Chinese Buddhist Texts: An Introductory Reader 2017041705, 9781138953321, 9781138953338, 9781315667386

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Chinese Buddhist Texts

The influence of Buddhism on the Chinese language, on Chinese literature and on Chinese culture in general cannot be overstated, and the language of most Chinese Buddhist texts differs considerably from both Classical and Modern Chinese. This reader aims to help students develop familiarity with features of Buddhist texts in Chinese, including patterns of organization, grammatical features and specialized vocabulary. It also aims to familiarize students with the use of a range of resources necessary for becoming independent readers of such texts. Chinese Buddhist Texts is suitable for students who have completed the equivalent of at least one year’s college level study of Modern Chinese and are familiar with roughly one thousand of the commonest Chinese characters. Previous study of Classical Chinese would be an advantage, but is not assumed. It is an ideal textbook for students taking relevant courses in Chinese studies programs and in Buddhist studies programs. However, it is also possible for a student to work through the reader on their own. Graham Lock has a BA in Chinese from the School of Oriental and African Studies, London University, and a PhD in Linguistics from the University of Sydney. He taught for many years at the City University of Hong Kong and is currently retired. Gary S. Linebarger has a BA and an MA in Chinese language and literature from San Francisco State University, an MA in translation from the University of Birmingham, UK, and a PhD in Buddhist Studies and Practice from Dharma Realm Buddhist University. He is a founding member of the Buddhist Text Translation Society and currently is the assistant chair of the School of English Studies at Wenzhou-Kean University in Wenzhou, China.

Chinese Buddhist Texts An Introductory Reader

Graham Lock and Gary S. Linebarger

First published 2018 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN and by Routledge 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2018 Graham Lock and Gary S. Linebarger The right of Graham Lock and Gary S. Linebarger to be identified as authors of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Lock, Graham, editor. | Linebarger, Gary S. editor. Title: Chinese Buddhist texts : an introductory reader / Graham Lock and Gary S. Linebarger. Description: New York : Routledge, 2018. | Chinese and English. | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2017041705 | ISBN 9781138953321 (hardback : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781138953338 (pbk. : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781315667386 (ebook) Subjects: LCSH: Buddhist literature, Chinese. | Chinese language—Readers— Buddhism. | Chinese language—Textbooks for foreign speakers—English. Classification: LCC BQ1013 .C47 2018 | DDC 895.1—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017041705 ISBN: 978-1-138-95332-1 (hbk) ISBN: 978-1-138-95333-8 (pbk) ISBN: 978-1-315-66738-6 (ebk) Typeset in Times New Roman by Apex CoVantage, LLC

To our teachers

Venerable Master Hsüan Hua (宣化 Xuānhuà; 1918–1995) He is a steadfast example for those seeking to understand the fundamental questions of birth and death by emphasizing the monastic tradition, education, vigorous practice and mutual respect among religions.

Venerable Saddhāloka Bhikkhu (信光比丘; 1938–2014) A profound scholar of the Dharma and of the Chinese language, as well as an example of compassion in action.

Contents

Preface Acknowledgements Abbreviations Transcription conventions Orientation

viii x xi xii 1

Unit One

The Heart Sutra

14

Unit Two

Selections from the Agamas

24

Unit Three

The Diamond Sutra

35

Unit Four

The Lotus Sutra

46

Unit Five

The Discourse on the Ten Wholesome Ways of Action

57

Unit Six

Biographies of Eminent Monks and Nuns

69

Unit Seven The Essentials for Practicing Calming-and-Insight and Chan Meditation

78

Unit Eight

The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch

87

Unit Nine

Yongjia’s Song of Enlightenment

98

Unit Ten

The Blue Cliff Record

107

Unit Eleven Liaofan’s Four Lessons

115

Unit Twelve  Zhugui’s Commentary on the Heart Sutra

122

Appendix One: Word Class Categories Appendix Two: Vocabulary Index Appendix Three: Texts in Simplified Characters

130 136 167

Preface

Why read Chinese Buddhist texts? The influence of Buddhism on the Chinese language, on Chinese literature, on Chinese philosophy, on Chinese folk beliefs, on Chinese material culture and, of course, on Chinese religious beliefs and practices has been enormous. No serious student of these areas can afford to ignore this influence. And translations into Chinese of Buddhist texts were a major factor in the spread of the religion in China from the very beginning. The work of translation from Sanskrit and other languages of India and Central Asia began in the first century ce during the Later Han dynasty and continued for more than a thousand years. This must surely count as one of the most large scale and remarkable cases of cultural transmission in human history. Again, no student of translation or cultural diffusion can afford to ignore it. Finally, for those interested in Buddhism itself, there is the fact that very many important texts from the Indian tradition have been preserved only in Chinese and Tibetan translations, and some only in Chinese translations. In addition, China provides a fascinating and valuable case of how the Buddha-Dharma came to be re-expressed and re-interpreted in dialogue with, and occasionally in conflict with, indigenous systems of thought and belief. In the process, new ways of conceptualizing and practicing the Dharma developed, including the rise and spread of Chan or Zen Buddhism, which now has a place in global culture. There are, of course, many translations of Chinese Buddhist texts into European lang­ uages. But these represent only a small portion of the entire corpus. In addition, any translation is inevitably one interpretation of a source text among other possible interpretations, all constrained by the semantic system of the target language. Nothing substitutes for a detailed understanding of precisely how the source text expresses the Buddha-Dharma.

Who is this reader for? We assume that most users of this reader will have had at least one year’s college-level study of Chinese and will know roughly one thousand of the most common characters in the language. This does not mean that students whose level of Chinese is below this cannot use this book. They will just have to work a bit harder; specifically, they will need to spend more time looking up words in a Chinese-English dictionary. Conversely, those who have studied some Classical Chinese will have to work less hard, as they will already be familiar with the very many features that the language of Buddhist Chinese texts shares with Classical Chinese.

What are the contents of the reader? An orientation chapter briefly surveys the transmission of Buddhism to China and the development of the canon of Chinese Buddhist texts. It also provides an introduction to some of

Preface  ix the general language features of the texts. This is followed by twelve units, each of which includes three extracts from a single text or, in one case, texts from the same collection. Units One to Five look at texts translated from Sanskrit or other languages of India and Central Asia. These include some of the most well-known and influential sutras in East Asian Buddh­ism. Units Six to Ten look at texts originally written in Chinese by Chinese monks. These include a biography, meditation instructions, records of a lecture by a Chan master, inspirational poetry, and Chan gong’ans (koans). The last two units look at texts written by laymen, one an instructional manual informed by Buddhist principles written by a father for his son, the other a commentary on the Heart Sutra written by an eminent Qing dynasty scholar and official. Each unit begins with an introduction, usually saying something about the content of the text and its translator or author. A vocabulary list and notes follow each extract. The notes explain any difficulties in the text, draw attention to any characteristic language features and provide brief explanations of Buddhist concepts referred to in the text. A final Further Reading section contains references to published translations of the text, where these exist, as well as to other works for further exploration of themes or concepts in the text. After having worked through all twelve units, students should have the skills and confidence to begin reading Chinese Buddhist texts independently. They will also have laid the foundation for becoming translators of such texts, should they so wish.

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank those who have generously taken the time to read drafts, pointed out errors and defects, and made helpful suggestions. These include Dr Guang Xing of the Centre of Buddhist Studies at Hong Kong University and Dr Roberta Raine for their advice and encouragement on the initial proposal; Dr Edward McDonald for some good suggestions on the presentation of the material in the units, as well as expert advice on many matters pertaining to Chinese linguistics; and Dr Virginia Costa for taking the time to read through the final draft and spotting many errors we had missed. We are especially indebted to our assistant Xu Yijing (Isa), an English major at WenzhouKean University in China, for her diligent and careful work on the transcriptions, vocabulary lists and the vocabulary index. Without her help, the project would have taken much longer to complete. Needless to say (but we will say it anyway), we take full responsibility for the remaining errors that observant teachers and students will no doubt unearth. We would also like to thank Gary’s wife, Ban Peizhen, who helped clarify some of the Chinese terms and expressions we encountered and who supported us through long writing and revising sessions by providing us with exquisite vegetarian meals and timely conversation. We would like to express our deepest gratitude to our teachers, Master Hsuan Hua and Venerable Saddhaloka Bhikkhu, to whom this reader is dedicated and without whom it would have been unthinkable. In particular, Gary Linebarger would like to acknowledge the great debt he owes to his spiritual and academic teacher, Master Hsuan Hua, who made Buddhism and Chinese culture relevant and alive. His commentaries were consulted numerous times and brought much clarity to both of us. Gary would also like to thank Dr Charles Nelson, Executive Director, School of English Studies, Kean University, New Jersey, for allowing him to forgo some of his non-teaching responsibilities so we might complete this reader in a timely manner. Further, he would like to express his deep gratitude to his parents Paul Linebarger and Pat Marshall for their patience and tolerance while he delved deeply into ‘foreign’ cultures and religions.

Abbreviations

BC: Buddhist Chinese Chin: Chinese DDB: Digital Dictionary of Buddhism (www.buddhism-dict.net/ddb/) HDC: 漢語大詞典 Jap.: Japanese Kroll: Kroll, Paul W. A Student’s Dictionary of Classical and Medieval Chinese. Brill, 2015. MSC: Modern Standard Chinese PDB:  The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism. (Buswell, Robert E. Jr. and Lopez, S. Jr. Princeton University Press, 2014.) Skt.: Sanskrit For abbreviations of word class categories used in the vocabulary lists, see Appendix One. Referring to chapters and extracts, the format ‘unit.extract’ is used, for example, 2.2 refers to the second extract in Unit Two.

Transcription conventions

Transcriptions of Chinese names and terms, as well as of the Chinese text extracts examined in the units, are made according to the standard Hanyu Pinyin Romanization of Putonghua. There is no single globally agreed upon standard for the transcription of Sanskrit. The government of India uses the Hunterian system, while the International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration (IAST) follows the ISO 15919 standard. Fortunately, the two are quite similar. The transcriptions used in this reader follow those used in the DDB and PDB. Note that Sanskrit and Chinese names and terms when first introduced and Romanized are spelled with appropriate diacritics, including tone marks for Chinese. In subsequent mentions, the diacritics are not included and the names and terms may be treated as English words (e.g. first ‘sūtra’, subsequently ‘sutra’ or ‘sutras’; first ‘Huìnéng’, subsequently ‘Huineng’). As a general rule, only the names of specific people, places and languages (including language varieties) are capitalized. For example, capitalization is used for the historical Buddha and other named buddhas and bodhisattvas, but not for unspecified buddhas and bodhisattvas.

Orientation

1  Transmission and translation of the Buddha’s teachings Soon after the Buddha died, a meeting is said to have been held in a cave in Rājagṛha to recite and codify his teachings. This is usually referred to as the First Council. According to tradition, Ānanda, the Buddha’s cousin and personal attendant, had a prodigious memory and was able to recite all the discourses of the Buddha that he had heard. This is why the discourses of the Buddha typically begin with Ananda’s words ‘thus have I heard’ (Skt. evaṃ mayā śrutam; Chin. 如是我聞). The early Buddhist teachings were organized into three divisions (Skt. tripiṭaka ‘three baskets’; Chin. 三藏 sānzàng ‘three stores’ or ‘three repositories’). The three divisions were (i) the discourses spoken by the Buddha (Skt. sūtra; Chin. 經 jīng); (ii) the rules of discipline for monks and nuns, together with accounts of how and why the rules were given (Skt. vinaya; Chin. 律lǜ ‘rules’); and (iii) scholastic treatises aiming to elucidate and systematize the teachings (Skt. abhidharma; translitered into Chinese as 阿毘曇 āpítán or 阿毗達磨 āpídámó, or, more generally, translated as 論 lùn; Skt. śāstra ‘treatise’). These teachings were for centuries transmitted only orally. When they were finally committed to writing, the threefold division was largely retained, although different tripitakas associated with different schools developed over time, and texts were produced that did not fall within the three categories of the tripitaka. The Theravāda school’s tripitaka was written down on palm leaves in Sri Lanka during the reign of King Vaṭṭagāmaṇī (c. 29–17 bce) in the Prakrit (Middle Indo-Aryan) language now referred to as Pali. Other schools preserved the teachings in various other Prakrits, which, as they were written down, became increasingly influenced by the prestige language Sanskrit. The Sanskritized language of these texts is sometimes referred to as ‘Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit’. Unlike the Theravada Pali canon, the Sanskrit canons remained open, and came to include large quantities of new sutras produced by the Mahāyana ‘Great Vehicle’ (大乘 dàshèng, also pronounced dàchéng) movement, as well as tantra texts associated with the Vajrayāna ‘Diamond Vehicle’ path (金剛乘 jīngāngshèng/jīngāngchéng). There are various stories concerning the arrival of Buddhism in China. What seems clear is that it was during the first century ce, during the Later Han dynasty, that some Chinese began to be aware of Buddhism and its teachings. At first, there does not seem to have been much interest in the foreign religion, but in the years following the fall of the Han dynasty the religion attracted more and more attention and gained more and more adherents. Translation into Chinese of Buddhist texts was a major factor in the spread of Buddhism in China from the very beginning. The first text to be translated into Chinese is traditionally said to be the Sutra of Forty-two Sections (四十二章經 sìshíèr zhāng jīng), which is a

2  Orientation short collection of passages that seem to represent teachings from Early or Hinayana (小乘 xiǎoshèng/xiǎochéng ‘Small or Lesser Vehicle’) Buddhism. This text is said to have been translated by two Indian monks at the request of Emperor Ming (r. 58–75 ce) and it initiated over a thousand years of translation work, which made available to Chinese readers a huge number of texts both of Hinayana schools and Mahayana schools, with the latter eventually dominating. Translated texts included not only sutras, but also abhidharma texts and other sastras, vinayas, commentaries and mantras (咒 zhòu ‘sacred incantations’). Many of these texts were later lost in India and survive only in Chinese and Tibetan translations, and sometimes only in Chinese translations. Many of those who brought Buddhist texts to China and are credited with translating them were monks and laymen from India or Central Asia who traveled along the so-called Silk Road into China. The first major translator whose name is recorded is Ān Shìgāo (安世高), who was from the Parthian kingdom of Arsakes (安息國) and worked in the Eastern Han capital of Luoyang from 147–149 ce. The most notable of the translators from Central Asia is Kumārajīva (鳩摩羅什 jīumóluóshí; 343– 413) from the Central Asian Kingdom of Kucha. After various adventures and misadventures he arrived in Chang’an (長安) in 401, and with his team of assistants produced translations of nearly one hundred texts, including the Diamond Sutra (Unit Three of this book) and the Lotus Sutra (Unit Four). Extracts from his biography are looked at in Unit Six. Chinese pilgrims also made the journey to India, bringing back texts to translate. The first important translator who was a native speaker of Chinese is Fǎxiǎn (法顯, c. 337–422 ce), who traveled across Central Asia, spent several years in India studying Sanskrit and copying sutras, traveled to Si Lanka and returned to China by the sea route via Java, arriving back in 413. He spent the rest of his life translating into Chinese the texts he had brought back. He also left a detailed record of his travels. The most famous and influential of Chinese translators is Xuánzàng (玄奘, 602–664 ce), who left China in 627, soon after the founding of the Tang dynasty, and made the arduous journey to India. He visited many Buddhist sites in the subcontinent and spent years at the famous Buddhist university of Nalanda, where he learned Sanskrit and studied with various masters. He returned to China in 645 laden with over six hundred manuscripts he had acquired in India. He spent most of the rest of his life in charge of a translation bureau established by the emperor, where he and his team of monks translated seventy-six sutras and sastras. Where Kumarajiva’s translations are renowned for their readability, Xuangzang’s translations are known for their precision and accuracy, and his renderings into Chinese of many Sanskrit Buddhist terms became standard for later translations. Translations credited to Xuanzang include the huge Mahāprajñāpāramitrāsūtra, ‘the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra’, in six hundred rolls, as well as the very short Prajñāpāramitāhṛdayasūtra, ‘the Perfection of Wisdom Heart Sutra’, known as the ‘Heart Sutra’ (心經), which is the text examined in Unit One of this book. The sea route to India usually started from Guangzhou, often via Java or Sumatra. Chinese pilgrims who took this route include the monk Yìjìng (義淨; 635–713 ce), who left China for India in 671 and returned in 695. En route, he studied Sanskrit at Srivijaya (in Sumatra), and like Xuanzang, spent some time at the Buddhist university of Nalanda. After his return, he translated more than sixty texts into Chinese, including texts from the Agamas, extracts from which are looked at in Unit Two. It is not always known precisely which language specific texts were translated from. Many were from Sanskrit or ‘Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit’, but, particularly during the early periods of translation, source languages may have included various Prakrits and other languages

Orientation  3 spoken in the cities along the Silk Road, such as Sogdian, an Iranian language, and Tocharian, an Indo-European language spoken in Turfan and Kucha. The translators seldom worked alone. Xuanzang, one of the few translators with a mastery of both Sanskrit and Literary Chinese, was able to oversee the translation process from beginning to end, though even he worked with a team. Often, translation involved collaboration between foreign monks, who knew Sanskrit or whatever the language of the source text was and perhaps some colloquial Chinese, and Chinese monks, who were able to write Literary Chinese and knew little or none of the language of the source text. For example, a translation of the Madhyama Agama or ‘Middle-Length Collection of Sutras’ (中阿含 zhōng āhán) made during the Eastern Jin (317– 420) is attributed to Sanghadeva from Kashmir. An account of the translation process by one of the participants, a monk called Dàocí (道慈), says that it was produced by a team of two Indian monks and three Chinese Buddhists. One Indian monk read out the text from a manuscript, Sanghadeva translated it orally into Chinese, Daoci wrote it down and the two others prepared the final version. Extracts from this work are looked at in Unit Two, where more details of Daoci’s account are given. Chinese Buddhist writings are by no means restricted to translations. A large number of original Buddhist texts were also written in Chinese by Chinese monks, including commentaries, treatises, biographies and written versions of oral lectures delivered by Buddhist masters. Units Six, Seven, Eight and Nine contain extracts from such texts. With the development of Chán (禪) schools, collections were also made of gōng’àn (公案 ‘public cases’; Jap. kōan) given by Chan masters, together with commentaries on them. Unit Ten looks at extracts from such a collection. In the Ming and Qing dynasties there also developed a tradition of lay scholars writing commentaries, treatises and other works either explicitly Buddhist or strongly influenced by Buddhist ideas. Units Eleven and Twelve look at extracts from two such texts.

2  Development of the Chinese canon Although the Chinese Buddhist Canon is sometimes referred to as ‘the Chinese Tripitaka’, it is more accurately called the ‘Great Storehouse of Scriptures’ or ‘Great Repository of Scriptures’ (大藏經 dàzàng jīng; note that 經 has a wider meaning here than just ‘sutra’), as it contains many works outside the three baskets of the Tripitaka. The canon developed over time. Catalogues of translated Buddhist texts were made during the Tang dynasty (618–907), soon after the bulk of the translation work had been completed. The most influential of these catalogues was the Kāiyuán Shìjiào Lù (開元釋教錄 ‘Record of Śākyamuni’s Teachings of the Kaiyuan [reign period]’) by Zhìshēng (智昇; 669–740), which was issued in 730 and recorded works by over 170 translators. A complete canon of Buddhist scriptures containing over one thousand works and carved onto thirteen thousand wooden printing blocks was completed in 927, under the auspices of the Song dynasty. Texts from this canon spread to Korea, Vietnam and Japan, and Literary Chinese became the major written language of Buddhism in these countries. The second of the canons compiled during the Korean Koryǒ dynasty, the Koryǒ Taejanggyōng (高麗大藏經), included 1,514 texts carved onto 81,258 wood blocks between 1236 and 1251. The Taishō Shinshū Daizōkyō (大正新脩大藏經 ‘Taisho [reign period] new edition of the great repository of scriptures’), based on the Koryǒ canon, was printed in moveable type in Tokyo between 1924 and 1929. This edition of the canon, usually referred to simply as ‘the Taisho’, has become the standard edition of the Chinese Buddhist canon (it also includes works in Japanese). It is from an updated edition of this canon that most of the text extracts in this reader are taken.

4  Orientation

3  The Taisho canon The Chinese Buddhist Electronic Text Association (CBETA) has produced a digitalized edition of the Taisho with a browser, which can be downloaded for free (www.cbeta.org/cd/ download.htm). The Chinese works in the Taisho are divided into twenty-six sections (部), each containing a number of volumes, each of which has a T(aisho) number. Each text also has a number. For example, the version of the Heart Sutra that we shall be looking at in Unit Two has the location T08:0251, i.e. text number 251 in Taisho Volume 8. The figure below sets out the Chinese section headings with their pronunciations in Putonghua and translations into English and/or Sanskrit, as well as the volume numbers within each section. The names in bold are of texts from which the extracts examined in this reader are taken.

The Taisho Canon Section

Pronunciation (Putonghua)

English/Sanskrit Names

Volumes

1. 阿含

āhán

Āgama (early sutras)

1–2

The Middle Length Āgama T01:026 Miscellaneous Āgama T02:099 2. 本緣

běnyuán

Past Conditions

3–4

3. 般若

bōrě

Prajñā (short for 般若波羅蜜 bōrě bōluómì; Skt. Prajñāpāramitā ‘Perfection of Wisdom’)

5–8

The Heart Sutra T08:0251 The Diamond Sutra T08:235 4. 法華

fǎhuā

Dharma Flower (Skt. Saddharmapuṇḍarīka)

9

The Lotus Sutra T09:262 5. 華嚴

huáyán

Flower Adornment (Skt. Avataṃsaka)

9–10

6. 寶積

bǎojī

Accumulation of Jewels (Skt. Ratnakūṭa)

11–12

7. 涅槃

nièpán

Nirvāṇa

12

8. 大集

dàjí

Great Collection

13

9. 經集

jīngjí

Collection of Sutras

14–17

The Discourse on the Ten Wholesome Ways of Action T15:600 10. 密教

mìjiào

Secret Teachings (Skt. Tantra)

18–21

11. 律

lǜ

Rules (Skt. Vinaya)

22–24

12. 釋經論

shìjīnglùn

Commentaries on Sutras

25–26

13. 毘曇

pítán

Abhidharma

26–29

Orientation  5 The Taisho Canon Section

Pronunciation (Putonghua)

English/Sanskrit Names

Volumes

14. 中觀

zhōngguān

Middle View (Skt. Madhyamaka)

30

15. 瑜伽

yúqié

Yoga (short for 瑜伽行 yúqiéxíng; Skt. Yogâcāra)

30–31

16. 論集

lùnjí

Collection of Treatises (Skt. Śāstra)

32

17. 經疏

jīngshū

Commentaries on Sutras

33–39

18. 律疏

lǜshū

Commentaries on Rules (Skt. Vinaya)

40

19. 論疏

lùnshū

Commentaries on Treatises (Skt. Śāstra)

40–44

20. 諸宗

zhūzōng

The Schools

44–48

The Essentials for Practicing Calming-and-Insight and Chan Meditation T46.1915 The Blue Cliff Record T48:2003 The Platform Sutra T48:2008 Yongjia’s Song of Enlightenment T48:2014 21. 史傳

shǐzhuàn

Histories and biographies

49–52

Biographies of Eminent Monks and Nuns T50:2059 22. 事彙

shìhuì

Collection of Affairs

53–54

23. 外教

wàijiào

Outside Teachings (i.e. non-Buddhist teachings)

54

24. 目錄

mùlù

Catalogues (of other collections of the canon)

55

25. 古逸

gǔyì

Anciently Lost

85

26. 疑似

yísì

Doubtful

85

As the preceding figure shows, the collection begins with the Agamas, sutras of early Buddhism, corresponding to the sutras in the Pali Nikāyas. These can be considered foundational texts for all schools of Buddhism. This is followed by a section consisting mainly of stories of the Buddha’s life and of his previous lives. It also contains the Dharmaparda (法句經), well known in the West through English translations of the Pali version (the Dhammapada). Following this (sections  3–16) come collections of other Indian, mainly Mahayana writings, including sutras, abhidharmas and vinayas from different schools, treatises and commentaries. Among these can be found the influential Perfection of Wisdom or Prajnaparamita literature (section 3), several versions of the Lotus Sutra (section 4) and literature from the important Mahayana schools of Madhyamaka (section 14) and Yogacara (section 15).

6  Orientation Section 17 is the first of the sections containing works originally written in Chinese. These include commentaries, treatises and other writings from various schools of Chinese Buddhism as well as historical writings, reference materials and some of the texts from among the famous cache of documents discovered in a cave in Dunhuang. It should be noted that there is also a huge amount of writing by Chinese Buddhists or lay people strongly influenced by Buddhism that is not included in the canon, including works on philosophy, biography, treatises, commentaries and poetry. For example, the texts looked at in Units Eleven and Twelve, both written by laymen, are not from the Taisho canon.

4  The language of Chinese Buddhist texts The texts we shall be looking at in this reader are in a language that can broadly be described as a variety of Wényán (文言), referred to in English as either ‘Literary Chinese’ or, slightly less accurately, as ‘Classical Chinese’. The term Wenyan is used to cover a range of styles of written Chinese that were used for practically all serious writing in China and much of East Asia until the early twentieth century. It is based on, though by no means always identical to, the language of the canonical texts of traditional Chinese literature, mainly produced before the unification of China in 221 bce. Since the May 4th Movement of the early twentieth century, the term Wenyan or Wényánwén (文言文) has been used to distinguish these traditional varieties of Literary Chinese from Báihuá (白話), which refers to varieties of the vernacular, including Modern Standard Chinese (MSC). In contemporary China, the terms Gǔdài Hànyǔ (古代漢語 ‘Ancient Chinese’) or simply Gǔwén (古文) tend to be used generally to refer to all varieties of pre-modern written Chinese. However, we shall retain the term Wenyan. While it is not possible in this reader to provide a full description of the grammar and vocabulary of Wenyan (see Further Reading at the end of this chapter for useful references), specific features will be noted and explained when they occur in the extracts looked at in the units. Students may also find it useful to read through the brief account of word classes given in Appendix One. There is, however, one characteristic of Wenyan that may be worth considering at the outset. Coming to texts in Wenyan after having studied MSC, one is immediately struck at how concise the language is. If one compares a Wenyan text with its translation into MSC, the latter will in most cases be considerably longer. In fact, when one returns to reading MSC after spending some time among texts in Wenyan, MSC can seem verbose and even clumsy. There are a number of reasons for this. One is that Wenyan is largely monosyllabic. What this means is that in most cases one character = one syllable = one meaningful unit (morpheme) = one word. The actual status of ‘word’ in the grammar of Chinese is not as well established as it is in European languages, and even in MSC word boundaries may sometimes be open to different interpretations. However, no one would argue that, for example, 電視 (diànshì) and 共產主義 (gòngchǎnzhǔyì) are not words. They function as single units in the grammar, they are translatable by single words in English (‘television’ and ‘communism’) and it makes no sense to interpret them according to meanings of their component characters, e.g. ‘electric looking’ and ‘common property chief idea’. Disyllabic and especially polysyllabic words like this are rare in Wenyan. They are less rare in many Buddhist texts, as we shall see, though still far less common than in MSC. A second reason is what might be described as the principle of ‘not including anything that readers can infer for themselves’. This means that even more than in MSC, subjects and objects and even verbs may be omitted. Sometimes omission may even extend to several phrases or clauses that are simply implied or ‘understood’. This is usually because the

Orientation 7 missing information is inferable from the surrounding text. However, in some cases, it may be inferable only from a broader context, which can include the subject matter of the text, its relation to other texts, and information assumed by the writer to be shared by the reader. On top of this, although Wenyan has function words indicating structural relations, such as 者 to indicate nominalization (a verb, adjective or clause functioning as if it were a noun), 之 to indicate subordination within a noun phrase, and 與 to indicate coordination between two nouns, these structural markers may be left out when they are not absolutely necessary, leaving it to the reader to decide whether, for example, two nouns should be interpreted as in a coordinate relationship or whether the first is subordinate to and in some way modifies the second. All of this means that modern readers (native speakers of Chinese as well as non-native speakers) often have to be patient and put in rather more work than is usually required in reading a modern text. It also means that various resources (see the section Using Resources) have to be quite frequently consulted to check whether a particular word or phrase is recorded as occurring in other texts, and what its implications and common collocations (words which typically go with it) might be. Although as stated above, the language of the texts looked at in this reader may be broadly described as Wenyan, it often diverges quite considerably from the language of non-Buddhist texts written in Wenyan. We will use the term ‘Buddhist Chinese’ (henceforth BC) to refer to this language. However, it should be borne in mind that the term in fact covers the language of thousands of texts, both those translated from Sanskrit and other languages, and those written originally in Chinese. The texts are also in a large number of different genres, and were produced over a period of nearly two thousand years. This vast corpus includes texts in a kind of ‘translationese’, influenced by the vocabulary and grammar of the original languages from which they were translated, texts written throughout in an elegant Wenyan style, and texts containing a lot of colloquial language, some of which is recognizably MSC. So any generalizations made about BC will not hold for every text. Specific features will be commented on as they occur in the text extracts. Nevertheless, it is worth being aware of the following three widespread features from the outset and the difficulties they may present for readers. These are (i) greater use of disyllabic and polysyllabic words; (ii) use of Buddhist terms; and (iii) use of vernacular language. i  Greater use of disyllabic and polysyllabic words We said above that Wenyan is largely monosyllabic. However, in BC one comes across words of more than syllable more frequently than in most other varieties of Wenyan, though still less frequently than in MSC. These are of two main types. One type consists of words that are transliterations of words from Sanskrit, or one of the other source languages. These are made up of characters used only for their sounds and can usually be easily recognized. They will be considered in more detail under section ii below. The other type consists of compound words of two characters representing two morphemes (meaningful units). Of course, word boundaries are not marked in Chinese orthography, so deciding whether in any particular case a sequence of two characters should be interpreted as one compound word or two words is not always straightforward. Often we come across two characters that we recognize as a compound word in MSC, and the temptation is to assume that in the text we are looking at it is also a compound word and that it has the same meaning as in MSC. Sometimes this may be the case and sometimes not. For example, 慈悲 (cíbēi) is a compound in MSC meaning ‘merciful’, ‘charitable’. In many Buddhist texts it is also a compound used to translate Skt. karuṇā ‘compassion’. However, 慈 also occurs by itself in

8  Orientation contexts where it is clearly a translation of Skt. maitrī ‘[loving] kindness’, and 悲 occurs by itself in the sense of ‘pity’, ‘sympathy’. To complicate matters, both 慈 and 悲 seem sometimes to be used separately to translate karuṇā ‘compassion’. So we may not be certain in any one instance whether 慈悲 should be translated as ‘compassion’ or as ‘kindness and pity’, or as ‘kindness and compassion (maitrī and karuṇā)’. Similarly, 意趣 (yìqù) is glossed in Modern Chinese-English dictionaries as ‘interest’ or ‘interest and charm’. In BC, it can also be interpreted as a compound, but with the meaning ‘will’ or ‘intention’. Alternatively, it may be equally plausible to interpret the two characters as a noun phrase meaning ‘the inclination/ impulse (趣) of the mind (意)’. The important thing is not to assume that because we recognize two characters as a compound used in MSC, they will also be a compound with the same meaning in BC. In making decisions about this, we need to take into account what makes sense in the context and whether we have elsewhere come across the characters being used separately. We will also often need to consult various resources to see whether such a compound is listed and what its meanings may be. ii  Use of Buddhist terms Inevitably, BC texts contain a very large number of terms needed to precisely express Buddhist concepts different from any previously expressed in Chinese. Such terms were developed in two main ways. First, by taking existing words and assigning to them precise, technical meanings within the system of Buddhist thought. Very often such terms are in consistent one-to-one relationships with specific Sanskrit Buddhist terms. Second, where it was felt that no Chinese word or words could adequately express the meaning of a term in Sanskrit or whatever the source language was, the sounds of the term were transliterated using Chinese characters with little or no regard for their meaning. The first of these ways of creating terms is sometimes called loan translation. Words were chosen that were close in meaning to the technical Buddhist meaning they were to express. For example, 定 (dìng), meaning ‘to stabilize’, ‘to settle down’, ‘stable’, ‘settled down’, was used to translate Skt. samadhi ‘deep meditative concentration’; 識 (shí) ‘aware of’, ‘to recog­nize’ was used to translate Skt. vijāna, ‘awareness’, ‘consciousness’; 名 (míng) ‘name’ was used to translate Skt. nama, which in fact has the same basic meaning as 名 but as a technical term is used to refer to the mental factors that together with the various forms of matter or materiality constitute sentient beings. Often the technicalized words continued to be also used in their original meanings. 行 (xíng), for example, was used to translate Skt. saṃskāra ‘conditioned phenomena’, ‘mental formations’. However, it is also used in its non-technical meanings of ‘to move’, ‘to act’ and ‘to practice’. This means that we sometimes have to think carefully whether a word in a particular context is being used in its ordinary meaning or in its technical Buddhist meaning. Many of the technical terms in BC are compounds, often formed by a morpheme-bymorpheme translation of the Sanskrit term. For example, 如來 (rúlái) ‘thus come’ was used for Skt. tathāgata ‘thus come’ or ‘thus gone’, one of the epithets of the Buddha, 無我 (wúwǒ) ‘not-have I’ was used for Skt. an-ātman ‘non-self’ or ‘no-soul’, a key concept in the Buddha’s teaching, wúmíng (無明) ‘not-have brightness’ or ‘blindness’ was used for Skt. a-vidyā (literally ‘not-know’, ‘not-see’, ‘not-understand’), which refers to ignorance of the true nature of reality, the root cause of suffering. Different translators during different periods sometimes used different Chinese translations of the terms. In the early period of translation, there was a tendency to equate Buddhist

