英語訳
【Fifty-eighth Page Upper Section】
an undefiled mind, acting in accordance with conditioned phenomena and accomplishing the undefiled dharma that surpasses the arhats. The Nirvana Sutra volume 21 clarifies the meaning of "reaching and not reaching" - its purport is similar. Also, the same volume 21 says: "The essence of nirvana is not originally non-existent and now existent. Up to the eternally abiding dharma - whether buddhas exist or not, the nature and characteristics abide eternally. Because all sentient beings are covered by afflictions, they cannot see nirvana and consider it to be non-existent. Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas diligently cultivate their minds through precepts, concentration, and wisdom, and having cut off afflictions, they are able to see it," and so forth. Also volume 27 says: "Buddha-nature is not the aggregates, sense-fields, and sense-bases, not originally non-existent and now existent. Up to all sentient beings - when the fire of afflictions is extinguished, they are able to hear and see." Also volume 32 says: "The Tathāgata constantly explains the essential meaning of all dharmas. Though the Noble Eightfold Path and great nirvana exist, all sentient beings cannot attain them. This is not my fault, nor is it the fault of the noble path or sentient beings. One should know that this is entirely due to the evil of afflictions. For this reason, all sentient beings do not attain nirvana." Also volume 35 explains the analogy of mixed blood and milk, clarifying how Buddha-nature manifests through cutting off afflictions. Also volume 36 says: "The Buddha said: The form of ordinary beings arises from afflictions. Therefore the wise explain that form is impermanent, suffering, empty, and without self. The Tathāgata's form is far removed from afflictions. Therefore it is explained as eternal, permanent, and unchanging." Also volume 37 extensively clarifies realizing nirvana by abandoning afflictions and inverted thoughts. The ultimate sincere teachings of the Nirvana [Sutra] are thus. Like the explanations in the Avatamsaka, Prajñāpāramitā, Vaipulya sections, Lotus, and esoteric sutras, their purport is entirely the same. If there are those who speak of the Mahāyāna bodhisattva path yet say there is no need to reject and counter all afflictions and secondary afflictions, they are definitely speaking the words of Māra Pāpīyas, not the Buddha's true Dharma. The Weimu Samādhi Sutra says: "The Buddha told
【Fifty-eighth Page Lower Section】
Ānanda: When good men seek the path and practice peaceful meditation, they should first cut off thoughts. The reason people born in the human realm do not attain the path is simply that they have many defiled thoughts and ideas. One thought comes, one thought goes - in one day and night there are 840 million thoughts," and so forth. Also, the Awakening of Faith Treatise says: "Question: Above you explained that the dharma-realm has one characteristic and the Buddha's essence is without duality. Why not just contemplate true-suchness alone? Why additionally seek to learn various good practices? Answer: For example, though a great maṇi jewel has a bright and pure essential nature, it has the defilement of ore impurities. If a person, though contemplating the jewel's nature, does not use various skillful means to polish and refine it, they will never achieve purity. Similarly, the true-suchness dharma of sentient beings has an empty and pure essential nature, yet has immeasurable afflictive defilements. Though one contemplates true-suchness, without using various skillful means for cultivation and refinement, one also cannot achieve purity. Because defilements are immeasurable and boundless, pervading all dharmas, one cultivates all good practices as countermeasures. If a person practices all good dharmas, they naturally accord with the true-suchness dharma." The Mahāprajñāpāramitā Treatise, Compendium Treatise, Buddha-nature Treatise, Ratnagotra Treatise, Dharmadhātu-aviśeṣa Treatise, and others extensively explain this principle - there is no leisure to present them in detail. The patriarchal intention of Nanshan clarified in this section completely accords with all the Tripiṭaka and Mahāyāna sutras and treatises. How can one not rely on this?
In recent times there are many of the "perfect-sudden fallen," "esoteric fallen," "transcendent fallen," and "other-power fallen" types who falsely grasp the view that "afflictions do not obstruct the path," willingly going against the buddhas' and patriarchs' intention. How sad!
