English
English version: The above explains various expressions. 'Following what kind of beings?' refers to following all kinds of beings, hence the various expressions. However, in the scriptures translated by the Venerable Kumārajīva, there are no texts describing these four kinds of merits. It only says, 'Since my enlightenment, I have extensively expounded the teachings using various causes, conditions, analogies, and parables.' The 'various causes and conditions' should correspond to the third of the four merits. 'Extensively expounding the teachings' can be compared to the fourth merit, and 'various analogies' can be compared to the second merit. There is no first merit of 'various skillful means'. The reason for this is that countless skillful means encompass all skillful means, so there are no other skillful means initially. Question: What is the order of these four kinds of merits? Answer: All Buddhas abide in the eight aspects of attaining enlightenment, so the first is to explain the merit of abiding. The reason for abiding in the eight aspects is that the Tathāgata knows defilement and also knows purity, enabling beings to abandon defilement and attain purity, hence there is the second merit of teaching. To teach beings, one must internally possess various merits to be in accordance with the Dharma, hence there is the third ultimate merit. Possessing merits internally and skillfully speaking externally, hence there is the fourth merit of preaching the Dharma. These four merits are the meaning of embracing and teaching beings, so they are collectively called the merits of a Dharma master. Starting from 'Moreover, there is a meaning' below, is the second part, extensively explaining the four skillful means, which is also explaining the outline of the chapter. Explaining the outline of the chapter should be divided into four parts, but the commentator roughly divides it into two categories. Explaining the first three skillful means as one category, and explaining the fourth skillful means as another category. The first three skillful means are further divided into two parts: first, the explanation of the sutra, and second, the explanation of the treatise. The explanation of the sutra is further divided into three parts, each chapter having these three parts, namely: first, the indication; second, the citation of evidence; and third, the explanation of the sutra. 'Moreover, there is a meaning, 'various skillful means' means showing the various faults of the heterodox doctrines of external paths, and again, 'various skillful means' means showing the various merits of the Buddhas' true Dharma.' Saying 'Moreover' is because the meaning of the skillful means of the eight aspects of attaining enlightenment mentioned above has not been fully explained. Now, wanting to explain it extensively, it is said 'Moreover, there is a meaning, 'various skillful means'', which is indicating 'various'. 'Showing' below is explaining 'various'. It can be divided into three sections of 'various': first, showing the various faults of the true Dharma, such as the ninety-six kinds of external paths; second, showing the various merits of the Buddhas' true Dharma, briefly speaking, there are the Five Vehicles, and broadly speaking, there are the eighty-four thousand Dharma treasures; third, heterodox is one kind, and orthodox is one kind, so it is said 'various'. 'As in the sutra below' -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 引证。就文有二。一者正明无数方便。
Chinese