Orientation  9 terms and concepts with Daoist and Confucian terms and concepts. For example, the Daoist term 本無 (běnwú, ‘original non-being’) was used for the Sanskrit term tathatā (‘thusness’). However, the two terms have very different connotations. 本無 refers to an original state of chaos, whereas tathatā refers to the ultimately empty reality of all phenomena. The term was later translated as 真如(zhēnrú). It took some time for a set of standard terms to be agreed upon. For example, we will come across the use of both 眾生 (zhòngshēng ‘multitude [of] lives’) for Skt. sattva (‘[sentient] beings’) as well as the later term 有情 (yǒuqíng) ‘having feeling’. Large numbers of such Buddhist terms have passed into the general vocabulary of MSC. However, as already pointed out, we need to be aware that the modern usage of a term may be quite different from its usage in BC. For example, 方便 is a common word in MSC meaning ‘convenient’, whereas in BC it translates Skt. upaya ‘expedient means’, ‘skill-inmeans’ or ‘skillful means’, and is an important concept in Mahayana Buddhism, where it refers, among other things, to the kinds of actions a bodhisattva might take to help sentient beings. Similarly, 自然 in MSC means ‘nature’ or ‘natural’, whereas in BC it translates Skt. svayaṃbhū ‘self-arisen’, ‘self-existent’, ‘spontaneous’. The second way of creating terms was, as mentioned earlier, to transliterate the sound of the Sanskrit or other source language term. This resulted not only in bisyllabic words but also sometimes quite long polysyllabic words and phrases, for example: 波羅蜜 bōluómì for Skt. pāramitā ‘perfection’, 菩提薩埵 pútísàduǒ Skt. bodhisattva literally ‘enlightenment being’, and 阿耨多羅三藐三菩提 ānòuduōluósānmiǎosānpútí for Skt. anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi ‘unsurpassed, correct enlightenment’. When read according to Putonghua pronunciation, these transcriptions do not seem very accurate transcriptions of the sounds of the original terms. This is, of course, because the transcriptions were made according to the sound system of whatever variety of Chinese the translator spoke, which would have normally been some variety of what is generally referred to as Middle Chinese. To get some idea of what the transcriptions might originally have sounded like, you can look up the characters in a dictionary that includes reconstructed Middle Chinese forms, such as Kroll (2015). Sometimes the original disyllabic or polysyllabic transliterations got shortened; for example, 菩薩 (púsà) is the usual term for bodhisattva rather than 菩提薩埵 (pútísàdǔo). Similarly, 佛 (fó) is the usual term for buddha, rather than 佛陀 (fótuó), and 禪 (chán) is the usual term for Skt. dhyāna ‘meditation’, rather than 禪那 (chánnà). Transliterations are usually quite easily recognized as we come across a string of Chinese characters that seem to make no sense. One also quite soon recognizes that certain characters are often used in such transliterations (e.g. 阿 and 羅). There are a number of reference works for checking the meanings and Sanskrit equivalents of such transcriptions. In most cases, the most convenient and reliable first ‘port of call’ will be the online Digital Dictionary of Buddhism (the DDB; see the section Using Resources).

iii  Use of vernacular language Buddhist texts on the whole contain more vernacular elements than non-Buddhist texts in Wenyan. The amount of vernacular in a text may depend partly on the date of the text but even more on the genre of the text. The genre of narratives, known as 變文 (biànwén) ‘transformation texts’ (not represented among the texts in this reader) had a high level of vernacular content, and is regarded as the precursor to Baihua literature. Use of vernacular language

10  Orientation is also very evident in the Chan school’s transmission of its teachings, especially in the records of gong’ans and commentaries on them. We shall see examples of this in Unit Ten. Sometimes a vernacular usage may be recognizable from MSC, for example the quite widespread use of 是 as a linking verb (copula) or the use of 甚麼 ‘what’ in commentaries on gong’ans. More problematic are the use of expressions from the vernacular of the time that are no longer current. We shall come across some of these in Unit Ten. For these, we need to rely on various reference works to help us understand them.

5  Suggestions for using the material in the units If you are a teacher, you will no doubt draw on your experience to use the material in the following twelve units in ways best suited to your preferred teaching strategies and your students’ needs. If you are a student working through the book on your own, it is likely that you are an experienced language learner and will also no doubt use the material in ways that best suit your favored learning strategies. However, we would like to make some suggestions as to how the material might be used that both teachers and students might find useful. Each of the units contains three short extracts. Each extract is first presented more or less as it appears in the source from which it was taken. In most cases the source is the CBETA Taisho. We suggest that you first read through the text of each extract several times, trying to make as much sense of it as you possibly can. In Units One to Five, the extract is then given again, with Putonghua pronunciation as represented by Hanyu Pinyin Romanization, plus a word-by-word English gloss. You can read this through, making use of the glosses to make sense of more of the text. The glosses also suggest which pairs or groups of characters might be interpreted as bisyllabic or polysyllabic words. However, it is important to bear in mind that most of the glosses give only fairly literal meanings of the words and are likely to represent just one choice of gloss among several possible choices. You should also study the vocabulary list under the text to get an idea of the range of possible meanings for each item. Also note that nouns and verbs in the glosses are given in their base forms, with no grammatical morphology (suffixes etc.) to mark tense, number or word class. This kind of information has to be deduced from the context. The next step is to study the notes below the vocabulary list corresponding to the superscript numbers in the glossed text. These ought to clear up any remaining doubts about the meaning of the text (except in places where the text is itself ambiguous or indeterminate in meaning). The notes will also draw your attention to notable features of the language. Some preliminary explanations of relevant Buddhist concepts are also provided, but you are advised to consult the suggested readings for more in-depth understanding of such concepts. The next suggested step is to go back to the original unglossed version of the text, and to read it several times, preferably out loud, either according to the Hanyu Pinyin Romanization of Putonghua or in a southern Yùe (Cantonese) or Mǐn (Fujian) dialect pronunciation, if you are lucky enough to know one of these dialects. Whenever you are unsure of the pronunciation or meaning of any part of the text, refer back to the glossed text, the vocabulary list or the notes, until you are able to read and understand the text without needing to refer to anything. We suggest that you then copy out the text half a dozen or more times. If you are working with other students, you may also find it useful to make a translation of the text and compare it with translations made by your fellow students. Finally, you might consider

Orientation  11 learning the text by heart. This is a traditional method of getting well acquainted with texts that may not suit modern tastes, but it can be very useful. From Unit Six onwards, the prop of a glossed text will no longer be provided. You should by then be able to make sense of the extracts by referring just to the vocabulary lists and the notes. However, if there is still a character or word that you don’t understand, you can first check it in the vocabulary index (Appendix Two) to see whether it has been introduced in a previous unit. If it is not there, it is likely to be a word that is commonly used in MSC with basically the same meaning and function. Its meaning can therefore be checked in any Chinese-English dictionary. In the final three units, the vocabulary lists will include only items that cannot be easily found in accessible reference works.

6  Using resources An essential component in learning to read Chinese Buddhist texts is becoming familiar with the many available reference works that embody the work of generations of scholars and which make the task of reading these texts in the twenty-first century far less formidable. Although the vocabulary lists and notes accompanying each text extract, especially in the early units, provide much of the information that you might find in such reference works, we suggest that you become accustomed to using these resources as soon as possible. You should also not take it for granted that we are always right. You may well sometimes decide after consulting reference works for yourself that there could be a different interpretation of a particular item than the one we give. The following are the resources we have found most useful. i  Dictionaries of Buddhist Chinese The invaluable Digital Dictionary of Buddhism (DDB) is likely to be the first resource you will want to consult, and often you may even find it is all you need to consult. The founder and managing editor of the DDB is Charles Muller of the University of Tokyo. He is also one of the major contributors of entries, along with a number of other scholars in the field. ‘Guests’ (i.e. non-contributors) are permitted to make up to ten searches of the dictionary in any twenty-four hours. If you can’t find what you want on the DDB, or do not have online access (or have used up your daily quota of DDB searches), other Chinese-to-English dictionaries of Buddhist terms worth consulting are 中英佛教詞典 A Chinese-English Dictionary of Buddhist Terms (Chen and Li, 2005) and Soothill’s A Dictionary of Chinese Buddhist Terms (Soothill and Hodous, 2004). The latter was a pioneering work compiled in the mid-1930s and since revised and reprinted. It is available as an online PDF file at http://buddhistinformatics.ddbc.edu.tw/glossaries/files/soothill-hodous.ddbc.pdf. At some stage you will also need to start consulting monolingual reference works. The 佛學大辭典 (Ding, 1996) originally published in 1922, is still one of the best. If you still can’t find what you want, or would like some more detailed explanation of a term, go to the 佛光大辭典 (Ci, 1977). This very useful reference work was produced in Taiwan under the supervision of Master Hsing Yun (星云) of Fo Guang Shan (佛光山). Note that the definitions and explanations in both the 佛學大辭典 and the 佛光大辭典 can be quite literary in style and may take some getting used to.

12  Orientation ii  Other Chinese dictionaries The only accessible Chinese-English dictionary covering Wenyan used to be Mathews’s Chinese-English Dictionary (Mathews, 1943). As has often been pointed out, the problem with this work is that it includes usages and expressions from all periods of the language without giving any indication of which belong to which period. Happily, Mathews has been at least partly superseded by an excellent recent dictionary, Paul Kroll’s A Student’s Dictionary of Classical and Medieval Chinese, which we shall henceforth refer to simply as Kroll. This dictionary not only distinguishes classical and medieval (roughly third to tenth centuries ce) usages but also indicates usages that are specifically Buddhist. It also gives Middle Chinese reconstructions of the pronunciations of the characters. Its only limitation is that it is basically a 字典 (zìdiǎn, ‘character dictionary’) rather than a 詞典 (cídiǎn ‘word dictionary’) or 辭典 (cídiǎn, ‘phrase dictionary’), and although it does list a number of 詞 under each character, one sometimes has to look elsewhere to check a particular 詞 or 辭. The authoritative 漢語大詞典 (hànyǔ dàcídiǎn), which we will henceforth refer to as the HDC, is an indispensable resource. Although it contains usages from different periods of the language, it is normally possible from the citations given as well as their sequence to tell whether a particular usage is Wenyan or Baihua and whether it is early or late. The HDC is available on CD-ROM put out by Commercial Press in Hong Kong. Also good for checking Wenyan expressions is the 古代漢語詞典 (Chen, 1998) You will sometimes need to consult modern Chinese-English dictionaries. There are many good ones available. Lin Yutang’s Chinese-English Dictionary of Modern Usage, available online at the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s website (http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/ Lexis/Lindict/), can be worth consulting as, despite its name, it includes many literary usages. iii  Reference works for Buddhism generally There are many good dictionaries, surveys and encyclopedias of Buddhism available. We have found the Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism (Buswell and Lopez, 2014; henceforth: PDB) and the Princeton Encyclopedia of Buddhism (Keown and Prebish, 2007) particularly useful. They are quite comprehensive and contain authoritative entries from notable scholars in the field. The PDB also includes the Chinese terms for many of its entries.

Further reading The best reasonably comprehensive and accessible historical survey of Buddhism in China in English is probably still Ch’en (1964). Zürcher (2007) is an edition of a work also first published fifty years ago but is still well worth reading, especially for the early formative phases of the spread of Buddhism in China. For a shorter overview, see the article ‘China, Buddhism in’ by Charles B. Jones in the Princeton Encyclopedia of Buddhism. For the development of the canon, see Ch’en (1964, pp. 365–386), as well as the PDB under dazangjing. Fang (2008) is an interesting and wide-ranging survey in Chinese of the influences of Buddhism on Chinese culture, as well as the influences of Chinese culture on Buddhism. Among grammars of Classical Chinese or Wenyan in English, Pulleyblank (1995) is a much cited and indispensable reference. Fuller (1999) has a good initial overview of Wenyan grammar, a linguistically informed discussion of some issues in the description of the grammar and a systematic presentation of basic syntactic patterns through an examination of texts. Barnes, Starr and Ormerod (2009) contains a lot of useful examples, particularly of the uses of functional characters.

Orientation  13 For Buddhist Chinese and its influence on Chinese in general, see Mair (1994), Guang (2013) and Zürcher, Karashima and Qin (1996).

References Barnes, Archie, Starr, Don and Ormerod, Graham. Du’s Handbook of Classical Chinese Grammar. Alcuin Academics, 2009. Buswell, E. Robert Jr. and Lopez, Donald S. Jr. The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism. Princeton University Press, 2014. Chen Fuhua (ed.). 陈复华(主编). 古代汉语词典. 商务印书馆, 1998. Ch’en, Kenneth K. S. Buddhism in China: A Historical Survey. Princeton University Press, 1964. Chen Guansheng and Li Peizhu (eds.). A Chinese-English Dictionary of Buddhist Terms. Foreign Language Press, 2005. Ci Yifa (ed.). 慈怡法师 (主編). 星云大师 (监修)，佛光大辭典. 佛光山, 1977. Ding Fubao.丁福保(編纂). 佛學大辭典. 和裕出版社, 1996. Fang Litian. 方立天. 中國佛教文學. Joint Publishing (HK), 2008. Fuller, Michael A. An Introduction to Literary Chinese. Harvard University Press, 1999. Guang Xing. “Buddhist Impact on Chinese Language.” Journal of Buddhist Studies, Vol. 10, 2013, 155–176. Keown, Damien and Prebish, Charles S. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Buddhism. Routledge, 2007. Kroll, Paul. A Student’s Dictionary of Classical and Medieval Chinese. Brill, 2015. Mair, Victor H. 1994. “Buddhism and the Rise of the Written Vernacular in East Asia: The Making of National Languages.” Journal of Asian Studies, Vol. 53, no. 3, 1994, 707–751. Mathews, R. H. Mathews’ Chinese-English Dictionary. American edition. Harvard University Press, 1943. Pulleyblank, Edwin G. An Outline Grammar of Classical Chinese. UBC Press, 1999. Soothill, William Edward and Hodous, Lewis. A Dictionary of Chinese Buddhist Terms. 2nd revised edition. Taylor Francis Ltd. 2004. Zürcher, Erik. Buddhist Conquest of China: The Spread and Adaptation of Buddhism in Early Medieval China. 3rd edition. Brill, 2007. Zürcher, Erik, Seishi Karashima, and Huanming Qin. “Vernacularisms in Medieval Chinese.” SinoPlatonic Papers, no. 71, March, 1996.

Unit One The Heart Sutra

The Heart Sutra (心經), or the Prajñā Pāramitā Heart Sūtra (般若波羅蜜多心經 bōrě bóluómìduō xīn jīng) to give it its full name, is by far the most well-known and popular of all sutras in Chinese, and very many Chinese Buddhists know it by heart. Traveling in China one also frequently sees it written on scrolls, inscribed on bowls and sometimes even printed on T-shirts. This is not simply because it is short. It is also because it is said to contain the essence of all the Prajna Paramita Sutras. Prajñā Pāramitā is a Sanskrit term usually translated as ‘perfection of wisdom’. It refers to the attainment of a level of insight beyond that of ordinary wisdom. The Prajna Paramita Sutras are among the earliest and most influential of Mahayana sutras. They teach that all phenomena are ultimately empty (空 kōng; Skt. śūnyatā), i.e. have no intrinsic selfexistence. In the Mahayana schools of Buddhism, insight into emptiness is seen as an essential stage on the bodhisattva path, i.e. the path to fully waking up or becoming enlightened as a buddha (for more on the Prajna Paramita Sutras, see “Further Reading”). The Heart Sutra is a useful text to begin with, because it includes standard Chinese terms for many basic concepts frequently encountered when reading Buddhist texts. The translation used here (T08:0251) is the well-known one by Xuánzàng (玄奘; 602–664 ce), the famous Tang dynasty pilgrim to India and one of the greatest of all the Chinese translators of Indian Buddhist texts. As it is a short text, we will look at the whole of the Heart Sutra in this unit. EXTRACT ONE This extract begins the sutra by revealing how the Bodhisattva Avalokitêśvara saw that all forms and mental phenomena are empty. 般若波羅蜜多心經 唐三藏法師玄奘譯 觀自在菩薩行深般若波羅蜜多時，照見五蘊皆空，度一切苦厄。舍利子！色不異 空，空不異色；色即是空，空即是色。受、想、行、識，亦復如是。

Glossed Text 般若波羅蜜多心經 bōrě bóluómìduō xīn jīng prajñā pāramitā heart sūtra

The Heart Sutra  15 1

唐三藏法師 玄奘譯 táng sānzàng fǎshī xuánzàng yì Tang three-store dharma-master Xuanzang translate 觀自在菩薩2行深般若波羅蜜多時， guān zìzài púsà xíng shēn bōrě bōluómìduō shí observe self-be bodhisattva practice deep prajñā pāramitā when 照見五蘊皆空3，度一切苦厄。4 zhào jiàn wǔ yùn jiē kōng dù yíqiè kǔ è reflect see five heap all empty cross all suffering difficulty 舍利子5！色6不異空，空不異色； shèlìzǐ sè bú yì kōng kōng bú yi sè Śāriputra form not different-from empty empty not different-from form 色即是空，空即是色。 sè jí shì kōng kōng jí shì sè form precisely is empty empty precisely is form 受、想、行、識7，亦復如是。 shòu xiǎng xíng shì yì fù rú shì feel think act aware also again like this

Vocabulary 般若

bōrě

n

transliteration of Skt. prajñā, usually translated into English as ‘wisdom’. Note that 般 is normally pronounced bān and 若 is normally pronounced ruò. However, it is customary to pronounce this combination as bōrě.

波羅蜜多

bōluómìduō

n

transliteration of Skt. pāramitā, usually translated into English as ‘perfection’

經

jīng

n

scripture, classic, translation of Skt. sūtra

唐

táng

name

Tang dynasty (618–907 ce)

藏

zàng

n

store, storehouse, repository

法師

fǎshī

n

Dharma teacher, Buddhist master

譯

yì

v

to interpret, to translate

觀

guān

v

to observe, to watch, to contemplate

自在

zìzaì

adj/n

free, freedom, at ease, unconstrained,

菩薩

púsà

n

abbreviated transliteration of Skt. bodhisattva

行

xíng

v

to walk, to act, to practice

照

zhào

v

to shine, to reflect, to observe, to examine

16  The Heart Sutra 蘊

yùn

v/n

to accumulate, to heap up, accumulation, heap, translation of Skt. skandha

皆

jiē

adv

all, altogether, used similarly to MSC 都

度

dù

v

to pass, to cross over

厄

è

n

difficulty, adversity, misfortune

舍利子

shèlìzǐ

name

transliteration of Skt. Śāriputra, one of the Buddha’s disciples

色

sè

n

color, appearance, form

異

yì

adj

separate (from), different (from)

即

jí

adv

just, exactly, namely, precisely

亦

yì

conj

also, likewise

復

fù

conj

again, furthermore, and then

如

rú

prep

similar to, such as, like

是

shì

dem

this, these, that, those

For explanation of the abbreviations for word class categories, see Appendix One.

Notes 1

2

3

4

三藏法師: 三藏 ‘three stores’ or ‘three repositories’ translates Skt. tripiṭaka, the three ‘baskets’ of the Buddhist canon (the sutras, the vinaya and the abidharma). Describing a monk as 三藏法師 means that he has mastered the contents of all three baskets. 觀自在菩薩: ‘The Bodhisattva who Contemplates Self Being’. This is a translation of the name of the bodhisattva called Avalokitêśvara in Sanskrit. The exact meaning of 自在 is difficult to translate into English. Literally it means ‘self being’ or ‘self here’, and it is sometimes translated as ‘freedom’, or especially when used in MSC, as ‘comfortable’ or ‘at ease’. However, in Buddhist texts it refers to a mind that is unconditioned, unconstrained, and free from delusion. (A better known Chinese translation of Avalokitêśvara is 觀音菩薩 or 觀世音菩薩 ‘the Bodhisattva who observes/contemplates the sounds [of the world]’). 五蘊 ‘five heaps’: This is a translation of Skt. pañca-skandha, ‘the five skandhas’, which refers to the five aspects that constitute all mental and physical phenomena. Other English translations of skandha include ‘groups’, ‘accumulations’ and ‘aggregates’. See the PDB under skandha. Five different punctuation marks are used in this text. They are。，、；and !. The first of these,。, is used like the English period or full stop. The three marks ，；and ! are used similarly to commas, semi-colons and exclamation marks in English. The remaining mark, 、, is used to separate words in a list. Other punctuation marks that look different from English that we will come across are 「」for single quotation marks and 『』 for double quotation marks (quotes within quotes). However, note that Chinese texts traditionally had no punctuation at all, and it was left to the reader to decide where word, phrase, clause and sentence breaks occurred. In later texts, 。, is the only mark used for all breaks. The use of a range of punctuation marks in the Taisho is very helpful to the reader, and we have retained them in the extracts in this reader. However, Taisho

The Heart Sutra  17

5 6 7

punctuation has been criticized for being inaccurate and inconsistent in places, see Chen and Montoneri (2011), and so it should not be taken for granted that Taisho punctuation is always correct. Although the natural assumption from the text might be that it is Avalokitesvara addressing Sariputra here, some traditional commentaries hold that it is the Buddha himself speaking. 色: This is the first of the five skandhas according to the order in which they are usually listed. It is a translation of Skt. rūpa, normally translated into English as ‘form’. 受, 想, 行, 識: Literally ‘feel, think, act, know/be aware’. These are the other four skandhas (Skt. vedanā, samjñā, samskāra, vijñāna). They are variously translated into English as ‘feelings’ or ‘sensations’ (受); ‘perception’, ‘conceptual thought’ or ‘ideation’ (想); ‘volitional activities’, ‘mental formations’, ‘habits’ or ‘conditioning’ (行); and ‘consciousness’ or ‘awareness’ (識). In these terms for the five skandhas (色, 受, 想, 行, 識) we encounter a common way in which Chinese Buddhist technical terms were created. Existing Chinese words or phrases were ‘technicalized’, i.e. assigned precise meanings within the system of Buddhist thought, meanings which are to varying degrees close to but different from their ‘ordinary’ meanings. Such terms were used to translate technical terms in Buddhist Sanskrit, or whatever related source language the original text was written (or spoken) in. We will come across very many examples of this in later extracts. If one comes across words or phrases one suspects might have a specialized technical meaning, a good first place to check is the online Digital Dictionary of Buddhism (henceforth DDB) at www.buddhism-dict.net. See the Orientation chapter, section 6 for a discussion of other useful reference works.

EXTRACT TWO In this extract, the sutra goes on to state that all phenomena, including the basic concepts of the Buddha’s teaching itself, also ultimately do not exist. 舍利子！是諸法空相，不生不滅，不垢不淨，不增不減。是故，空中無色，無受、 想、行、識；無眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意；無色、聲、香、味、觸、法；無眼界， 乃至無意識界；無無明亦無無明盡，乃至無老死亦無老死盡；無苦、集、滅、道； 無智，亦無得。

Glossed Text 舍利子！是1諸法2空相， shèlìzǐ shì zhū fǎ kōng xiàng Śāriputra be all dharma empty characteristic 不生不滅，不垢不淨，不增不減。 bù shēng bú miè bú gòu bú jìng bù zēng bù jiǎn not born not cease not dirty not clean not increase not decrease 是故，空中無3色，無受、想、行、識； shìgù kōng zhōng wú sè wú shòu xiǎng xíng shí because-of-this empty in lack form lack feel lack think lack act lack aware

18  The Heart Sutra 無眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意4； wú yǎn ěr bí shé shēn yì lack eye ear nose tongue body mind 無色、聲、香、味、觸、法； wú sè shēng xiāng wèi chù fǎ lack form sound smell taste contact dharma 無眼界，乃至無意識界5； wú yǎn jiè nǎizhì wú yì shí jiè lack eye element up-to lack mind aware element 無無明亦無無明盡， wú wúmíng yì wú wúmíng jìn lack ignorance also lack ignorance exhaust 乃至無老死亦無老死盡6； nǎizhì wú lǎo sǐ yì wú lǎo sǐ jìn up-to lack old die also lack old die exhaust 無苦、集、滅、道7；無智8，亦無得9。 wú kǔ jí miè dào wú zhì yì wú dé lack suffering accumulate cease way lack know also lack get

Vocabulary 諸

zhū

dem

the class of, all the, all (unlike the adverb 皆, 諸 modifies the noun)

法

fǎ

n

(Buddhist) doctrine, phenomenon, mind object, translation of Skt. dharma

相

xiàng

n

characteristic, attribute, feature, mark

生

shēng

v

to arise, to be born, to come into existence

滅

miè

v

to cease, to annihilate, to extinguish

垢

gòu

n/adj

dirt, filth, dirty, filthy

淨

jìng

adj/v

pure, to purify

是故

shìgù

conj

because of this, thus

意

yì

n

thought, the mind, translation of Skt. manas

觸

chù

v/n

to contact, to touch, contact, touch

界

jiè

n

boundary, division, element, translation of Skt. dhatu

無明

wúmíng

n

blind, lacking understanding or knowledge, ignorance, translation of Skt. avidyā

乃至

nǎizhì

conj

then up to, up to and including

The Heart Sutra  19 集

jí

v

to collect, to gather, to accumulate

智

zhì

v/n

to know, to understand, insight, understanding, wisdom, translation of Skt. jñāna

Notes 1

2

3 4

5

6

In some texts, 是 functions similarly to 是 in MSC, i.e. as a linking verb like English ‘to be’, ‘is’ etc. It also sometimes functions like 是 in Wenyan, i.e. as a demonstrative, ‘this’, ‘that’, ‘these, ‘those’. In some texts, it is used for both functions. Here it seems to be functioning simply to emphasize what follows and could be glossed as ‘it is the case that’ or ‘this is’. However, most translations render 是諸法空相 simply as ‘all dharmas are empty’ or ‘all dharmas have the characteristic of emptiness’. Like its Sanskrit equivalent, dharma, 法 has a wide range of related meanings. In its first occurrence in this extract it refers to phenomena in general. In the second occurrence it refers to objects of the mind (see note 4). It can also refer to (Buddhist) teachings or doctrine. 無 in Wenyan is the negative of 有, like 沒 (有) in MSC. 意 ‘thought’ or ‘mind’ is regarded as one of the faculties or sense bases. It senses dharmas (法), which here refer to phenomena that arise in the mind, just as the eye senses forms or appearances (色), the ear senses sounds (聲), the nose senses smells (香), the tongue senses tastes (味), and the body senses contact (觸), i.e. tactile impressions. 無眼界，乃至無意識界: ‘There is no eye element, up to and including there is no mind awareness element’: 界 refers to the eighteen elements (Skt. dhātu) that constitute perception, i.e. the six sense bases and the six sense objects just mentioned, as well as the corresponding six types of awareness or consciousness (識). According to this analysis, for perception to take place, all three elements must be present, i.e. a sense base, such as the eye, an object, such as a visual object, and the corresponding awareness, such as visual awareness. The text here assumes that the reader is already familiar with this analysis, and so it gives only the first and last of the eighteen elements, linked by 乃至 ‘up to and including’. 無無明亦無無明盡, 乃至無老死亦無老死盡: In 無明盡 and 老死盡, 盡 is the head which is modified by the two characters that precede it. Although 盡 is basically a verb meaning ‘to use up’, ‘to exhaust’, ‘to come to the end of’, we know that both expressions should be taken as noun phrases (‘the ending of ignorance’ and ‘the ending of aging and dying’) because they are preceded by 無, ‘there is no. . .’, ‘lacks’. Similarly in 無老死, 老 and 死 are both nouns meaning ‘aging and dying’. It is very common in Buddhist texts for such nominalizations to be signaled by the word’s syntactic position in this way. This whole section can therefore be translated as ‘there is no ignorance and there is no ending of ignorance, and so forth up to there is no ageing and death and there is no ending of ageing and death’. This refers to the chain of conditioned arising (緣起 yuánqǐ Skt. pratītya-samutpāda) of which ‘ignorance’ (無明) is the first link, and ‘aging and death’ (老死) are the last link. Again, the text assumes that the reader is familiar with this analysis. For more information on this, see the DDB entry under 十二因緣 and the PDB under pratītyasamutpāda.

20  The Heart Sutra 7

8 9

苦、集、滅、道: These are the Buddhist four noble truths of (i) ‘suffering’, (ii) ‘accumulating [of suffering]’ (more often translated as ‘arising’), (iii) extinguishing [of suffering] and (iv) the way [to the extinguishing of suffering]’). Note that the syntax makes it clear that 苦, 集 and 滅 are to be taken as nouns. 智 is sometimes used as a translation of Skt. prajñā, ‘wisdom’. Here it translates Skt. jñāna ‘knowledge, understanding’. 亦無得: ‘also there is no getting’. In other words, the idea that one does Buddhist practice, or follows the Bodhisattva path in order to attain or gain something is also ultimately an illusion.

