English
English version 'Not the First Pāramitā (Perfection), is named the First Pāramitā.' Commentary: This is the second praise, explaining its superiority. Vasubandhu (世亲) says: 'The First Pāramitā spoken of by the Tathāgata (如来) refers to the fact that all Buddhas in the ten directions praise it together, and it can serve as a great cause, hence it is named the First.' This shows that this sutra is superior to other sutras. 'Not the First Pāramitā' means that it cannot be attained by others. Because the non-discriminating wisdom (无分别智) realizes the principle of no-self (无我), only the Buddhas in the ten directions can realize it, and others cannot. Therefore, 'is named the First Pāramitā' can only be attained by the Buddha. Asanga (无著) explains: 'The First Pāramitā refers to the fact that Prajna (般若, wisdom) is the most superior among the other five pāramitās.' 'Subhuti (须菩提), the Kshanti Paramita (忍辱波罗蜜, Perfection of Patience), the Tathagata says is not the Kshanti Paramita.' Commentary: Vasubandhu says: 'The second part of the above major text ends. From below begins the third part of the text, the fourth comparison.' Among them, first is the explanation of doubts, and second is the formal comparison. There are three points in explaining doubts: The first point is to raise doubts about the previous act of sacrificing body and life. Someone doubts and says: 'Earlier it was said that the body is suffering, and the merit and virtue obtained by sacrificing the suffering of the body is inferior. If so, according to this Dharma gate (法门), upholding and expounding it, all Bodhisattvas (菩萨) practice ascetic practices, then their ascetic practices are also suffering results. Why can't this Dharma gate achieve suffering results?' This means that earlier it was said that sacrificing the suffering of body and life, but obtaining a body of suffering, the merit obtained is very inferior. If so, Bodhisattvas practice various ascetic practices for the sake of this Dharma gate, and they will also feel a painful body as a result, then what merit is superior?' For example, Sadāprarudita Bodhisattva (萨陀波仑菩萨), at Dharmodgata Bodhisattva's (昙无竭菩萨) place, for the sake of seeking Prajna Paramita (般若波罗蜜, Perfection of Wisdom), he beat his bones and took out his marrow to make offerings. The merit obtained from such ascetic practices should be very little.' Now the answer means that if one sacrifices the body for the sake of wisdom, the merit obtained is very much. If one sacrifices the body but does not practice the practice of wisdom to seek Bodhi (菩提, enlightenment), then because it is the cause of birth and death, his merit is inferior.' In this text, there are four major aspects: The first point is to directly dispel the previous doubts; the second point is to indicate examples to clarify; the third point is 'Bodhisattvas should be free from everything' below, citing the Bodhisattvas of the first ground to show the principle of non-abiding; the fourth point is 'Bodhisattvas for the benefit' below, exhorting and benefiting sentient beings to abide in the principle of the two emptinesses. This is the first point. 'Kshanti Paramita' refers to the fact that all Buddhas in the ten directions have attained it together, or it refers to the patience of seeking the practice of wisdom. 'The Tathagata says is not' refers to... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
