English
English version: Times converge and times diverge. Therefore, they proceed in parallel without contradicting each other. Question: The commentary on the Diamond Sutra says that Śrāvastī (Śrāvastī, an ancient Indian city) is also called Shepotī, which is named after a person. In the past, there were two brothers named Shepotī, hence this name was established. Why is it now said to be because there are many virtuous people? Answer: That commentary speaks of two immortal brothers. In the world, brothers who rise together are called the gate of many talents. Now that both brothers have attained the state of immortals, calling it a country of many virtuous people, what is impossible about that? Question: Earlier, 'without reliance or support' was used to explain 'loneliness'. The evidence cited should also be the same as above. A common saying goes, 'A gentleman helps those in urgent need, not those who are already rich.' Here, it's just a lack of wealth, so how can it be called 'without reliance'? Answer: Must we define poverty as an urgent need? When we speak of loneliness, it includes poverty. When we speak of poverty, it includes loneliness. The commentary does not lack universal compassion; its meaning is very clear. Why must we cling to the two words 'loneliness', using words to harm the meaning? If a person has no father but is very rich, would Sudatta (Sudatta, Anathapindika) still provide for him? If a person has a son but is very poor, would Sudatta not provide for him because he is not lonely? Now, the almshouse, commonly called the home for the elderly and lonely, are they all people without fathers or sons but with much wealth? Moreover, widowers, widows, the lonely, and the childless are four different categories. Would Sudatta definitely not provide for widowers and widows? As for Confucius, did he only help those without wealth, while abandoning all the lonely? Question: The deceased monk Quan Jie saw the Buddha first. This is only seeing with the mind, not seeing the mind itself, because the Buddha's physical form is directed towards his consciousness. If we cite the Bhikkhuni Utpalavarna seeing the Buddha's physical form, and Subhuti seeing the Buddha's Dharma body, this is truly seeing the mind. What is wrong with that? Answer: The Buddha's Dharma is the Buddha's mind. This monk would rather die upholding the precepts than live breaking them; he has attained the Buddha's mind. Therefore, the Brahma Net Sutra says that the precepts are the mind-ground of a thousand Buddhas. One who attains the Buddha's mind is said to have seen the Buddha. Moreover, what mind do you use to see the Buddha with this so-called 'seeing with the mind'? If it is a deluded mind, delusion belongs to falsehood and cannot see the Buddha. If it is a true mind, the true... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
无去来。真无生灭。无去无来。无生无灭。即佛法身。何得不名见心。又云以佛色身对彼识故。尤为不通。将谓彼既亡矣。彼识迅速。疾于人行。先往佛所而见佛之金色身乎。则何殊人死见阎罗也。安足取也。故须菩提之见佛。与此僧之见佛。均之见佛法身也。何得不名见心。 问。迦叶身光。映蔽余光。使不现故。名曰饮光。何故云色。若吞余色。应云饮色。何况色不可吞。以色对光。逾明显故。 答。繇色有光。无金色者。光从何来。色不可吞。光独可吞耶。夫吞之为义。体贴饮字。既知是映蔽之意。映蔽余色。使光不现。即名饮耳。岂真吞啖入彼腹耶。拘执之病。一至于是。 问。拘絺罗下。应当言其入道因缘。然后论其答问第一。若不尔者。则似此人。于外道法中。答问第一。 答。钞中繇精勤故。正入道因缘也。以精勤二字。略摄多种因缘。又云恐滥外道论议。不知外道具四辩才否。况此专重发扬念佛。与会之众。略叙而已。今日不作拘絺罗行实传也。 问。罗睺下。应云是佛之子。然后消释。义有所归。若不云者。下诸文义。都无下落。而亦迷却此人所从。 答。试观佛为所障不即出家。及指腹等语。此人是佛子耶。佛侄耶。佛孙耶。尚复迷却所从耶。 问 现代汉语译本：没有来和去。真正没有生和灭。没有去也没有来。没有生也没有灭。这就是佛的法身。为什么不能说是见心呢？又说因为用佛的色身来对待那个识，尤其说不通。难道是说那个人既然死了，他的识非常迅速，比人行走还快，先到佛那里而见到佛的金色的身体吗？那么这和人死后见到阎罗王有什么区别呢？这怎么能采信呢？所以，须菩提见佛，和这个僧人见佛，都是见到佛的法身。为什么不能说是见心呢？ 问：迦叶（Kāśyapa，人名，意为饮光）的身光，映蔽了其他的光，使它们不显现，所以叫做饮光。为什么说是色呢？如果吞的是其他的色，应该说饮色。何况色是不可吞的。用色来对照光，会更加明显。 答：因为色有光，如果没有金色，光从哪里来呢？色不可吞，光就可以单独吞吗？吞的意思，是体贴饮字。既然知道是映蔽的意思，映蔽其他的色，使光不显现，就叫做饮罢了。难道是真的吞吃进入他的腹中吗？拘泥执着的毛病，竟然到了这种地步。 问：拘絺罗（Kauṣṭhila，人名）下面，应该说他入道的因缘，然后论述他答问第一。如果不是这样，就好像这个人，在外道法中，答问第一。 答：钞中因为精勤的缘故，正是入道的因缘。用精勤二字，概括了多种因缘。又说恐怕混淆外道的论议，不知道外道是否具有四辩才。况且这里专门重视发扬念佛，对于与会的大众，只是简略叙述而已。今天不是作拘絺罗的行实传。 问：罗睺（Rāhula，人名，意为覆障）下面，应该说是佛的儿子，然后解释，意义才有所归属。如果不这样说，下面的文章意义，都没有着落。而且也迷惑了这个人是从哪里来的。 答：试看佛因为被（罗睺）所障碍，没有立即出家，以及指腹等话语。这个人是佛的儿子吗？是佛的侄子吗？是佛的孙子吗？还迷惑他从哪里来的吗？ 问
