Chinese
大正藏第 85 册 No. 2784 大乘四法经释抄 No. 2784 [cf. No. 1535] 大乘四法经释抄 大乘四法经 夫立经名者。皆约四种而立其名。者人。如维摩经等是 二处者。如楞伽经。世尊谓楞伽王名罗波罗王。就楞伽山说法。遂约□立其名 三法者。如大般若经说。蕴界等法。内外俱空。不执人法二我故。名约法立也 四喻者。如宝云经等。说彼经时。十方菩萨悉皆云集故。立喻为名 问。此经于此四种约何立名 答。今此经者约法立也。其法云何。为不舍菩提心。及不舍于空闲等。是也。 言所缘 言修行大者。广修自行及他行者。言自行者修六度等。六度之中。前三是他行。后二是自利行。精进者行他行者。若有众生。应以佛身得度者。即现佛身及声闻菩萨等是也。以经四法合能发菩提心能摄自利利他行。又释不舍菩提心。善知诸乐住空闲等是自行。心辱柔和是利他行。 言智大者。了人法俱空。不同声闻能了人空。不为法空。是以住于涅槃。无身利他。不同异生俱不能了被烦恼缚。诸佛菩萨。了人空故不住生死。了法空故不住涅槃。 言精进大者。三无数劫 一无数劫修四加行圆满 二无数劫。从初地至八地。修见道成就 现代汉语译本 大正藏第 85 册 No. 2784 大乘四法经释抄 No. 2784 [cf. No. 1535] 大乘四法经释抄 大乘四法经。 凡是确立经名的，都根据四种方式来确立它的名称：一是人，例如《维摩经》等就是；二是处所，例如《楞伽经》。世尊对楞伽王，名叫罗波罗王（Ravana），在楞伽山说法，于是就根据处所来确立它的名称；三是法，例如《大般若经》所说，蕴、界等法，内外皆空，不执著人法二我，所以说是根据法来确立名称；四是比喻，例如《宝云经》等，说这部经的时候，十方菩萨全部云集，所以用比喻来确立名称。 问：这部经在这四种方式中根据哪种来确立名称？ 答：现在这部经是根据法来确立名称。 什么是法呢？ 就是不舍弃菩提心，以及不舍弃空闲等。 说到所缘，说到修行大，就是广泛地修习自利和他利的行为。说到自利的行为，就是修习六度等。六度之中，前三度是利他的行为，后二度是自利的行为，精进是行他利的行为。如果有众生，应该以佛身得度的，就示现佛身以及声闻、菩萨等。因为这部经的四法合起来能够发起菩提心，能够摄取自利利他的行为。又解释说不舍弃菩提心，善于了知诸乐，安住空闲等是自利的行为，内心忍辱柔和是利他的行为。 说到智慧大，就是了达人法皆空，不同于声闻只能了达人空，不能了达法空，因此安住在涅槃，没有身来利益他人。也不同于凡夫既不能了达人空，也不能了达法空，被烦恼束缚。诸佛菩萨，了达人空所以不住生死，了达法空所以不住涅槃。 说到精进大，需要经历三个无数劫：第一个无数劫修习四加行圆满；第二个无数劫，从初地到八地，修习见道成就。
English
English version T. 85, No. 2784 A Commentary on the Four Dharmas of the Mahayana Sutra No. 2784 [cf. No. 1535] A Commentary on the Four Dharmas of the Mahayana Sutra The Four Dharmas of the Mahayana Sutra. In establishing the name of a sutra, one always relies on four methods: first, by person, such as the Vimalakirti Sutra; second, by place, such as the Lankavatara Sutra. The World Honored One spoke to the King of Lanka, named Ravana, on Mount Lanka, and thus the name was established based on the location; third, by dharma, such as the Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra, which speaks of the aggregates, realms, etc., being empty both internally and externally, without attachment to the two selves of person and dharma, thus the name is established based on the dharma; fourth, by metaphor, such as the Ratnamegha Sutra, which says that when this sutra was spoken, all the Bodhisattvas from the ten directions gathered like clouds, thus the name was established using a metaphor. Question: Which of these four methods is used to establish the name of this sutra? Answer: This sutra is established based on the dharma. What is the dharma? It is not abandoning the Bodhicitta (the mind of enlightenment), and not abandoning solitary places, etc. Speaking of what is conditioned, speaking of the 'great' of practice, it means extensively cultivating both self-benefiting and other-benefiting actions. Speaking of self-benefiting actions, it means cultivating the Six Paramitas (perfections), etc. Among the Six Paramitas, the first three are other-benefiting actions, and the latter two are self-benefiting actions. Diligence is performing other-benefiting actions. If there are sentient beings who should be liberated by the body of a Buddha, then one manifests the body of a Buddha, as well as Sravakas (hearers) and Bodhisattvas, etc. Because the four dharmas of this sutra together can arouse the Bodhicitta, and can encompass self-benefiting and other-benefiting actions. Furthermore, it explains that not abandoning the Bodhicitta, being skilled in knowing all joys, abiding in solitary places, etc., are self-benefiting actions, and having a mind of patience and gentleness is an other-benefiting action. Speaking of the 'great' of wisdom, it means