英語訳
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The text is extensive, so this can be seen. [Marginalia: From the Parable Chapter sutra, 83 characters absent in one version]
Question: In this chapter, Bodhisattva Never Disparaging practiced Never Disparaging's practice during the semblance Dharma period of Powerful Sound King Buddha. If so, is Never Disparaging's practice an action after the eternal true attainment described in the Lifespan Chapter, or how should we understand this? Considering both directions: If it is a later practice, since the eternal true attainment was already revealed in the Lifespan Chapter, why would it again explain cultivating causal practices? Based on this, ancient worthies say that Never Disparaging's practice was an event before the eternal true attainment. If we follow this view, then the kalpa number of Great Universal Wisdom Excellence Tathāgata's appearance in the world was after the eternal true attainment. Yet this chapter says "in ancient times past, beyond countless, boundless, inconceivable, incalculable kalpas," which is the same as the kalpa number since Great Universal Wisdom Excellence Tathāgata's attainment. From this we know that Never Disparaging's practice was an action after the dust-mote kalpas described in the Lifespan Chapter. Based on this, masters of our own and other schools like Tiantai, Jiaxiang, and Jingxing all say it was practice after the eternal true attainment.
Reconciling explanation: Never Disparaging's practice was action after five hundred dust-mote kalpas. The judgments of various masters of our own and other schools are mostly the same. Generally, the dust-mote kalpa number is the ultimate metaphor among those revealing quantities. When the Buddha asked Maitreya and others if they knew this number, several bodhisattvas said to the Buddha: "Though we dwell in the stage of non-retrogression, we also do not comprehend this matter." Has this type not been heard of in other teachings? However, "countless, boundless, incalculable kalpas" is conventional expression. Even within the single Lotus Sutra, there are many such expressions. How much more so in other teachings? However, regarding Never Disparaging's causal practice, even if after the distant attainment, the karmic retribution of the four
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assemblies' slandering and defaming is all not in vain. If the Buddha's composed sutra has威力 and truly has benefits, why not explain this? Should we not make this difficult using provisional and ultimate [teachings]?
Further inquiry: In the Lifespan Chapter it says "countless, boundless hundred thousand myriads of billions of nayutas of kalpas," while in the Never Disparaging Chapter it says "beyond countless, boundless, inconceivable, incalculable [kalpas]." "Incalculable" means numberless. "Hundred thousand myriads of billions of nayutas" is a small portion among countable numbers. It doesn't reach "incalculable." If so, the Lifespan Chapter speaks of countless, boundless nayutas, while the Never Disparaging Chapter speaks of inconceivable numberlessness. The relative amounts are already clear. Why make Never Disparaging a later event?
Answer: Sacred teachings have multiple levels of types for revealing quantities. First is computational division, second is metaphorical division. Nayutas and such are computational division. Even countless nayutas, when expressing that quantity through calculation, belongs to the scope of computational division. Things like Ganges sands or world dust-mote numbers are metaphorical division. Even when speaking of countless dust-mote numbers, this is still within the scope of dust-mote numbers. When explaining the dust-point metaphor, it uses those dust numbers as the initial measurement unit, marking certain worlds, then grinding all those worlds into dust. How much more when passing beyond certain worlds, initially placing one mark, combining marked and unmarked, and totally knowing the dust number - how much does this surpass the previous computational and metaphorical divisions? Generally, what the Lifespan Chapter explains - even the initial five hundred thousand myriads of billions of nayutas of incalculable world dust-mote numbers - still exceeds what the Never Disparaging Chapter explains. How much more regarding the subsequent doublings and doublings?
Question: Even if Never Disparaging is practice after eternal true attainment, the entire assembly has already believed in the truth of distant attainment.
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Having finished hearing the Never Disparaging Chapter, since the kalpa number is already few, they know it is events after attainment. Since this is already transformation manifestation and not reality, though able to endure the contempt and slander of the arrogant, why consider it remarkable?
Answer: Regarding what the Buddha accomplished, generating rejoicing has different types. This chapter, being great expedient means after the fruit position, should generate joy. This is precisely the type that the Lifespan Chapter calls "sometimes explaining one's own body."
Jingxing's commentary states: Question: Is this Never Disparaging real or provisional? Answer: One explanation says that since it's already a trace of the Lifespan [Chapter], we know it's provisional. Now observing the sutra text, it should be called real practice. Transitioning from preparatory practices to the first ground is definitely not provisional. That past kalpas are shorter than those in the Lifespan [Chapter] is probably due to the equal intention, hence this difference.
The private record states: Question: Bodhisattva Never Disparaging is precisely Shakyamuni practicing Never Disparaging's practice at the forty-mind stage. Yet now seeing that Lifespan Chapter text, Shakya Buddha's attainment exceeds dust-mote kalpas. How could he practice Never Disparaging again after becoming Buddha? Answer: "Countless, boundless, inconceivable, incalculable kalpas" still exceeds the Lifespan dust-mote kalpa number. Why? Looking at that chapter, it says "Since I actually attained Buddhahood, countless, boundless hundred thousand myriads of billions of nayuta kalpas [have passed]." It presents the dust-point metaphor quantity to reveal countless, boundless hundred thousand myriads of billions of nayuta kalpas. Comparing the Never Disparaging Chapter with the Lifespan Chapter, the latter Lifespan lacks the phrase "inconceivable, incalculable." From this we know that when practicing Never Disparaging, it exceeded the Buddha-attainment kalpas. Question: Shakya Buddha was formerly the sixteenth prince of Great Universal Wisdom Excellence Buddha. Since that Wisdom Excellence Buddha's appearance in the world, countless, boundless, inconceivable, incalculable kalpas have also passed. Now through this chapter,
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it repeatedly reveals those experienced kalpa numbers. The dust-point metaphor drawn from that chapter is still inferior to the Lifespan dust-point metaphor. From this we know that the words "countless, boundless, inconceivable, incalculable" do not necessarily transcend the dust-mote kalpa numbers explained in the Lifespan Chapter. Answer: The sutra's kalpa numbers are numerous and difficult to contemplate. Investigating this can be understood.
Tiantai's Wengu volume 9 states: Question: If recent attainment is expedient and distant attainment is true reality, then the great sutras of the Avatamsaka's tranquil extinction bodhimanda, surpassing the previous nine kalpas, all become expedient means. If so, after the Lotus opened the distant, why is Never Disparaging again recent? We should know this is expedient means after the Lotus.
In the answer, the matter of Never Disparaging's proximity or distance is not determined.
Question: Is Powerful Sound King Buddha a transformation body of the defiled land, or how should this be understood? If a defiled land body, the sutra explains the Buddha's lifespan as forty myriads of billions of nayutas of Ganges sand kalpas, the true Dharma lasting like one Jambudvipa dust-mote kalpa, and the semblance Dharma like four continents' dust-number kalpas. How could a defiled land Buddha experience such dust numbers? Therefore masters sometimes call this "other-enjoyment body" or "great transformation body." If following this view, since it already teaches the three-vehicle Dharma, it should definitely be a body seen by the three vehicles together. Moreover, Bodhisattva Never Disparaging, being at the liberation division stage, heard Powerful Sound King Buddha's twenty thousand myriads of billions of verses. Since this is already教化 of the preparatory stage, it should definitely be a small transformation body. Additionally, how could there be staffs, wood, tiles, stones, etc. in the pure land?