如经舍利弗吾从成佛已来广演言教无数方便 二从引导已下。释说方便意。 引导众生于诸着处令得解脱故 复有无数方便者。第三释经。就文为二。一者释无数方便。二者释上说方便意。 复无数方便者令入诸善法故复方便者断诸方便疑故复方便者令入增上胜智中故复方便者依四摄法摄取众生令得解脱故 此中明四种方便。今以三义释之。一者未入善法众生。令其入善。虽入善法未得无疑。故为断疑。虽复断疑未入胜智令得胜智。虽入胜智未得解脱故令得解脱。二者即是胜鬘四种重檐。云何为四。初为无闻非法众生说人天乘。令入善法。第二说声闻乘断四谛中疑。故言断诸疑故。第三说缘觉乘令入胜智。以缘觉智胜声闻智故。第四方便为说大乘。于大乘中以四摄法摄之。以布施摄之令为己眷属。以爱语摄之令发菩提心。以利行故摄之令善根增长。以同事摄之令其成佛。三者依佛性论。为四人破四障。成四因得四果。故不多不少但明四种。初方便破阐提不信障。令信乐大乘为成大净种。第二方便破外道邪我相障。令得波若。为大我种子。而言断诸疑者。无有虚妄之我有佛性之我。于有无法中诸疑得断。第三方便破声闻怖畏生死障。令得破虚空三昧成就为大乐 现代汉语译本：引证。就文分两部分。第一部分是正面阐明无数方便法门。 例如经文所说：‘舍利弗（Śāriputra，佛陀十大弟子之一，以智慧著称），我自从成佛以来，广泛演说言教，使用了无数方便法门。’第二部分从‘引导’开始，解释说明方便的意义。 ‘引导众生于各种执着之处，使他们得以解脱。’又有无数方便法门。第三部分解释经文。就文分为两部分。第一部分解释无数方便法门，第二部分解释上面所说的方便的意义。 ‘又有无数方便法门，使众生进入各种善法之中。’又有方便法门，断除对各种方便的疑惑。又有方便法门，使众生进入增上殊胜的智慧之中。又有方便法门，依靠四摄法（布施、爱语、利行、同事）摄取众生，使他们得以解脱。 这里阐明了四种方便法门。现在用三种意义来解释它。第一，对于尚未进入善法的众生，使他们进入善法。即使进入了善法，如果还没有消除疑惑，所以要为他们断除疑惑。即使断除了疑惑，如果还没有进入殊胜的智慧，使他们获得殊胜的智慧。即使进入了殊胜的智慧，如果还没有获得解脱，所以使他们获得解脱。第二，这正是《胜鬘经》中所说的四种重檐。什么是四种呢？首先，为没有听闻佛法、行为不合法的众生宣说人天乘（导致投生人道或天道的修行方法），使他们进入善法。第二，宣说声闻乘（通过听闻佛法而证悟的修行方法），断除对四谛（苦、集、灭、道）的疑惑，所以说‘断除各种疑惑’。第三，宣说缘觉乘（通过观察因缘而证悟的修行方法），使他们进入殊胜的智慧，因为缘觉的智慧胜过声闻的智慧。第四种方便是宣说大乘（菩萨乘，以利益一切众生为目标的修行方法），在大乘中用四摄法来摄取他们。用布施来摄取他们，使他们成为自己的眷属。用爱语来摄取他们，使他们发起菩提心（觉悟之心）。用利行来摄取他们，使他们的善根增长。用同事来摄取他们，使他们成就佛果。第三，依据《佛性论》，为四种人破除四种障碍，成就四种因，得到四种果。所以不多也不少，只阐明四种。第一种方便破除一阐提（断绝善根的人）的不信之障，使他们信乐大乘，成为成就大净种（清净的种子）。第二种方便破除外道（佛教以外的修行者）的邪我相之障，使他们获得般若（智慧），成为大我（真我）的种子。说‘断除各种疑惑’，是指没有虚妄的我，只有佛性的我，对于有和无的各种疑惑得以断除。第三种方便破除声闻（通过听闻佛法而证悟的修行者）怖畏生死之障，使他们获得破虚空三昧（一种禅定状态），成就为大乐。
English
English version: Citation. Regarding the text, there are two parts. The first part directly clarifies countless expedient means (upāya). For example, as stated in the Sutra: 'Śāriputra (one of the ten great disciples of the Buddha, known for his wisdom), since I attained Buddhahood, I have extensively expounded teachings using countless expedient means.' The second part, starting from 'guiding,' explains the meaning of expedient means. 'Guiding sentient beings from various attachments, enabling them to attain liberation.' There are also countless expedient means. The third part explains the Sutra. Regarding the text, there are two parts. The first part explains countless expedient means, and the second part explains the meaning of the aforementioned expedient means. 'There are also countless expedient means to lead beings into various wholesome dharmas.' There are also expedient means to dispel doubts about various expedient means. There are also expedient means to lead beings into higher and superior wisdom. There are also expedient means to gather beings through the four means of gathering (giving, kind speech, beneficial action, and cooperation), enabling them to attain liberation. Here, four types of expedient means are clarified. Now, I will explain them with three meanings. First, for sentient beings who have not yet entered wholesome dharmas, to lead them into wholesome dharmas. Even if they have entered wholesome dharmas, if they have not yet dispelled doubts, then to dispel their doubts. Even if they have dispelled doubts, if they have not yet entered superior wisdom, to enable them to attain superior wisdom. Even if they have entered superior wisdom, if they have not yet attained liberation, then to enable them to attain liberation. Second, these are precisely the four heavy eaves mentioned in the *Śrīmālādevī Siṃhanāda Sūtra*. What are the four? First, for sentient beings who have not heard the Dharma and whose actions are not in accordance with the Dharma, to expound the human and deva vehicle (practices