EXTRACT THREE In this extract, the sutra says that based on this perfection of wisdom, bodhisattvas finally reach Nirvana and the buddhas of all ages attain supreme, perfect enlightenment. It then gives the perfection of wisdom mantra. 以無所得故，菩提薩埵依般若波羅蜜多故，心無罣礙；無罣礙故，無有恐怖，遠離 顛倒夢想，究竟涅槃。三世諸佛依般若波羅蜜多故，得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。故知 般若波羅蜜多，是大神咒，是大明咒，是無上咒，是無等等咒，能除一切苦, 真實不 虛，故說般若波羅蜜多咒。即說咒曰：揭帝 揭帝般羅揭帝 般羅僧揭帝菩提薩婆訶。

Glossed Text 以無所得1故2， yǐ wú suǒ dé gù with lack that-which get cause 菩提薩埵依般若波羅蜜多故3， pútísàduò yī bōrě bōluómìduō gù bodhisattva rely-on prajñā pāramitā because 心無罣礙；無罣礙故，無有恐怖， xīn wú guà’ài; wú guà’ài gù wú yǒu kòngbù heart lack obstruction lack obstruction because lack have fear 遠離顛倒夢想4，究竟涅槃5。 yuǎn lí diāndǎo mèng xiǎng, jiūjìng nièpán far leave upside-down dream think ultimately nirvana 三世6諸佛依般若波羅蜜多故， sān shì zhū fó yī bōrě bōluómìduō gù, three time all Buddha rely-on prajñā pāramitā because 得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提7。 dé ānòuduōluó sānmiǎosānpútí. get anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi

The Heart Sutra  21 故知般若波羅蜜多，是大神咒， gù zhī bōrě bōluómìduō, shì dà shén zhòu, therefore know prajñā pāramitā be great spiritual mantra 是大明咒，是無上咒，是無等等8咒， shì dà míng zhòu, shì wúshàng zhòu, shì wú-děng děng zhòu be great bright mantra be unsurpassed mantra be unequalled equal mantra 能除一切苦, 真實不虛9， néng chú yìqiè kǔ, zhēn shí bù xū can remove all suffering true real not empty 故說般若波羅蜜多咒。即說咒曰10： gù shuō bōrě bōluómì duō zhòu. jí shuō zhòu yūe therefore say prajñā pāramitā mantra immediately say mantra say 揭帝 揭帝般羅揭帝般羅僧揭帝菩提薩婆訶11。 jiēdì jiēdì bōluójiēdì bōluósēngjiēdì pǔtí sàpóhē gate gate pāragate pārasangate bodhi svāhā

Vocabulary 以

yǐ

prep

by means of, with (instrumental), by

故

gù

n/conj

reason, cause, because, therefore

菩提薩埵

pútísàduǒ

n

a transliteration of Skt. bodhisattva, of which 菩薩 (in Extract One) is the abbreviated form

依

yī

v

to rely on, to depend on

罣礙

gùa’ài

n

obstruction, impediment, hindrance

顛倒

diāndǎo

adj

upside down, topsy-turvy

究竟

jiūjìng

adv

ultimately, finally

涅槃

nièpán

n

a transliteration of Skt. nirvana

世

shì

n

generation, era, time, world

阿耨多羅三藐三 菩提

ānòuduōluó sānmiǎo n sānpútí

a transliteration of Skt. anuttarasamyak-saṃbodhi ‘supreme, perfect enlightenment’

神

shén

n/adj

god, spirit, divine, spiritual

咒

zhòu

n

mystical incantation, mantra

無上

wúshàng

adj

unsurpassed, best, most

無等

wúděng

adj

without equal, unequalled

除

chú

v

to get rid of, to remove

虛

xū

adj

empty, void, vacuous

22  The Heart Sutra 即

jí

adv

immediately, whereupon (see also use of 即 in Extract One)

曰

yuē

v

to say, introduces a quotation

揭帝揭帝般羅揭帝 jiēdì jiēdì bōluó jiēdì 般羅僧揭帝菩提 boluósēng jiēdì pǔtí 薩婆訶 sapohē

transliteration of the Skt. mantra: gate gate pāragate pārasangate bodhi svāhā

Notes   1 所得: 所 is a relative pronoun that represents the object of the following verb. This phrase can therefore be translated literally as ‘that which is got’. 無所得 therefore means ‘there is nothing to be attained’, i.e. the same point as made at the end of extract two.   2 以 X 故: Literally ‘with X as the cause’, i.e. ‘because of X’.   3 菩提薩埵依般若波羅蜜多故: ‘because bodhisattvas rely on the perfection of wisdom (prajñā-pāramitā)’. 故, ‘reason, cause’, often occurs at the end of a phrase (without a preceding 以) meaning ‘because [of whatever precedes it]’, as here and its next two occurrences. 故 can also occur at the beginning of a phrase meaning ‘therefore’, ‘for this reason’, as in line 3 of this extract. In fact, as texts traditionally had no punctuation, it is sometimes hard to be sure which function of 故 we are dealing with. Here, as in the other extracts, we have followed the punctuation of Taisho.   4 遠離顛倒夢想: i.e. they are far removed from (遠離) confused (顛倒, literally ‘upside down’), dream-like thinking (夢想).   5 究竟涅槃 ‘[and] ultimately nirvana’. Note that there is no verb here. In fact, it is hard to think what verb could go here, as from the view of emptiness there is nothing to ‘get’ or ‘attain’.   6 三世 ‘the three times’: i.e. the past, the present and the future.  7 阿耨多羅三藐三菩提 anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi: We have already noted how technical terms were created by ‘technicalizing’ existing Chinese words such as 色 and 受. Another way was to transliterate the sounds of the original terms into Chinese characters, as is done here. We have already encountered other examples of this, such as 涅槃 (nirvāṇa), 般若 (prajñā), 波羅蜜多 (pāramitā) and 菩提薩埵 (bodhisattva). Of course, when pronounced according to Putonghua pronunciation, the sounds will often be very different from the variety of Middle Chinese pronunciation at the time the terms were originally transliterated. To get some idea of the original pronunciations, refer to the Middle Chinese reconstructed pronunciations in Kroll. Sometimes the same term will be transliterated in one context and translated according to its meaning in another. For example, anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi is also sometimes translated as 無上正等正覺, literally ‘unsurpassed (anuttara), right equality (samyak), right awakening (saṃbodhi)’.   8 無等等: ‘equal to the unequalled’, i.e. of a level that is unequalled.   9 虛: Both 虛 and 空 can be translated as ‘empty’. However, 虛 often has negative connotations such as vacuous, void or unreal. 空, on the other hand, normally has the positive connotation of empty, of intrinsic or of independent existence, yet potentially productive of everything and anything. 10 說 means ‘to explain’ or ‘to speak’. 曰, ‘say’, is normally used to introduce a quotation, a record of what someone says, or in this case what they are advised to say.

The Heart Sutra  23 11 揭帝揭帝般羅揭帝般羅僧揭帝菩提薩婆訶: Various translations of the Sanskrit of this mantra have been attempted. However, the traditional belief is that the power of a mantra lies in its sound, not in its meaning.

Further reading There are many available translations into English of the Heart Sutra, and it can be useful to compare several of them. Red Pine’s (2004) translation and commentary is based on both Xuánzàng’s Chinese text and on a Sanskrit version of the text. The introduction has a lot of useful background information, and the commentary includes translated extracts from Chinese commentaries, mainly of the Tang and Ming dynasties. There is also a modern commentary by the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua, which consists of a verse commentary on the text of the sutra and transcribed lectures on the text and the verses. A translation of this into English can be found in Hsuan (2003). An invaluable recent work is Tanahashi (2016), which in addition to a new and original translation has chapters on the history of the sutra and how it has been regarded over the ages, as well as close analyses of Sanskrit, Chinese and English versions of the text. For more on the Prajnaparamita sutras in general, see the PDB under prajñā-pāramitā. Edward Conze (2000), although a reprint of work done many years earlier, is still an invaluable survey of this vast literature.

References Chen, Shu-Fen and Montoneri, Bernard. “A Study of Some Punctuation Errors Found in the Taisho and CBETA Diamond Sutra Based on Sanskrit-Chinese Comparative Studies.” Proceedings of the 3rd North American Conference on Chinese Linguistics, Vol. 2, Eugene, 2011, 279–295. Conze, Edward. Prajnaparamita Literature. Munshiram Manoharlal, 2000. Hsuan Hua. Heart of the Prajna Paramita Sutra, with Verses Without a Stand and Prose Commentary. Buddhist Text Translation Society, 2003. Red Pine. The Heart Sutra: The Womb of the Buddhas. Counterpoint Press, 2004. Tanahashi, Kazuaki. The Heart Sutra: A Comprehensive Guide to the Classic of Mahayana Buddhism. Shambala, 2016.

Unit Two  Selections from the Agamas

Āgama is a Sanskrit word that refers to collections of sutras or discourses (經) that represent some of the earliest Buddhist teachings. The Chinese Agamas (阿含經 āhánjīng) are translations from texts in Sanskrit or a related Prakrit. Most of the original texts from which the translations were made are no longer extant. However, most texts in the Chinese Agamas closely parallel texts in the Nikayas, preserved in the Pali language, and scholars often compare the Chinese Agamas with the Pali Nikayas in attempts to discover what the early schools of Buddhism had in common (see Anālayo, 2011). The Agamas/Nikayas can be considered foundation texts for all schools of Buddhism. EXTRACT ONE This extract is from a sutra called the Sutra on the Analysis of the Noble Truths (分別聖諦 fēnbié shèngdì), which comes from the Madhyama Agama (中阿含經; T01:026), or Middle-Length Collection of Sutras. The translation of the Madhyama Agama from which it comes is attributed to 東晉罽賓三藏瞿曇僧伽提婆, ‘the Tripitaka Sanghadeva (三藏僧伽 提婆 sānzàng sēnggādīpó) Gautama (瞿曇 qútán) [from] Kashmir (罽賓 jìbīn) [during] the Eastern Jin (東晉 dōngjìn) [317–420]’. However, according to a preface to the Madhyama Agama written by the monk Dàocí (道慈), the translation was produced by a team of two Indian monks and three Chinese Buddhists. One Indian monk read out the text from a manuscript, Sanghadeva translated it orally into Chinese, Daoci wrote it down and the two others prepared the final version. For more details on the translation see Bingenheimer, Anālayo and Bucknell (2013, xxii–xxiii). In this extract, the Buddha, having addressed the monks, has just left, leaving Sariputra to give an analysis of the ‘Four Noble Truths’ (四聖諦), starting with the truth of suffering (苦諦). 於是，尊者舍梨子告諸比丘：「諸賢！世尊為我等出世，謂為他廣教、廣示此四聖 諦，分別、發露、開仰、施設、顯現、趣向。云何為四？謂苦聖諦，苦集、苦滅、 苦滅道聖諦。諸賢！云何苦聖諦？謂生苦、老苦、病苦、死苦、怨憎會苦、愛別離 苦、所求不得苦、略五盛陰苦」

Glossed Text 於是1，尊者2舍梨子3告諸比丘： yú shì zūnzhě shèlìzǐ gào zhú bǐqiū at this honored-one Śāriputra tell all monk 「諸4賢！世尊5為我等6出世， zhū xián shìzūn wèi wǒděng chū shì all worthy-one world-honored-one for us come-out world

Selections from the Agamas  25 7

8

9

謂 為 他廣教、廣示此四聖諦 ， wèi wèi tā guǎng jiào guǎng shì cǐ sì shèng dí refer-to for other broadly teach broadly show this four holy truth 分別、發露、開仰、 fēn bié fā lòu kāi yǎng divide separate issue reveal open look-up 施設、顯現、趣向10。 shī shè xiǎn xiàn qùxiàng use establish show appear hasten-to go-towards 云何11為四？ yún hé wéi sì say what be four 謂苦聖諦，苦集、苦滅12、 wèi kǔ shèng dí kǔ jí kǔ miè refer-to suffering holy truth suffering accumulate suffering extinguish 苦滅道聖諦。 kǔ miè dào shèng dí suffering extinguish path holy truth 諸賢！云何苦聖諦？ zhū xián yún hé kǔ shèng dí all worthy-one say what suffering holy truth 謂生苦、老苦、病苦、死苦、 wèi shēng kǔ lǎo kǔ bing kǔ sǐ kǔ refer-to born suffering old suffering sick suffering die suffering 怨憎13會苦、愛別離苦、 yuàn-zēng huì kǔ, ài bié lí kǔ, hate associate-with suffering love separate-from suffering 所求不得苦、略五盛陰14 苦15。」 suǒ qiú bù dé kǔ, lüè wǔ shèng yīn kǔ that-which seek not get suffering in-general five flourishing dark suffering

Vocabulary 於

yú

prep

to, in, on, at, from, by (the precise nature of the relationship expressed by this preposition depends on context)

尊

zūn

v/adj

to respect, to honor, honorable

告

gào

v

to announce, to report, to inform

比丘

bǐqiū

n

transliteration of Skt. bhikṣu, Buddhist monk

賢

xián

adj

worthy, esteemed (ones), revered (ones)

為

wèi

prep

for, on behalf of, for the sake of, on account of

26  Selections from the Agamas 等

děng

suff

and others, plural marker

他

tā

pro

other, the other, others, another

示

shì

v

to show, to reveal, to display

聖

shèng

n/adj

sage, sacred, holy, translation of Skt. ārya ‘noble’, ‘superior’

諦

dì

v/n

to examine carefully, truth, axiom

露

lòu

v

to expose, to reveal

仰

yǎng

v

to look up, to look up to, to admire

施

shī

v

to use, to apply, to carry out

趣

qù

v/n

to hasten to, inclination, destination

向

xiàng

v

to turn towards, to incline towards

云

yún

v

to say, to mean, introduces reported speech

何

hé

interr

what, why, where, how

怨

yuàn

n/v

enmity, hatred, resentment, to hate, to resent

求

qiú

v

to seek, to look for

盛

shèng

adj/v

thriving, flourishing, to thrive, to flourish

陰

yīn

adj/n

shady, dark, secret, translation of Skt. skandha

Notes   1 於是: ‘at this’, ‘thereupon’, i.e. after the departure of the Buddha.   2 尊者: 者 is a marker of nominalization, i.e. it forms a noun phrase with what precedes it. Often, but not always, it means ‘a person (or persons) who . . .’ 尊者 therefore means ‘those who are (to be) respected’, ‘honored ones’, and is a respectful way of addressing monks.   3 Note that 梨 (lí) is used in this for text transcribing part of Sariputra’s name rather than 利 (as in the 心經).   4 諸 is basically a demonstrative referring to all of a class or category. Often it can be translated as ‘all’ or ‘all the’. However, its meaning is also often weakened to simply indicate plurality.   5 世尊 means ‘the world honored one’ and is a respectful form of address for the Buddha. Note that the nominalizing suffix 者 is dropped in this context. We will often find that such functional words are omitted when the meaning is clear.   6 等 is a plural marker. It occurs after the noun as a suffix, similarly to MSC 們.  7 謂, literally ‘to say’, ‘to refer to’, ‘to speak of’, is often used to introduce an explanation or elucidation of what precedes it. It can often be translated with phrases like ‘that is to say’, ‘this refers to’, ‘this means’.   8 Note that 為 ‘for (the benefit of)’ is here pronounced wèi. In other contexts, it is used as a linking verb (‘to be’, ‘is’, ‘are’, ‘was’, ‘were’ etc.) and pronounced wéi.

Selections from the Agamas  27   9 四聖諦 is a translation of the Skt. catvāri ārya satya, usually rendered into English as ‘the Four Noble Truths’. See the PDB for details. 10 分別、發露、開仰、施設、顯現、趣向: Understanding this part of the text presents difficulties that are often encountered when reading Buddhist texts. The punctuation following the Taisho edition indicates that it should be taken as a list of two-character expressions. However, this does not necessarily mean that each pair of characters should be understood as a compound representing one concept translatable by a single word in English. It is also important to be on the lookout for ‘false friends’, i.e. compounds that are used in MSC but that may not be compounds, or may have different meanings in Wenyan or BC. If we have any doubt, we need to check such items in reference works and, at the same time, think carefully about which senses seem to best fit the context. For example: •

•

•

•

• •

分別 ‘to divide and separate’, is a compound in the modern language meaning ‘to part’, ‘to distinguish’ or ‘separately’, but these meanings do not seem to quite fit here. The 古代漢語詞典 (see Orientation 6ii) gives the first meaning of 分別 as 分 析 ‘to analyze’, which seems to fit better. This is also one of the meanings given for this compound in Kroll. Finally, checking the DDB confirms that the compound 分 別 is used in this sense in Buddhist texts. 發露, ‘to issue and to reveal’, is not a compound used in MSC. However, it is listed in the HDC with the meanings of 顯示 ‘show’ and 揭露 ‘expose’. Also, in the DDB 發露 is listed with the basic meaning of ‘to disclose’ and with ‘reveal in teaching’ as one of its senses, which seems to fit well here. 開仰: Such a compound is not listed in the HDC, nor in Kroll, nor in the 古代漢 語詞典, nor in the DDB. It could be literally translated as ‘to open and to look up’, but this does not make much sense in this context. However, as 開 can also mean ‘to start’ or ‘to begin’, and 仰 can also mean ‘to look up to’ or ‘to admire’, a more contextually appropriate interpretation might be ‘begin or initiate looking up to or revering (the Four Noble Truths)’. 施設 ‘to use and to establish’ is not a compound in MSC. However, in the HDC, we do find an entry for 施設, and its first meaning is given as 實施, 實行 ‘to put into effect, put into practice’ with a number of citations from literary texts. This would seem to be a possible meaning in this context. However, 施設 is also listed in the DDB and its basic meaning is given as ‘to postulate’, with ‘preaching’ as one of its senses, which would seem to fit even better in the context of the Buddha teaching about the Four Noble Truths. 顯現 ‘to show and to appear’ is a compound meaning ‘to appear’ in MSC, which doesn’t seem to fit here. However, in the DDB senses given of 顯現 include ‘to express’, ‘to reveal’, ‘to show’ and ‘to declare’, which fit the context much better. 趣向 ‘to hasten to and to go towards’ is not a compound in MSC. However, in the HDC one meaning of 趣向 is given as 趨向 ‘to tend towards’. Similarly, in the DDB, meanings of 趣向 are given as ‘to face one’s goal’ and ‘to go towards’. However, interpreting 趣向 as ‘(the Buddha) went towards or inclined towards the four Noble Truths’ makes little sense in this context. It seems much more likely that it refers to the Buddha through his teaching inclining or encouraging others in the direction of understanding and putting into practice the four Noble Truths. Taking account of all the above, 分別．發露．開仰．施設．顯現．趣向 can be understood as something like: ‘analyzing (the Four Noble Truths), revealing them,

28  Selections from the Agamas initiating reverence for them, postulating them, declaring them and encouraging (understanding and practice of) them’. Note that William Chu in Bingenheimer, Anālayo and Bucknell (2013) translates this passage as ‘analyzed them, revealed, exhibited, described, and announced them’. 11 云何 ‘say what?’: This is a common rhetorical device for introducing an extended explanation of terms or concepts that have been introduced. It can usually be translated by a clause such as ‘what is meant by x?’ ‘what does x refer to?’ or in this context, ‘what [are the four]?’ 12 苦集 means ‘[the truth of] the accumulation of suffering’ as opposed to 苦滅 ‘[the truth of] the extinguishing [or destruction] of suffering’. However, it is more usually translated as ‘[the truth of] the arising of suffering’. 13 怨憎: These two near synonyms can be interpreted as a compound meaning ‘to hate’, ‘to dislike’. 14 陰 can mean ‘shady’, ‘dark’, ‘hidden’ or ‘secret’. It can also refer to the feminine principle (as opposed to 陽, the masculine principle). However, here it is used to translate Skt. skandha ‘heaps’, ‘aggregates’ or ‘groups’. This is an early translation for skandha. The term used later by Kumarajiva and Xuanzang is 蘊. See 1.1. 15 生苦 . . . 略五盛陰苦: These six noun phrases consist of the same head noun (苦 ‘suffering’) classified in different ways by modifying words and phrases. It is common in Buddhist texts for classifications to be built up in this way, with no explicit marker of modification such as 的 in the modern language or 之 in the classical language. Often the semantic relationships between classifying elements and the head noun, and among the classifying elements themselves require some familiarity with the subject matter to interpret. The phrases can be translated as ‘the suffering of being born (生)’, ‘the suffering of aging (老)’, ‘the suffering of sickness (病)’, ‘the suffering of dying (死)’, ‘the suffering of associating with (會) [what one] hates (怨憎)’, ‘the suffering of being separated from (別離) [what one] loves (愛)’, ‘the suffering of not getting (不得) that which one seeks (所求)’ and ‘the suffering of the activities (盛) of the five skandhas (五 陰) in general (略)’. These are known as the 八苦 ‘eight sufferings’. EXTRACT TWO This is from the same sutra as Extract One. In this extract, Sariputra further expounds on the last of the four truths, ‘the noble truth of the way of the destruction of suffering’ (苦滅道聖 諦), more often referred to as the Noble Eightfold Path. The path consists of eight factors, each described as ‘right’ or ‘correct’ (正). Sariputra then goes on to elucidate the first factor, that of right perception or right view. 「諸賢！云何苦滅道聖諦？謂正見、正志、正語、正業、正命、正方便、正念、正 定。諸賢！云何正見？謂聖弟子念苦是苦時，集是集、滅是滅，念道是道時，或觀 本所作，或學念諸行，或見諸行災患，或見涅槃止息，或無著念觀善心解脫時，於 中擇、遍擇、次擇，擇法、視、遍視，觀察明達，是名正見。」

Glossed Text 「諸賢！云何苦滅道聖諦？ zhū xián yún hé kǔ miè dào shēng dí all worthy-one say what suffering extinguish path holy truth

Selections from the Agamas  29 謂正見、正志、正語、正業、 wèi zhèng jiàn, zhèng zhì, zhèng yǔ, zhèng yè, refer-to right see right intention right speech right action 正命、正方便1、正念、正定2。 zhèng mìng zhèng fāngbiàn zhèng niàn zhèng dìng right life right appropriate-means right hold-in-mind right stability 諸賢！云何正見？ zhū xían yún hé zhèng jiàn all worthy-one say what right see 謂聖弟子念苦是3苦時， wèi shēng dìzǐ niàn kǔ shì kǔ shí refer-to holy disciple hold-in-mind suffering is suffering when 集是集、滅是滅， jí shì jí miè shì miè accumulation is accumulate extinguish is extinguish 念道是道時，或觀本所作4， niàn dào shì dào shí huò guān běn suǒ zuò hold-in-mind path is path when or observe root that-which do 或學念諸行5，或見諸行災患，或見涅槃止息6， huò xué niàn zhū xíng huò jiàn zhū xíng zāihuàn huò jiàn nièpán zhǐ xī or study hold-in-mind all act or see all act misfortune or see nirvāṇa stop rest 或無著念觀7善心解脫8時，於中擇9、 huò wú zhuó niàn guān shàn xīn jiětuō shí yú zhōng zé or lack attach hold-in-mind observe good heart liberation when at inside choose 遍擇、次擇，擇法10、視、遍視， biàn zé cì zé zé fǎ shì biàn shì widely choose in-sequence choose choose dharma see widely see 觀察明達，是名正見。」 guān chá míngdá shì míng zhèng jiàn observe examine complete-understanding this call right see

Vocabulary 志

zhì

n

aspiration, aim, intention

業

yè

n

action, activity, deed, translation of Skt. karma

命

mìng

n

life, livelihood

方便

fāngbiàn

n

appropriate application, expedient means, skillful means

念

niàn

v

to recollect, to bring to mind, to hold in the mind

30  Selections from the Agamas 定

dìng

v/adj

to establish, to settle, stable, stabilized, translation of Skt. samādhi

弟子

dìzǐ

n

disciple, follower, student

災患

zāihuàn

n

misfortune, disaster, affliction

止

zhǐ

v

to stop, to cease

息

xī

v

to rest, to breathe

善

shàn

adj/adv

good, wholesome, well

解脱

jiětuō

v/n

to free (oneself), freed, released, freedom, liberation

擇

zé

v

to choose, to select

著

zhuó

v

to touch, to attach to, to adhere to

視

shì

v

to look at, to observe

遍

biàn

adj/adv

all encompassing, pervasive, comprehensively, widely

次

cì

adj/adv

next, in order, sequentially

明達

míngdá

n

understanding that reaches all the way, complete understanding, clear insight

Notes   1 方便: This is an unusual term for the sixth aspect of the path. 方便 is normally used to translate Skt. upāya, ‘appropriate, expedient or skillful means’, which is the origin of the modern sense of ‘convenient’. The sixth aspect of the path is Skt. samyag-vīrya, normally translated into English as ‘right effort’. The usual term used for this in Chinese is 正精進, literally ‘right energetic progress’. Later in this text (but not in this extract), in fact, 正方便 is characterized as 有精進方便, ‘having the skillful means for energetic progress’.   2 正見 . . . 正念 . . . 正定: Here we again come across ‘everyday’ words and phrases that are used in precise technical senses in Buddhist texts. •

• •

見 ‘seeing’ here refers to more than just ordinary seeing or perceiving. As is made clear later in the extract, it refers to perception or understanding of how phenomena actually are, resulting from mindful and insightful investigation. 正見 translates Sanskrit Samyag-drsti, usually translated into English as ‘right view’. 念 ‘bringing to mind’, ‘holding in the mind’ translates the Skt. term smṛti, which is often translated into English as ‘mindfulness’ and refers to awareness in contemplating the body, feelings, mind and thoughts. 定 ‘stability, stabilizing’ translates Skt. samādhi and refers to the state of meditative absorption or concentration when the mind is perfectly and unwaveringly focused upon an object.

  3 是: Note that 是 is used in this line similarly to its use in the modern language as a linking verb – ‘suffering is suffering’ ‘accumulation is accumulation’, ‘extinguishing is

Selections from the Agamas  31 extinguishing’ etc. In other words, ‘[when the disciple is mindful of] suffering as suffering, accumulation (or arising [of suffering]) as accumulation etc’. However, in the last clause of this extract, 是 is used in its more usual Wenyan sense of ‘this’, ‘that’ etc.   4 本所作: 本 usually means ‘root’ or ‘origin’, so the phrase could mean ‘[contemplating] the roots of what one does’. However, if this were the meaning, one would expect 本 to be the head of the noun phrase, i.e. 所做[之]本. Kroll gives a meaning of 本 as used in Buddhist texts as ‘former’, ‘previous’. Similarly, in the DDB there is an entry that describes 本 when preceding the verb as a temporal adverb similar to 曾 ceng ‘once’, ‘in the past’. The phrase could therefore simply be translated as ‘[when contemplating] what one has done’.   5 行: Skt. samskara ‘mental formations’, ‘habits’, ‘conditioning’ etc., see 1.1.   6 止息: These two characters could mean ‘to stop and to rest’ or ‘to cease breathing’. Here they are nominalizations modified by 涅槃 and so the phrase could be translated ‘the calm and rest of nirvana’ or ‘the cessation of breathing of nirvana’. Whichever interpretation one takes, they refer to the tranquility and calming of the mind associated with ‘calming meditation’ (Skt. śamatha).  7 無著念觀: 著 ‘to attach to’ refers to attaching to phenomena with one’s mind. 無著 ‘without attaching’ modifies 念觀. 念觀 could be taken as two processes, ‘being mindful of and observing (contemplating)’ or as one process with 念 modifying 觀. The whole phrase could therefore be interpreted as meaning either ‘without attachment being mindful and contemplating’ or ‘without attachment mindfully contemplating’.   8 善心解脫: In traditional Chinese thought, 心 ‘the heart’ is the seat of the mind, hence MSC 心理學 ‘psychology’. 善 ‘good’ implies a mind full of wholesome thoughts. 善心 modifies 解脫, and so the noun phrase can be understood as ‘the liberation of a wholesome mind’.   9 擇: The basic meaning of 擇 is ‘to choose’ or ‘to select’, which does not seem to fit here. However, from the DDB we learn that it can also mean ‘to differentiate, to discriminate’, which fits much better. 10 擇法 ‘discrimate dharma[s]’: This could refer to using discrimination to investigate the teaching, or to investigate phenomena. See 1.2 note 2. The second interpretation seems most likely in this context. EXTRACT THREE This is an extract from the Sutra in which the Buddha explains that the five skandhas are all empty (佛說五蘊皆空經 fóshuō wǔyùn jiē kōng). It comes from the Saṃyukta Agama (雜阿含 zá‘āhán; T02:099), usually referred to as ‘Connected Discourses’. The translator is given as the Tang Tripitaka Dharma Teacher Yìjìng (義淨). Yijing (635–713) was a Chinese monk who traveled to India to study Buddhism, leaving in 671 (i.e. about seven years after the death of Xuanzang) and returning in 695. According to his own account (in 南海寄歸內 法傳 and 大唐西域求法高僧傳), he left by boat from Guangzhou and sailed to Srivijaya (in Sumatra), where he studied Sanskrit. From there he traveled on to India, spending time in the Buddhist university of Nalanda among other places. After his return, he translated more than sixty texts into Chinese. In this extract from the beginning of the Sutra, the Buddha explains that none of the five heaps or skandhas (蘊) is ‘I’ or ‘self’ (我).

32  Selections from the Agamas 佛說五蘊皆空經‑ 大唐三藏法師義淨奉制譯 如是我聞：一時薄伽梵，在婆羅痆斯仙人墮處施鹿林中。爾時世尊，告五苾芻曰： 「汝等當知，色不是我，若是我者，色不應病及受苦惱。『我欲如是色，我不欲如 是色。』既不如是，隨情所欲，是故當知，色不是我；受想行識，亦復如是。復次 苾芻！於汝意云何？色為是常？為是無常？」白言：「大德！色是無常。」

Glossed Text 佛說五蘊皆空經 fó shuō wǔ yùn jiē kōng jīng Buddha explain five heap all empty sutra 大唐三藏法師義淨奉制譯1 dà táng sānzàng fǎ shī yìjìng fèng zhì yì great Tang tripitaka dharma master Yijing respect command translate 如是我聞2： rú shì wǒ wén like this I hear 一時薄伽梵3，在婆羅痆斯仙人墮處施鹿林4中。 yì shí bóqiéfàn zaì póluóniésī xiānrén duò chù shī lù lín zhōng one time bhagavān be-at Varanasi sage descend place donate deer grove in 爾時世尊3，告五苾芻5曰：「汝等當知， shíěr shìzūn gào wǔ bìchú yuē rúděng dāng zhī at-that-time world-honored-one tell five bhikṣu say you should know 色不是我，若是我者6，色不應病及受苦惱7。 sè bù shì wǒ ruò shì wǒ zhě sè bù yīng bìng jí shoù kǔ nǎo form not is I if is I STRUC form not correspond-to sick and suffering vexation 『我欲如是色我不欲如是色。』 wǒ yù rú shì sè, wǒ bù yù rú shì sè I want like this form I not want like this form 既不如是，隨情所欲8，是故當知， jì bù rú shì suí qíng suǒ yú shìgù dāng zhī since not like this follow feeling that-which want because-of-this should know 色不是我；受想行識，亦復如是。 sè bù shì wǒ shòu xiǎng xíng shì yì fù rú shì form not be I feel think act aware also again like this 復次苾芻！於汝意云何9？色為是常？ fùcì bìchú yú rú yì yún hé sè wéi shì cháng further bhikṣu at you thought say what form like-this permanent

Selections from the Agamas  33 10

為是無常 ？」 wéi shì wú cháng like this this lack permanent 白言：「大德！色是無常。」 báiyán dàdé sè shì wú cháng reply most-virtuous form is lack permanent

Vocabulary 奉

fèng

v

to respectfully offer, to respect, to obey

制

zhì

v/n

to regulate, regulation, imperial command

聞

wén

v

to hear

薄伽梵

bóqiéfàn

n

a transliteration of Skt. bhagavān ‘blessed one’, ‘exalted one’

婆羅痆斯

póluóniésī

name

the city of Varanasi (Benares)

仙人

xiānrén

n

sage, holy man, seer, translation of Skt. rishi

墮

duò

v

to fall, to descend

施

shī

v

to give, to donate

爾時

ěrshí

adv

at that time, then

苾芻

bìchú

n

transliteration of Skt. bhikṣu ‘mendicant’, ‘monk’

汝

rǔ

pro

second person pronoun, you, your

應

yīng

v

to correspond to, to respond to (a situation), to react to

及

jí

v/conj

to reach, together with, and

惱

nǎo

n

vexation, annoyance

欲

yù

v/n

to want, to desire, desire, craving

既

jì

conj

as, since

隨

suí

v/prep

to follow, go along with, according to

情

qíng

n

emotion, feeling, mood

復次

fùcì

adv

further, furthermore

為是...為是

wéishì... wéishì

adv

like this [or] like this?, [is it X] or [Y]?

常

cháng

adj

permanent, unchanging

白言

báiyán

v

to reply

大德

dàdé

n

most virtuous – a respectful form of address

Notes   1 制譯 implies that the translation has been carried out by imperial command, on the orders of the emperor.   2 如是我聞: ‘Thus have I heard’. This is the standard way of beginning a 經. According to tradition, Venerable Ananda, the Buddha’s cousin, was responsible for reciting the sutras

34  Selections from the Agamas at the First Council after the Buddha’s nirvana. Therefore each sutra begins with this phrase, which is Ananda confirming that he had heard the Buddha give that particular sutra.   3 薄伽梵, 世尊: Note that both these expressions mean the same (Skt. bhagavan) and refer to the Buddha. It is not uncommon to find both a transliteration and a translation of the same term in the same text.   4 仙人墮處施鹿林: ‘The donated deer grove in the place where the sages descended’. This refers to the Deer Park at Isipatana near Varanasi, where the Buddha gave his first teaching after becoming enlightened or awakened.   5 五苾芻 ‘five bhikṣus’: These are the five mendicants who had earlier practiced extreme asceticism with Śākyamuni. After his awakening or enlightenment (thus becoming the Buddha), these five were the first to receive his teachings and they became his first disciples.   6 若是我者: We have already come across 者 as a marker of nominalization. However, it is often also used, as here, to mark what is called in grammar a topic. In other words, the clause 若是我者 ‘if it were “I” (or the self)’ is presented as a topic on which what follows comments. In Chinese, as in English, the topic comes first in a clause or sentence.  7 苦惱 could be interpreted as ‘suffering and vexation’ or, taking 苦 as modifying 惱, ‘the vexation of suffering’.   8 隨情所欲: ‘that-which (所) one wishes (欲) according to one’s feelings (隨情)’, i.e. if one’s form were truly ‘I’ or ‘self’, one would be able to make it be however one wished it to be.   9 於汝意云何: ‘in your mind/thought says what’, i.e. ‘What do you think?’ 10 無常: ‘lacking permanence’ (the 無 indicates that 常 should be interpreted as a noun), i.e. ‘impermanence’. 無常 (Skt. anitya) ‘impermanence’ is the first of the three marks of existence, see the PDB under anitya.

Further reading For a translation of the 分別聖諦經, from which the first two extracts are taken, see Bingenheimer, Anālyo and Bucknell (2013, 235). For a translation of a parallel text in the Nikayas, see Bhikku Bodhi’s translation of the Saccavibhanga-Sutta in Ñāṇamoli and Bodhi (1995, 1097ff). For further exploration of the relationship between the Agamas and the Nikayas see Anālayo (2011). For explanations of the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path and the Five Skandhas see the PDB under four noble truths, aryastangikamarga and skandha, Rahula (1959) or almost any introduction to Buddhism.

