English
English version: Sutra. [Subhuti (Buddha's disciple)] said to the Buddha, 'World Honored One, are there beings who, upon hearing such words and phrases, will generate true faith?' From here begins the resolution of the third doubt. This is called the doubt of the difficulty in believing in cause and effect. The commentary states the doubt: 'Previously, based on [Paramita (the way to reach the other shore)], it was said to practice without dwelling. In giving, the profound meaning of cause was explained. Previously, based on the [Tathagata (title of the Buddha)]'s non-conditioned nature, the profound meaning of effect was explained. If so, people in the evil age of the future will not generate faith. Why is it not empty talk?' To resolve this doubt, there are two parts in the sutra text: first, [Subhuti]'s question; second, the [Tathagata]'s direct answer. This is the initial question. The word 'are there' means 'can'. Can beings in the present Dharma age believe in such a profound sutra? Can people in the evil age of the future generate true faith?' Sutra. The Buddha told [Subhuti], 'Do not say such things.' This is the second part, the [Tathagata]'s direct answer. There are two parts: first, rebuke; then, instruction. This is the initial rebuke. The reason for the rebuke is to stop the doubt. Sutra. 'After the [Tathagata]'s extinction, in the last five hundred years...' The following is the instruction. There are two parts: first, general instruction; then, specific instruction. The general instruction has three aspects: first, clarifying the time of faith; second, clarifying the virtue of faith; third, clarifying the characteristics of faith. This is the initial clarification of the time of faith. According to the [Mahasamghata Sutra], there are five kinds of steadfastness: in the first five hundred years, steadfastness in liberation; in the next five hundred years, steadfastness in meditation; in the next five hundred years, steadfastness in learning; in the next five hundred years, steadfastness in merit; in the next five hundred years, steadfastness in strife. The phrase 'last five hundred years' refers to the fifth five hundred-year period. In this evil age, there will be those who can generate faith. Sutra. 'Those who uphold the precepts and cultivate blessings...' This is the second aspect, clarifying the virtue of faith. According to the [Wei version of the Sutra], wisdom is added, but this version is abbreviated. 'Upholding the precepts' means ceasing all evils; 'merit' means cultivating all samadhis; 'wisdom' means conforming to the two emptinesses. One must possess these three learnings to generate true faith. Question: The previous five perfections are collectively called merit. How do we know that this meaning particularly refers to the gate of meditation? Answer: Generally speaking, it includes the previous five; specifically, the superior learning of meditation is particularly excellent, because in the goodness of meditation, one can accumulate merit, leading to various supernatural powers and peaceful happiness. Sutra. 'Those who can generate faith in these words and phrases, taking them as real...' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