understanding that both person and dharma are empty, unlike the Sravakas who can only understand the emptiness of person, but not the emptiness of dharma, therefore they abide in Nirvana, without a body to benefit others. It is also different from ordinary beings who can neither understand the emptiness of person nor the emptiness of dharma, and are bound by afflictions. The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, understanding the emptiness of person, therefore do not abide in Samsara (the cycle of birth and death), and understanding the emptiness of dharma, therefore do not abide in Nirvana. Speaking of the 'great' of diligence, it requires going through three countless kalpas (aeons): the first countless kalpa is to cultivate the Four Preparatory Practices to perfection; the second countless kalpa is to cultivate the Path of Seeing from the first Bhumi (stage) to the eighth Bhumi to achieve accomplishment. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
三无数劫。从八地至无学。如舍利弗行菩萨行时。有一婆罗门乞眼。遂施与之婆罗门得眼便以脚磋之。舍利弗却问云。何故磋之。答言。我要其声。 言方便大。同上智大说。 言业大者。尽生生死际能作诸佛。乘者能发四愿。愿大。若有一众生不成佛者。誓不趣求无上菩提。不同声闻不发大愿。 成就大者。而能成就十力。四无畏。十八不共法等。大功德故。一一如余处明。上来七大义者。前六为因。为一一不能成十力等。要须修此六大。后一为果。 言四法船者。即不舍菩提心。及乐住于空闲者是。 言列数者论中自明。 言谓出生者。于此四法修行能出死海。 言号显示者。能显甚深法性。 言古今不易者。合上常义。前佛后佛不曾移益。亦如十二因缘。法迳二字亦如上合。 言示处者。如是我闻至菩萨魔诃萨也是。 言于相者。即三相。是遍计所执等。 言法者。五蕴十八界等是。 言义者。即能诠其五蕴十八界体住者是。 言发起序者有二。一因请发起。二不因识发起。问。何不广释证信之序。答。证信之序通诸经共有。不假重释。虽然今略明矣。 言佛化缘毕者。但度乃缘。不度无缘故。维摩经云。佛威虽普。 现代汉语译本 ‘三无数劫’：从八地菩萨到无学果位（阿罗汉）。例如，舍利弗（Sariputra，佛陀十大弟子之一，以智慧著称）行菩萨道时，有一婆罗门（Brahman，古印度社会中的祭司阶层）向他乞求眼睛。舍利弗便将自己的眼睛施舍给了他。婆罗门得到眼睛后，却用脚踩踏。舍利弗问他：‘你为什么要踩踏它？’婆罗门回答说：‘我只是想要听它破碎的声音。’ ‘言方便大’：与上文所说的‘智大’意义相同。 ‘言业大者’：指菩萨尽其一生，在生死轮回中都能成就诸佛。修习大乘者能发起四弘誓愿。‘愿大’：如果有一个众生没有成佛，誓不成无上菩提。这与声闻乘不发大愿不同。 ‘成就大者’：指菩萨能够成就十力（Tathagata-bala，如来十种力量），四无畏（vaisaradya，佛的四种无所畏惧的自信），十八不共法（Avenika-dharma，佛独有的十八种功德）等大功德。这些功德在其他地方有详细说明。以上七大意义，前六个是因，因为仅凭其中任何一个都不能成就十力等功德，必须修习这六大。最后一个是果。 ‘言四法船者’：指不舍菩提心，以及乐于安住在空闲之处。 ‘言列数者’：在论中自有详细说明。 ‘言谓出生者’：指通过对此四法的修行，能够脱离生死苦海。 ‘言号显示者’：指能够显示甚深法性。 ‘言古今不易者’：与上文的‘常义’相合。过去的佛和未来的佛都不会改变或增减。也像十二因缘一样。‘法迳’二字也与上文意义相合。 ‘言示处者’：指‘如是我闻’到‘菩萨摩诃萨’（Bodhisattva-Mahasattva，大菩萨）的部分。 ‘言于相者’：指三相，即遍计所执相（Parikalpita，虚妄分别的相）、依他起相（Paratantra，依缘而起的相）和圆成实相（Parinispanna，圆满成就的真实相）。 ‘言法者’：指五蕴（Skandha，构成个体存在的五种要素：色、受、想、行、识）、十八界（Dhatu，眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意六根，色、声、香、味、触、法六尘，以及眼识、耳识、鼻识、舌识、身识、意识六识）等。 ‘言义者’：指能够诠释五蕴、十八界的体性和住处。 ‘言发起序者’：有两种，一是因请而发起，二是不因请而自然发起。问：为什么不详细解释证信序（经文开头的证明可信的部分）？答：因为证信序是所有经典共有的，不需要重复解释。虽然如此，现在还是简略地说明一下。 ‘言佛化缘毕者’：只有被佛度化的众生才是有缘的，没有被度化的就没有缘分。维摩经（Vimalakirti Sutra）中说：‘佛的威神虽然普遍，’
English
English version ‘Three countless kalpas (asamkhya kalpas)’: From the eighth Bhumi (stage of a Bodhisattva) to the state of No-More-Learning (Arhatship). For example, when Sariputra (one of the Buddha's ten principal disciples, known for his wisdom) was practicing the Bodhisattva path, a Brahman (a priest in ancient Indian society) begged for his eyes. Sariputra gave him his eyes. After receiving the eyes, the Brahman trampled them with his feet. Sariputra asked him, ‘Why are you trampling them?’ The Brahman replied, ‘I just want to hear the sound of them breaking.’ ‘The statement that skillful means (upaya) are great’: Has the same meaning as the ‘greatness of wisdom’ mentioned above. ‘The statement that karma is great’: Refers to the ability of a Bodhisattva to accomplish Buddhahood in every lifetime throughout samsara (the cycle of birth and death). Those who practice the Mahayana (Great Vehicle) can generate the Four Great Vows. ‘The greatness of vows’: If even one sentient being has not attained Buddhahood, I vow not to seek supreme enlightenment. This is different from the Sravakas (Hearers), who do not make great vows. ‘The statement that accomplishment is great’: Refers to the ability of a Bodhisattva to accomplish the Ten Powers (Tathagata-bala, the ten powers of a Tathagata), the Four Fearlessnesses (vaisaradya, the four kinds of fearlessness of a Buddha), the Eighteen Unique Qualities (Avenika-dharma, the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha), and other great merits. These merits are explained in detail elsewhere. Of the seven great meanings above, the first six are causes, because none of them alone can accomplish the Ten Powers, etc. It is necessary to cultivate these six great qualities. The last one is the result. ‘The statement about the four Dharma boats’: Refers to not abandoning the Bodhi mind (the mind of enlightenment) and delighting in dwelling in secluded places. ‘The statement about enumeration’: Is explained in detail in the treatise itself. ‘The statement about being born from’: Refers to being able to escape the sea of suffering of birth and death through the practice of these four Dharmas. ‘The statement about the title showing’: Refers to being able to reveal the profound Dharma nature. ‘The statement about not changing from ancient times to the present’: Corresponds to the ‘constant meaning’ above. The Buddhas of the past and the Buddhas of the future will not change or increase it. It is also like the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination. The two words ‘Dharma path’ also correspond to the meaning above. ‘The statement about the place shown’: Refers to the part from ‘Thus have I heard’ to ‘Bodhisattva-Mahasattva’ (Great Bodhisattva). ‘The statement about characteristics’: Refers to the three characteristics, namely, the imagined nature (Parikalpita, the nature of false discrimination), the dependent nature (Paratantra, the nature of arising from conditions), and the perfected nature (Parinispanna, the nature of perfect accomplishment of reality). ‘The statement about Dharma’: Refers to the five skandhas (the five aggregates that constitute individual existence: form, feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness), the eighteen dhatus (the eighteen realms: the six sense organs, the six sense objects, and the six consciousnesses), etc. ‘The statement about meaning’: Refers to being able to explain the nature and dwelling place of the five skandhas and the eighteen dhatus. ‘The statement about the introductory section’: There are two types: one is initiated by a request, and the other is initiated naturally without a request. Question: Why is the introductory section of authentication (the part at the beginning of the sutra that proves its credibility) not explained in detail? Answer: Because the introductory section of authentication is common to all sutras and does not need to be explained repeatedly. Nevertheless, I will now briefly explain it. ‘The statement about the Buddha's work of transformation being completed’: Only those sentient beings who are transformed by the Buddha have affinity; those who are not transformed have no affinity. The Vimalakirti Sutra says: ‘Although the Buddha's majestic power is universal,’ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 不度无根无泽无□不润枯木。