References Anālayo. A Comparative Study of the Majjhima-nikāya. Dharma Drum Publishing Corporation, 2011. Bingenheimer, Marcus, Anālayo, Bhikkhu and Bucknell, Roderick S. (eds.). The Madhyama Āgama (Middle-Length Discourses). Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai, 2013. Ñāṇamoli, Bhikkhu and Bodhi, Bhikkhu. The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha. Wisdom Publications, 1995. Rahula, Walpola. What the Buddha Taught. Gordon Fraser, 1959.

Unit Three The Diamond Sutra

The complete Chinese name of the next sutra we will be investigating is 金剛般若波羅 蜜經 (jīngāng bōrěbōlúomì jīng), which is a translation from the Sanskrit Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra ‘The Vajra Cutter Perfection of Wisdom Sutra’. Most of the time this text is referred to in Chinese by the shorter name 金剛經 (jīngāng jīng), which is where the translation ‘Diamond Sutra’ came from. The title is further explained in the notes to Extract One. The Diamond Sutra has been and still is very important and influential in East Asian Buddhism, especially in China, Japan, Korea, Tibet and Vietnam. Literary references and allusions to this sutra, especially to the verses, appear in many forms of literature, paintings and even modern movies. The Sixth Patriarch, whose sutra we will be investigating in Unit Eight, was enlightened when he heard someone reciting this sutra. Further, a copy of the Diamond Sutra is said to be the earliest complete printed book still in existence and is kept in the British Library. Altogether there are six complete Chinese translations of this sutra in the Taisho. The translation (T08:235) we shall be using was completed in 401 ce by the Central Asian scholar and monk Kumārajīva (鳩摩羅什 jīumóluóshí; 344–413). He came from the Kingdom of Kucha and arrived in Chang’an in 401 during the Sixteen Kingdoms era. His translations are known for their clarity and fluency, and for prioritizing communication of the meanings of the texts rather than for precise, literal renderings. According to tradition, this sutra was spoken by the Buddha in the city of Śrāvastī in the Jeta Grove in the Garden of Anāthapiṇḍika. The Jeta Grove belonged to King Prasenajit’s (c. sixth century bce) son, Prince Jeta, who gave the trees as a gift to the Buddha. Anāthapiṇḍika was a wealthy elder who bought the garden from the prince and gave it as a gift to the Buddha and his disciples. EXTRACT ONE This extract begins the second section of the Diamond Sutra where Subhūti, the one receiving instruction in this sutra, asks the Buddha a question in a very formal and traditional Indian manner. 金剛般若波羅蜜經 善現啟請分第二 時長老須菩提在大眾中，即從座起，偏袒右肩，右膝著地，合掌恭敬而白佛言：「 希有世尊。如來善護念諸菩薩，善付囑諸菩薩。世尊、善男子、善女人，發阿耨多 羅三藐三菩提心云何應住？云何降伏其心？

36  The Diamond Sutra

Glossed Text 金剛1般若波羅蜜經 jīngāng bōrě bōlúomì jīng vajra prajñā pāramitā sūtra 善現啟請分2第二 shànxiàn qǐ qǐng fēn dìèr Subhūti start request section second 時長老3須菩提4在大眾中5，即從座起， shí zhǎnglǎo xūpútí zài dà zhòng zhōng jí cóng zuò qǐ at-that-time elder Subhūti be-at great assembly in whereupon from seat rise 偏袒右肩6，右膝著地，合掌恭敬7 piāntǎn yòu jiān yòu xī zháo dì hé zhǎng gōngjìng uncover right shoulder right knee place ground together palm respect 而8白佛言：「希有9世尊。 ér bái fó yán xī yǒu shìzūn and reply Buddhha say rare exist world-honored-one 如來10善護念諸菩薩11， rúlái shàn hù niàn zhū púsa thus-come good protect hold-in-mind all bodhisattva 善付囑12諸菩薩。世尊、善男子、善女人13， shàn fù zhǔ zhū pú sa shì zūn shàn nánzǐ shàn nǚrén good pass-to entrust-to all bodhisattva world-honored-one good man good woman 發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心14， fā ānòuduōluó sānmiǎo sānpútí xīn bring-forth anuttara samyak saṃbodhi heart 云何應住15？云何降伏其心16？」 yún hé yīng zhù yún hé xiángfú qí xīn say what should dwell say what tame one’s heart

Vocabulary 金剛

jīngāng

adj/n

adamantine, diamond-like, translation of Skt. vajra ‘thunderbolt’

波羅蜜

bōluómì 

n

a variation of 波羅蜜多, Skt. pāramitā

善現

shànxiàn

name

translation of the name of Subhūti ‘good existence’, the one the Buddha speaks to in this sutra

The Diamond Sutra  37 啟

qǐ 

v

to open, to start

時

shí 

adv

a variation of 爾時 ‘[at] that time’, ‘then’

長老

zhǎnglǎo

n/adj

elder, venerable

須菩提

xūpútí

name

transliteration of Skt. Subhūti

大眾

dàzhòng

n

the great assembly, the gathered followers of the Buddha

偏袒

piāntǎn

v

to uncover, to bare on one side

肩

jiān

n

shoulder

膝 

xī 

n

knee

著

zháo

v

an alternate form of the character 着 ‘to place’, ‘to put’

合

hé

v

to join, to bring together

掌

zhǎng

n

palm of the hand

恭敬

gōngjìng

v

to respect, to revere

希

xī

adv

rarely, extraordinarily

如來 

rúlái 

n

translation of Skt. tathāgata ‘one who has thus come [or gone]’

護

hù

v

to maintain, to preserve, to protect

付 

fù 

v

to pass to, hand over to, give to

囑

zhǔ

v

to enjoin, to charge, to entrust to

男子

nánzǐ

n

son, man

發

fā 

v

to start, to begin, to bring forth

應 

yīng

aux

should, ought to

住 

zhù

v

to dwell, to live, to abide

降伏 

xiángfú 

v

to defeat, to control, to master, to tame

其 

qí 

pro

his, her, its, one’s, their (possessive pronoun)

Notes   1 金剛 is a metaphor used to describe the indestructible wisdom possessed by the Buddha. According to the Vedic tradition, a vajra is a thunderbolt from the God Indra. In this sutra, vajra is described as an indestructible substance like diamond having three qualities: solidity, luminosity and sharpness.   2 分第二: The Chinese translation was divided into thirty-two sections by Prince Zhāomíng (昭明, 501–531 ce), one of the sons of the famous Buddhist patron Emperor Wǔ (武帝, 344–413 ce) of the Liáng (梁) dynasty. Sanskrit versions of the sutra do not contain these divisions, but they have been included here because they are found in the Chinese editions of Kumarajiva’s translation.

38  The Diamond Sutra   3 長老: There are three kinds of elders: an elder in both age and precept years, an elder in the internalization of the Dharma, and an elder with blessings and virtue. Subhūti was all three.   4 須菩提：Subhūti is one of the Buddha’s ten most important disciples and is renowned as the one foremost in his understanding of emptiness. For more information about Subhūti, see the PDB under ‘Subhūti’.   5 在大眾中: As in MSC, 在 can sometimes be a preposition, ‘in’, ‘at’, ‘on’ etc., or more often a full verb, ‘to be in, at, on etc.’ This phrase can therefore be translated ‘[Subhuti] was in the midst of the Great Assembly [when he got up from his seat]’ or ‘in the midst of the Great Assembly, [Subhuti got up from his seat]’.   6 偏袒右肩: 偏袒 is the verb and 右肩 the object. This action is a form of respect in India, as is kneeling on one’s right knee. It is very common in the sutras for people to be described as doing this when they wish to address the Buddha.  7 合掌恭敬: As in other traditions, placing one’s palms together and putting them to the breast is a form of respect.   8 而 is a conjunction commonly used in Wenyan to connect two verb phrases or clauses. In the glossed texts 而 will simply be glossed as ‘and’. However, the actual nature of the logical relationship between the two parts connected by 而 has to be inferred from the context. Sometimes, it can be adversative (the ‘but’ relationship), sometimes it can be additive (the ‘and’ relationship). Often the first phrase or clause can be understood as modifying the second clause or phrase in some way. The translation here could therefore either be ‘he placed his palms together in respect and said to the Buddha. . .’ or ‘having placed his palms together, he said to the Buddha. . .’.   9 希有世尊: There are two possible interpretatons here. Subhuti may be beginning the dialogue with this praise of the Buddha, i.e. ‘rare is the world-honored one’. On the other hand, if we ignore the Taisho punctuation, we can interpret 希有 as referring to everything up to the next full stop, i.e. Subhuti is saying that it is rare how the Buddha (addressed as both 世尊 and 如來) has shown such concern etc. for bodhisattvas. 10 如來: This is one of the ten names (十號 shíhào) for all buddhas. The Buddha sometimes uses it to refer to himself, but here Subhuti uses it as a formal way of addressing the Buddha instead of using the pronoun ‘you’. See the PDB under tathāgata. 11 善護念諸菩薩: 善 is here an adverb describing how the Buddha 護念 ‘protects and keeps in mind’ 諸菩薩 ‘all bodhisattvas’. This phrase shows that according to Subhuti, the Buddha is concerned about the bodhisattvas because he protects them. 12 善付囑: 善 is also an adverb here. On first reading it is not clear what the Buddha is said to ‘hand over’ to and ‘entrust to’ all bodhisattvas with. However, the DDB gives the basic meaning of the compound 付囑 as ‘entrustment of the Buddhas with the transmission of the teaching’, which fits well here. In other words, not only does the Buddha show concern, but he further shows that the bodhisattvas are capable by entrusting the Dharma to all of them. 13 善男子、善女人: Here 善 functions as an adjective describing men and women. This expression refers to sincere men and women practitioners. Some say it only refers to the laity, however here it implies all those who wish to earnestly practice. 14 發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心: This phrase consists of the verb 發, the object 心 together with its modifier 阿耨多羅三藐三菩提, i.e. ‘to bring forth the heart/mind of anuttara samyak sambodhi ‘supreme, perfect enlightenment’. 15 云何應住: This is the primary question in this sutra, and all the others link to it. The key character here is 住 which may be translated literally, but it implies more than just

The Diamond Sutra  39 a physical presence in a location. It refers to mental dependence on something for one’s security. 16 云何降伏其心: The second question relates to the Buddhist belief that the mind is the problem and needs to be controlled. The term 降伏 can refer to both the mind and body. EXTRACT TWO This is the beginning of the third section of the sutra and contains Buddha’s instructions based on Subhūti’s questions. 大乘正宗分第三 佛告須菩提：「諸菩薩摩訶薩，應如是降伏其心：所有一切眾生之類若卵生、若胎 生、若濕生、若化生；若有色、若無色；若有想、若無想；若非有想非無想，我皆 令入無餘涅槃而滅度之。如是滅度無量無數無邊眾生，實無眾生得滅度者。何以 故？須菩提！若菩薩有我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相，即非菩薩。」

Glossed Text 大乘正宗分第三1 dàchéng (shèng) zhèngzōng fēn dìsān great-vehicle orthodox-school section third 佛告須菩提：「諸菩薩摩訶薩，應如是降伏其心2： fó gào xūpútí zhū púsa móhēsà yīng rú shì xiáng fú qí xīn Buddha tell Subhūti all bodhisattva mahāsattva should like this tame one’s heart 所有一切眾生3之類4若卵生、若胎生、若濕生、 suǒ yǒu yíqiè zhòng shēng zhī lèi ruò luǎn shēng ruò tāi shēng rùo shī shēng that-which exist all multitude life STRUC kind if womb born if moist born 若化生5；若有色、若無色；若有想、若無想6； ruò huà shēng ruò yǒu sè ruò wú sè ruò yǒu xiǎng ruò wú xiǎng if transform born if have form if lack form if have think if lack think 若非有想非無想7，我皆令入無餘涅槃而滅度之8。 ruò fēi yǒu xiǎng fēi wú xiǎng wǒ jiē lìng rù wúyú nièpán ér mièdù zhī if be-not have think lack think I all cause enter lack-residue nirvāṇa and extinguish them 如是滅度無量無數無邊眾生9， rú shì miè dù wúliàng wúshù wúbiān zhòng shēng like this extinguish immeasurable innumerable limitless multitude life 實無眾生得滅度者10。何以故？須菩提！ shí wú zhòng shēng dé miè dù zhě héyǐgù xūpútí real lack multitude life get extinguish STRUC why Subhūti

40  The Diamond Sutra 若菩薩有我相、人相、 ruò púsa yǒu wǒ xiàng rén xiàng if bodhisattva have I characteristic person characteristic 眾生相、壽者相11，即非菩薩。」 zhòng shēng xiàng shòu zhě xiàng jí fēi púsà multitude life characteristic lifespan STRUC characteristic then is not bodhisattva

Vocabulary 大乘

dàchéng (also dàshèng)

n

translation of Skt. mahā-yāna, ‘Great Vehicle’

正宗

zhèngzōng

adj+n

correct doctrine, orthodox school

摩訶薩

móhēsà

n

transliteration of Skt. mahāsattva, ‘great being’, one of the epithets of a bodhisattva

之

zhī

i. struc

i. (in line 3 of glossed text) marker of modification in a noun phrase (like 的 in MSC);

ii. pro

ii. (in line 5 of glossed text) direct object pronoun ‘him’, ‘her’, ‘it’, ‘them’ etc. 眾

zhòng

n/adj

multitude, throng, all

類

lèi

n

class, kind

若

ruò

conj/prep

if, like, such as

卵

luǎn

n

egg

胎

tāi

n

embryo, the womb

濕

shī

n/adj

moisture, moist

化

huà 

v/n

to transform, metamorphosis, transformation

非

fēi

adv

not, is not (like 不是 in MSC)

令

lìng

v

to command, to cause, to bring about

入

rù

v

to enter

滅度

mièdù

v/n

to extinguish, extinction, to liberate, liberation translation of Skt. nirvāṇa

無量

wúliàng

adj

uncountable, immeasurable

邊

biān

n

border, edge, limit

何以故

héyǐgù

interr

What is the reason? Why?

Notes   1 大乘正宗分第三: As the title indicates, this section discusses the Great Vehicle’s orthodox doctrine.   2 應如是降伏其心: This refers to the second of Subhuti’s questions (found in Extract One). The Buddha’s answer does not address Subhuti’s first question 云何應住.

The Diamond Sutra  41   3 眾生 ‘multitude of lives’: This is a translation of Skt. sattva ‘living beings’, usually translated into English as ‘sentient beings’, which is the translation we shall use from now on in the glossed texts.   4 所有一切眾生之類: As in MSC, in Wenyan all modifiers are normally placed before the words they modify, and modifiers may nest within modifiers. Here we can interpret 所有一切眾生 as modifying the head noun 類, and 所有一切 as modifying 眾生, i.e. ‘categories of all sentient beings’. Alternatively, we can interpret 所有一切 and 眾生 as both modifying 類, i.e. ‘all categories of sentient beings’. The essential meaning is of course the same in either case. Both 所有 and 一切 mean ‘all’. They are combined here to add emphasis.   5 若卵生、若胎生、若濕生、若化生: When used in a list like this, 若 sets off each item. The first 若 can be translated as ‘such as’, and the following 若 could be translated simply as ‘and’. These first four categories divide beings according to the ways they are born. In the Shurangama Sutra (see Hsuan, 2017), these four modes of birth are said to involve thought, emotion, union and separation. They are explained as follows. • • • •

‘Thought produces beings born from eggs’. A hen broods over her eggs from morning until night and this brooding eventually results in the birth of her chicks. ‘Emotion produces beings born from wombs’. First there is emotional love between a male and a female. Then the sexual intercourse from this love brings about the fetus in the womb. ‘Union produces beings born from moisture’. This refers to a union of moisture and soil or other substances. These kinds of beings include insects, worms and so forth. ‘Separation produces beings born by metamorphosis’. This refers to when a living being goes through some kind of transformation, becoming bigger or smaller, or changing form, for example when a tadpole changes into a frog, or a caterpillar changes into a butterfly.

  6 若有色、若無色；若有想、若無想: Here beings are categorized according to whether they have form or are formless, and whether they have thought (or ‘perception’, see 1.1) or do not have thought. Beings with form can been seen and are born in the 色界 ‘form realm’. Those without form cannot be seen and are born in the 無色界 ‘formless realm’. For more on the different realms of beings see the PDB under avocara.  7 若非有想非無想 ‘such as not having thought [and] not lacking thought’: There are two possible interpretations here. One interpretation is to take this as one final category of beings, those who neither have thought nor do not lack thought. It is quite common in Buddhist texts to characterize phenomena in this way, namely (i) X, (ii) not X, and (iii) neither X nor not X. In addition, there is elsewhere said to be a 非有想非無想天 ‘a heaven where there is neither thinking nor not thinking’, which is the highest heaven in the formless realm. However, some interpret this as referring to two categories, with ellipsis of 若 between them, i.e. ‘such as those beings who are not with thought and those beings who are not without thought’. Hsuan Hua’s (see Further Reading) translation is ‘beings not totally with thought and not totally without thought’.   8 我皆令入無餘涅槃而滅度之: This sentence is divided into two clauses by the conjunction 而 (see note 8 after Extract One in this unit). 令 makes the first clause a causative ‘I cause [someone] to enter’. The object of 令 is not stated, but is clearly the categories of beings previously listed, which are referred to by the adverb 皆 ‘all’. 無餘涅槃 means ‘Nirvana without residue’ or ‘Nirvana without remainder’, and is ultimate Nirvana. 滅 度 is often used as a translation for the noun Nirvana. However, as it is here followed

42  The Diamond Sutra by the object pronoun 之 (referring back to the various categories of beings) it is clearly being used as a verb in the causative sense of ‘to cause [them] to pass into extinction’, ‘to cross [them] into Nirvana’, ‘to liberate [them]’. For more on this, see the PDB under nirvāṇa.   9 無量無數無邊 ‘immeasurable, numberless, limitless’: Buddhist texts often use such descriptors to express how time, space and living beings are endless. 10 實無眾生得滅度者: 實 (literally ‘real[ity]’, ‘fact’, ‘solid’) here functions as an adjunct (adverbial) meaning ‘in fact’, ‘actually’ or ‘in reality’. 者 nominalizes what precedes it, which here includes 無眾生得滅度. Therefore the whole phrase could be translated ‘in reality there is no being who has attained extinction’. 11 我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相: These four 相 are often translated as the ‘four marks’ or ‘four characteristics’ and refer to four phenomena to which bodhisattvas could be attached. The first one is the mark of ‘self’. The second one is the mark of ‘persons’ (often translated as ‘others’ as opposed to ‘self’). The third one is a mark of ‘living beings’ and the last one is the mark of one’s ‘lifespan’. These four are mentioned several times in the sutra and must be gotten rid of for a bodhisattva to make progress. For more on the range of meanings of 相, see the PDB under laksana. EXTRACT THREE This is the last section and probably the most famous part of the Diamond Sutra because the verse it contains neatly summarizes the point of this sutra. 應化非真分第三十二 「須菩提！若有人以滿無量阿僧祇世界七寶，持用布施。若有善男子、善女人，發 菩提心者，持於此經，乃至四句偈等，受持、讀誦，為人演說，其福勝彼。云何為 人演說？不取於相，如如不動。何以故？一切有為法，如夢、幻、泡、影；如露， 亦如電，應作如是觀。」佛說是經已，長老須菩提，及諸比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、 優婆夷，一切世間天、人、阿修羅，聞佛所說，皆大歡喜，信受奉行。

Glossed Text 應化1非真分第三十二 yìng huà fēi zhēn fēn dìsānshíèr respond transform be-not true section thirty-second 「須菩提！若有人以滿無量阿僧祇世界七寶2， xūpútí ruò yǒu rén yǐ mǎn wúliàng āsēngqí shìjiè qī bǎo chí yòng Subhūti if exist person with fill immeasurable asaṃkhya world seven treasure 持用布施。若有善男子、善女人，發菩提心3者， chí yòng bùshī. ruò yǒu shàn nánzǐ, shàn nǚrén, fā pútí xīn zhě, hold use give-alms if exist good man good woman give-rise-to bodhi heart STRUC 持於4此經，乃至四句偈等5，受持6、讀誦，為人演說， chí yú cǐ jīng nǎizhì sì jù jiē děng shòu chí dú sòng wéi rén yǎnshuō hold to this sūtra up-to four phrase gāthā accept hold read recite for person explain

The Diamond Sutra  43 7

8

其福勝彼 。云何為人演說？不取於相 ， qí fú shèng bǐ yún hé wèi rén yǎnshuō bù qǔ yú xiàng its blessing surpass that-one say what for person explain not grasp to characteristic 如如不動9。何以故？一切有為法10，如夢、幻、泡、 rúrú búdòng hé yǐ gùyí qiè yǒu wéi fǎ rú mèng huàn pào, such-such not move why all have be dharma, like dream illusion bubble 影；如露，亦如電11，應作如是觀。」 yǐng rú lù yì rú diàn yīng zuò rú shì guān shadow like dew like lightning should do like this observe 佛說是經已，長老須菩提， fó shuō shì jīng yǐ zhǎnglǎo xūpútí Buddha explain this sutra finish elder Subhūti 及諸比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷12， jí zhū bǐqiū bǐqiūní yōupósài, yōupóyí and all bhikṣu bhikṣuṇī upāsaka upāsikā 一切世間13天、人、阿修羅14，聞佛所說， yíqiè shì jiān tiān rén āxiūluó wén fó suǒ shuō all world within deva person asura hear Buddha that-which explain 皆大歡喜，信受奉行15。 jiē dà huān xǐ xìn shòu fèng xíng all great delighted believe accept respectfully-receive practice

Vocabulary 阿僧祇

āsēngqí

adj

transliteration of Skt. asaṃkhya ‘uncountable’, ‘numberless’

寶

bǎo 

n

treasure, precious item

持

chí

v

to take, to hold fast, to grasp

布施

bùshī

v/n

to give alms, charity, translation of Skt. dana ‘giving’, ‘generosity’

菩提

pútí

n

transliteration of Skt. bodhi ‘awakening’, ‘enlightenment’

偈

jì

n

abbreviation of 偈他, transliteration of Skt. gatha ‘religious verse’, ‘chant’

讀誦

dúsòng

v

to recite, to chant, to read out loud

演說

yǎnshuō 

v

to explain (a teaching)

勝

shèng

v/adj

to surpass, to excel, surpassing, excelling

彼

bǐ

dem

that, those, there, the other one, the former

44  The Diamond Sutra 取

qǔ

v

to take, to seize, to grasp

幻

huàn

adj/n

illusory, illusion, mirage

泡

pào

n

froth, bubbles

影

yǐng

n

shadow

露

lù

n/adj

dew, dewy

電

diàn

n

lightning, flash of lightning

比丘尼

bǐqiūní

n

a Buddhist nun, Skt. bhikṣuṇī

優婆塞

yōupósāi

n

transliteration of Skt. upāsaka ‘a Buddhist layman’

優婆夷

yōupóyí

n

transliteration of Skt. upāsikā ‘a Buddhist laywoman’

天

tiān

n

heaven, god, translation of Skt. deva

阿修羅

āxiūlúo

n

transliteration of Skt. asura ‘titanic demons (enemies of the gods)’

歡喜

huànxǐ

n/adj

joy, delighted, pleased

信

xìn

n/v

faith, to believe in, to trust to

Notes   1 應化 ‘responding transformation’ or ‘transformation in response’: The DDB explains this as “manifestation of a body by a buddha or bodhisattva in response to the respective needs and capacities of sentient beings in order to save them.” It is a translation of Skt. nirmāṇa. For more information see the PDB under nirmāṇakāya.   2 以 . . . 七寶: 滿無量阿僧祇世界七寶 is one noun phrase with 寶 as the head and it is the object of 以, which could be translated as ‘taking’ or ‘using’ taking into account its basic meaning as a verb, or as the preposition ‘with’. 七寶 refers to a traditional Indian list of seven precious minerals: gold, silver, lapis lazuli, beryl, crystal, agate/cornelian, ruby and emerald.   3 發菩提心: As a transitive verb 發 means ‘to give rise to’, ‘to bring forth’, ‘to arouse’. 心 here has the sense of ‘idea’ or ‘intention’. The whole phrase therefore means ‘to resolve [to attain] perfect enightenment (菩提)’. This is a fundamental requirement for becoming a Buddha. In the initial stages of cultivation a Buddhist devotee must resolve to become enlightened and only then can he/she reach buddhahood in the future.   4 持於: Unlike 持用 in the line above, which can be translated literally as ‘take and use’, 持 here means to ‘grasp’ or ‘hold on to’, i.e. to thoroughly learn and memorize.   5 乃至四句偈等: 乃至 often translates as ‘up to’. However here it means ‘down to’ or ‘as little as’.   6 受持: This represents both mental and physical application. 受 means to internalize or hold something in one’s mind and 持 means to practice with one’s body.  7 彼 here refers back to the former case (in the first two lines of the text) of someone giving massive amounts of wealth to charity, i.e. even the immense blessings gained from such generosity are surpassed by the blessings gained through fully embracing, reciting and explaining this sutra.   8 相: This refers to the ‘four characteristics’ or ‘four marks’ discussed in note 11 of Extract Two.

The Diamond Sutra  45   9 如如不動: 如如 means ‘thusness’ or ‘just as it is’. 不動 means ‘to not move’ or ‘to be still’. The whole expression means to not be moved by any phenomena. It refers a state of samādhi, one-pointed concentration. 10 有為法: 為 is here read as wéi, not wèi, as in its previous occurences in this extract and earlier in Extract 3.1. With the second, rising tone, the basic meaning of 為 is ‘to be’, ‘to become’, ‘to do’. 有為 is used to translate Skt. saṃskṛta ‘compounded’, ‘conditioned’ (as opposed to 無為 Skt. asaṃskṛta, ‘uncompounded’, ‘unconditioned’). 有為法 refers to all phenomena that come into being because of temporary causes and conditions. Phenomena come into being, exist and then are gone. This is the conditioned world. The world is not permanent. 11 如夢、幻、泡、影；如露，亦如電: To elucidate the concept of 有為法, the sutra gives these six examples of phenomena that lack permanence. 12 比丘 . . . 優婆夷: These are called the 四衆 (弟子), the ‘four types of disciples’. They are the male and female devotees of the Buddha in the human realm. 13 世間 implies ‘worldly’, i.e. the mundane world of unenlightened beings. 14 阿修羅: One of the six destinies or paths of (re)birth. Asuras are described as not devas, ugly, and without wine. This last part of the description means they should not be provided with wine because their true nature comes out when they are intoxicated. See the DDB. 15 信受奉行: This expression and its variations are commonly found at the end of sutras. 信受 means to believe something in one’s mind and 奉行 means to practice it with one’s body.

Further reading Only the Heart Sutra has been translated more times than the Diamond Sutra. One English translation that has gone through extensive revisions and includes a commentary delivered by the renowned contemporary monk Master Hsuan Hua is published by the Buddhist Text Translation Society (Hsuan, 2003). The commentary includes examples taken from traditional commentaries and contemporary life, which help elucidate this important Mahayana text. Another useful translation with commentary was done by Red Pine (2001). This includes text and commentaries translated from both Sanskrit and Chinese. There is also an accurate and readable online translation by Charles Muller (Muller, 2013).

References Hsuan Hua. The Vajra Prajñā Pāramitā Sutra. Buddhist Text Translation Society, 2003. Hsuan Hua. The Shurangama Sutra. Buddhist Text Translation Society, http://www.cttbusa.org/ shurangama1shrangama_contents.asp. Accessed 10 Dec. 2017. Muller, Charles A. The Diamond Sutra. www.acmuller.net/bud-canon/diamond_sutra.html. Dated October 26, 2013. Red Pine. The Diamond Sutra: The Perfection of Wisdom. Counterpoint, 2001.

Unit Four The Lotus Sutra

The full Chinese name of the sutra that we shall be looking at in this unit is 妙法蓮華 經 (miàofǎ liánhuā jīng) ‘the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Marvelous Dharma’ (Skt. Saddharmapuṇḍárīka Sūtra). It is often referred to in Chinese by the shorter name of 法華 經, ‘Dharma Flower Sutra’. Lotus Sutra is the title that it was given in an early translation into English and this title has stuck until today. The Lotus Sutra has been and still is enormously important and influential in East Asian Buddhism, particularly in China and Japan. References and allusions to it are also frequently encountered in Chinese and Japanese literature and scenes from the sutra are commonly depicted in paintings and temple carvings. The translation we shall be using (T09:262) is that done in 406 ce by the Central Asian scholar and monk Kumarajiva (see Units Three and Six) and his disciples. It is divided into twenty-eight chapters, most of which consist of prose and verse. The verse sections usually restate the content of the prose sections. The sutra is presented as taught by the Buddha on Vulture Peak in the presence of a throng of human and non-human beings. In his teaching, the Buddha reveals that the previous three paths or vehicles he had taught for the ending of suffering and realization of Nirvana were ‘skillful means’ (方便 fāngbiàn Skt. upāya), to be subsumed within or transcended by the one vehicle that leads to buddhahood. He goes on to make the point that buddhahood is potentially available for all. Following this, he declares that a buddha such as himself transcends normal conceptions of time and space and that he actually became enlightened incalculable eons (劫 jié, Skt. kalpa) ago and has since remained available to teach living beings and to guide them on the path to buddhahood. His seeming attainment of supreme, perfect enlightenment as Sakyamuni Buddha was just another skillful means. EXTRACT ONE In this extract from the beginning of chapter two of the sutra, the Buddha tells the assembled throng that the wisdom of the buddhas is so profound and limitless that ‘voice hearers’ (聲 聞shēngwén Skt. śrāvaka) and ‘solitary buddhas’ (辟支佛bìzhī fó Skt. pratyekabuddha) are unable to understand it. He also explains that since becoming a buddha, he has used countless skillful means to guide living beings and to cause them to give up their attachments. 妙法蓮華經方便品第二 爾時，世尊從三昧安詳而起，告舍利弗：「諸佛智慧甚深無量, 其智慧門難解難入， 一切聲聞、辟支 佛所不能知。所以者何? 佛曾親近百千萬億無數諸 佛，盡行諸佛無 量道法，勇猛精進名稱普聞， 成就甚深未曾有法，隨宜所說意趣難解。舍利弗！吾

The Lotus Sutra  47 從成佛已來，種種因緣，種種譬喻，廣演言教無數方便，引導眾生令離諸著。所以 者何？如來方便知見波羅蜜皆已具足。

Glossed Text 妙法蓮華1經方便品第二2 miào fǎ lián huā jīng fāngbiàn pǐn dìèr marvelous dharma lotus flower sutra section second 爾時，世尊從三昧安詳而起3，告舍利弗： ěrshí shìzūn cóng sānmèi ānxiáng ér qǐ gào shè lì fú at-that-time world-honored-one from sāmādhi serene and rise tell Śāriputra 「諸佛智慧4甚深無量, 其智慧門難解難入， zhū fó zhìhùi shèn shēn wúliáng qí zhìhùi mén nán jiě nán rù all buddha wisdom very deep immeasurable their wisdom gate hard understand hard enter 一切聲聞、辟支佛5所不能知。所以者何6? yīqiè shēngwén pìzhīfó suǒ bù néng zhī suǒyǐzhě hé all voice-hearer pratyekabuddha that-which not can know reason what 佛曾親近百千萬億 fó céng qīn jìn bǎi qiān wàn yì buddha once draw-near-to hundred thousand ten-thousand hundred thousand 無數諸佛7，盡行諸佛無量道法8， wúshù zhū fó, jìn xíng zhū fó wúliáng dào fǎ innumerable all buddha exhaustively practice all buddha immeasurable way dharma 勇猛精進名稱普聞，成就甚深未曾有法9， yǒngměng jīngjìn míngchēng pǔ wén chéng jìu shèn shēn wèi céng yǒu fǎ courageous effort fame widely hear achieve very deep not-yet once exist dharma 隨宜所說意10趣難解。舍利 弗！ súiyí suǒ shuō yìqù nán jiě shè lì fú appropriate that-which explain meaning hard understand Śāriputra 吾從成佛已來，種種因緣11，種種譬喻， wú cóng chéng fó yǐ lái，zhǒngzhǒng yīn yuán, zhǒngzhǒng pìyù I from become buddha since kind-kind cause condition kind-kind simile 廣演言教無數方便， guǎng yǎn yánjiào wúshù fāngbiàn broad set-out teach innumerable skillful means 引導眾生令離諸著。所以者何？ yǐn dǎo zhòngshēng lìng lí zhū zhuó suǒ yǐ zhě hé lead sentient-being cause separate-from all attachment reason what

48  The Lotus Sutra 如來方便知見12波羅蜜皆已13具足。 rúlái fāngbiàn zhī jiàn bō luó mì jiē yǐ jùzú tathāgata expedient-means know perceive pāramitā all completed perfect

Vocabulary 妙

miào

adj

wonderful, marvelous, subtle

品

pǐn

n

type, quality, section

三昧

sānmèi

n

transliteration of Skt. sāmādhi ‘meditative concentration’, ‘focused attention’, previously encountered (2.2) translated as 定

安詳

ānxiáng

adj/adv

calm, serene[ly], with composure

舍利弗

shèlìfú

name

transliteration of Skt. Śāriputra, previously encountered (1.1) as 舍利子

甚

shén

adv

very, extremely

解

jiě

v

to untie, to release, to explain, to understand

聲聞

shēngwén

n

voice hearer, translation of Skt. śrāvaka

辟支佛

bìzhīfó

n

transliteration of the Skt. pratyekabuddha ‘solitary buddha’.