。第三明信相也。于此章句者。谓因果深教也。能生信心者。谓德备人也。以此为实者。正明信相也。信既备矣。说岂徒然。 经。当知是人不于一佛二佛三四五佛而种善根已于无量百千万佛所种诸善根者。后文别教也。于中有二。初明修福。后明修智。此文初也。于中有四。一明信因。二明信体。三明信缘。四明集果。此即第一信因也。言不于一佛二佛三四五佛者。明其不少简异初心。已于无量千万佛所者。彰其已多记明根熟 种诸善根者。谓于佛田烧香散花称名赞德。种无贪等三种善根也。 经。闻是章句乃至由一念生净信者。第二明信体也。乃至一念生净信者。一念即一刹那心净意乐也。信以心净为性故言净信矣。 经。须菩提如来悉知悉见是诸众生 第三明信缘也。为佛知见故信心不退。问。知见二种有何别耶。答。肉眼是见而非知。比智是知而非见。愿智亦知亦见。异肉眼故言知。异比智故言见。故曰悉知悉见。由佛知见故。若有人欲得供养恭敬。自叹已有持戒等功德。彼人不能说是人自知故。 经。得如是无量福德 第四明信果也。信虽一念福即无量。庄严论云。谓有智人。于大乘胜法而生大信得三种果。一得大胜果信增长故。二得大福果福增长故。三得大菩提果功德无等及佛 现代汉语译本：第三是阐明信心的相状。对于这段章句来说，指的是因果深刻的教义。能够产生信心的人，指的是具备德行的人。以这段话为真实不虚的，正是阐明信心的相状。既然信心已经具备了，那么佛所说的教法难道会是徒劳无益的吗？ 经文：‘当知是人不于一佛二佛三四五佛而种善根，已于无量百千万佛所种诸善根者。’这是后面的别教内容。其中有两部分，首先是阐明修福，然后是阐明修智。这段经文是阐明修福的部分。其中又有四点：一是阐明信因，二是阐明信体，三是阐明信缘，四是阐明集果。这里是第一点，阐明信因。‘不于一佛二佛三四五佛’，说明他所供养的佛的数量不少，以此来区别于刚刚开始发心的人。‘已于无量千万佛所’，彰显他已经积累了很多善根，记述并表明他的根器已经成熟。‘种诸善根’，指的是在佛的福田中烧香、散花、称念佛名、赞叹佛的功德，种下无贪等三种善根。 经文：‘闻是章句乃至由一念生净信者。’这是第二点，阐明信体。‘乃至一念生净信者’，一念就是一刹那间内心清净、意乐。信心以内心清净为体性，所以说是‘净信’。 经文：‘须菩提，如来悉知悉见是诸众生。’这是第三点，阐明信缘。因为佛陀的知见，所以信心不会退转。问：‘知’和‘见’这两种有什么区别呢？答：肉眼是‘见’而不是‘知’，比智是‘知’而不是‘见’，愿智既‘知’又‘见’。与肉眼不同所以说是‘知’，与比智不同所以说是‘见’，所以说‘悉知悉见’。因为佛陀的知见，如果有人想要得到供养和恭敬，自己夸耀说自己有持戒等功德，那个人不能说，因为这是他自己知道的。 经文：‘得如是无量福德。’这是第四点，阐明信果。信心即使只是一念，福德也是无量的。《庄严论》中说：‘有智慧的人，对于大乘殊胜的佛法产生极大的信心，可以得到三种果报：一是得到大的殊胜果报，因为信心增长的缘故；二是得到大的福德果报，因为福德增长的缘故；三是得到大的菩提果报，因为功德无与伦比，与佛相等。’
English
English version: Third is clarifying the characteristics of faith. Regarding these verses, it refers to the profound teachings of cause and effect. Those who can generate faith are those who possess virtue. Taking these words as true and not false is precisely clarifying the characteristics of faith. Since faith is already present, how could the Buddha's teachings be in vain? Sutra: 'Know that these people have not only planted good roots with one, two, three, four, or five Buddhas, but have already planted good roots with immeasurable hundreds of thousands of Buddhas.' This is the content of the subsequent specific teachings (別教, biéjiào, specific teachings). There are two parts to it: first, clarifying the cultivation of merit (修福, xiūfú, cultivating merit), and then clarifying the cultivation of wisdom (修智, xiūzhì, cultivating wisdom). This passage is the part that clarifies the cultivation of merit. Within it, there are four points: first, clarifying the cause of faith (信因, xìnyīn, cause of faith); second, clarifying the substance of faith (信体, xìntǐ, substance of faith); third, clarifying the conditions of faith (信缘, xìnyuán, conditions of faith); and fourth, clarifying the accumulation of results (集果, jíguǒ, accumulation of results). Here is the first point, clarifying the cause of faith. 'Not with one, two, three, four, or five Buddhas' indicates that the number of Buddhas they have made offerings to is not small, thereby distinguishing them from those who have just begun to generate the aspiration. 'Already with immeasurable hundreds of thousands of Buddhas' highlights that they have already accumulated a lot of good roots, recording and indicating that their capacity is mature. 'Planted all kinds of good roots' refers to burning incense, scattering flowers, reciting the names of Buddhas, and praising the virtues of Buddhas in the field of merit of the Buddhas, planting the three good roots of non-greed, etc. Sutra: 'Hearing these verses and even generating pure faith with a single thought.' This is the second point, clarifying the substance of faith. 