Third, demonstrating how scholarly lectures on precepts often hinder spiritual practice to encourage correct cultivation: Those who leave home and enter the path can abandon what is difficult to abandon and accomplish what is difficult to accomplish. This is not for seeking fame, profit, or reverence. This is not for obtaining the fruits of human and divine [realms]. They simply want to escape the suffering aggregates and accumulation of the three realms and
【Fifty-ninth Page Upper Section】
accomplish the noble path of the three vehicles. However, the essentials of cultivating the path have two types: first, skillful means; second, the correct path. Skillful means has two [types] - namely, distant and near. The so-called distant skillful means refers to: when one maintains precepts and guards the sense faculties to accomplish worldly correct conduct, the various delusions of the craving category gradually lose their power; when through the two wisdoms of hearing and contemplation one faithfully understands the truth of the noble truths and accomplishes worldly correct view, the various delusions of the view category gradually decrease in function. The so-called near skillful means refers to: when concentrated mind such as the five stopping meditations manifests, one can subdue the various delusions of the craving category; when the wisdom accomplished through cultivation manifests, one can subdue the various delusions of the view category. The so-called correct path also has two types: first, the path of seeing truth; second, the path of cultivation. When the path of seeing truth arises, it suddenly cuts off the eighty-eight mental factors of view delusions. When the path of cultivation arises, it gradually cuts off the ten afflictions of thought delusions. When view [delusions] and craving are thus exhausted, what needs to be done is completed. The five-part dharma body is realized here, and the excellent dharmas of the three vehicles are born from this. The śramaṇa's correct cultivation is simply this. At the beginning of the novice section in Nanshan's Vinaya Commentary, he distinguishes three categories to discriminate between true and false cultivation. What are the three? First, ordinary sinful conduct, and so forth. Second, brahma merit conduct, and so forth. Third, noble path conduct. Within this there are three: first, nature-emptiness of the two-vehicle path; second, characteristic-emptiness, which is lesser bodhisattva wisdom; third, middle contemplation, which is the great bodhisattva path. Among the three conducts, ordinary sinful conduct is false goodness and an enemy of cultivating the path - in life it defiles the path gate, in death it leads to the three evil destinies. Brahma merit conduct - maintaining precepts, cultivating concentration, etc. - assists in cultivating the path. When made into skillful means, it can lead to the noble path - this is most admirable. If one grasps and clings to it, it suddenly becomes an obstruction - this should be abandoned. Noble path conduct is precisely what śramaṇas should study. However, these three noble path conducts have horizontal and vertical meanings. Vertically, the three conducts arise gradually; horizontally,
【Fifty-ninth Page Lower Section】
one simultaneously applies them to three [types of] spiritual capacity. This should be understood when the time comes. Therefore, when those of the monastic stream begin as novices, they dip their fingers into precepts and concentration, and in the Tripiṭaka or Mahāyāna accomplish the wisdom of hearing. This is the first barrier of monastic study of the path. Maintaining precepts and guarding the sense faculties like guarding an oil bowl, sitting in meditation and contemplation with the mind's doors gradually opening, accomplishing the wisdom of contemplation and abandoning doubts about the truths - this is the second barrier of monastic study of the path. With all sense faculties tranquil, naturally abandoning transgressions, samādhi manifesting and accomplishing the wisdom of cultivation - this is the third barrier of monastic study of the path. If one penetrates these three barriers, then one can first induce and manifest undefiled wisdom and illumination. This is the sequential correct cultivation of śramaṇas. Therefore, during the Buddha's lifetime in the age of true Dharma, though they established wisdom understanding, they only grasped the essential principles of aggregates, sense-fields, sense-bases, four noble truths, cause and effect, etc. They did not pursue scholarly discussions of texts and letters. Though they cultivated precept rituals, they once grasped the essential points of restraint and performance without being confined to trivial practices and detailed ceremonies. Morning and evening they sat cross-legged, dwelling alone in quiet places, cultivating the four foundations of mindfulness as their constant practice. However, after the fifth five-hundred-year period, the true Dharma declined and gave rise to two deviations of excess and deficiency, corrupting and damaging the true Dharma. Excess means one's studies exceed proper stages, generating arrogance, considering oneself equal to sages, and showing contempt for cutting-off and cultivation. Those with deficiency rigidly stick to initial studies without any progress; even if they have understanding and practice, they generally fall into worldliness. Nanshan deeply observed the beginning and end of studying the path, carefully treating the two types of deviation and error, wanting students to turn toward the middle correct path. The next two categories address the problems of excess; this present category addresses the failures of deficiency.
Question: In what text of Nanshan is this analysis found? Answer: The purport of the commentaries and sub-commentaries lies entirely here. Why seek one particular text or phrase? Now let me present one or two clear passages. The matter