英語訳
[Page 116]
[Upper section]
"Transcending the path of worldly two vehicles": In the previous six stages (bhūmis), although there were absolute cessation, purification, and non-duality, due to attachment to the subtle manifest obstacles to be eliminated and the characteristics of arising, ceasing, flowing, turning, returning and cessation, one could not yet perform excellent practices within emptiness. In this stage, one distances oneself from those obstacles and can perform excellent practices within emptiness, being able to treat those obstacles. The two vehicles of the mundane world cannot do this. This should be understood accordingly.
From "birth is following defilement" to "exhaustion of old age and death": "This immediate" refers to this present sutra. The textual meaning is easy to understand.
What does not exist refers to two types of dependent origination. That the twelve-fold dependent origination does not exist in this sutra means that the aspect of attachment does not exist. "Creator permanence" is the dependent origination conceived by heretics. Is this mentioned repeatedly? All those who cling to substantial existence belong to this category. It is not that there is no function; karma does not perish. Functional dependent origination refers to dependent nature (paratantra). The principle of cessation refers to perfected nature (pariniṣpanna). These two exist; they are not non-existent. In the sutra, because there is no attachment aspect, it is established. In the contract sutra, worldly truth is dependent nature, and ultimate truth is perfected nature. Therefore, this is cited as evidence. "No creator or receiver" means there is no substantial sentient being. "Karma does not perish" means that good deeds and evil karma are seeds of mental factors of intention. Since all hundred dharmas are dependent nature, they do not perish. Severing evil karma and cultivating good deeds is most essential.
Since dependent nature is not already a definite characteristic of flowing and turning dependent origination, this is absent. Perfected nature is also not the cessation of returning and ceasing ignorance, etc. Therefore, both are absent.
Since good and evil karma await causes and conditions, all dharmas are established. Dependent nature is established by awaiting the four conditions. It is conventionally existent, not substantially non-existent.
[Lower section]
Regarding self-affairs, they should be investigated in detail. This matter is extremely questionable. However, sometimes one can attain a single rhyme. That supreme emptiness explains the character "exhaustion" in the present twelve-fold dependent origination, understanding that emptiness is also empty. The meaning of what should now be responded to is that, according to Maitreya's teaching, in observing the forward and reverse purification of dependent origination, there are four levels. Therefore, self-affairs are already weighty. Thus, even if we abbreviate the purified reverse observation, we still regret not investigating thoroughly. How much more so when abbreviating the pure forward observation. Therefore, one should investigate to the extent possible. This is one proposal. One should think deeply about this. There is the fault of non-adjacency. This interpretation is not used.
The sutra says: "cessation and path."
The commentary says regarding close observation: Both dependent origination and the Four Truths serve as close observation for bodhisattvas. This is because they belong separately to the two vehicles. Bodhisattvas cultivate all things through non-characteristic observation.
Therefore, the contract sutra says "the Four Noble Truths should be taught." This is textual evidence showing the matter of śrāvakas' close observation.
However, since the superior includes the inferior, the truths are taught as expedient means, and it is not that there are no truths. "According to the depth of faculties" means first listing what śrāvakas observe, then listing what pratyekabuddhas observe. Since superior faculties encompass what inferior faculties do, and pratyekabuddha dependent origination enters the truth gate for observation, it is clarified after arising from the Four Truths.
Regarding "those who should respond," this is not what the two vehicles know. "Not what the two vehicles know" refers to the non-established Four Noble Truths. It does not mean they do not know the established Four Noble Truths. The words are general but the meaning is specific. Since they do not know all eight noble truths, is this why it is said so?
[Page 117]
[Upper section]
Fragmented birth and death is called established truths. Previously, regarding the eight noble truths, after labeling the name and showing that it is not what the two vehicles know, now the essence is properly presented. This section first deals with the established Four Noble Truths. "What coarse, manifest, provisionally established shallow wisdom knows" explains why they are called established truths. These Four Noble Truths are what the two vehicles know.
Transformational birth and death is called non-established truths. This is only what bodhisattvas know, not what the two vehicles know. Calling uncontaminated discriminating karma "accumulation" means that first the knowledge obstacles generate uncontaminated karma, this uncontaminated karma assists that contaminated karma, and knowledge obstacles also arise to moisten it. Consequently, transformational birth continues. It does not directly name uncontaminated karma as the cause of contaminated transformational results. Since the uncontaminated destroys the contaminated, there can be no further meaning to this. However, by using uncontaminated discriminating karma to assist contaminated karmic forces, making them subtle, they become causes of transformational birth and death. Because they serve as distant conditions, they are now called accumulation. Intrinsic purity refers to originally intrinsically pure nirvana. "Subtle, hidden, and difficult to know" explains why it is called non-established. It is not what the two vehicles know.
Generally speaking together about the fruits and causes of birth and death shows why both established and non-established are suffering, accumulation, etc. Neutral dharmas do not themselves produce results. Being assisted by other good and evil karma is called non-accumulation. Suffering is the fruit of birth and death. Accumulation is the cause of birth and death.
The four types of nirvana are transcendental fruits and causes. Uncontaminated conditioned dharmas have wisdom as their chief, along with the other twenty-one mental factors, etc. The Truth of Cessation is the fruit. The Truth of the Path is the cause. Causes and effects are discussed regarding the transcendental.
[Lower section]
Like treating illness, this is also so. The meaning of the Four Truths is shown through analogy. Dharma and analogy can be matched accordingly.
Only sages call them noble truths. This explains why they are called the Four Noble Truths. Sages know this dharma while ordinary people do not. Or bodhisattva sages know this while the two vehicles do not. Therefore, they are called the non-established Four Noble Truths.
Or according to contemplation, they are called non-established. This shows that there is non-established observation that is not the Four Noble Truths. "Creating separate observation" means not creating separate Four Noble Truth observation but only observing the two emptinesses. Not establishing suffering, accumulation, etc., therefore it is called non-established. Speaking in detail, non-established has multiple levels. The Four Truths of the transformational category are called established; or two-emptiness observation is called non-established; or two emptinesses belong to established observation while one-reality observation establishes non-established. The present commentary does not discuss the latter one. However, in dharma-gate establishment and abandonment, since the latter level is not opened, it is included in the former level. Therefore, the former two-emptiness observation connects to one reality. Think about this accordingly. When observing established and non-established regarding the Four Noble Truths, when separate non-established is not established, the non-established Four Noble Truth gate connects to two emptinesses and one reality.
Regarding distant observation of the Four Truths and "path-like, conduct, emergence": When entering the path of seeing, since correct close observation is two-emptiness one-reality observation, the Four Truths become distant observation. Two emptinesses are the object of subsequently attained wisdom. One reality is the object of fundamental wisdom. The Four Truths each have four characteristics. Impermanence, etc., are the four characteristics of the Truth of Suffering. Cause, accumulation, etc., are the practices of the Truth of Accumulation. Cessation, tranquility, etc., are the practices of the Truth of Cessation. Path, suchness, etc., are the characteristics of the Path.