曾

céng

adv

once, in the past

親近

qīnjìn

v

to draw near to, to become intimate with

億

yì

num

one hundred thousand

盡

jìn

adv

exhaustively, completely, totally

勇猛

yǒngměng

adj

brave and fierce, ferocious, courageous

精進

jīngjìn

n

energetic progress, translation of Skt. vīrya, ‘effort’, ‘energy’

普

pǔ

adj/adv

widespread, wide(ly), universal(ly)

未

wèi

adv

not yet

隨宜

suíyí

adj

according to [the situation], suitable, appropriate

意趣

yìqù

n

will, intention, meaning

吾

wú

pro

I, my, we

已來

yǐlái

conj

heretofore, up till now, since

譬喻

pìyù

n

simile, parable, analogy

演

yǎn

v

to set out, to expound, to explain

言教

yánjiào

n

teaching through words, oral teaching

導

dǎo

v

to lead, to guide, show the way

具足

jùzú

adj/adv

full(y), perfect(ly)

The Lotus Sutra  49

Notes   1 蓮華: The lotus flower is a common symbol of Buddhism. It symbolizes the flowering of awakening through the ‘mud’ of worldly existence. Note that in Putonghua 華 is pronounced with the first (level) tone when it means ‘flower’ (nowadays usually written 花). When it means China or Chinese, as in 華夏 (the ancient name for the people of 中 國, the Central States), it is pronounced with the second (rising) tone.   2 方便品第二: In Buddhist texts, 品 refers to a division or chapter of the text. Note that 方 便品第二 means ‘part two: the chapter on skillful means’, not ‘part two of the chapter on skillful means’.   3 安詳而起: As noted in 3.1, 而 is a conjunction commonly used in Wenyan to coordinate two verb phrases or clauses. Sometimes, as here, the first part can be interpreted as modifying the second part in a way that is best translated into English with an adverb or phrase such as ‘calmly’, ‘serenely’ or ‘with composure’.   4 智慧: These two near synonyms are usually taken as a single compound meaning ‘wisdom’ (as in MSC) and used to translate Skt. prajñā. However, a distinction is sometimes made between 智 ‘knowing, insight, awareness’ (Skt. jñāna) and 慧 ‘wisdom’ (Skt. prajñā).   5 一切聲聞、辟支佛: 聲聞 are those who having heard the teachings of the Buddha, work for their own liberation. The term is used in Mahayana texts to refer to the path of arhats in contrast to the claimed superior bodhisattva path. 辟支佛 are said to gain enlightenment on their own, without having a teacher.   6 所以者何: literally ‘that-which is taken [is] what?’ i.e. ‘What is the reason?’  7 佛曾親近百千萬億無數諸佛: The subject of this clause, 佛, could refer to the (historical) Buddha, or to buddhas in general. 曾 is often best translated simply by using simple past tense or present perfect tense. This clause could therefore be rendered as ‘[any] buddha has personally been close to hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, innumerable [other] buddhas’.   8 道法: As we saw in 1.1, 法 is used to translate Skt. dharma, which has a range of meanings from ‘phenomena’ to ‘teachings’. However, 法 can also mean ‘method’ or ‘way’, as in MSC 法子 and 方法. 道法 could therefore be translated either as ‘dharma[s] of the way [to enlightenment or liberation]’ or as ‘method[s] of the way [to enlightenment or liberation]’.   9 未曾有法: ‘not-yet once exist dharma’, i.e. ‘dharma such has never before existed’. 未 曾 can often be translated simply as ‘never’. 10 意趣: In MSC this compound usually means ‘interest and charm’, which does not seem to fit here. In the HDC the first meaning of 意趣 is given as 意向 (‘intention’), followed by citations from classical texts. The DDB similarly gives the basic meaning as ‘will’, with ‘intention’ as one of its senses. This meaning seems to fit well here. 11 因緣 ‘causes and conditions’: This refers to the basic Buddhist teaching that every phenomenon is dependent on many causes and conditions. 因 refers to primary or direct causes (Skt. hetu) while 緣 refers to secondary or indirect causes or conditions (Skt. pratyaya). For more information see PDB under hetupratyaya. 12 知見: The DDB gives the basic meaning of this compound as ‘informed view’ with one sense as ‘an understanding based on knowledge; knowledge and vision; to know by seeing’. 13 已 is used both as a verb meaning ‘to be finished’, ‘to be completed’, ‘to come to an end’ or, as here, as an adverb indicating that the action or situation expressed by the

50  The Lotus Sutra verb it precedes has finished or come to an end. In this latter case, it can be translated as ‘already’ or the verb can simply be put into the past perfect or present perfect tense (e.g. ‘has been perfected’).

EXTRACT TWO This is an extract from chapter 3 on similes (譬喻品). Sariputra has asked the Buddha why he had previously taught three vehicles when there is in fact only one vehicle. The Buddha replies with a story of a rich man whose house catches fire. His sons are in the house playing and paying no attention to the fire. They do not heed him when he calls them to come out. This extract describes the skillful means the father uses to entice his sons out of the house. 爾時長者即作是念：『此舍已為大火所燒，我及諸子若不時出，必為所焚。我今當 設方便，令諸子等免斯害。』父知諸子先心各有所好種種珍玩奇異之物，情必樂 著，而告之言：『汝等所可玩好，希有難得，汝若不取，後必憂悔。如此種種羊 車、鹿車、牛車，今在門外，可以遊戲。汝等於此火宅、宜速出來，隨汝所欲，皆 當與汝。』爾時諸子聞父所說珍玩之物，適其願故，心各勇銳，互相推排，競共馳 走，爭出火宅。是時長者見諸子等安隱得出，皆於四衢道中露地而坐，無復障礙,其 心泰然，歡喜踊躍。

Glossed Text 爾時長者即作是念1：『此舍已為大火所燒2， ěrshí zhǎngzhě jí zùo shì niàn cǐ shě yǐ wéi dà hǔo sǔo shāo at-that-time elder then do this thought this house already be big fire that-which burn 我及諸子若不時出，必為所焚。 wǒ jí zhū zǐ rùo bù shí chū bì wéi suǒ fén I and all son if not time go-out necessarily be that-which burn 我今當設方便，令諸子等免斯害。』 wǒ jīn dāng shè fāngbiàn lìng zhū zǐděng miǎn sī hài I now should work-out skillful-means cause all son-PLURAL avoid this harm 父知諸子先心3 fù zhī zhū zǐ xiān xīn father know all son former heart 各有所好種種珍玩奇異之物4， gè yǒu sǔo hào zhǒngzhǒng zhēn wán qí yì zhī wù each have that-which like kind-kind precious enjoy rare unusual STRUC thing 情必樂著，而告之言： qíng bì lè zhuó ér gào zhī yán feeling necessarily enjoy attach and tell them say

The Lotus Sutra  51 『汝等所可玩好，希有難得，汝若不取， rǔděng suǒ kě wán hào xī yǒu nán dé, rǔ rùo bù qǔ you-PLURAL that-which can play like rarely exist hard get you if not take 後必憂悔。如此種種羊車、 鹿車、牛車， hòu bì yōuhǔi rú cǐ zhǒng zhǒng yáng chē lù chē níu chē later necessarily regret like this kind-kind sheep vehicle deer vehicle ox vehicle 今在門外，可以遊戲。汝等於此火宅、 jīn zài mén wài kěyǐ yóuxì rǔděng yú cǐ hǔo zhái now be-at door outside can play you-PLURAL at this fire house 宜5速出來，隨汝所欲，皆當6與汝。』 yí sù chū lái súi rǔ suǒ yù jiē dāng yǔ rǔ had-better quick out come follow you that-which want all will give you 爾時諸子聞父所說珍玩之物， ěrshí zhū zǐ wén fù suǒ shuō zhēn wán zhī wù at-that-time all son hear father that-which say precious enjoy STRUC thing 適其願故，心各勇銳，互相推排， shì qí yuàn gù, xīn gè yǒngrùi, hùxiàng tūi pái conform his wish because heart each bold each-other push shove 競共馳走，爭出火宅。 jìng gòng chí zǒu zhēng chū hǔo zhái compete together race run-away compete go-out fire house 是時長者見諸子等安隱得出， shì shí zhǎngzhě jiàn zhū zǐděng ānwěn dé chū this time elder see all son-PLURAL secure get go-out 皆於四衢道中露地而坐，無復障礙7,其心泰然， jiē yú sì qúdào zhōng lùdì ér zùo wú fù zhàng’ài qí xīn tàirán all at four crossroad in open-air and sit lack again obstacle his/their heart calm 歡喜踊躍。 huānxǐ yǒngyuè delighted jump-about

Vocabulary 舍

shè

n

house, home

燒

shāo

v

to burn, to set fire to

焚

fén

v

to burn, to consume by fire

設

shè

v

to set up, to establish, to work out

斯

sī

dem

this, these

52  The Lotus Sutra 好

hào

v

to love, to like (note falling tone when used as a transitive verb)

珍

zhēn

n/adj

treasure, precious, rare

奇

qí

adj

rare, uncommon, remarkable

異

yì

adj

different, unusual, exceptional

憂悔

yōuhuǐ

v

to feel sorrow and remorse, to regret

遊戲

yóuxì

v

to play

宅

zhái

n

house, home, residence

與

yǔ

v

to give, to grant, with

適

shì

v

to fit, to satisfy, to conform to

勇銳

yǒngruì

adj

brave, bold

排

pái

v

to push, to shove, to repel

競

jìng

v

to strive, to compete, to vie

馳

chí

v

to race, to speed

走

zǒu

v

to run, to run away, to flee

安隱

ānwěn

adj

stable, calm, secure

衢道

qúdào

n

fork in the road, crossroads

露地

lùdì

n

outdoors, open air

障礙

zhàng’aì

n

obstacle, hindrance

泰然

tàirán

adj

self possessed, calm, composed

踴躍

yǒngyuè

v

to leap, to jump about

Notes 1 2

3 4

作是念: 念 is here the object of 作 and is therefore nominalized. The phrase can therefore be translated using the English nominalization ‘ . . . had this thought’. 為大火所燒: 為 . . . 所 is a way of expressing what in English would be passive voice, with the agent following 為. The phrase can therefore be translated ‘[the house] is already being burned by the big fire’. Note that in the following line 為所 is similarly used to indicate a passive meaning but with the agent left implicit. 先心: ‘former [states of] heart-mind’, i.e. [the children’s] preconceptions or habitual ways of thinking and feeling. 珍玩奇異之物: 之 is, as we have seen, a marker of subordination or modification in the noun phrase, and each of the four 字 preceding it could be taken as separately modifying 物, i.e. ‘things which are precious, enjoyable, rare and unusual’. However, 奇異 in MSC is a compound meaning ‘strange’, ‘unusual’, ‘curious’, and HDC confirms that this compound was used in Wenyan with the meanings 奇特 and 特別. Similarly, 珍玩 is used in MSC in the sense of ‘curio’ and HDC glosses this compound as 珍貴的玩賞 物 ‘precious object(s) of enjoyment’, with citations from Wenyan texts. Kroll also gives

The Lotus Sutra  53

5 6 7

‘plaything, object of diversion’ as one meaning of 玩. An alternative translation of the whole phrase is therefore ‘precious playthings and curious objects’. 宜 ‘suitable’, ‘proper’ is used as an auxiliary verb to express a strong suggestion – ‘you had better. . .’. 當, as an auxiliary verb, can indicate obligation (‘should’, ‘ought to’) and also future (‘will’, ‘shall’). The latter meaning seems to fit here. 無復障礙 ‘did not have obstructions anymore’: It is not entirely clear who the subject is here. If 長者 is the subject, then the implication is that having seen that the children had all safely come out, the father is relieved of his worries. If 諸子等 is the subject, then it can be interpreted as meaning that the children were out of danger.

EXTRACT THREE In chapter 16 of the sutra, on the Lifespan of the Tathagata (如來壽量), the Buddha explains that a buddha is actually limitless in time and space but that he has manifested in different places and at different times using various skillful means to teach the dharma and lead beings to nirvana. As elsewhere in the sutra, these points are first made in prose and then restated in verse. This extract is the first part of the verse restatement. 自我得佛來，

所經諸劫數，

無量百千萬，

億載阿僧祇，

常說法教化，

無數億眾生，

令入於佛道。

爾來無量劫，

為度眾生故，

方便現涅槃，

而實不滅度，

常住此說法。

我常住於此，

以諸神通力，

令顛倒眾生，

雖近而不見。

眾見我滅度，

廣供養舍利，

咸皆懷戀慕，

而生渴仰心。

眾生既信伏，

質直意柔軟，

一心欲見佛，

不自惜身命。

時我及眾僧，

俱出靈鷲山，

我時語眾生：

『常在此不滅，

以方便力故，

現有滅不滅。

Glossed Text 自我得佛來， zì wǒ dé fó lái from I get buddha come

所經諸劫數， sǔo jīng zhū jié shù that-which pass all kalpa number

54  The Lotus Sutra 無量百千萬， wúliàng bǎi qiān wàn immeasurable hundred thousand ten-thousand

億載阿僧祇1， yì zǎi āsēngqí hundred-thousand nayuta asaṃkhya

常說法教化2， cháng shuō fǎ jiào huà always explain dharma teach transform

無數億眾生， wúshù yì zhòngshēng innumerable hundred-thousand sentient-beings

令入於佛道。 lìng rù yú fó dào. cause enter to buddha way

爾來無量劫， ěrlái wúliàng jié, from-then-on immeasurable kalpa

為度3眾生故， wèi dù zhòngshēng gù for cross sentient-being because

方便現涅槃4 fāngbiàn xiàn nièpán skillful-means appear nirvāṇa

而實不滅度， ér shí bù mièdù, and real not extinguish

常住此說法。 cháng zhù cǐ shuō fǎ. always dwell here explain dharma

我常住於此， wǒ cháng zhù yú cǐ I always dwell at here

以諸神通力5， yǐ zhū shén tōng lì with all spiritual penetrate power

令顛倒眾生， lìng diāndǎo zhòng shēng cause upside-down sentient-being

雖近而不見6。 sūi jìn ér bù jiàn although close and not see

眾見我滅度， zhòng jiàn wǒ mièdù, multitude see I extinguish-cross

廣供養舍利7， guǎng gòngyǎng shě lì broadly make-offering śarīra

咸皆懷戀慕， xián jiē huái liànmù completely all cherish yearn-for

而生渴仰8心。 ér shēng kě yǎng xīn and arise thirsty look-up heart

眾生既9信伏10， zhòngshēng jì xìn fú sentient-being when faith submit

質直11意柔軟， zhì zhí yì róuruǎn quality straight mind supple,

一心欲見佛， yī xīn yù jiàn fó one heart want see buddha

不自12惜身命。 bù zì xī shēn mìng not self begrudge body life

時我及眾僧13， shí wǒ jí zhòng sēng at-that-time I and multitude saṃgha,

俱出靈鷲山14， jù chū líng jiù shān together go-out sacred vulture mountain,

我時語眾生： wǒ shí yǔ zhòngshēng I at-that-time tell sentient-being

『常在此不滅， cháng zài cǐ bù miè always be-at here not extinguish

以方便力故， yǐ fāngbiàn lì gù with skillful-means power cause

現有滅不滅。 xiàn yǒu miè bù miè appear have extinguish not extinguish

Vocabulary 自 . . . 來

zì . . . lái

prep . . . conj

from then on, since

劫

jié

n

an abbreviated transliteration of Skt. kalpa ‘immensely long period of time’, ‘eon’

The Lotus Sutra  55 載

zǎi

n

year, translation of Skt. nayuta ‘myriad’

爾來

ěrlái

conj

from that time on, from then on, thenceforth

此

cǐ

dem

this, these, here

供養

gòngyǎng

v

to make offerings to, to give alms to

舍利

shèlì

v

transliteration of Skt. śarīra ‘body’, ‘relics’

咸

xián

adv

totally, completely, in all cases

懷

huái

v

to embrace, to harbor, to cherish

戀慕

liànmù

v/n

to long for, to yearn for, feelings of longing/yearning

伏

fú

v

to subdue, to submit, to prostrate

質

zhì

n

substance, quality, character

柔軟

róuruǎn

adj

soft, pliant, supple

惜

xī

v

to cherish, to begrudge, to regret the loss of

僧

sēng

n

monk, abbreviated transcription of Skt. saṃgha ‘community, ‘order’

俱

jù

adv

completely, together

靈

líng

adj

sacred, numinous, spiritually powerful

鷲

jiù

n

eagle, vulture

語

yǔ

n/v

speech, to speak, to tell

Notes   1 阿僧祇: This epithet (‘numberless’, ‘uncountable’, see 3.3) is often used with 劫 to refer to infinite eons of time. Large numbers are often piled up in the way they are in these two verses to indicate an unimaginable stretch of time.   2 教化: ‘to teach and to transform’, i.e. giving teachings which transform the beings who hear them.   3 度: As a transitive verb, 度 means ‘to cause to cross over’, i.e. to save beings by enabling them to cross to the shore of liberation.   4 方便現涅槃: ‘[As] a skillful means (方便) [I] create an appearance (現) of nirvana (涅 槃)’.   5 神通力 ‘spiritual powers of penetration’: This refer to the supranormal knowledges, psychic powers or cognitive abilities (Skt. abhijñā) acquired by advanced meditators, arhats, bodhisattvas and buddhas. Six such powers are usually listed. See PDB under abhijñā.   6 雖近而不見: ‘I/me’ (the Buddha) is probably best taken as both the implied subject of 近 and the object of 見, i.e. ‘(I cause beings with muddled understanding) not to see me although I am close’.  7 舍利: The Sanskrit word śarīra literally means ‘body’. It is also used to refer to physical remains (‘relics’) of the Buddha or other venerated persons. This is the usual meaning of the Chinese transliteration 舍利. Relics are placed in stupas and worshipped.   8 渴仰: The DDB lists this as a compound with the basic meaning of ‘to long for’. However, in this context the two characters could also be interpreted separately as ‘thirst to look upon [the Buddha]’.

56  The Lotus Sutra   9 既: In Extract 2.3, we came across 既 in the sense of ‘as’, ‘since’. When used in a dependent clause, as here and as in 2.3, its basic meaning can be glossed as ‘given x, y follows’. According to the context, it may be translated by patterns such as ‘when x is the case, y happens’, ‘once x pertains, then y follows’, ‘x being so, y is also so’ etc. 10 信伏 could mean ‘to have faith and prostrate (oneself)’ or ‘to have faith and to submit’. According to the HDC, 信伏 is attested in classical texts as a compound meaning 信服 ‘to accept in faith’, ‘to be completely convinced’, which is consistent with the second interpretation. 11 直 ’straight’, ‘upright’ is used as a metaphor for positive character or moral traits, similarly to the English words ‘upright’ and ‘upstanding’. 12 自: As in MSC, 自 is used before a verb to represent a reflexive object ‘my-, your-, himself’, etc. However, in Wenyan, when the verb has an object, 自 means ‘my, your, his own’, etc. in reference to that object. This phrase can therefore be translated, ‘They do not begrudge the loss of their own lives’. Note that 自 can also be a preposition (‘from’), as in the first line of this extract. 13 僧 is short for 僧伽 (Skt. saṃgha ‘community’, ‘order’). 眾僧 here refers to the assembled community of Buddha’s monks and nuns. 14 靈鷲山 ‘spirtual vulture mountain’: Vulture Peak, a mountain outside Rajagrha where the Buddha is said to have delivered the Lotus Sutra as well as other important Mahayana Sutras. Earlier in this sutra it is also transcribed as 耆闍崛山 qíshéjuéshān (Skt. gṛdhrakūṭa).

Further reading There are several available translations of this sutra into English. The translations by Burton Watson (1999), Leon Hurvitze (2009) and Gene Reeves (2008) are all good translations with useful introductions, putting the sutra in its intellectual and spiritual contexts. Hurvitze also has a glossary of the Sanskrit terms used and a translation of differences between the Chinese text and Sanskrit versions of the sutra. Of the three translations, Hurvitze’s remains closest to the Chinese text, while Reeves’s text goes furthest in trying to make the text readable for a general readership. The translation by the Buddhist Text Translation Society (Hsuan, 2003) is also worth consulting, as it has an extensive commentary by Venerable Master Hsuan Hua. For further exploration of themes in the sutra, go to Teiser and Stone (2009).

References Hsuan Hua. The Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra. Buddhist Text Translation Society, 2003. Hurvitze, Leon. Scripture of the Lotus Blossom of the Fine Dharma. Revised edition. Columbia University Press, 2009. Reeves, Gene. The Lotus Sutra. Wisdom Publications, 2008. Teiser, S. F. and Stone, J. I. (eds.). Readings of the Lotus Sutra. Columbia University Press, 2009. Watson, Burton. The Lotus Sutra. SriSatguru Publications, 1999.

Unit Five The Discourse on the Ten Wholesome Ways of Action

The Chinese title of this sutra is 十善業道經 (shí shànyè dào jīng; T15:600). It is elsewhere also referred to as 佛說十善業道經. It is set in the Palace of the 娑竭羅 (suōjiéluó; Skt. sāgara ‘ocean’) 龍王 (lóngwáng, ‘dragon king’) in the presence of a great assembly of bhiksus and bodhisattvas. The Buddha explains to the Dragon King that there is one method that bodhisattvas use to eliminate the suffering of (being reborn in) evil or unfavorable destinies (惡道苦 èdào kǔ). This method consists of developing ten wholesome ways of action, or rather, of giving up ten unwholesome ways of action. After the Buddha has explained this method of giving up the ten unwholesome ways of action, he then goes on to describe what will be attained through giving up each of them. The word here translated in the English version of the title as ‘action’ is 業, which as we have already seen (2.2) is used to translate karma. The Sanskrit word karma itself also basically means ‘action’. However, as used in Buddhism, it refers to intentional physical, verbal or mental actions together with their fruition (果 guǒ, Skt. vipāka). ‘Wholesome’ translates Chinese 善 and refers to actions/karma that will bring positive results. For more on karma, see the PDB under karman. The sutra was translated during the Tang dynasty by the Tripitaka Śikṣānanda (三藏實叉 難陀) who came from Khotan, a kingdom at the southern edge of the Taklamakhan Desert and a major center of Buddhism in Central Asia. Shiksananda arrived in the Tang capital Luòyáng (洛陽) in 695 ce at the invitation of Empress Wǔ Zétiān (武則天). He worked on many translation projects until he left in 705. EXTRACT ONE This extract is from the beginning of the sutra. The Buddha explains that the different shapes and appearances of the various beings present at the meeting and in the ocean are all made by the mind and brought about by wholesome or unwholesome actions. Knowing this, the wise should cultivate wholesome actions. 十善業道經 大唐于闐三藏實叉難陀奉制譯 如是我聞：一時佛在娑竭羅龍宮，與八千大比丘眾、三萬二千菩 薩摩訶薩俱。爾時 世尊告龍王言：「一切眾生心想異故，造業亦異，由是故有諸趣輪轉。龍王！汝見 此會及大海中，形色種類各別不耶？如是一切，靡不由心造善不善身業、語業、意 業所致。而心無色，不可見取，但是虛妄諸法集起，畢竟無主，無我、我所。雖各

58  Discourse on Ten Wholesome Ways of Action 隨業，所現不同，而實於中無有作者。故一切法皆不思議，自性如幻。智者知已， 應修善業，以是所生蘊、處、界等、皆悉端正、見者無厭。」

Glossed Text 十善業道經 shí shàn yè dào jīng ten good action way sutra 大唐于闐三藏實叉難陀奉制譯 dà táng yútián sānzàng shíchānántúo fèng zhì yì great Tang Khotan three-store Śikṣānanda respect command translate 如是我聞： rú shì wǒ wén: like this I hear 一時佛在娑竭羅龍宮， yí shí fó zài sūojiélúo lóng gōng one time Buddha be-at sāgara dragon palace 與八千大比丘眾、 yǔ bā qiān dà bǐqīu zhòng, with eight thousand great bhikṣu multitude 三萬二千菩薩摩訶薩俱1。 sān wàn èr qiān púsà móhēsà jù three ten-thousand two thousand bodhisattva mahāsattva together 爾時世尊告龍王言： ěrshí shìzūn gào lóng wáng yán at-that-time world-honored-one tell dragon king say 「一切眾生心想異故，造業亦異， yíqiè zhòngshēng xīn xiǎng yì gù zào yè yì yì all sentient-being heart think different because make action also different 由是故有諸趣輪轉2。 yóu shì gù yǒu zhū qù lún zhuàn through this cause exist all destination wheel turn 龍王！汝見此會及大海中， lóng wáng! rǔ jiàn cǐ hùi jí dà hǎi zhōng Dragon King you see this assembly and great sea in 形色種類各別不耶3？如是一切， xíng sè zhǒnglèi gè bié fǒu yé？ rú shì yíqiè shape form type each differ not PART like this all

Discourse on Ten Wholesome Ways of Action  59 靡不由心造善不善身業 mí bù yóu xīn zào shàn bú shàn shēn yè, none not through heart make good not good body action 語業、意業所致。 yǔ yè yì yè sǔo zhì speech action thought action that-which bring-about 而心無色，不可見取4， ér xīn wú sè bù kě jiàn qǔ and heart lack form not can perceive grasp 但是5虛妄諸法集起，畢竟無主6，無我、我所。 dàn shì xūwàng zhū fǎ jí qǐ bìjìng wú zhǔ wú wǒ wǒsǔo only be unreal all dharma accumulate arise ultimately lack master lack I mine 雖各隨業，所現不同， sūi gè súi yè, sǔo xiàn bù tóng, although each according-to action that-which appear not same 而實於中7無有作者。 ér shí yú zhōng wú yǒu zuòzhě and real at inside lack exist doer 故一切法皆不思議8，自性如幻。智者知已9， gù yíqiè fǎ jiē bù sī yì zì xìng rú huàn. zhìzhě zhī yǐ therefore all dharma all not think discuss self nature like illusion wise know PART 應修善業，以是所生蘊10、處11、界12等， yīng xīu shàn yè yǐ shì sǔo shēng yùn chù jiè děng should cultivate good action by this that-which give-rise-to heap place, element etc. 皆悉端正，見者無厭。」 jiē xī duān zhèng jiànzhě wú yàn all entirely upright perceiver lack tired-of

Vocabulary 于闐

yútián

name

Khotan

實叉難陀

shíchānnántuó

name

transliteration of sikṣānanda

娑竭羅

suōjiéluó

n

transliteration of Skt. sāgara ‘ocean’

宮

gōng

n

palace

與

yǔ

conj

together with, with

60  Discourse on Ten Wholesome Ways of Action 造

zào

v

to create, to make, to fashion

由

yóu

prep

through, by means of, because of

趣

qù

n

destination, destiny, translation of Skt. gati

形

xíng

n

shape, appearance

別

bié

adj

separate, divided, different

耶

yé

part

an interrogative particle, a fusion of 也 and 乎

靡

mǐ

adv

not, none, there is not one that. . .

致

zhì

v

to cause to arrive at, to bring about

虛妄

xūwàng

n/adj

delusion, false, unreal

畢竟

bìjìng

adv

absolutely, ultimately, finally

我所

wǒsuǒ

pro

that which pertains to ‘I’, mine

思

sī

v

to think, to reflect, to conceive (of)

議

yì

v/n

to discuss, to deliberate (on), idea, discussion

自性

zìxìng

n

self nature, intrinsic nature, translation of Skt. svabhāva

修

xiū

v

to practice, to cultivate, to apply oneself to

悉

xī

adv

fully, entirely, completely

端正

duānzhèng

adj

upright, proper, correct

厭

yàn

adj

tired of, fed up with, sated by

Notes   1 與 . . . 俱: ‘together with’, ‘assembled with’.   2 有諸趣輪轉: 有 makes it clear that what follows is a noun phrase with the nominalized verb 轉 as the head. 趣 are the different realms of existence into which sentient beings may be reborn in the spinning round (轉) of the wheel of rebirth (輪). The usual list of these is: (i) devas, (ii) humans, (iii) asuras, (iv) hell realms, (v) animals, (vi) hungry ghost. See The PDB under gati.   3 不耶: 不 at the end of a sentence is normally read as 否 fǒu, an interrogative tag that can be glossed as ‘or not?’. 耶 can be glossed as ‘is it the case that. . .?’ or ‘. . ., is it?’ Combined with 否 it becomes ‘is it not the case that. . . ?’ or ‘. . ., are they not?’   4 不可見取 ‘cannot be perceived and cannot be grasped’: Verbs following the auxiliary 可 are commonly passive in meaning.   5 但是: In the pre-Tang classical language, 但 usually means ‘only’, ‘merely’. In texts from Tang onwards it also sometimes has the meaning ‘but’. However, it is unlikely that 但是 are here to be taken together as a compound meaning ‘but’, as in MSC. Rather 是 can be interpreted here as a linking verb (‘is’, ‘are’ etc.). So the translation could be either ‘but it is. . .’ or ‘it is merely. . .’.

Discourse on Ten Wholesome Ways of Action  61   6 無主 ‘there is no master’: i.e. there is nothing that owns the mind or the dharmas that arise and accumulate in the mind.  7 於中 ‘in the middle’, ‘inside’: i.e. there is no doer or creator to be found within the actions according to which beings are manifested.   8 一切法皆不思議: Although there is no 可 in front of 思議, it is clear from the context that the clause is to be interpreted as passive, meaning ‘all dharmas cannot be conceived and cannot be discussed’. However, the DDB gives the meaning of 不可思議 as ‘inconceivable’, i.e. interpreting 思議 as a compound.   9 智者知已: Used as a final aspect particle at the end of a clause, 已 indicates that the action or situation represented by the clause has come about or been completed, often in relation to the action or situation in a following clause. This could therefore be translated ‘once the wise know this, . . .’ or ‘having realized this, the wise. . .’. 10 以是所生蘊、處、界等: As the Taisho punctuation suggests, 以是所生 ‘that are brought into existence by this’ modifies all three of the following nouns. 11 處, ‘place’, ‘location’, ‘site’, is here a technical term used to translate Skt. āyatana, which is usually translated ‘sense-bases’ and which refers to the six sense organs (the mind is considered a sense organ, see 1.2n) and the six types of sense objects. These are what the Heart Sutra is referring to when it says 無眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意；無色、 聲、香、味、觸、法. 12 界 we have already encountered in 1.2. It refers to the eighteen elements (Skt. dhātu) that constitute perception. These include the six sense bases and the six sense objects referred to in note 11 above, as well as the six kinds of consciousnesses or awarenesses corresponding to them. For more information on this see the PDB under dhātu.