leading to rebirth in the human or heavenly realms), enabling them to enter wholesome dharmas. Second, to expound the Śrāvakayāna (the vehicle of those who attain enlightenment through hearing the Dharma), dispelling doubts about the Four Noble Truths (suffering, the cause of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path to the cessation of suffering), hence the saying 'dispelling various doubts.' Third, to expound the Pratyekabuddhayāna (the vehicle of those who attain enlightenment through observing conditions), enabling them to enter superior wisdom, because the wisdom of the Pratyekabuddha surpasses the wisdom of the Śrāvaka. The fourth expedient means is to expound the Mahāyāna (the Bodhisattva vehicle, the practice aimed at benefiting all sentient beings), and within the Mahāyāna, to gather them through the four means of gathering. To gather them through giving, making them one's retinue. To gather them through kind speech, causing them to generate Bodhicitta (the mind of enlightenment). To gather them through beneficial action, causing their roots of goodness to grow. To gather them through cooperation, enabling them to attain Buddhahood. Third, according to the *Buddha-nature Treatise*, to break down four obstacles for four types of people, accomplish four causes, and attain four results. Therefore, neither more nor less, only four types are clarified. The first expedient means breaks down the obstacle of disbelief of the Icchantika (those who have severed their roots of goodness), causing them to believe in and delight in the Mahāyāna, becoming the seed for accomplishing great purity. The second expedient means breaks down the obstacle of the heretical self-image of the non-Buddhists, enabling them to attain Prajñā (wisdom), becoming the seed of the great self (true self). The saying 'dispelling various doubts' refers to the absence of a false self, only the self of Buddha-nature, and the various doubts about existence and non-existence are dispelled. The third expedient means breaks down the obstacle of the Śrāvaka's fear of birth and death, enabling them to attain the Samadhi of breaking through the void (a state of meditation), accomplishing great bliss. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
种子。种子以胜前二种方便故云胜智。又初一为下。次一为中。后一为上。故云增上。第四破独觉自爱身障。令得大慈大悲成就为大常种子。以缘觉无悲故。今明四摄法。即是大悲 诸着处者下。第二释说方便意。就文为二。初牒总释。 诸着处者彼处处着 或着诸界下。第二别释文为二。初列四着。次释四着。 或着诸界或着诸地或着诸分或着诸乘故。 上明四种方便。今明四著者为有四种着故。所以说四方便。非是别治。但是总治耳 着界者下。第二释四着。即四别。今前释着界也。 着界者谓着欲色无色界故 着地下。释第二也。 着地者着戒取三昧初禅定地乃至非非想及灭尽定地故 戒取者。即外道用诸邪戒为道。三昧著者。此是欲界中三昧。如成实论电光定等。又是毗昙未来禅也 着分者释第三。前列着在家出家二章门。 着分者着在家出家分故 次释二章门。 着在家分者着己同类作种种业邪见等故着出家分者著名闻利养种种诸觉烦恼等故 易知 着乘者释第四。前列声闻菩萨二章门。 着乘者着声闻乘菩萨乘故 次释二门。 着声闻乘者乐持小乘戒求须陀洹斯陀含阿那含阿罗汉等故着大乘者谓着利养供养恭敬等故着分别观种种法相乃至佛地故 现代汉语译本 种子。种子因为胜过前面两种方便，所以称为胜智。而且第一个是下等，第二个是中等，最后一个是上等，所以称为增上。第四个是破除独觉自爱自身之障碍，使之得到大慈大悲的成就，作为大常的种子。因为缘觉没有悲心。现在说明四摄法，就是大悲心。 ‘诸着处者’以下，第二是解释说方便的意义。就文义来说分为两部分。首先是总括解释。 ‘诸着处者，彼处处着’ ‘或着诸界’以下，第二是分别解释，文义分为两部分。首先是列出四种执着，然后解释这四种执着。 ‘或着诸界，或着诸地，或着诸分，或着诸乘故。’ 上面说明四种方便，现在说明四种执着，因为有四种执着的缘故，所以说四种方便。不是分别对治，只是总的对治罢了。 ‘着界者’以下，第二是解释四种执着，即四种分别。现在先解释执着于界。 ‘着界者，谓着欲界、色界、无色界故。’ ‘着地者’，解释第二种执着。 ‘着地者，着戒禁取、三昧、初禅定地乃至非非想及灭尽定地故。’戒禁取（认为持守戒律可以得道）是指外道用各种邪戒作为修道的途径。三昧（专注）是指欲界中的三昧，如《成实论》中的电光定等，又是毗昙宗所说的未来禅。 ‘着分者’，解释第三种执着。前面列出执着于在家、出家两种章门。 ‘着分者，着在家、出家分故。’ 接下来解释这两种章门。 ‘着在家分者，着自己同类，作种种行业邪见等故；着出家分者，著名闻利养，种种诸觉烦恼等故。’容易理解。 ‘着乘者’，解释第四种执着。前面列出声闻乘、菩萨乘两种章门。 ‘着乘者，着声闻乘、菩萨乘故。’ 接下来解释这两种门。 ‘着声闻乘者，乐于持守小乘戒律，追求须陀洹（Srotapanna，入流果）、斯陀含（Sakrdagamin，一来果）、阿那含（Anagamin，不还果）、阿罗汉（Arhat，无学果）等果位故；着大乘者，谓执着于利养、供养、恭敬等，执着于分别观察种种法相乃至佛地故。’