patience with non-arising is the wisdom category that penetrates and understands that the meanings of all dharmas' inherent nature, which are the referents of all verbal expressions, are all not truly established, and that only the beyond-language inherent nature of all dharmas exists. This wisdom category is called patience. This patience realizes the emptiness of all dharmas and has no attachment, therefore it is called Non-Attachment Dhāraṇī. What this chapter clarifies should most certainly be patience with non-arising retention. Even if dharma functions and stages are not explained, since the chapter title reveals this meaning, it is said to explain patience with non-arising retention. Therefore, the Wish-fulfilling Jewel Chapter and the Lotus
【Lower section】
Sutra Dhāraṇī Chapter should not be used as examples. Is there no problem?
Question: Do the two total retentions of dharma and meaning extend to all teachings, or are they limited to dhāraṇī? Considering both sides: If they extend to all teachings, then dhāraṇī is divided into four types: dharma, meaning, mantra, and patience with non-arising. But mantras and patience are limited to dhāraṇī. Why would dharma and meaning extend to both esoteric and exoteric teachings? If following this they do not extend to all teachings, then the commentary master has determined that dharma and meaning are general while mantras and patience with non-arising are particular. From this we know that dharma and meaning are not limited to dhāraṇī. Moreover, in the Yogācāra treatise, dharma retention refers to the names, phrases, and syllables of immeasurable sutras, and meaning retention refers to their semantic content. That this extends broadly to all teachings is clear from the present text, is it not?
In my view: Following Cízhōu's explanation and the present text of the Yogācāra, the two types of dharma and meaning should extend to all teachings. The reason is that dhāraṇī is Sanskrit, translated as "total retention." Regarding the expressing words and expressed meanings of all teachings, the aspect of total retention that does not forget them is called dhāraṇī. This is where dharma and meaning are named dhāraṇī. This principle is seen in the Xuánzàn. However, mantra retention has spiritual efficacy in divine mantras and causes the removal of disasters. Therefore, although it is equally dhāraṇī, it is limited to dhāraṇī within the teachings and does not extend to all teachings. Next, patience with non-arising retention is, within this mantra retention, the wisdom category that penetrates and understands that the inherent nature of all dharmas, which are the referents of all verbal expressions, do not truly arise, and that only the beyond-language inherent nature of all dharmas exists. It absolutely should not extend to all teachings. Therefore there is no problem.
Asking again: Why is this so? Answer: Because the four types of total retention are established according to extensive-brief and shallow-deep distinctions.
【Page 53】
【Upper section】
Question: In the commentary of this volume, the merits of dhāraṇī are explained. Then is the essence of this total retention solely mindfulness and wisdom mental factors, or should concentration mental factors be made its essence? Considering both sides: If concentration mental factors are not taken, then by the power of concentration mastery, divine mantras are given spiritual efficacy. Why would the essence of total retention not take concentration mental factors? According to this, in the present sutra, when explaining the merits of dhāraṇī it states: "Wonderful wisdom and excellent concentration are praised." In the Yogācāra treatise (35), when clarifying mantra retention, it states: "Those bodhisattvas who have obtained such mastery of concentration..." A certain place in our school's works (Yogācāra Notes 12) explains that mantra retention takes concentration as its essence. If following this understanding, then the great master in various places (Xuánzàn 10) determines that this is called total retention, taking mindfulness and wisdom as essence. How should this be understood?
In my view: The answer to this doctrinal question is like the answer to the next doctrinal question below.
Question: Should total retention take wisdom mental factors as its essence? Answer: Yes, that's correct. Regarding this, in the Yogācāra treatise it explains that wonderful wisdom is the cause of total retention. From this we know it is not the inherent essence.
In my view: Regarding total retention, establishing its essence is not uniform. For the dependent cause essence of mantra retention, this is concentration. Because divine powers arise depending on concentration. For the discriminating essence of patience retention, wisdom is good. That is its inherent essence. For the remaining three total retentions, when following this principle, all should take wisdom as essence. When establishing memory as essence, all four types take mindfulness as essence. (The commentary presents these three ways of establishing essence above.) However, regarding what the Yogācāra treatise explains: total retention refers collectively to the dharmas that are retained and the mindfulness and wisdom that retain. If viewed in relation to the retained teachings,
【Lower section】
wisdom is the proximate cause. This is what the Yogācāra explains. If following the meaning of discriminating retention, wisdom should most certainly be the inherent essence. Therefore there is no problem.
Question: The sutra text states "What kind of sentence meaning is this?" Then how does the commentary master explain this sentence? It continues: "Sentence is the name of expression. It is not the 'name' among names and sentences." Regarding this, secret total retention consists of meaningless words that contain profound, inconceivable, wonderful dharma sentences. Therefore, this "sentence" in "sentence meaning" asks "what kind of profound wonderful sentence meaning is this?" Why does it explain that it is an expressing name and not the "name" among names and sentences?
In my view: Dhāraṇī uses few, abbreviated, secret, meaningless words, but even though the words are few and abbreviated, the intended meanings are immeasurable. Therefore, "Non-Attachment Dhāraṇī" refers to the expressing name of these immeasurable intended meanings. This name is not the "name" among names and sentences. The "name" among names and sentences refers to the essences of dharmas. The present name "Non-Attachment Dhāraṇī" is not the name of dharma essences. This is saying it is a dhāraṇī name, not the name of dharma essences. Though this is a minor point, the meaning of the explanation is profound and difficult to understand. Therefore, perhaps it should be explained tentatively like this.
Question: Is the present sutra explained before the Lotus Sutra or how? Considering both sides: If it was explained before, when generally examining the causes for explaining this sutra, Bodhisattva Ruciraketu heard the explanation "After three months I shall enter parinirvāṇa" and doubted the brevity of Śākyamuni's lifespan. From this we know it was explained after the Lotus Sutra. According to this, in the Non-Attachment Dhāraṇī Chapter of the present sutra, Śākyamuni praises Śāriputra saying: "You have already been able to aspire to and have faith in and understanding of the great..."