EXTRACT TWO In this extract, the Buddha tells the Dragon King that bodhisattvas have one method to cut off the sufferings of the unfavorable rebirth destinations, which is to constantly be mindful of, reflect on and contemplate the wholesome dharmas. He then lists these wholesome dharmas, which are the ten wholesome ways of action. The Buddha then goes on to describe the benefits of giving up each of the unwholesome actions. This extract includes just the first three benefits of giving up the first of the unwholesome actions, killing. 「龍王！當知菩薩有一法，能斷一切諸惡道苦。何等為一？謂於晝夜， 常念、思 惟、觀察善法，令諸善法念念增長， 不容毫分不善間雜。是即能令諸惡永斷、善 法圓滿，常得親近諸佛、菩薩及餘聖眾。言善法者，謂人天身、聲聞菩提、獨覺 菩提、無上菩提，皆依此法以為根本而得成就，故名善法。此法即是十善業道。何 等為十？謂能永離殺生、偷盜、邪行、妄語、兩舌、惡口、綺語、貪欲、瞋恚、邪 見。龍王！若離殺生，即得成就十離惱法。何等為十？一、於諸眾生普施無畏； 二、常於眾生起大慈心；三、永斷一切瞋恚習氣；

Glossed Text 「龍王！當知菩薩有一法1， lóng wáng dāng zhī púsà yǒu yī fǎ Dragon King should know bodhisattva have one method

62  Discourse on Ten Wholesome Ways of Action 能斷一切諸惡道2苦。何等為一？ néng duàn yíqiè zhū è dào kǔ hé děng wéi yī can break-off all bad way suffering what kind be one 謂於晝夜，常念、思惟、觀察善法， wèi yú zhòuyè cháng niàn sīwéi guānchá shàn fǎ refer-to day-night always hold-in-mind ponder observe good dharma 令諸善法念念3增長， lìng zhū shàn fǎ niàn niàn zēng zhǎng cause all good dharma thought-thought increase grow 不容毫分不善間雜。 bù róng háofēn bù shàn jiān zá not allow a-hair’s-breadth not good mix-in 是即能令諸惡永斷、善法圓滿， shì jí néng lìng zhū è yǒng duàn shàn fǎ yuánmǎn this then can cause all bad forever break-off good dharma perfected 常得親近諸佛、菩薩及餘聖眾。 cháng dé qīnjìn zhū fó púsà jí yú shèng zhòng always get draw-near-to all buddha bodhisattva and other holy multitude 言善法者4，謂人天身5、聲聞菩提、 yán shàn fǎ zhě wèi rén tiān shēn shēngwén pútí speak good dharma STRUC refer-to human deva body voice-hearer bodhi 獨覺菩提、無上菩提6， dújué pútí wúshàng pútí solitary-realizer bodhi unsurpassed bodhi 皆依此法以為根本而得成就， jiē yī cǐ fǎ yǐ wéi gēnběn ér dé chéngjìu all rely this method take be basis and get achievment 故名善法。此法即是十善業道。 gù míng shàn fǎ cǐ fǎ jí shì shí shàn yè dào therefore name good dharma this dharma exactly is ten action way 何等為十？謂能永離殺生、 hé děng wéi shí wèi néng yǒng lí shā shēng what kind be ten refer-to can forever leave kill life 偷盜、邪行7、妄語、兩舌8、惡口9、綺語10、 tōudào xié xíng wàng yǔ liǎng shé è kǒu qǐ yǔ steal wrong act false speech double tongue bad mouth frivolous speech

Discourse on Ten Wholesome Ways of Action  63 12。

11

貪欲 、瞋恚、邪見 tān yù chēnhùi, xié jiàn craving desire hatred wrong view 「龍王！若離殺生，即得成就十離惱法。 lóng wáng rùo lí shā shēng jí dé chéngjìu shí lí nǎo fǎ Dragon King if leave kill life then get achieve ten leave vexation method 何等為十？一、於諸眾生普施無畏； hé děng wéi shíyī yú zhū zhòng shēng pǔ shī wú wèi what kind be ten one to all sentient-being widely donate lack fear 二、常於眾生起大慈13心； èr cháng yú zhòng shēng qǐ dà cí xīn two always to sentient-being arise great compassion heart 三、永斷一切瞋恚習氣14 sān yǒng duàn yíqiè chēnhùi xíqì three forever break-off all hatred habit-energy

Vocabulary 斷

duàn

v

to break off, to sever, to put a stop to

晝夜

zhòuyè

n

day and night, all the time

思惟

sīwéi

v

to think about, to ponder

等

děng

n

rank, class, category, kind

毫分

háofēn

n

a hair’s breadth, the tiniest portion

間雜

jiānzá

adj

intermingled, mixed in

圓滿

yuánmǎn

adj

complete, perfected, perfect

餘

yú

adj

surplus, additional, other

離

lí

v

to leave, to separate from, to give up

偷盜

tōudào

v/n

to steal, stealing, theft

邪

xié

adj

evil, pernicious, wrong

妄

wàng

adj

wild, wrong, untrue, false

綺

qǐ

adj

gorgeous, ornate, frivolous

貪

tān

adj/n

greedy, greed, translation of Skt. rāga ‘desire’, ‘craving’

瞋恚

chēnhuì

n

anger, aversion, hatred

畏

wèi

adj

in awe of, afraid, fear

慈

cí

n

kindness, compassion, translation of Skt. maitrī

習氣

xíqì

n

habituated energy, habit energy

64  Discourse on Ten Wholesome Ways of Action

Notes   1 法: Most occurrences of 法 encountered so far can be interpreted as translations of Skt. dharma. However, here the context seems to suggest it should be understand in its everyday sense as ‘method’.   2 惡道, ‘evil ways’, refers to the unfavorable rebirth destinies (Skt. durgati) into which beings can be reborn as a result of their unwholesome actions/karma. Three such unfavorable destinies are usually given (i) to become an occupant of one of the hell realms (地獄), (ii) to become an animal (畜生) or (iii) to become a hungry ghost (餓鬼).   3 念念: Earlier in this line 念 means ‘to bring to mind’, ‘to hold in the mind’ or to ‘to be mindful of’, as we have seen in previous units. We have also seen that as a noun it can mean ‘thought’. Here, 念念 means ‘every thought moment’ or ‘thought moment by thought moment’.   4 言 . . . 者 is a phrase used to highlight or pick out a topic – ‘speaking about wholesome dharmas’ or ‘as for wholesome dharmas’.   5 人天身: 人天 both modify 身, forming one noun phrase ‘the bodies of humans and devas’.   6 聲聞菩提、獨覺菩提、無上菩提: These noun phrases all consist of a transliteration modified by a translation. 菩提 is a transliteration of Skt. bodhi ‘awakening’ or ‘enlightenment’. 聲聞 ‘voice hearers’ we have also already encountered as a translation of Skt. śrāvaka. 獨覺 ‘solitary realizer’ is a translation of Skt. pratyekabuddha which we have previously met in the transliterated form of 辟支佛. 無上 we have previously seen as the translation of Skt. anuttara (also transcribed 阿耨多羅). These noun groups therefore refer to three kinds of awakening, the awakening of the sravakas, the awakening of the pratyekabuddhas and the supreme or unsurpassed awakening of a buddha.  7 邪行 ‘wrong actions’: This is often taken to mean immoral sexual activity.   8 兩舌 ‘double tongue’ or ‘two tongued’: i.e. saying one thing to one person and another thing to another person, talking behind someone’s back, therefore causing divisions or schisms.   9 惡口 ‘bad mouth[ing]’: i.e. harsh, abusive, or insulting speech. 10 綺語‘frivolous speech’: This includes gossiping and making sexual innuendos. 11 貪欲: These two near synonyms are used together to translate Skt. kāma-rāga ‘attachment to (sensual) desire(s)’, ‘sensual craving’. 12 邪見: The most serious wrong view is ignoring the principle of cause and effect. See the DDB entry for 邪見. 13 慈 is used to translate Skt. maitrī ‘loving-kindness’. It is also often used as an abbreviation for 慈悲 Skt. maitrī-karuṇā literally ‘loving kindness and compassion’. However, 慈悲 can also often be interpreted as a single compound, translated as ‘compassion’. 14 習氣: ‘habituated energy’, i.e. tendencies in the mind that influence behavior and that have been created through earlier verbal, mental and bodily acts and through external experiences. Because this term often has a negative connotation, it is sometimes translated as ‘bad habits’. See the PDB under vāsanā. Here it refers to tendencies towards hatred. EXTRACT THREE In this extract, the Buddha describes some more of the blessings that will accrue to one who refrains from unwholesome actions.

Discourse on Ten Wholesome Ways of Action  65 爾時世尊復告龍王言： 「若有菩薩依此善業，於修道時，能離殺害而行施故，常富 財寶，無能侵奪；長壽無夭，不為一切怨賊損害。離不與取而行施故，常富財寶， 無能侵奪；最勝無比， 悉能備集諸佛法藏。離非梵行而行施故，常富財寶，無能侵 奪；其家直順，母及妻子，無有能以欲心視者。離虛誑語而行施故，常富財寶，無 能侵奪；離眾毀謗，攝持正法，如其誓願，所作必果。離離間語而行施故，常富財 寶，無能侵奪；眷屬和睦，同一志樂，恆無乖 諍。離麁惡語而行施故，常富財寶， 無能侵奪；一切眾會，歡喜歸依，言皆信受，無違拒者。

Glossed Text 爾時世尊復告龍王言： ěrshí shìzūn fù gào lóng wáng yán at-this-time world-honored-one again tell Dragon King say 「若有菩薩依此善業，於修道時， ruò yǒu púsà yī cǐ shàn yè, yú xiū dào shí if exist bodhisattva rely this good action at cultivate way when 能離殺害而行施1故，常富財寶， néng lí shā hài ér xíng shī gù cháng fù cáibǎo can leave kill harm and practice donate because always rich-in wealth 無能侵奪；長壽無夭，不為一切怨賊損害2。 wú néng qīnduó cháng shòu wú yāo bù wéi yíqiè yuàn zéi sǔn hài lack can plunder long lifespan lack untimely-death not be all hatred thief harm 離不與取3而行施故， lí bù yǔ qǔ ér xíng shī gù leave not give take and practice donate because 常富財寶，無能侵奪；最勝無比， cháng fù cái bǎo, wú néng qīnduó, zuìshèng wúbǐ, always rich-in wealth lack can plunder greatest incomparable 悉能備集諸佛法藏4。 xī néng bèi jí zhū fó fǎ zàng。 entirely can completely accumulate all buddha dharma store 離非梵行而行施故，常富財寶， lí fēi fàn xíng ér xíng shī gù, cháng fù cáibǎo leave not brahman practice and practice donate because always rich-in wealth 無能侵奪；其家直順，母及妻子， wú néng qīnduó qí jiā zhí shùn mǔ jí qīzǐ lack can plunder one’s family upright obedient mother and wife-and-children 無有能以欲心視者5。 wú yǒu néng yǐ yù xīn shì zhě. lack exist can with desire heart look STRUC

66  Discourse on Ten Wholesome Ways of Action 離虛誑語而行施故，常富財寶， lí xūkuáng yǔ ér xíng shī gù cháng fù cái bǎo leave deceitful speech and practice donate because always rich-in wealth 無能侵奪；離眾毀謗，攝持正法，如其誓願， wúnéng qīnduó lí zhòng huǐbàng shè chí zhèng fǎ rú qí shìyuàn lack can plunder leave multitude slander gather hold right dharma like this vow 所作必果6。 離離間語而行施故， suǒ zuò bì guǒ lí líjiàn yǔ ér xíng shī gù that-which do necessarily fruit leave divisive speech and practice donate because 常富財寶，無能侵奪；眷屬和睦， cháng fù cái bǎo wú néng qīn duó juànshǔ hémù always rich-in wealth lack can plunder family-members harmonious 同一志樂，恆無乖諍7。 tóngyī zhì lè héng wú guāi zhēng same aspiration joy constant lack discordant quarrel 離麁惡語而行施故，常富財寶， lí cū è yǔ ér xíng shī gù cháng fù cái bǎo leave coarse evil speech and practice donate because always rich-in wealth 無能侵奪；一切眾會，歡喜歸依8， wú néng qīnduó yíqiè zhòng huì huānxǐ guīyī lack can plunder all multitude assemble delighted take-refuge 言皆信受，無違拒9者。 yán jiē xìn shòu wú wéi jù zhě word all trust accept lack resist STRUC

Vocabulary 富

fù

adj

wealthy, rich, rich in

財寶

cáibǎo

n

wealth, riches

侵奪

qīnduó

v

to seize by force, to plunder

夭

yāo

v/n

to die young, untimely death

最勝

zuìshèng

adv+adj

greatest, all surpassing

備

bèi

adj/adv

complete(ly), exhaustive(ly)

梵

fàn

n

abbreviated transliteration of Skt. brahman the deity Brahma, ‘pure’, ‘holy’

順

shùn

adj

compliant, obedient, amiable

妻子

qīzǐ

n

wife and children

Discourse on Ten Wholesome Ways of Action  67 虛誑

xūkuáng

adj

false, deceitful

毀謗

hǔibàng

n/v

slander, defamation, to slander, to defame

攝

shè

v

to gather, to collect

誓願

shìyuàn

n

oath, vow

離間

líjiàn

adj

causing dissention, divisive, translation of Skt. piśuna ‘slanderous’, ‘backbiting’

眷屬

juànshǔ

n

family members

和睦

hémù

adj

harmonious

恆

héng

adj

lasting, constant, persistent

乖

guāi

adj

contrary, perverse, discordant

諍

zhèng

v

to remonstrate, to admonish; also used for 爭 zhēng ‘to dispute’, ‘to quarrel’

麁

cū

coarse, rough, crude (also written 麤 or 粗)

歸依

guīyī

to take refuge

違拒

weíjù

to disobey, to not comply with, to resist

Notes 1 2

3 4

5 6

7 8

行施: 施, which is basically a verb meaning ‘to give, to donate’ (see 3.1) is here the object of 行 ‘to practice’ and is therefore nominalized. It is used to translate Skt. dāna ‘giving’, ‘generosity’, ‘charity’. 不為一切怨賊損害: 為 marks this clause as passive in meaning, with 怨賊 as agent, even though there is no 所 (see 3.2). 怨賊 ‘hatred thief’ could be interpreted as ‘[by] hatred (i.e. those who hate one) and by thieves’. However, note that the DDB has an entry for 怨賊 with the basic meaning of ‘the thief hatred’. 不與取 ‘not give[n] take’: i.e. taking what has not been given. 佛法藏 ‘buddha dharma store’: This is also called the 如來藏 Skt. tathāgatagarha, translated into English as ‘tathagata matrix’ or ‘womb of the tathagatas’. By ‘accumulating’ the buddha-dharmas in this store, living beings can fulfill their potential to achieve buddhahood (see the PDB under tathāgatagarbha). 無有能以欲心視者: Note that the object of 視 is 母及妻子, which occurs at the beginning of the clause as its topic. 如其誓願，所作必果: As it stands, the interpretation of this is ‘according to his vows, that which he does will come to fruition’. However, although the placement of the comma is consistent with the division of the text into four syllable rythmic units, we could ignore it and interpret the clause as ‘that which he does according to his vows, will certainly come to fruition’, which seems to make better sense. 乖諍 ‘discordant disputing’: The DDB has these two 字 as a compound meaning ‘to fight’, ‘to argue over’, ‘rivalry’, ‘envy’ etc. The HDC similarly has an entry for 乖爭 glossed as 紛爭 ‘dispute’, ‘dissention’. 歸依 usually refers to taking refuge in the three treasures (三寶) of Buddhism – the Buddha (佛), the dharma (法) and the sangha (僧). The text here implies that if a person has

68  Discourse on Ten Wholesome Ways of Action

9

developed the virtues described in the text, whenever people gather to hear him teach, they will joyfully take refuge. 違拒: The HDC has an entry for 違拒 glossed as 違抗 (‘to defy’, ‘to disobey’) and 不 服從 (‘to disobey, ‘to not comply’), with classical citations. The meaning in this context therefore seems to be that everyone (一切眾會) trusts and accepts his speech without anyone resisting it.

Further reading An English translation of this sutra together with the Chinese text and copious notes can be found in Saddhaloka (2008). On the 無量光明 website at www.jingshu.org/ssydj can be found a link to a Modern Chinese translation of the sutra, to an introduction and summary of its contents, as well as to various commentaries.

Reference Saddhaloka, Ven Bhikkhu. The Discourse on the Ten Wholesome Ways of Action & A Lecture on the Excellent Karma Resulting from the Practice of the Ten Commandments. The Corporate Body of the Buddha Educational Foundation, 2008.

Unit Six Biographies of Eminent Monks and Nuns

Completed in the Liáng (梁) dynasty (502–587 ce) in the year 519 ce, the 高僧傳 (gāosēngzhuàn; T50:2059) is considered to be the most accurate record of the lives of notable Buddhist monks and nuns up to the time it was written. It consists of fourteen fascicles and is divided into ten thematic sections. The text includes biographies of 257 monks and a few nuns. The three extracts in this unit are found at the beginning of the second fascicle in the first section, which concerns 譯經 ‘sutra translation’. The author Huìjiǎo (慧皎; 497–554 ce) was from Shàngyú (上虞) in modern-day Zhejiang province. He lived and did his work in Jiāxiáng monastery (嘉祥寺) located in what is now the city of Shàoxīng (紹興), also in Zhejiang close to Hangzhou. See the DDB for more information on Huijiao. The biography we have chosen is that of arguably the best translator of Buddhist texts into Chinese, Kumārajīva (鳩摩羅什; 344–413 ce), whose translations of the Diamond Sutra and the Lotus Sutra we looked at in Units Three and Four. This is the first text in this book to have been written originally in Chinese by a Chinese monk. It is also the first text we have taken from the Taisho to use ‘。’ as the only punctuation mark. This means that the reader has to decide whether ‘。’ marks the end of a phrase, a clause or a sentence. In this unit and all subsequent units we will provide a version of the text with Romanization but no glosses. If you come across a word in the extracts that is not in the vocabulary list and that you are not sure about, we suggest you first check in the vocabulary index (Appendix One) to find out if the word has been explained in a previous unit. If it is not there, it is likely to be a word still commonly used with the same meaning in MSC and you should be able to find it in any Chinese-English dictionary. EXTRACT ONE The extract begins with the meaning of Kumarajiva’s name and a brief discussion of his ancestry. 高僧傳卷第二 鳩摩羅什 此云童壽。天竺人也。家世國相。什祖父達多。倜儻不群名重於國。父鳩摩炎。聰 明有懿節。將嗣相位。乃辭避出。東度葱嶺。龜茲王聞其棄榮甚敬慕之。 自出郊迎 請為國師。王有妹年始二十識悟明敏過目必能。一聞則誦。

70  Biographies of Eminent Monks and Nuns

Text with Romanization 高僧傳卷第二 鳩摩羅什 gāo sēng zhuàn juàn dì èr jiū mó luó shí 此云童壽1。天竺人也2。家世國相。什3祖父達多。 cǐ yún tóng shòu tiān zhú rén yě jiā shì guó xiàng shí zǔ fù dá duō 倜儻不群名重於國。父鳩摩炎。聰明有懿節。 tì tǎng bù qún míng zhòng yú guó fù jiū mó yán cōng míng yǒu yì jié 將嗣相位。乃辭避出家。東度葱嶺。 jiāng sì xiàng wèi nǎi cí bì chū jiā dōng dù cōng lǐng 龜茲王聞其棄榮甚敬慕之4。自5出郊迎請為國師6。 qiū cí wáng wén qí qì róng shèn jìng mù zhī zì chū jiāo yíng qǐng wéi guó shī 王有妹年始二十識悟明敏7過目必能8。一聞則誦。 wáng yǒu mèi nián shǐ èr shí shí wù míng mǐn guò mù bì néng yì wén zé sòng

Vocabulary 卷

juǎn

n

rolled volume, scroll, fascicle

童壽

tóngshòu

n

youthful elder

天竺

tiānzhú

name

transliteration of Skt. sindhu, an ancient name for India

家世

jiāshì

n

family background

相

xiàng

n

government official, prime minister

達多

dáduō

name

transliteration of his grandfather’s name, possibly Datta

倜儻

tìtǎng

adj

outstandingly talented, extraordinary, one of a kind

不群

bùqún

adj

standing out from others, not of the crowd

名重

míngzhòng

adj

distinguished, eminent, having a distinguished reputation

鳩摩炎

jiūmóyán

name

transliteration of Skt. Kumārayāṇa

懿

yì

adj

perfect, admirable, excellent

節

jié

adj/n

temperate, steadfast in moral principles, moral integrity

將

jiāng

aux

will (future), about to

嗣

sì

v

to continue, to succeed to, to inherit

位

wèi

n

position, rank

辭

cí

v

to decline, to turn down

Biographies of Eminent Monks and Nuns  71 避

bì

v

to avoid, to seek shelter, to disappear from view

出家

chūjiā

v

leave the home life, become a monk

葱嶺

cōnglǐng

n

the Congling Range in current Xinjiang

龜茲

qiūcí

n

Kucha, modern-day Kuqa in Xinjiang

棄

qì

v

to abandon, to forsake

榮

róng

n

honor, glory

敬慕

jìngmù

v

to revere, to respect

郊迎

jiāoyíng

v

to go outside the city gates to welcome distinguished guests

始

shǐ

adv

for the first time, just, only

悟

wù

v/adj

to awaken to, to become enlightened, awakened, enlightened

敏

mǐn

adj

quick in understanding, sharp-minded, ingenious

誦

sòng

v

to repeat by heart, to recite, to declaim

Notes 1 2

3 4 5 6 7

8

童壽 is the Chinese translation for Kumarajiva, based on the meaning of his Sanskrit name. 天竺人也: This is a type of equative (‘X is Y’) clause common in Wenyan. The clause takes the form XY 也, i.e. two noun phrases without a linking verb (such as 為 or 是) between them and ending with the final particle 也. Here the ‘X’ is understood as 童壽. 什 is the last character in the transliteration for Kumarajiva and is used throughout this section as an abbreviation for his full name. 之 refers to Kumārayāṇa. 自 refers to the King of Kucha. 國師 is a term given to honored monks appointed to the post by the emperor. They were often expected to live in the capital and were known to teach the imperial family and government officials. 識悟明敏: These are four qualities Jivaka, the younger sister of the king and the one who will become Kumarajiva’s mother, possesses. 識 in Buddhist terminology, as we have already seen, normally means consciousness or awareness, but here it means a high level of discernment. 悟 refers to enlightenment and 明 has to do with wisdom. 敏 refers to her quickness. This complete phrase points to her ability to see things how they really are in a very short period of time. 過目必能: The previous phrase points to Jivaka’s power of discernment, while this phrase describes her ability to learn things quickly. 過目 literally means ‘passing by one’s eyes’, but here it specifically means whatever one reads. 必能 is an verb phrase where the 必 is an adverb modifying 能 which means ‘to be capable’ or ‘to master’.

72  Biographies of Eminent Monks and Nuns EXTRACT TWO This extract continues with the story about Kumarajiva’s mother, Jivika. 且體有赤黶法生智子。諸國娉之並不肯行。及見摩炎心欲 當之。乃逼以妻焉。既而懷什。什在胎時。其母自覺。神 悟超解有倍常日。聞雀梨大寺名德既多。又有得道之僧。 即與王族貴女徳行諸尼。彌日設供請齋聽法。什母忽自通 天竺語。難問之辭必窮淵致。衆咸歎之。有羅漢達摩 瞿沙曰。此必懷智子。爲説舍利弗在胎之證。

Text with Romanization 且體有赤黶法生智子1。諸國娉之2並不肯行。 qiě tǐ yǒu chì yǎn fǎ shēng zhì zǐ zhū guó pìng zhī bìng bù kěn xíng 及見摩炎心欲當之。乃逼以妻焉3。既而懷什。什在胎時。 jí jiàn mò yán xīn yù dāng zhī nǎi bī yǐ qī yān jì ér huái shí shí zài tāi shí 其母自覺。神悟超解有倍常日4。聞雀梨大寺名 qí mǔ zì jué shén wù chāo jiě yǒu bèi cháng rì wén què lí dà sì míng 德既多。又有得道之僧。即與王族貴女徳行諸尼。 dé jì duō yòu yǒu dé dào zhī sēng jí yǔ wáng zú guì nǚ dé xíng zhū ní 彌日設供請齋聽法5。什母忽自通天竺語。 mí rì shè gòng qǐng zhāi tīng fǎ shí mǔ hū zì tōng tiān zhú yǔ 難問之辭6必窮淵致。衆咸歎之。有羅漢達摩瞿沙曰。 nán wèn zhī cí bì qióng yuān zhì zhòng xián tàn zhī yǒu luó hàn dá mó qú shā yuē 此必懷智子。爲説舍利弗在胎之證7。 cǐ bì huái zhì zǐ wèi shuō shè lì fú zài tāi zhī zhèng

Vocabulary 且

qiě

adv

moreover, in addition

赤

chì

adj

red

黶

yǎn

n

spot on the body, mole, birthmark

娉

pìng

v

to make a marriage agreement, to betroth

肯

kěn

aux

to be willing to, to consent to

摩炎

móyán

n

shorten form of the transliteration of Kumārayāṇa

Biographies of Eminent Monks and Nuns  73 當

dāng

v

to match, to fit, to be appropriate to

逼

bī

v

to compel, to urge, to force

妻

qì

v

to give a daughter in marriage, to take as a wife

焉

yān

part

final particle giving a sense of finality

懷

huái

v

to embrace, to cherish, to conceive, to become pregnant with

胎

tāi

n

womb

自覺

zìjué

adj/v

self aware, to realize for oneself

超

chāo

v

to surpass, to exceed

倍

bèi

n/adj

double, multiple (times), n-fold

常日

chángrì

n

the everyday, normal, usual

雀梨大寺

quèlídàsì

n

name of a temple in Kucha

得道

dédào

v+n

to attain the way, to attain enlightenment

王族

wángzú

n

members of the royal family

貴

guì

adj

honorable, noble

徳行

déxíng

n

moral conduct, religious discipline

尼

ní

n

abbrevation of 比丘尼 transcription of Skt. bhikṣuṇī ‘buddhist nun’

彌日

mírì

adj+n

the whole day, all day

供

gòng

v/n

to offer, to donate, to provide offerings

齋

zhāi

n

offering of vegetarian food to monks, the ritual period for food, i.e. before noon

聽法

tīngfǎ

v+n

to listen to dharma teaching

忽

hū

adv

all at once, suddenly

通

tōng

v

to penetrate, to understand thoroughly

辭

cí

n

words, phrase

窮

qióng

v/adv

to pursue to the limit, to exhaust, thoroughly, exhaustively

淵致

yuānzhì

adj/n

profound, deep, profundity

咸

xián

adv

all, totally

歎

tàn

v

give a deep sigh of admiration, to exclaim in admiration

達摩瞿沙

dámóqǘshā

name

name of an arhat, Skt. dharmaghośa

證

zhèng

n/v

evidence, proof, to actualize, to realize

74  Biographies of Eminent Monks and Nuns

Notes 1

2 3

4

5

6 7

法生智子: The first character 法 stands for 佛法, which we have seen before. 生 here means ‘to give birth to’. 智子 is ‘a wise child’. Rather than interpret 法 as the subject of 生, it makes more sense to interpret it as an adjunct (adverbial), translating it by adding a phrase such as ‘according to’. 諸國娉之並不肯行: 諸國 ‘all the countries’, i.e. [the rulers of] various [neighboring] states [wished to make a marriage alliance with her]. 之 refers to Jivaka, who is also the understood subject of 並不肯行. 逼以妻焉: The most straightforward interpretation of this is to take Jivaka as the understood subject of 逼, and Kumarayan as the understood object. However, another biography of Kumarajiva by Sēngyòu (僧祐, 445–518 ce) 出三藏記集 (Collected Records of the Production of the Tripitaka), makes it clear that it is Jivaka’s brother, the king of Kucha, who forces Kumarayan to marry her. 神悟超解有倍日常: There are two possible interpretations here. We can take 神悟 as the subject of the verb 超, and 解 as the subject of 有倍日常. Alternatively, we can take 神悟 and 超解 as two noun phrases functioning as joint subjects of 有倍日常. Note that 有倍 doesn’t necessarily mean simply doubled. It can mean multiplied several times. 設供請齋聽法 consists of three verb + noun pairs. The first, 設供, deals with arranging the assembly. The second, 請齋, is a formal term for inviting monks and nuns to receive a meal offering and the third, 聽法, is what the attendees are supposed to do after the meal is finished. This kind of Dharma assembly is carried out even today, with normally the most senior monk explaining the Dharma. 難問之辭: The context makes it clear that Jivaka was being asked the difficult questions, not asking the questions. 舍利弗在胎之證: This refers to a story about Sariputra when he was in his mother’s womb. At that time, Sariputra’s mother became very intelligent and defeated her famous brother in debate, which caused him to want to commit suicide. See chapter 1 of the Buddhist Text Translation Society’s edition of The Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra for the complete story (Hsuan, 1978).

EXTRACT THREE This extract relates events after Kumarajiva’s birth, including his mother’s ordination as a Buddhist nun. 及什生之後還忘前言。頃之什母樂欲出家。夫未之許。遂 更産一男名弗沙提婆。後 因出城遊觀見塚間枯骨異處縱横於是深惟苦本定誓出家。若不落髮不咽飮食。至六 日夜氣 力綿乏疑不達旦。夫乃懼而許焉。以未剃髮故猶不嘗進。即勅人除髮。乃下 飮食。次旦受樂禪法。專精匪懈學得初 果。

Text with Romanization 及什生之後還忘前言1。頃之什母樂欲出家。夫未之許2。 jí shí shēng zhī hòu huán wàng qián yán qīng zhī shí mǔ lè yù chū jiā fū wèi zhī xǔ

Biographies of Eminent Monks and Nuns  75 遂更産一男名弗沙提婆。後因出城遊觀見塚間 suì gèng chǎn yì nán míng fú shā tí pó hòu yīn chū chéng yóu guān jiàn zhǒng jiān 枯骨異處縱横。於是深惟苦本定誓出家。 kū gǔ yì chù zòng héng yú shì shēng wéi kǔ běn dìng shì chū jiā 若不落髮3不咽飮食。至六日夜氣力綿乏疑不達旦4。 ruò bú luò fà bù yàn yǐn shí zhì lìu rì yè qì lì mián fá yí bù dá dàn 夫乃懼而許焉。以未剃髮故猶不嘗進。即勅人除髮。 fū nǎi jù ér xǔ yān yǐ wèi tì fà gù yóu bù cháng jìn jí chì rén chú fà 乃下飮食。次旦受5樂禪法6。專精匪懈學得初果7。 nǎi xià yǐn shí cì dàn shòu lè chán fǎ zhuān jīng fěi xiè xué dé chū gǔo

Vocabulary 還

huán

v

to return to, to go back

夫

fū

n

adult man, husband

更

gèng

adv

further, more, again

頃之

qǐngzhī

n

(after) a short period of time, a while

許

xǔ

v

to allow, to give consent

遂

suì

adv

then, consequently, thereupon

産

chǎn

v

to produce, to generate, to give birth

弗沙提婆

fúshātípó

name

name of Kumarajiva’s brother, Skt. Pusyadeva

遊觀

yóuguān

v

to visit historical or important places, to go sightseeing

塚

zhǒng

n

variant of 冢, a burial mound

間

jiān

n

space within, middle, between, in the midst of

枯

kū

adj

dried, withered, decayed

骨

gǔ

n

bone

異處

yìchù

n/adj

other place[s], [in] different places, spread around

縱横

zònghéng

adv

vertically and horizontally, this way and that

落

luò

v

to shed, to drop down, to drop off

髮

fà

n

hair (on one’s head)

咽

yàn

v

to swallow

飲

yǐn

n

to drink

食

shí

v

to eat

綿

mián

adj

wispy, fluffy

76  Biographies of Eminent Monks and Nuns 乏

fá

adj

lacking, exhausted, weary

疑

yí

adj

unclear, uncertain about, doubtful whether. . .

旦

dàn

n

dawn, morning

懼

jù

adj

afraid, fearful, frightened

剃

tì

v

to cut (hair), to shave

猶

yóu

adv

still, yet

嘗

cháng

adv

once (in the past), previously experienced

勅

chì

n/v

imperial decree, royal decree, to decree, to order

除

chú

v

to remove

下

xià

v

to go down, to condescend

專精

zhuānjīng

v

to fully focus one’s mind, to concentrate strongly

匪懈

fěixiè

adj

not indolent, not lazy, never relaxing

Notes 1 2 3 4

5 6 7

還忘前言: i.e. Jivaka lost the ability to understand and speak Sanskrit. 夫未之許: In Wenyan, the object pronoun 之 regularly precedes the verb when the verb is negated. 落髮 literally means ‘shedding one’s hair’ and is a term used for ordination as a Buddhist monk or nun, because when one becomes a monk or nun, head shaving is required to help cut off one’s attachment to one’s body. 綿乏疑不達旦: 綿 and 乏 describe the condition of Jivaka after fasting for six days. 綿 means wispy like silk, so this could be taken as a metaphor for frail. 乏 means she was lacking in energy. Therefore it was doubtful (疑) if she [would or] would not survive till (不達) the next morning. 受 here stands for 受戒, ‘took the precepts’, ‘received ordination’. 樂禪法: This means Jivaka ‘delighted in the dharma of Chan’, which implies she loved to meditate. 初果, the ‘first fruition’, is the first stage of enlightenment of an arhat. It is also referred to as the stage of ‘stream winner’ or ‘stream enterer’, because it means one has joined the ranks of those on the path to liberation or enlightenment. In Mahayana, there are three more stages of enlightenment for arhats and many more for bodhisattvas. For more information see the PDB srotaāpanna.