English
English version: There is no going or coming. Truly, there is no birth or death. No going, no coming. No birth, no death. This is the Dharmakāya (Dharmakāya, the body of the Dharma) of the Buddha. Why can't it be called seeing the mind? Furthermore, saying that the Buddha's Rūpakāya (Rūpakāya, the body of form) is used to confront that consciousness is especially incomprehensible. Does it mean that since that person is dead, their consciousness is very swift, faster than a person walking, and first goes to the Buddha and sees the golden body of the Buddha? Then how is this different from a person seeing Yama (Yama, the lord of death) after death? How can this be accepted? Therefore, Subhuti's (Subhuti, one of the ten principal disciples of the Buddha) seeing the Buddha and this monk's seeing the Buddha are both seeing the Dharmakāya of the Buddha. Why can't it be called seeing the mind? Question: Kāśyapa's (Kāśyapa, a name meaning 'light drinker') body radiance obscures other lights, causing them not to appear, hence the name 'Drinker of Light'. Why is it said to be 'form'? If it swallows other forms, it should be called 'Drinker of Form'. Moreover, form cannot be swallowed. Contrasting form with light makes it even more obvious. Answer: Because form has light. If there were no golden color, where would the light come from? Form cannot be swallowed, but light can be swallowed alone? The meaning of 'swallowing' is to closely consider the word 'drinking'. Since it is known that it means obscuring, obscuring other colors, causing the light not to appear, is called 'drinking'. Is it really swallowing and eating into his belly? The sickness of clinging to literal interpretations has reached this point. Question: Under Kauṣṭhila (Kauṣṭhila, a name), one should first speak of the causes and conditions of his entering the path, and then discuss his being the best at answering questions. If not, it would seem that this person is the best at answering questions in non-Buddhist doctrines. Answer: In the commentary, because of diligence, it is precisely the cause and condition of entering the path. The two words 'diligence' briefly encompass various causes and conditions. Furthermore, it is said that there is fear of confusing non-Buddhist discussions. I don't know if non-Buddhists have the four kinds of eloquence. Moreover, here, special emphasis is placed on propagating mindfulness of the Buddha. For the assembly, it is only a brief account. Today, we are not making a biography of Kauṣṭhila's deeds. Question: Under Rāhula (Rāhula, a name meaning 'fetter'), it should be said that he is the Buddha's son, and then explain it so that the meaning has a place to belong. If it is not said, the meaning of the following texts will have no place to land. And it will also confuse where this person comes from. Answer: Try to observe the words 'the Buddha was obstructed and did not immediately leave home' and 'pointing to the womb'. Is this person the Buddha's son? Is he the Buddha's nephew? Is he the Buddha's grandson? Are you still confused about where he comes from? Question --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