非是余人所得故或非求慧行故不名波罗蜜也。谓前说舍身命者非慧行故不名波罗蜜。故言说非忍辱也。 何以故须菩提如我昔为歌利王割截身体我于尔时无我相无人相无众生相无寿者相何以故我于往昔节节支解时若有我相人相众生相寿者相应生瞋恨。 述曰。此第二指事。于中初引昔一身。次引余多身。此初也。于中初明离相成忍。次反说举成前。歌利王者亦云苦楚。多行楚毒故。谓如来往昔为忍辱仙人在山修道。其王将诸彩女入山游猎。王倦而睡女等于仙人所求闻正法。王寤便看正见围绕其仙。王便问仙汝何人也。乃至问云汝是离欲凡夫不。答言未离欲。王闻生恚便割截之。当无我相遂还如故。今引之也。 又念过去于五百世作忍辱仙人于尔所世无我相无人相无众生相无寿者相。 述曰。此第二引余多身也。 是故须菩提菩萨应离一切相发阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心。 述曰。此第三引初地菩萨。得忍辱故名不住心。示不住生心义故也。于中初总示次别示。此初也。发心有五。一者种姓发心。谓地前。二者信发心。谓初三地相同世间修施戒忍故。三者明发心。谓四五六七地相同出世故。谓四地作菩提分观相同预流。五地作四谛观相同罗汉。六地作缘起观相同缘觉。七地纯无相观正 现代汉语译本：不是其他人所能做到，或者不是为了追求智慧的修行，所以不称为波罗蜜（pāramitā，到彼岸）。所说的前面舍弃身命，因为不是智慧的修行，所以不称为波罗蜜。所以说不是忍辱（kṣānti，忍耐）。 什么缘故呢？须菩提（Subhūti，空生），就像我过去被歌利王（Kali，暴虐之王）割截身体时，我那时没有我相（ātma-saṃjñā，自我的概念），没有人相（pudgala-saṃjñā，人的概念），没有众生相（sattva-saṃjñā，有情众生的概念），没有寿者相（jīva-saṃjñā，寿命的概念）。什么缘故呢？我在往昔被一节节肢解时，如果我有我相、人相、众生相、寿者相，就应该会产生瞋恨（dveṣa，嗔怒）。 述曰：这是第二段指明事例。其中先引用过去一身的例子，再引用其他多身的例子。这是第一部分。其中先说明离相成就忍辱，然后反过来说明成就前面所说的。歌利王也叫做苦楚，因为他经常施加楚毒。意思是如来（Tathāgata，如来）往昔作为忍辱仙人在山中修行。国王带着众多彩女入山游猎。国王疲倦睡着了，彩女们到仙人那里请求听闻正法。国王醒来看到仙人被彩女围绕。国王便问仙人：‘你是什么人？’乃至问：‘你是离欲的凡夫吗？’仙人回答说：‘没有离欲。’国王听了产生嗔恚，便割截仙人的身体。当时仙人没有我相，所以身体恢复如初。现在引用这个例子。 又忆念过去在五百世中作忍辱仙人，在那许多世中没有我相、没有人相、没有众生相、没有寿者相。 述曰：这是第二部分，引用其他多身的例子。 是故，须菩提，菩萨（Bodhisattva，菩萨）应该远离一切相，发起阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心（anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi-citta，无上正等正觉之心）。 述曰：这是第三部分，引用初地菩萨。因为得到忍辱，所以叫做不住心。显示不住心而生心的意义。其中先总的指示，然后分别指示。这是第一部分。发心有五种：一是种姓发心，指十地之前；二是信发心，指初地到三地，与世间修行布施、持戒、忍辱相同；三是明发心，指四地到七地，与出世间法相同。四地修菩提分观，与预流果相同；五地修四谛观，与阿罗汉相同；六地修缘起观，与缘觉相同；七地纯粹是无相观。
English
English version: It is not called pāramitā (perfection, reaching the other shore) because it is not attainable by others or because it is not the practice of wisdom. The aforementioned giving up of one's life is not called pāramitā because it is not the practice of wisdom. Therefore, it is said that it is not kṣānti (patience). Why is that? Subhūti, just as when I was formerly dismembered by King Kali (a cruel king), at that time I had no ātma-saṃjñā (perception of self), no pudgala-saṃjñā (perception of person), no sattva-saṃjñā (perception of sentient being), and no jīva-saṃjñā (perception of life). Why is that? If I had a perception of self, a perception of person, a perception of sentient being, or a perception of life when I was being dismembered limb by limb in the past, I would have given rise to dveṣa (hatred). Commentary: This is the second section pointing out examples. Among them, first, an example of one past life is cited, and then examples of other multiple lives are cited. This is the first part. Among them, first, it is explained that being free from characteristics accomplishes patience, and then it is said in reverse to accomplish what was said before. King Kali is also called 'bitter suffering' because he often inflicted bitter poisons. It means that the Tathāgata in the past was a patient ascetic practicing the Way in the mountains. The king brought many colorful women into the mountains for hunting. The king became tired and fell asleep, and the women went to the ascetic to request to hear the true Dharma. The king woke up and saw the ascetic surrounded by the women. The king then asked the ascetic, 'Who are you?' and even asked, 'Are you a common person who is free from