Further reading Hui (1999) contains the entire original Gaoshenzhuan (in simplified characters) with copious notes and a modern Chinese translation. Hui (2014) is an updated version of this in traditional characters published in Taiwan. Yang (2004) has an interesting comparison and analysis of different biographies of Kumarajiva. For a short biography of Kumarajiva in English, see the entry for him in the PDB.

Biographies of Eminent Monks and Nuns 77

References Hsuan Hua. The Dharma Flower Sutra. Vol. 2. Buddhist Text Translation Society. 1978. Hui Jiao. 慧皎。高僧專。注译： 朱恒夫，王学钧，赵益. 山西人民出版社, 1999. Hui Jiao. 慧皎。高僧專。注譯：朱恒夫，王学鈞，趙益。三民書局，二版，2014. Yang Lu. “Narratives and Historicity in the Buddhist Biographies of Early Medieval China: The Case of Kumarajiva.” Asia Major, Vol. 17, no. 2, 2004.

Unit Seven The Essentials for Practicing Calmingand-Insight and Chan Meditation

Like the text looked at in the last unit, this text was originally written in Chinese by a Chinese monk, rather than being translated from an Indian or Central Asian language. The Essentials for Practicing Calming-and-Insight and Chan Meditation (修習止觀坐禪法要 xiūxí zhǐguān chánfǎ yào; T46.1915) was composed by the monk Zhìyǐ (智顗; 538–597 ce) also called Zhìzhě (智者) ‘Wise One’, who is considered one of the greatest exegetes in China and credited with founding the Tiāntái (天台) school of Buddhism. Tiantai is arguably the most influential of the hermeneutic schools in China, which helped to standardize and elucidate many of the Buddhist teachings coming into China from India and elsewhere. Zhiyi was born in Yǐngchuān (頴川) in Anhui province and became a novice at the age of seven. He took full ordination when he was twenty and spent the rest of his life studying, writing and commenting on important texts. The Tiantai school emphasizes the Lotus Sutra (see Unit Five). Master Zhiyi is the author of four major Chinese Buddhist meditation texts. 1 2 3 4

The Great Calming-and-Insight (摩訶止觀; T46.1911) An Explanation of the Dharma Gateway of Dhyāna Pāramitā (釋禪波羅蜜次第法門; T46.1916) The Essentials for Practicing Calming-and-Insight and Chan Meditation (the text for this unit) The Six Gates to the Sublime (六妙法門; T46.1917).

The Essentials for Practicing Calming-and-Insight and Chan Meditation, the third and shortest of his texts, is divided into ten chapters, each of which explains a necessary condition for successful meditation practice. The importance of The Essentials is described well in a quote from Bhikshu Dharmamitra, taken from his translation of this work entitled The Essentials of Buddhist Meditation (Zhiyi, 2009). Due to its clarity and comprehensiveness in describing the crucially important factors involved in understanding and practicing Buddhist meditation, this present work, The Essentials, is one of the most important introductory meditation manuals ever authored in the two-millennia-long course of Sino-Buddhist history. (p. 17)

Calming-and-Insight and Chan Meditation  79 EXTRACT ONE The Essentials begins with Zhiyi’s preface, which introduces the importance of 止and 觀, comparing them to wheels of a cart and wings of a bird. 修習止觀坐禪法要 (一曰童蒙止觀亦名小止觀) 天台山修禪寺沙門智顗述 諸惡莫作，衆善奉行，自淨其意，是諸佛教。若夫泥洹之法，入乃多途。論其急 要，不出止觀二法。所以然者，止乃伏結之初門，觀是斷惑之正要；止則愛養心識 之善資，觀則策發神解之妙術；止是禪定之勝因，觀是智慧之由藉。若人成就定慧 二法，斯乃自利利人法皆具足。故《法華經》云：「佛自住大乘，如其所得法，定 慧力莊嚴，以此度眾生。」當知此之二法，如車之雙輪，鳥之兩翼；

Text with Romanization 修習止觀1坐禪法要 xiū xí zhǐ guān zuò chán fǎ yào (一曰童蒙止觀亦名小止觀2) yī yuē tóng méng zhǐ guān yì míng xiǎo zhǐ guān 天台山3修禪寺4沙門智顗述 tiān tāi shān xiú chán sì shā mén zhì yǐ shù 諸惡莫作，衆善奉行5，自淨其意，是諸佛教。 zhū è mò zuò zhòng shàn fèng xíng zì jìng qí yì shì zhū fó jiào 若夫6泥洹之法，入乃多途。論其急要，不出止觀二法。 ruò fú ní huán zhī fǎ rù nǎi duō tú lùn qí jí yào bù chū zhǐ guān èr fǎ 所以然者，止乃伏結7之初門，觀是斷惑之正要； suǒ yǐ rán zhě zhǐ nǎi fú jié zhī chū mén guān shì duàn huò zhī zhèng yào 止則愛養心識8之善資，觀則策發神解之妙術； zhǐ zé ài yǎng xīn shí zhī shàn zī guān zé cè fā shéng jiě zhī miào shù 止是禪定之勝，因觀是智慧之由藉。若人成就定慧二法， zhǐ shì chán dìng zhī shèng yīn guān shì zhì huì zhī yóu jiè ruò rén chéng jiù dìng huì èr fǎ 斯乃自利利人9法皆具足。故《法華經》10云： sī nǎi zì lì lì rén fǎ jiē jù zú gù fǎ huá jīng yún 「佛自住大乘，如其所得法，定慧力莊嚴，以此度眾生。」 fó zì zhù dà chéng rú qí suǒ dé fǎ dìng huì lì zhuāng yán yǐ cǐ dù zhòng shēng 當知此之二法，如車之雙輪，鳥之兩翼； dāng zhī cǐ zhī èr fǎ rú chē zhī shuāng lún niǎo zhī shuāng yì

80  Calming-and-Insight and Chan Meditation

Vocabulary 修習

xiūxí

v

to cultivate, to practice

止

zhǐ

v

to stop, to make still, translation of Skt. śamatha

觀

guān

v

to contemplate, to watch over, translation of Skt. vipaśyanā

坐禪

zuòchán

v+n

to sit in meditation, sitting meditation, 禪 is transliteration of first syllable of Skt. dhyāna ‘meditative concentration’

要

yào

n/v

necessity, essentials, crux, to sum up, to summarize

童蒙

tóngméng

n

innocent or ignorant childhood

沙門

shāmén

n

transliteration of Skt. śramaṇa, a Buddhist monk

述

shù

v

to recount, to relate, to narrate

莫

mò

adv

none, in no case, don’t (negative imperative)

夫

fú

dem

this, that, these, those

泥洹

níhuán

n

transliteration of Skt. nirvāṇa

途

tú

n

road, path

急要

jíyào

adj

urgent, essential, crucial

然

rán

adj

so, like this, be thus

結

jié

v/n

to tie up, to shackle, knot, fetter, bond

惑

huò

n

mental disturbance, delusion

資

zī

n

ability, natural endowment

策

cè

v

to urge forward, to whip

神解

shénjiě

n

psychic understanding, understanding beyond the rational mind

術

shù

n

skill, art

藉

jí

n

mat, cushion, reliance, basis

翼

yì

n

wing

Notes   1 止觀 are two basic forms of meditation. 止 is the quieting aspect where one stills one’s mind to develop concentration. 觀 is the process of using one’s mind to contemplate a principle, for example to contemplate that all dharmas are devoid of inherently existent aspects and are only produced from causes and conditions. This is a very simple definition. Later in the text their meaning and function are explained in much more detail. See also the PDB under Śamatha and Vipaśana as well as the suggestions in Further Reading.   2 This is one of four texts dealing with these two kinds of meditation written by Zhiyi. The text discussed here is the shortest of the four, thus the reference to ‘smaller’ or ‘lesser’.   3 天台山 is located in Zhejiang Province more than 200 km south of Hangzhou. This is where the most famous Chinese hermeneutic school of Buddhism began and took its name from the mountain. Master Zhiyi is generally considered to be the founder of this school.

Calming-and-Insight and Chan Meditation  81   4 修禪寺 is the name of the monastery at Tiantai Mountain where Master Zhiyi lived and worked. Ruins of the original monastery still exist.   5 諸惡莫作，衆善奉行: These two clauses summarize what one must strive to accomplish as a practicing Buddhist. They are sometimes used to introduce lectures or written documents.   6 夫: According to Kroll, 夫 ( fú) as a demonstrative is found in early, mostly pre-Qin texts. Its use in later texts to replace 彼 is for archaic effect.  7 結 ‘fetters, ‘bonds’: This refers to the ten fetters that bind sentient beings to the cycle of rebirth and death. The DDB lists them as: ‘desire, anger, pride, false views, doubt, attachment to discipline, attachment to existence, jealousy, parsimony, ignorance’. See also the PDB under samyojana.   8 心識 here means the same as 意識 ‘mind consciousness’. See 1.2, notes 3 and 4. The mind is not to be trusted, therefore 止 can calm it down so one may practice 觀.   9 自利利人 can mean to benefit oneself and others or to benefit oneself by benefiting others. 10 法華經 is an abbreviation for the Lotus Sutra (Unit Four). EXTRACT TWO We have jumped ahead in the text to the first of the ten essentials that are critical for those who wish to practice 止觀. 具緣第一 夫發心起行，欲修止觀者，要先外具五緣：第一、持戒清淨。如 經中說：「依因此戒，得生諸禪定，及滅苦智慧。」是故比丘應持戒清淨。然有三 種行人持戒不同：一者、若人未作佛弟子時，不造五逆；後遇良師，教受三歸五 戒，為佛弟子。若得出家，受沙彌十戒，次受具足戒，作比丘，比丘尼。從受戒 來， 清淨護持，無所毀犯；是名上品持戒人也。當知是人修行止，觀必證佛法；猶 如淨衣，易受染色。二者、若人受得戒已，雖不犯重， 於諸輕戒， 多所毀損。為修 定故，即能如法懺悔，亦名持戒清淨，能生定慧。如衣曾有垢膩，若能浣淨，染亦 可著。三者、若人受得戒已，不能堅心護持，輕重諸戒多所毀犯。 依小乘教門，即 無懺悔四重之法；若依大乘教門，猶可滅除。故經云。「佛法有二種健人：一者、 不作諸惡，二者、作已能悔。」

Text with Romanization 具緣1第一 jù yuán dì yī 夫2發心起行，欲修止觀者，要先外具五緣：第一、持戒清淨。 fú fā xīn qǐ xíng yù xiū zhǐ guān zhě yào xiān wài jù wǔ yuán dì yī chí jiè qīng jìng 如經中說：「依因此戒，得生諸禪定，及滅苦智慧。」 rú jīng zhōng shuō yī yīn cǐ jiè dé shēng zhū chán dìng jí miè kǔ zhì huì 是故比丘應持戒清淨。然有三種行人持戒不同： shì gù bǐ qiū yīng chí jiè qīng jìng rán yǒu sān zhǒng xíng rén chí jiè bù tóng

82  Calming-and-Insight and Chan Meditation 一者3、若人未作佛弟子時，不造五逆4；後遇良師， yī zhě ruò rén wèi zuò fó dì zǐ shí bú zào wǔ nì hòu yù liáng shī 教受三歸5五戒6， 為佛弟子。若得出家，受沙彌十戒7， jiào shòu sān guī wǔ jiè wéi fó dì zǐ ruò dé chū jiā shòu shā mí shí jiè 次受具足戒8，作比丘，比丘尼。從受戒來， cì shòu jù zú jiè zuò bǐ qiū bǐ qiū ní cóng shòu jiè lái 清淨護持，無所毀犯；是名上品持戒人也。當知是人修行止， qīng jìng hù chí wú suǒ huǐ fàn shì míng shàng pǐn chí jiè rén yě dāng zhī shì rén xiū xíng zhǐ 觀必證佛法；猶如淨衣，易受染色。二者9、 guān bì zhèng fó fǎ yóu rú jìng yī yì shòu rǎn sè èr zhě 若人受得戒已，雖不犯重10， 於諸輕戒11， 多所毀損。 ruò rén shòu dé jiè yǐ suī bú fàn zhòng yú zhū qīng zhū jiè duō suǒ huǐ sǔn 為修定故，即能如法懺悔12，亦名持戒清淨，能生定慧。 wèi xiū dìng gù jí néng rú fǎ chàn huǐ yì míng chí jiè qīng jìng néng shēng dìng huì 猶如衣曾有垢膩，若能浣淨，染亦可著。 yǒu rú yī céng gòu nì ruò néng huàn jìng rǎn yì kě zhuó 三者、若人受得戒已，不能堅心護持，輕重諸戒多所毀犯。 sān zhě ruò rén shòu dé jiè jǐ bù néng jiān xīn hù chí qīng zhòng zhū jiè chí duō suǒ huǐ fàn 依小乘13教門，即無懺悔四重之法；若依大乘教門， yī xiǎo shèng (chéng) jiào mén jí wú chàn huǐ sì zhóng zhī fǎ ruò yī dà chéng jiào mén 猶可滅除。故經云。「佛法有二種健人：一者、 yóu kě miè chú gù jīng yún fó fǎ yǒu èr zhōng jiàn rén yī zhě 不作諸惡，二者、作已能悔。」 bú zuò zhū è èr zhě zuò yǐ néng huǐ

Vocabulary 具

jù

adv/v

completely, fully, to complete, to fulfill, to perfect

戒

jiè

n

moral precept, discipline, morality, translation of Skt. śīla

清淨

qīngjìng

adj

pure, purified

逆

nì

v

to go against, to rebel against, to contravene

良

liáng

adj

good, decent

毀犯

huǐfàn

v

to violate (the moral precepts)

易

yì

adv/adj

easily, easy

Calming-and-Insight and Chan Meditation  83 染色

rǎnsè

v

to dye

犯

fàn

v

to violate, to commit (a crime), to break (precepts)

重

zhòng

adj

heavy, thick, weighty

懺悔

chànhuǐ

v/n

to repent, repentance (see note below)

垢膩

gòunì

n

sweat and body oil, filth, dirt

浣

huàn

v

to wash, to launder

著

zhuó

v

to put on, to wear

健

jiàn

adj

healthy, sturdy, sound

Notes   1 具緣 means ‘fulfillment of the conditions’ and is the first of ten essential requirements explained in this text that the novice practitioner needs to adopt to progress along the path in his/her quest for nirvāṇa. The other nine are renunciation of desires, elimination of the hindrances, making adjustments, implementation of skillful means, actual cultivation, manifestation of [roots of] goodness, recognizing the work of demons, treatment of disorders, realization of the fruition (for a complete explanation of these see Bhikshu Dharmaimitria’s translation).   2 夫 here is a sentence initial particle introducing a generalization. It can be translated as ‘as regards’. See Kroll’s explanation of this use of 夫 (p. 117).   3 者 is used as a topic marker after a numeral in this way to indicate a list of points. Here it indicates the beginning of the sublist of the first of the five 具緣.   4 五逆: This refers to five rebellious or heinous crimes, which are offenses that cannot be eliminated through penance. According to the DDB, the most commonly seen set of these include matricide (殺母), patricide (殺父), killing an arhat (殺阿羅漢), spilling the blood of a buddha (出佛身血), and destroying the harmony of the samgha (破和合僧).   5 三歸 ‘three refuges’: These are the three refuges Buddhists take when they 歸依 and formally become Buddhists, see 5.3 note 8.   6 五戒 are the five fundamental moral precepts of Buddhism, which prohibit killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and consuming intoxicants. Normally when a lay devotee takes the three refuges, he/she will also vow to follow these five precepts.  7 沙彌十戒 are the ten moral precepts for a novice monk or nun. 沙彌 (Skt. śrāmaṇera) is the male, and 沙彌尼 (Skt. śrāmaṇerikā) is the female. However, here 沙彌 is used for both.   8 具足戒 is the full ordination for 比丘 and 比丘尼. According to the Chinese tradition, the number of moral precepts they take at ordination is 250 for 比丘 and 348 for 比丘尼.   9 二者 indicates this is the second in the sublist of three which started above. 10 犯重 concern two sets of moral precepts, those which monks and nuns take during the ordination process and the bodhisattva precepts which both the community of monks and nuns and members of the Mahayanist lay community may take. For monks and nuns, 重 offenses are the worst offenses one can commit. They include sexual conduct, killing, stealing and lying. According to the vinaya, if a monk or nun violates any one of these four he or she must leave the community of monks and nuns immediately. 重 offenses can also refer to violating the ten major bodhisattva precepts. These are similar to the precepts for monks and nuns, but they do not require celibacy.

84  Calming-and-Insight and Chan Meditation 11 輕戒 are minor precepts and breaking one of them is considered a minor violation. 12 懺 involves deep feelings of repentance and 悔 means to change one’s conduct so that one no longer creates bad karma. If one’s repentance is honest and one sincerely changes, one’s karmic obstacles may be eliminated and one may return to purity. For more information and discussion of this term, see the DDB entry for 懺悔. 13 小乘 (Skt. hīnayāna) is the ‘small’ or ‘lesser vehicle’ of Buddhism, which is most popular in Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and some parts of Vietnam. It is different from the 大乘 (Skt. mahāyāna) the ‘great vehicle’ which is popular in northern countries like China, Korea and Japan. A primary reason for the differences in names is the claim that that the goal of devotees of the 小乘 focuses on personal liberation from birth and death, whereas the practitioners of the 大乘 are concerned with the liberation from birth and death of all living beings before they themselves attain liberation. EXTRACT THREE 夫欲懺悔者，須具十法，助成其懺：一者、明信因果；二者、生重怖畏；三者、深 起慚愧；四者、求滅罪方法；所謂大乘經中，明諸行法，應當如法修行；五者、發 露先罪；六者、斷相續心；七者、起護法心；八者、發大誓願，度脫眾生；九者、 常念十方諸佛；十者、觀罪性無生。若能成就如此十法，莊嚴道場，洗浣清淨，著 淨潔衣，燒香散花，於三寶前，如法修行。一七，三七日，或一月， 三月，乃至經 年，專心懺悔所犯重罪，取滅方止。云何知重罪滅相？若行者如是至心懺悔時，自 覺身心輕利，得好瑞夢；或復覩諸靈瑞異相；或覺善心開發；或自於坐中覺身如雲 如影，因是漸證，得諸禪境界；或復豁然解悟心生，善識法相，隨所聞經，即知義 趣，因是法喜，心無憂悔。如是等種種因緣，當知即是破戒障道罪滅之相。

Text with Romanization 夫欲懺悔者，須具十法，助成其懺：一者、明信因果； fú yù chàn huǐ zhě xū jù shí fǎ zhù chéng qí chàn yī zhě míng xìn yīn guǒ 二者、生重怖畏；三者、深起慚愧；四者、求滅罪方法； èr zhě shēng zhòng bù wèi sān zhě shēng qǐ cán kuì sì zhě qiú miè zuì fāng fǎ 所謂大乘經中，明諸行法1，應當如法修行；五者、 suǒ wèi dà shèng jīng zhōng míng zhū xíng fǎ yīng dāng rú fǎ xiū xíng wǔ zhě 發露先罪；六者、斷相續心2；七者、起護法心；八者、 fā lù xiān zuì liù zhě duàn xiāng xù xīn qī zhě qǐ hù fǎ xīn bā zhě 發大誓願，度脫眾生；九者、常念十方 3 諸佛；十者、 fā dà shì yuàn dù tuō zhòng shēng jiǔ zhě cháng niàn shí fāng zhū fó shí zhě 觀罪性4無生5。若能成就如此十法6，莊嚴道場7，洗浣清淨， guān zuì xìng wú shēng ruò néng chéng jiù rú cǐ shí fǎ zhuāng yán dào chǎng xǐ huàn qīng jìng

Calming-and-Insight and Chan Meditation  85 8

著淨潔衣，燒香散花 ，於三寶前，如法修行。一七， zhuó jìng jié yī shāo xiāng sàn huā yú sān bǎo qián rú fǎ xiū xíng yī qī 三七日9或一月，三月，乃至經年，專心懺悔所犯重罪， sān qī rì huò yī yuè sān yuè nǎi zhì jīng nián zhuān xīn chàn huǐ suǒ fàn zhòng zuì 取滅方止。云何知重罪滅相10？若行者如是至心懺悔時， qǔ miè fāng zhǐ yún hé zhī zhòng zuì miè xiàng ruò xíng zhĕ rú shì zhì xīn chàn huǐ shí 自覺身心輕利，得好瑞 夢；或復覩諸靈瑞異相； zì jué shēn xīn qīng lì dé hǎo ruì mèng huò fù dǔ zhū líng ruì yì xiàng 或覺善心開發；或自於坐中覺身如雲如影，因是漸證， huò jué shàn xīn kāi fā huò zì yú zuò zhōng jué shēn rú yún rú yǐng yīn shì jiàn zhèng 得諸禪境界；或復豁然解悟心生，善識法相，隨所聞經， dé zhū chán jìng jiè huò fù huò rán jiĕ wù xīn shēng shàn shí fǎ xiàng suí suǒ wén jīng 即知義趣，因是法喜，心無憂悔。如是等種種因緣11， jí zhī yì qù yīn shì fǎ xǐ xīn wú yōu huǐ rú shì dĕng zhǒng zhǒng yīn yuán 當知即是破戒障道罪滅之相。 dāng zhī jí shì pò jiè zhàng dào zuì miè zhī xiàng

Vocabulary 堅

jiān

adj/v

solid, firm, to stand firm, to persist in

因果

yīnguǒ

n+n

cause and effect

怖畏

bùwèi

n

terror, fear

慚愧

cánkuì

n

shame, remorse

相續

xiāngxù

n

continuity, stream, succession

莊嚴

zhuāng yán

v/n

to adorn, adornment, decoration, ornamentation

道場

dàochǎng

n

place of enlightenment, temple or monastery

潔

jié

adj

pure, clean, spotless

散

sàn

v

to scatter

方

fāng

adv

just then, just when, only then

瑞

ruì

adj/n

auspicious, auspicious sign, favorable omen

覩

dǔ

v

to look at, to observe (also written 睹)

靈

líng

adj

spiritually efficacious, numinous, auspicious

漸

jiàn

adj/adv

gradual, drop by drop, gradually

境界

jìngjiè

n

condition, state, mental realm, mental state

豁然

huòrán

adv

opening up with a flash of understanding, awakening suddenly

86  Calming-and-Insight and Chan Meditation 法相

fǎxiàng

n

characteristics of phenomena, Skt. dharmalakṣaṇa

義趣

yìqù

n

the gist, the meaning, the import

Notes   1 明諸行法: 明 is a verb here meaning to understand. 行法 means ‘dharmas (or methods) of practice’.   2 相續 based on the context, this ‘continuity’ has a negative connotation. Here it appears to be saying that one should sever the state of mind of the continuity of one’s offenses. This means that even though one has created offenses, one should not constantly dwell on them but should let them go just like letting go of other attachments.   3 十方 are the four cardinal directions (East, South, West and North) the four intermediate directions (Southeast etc.), up and down. It is also a general term for everywhere or universally.   4 罪性 ‘nature of offenses’: This refers to the essence of the offenses one has created.   5 無生 refers to the Buddhist doctrine that nothing is truly created, produced or arises. In this case, if offenses do not really arise, how can one suffer for ‘creating’ them?   6 此十法 refers to the previous list of ten. What follows are the steps one should take after one has accomplished these ten.  7 莊嚴道場 literally means ‘to adorn the place of enlightenment’. It is used generally to refer to offerings of materials or money to a temple or monastery that would be used to beautify or enhance it in some way.   8 燒香散花: To burn incense and scatter flowers are ways to respect buddhas and bodhisattvas.   9 一七，三七日 refers to periods of seven days. 一七 means ‘one seven’ or one week. 三 七 is three weeks (twenty-one days). 10 云何知重罪滅相. This sentence is asking rhetorically how one knows when characteristics (相) of heavy offenses (重罪) are destroyed (滅). The next sentence is the answer. 11 如是等種種因緣 is referring to all the conditions listed above from 自覺身心輕利 up to 心無憂悔.

Further reading The classic text for general information about Zhiyi and Tiantai philosophy is Hurvitz (1962). A detailed account of Zhiyi and Tiantai Buddhism is found in Swanson (1989). This work includes an annotated translation of Zhiyi’s 法華玄義 (fǎhuá xuányì). Ziporyn (2016) is considered by some to be the most comprehensive book on Tiantai and is also the most recent.

References Hurtivz, Leon.  Chih-I (538–597): An Introduction to the Life and Ideas of a Chinese Buddhist Monk. Institut Belge des Hautes Études Chinoises, 1962. Swanson, Paul. Tʻien-Tʻai Philosophy: The Flowering of the Two Truths Theory in Chinese Buddhism. Asian Humanities Press, 1989. Zhiyi. The Essentials of Buddhist Meditation. Translation by Bhikshu Dharmamitra. Kalavinka Press, 2009. Ziporyn, Brook. Emptiness and Omnipresence: An Essential Introduction to Tiantai Buddhism. Indiana University Press, 2016.

Unit Eight The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch

The full Chinese title of this text is 六祖大師法寶壇經 (liùzǔdàshī fǎbǎo tán jīng) ‘The Great Master the Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra’. It is more usually shortened to 六祖壇經 in Chinese and is often called ‘The Sixth Patriarch’s Sutra’ or ‘The Platform Sutra’ in English. Note that 經 is a term which, in the Buddhist context, is normally reserved for sutras translated from Indian or Central Asian languages, usually purporting to be teachings given by the Buddha himself. It is not clear exactly when and why this text, which was originally written in Chinese and does not claim to be the words of the Buddha, came to be called a 經, but it is an indication of the reverence felt for it. 六祖 refers to Huìnéng (惠能; 638–713 ce), the Sixth Patriarch of the Chán (禪), or Zen, lineage. According to the account of his life that forms the first part of this sutra, his father died when he was young, leaving the family poor, and he supported his mother by selling firewood. He never learned to read or write. One day he had an enlightenment experience when listening to someone reciting the Diamond Sutra and he left for the monastery of the Fifth Patriarch Hóngrěn (弘忍). On arrival, he was assigned menial kitchen tasks, but months later Hongren, in search of a suitable successor, invited the monks to compose verses to demonstrate their understanding of the Dharma. In response to a verse composed by the senior monk Shénxiù (神秀), Huineng composed one of his own and had it written on a wall. Reading it, Hongren recognized Huineng’s level of realization and in order to avoid arousing the jealousy of the other monks, he secretly passed to Huineng the traditional bowl and robe of authority. Huineng then left the monastery and started teaching only many years later. Following this account of Huineng’s life, the sutra records a talk delivered by Huineng seated on a platform (壇). In the talk he addresses the nature of prajñā (般若), Buddhanature (佛性), and the relationship between samādhi (定), i.e. meditative concentration, and wisdom (慧). The version of the sutra we shall be using (T48:2008) is the one that Chinese Buddhists will be most familiar with. However, there are other versions, in particular a much earlier one found among the documents taken from the Dunhuang caves (see Further Reading). EXTRACT ONE This extract is from 行由品第一 ‘The First Section on the Source of [My/Huineng’s] Practice’. It tells how Huineng asks someone to read for him the verse that Shenxiu had written in response to the Fifth Patriarch’s request for the monks to write verses to demonstrate their understanding of the Dharma. Huineng then composes a responding verse of his

88  The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch own. Shenxiu’s original verse was: 身是菩提樹，心如明鏡臺。時時勤拂拭，勿使惹塵 埃。‘[Our] body is the Bodhi tree, [our] heart-mind is like a bright mirror stand. Constantly wipe it diligently, don’t let any dust adhere to it’. 童子引至偈前禮拜，惠能曰：『惠能不識字，請上人為讀。』時，有江州別駕，姓 張名日用，便高聲讀。惠能聞已，遂言：『亦有一偈，望別駕為書。』別駕言：『 汝亦作偈？其事希有。』惠能向別駕言：『欲學無上菩提，不得輕於初學。下下人 有上上智，上上人有沒意智。若輕人，即有無量無邊罪。』 別駕言：『汝但誦偈， 吾為汝書。汝若得法，先須度吾。 勿忘此言。』惠能偈曰： 『菩提本無樹，明鏡亦非臺； 本來無一物， 何處惹塵埃？』 書此偈已，徒眾總驚，無不嗟訝，各相謂言：『奇哉！不得以貌取人，何得多時， 使他肉身菩薩。』祖見眾人驚怪，恐人損害，遂將鞋擦了偈，曰：『亦未見性8。』 眾以為然。

Text with Romanization 童子引至1偈2前禮拜，惠能曰：『惠能不識字， tóng zǐ yǐn zhì jì qián lǐ bài hùi néng yuē hùi néng bù shí zì 請上人為3讀。』時，有江州別駕，姓張名日用， qǐng shàng rén wèi dú shi yǒu jiāng zhōu bié jià xìng zhāng míng rì yòng 便高聲讀。惠能聞已，遂言：『亦有一偈，望別駕為書。』 biàn gāo shēng dú hùi néng wén yǐ sùi yán yì yǒu yī jì wàng bié jià wèi shū 別駕言：『汝亦作偈？其事希有。』惠能向別駕言： bié jià yán rǔ yì zùo jì qí shì xī yǒu hùi néng xiàng bié jià yán 『欲學無上菩提，不得輕於初學。下下人有上上智， yù xué wú shàng pú tí bù dé qīng yú chū xué xià xià rén yǒu shàng shàng zhì 上上人有沒意智。若輕人，即有無量無邊罪。』 shàng shàng rén yǒu méi yì zhì rùo qīng rén jí yǒu wú liàng wú biān zùi 別駕言：『汝但誦偈，吾為汝書。汝若得法，先須度吾。 bié jià yán rǔ dàn sòng jì wú wèi rǔ shū rǔ rùo dé fǎ xiān xū dù wú 勿忘此言。』惠能偈曰： wù wàng cǐ yán hùi néng jì yuē 『菩提本無樹，明鏡亦非臺4； pú tí běn wú shù míng jìng yì fēi tái 本來無一物， 何處惹塵埃？』 běn lái wú yī wù hé chǔ rě chén āi 書此偈已，徒眾總驚，無不嗟訝，各相謂言：『奇哉！ shū cǐ jì yǐ tú zhòng zōng jīng wú bù jiē yà gè xiàng wèi yán qí zāi

The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch  89 5

不得以貌取人，何得多時，使他肉身菩薩 。』 bù dé yǐ mào qǔ rén hé dé dūo shí shǐ tā ròu shēn pú sà 祖6見眾人驚怪，恐人損害7，遂將鞋擦了偈，曰： zǔ jiàn zhòng rén jīng guài kǒng rén sǔn hài sùi jiāng xié cā liǎo jì yuē 『亦未見性8。』眾以為然。 yì wèi jiàn xìng zhòng yǐ wéi rán

Vocabulary 童子

tóngzǐ

n

boy, youth, novice

引

yǐn

v

to lead, to conduct, to guide

至

zhì

v

to arrive at, to reach

禮拜

lǐbài

v

to pay respect to, to make obeisance to

別駕

biéjià

n

assistant to the provincial governor

便

biàn

conj

then, thereupon

書

shū

v

to write, to record

不得

bùdé

adv+aux

cannot, not possible to

輕

qīng

v

to treat lightly, to slight, to look down on

沒意

méiyì

adj

meaningless, without significance

勿

wù

adv

negative imperative (‘don’t’)

臺

tái

n

terrace, platform, stand

惹

rě

v

to cling to, to adhere to

塵埃

chén’āi

n

dust

總

zǒng

adv

generally, together, collectively

徒

tú

n

follower, disciple

驚

jīng

v/adj

to startle, to surprise, startled, surprised

嗟訝

jiēyà

v

to sigh with surprise, to be amazed

哉

zāi

part

a modal particle indicating an exclamation of surprise or admiration

驚怪

jīngguài

adj

surprised, startled, shocked

將

jiāng

v

to take hold of, to use

擦

cā

v

to rub, to wipe

Notes 1 2 3

引至 ‘led . . . to’: The understood object of 引 is 惠能. 偈: i.e. the verse that Shenxiu had written on the wall of the hallway. 為 ‘for’: The understood object of this preposition is of course 惠能.