'Even generating pure faith with a single thought' means that a single thought is a moment of pure mind and intention. Faith takes the purity of the mind as its nature, so it is called 'pure faith'. Sutra: 'Subhuti (须菩提, Xūpútí, one of the principal disciples of the Buddha), the Tathagata (如来, Rúlái, 'Thus Come One', an epithet of the Buddha) knows and sees all these beings.' This is the third point, clarifying the conditions of faith. Because of the Buddha's knowledge and vision, faith will not regress. Question: What is the difference between 'knowing' and 'seeing'? Answer: The physical eye 'sees' but does not 'know', comparative wisdom 'knows' but does not 'see', and aspirational wisdom both 'knows' and 'sees'. It is different from the physical eye, so it is called 'knowing'. It is different from comparative wisdom, so it is called 'seeing'. Therefore, it is said 'knows and sees all'. Because of the Buddha's knowledge and vision, if someone wants to receive offerings and respect, and boasts that they have the merit of upholding precepts, etc., that person cannot say it, because it is something they know themselves. Sutra: 'Obtains such immeasurable merit.' This is the fourth point, clarifying the result of faith. Even if faith is only a single thought, the merit is immeasurable. The *Treatise on Ornamentation* says: 'A wise person who generates great faith in the supreme Dharma of the Mahayana (大乘, Dàchéng, 'Great Vehicle', one of the two major traditions of Buddhism) can obtain three kinds of results: first, obtaining great supreme results because faith increases; second, obtaining great merit results because merit increases; and third, obtaining great Bodhi (菩提, Pútí, enlightenment) results because merit is unparalleled and equal to the Buddha.' -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 大体故。
Chinese
经。何以故 自下后文明修智也。文中有三。初正释次重成后辨别异。初中复二。先徴后释。此文徴也。徴之意者。修习成福已生净信。复说修智有何意耶。 经。是诸众生无复我相人相众生相寿者相 后文释也。此复有二。先释离我相。后释离法相。此文初也。问。我等四相通名我执。有何差别建立四名。答。不观三世差别之异。总执为我名为我相。计现在蕴有续。前义名众生相。计现在蕴。一期住因名寿者相。计现在蕴趣。后六通名为人相。由斯差别故名四种。 经。无法相亦无非法相 后文别释离法相也。准魏经有四句。此中但有两句。无法相者离增益过。亦无非法相者离损减执。 经。何以故 自下第二重成也。文中有二。先徴后释。此初徴也。徴之意者。先离我相已成证净。更离法相其故何耶。 经。是诸众生若心取相即为着我人众生寿者 后文释也。文复有二。先总后别。此文初也。通举有无二执故言总也。夫法执为因我执为果。不断法执我执还生故。云若心取相。取有无二种相也。即为着我人等者。我执因之而起。 经。若取法相即着我人众生寿者 后别释也。于中有二。一明离我相。二明离法相。此文初也。若取法相者。谓妄执诸法实有体故。即为 大体故。 经：何以故？（为什么呢？）自下后文明修智也。（从下文开始阐明修习智慧的道理）文中有三。（文章分为三个部分）初正释，次重成，后辨别异。（首先是正式解释，然后是再次强调，最后是辨别差异）初中复二。（第一部分又分为两个部分）先徴后释。（先是提问，然后是解释）此文徴也。（这段文字是提问）徴之意者。（提问的意思是）修习成福已生净信。（修习成就福德已经产生了清净的信心）复说修智有何意耶？（再来说修习智慧有什么意义呢？） 经：是诸众生无复我相、人相、众生相、寿者相。（这些众生不再有我相、人相、众生相、寿者相）后文释也。（下文是解释）此复有二。（这又分为两个部分）先释离我相，后释离法相。（先解释脱离我相，后解释脱离法相）此文初也。（这段文字是第一部分）问：我等四相通名我执。（我等四相统称为我执）有何差别建立四名？（有什么差别而建立四个名称？）答：不观三世差别之异。（不观察过去、现在、未来三世的差别）总执为我名为我相。（总的执着为我，名为我相）计现在蕴有续前义名众生相。（认为现在的五蕴有延续，与之前的意义相连，名为众生相）计现在蕴一期住因名寿者相。（认为现在的五蕴，一期生命住留的原因，名为寿者相）计现在蕴趣后六通名为人相。（认为现在的五蕴趋向于获得六神通，名为人相）由斯差别故名四种。（由于这些差别，所以称为四种。） 经：无法相，亦无非法相。（没有法相，也没有非法相）后文别释离法相也。（下文分别解释脱离法相）准魏经有四句。（按照魏译本的经文有四句）此中但有两句。（这里只有两句）无法相者离增益过。（没有法相，是脱离增益的过失）亦无非法相者离损减执。（也没有非法相，是脱离损减的执着。） 经：何以故？（为什么呢？）自下第二重成也。（从下文开始是第二次强调）文中有二。（文章分为两个部分）先徴后释。（先是提问，然后是解释）此初徴也。（这段文字是提问）徴之意者。（提问的意思是）先离我相已成证净。（先脱离我相已经成就了证悟的清净）更离法相其故何耶？（再脱离法相，其中的原因是什么呢？） 经：是诸众生若心取相，即为着我、人、众生、寿者。（这些众生如果心中执取相，就是执着于我、人、众生、寿者）后文释也。（下文是解释）文复有二。（文章又分为两个部分）先总后别。（先是总的说明，然后是分别的说明）此文初也。（这段文字是第一部分）通举有无二执故言总也。（总的提出有和无两种执着，所以说是总的说明）夫法执为因，我执为果。（法执是因，我执是果）不断法执我执还生故。（不断除法执，我执还会产生）云若心取相。（所以说如果心中执取相）取有无二种相也。（就是执取有和无两种相）即为着我人等者。（就是执着于我人等）我执因之而起。（我执因此而产生。） 经：若取法相，即着我、人、众生、寿者。（如果执取法相，就是执着于我、人、众生、寿者）后别释也。（下文是分别的解释）于中有二。（其中分为两个部分）一明离我相，二明离法相。（一是说明脱离我相，二是说明脱离法相）此文初也。（这段文字是第一部分）若取法相者。（如果执取法相）谓妄执诸法实有体故。（就是指虚妄地执着诸法实有本体的缘故。）即为（就是）