。正宗初科。广明依正。此乃生信发愿起行之境。今何故唯言生信境耶。 答。入道以信为主。经中说若有信者。又云难信之法。信该行愿故。信为道元功德母故。 问。此中应云须摩提。此云极乐。然后乃以余名缀之。何故不云本经极乐。但言他名耶。 答。经文若言有世界名须摩提。则应云须摩提此云极乐。今经文乃言有世界名极乐。则应云极乐者。梵语须摩提。此不易之法也。况下文举安乐安养等余名已竟。而以极乐总结。前后照应。明亦甚矣。 问。天台诸处所明四土皆以同居为第一。乃至寂光第四。今何以寂光为第一耶。 答。从劣而胜。同居第一。从胜而劣。寂光第一。喻如登仕者先九品而至一品。序爵者先一品而至九品。皆可也。有时而言兄弟。有时而言弟兄。皆可也。今不讲四教仪。不须费辞于无益之地。 问。经云无有众苦。但受诸乐。苦乐有于多种。应以四土简之。如妙宗钞说。今若直言无二死苦。故名极乐。但以寂光。失下三土。以寂光净土方离二死故。九品往生。惟上上品。方分离变易。上中。上下。方离分段。其余六品。二死全在。岂二死在。不名极乐耶。故须细释。方免此妨。 答。多种苦乐。胜劣不同。自有钞文在后。繇同居以至寂光。 现代汉语译本： 正宗初科，广明依正（广为明示依报和正报）。这是产生信心、发起愿行之境界。现在为何只说产生信心之境界呢？ 答：入道以信为根本。经中说‘若有信者’，又说‘难信之法’。信心涵盖行和愿，所以说信是道的开端，功德的母亲。 问：此处应说‘须摩提’（Sukhāvatī，极乐世界），此地译为‘极乐’。然后用其他名称来补充。为何不说本经的‘极乐’，而只说其他的名称呢？ 答：经文如果说‘有世界名为须摩提’，那么就应该说‘须摩提，此地译为极乐’。现在经文说‘有世界名为极乐’，那么就应该说‘极乐者，梵语为须摩提’。这是不易的规则。况且下文已经列举了安乐、安养等其他名称，最后以‘极乐’总结。前后呼应，非常明显。 问：天台宗各处所说的四土，都以凡圣同居土为第一，乃至常寂光土为第四。现在为何以常寂光土为第一呢？ 答：从低劣到殊胜，凡圣同居土为第一。从殊胜到低劣，常寂光土为第一。比如登仕的人先从九品升到一品，序爵的人先从一品降到九品。都可以。有时说‘兄弟’，有时说‘弟兄’，都可以。现在不讲解《四教仪》，不必在无益的地方浪费口舌。 问：经中说‘无有众苦，但受诸乐’。苦乐有多种，应该用四土来区分，如《妙宗钞》所说。现在如果只说没有二死之苦，所以名为极乐，只说了常寂光土，遗漏了下三土。因为常寂光净土才远离分段生死和变易生死。九品往生中，只有上上品才能远离变易生死，上中品和上下品才能远离分段生死，其余六品，二死完全存在。难道二死存在，也能称为极乐吗？所以需要详细解释，才能避免这个疑问。 答：多种苦乐，殊胜低劣不同。自有钞文在后面。从凡圣同居土到常寂光土。
English
English version: The Proper Primary Section. Broadly Illuminating the Dependent and the Proper. This is the realm of generating faith, initiating vows, and commencing practice. Why, then, do we only speak of the realm of generating faith? Answer: Entering the Path relies primarily on faith. The sutras say, 'If there are those who have faith,' and also, 'The Dharma that is difficult to believe.' Faith encompasses practice and vows; therefore, faith is the source of the Path and the mother of merit. Question: Here, it should say 'Sukhāvatī' (the Land of Ultimate Bliss), which is translated here as 'Ultimate Bliss.' Then, other names should be appended to it. Why not say 'Ultimate Bliss' in this sutra, but only mention other names? Answer: If the sutra text said, 'There is a world named Sukhāvatī,' then it should say, 'Sukhāvatī, which is translated here as Ultimate Bliss.' Now, the sutra text says, 'There is a world named Ultimate Bliss,' then it should say, 'Ultimate Bliss, in Sanskrit is Sukhāvatī.' This is an unchanging rule. Moreover, the text below has already listed other names such as Peace and Joy, and Nourishment, and concludes with 'Ultimate Bliss.' The correspondence between the beginning and the end is very clear. Question: In various places, the Tiantai school explains the Four Lands, with the Land of Co-dwelling with Ordinary and Sages as the first, and the Land of Eternally Tranquil Light as the fourth. Why is the Land of Eternally Tranquil Light considered the first now? Answer: From the inferior to the superior, the Land of Co-dwelling is the first. From the superior to the inferior, the Land of Eternally Tranquil Light is the first. It is like those who ascend in officialdom, first from the ninth rank to the first rank; those who bestow titles, first from the first rank to the ninth rank. Both are acceptable. Sometimes we say 'brothers,' sometimes we say 'brethren.' Both are acceptable. We are not lecturing on the 'Four Teachings Ritual' now; there is no need to waste words on unprofitable ground. Question: The sutra says, 'There are no sufferings, but only joys are experienced.' There are many kinds of suffering and joy. They should be distinguished by the Four Lands, as explained in the 'Subtle Meaning Commentary.' Now, if we only say that there is no suffering of the two deaths, hence it is named Ultimate Bliss, it only speaks of the Land of Eternally Tranquil Light, omitting the lower three lands. Because only the Pure Land of Eternally Tranquil Light is free from the death of transmigration and the death of transformation. Among the Nine Grades of Rebirth, only the highest of the highest grade can be free from the death of transformation, and the middle of the highest and the lowest of the highest grades can be free from the death of transmigration. For the remaining six grades, the two deaths are fully present. Can it be called Ultimate Bliss when the two deaths are present? Therefore, a detailed explanation is needed to avoid this objection. Answer: The many kinds of suffering and joy differ in superiority and inferiority. There will be commentary texts later. From the Land of Co-dwelling to the Land of Eternally Tranquil Light. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------