英語訳
【Page 74】
【Upper section】
"After one Bhadrakalpa passes, the original life finally ends." Using Brahmā's lifespan as equivalent to the quantity of the Bhadrakalpa. Since Brahmā's lifespan is sixty eons, the quantity of the Bhadrakalpa should be sixty eons. 《Actually it is one set of eighty eons, but excluding the empty eons it is called sixty eons, because there are no material worlds or sentient being realms.》 This sūtra's explanation is clear. The interpretations of our school's masters may depend on this explanation. However, regarding Rucika's original vow, the Eon Chapter Verses explain this sūtra text: "When the later intermediate eons are about to end, Tathāgata Rucika finally appears and emerges. The last of the intermediate eons is only an increasing eon, when people become weary of the world and delight in cultivating concentration." The meaning is that Rucika Buddha appears during the increasing eon at the end of the twentieth eon. Here the Eon Chapter Commentary expresses this meaning: "Due to the Buddha's original vow, he appears in the world during the last increasing eon." This is precisely the meaning of the Abhidharma treatise's "initially only decreasing, later only increasing." Due to that Buddha's original vow power, his lifespan dwells long, equal to the previous buddhas. Next, regarding the Bhadrakalpika Sūtra, the size of eons explained in the teachings has indefinite meanings and different comparisons. Whether small eons or intermediate eons, when compared to extremely small eons, even if actually intermediate eons, they might be called great eons. Or perhaps it records Śrāvaka doctrine. The three great matters of the appearance of four buddhas, Śākyamuni's transcending eons, and the quantity of the Bhadrakalpa intersect here and there - this is an extremely difficult doctrine. It should be studied very carefully.
Question: In this volume's commentary, clarifying the reasons for giving prophecies, it quotes the text from the Mahāyānasaṃgraha "in order to attract and gather one type and to maintain the remainder." Does this "remainder" category include sudden-enlightenment minor bodhisattvas? Considering both sides. If it does not include them, the sudden-enlightenment minor bodhisattvas hold that "only oneself can attain buddhahood; the two vehicles cannot become buddhas." If so, when explaining the doctrine of the two vehicles becoming buddhas, wouldn't this
【Lower section】
obstruct such attachment? If one permits obstructing it, shouldn't it most certainly be included in this passage of the Saṃgraha treatise? Here examining the Great Master's (Xuanzan) interpretation, completing the Saṃgraha treatise text: "Also sudden-enlightenment minor bodhisattvas hold that only those who have already practiced the Mahāyāna can attain buddhahood, while those already dwelling in the śrāvaka path cannot become buddhas. Now this attachment is refuted." Considering the meaning of this explanation, it appears to include this category. If it includes them based on this, then in the present commentary, when properly explaining the text "and maintaining the remainder, etc.," it presents definite-nature gradual-enlightenment bodhisattvas without mentioning the sudden-enlightenment category. The determinations of our school's masters in various places are also the same. We know that category is not in this text. How is this? 《Composed by Shiki Kōin》
My view: Generally speaking, the original intention of explaining the One Vehicle is to transform the two vehicles and enable them to become buddhas. Therefore, the text properly "and maintaining the remainder" raises the gradual-enlightenment category. The Great Master's interpretations in various places (Xuanzan) and the present commentary's determinations are this. Also incidentally, the sudden-enlightenment minor bodhisattvas' view that "only I become buddha, the two vehicles do not become buddhas" should be obstructed. The first volume of Xuanzan has this meaning. The meaning of the present commentary, etc., is the Lotus Sūtra's meaning: properly to entice the indefinite-nature category, it explains the One Buddha Vehicle. Therefore it only raises those of gradual enlightenment. Here in the commentary's next text, it quotes the Lotus Sūtra's explanation. It should also incidentally obstruct.