desire?' The ascetic replied, 'I am not free from desire.' The king heard this and became angry, and then dismembered the ascetic's body. At that time, the ascetic had no perception of self, so his body was restored to its original state. This example is now cited. Moreover, I recall that in the past, in five hundred lifetimes, I was a patient ascetic, and in those many lifetimes, I had no perception of self, no perception of person, no perception of sentient being, and no perception of life. Commentary: This is the second part, citing examples of other multiple lives. Therefore, Subhūti, a Bodhisattva should be free from all characteristics and generate the anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi-citta (mind of unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment). Commentary: This is the third part, citing the Bodhisattva of the first ground. Because of obtaining patience, it is called 'non-abiding mind'. It shows the meaning of generating the mind without abiding. Among them, first, there is a general indication, and then there is a separate indication. This is the first part. There are five types of generating the mind: first, generating the mind by lineage, referring to before the ten grounds; second, generating the mind by faith, referring to the first to third grounds, which are the same as practicing giving, morality, and patience in the world; third, generating the mind by understanding, referring to the fourth to seventh grounds, which are the same as supramundane dharmas. The fourth ground cultivates the contemplation of the limbs of enlightenment, which is the same as a stream-enterer; the fifth ground cultivates the contemplation of the Four Noble Truths, which is the same as an Arhat; the sixth ground cultivates the contemplation of dependent origination, which is the same as a Pratyekabuddha; the seventh ground is purely the contemplation of no characteristics. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
是菩萨也。四者不退发心。谓八九十地。五者无上发心。谓佛地。亦云五种菩提。谓名种姓菩提等。今言发心者谓信发心。即初地菩萨内观真如无住理故名为不住生心也。 不应住色生心不应住声香味触法生心。 述曰。此第二别示。于住之中初令不住于相。次令住无相。次释所由。后总结。此初也。谓住色等生心者。便是有住即着我人故不应住也。 应生无住心也。 述曰。此第二令住无相也。谓观无相名为无住。要证此理方灭我人也。 若心有住即为非住。 述曰。此第三释上所由也。谓若住色等生心者便为非真住故也。 是故佛说菩萨心不应住色布施。 述曰。此第四总结也。 须菩提菩萨为利益一切众生应如是布施。 述曰。此大文第四除疑示理也。于中初令行无住施。次正破其疑。次别释道理也。谓有疑曰。前言不住生心者。云何为利众生修行而不名住于众生事。为断此疑故有此文。 如来说一切诸相即是非相。 述曰。此第二别显道理。于中初明法空次明人空。此初也。说一切诸相者谓虚妄相。即是非相者谓无实相。虚妄本空故。 又说一切众生即非众生者。 述曰。此显生空也。说一切众生者谓所执实众生。 现代汉语译本：是菩萨的境界。四者是不退转的发心，指的是第八地、第九地和第十地菩萨。五者是无上的发心，指的是佛的果位。也可以说是五种菩提，包括名种姓菩提等。现在所说的发心，指的是信心的发心，也就是初地菩萨内观真如，了达无住的道理，因此称为不住生心。 不应该执着于色（rūpa，物质、形色）而生心，不应该执着于声（śabda，声音）、香（gandha，气味）、味（rasa，味道）、触（sparśa，触觉）、法（dharma，事物、规律）而生心。 述曰：这是第二部分，分别指示。在‘住’（sthita，执着）之中，首先要不执着于相（lakṣaṇa，表象），然后要安住于无相（animitta，没有表象），接着解释原因，最后总结。这是第一点。所谓执着于色等而生心，就是有所执着，也就是执着于我（ātman，自我）、人（pudgala，补特伽罗，个体）等，所以不应该执着。 应该生起无住的心。 述曰：这是第二点，使人安住于无相。所谓观察无相，就叫做无住。必须要证悟这个道理，才能灭除我、人等执着。 如果心有所执着，那就是非真住。 述曰：这是第三点，解释上述的原因。所谓如果执着于色等而生心，那就是非真正的安住。 所以佛说，菩萨的心不应该执着于色而行布施（dāna，给予、施舍）。 述曰：这是第四点，总结。 须菩提（Subhūti，佛陀的弟子），菩萨为了利益一切众生，应该这样行布施。 述曰：这是大段的第四部分，消除疑惑，揭示道理。其中首先要实行无住的布施，然后正面破除疑惑，接着分别解释道理。有人疑惑说：前面说不住生心，那么如何为了利益众生而修行，却又不名为执着于众生之事呢？为了断除这个疑惑，所以有这段经文。 如来（Tathāgata，佛陀的称号）说一切诸相，即是非相。 述曰：这是第二点，分别显示道理。其中首先阐明法空（dharma-śūnyatā，诸法皆空），然后阐明人空（pudgala-śūnyatā，人我皆空）。这是第一点。说一切诸相，指的是虚妄的相。即是非相，指的是没有真实的相。虚妄的本质本来就是空。 又说一切众生，即非众生。 述曰：这是显示众生空。说一切众生，指的是所执着的真实的众生。