Question: In the present sūtra commentary, regarding clarifying the characteristics of the wisdom categories, is establishing the name "conventional wisdom" limited only to inferential cognition, or can it extend to direct perception? If it extends to direct perception, generally speaking, cognizing names, sentences, and words, operating regarding universal characteristics - this is called conventional wisdom. The treatise text "conventional wisdom does not obtain self-characteristics through conceptualization, operating only regarding the universal characteristics of all dharmas" is extremely clear. Yet direct perceptual cognition clearly
【Page 75】
【Upper section】
realizes and understands dharmas. How could it receive the designation of conventional wisdom? Based on this, in the present commentary: "All contaminated cognitions, due to the meaning of complete knowledge, are called dharma-abiding wisdom... The seventh cognizes teachings, being heard wisdom, so it is called dharma-abiding wisdom and also called conventional wisdom." According to this explanation, conventional wisdom should be limited to inferential cognition. If this is so, then in the Great Commentary on Logic it says: "Even in concentrated mind, seeking names and cognizing fire, etc., this is also conventional wisdom." This establishes the name conventional wisdom for direct perceptual cognition. How is this?
My view: The cognizing mind obtains those self-characteristics. Direct perception necessarily obtains self-characteristics. However, since self-characteristics and universal characteristics have multiple levels, regarding self-characteristics there are aspects of obtaining self-characteristics and aspects of not obtaining them. The aspect that obtains self-characteristics is called direct perception; the aspect that doesn't obtain is called conventional wisdom. That is, concentrated mind clearly realizes the present object, neither confused nor having the meaning of inference. Whatever object it cognizes, it knows by following the object. That is, when the contemplative mind of the spheres of mastery and universality practices understanding of few/many, blue, etc., each adheres to its own essence, not comparing one with another, not extending throughout all dharmas. Therefore it is called direct perception. At this time, not obtaining the ineffable self-characteristics, that is, seeking names and cognizing meanings, when generating superior understanding of earth, etc., regarding water and fire, not obtaining the self-characteristics of hardness, wetness, etc. - this is called conventional wisdom. Also, when upper-realm concentrated mind cognizes lower-realm fire flames, the transformed aspect-portions lack the functions of heat, wetness, etc. Though this is also direct perception, it still has the meaning of conventional wisdom. Here direct perception has multiple levels, and self-characteristics have comparisons. Calling direct perceptual mind conventional wisdom is without fault.
This matter is extremely important. One should examine the Great Commentary on Logic and Cien's Continued Commentary, etc.
【Lower section】
Asking again: That concentrated mind is necessarily direct perception cannot be correct. Supernatural-power hermits say the five sense organs are the four great elements, and the four schools of Mahāsāṃghika, etc., definitively hold that the five sense organs have flesh masses as their essence. This means that even though it is concentrated mind, when cognizing the five sense organs, it is not direct perception, so they speak thus. If direct perception cognizes them, why do they speak thus one-sidedly?
Response: When those concentrated minds cognize the five sense organs, though it is direct perception, when emerging from concentration, they do not clearly know the previous matters within concentration, so they do not know the essence of the five sense organs. As it says "also do not know direct realization." That concentrated mind's cognizing the five sense organs is direct perception is clear from the second volume's explanation.
Question: The sūtra clarifies the causal practices of bodhisattvas: "All upheld and made offerings to the Jeweled Topknot Buddha's remaining teachings and the community of monks." Does this text explain making offerings to the Dharma jewel? The commentary explains "it does not explain this." Regarding this, since it says "remaining teachings," it should specifically explain making offerings to the Dharma jewel. Moreover, in the earlier text "At that time King Suśāla, the ruler, wishing to make offerings to this sūtra" was explained as the Dharma jewel. Why is this text not the same? 《Composed by Shiki Yūben》
My view: Truly, generally speaking in terms of meaning, it should completely explain the Three Jewels. That is, the commentary states: "Buddha is the teaching master, saṃgha are the students, sūtra is what is studied, therefore all are offered to." This is the meaning. The meaning of making offerings to the saṃgha jewel together - since Buddha has already passed away, offerings are not made. Since the sūtra in the earlier "wishing to make offerings to this sūtra" text explains the meaning of Dharma offerings, it is limited only to the saṃgha jewel. Next, "remaining teachings" in the sūtra means making offerings to the community of monks who study the remaining teachings. The remaining teachings