90  The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch 4

5

6 7

8

明鏡亦非臺: As we have seen, equative (X is Y) clauses can take the form XY 也, i.e. with no linking verb but with the final particle 也. Corresponding negative equative clauses (X is not Y) are as here formed with the negative adverb 非 ‘[is] not’. This clause can therefore be translated ‘and a bright mirror is not a stand’. However, ‘and a bright mirror does not have a stand’ would seem to better fit this context. The Dunhuang version of the text does in fact have 無臺 instead of 非臺. It also includes this additional gatha by Huineng: 心是菩提樹，身為明鏡臺。明鏡本清淨，何處染塵埃。 何得多時，使他肉身菩薩 ‘How can much time, make/use him a flesh body bodhisattva’: 肉身菩薩 is a flesh-and-blood (i.e. incarnate) bodhisattva. The whole sentence could be translated ‘How long will it take to make him a flesh-and-blood bodhisattva?’ Alternatively, taking 使 in the meaning of ‘use’ or ‘employ’, it can be interpreted as ‘How can it be that for so long we have employed him, a flesh-and-blood bodhisattva?’ Cleary’s translation (see Further Reading) follows the latter interpretation, while translations into Modern Chinese mostly follow the former interpretation. 祖 ‘ancestor’, ‘patriarch’: i.e. the Fifth Patriarch who had set the monks the task of writing a verse in order to select his successor. 損害: The understood object of this verb is 惠能. The Fifth Patriarch presumably feared that some of the other monks might seek to harm Huineng out of jealousy if he confirmed that Huineng’s verse (unlike Shenxiu’s) showed that he had ‘got it’. Or perhaps he feared that they would not accept such a lowly person as his successor. 見性 means to see one’s (original or basic) nature, which in Chan Buddhism is said to be one’s intrinsically enlightened mind.

EXTRACT TWO In this extract from the beginning of 般若品第二 ‘The Second Section on Prajna’, Huineng says that ordinary people basically have knowledge of bodhi and prajna although they are unable to realize it because their minds are deluded. Everyone also has the same basic buddha nature (佛性). He then starts to explain the great paramita of prajna that leads to the attainment of wisdom. 次日，韋使君請益。師陞座，告大眾曰：「總淨心念摩訶般若波羅蜜多。」復云： 「善知識！菩提般若之智，世人本自有之；只緣心迷，不能自悟，須假大善知識， 示導見性。當知愚人智人，佛性本無差別，只緣迷悟不同，所以有愚有智。吾今為 說摩訶般若波羅蜜法，使汝等各得智慧。志心諦聽！吾為汝說。善知識！世人終日 口念般若，不識自性般若，猶如說食不飽。口但說空，萬劫不得見性，終無有益。 善知識！摩訶般若波羅蜜是梵語，此言大智慧到彼岸。此須心行9，不在口念。口念 心不行，如幻、如化、如露、如電；口念心行，則心口相應，本性是佛，離性無別 佛。何名摩訶？摩訶是大。心量廣大，猶如虛空，無有邊畔，亦無方圓大小，亦非 青黃赤白，亦無上下長短，亦無瞋無喜，無是無非，無善無惡，無有頭尾。諸佛剎 土11，盡同虛空。世人妙性本空，無有一法可得。自性真空，亦復如是。善知識！莫 聞吾說空，便即著空。第一莫著空，若空心靜坐，即著無記空。」

Text with Romanization 次日，韋使君1請益。師陞座，告大眾曰： cì rì wéi shǐ jūn qǐng yì shī shēng zùo gào dà zhòng yuē

The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch  91 2

「總淨心 念摩訶般若波羅蜜多。」復云：「善知識3！ zōng jìng xīn niàn mó hē bō rě bō luó mì dūo fù yún shàn zhī shí 菩提般若之智，世人本自有之；只緣心4迷，不能自悟， pú tí bō rě zhī zhì shì rén běn zì yǒu zhī zhǐ yuán xīn mí bù néng zì wù 須假大善知識，示導見性。當知愚人智人， xū jiǎ dà shàn zhī shí shì dǎo jiàn xìng dāng zhī yú rén zhì rén 佛性5本無差別，只緣迷悟不同，所以有愚有智。 fó xìng běn wú chà bié zhǐ yuán mí wù bù tóng sǔo yǐ yǒu yú yǒu zhì 吾今為說摩訶般若波羅蜜法，使汝等各得智慧。 wú jīn wèi shuō mó hē bō rě bō luó mì fǎ shǐ rǔ děng gè dé zhì hùi 志心諦聽！吾為汝說。善知識！世人終日口念6般若， zhì xīn dì tīng wú wèi rǔ shuō shàn zhī shí shì rén zhōng rì kǒu niàn bō rě 不識自性般若，猶如說食不飽。口但說空， bù shí zì xìng bō rě yóu rú shuō shí bù bǎo kǒu dàn shūo kōng 萬劫不得見性，終無有益7。善知識！ wàn jié bù dé jiàn xìng zhōng wú yǒu yì shàn zhī shí 摩訶般若波羅蜜是梵語，此言大智慧到彼岸8。 mó hē bō rě bō lúo mì shì fàn yǔ cǐ yán dà zhì hùi dào bǐ àn 此須心行9，不在口念。口念心不行， cǐ xū xīn xíng bù zài kǒu niàn kǒu niàn xīn bù xíng 如幻、如化10、如露、如電；口念心行，則心口相應， rú huàn rú huà rú lù rú diàn kǒu niàn xīn xíng zé xīn kǒu xiàng yīng 本性是佛，離性無別佛。何名摩訶？摩訶是大。 běn xìng shì fó lí xìng wú bié fó hé míng mó hē mó hē shì dà 心量廣大，猶如虛空，無有邊畔，亦無方圓大小， xīn liàng guǎng dà yóu rú xū kōng wú yǒu biān pàn yì wú fāng yuán dà xiǎo 亦非青黃赤白，亦無上下長短，亦無瞋無喜， yì fēi qīng huáng chì bái yì wú shàng xià cháng duǎn yì wú chēn wú xǐ 無是無非11，無善無惡，無有頭尾。諸佛剎土12， wú shì wú fēi wú shàn wú è wú yǒu tóu wěi zhū fó chà tǔ 盡同虛空。世人妙性本空，無有一法可得。 jìn tóng xū kōng shì rén miào xìng běn kōng wú yǒu yī fǎ kě dé

92  The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch 自性真空，亦復如是。善知識！莫13聞吾說空，便即著空。 zì xìng zhēn kōng yì fù rú shì shàn zhī shí mò wén wú shūo kōng biàn jí zhuó kōng 第一莫著空，若空心靜坐，即著無記空14。」 dì yī mò zhuó kōng rùo kōng xīn jìng zùo jí zhuó wú jì kōng

Vocabulary 次日

cìrì

n

the next day

韋

wéi

name

a person’s name

使君

shǐjūn

n

honorific term for a high prefectural official

益

yì

v/n

to increase, to add to, more, advantage, benefit

陞

shēng

v

to rise, to ascend

摩訶

móhē

adj

transliteration of Skt. maha ‘great’

善知識

shànzhīshì

adj+n

a virtuous person one knows well, a good spiritual friend or advisor

世人

shìrén

n

worldly person, ordinary person

迷

mí

adj

confused, bewildered, deluded

假

jiǎ

v

to make use of, to rely on

愚

yú

adj

foolish, stupid

志

zhì

v

to resolve, to keep in mind, to focus (one’s mind)

諦

dì

adv

with care, carefully, attentively

終日

zhōngrì

adv

(for) the whole day, throughout the day

猶如

yóurú

prep

similar to, like

終

zhōng

adv

finally, after all, in the end

梵語

fànyǔ

n

Brahma speech, Sanskrit

相應

xiāngyìng

adj

associated with one another, in close connection, corresponding to one another

邊畔

biānpàn

n

border, edge

赤

chì

adj

red

瞋

chēn

n

anger, aversion, hatred, same as 瞋恚 (5.2)

喜

xǐ

adj/n

joyful, happy, joy, happiness

剎土

chàtǔ

n

transliteration of Skt. kṣetra ‘land’, ‘field’, ‘country’

Notes   1 韋使君: This official is referred to at the beginning of the sutra as 韶州韋刺史 ‘Prefect Wei of Shaozhou’. A 刺史, translated as ‘prefect’, ‘magistrate’ or ‘governor’, was the highest centrally appointed administrative officer of a prefecture (州). At the beginning

The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch  93

  2   3   4   5   6  7   8   9 10 11 12 13 14

of the sutra, it is 韋刺史 who, accompanied by other officials, goes to Huineng’s monastery in the hills and requests him to come into the city to preach. 淨心 ‘pure heart-mind’: This is usually a noun phrase. However, the context here suggests that 淨 is a verb, ‘to purify’. Huineng is showing respect to his listeners by addressing them in this way. 緣心 can mean ‘[one’s] conditioned heart-mind’ or ‘contingent mind states’. However, here it is more plausible to take 緣 as meaning ‘by reason of’, ‘owing to’ or simply ‘because’. 佛性: That everyone’s basic nature is buddha nature is an important teaching in Chan. For information on the development of this concept from Indian Buddhism to East Asian Buddhism, see the PDB under buddhadhātu. 口念: i.e. just use their mouths to chant or recite. 益: The context for the earlier use of this 字 in the first line of the extract suggest that it should there be understand as ‘more’ or ‘additional’ [teaching]. The context here, however, suggests that it should be understood as ‘advantage’ or ‘benefit’. 到彼岸 ‘reach the other shore’: i.e. to cross over to nirvana. 心行: i.e. practice it with one’s heart/mind (not just mouth the words). 化 ‘change’, ‘transformation’, i.e. something unreal that is temporarily conjured up. 無是無非: i.e. there is no distinction between yes and no, between right and wrong. 佛剎土: A buddha-kṣetra, usually translated ‘buddha field’, is the land or the domain of a Buddha. See the PDB under buddhaksetra. 莫: In Wenyan, 莫 is usually a negative distributive – ‘no one’, ‘in no case’, ‘nothing’ referring to the subject of a clause. However, in many Buddhist texts it is used, as here, as an emphatic negative imperative － ‘absolutely don’t’, ‘in no case should you’. 無記空: The basic meaning of 記 is ‘to record’, ‘to remember’ or ‘to keep in mind’. 無記 is a technical term usually meaning karmically indeterminate, i.e. having neither good nor bad karmic consequences. Here it refers to mindless emptiness which is neither beneficial nor non beneficial. Note that Cleary (see Further Reading) and other translators translate 無記 in this context as ‘indifferent’, ‘indifference’ or ‘undifferentiated’.

EXTRACT THREE In this extract, from the beginning of 定慧品第四 ‘The Fourth Section on Samadhi and Wisdom’, Huineng points out that samadhi and wisdom cannot be separated, and that just talking about them without a good heart-mind is fruitless. He then goes on to explain what is meant by ‘one practice samadhi’ (一行三昧). 師示眾云：「善知識！我此法門，以定慧為本。大眾！勿迷，言定慧別。定慧一 體，不是二。定是慧體，慧是定用。即慧之時定在慧，即定之時慧在定。若識此 義，即是定慧等學。諸學道人，莫言先定發慧、先慧發定各別。作此見者，法有二 相。口說善語，心中不善。空有定慧，定慧不等。若心口俱善、內外一如，定慧即 等。自悟修行，不在於諍。若諍先後，即同迷人，不斷勝負，却增我法，不離四 相。善知識！定慧猶如何等？猶如燈光。有燈即光，無燈即闇。燈是光之體，光是 燈之用；名雖有二，體本同一。此定慧法，亦復如是。」 師示眾云：「善知識！一行三昧者，於一切處行住坐臥，常行一直心是也。《淨 名》云：『直心是道場 13，直心是淨土 14。』莫心行諂曲，口但說直；口說一行三 昧，不行直心。但行直心，於一切法勿有執著。迷人著法相、執一行三昧，直言： 『常坐不動，妄不起心，即是一行三昧。』

94  The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch

Text with Romanization 師示眾云：「善知識！我此法門1，以定慧為本。 shī shì zhòng yún shàn zhī shì wǒ cǐ fǎ mén yǐ dìng hùi wéi běn 大眾！勿迷，言定慧別。定慧一體，不是二。 dà zhòng wù mí yán dìng hùi bié dìng hùi yì tǐ bú shì èr 定是慧體，慧是定用2。即3慧之時定在慧， dìng shì hùi tǐ hùi shì dìng yòng jí hùi zhī shí dìng zài hùi 即定之時慧在定。若識此義，即是定慧等學4。 jí dìng zhī shí hùi zài dìng rùo shí cǐ yì jí shì dìng hùi děng xué 諸學道人， 莫言先定發慧、先慧發定各別。 zhū xué dào rén mò yán xiān dìng fā hùi xiān hùi fā dìng gè bié 作此見者，法有二相5。口說善語，心中不善。 zùo cǐ jiàn zhě fǎ yǒu èr xiàng kǒu shūo shàn yǔ xīn zhōng bù shàn 空有定慧6，定慧不等。若心口俱善、內外一如， kōng yǒu dìng hùi dìng hùi bù děng rùo xīn kǒu jù shàn nèi wài yī rú 定慧即等。自悟修行7，不在於諍。若諍先後8， dìng hùi jí děng zì wù xīu xíng bù zài yú zhèng rùo zhèng xiān hòu 即同迷人，不斷勝負9，却增我法10，不離四相11。 jí tóng mí rén bù duàn shèng fù què zēng wǒ fǎ bù lí sì xiàng 善知識！定慧猶如何等？猶如燈光。有燈即光， shàn zhī shì dìng hùi yóu rú hé děng yóu rú dēng guāng yǒu dēng jí guāng 無燈即闇。燈是光之體，光是燈之用； wú dēng jí àn dēng shì guāng zhī tǐ guāng shì dēng zhī yòng 名雖有二，體本同一。此定慧法，亦復如是。」 míng sūi yǒu èr tǐ běn tóng yī cǐ dìng hùi fǎ yì fù rú shì 師示眾云：「善知識！一行三昧者12，於一切處行住坐臥， shī shì zhòng yún shàn zhī shì yì xíng sān mèi zhě yú yī qiè chǔ xíng zhù zùo wò 常行一直心是也。《淨名》云：『直心是道場13， cháng xíng yì zhí xīn shì yě jìng míng yún zhí xīn shì dào cháng 直心是淨土14。』莫心行諂曲，口但說直； zhí xīn shì jìng tǔ mò xīn xíng chǎn qǔ kǒu dàn shūo zhí 口說一行三昧，不行直心。但行直心， kǒu shūo yì xíng sān mèi bù xíng zhí xīn dàn xíng zhí xīn

The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch  95 15

於一切法勿有執著 。迷人著法相、執一行三昧， yú yī qiè fǎ wù yǒu zhí zhuó mí rén zhù fǎ xiàng zhí yì xíng sān mèi 直言：『常坐不動，妄不起心，即是一行三昧。』 zhí yán cháng zùo bú dòng wàng bù qǐ xīn jí shì yì xíng sān mèi

Vocabulary 慧

huì

n

insight, wisdom, Skt. prajñā (see 4.1 note 4)

體

tǐ

n

body, substance, essence

一如

yìrú

n/adj

oneness, the same, as one

勝

shèng

v

to overcome, to conquer, to win

負

fù

v

to bear, to undergo a loss, to be defeated

却 (or 卻)

què

conj

after all, on the contrary, but

燈

dēng

n

lantern, lamp, light

闇

àn

adj

dark, lightless, gloomy

淨名

jìngmíng

name

‘pure reputation’, Skt. Vimalakīrti (short for the Vimalakīrti-nirdeśa-sūtra 維摩經)

直心

zhíxīn

adj+n

upright heart, sincere, straightforward

諂曲

chǎnqū

v

to bend or make crooked (one’s mind) to please others, to go out of one’s way to curry favor, to be obsequious

執

zhí

v

to grasp, to seize, to hold on to

Notes   1 法門 ‘dharma gate’: This refers to any Buddhist teaching or doctrine seen as a possible method or ‘gate’ to enlightenment.   2 定是慧體，慧是定用 ‘samadhi is wisdom’s body, wisdom is samadhi’s use’: In other words, samadhi is the substance of wisdom, while wisdom is the function of samadhi. 體 and 用 were used widely in Chinese philosophy to analyze phenomena into their substances or essences and their functional aspects.   3 即 has a number of related functions. It can be used before a noun or phrase to indicate that the noun or phrase means precisely or exactly what it says, as in the Heart Sutra 色 即是空 (1.1) ‘form is exactly emptiness’. We have also come across it several times in the main clause of a conditional sentence where it indicates that the event or situation in the main clause follows from the condition in the subordinate clause, as in extract one of this unit 若輕人，即有無量無邊罪. Here it can usually be translated simply as ‘then’. It is also used before a time or place noun or phrase to express immediacy – ‘[at/on] the very’ as in 即日‘on the very day’ or as it is used here in 即慧之時 ‘at the very time there is wisdom’, ‘precisely when there is wisdom’.   4 定慧等學: 慧等 are subordinate to 學 forming one noun phrase – ‘the learning of the equalization (or balance) of samadhi and wisdom’.   5 法有二相 ‘dharma has two characteristics’: i.e. those who have this view see phenomena as having two aspects, they are seeing dualistically.

96  The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch   6 空有定慧: 空 here is probably not a noun functioning as the subject of the clause (‘emptiness has samadhi and wisdom’). Rather it seems to be functioning as an comment adjunct (adverbial) – ‘emptily’, ‘in vain’, ‘pointlessly’.  7 自悟修行: 自悟 refers to insight, awareness or understanding that one reaches for oneself. The most straightforward interpretation of the whole phrase is to take 自悟 as modifying 修行 – ‘the cultivating (or practicing) of self insight’.   8 諍先後 ‘disputing [which comes] first and [which comes] last’: Huineng is referring back to 定慧, i.e. arguing over whether samadhi comes first or whether wisdom comes first.   9 不斷勝負 ‘[if you] don’t cut off winning and losing’: i.e. putting a stop to trying to win or lose arguments. 10 增我法: The DDB glosses 我法 as ‘self and phenomena’, in which case 增我法 means ‘increasing [the conception of the reality of] self and phenomena’. Reading 我 as modifying 法, it is possible to interpret this as referring to increasing [the conception of] self-existing dharmas, or increasing [the conception of] the dharma of [an independently existing] self. Cleary translates the clause as ‘[If you do not put a stop to contention,] you are increasing egoism’. 11 四相: ‘The four characteristics’: This usually refers to the four (wrongly perceived) characteristics of personhood (我人四相) mentioned in the Diamond Sutra. These are ‘self’ (我), ‘person/individual personality’ (人), ‘living beings’ (眾生) and ‘living’ (壽 者). This latter term is used to translate Skt. jiva ‘life force, principle of life’, sometimes translated into English as ‘soul’. Alternatively, 四相 could refer to the four characteristics of phenomena, which are arising (生), staying (住), differentiating (異), and extinguishing (滅). 12 一行三昧者: 者 marks this noun phrase as the topic on which what follows comments. Note that 行 here means ‘practice’, i.e. ‘the one practice samadhi’. In the following clause, 行 means ‘walking’, i.e. one of the four bodily postures (‘walking’, ‘standing’, ‘sitting’ or ‘lying down’) during which samadhi should be maintained. Then in the clause after that it again has the sense of ‘practice’. 13 直心是道場. 道場 ‘the field of the way’: This can refer either to a site of enlightenment or to a place where dharma is practiced, dojo in Japanese. The whole phrase means that a straight and honest person is a place of enlightenment. 14 淨土 ‘pure land’: A pure land is a purified buddha field (see this unit Extract Two, note 12). The term is often used specifically to refer to the pure land of the buddha Amitabha (阿彌陀), called Sukhāvatī. 15 執著: These two 字 are near synonyms and can often be interpreted as forming a compound meaning ‘grasping’ or ‘attachment to’ (especially views and concepts). They can also be a noun meaning ‘attachments’. However, in the following two clauses, they occur separately. The basic meaning of 著 is to attach or affix one thing to another. The basic meaning of 執 is to grasp, seize or tightly hold something.

Further reading There are many editions and translations of the Platform Sutra. Thomas Cleary’s translation (Cleary, 1998) is very readable, and is combined with Huineng’s commentary on the Diamond Sutra. An accessible translation of the text into Modern Chinese with useful annotations is Shang (2012). For a version of the sutra found at Dunhuang, see Red Pine (2006), which includes the Chinese text, a translation into English and a verse-by-verse commentary.

The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch  97 The BTTS translation (Hsuan, 1977) includes a commentary with lively explanations from Master Hsuan Hua.

References Cleary, Thomas. The Sutra of Huineng Grand Master of Zen. Shambala Publications, 1998. Hsuan Hua. The Sixth Patriach’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra. Buddhist Text Translation Society, 1977. Red Pine. The Platform Sutra: The Zen Teaching of Hui-Neng. Counterpoint, 2006. Shang Rong. 尚榮.六祖壇經. 聯經書房, 臺北, 2012.

Unit Nine Yongjia’s Song of Enlightenment

The Chinese title of our next selection is 永嘉證道歌 (yǒngjiā zhèngdào gē; T48:2014) often translated as ‘The Song of Enlightenment’. This text is said to have been written during the Tang dynasty by the monk Yǒngjiā Xuánjué (永嘉玄覺; c. 665–713 ce), who was from Yongjia, which is now part of Wenzhou county in Zhejiang province. As is the case here, sometimes monks are given the name of a place as a form of respect. So the author of this selection is normally referred to as Yongjia. The Song of Enlightenment was written immediately after his enlightenment ‘to spontaneously express the inexpressible while in a playful samadhi’ (Hsuan, 1983, p. 1). Yongjia is also known as the ‘overnight guest’ because of his meeting with the Sixth Patriarch, Huineng. The story goes that Yongjia was convinced by one of Huineng’s disciples to have his enlightenment certified by the Sixth Patriarch, and so he visited Nanhua Monastery (南華寺) to obtain certification. The meeting went very quickly because Yongjia’s enlightenment was obvious to the Sixth Patriarch. As a result Yongjia wanted to leave immediately, but the Sixth Patriarch had him stay for one night before departing. Therefore he is called the overnight guest. A lively version of this encounter can be found in the BTTS translation of the Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch (see Unit Eight). In reading this text, bear in mind that it is verse, and a Chan text. We should not expect a logical exposition of doctrine. Meanings may be metaphorical and at times elusive. They can also be paradoxical. EXTRACT ONE This is the beginning of the Song, which includes the title and the author’s specifics, followed by a rhetorical question about, and a description of, the characteristics of an enlightened person. 永嘉大師證道歌 唐慎水沙門玄覺撰 君不見。絕學無為閑道人。不除妄想不求真。 無明實性即佛性。幻化空身即法身。法身覺了無一物。 本源自性天真佛。五蘊浮雲空去來。 三毒水泡虛出沒。證實相無人法。剎那滅卻阿鼻業。

Text with Romanization 永嘉大師證道歌1 yǒng jiā dà shī zhèng dào gē

Yongjia’s Song of Enlightenment  99 唐慎水沙門玄覺撰 táng shèn shǔi shā mén xuán jué zuàn 君不見2。絕學3無為閑道人4。不除妄想5不求真。 jūn bú jiàn jué xué wú wéi xián dào rén bù chú wàng xiǎng bù qiú zhēn 無明實性即佛性。幻化空身即法身6。法身覺了無一物。 wú míng shí xìng jì fó xìng huàn huà kōng shēn jì fǎ shēn fǎ shēn jué liǎo wú yí wù 本源自性天真佛7。五蘊浮雲空去來。 běn yuán zì xìng tiān zhēn fó wǔ yùn fú yún kōng qù lái 三毒8水泡虛出沒。證實相9。無人法。剎那滅卻阿鼻業。 sān dú shǔi pào xū chū mò zhèng shí xiàng wú rén fǎ chà nà miè què ā bí yè

Vocabulary 慎水

shènshuǐ

name

most likely the name of a temple in Yongjia prefecture (now part of Wenzhou county) during the Tang dynasty

撰

zuàn

v

to compose, to compile, to write

君

jūn

n

short for 君子 ‘superior person’, ‘gentleman’, ‘sir’

閑

xián

adj

inactive, having free/leisure time, at leisure (also written 閒)

浮

fú

v/adj

to float, to drift, floating, passing

毒

dú

n/adj

poison, poisonous

沒

mò

v

to dissolve, to disappear, to vanish

剎那

chànà

n

the shortest unit of time, 1/60th of a finger snap, transliteration of Skt. kṣana

卻

què

v

to drive away, to eliminate

阿鼻

ābí

n

the hell of incessant suffering, transliteration of Skt. avīci

Notes 1

2

3

證道歌: 證 is a verb that means to realize or actualize something. 道 is a very common term in Chinese philosophy. In Daoism it represents the path or way one follows to reach understanding of all things. Once one understands, he/she has ‘obtained the Dao’. Buddhism uses the word in a similar way to refer to the path to enlightenment and also as enlightenment itself, as is the case here. 君不見: 君 can be interpreted as a respectful vocative ‘sir’, ’you’, and the whole clause as a rhetorical question, ‘Have you not seen. . . ?’ It could also possibly be interpreted as ‘The superior person has not seen . . .’. However the explanation by Master Hsuan Hua (see Further Reading) and most of the English translations are based on the former interpretation. 絕學 begins the description of the qualities of one who is enlightened and also shows the level of Yongjia’s enlightenment. There are multiple levels of enlightenment. The first three levels of arhatship are called levels which require study 有學. The levels of the fourth stage of arhatship and beyond are called the levels without study 無學 because

100  Yongjia’s Song of Enlightenment

4

5 6

7 8 9

one has gone beyond mundane kinds of learning. 絕學 means one has at least reached the level of a fourth-stage arhat. 無為閑道人: 無為 is a Daoist term which means ‘non-action’ or ‘unconditioned’. It is a state where one’s mind has stopped seeking and one is totally at ease. 閑道人 also has a Daoist flavor. 閑 modifies 道人 and means that one who has obtained the way is without worries, like a person of leisure. Also note that when there are seven characters in a line (as here), a break is made after the fourth character, and when there are six characters in a line, the break comes after the third character. 妄想: This term literally means ‘illusory thought’ and basically refers to any kind of thinking, but often fantasizing of a sexual nature. 法身 is the dharma-body (Skt. dharma-kāya), one of the three bodies of a buddha in which there is transcendence of form and realization of true thusness. The second body is called ‘reward body’ or ‘body of enjoyment of the merits attained as a bodhisattva’ 報 身 (Skt. saṃbhoga-kāya). The last body is called the transformation-body 化身 or 應 身 (Skt. nirmāṇa-kāya) because it manifests in response to the need to teach sentient beings. For more information on this, see the PDB under dharmakāya. 天真佛: Another name for the dharma-body referred to above. 三毒 ‘three poisons’: These are the reasons all living beings remain in the cycle of birth and death. They are craving 貪欲 (Skt. rāga), anger 瞋恚 (Skt. dveṣa) and stupidity 愚 癡 (Skt. moha). 實相 ‘real characteristic’: The DDB gives the basic meaning of this as ‘true form of things as they are’, with senses including ‘true, original nature’, ‘reality’ and ‘real aspect’. For more on this, see 實相 in the DDB.

EXTRACT TWO In this next extract Yongjia says he would undergo the punishment of the hell of pulling tongues if he were deceiving living beings. Then he uses many examples to demonstrate that when one is enlightened, nothing is real. 若將妄語誑眾生。自招拔舌塵沙劫。 頓覺了如來禪。六度萬行體中圓。夢裏明明有六趣。 覺後空空無大千。無罪福。無損益。 寂滅性中莫問覓。此來塵鏡未曾磨。今日分明須剖析。 誰無念誰無生。若實無生無不生。 喚取機關木人問。求佛施功早晚成。放四大莫把捉。 寂滅性中隨飲啄。諸行無常一切空。 即是如來大圓覺。決定說表真乘。有人不肯任情徵。 直截根源佛所印。摘葉尋枝我不能。

Text with Romanization 若將妄語誑眾生。自招拔舌塵沙劫。 ruò jiāng wàng yǔ kuáng zhòng shēng zì zhāo bá shé chén shā jié 頓覺了1如來禪。六度萬行2體中圓。夢裏明明有六趣。 dùn jué liǎo rú lái chán liù dù wàn heng tǐ zhōng yuán mèng lǐ míng míng yǒu liù qù

Yongjia’s Song of Enlightenment  101 3

覺後空空無大千 。無罪福無損益。 jiào hòu kōng kōng wú dà qiān wú zùi fú wú sǔn yì 寂滅性中莫問覓。此來塵鏡未曾磨4。今日分明須剖析。 jì miè xìng zhōng mò wèn mì cǐ lái chén jìng wèi céng mó jīn rì fēn míng xū pō xī 誰無念誰無生。若實無生無不生。 shéi wú niàn shéi wú sheng ruò shí wú shēng wú bù shēng 喚取機關木人問5。求佛施功早晚成。放四大6莫把捉。 huàn qǔ jī guān mù rén wèn qiú fó shī gōng zǎo wǎn chéng fàng sì dà mò bǎ zhuō 寂滅性中隨飲啄7。諸行無常一切空。 jì miè xìng zhōng súi yǐn zhuó zhū xíng wú cháng yí qiè kōng 即是如來大圓覺。決定說表真乘8。有人不肯任情徵9。 jì shì rú lái dà yuán jué jué dìng shuō biǎo zhēn shèng yǒu rén bù kěn rèn qíng zhēng 直截根源佛所印10。摘葉尋枝我不能11。 zhí jié gēn yuán fó suǒ yìn Zhāi yè xún zhī wǒ bù néng

Vocabulary 誑

kuáng

v

to lie, to deceive

招

zhāo

v

to beckon, to summon, to incur

拔舌

báshé

n

pulling tongues, the hell where one’s tongue is pulled out

塵沙

chénshā

n+n

dust and sand, represents a very large number

頓

dùn

adj/adv

immediate[ly] instantaneous[ly], sudden[ly]

覓

mì

v

to look for, to seek

磨

mó

v

to grind, to polish

剖析

pōuxī

v

to dissect, to analyze, to reveal

分明

fēnmíng

v/adj

to see clearly, clear, obvious

喚

huàn

v

to summon up, to invite

機關 木人

jīguān mùrén

n+n

mechanical wooden man, puppet, marionette

功

gōng

n

achievement, accomplishment

早晚

zǎowǎn

n/adj

morning and evening, early or later, sooner or later

成

chéng

v

to complete an action, to achieve, to accomplish

放

fàng

v

to release, to let go (of), to break free,

把捉

bǎzhuō

v

to get hold of, to grasp, be sure about

飲

yǐn

v

to drink

102  Yongjia’s Song of Enlightenment 啄

zhuó

v

to peck, to eat

表

biǎo

v

to manifest, to exhibit, to express

任情

rènqíng

adj

according to one’s feelings, what suits one

徵

zhēng

v

to prove, to verify, to confirm

截

jié

v

to cut in two, to intercept, to stop, to block

摘

zhāi

v

to pick, to select

尋

xún

v

to follow up, to trace back, to look for

Notes   1 頓覺了: The Chan school distinguishes between two processes of reaching enlightenment, 頓覺 sudden enlightenment and 漸覺 gradual enlightenment. 了(pronounced liǎo) literally means ‘to complete’, ‘to finish’. It is also used after a verb to indicate that an action or process has been thoroughly or fully completed.   2 六度萬行: There are two terms here that are often used together to describe the specific and general practices of bodhisattvas. 六度 can be translated as ‘six crossings’. 度 is a translation for paramita which, although usually translated as ‘perfection’, literally means ‘to reach to the other shore’. The six paramitas are giving, morality, patience, vigor, concentration and prajna/wisdom. 萬行 are the multitude of practices bodhisattvas undertake to take across the multitude of living beings.   3 大千: A  chiliocosm. Also an abbreviation for 三千大千世界, which refers to a great number of worlds, according to Indian cosmology. The formula is as follows: each world consists of one Mt. Sumeru, four continents, one sun and one moon. One thousand of these worlds make up a small chiliocosm, and one thousand small chiliocosms constitute a middle chiliocosm. One thousand middle chiliocosms are equivalent to 三 千大千世界 – a great chiliocosm.   4 塵鏡未曾磨: This is a reference to the poems written by the Sixth Patriarch Huineng and by Shenxiu when they were with the Fifth Patriarch Hongren. These poems were introduced in Unit Eight. In his poem, Shenxiu described the mind as being like a mirror 鏡 that needed to be constantly polished 磨 to keep the dust 塵 from settling on it, but Huineng’s poem surpassed these dualities proving he was enlightened and worthy of become the next patriarch. 未曾 means ‘has never been’, so from the point of view of enlightenment, there never was a mirror and thus no polishing.   5 喚取機關木人問: Master Hsuan Hua’s commentary on this is ‘If you want to understand this principle, you ask a wooden statue. He will give you a most wondrous answer’.   6 放四大: 放 means ‘to let go of’. 四大 are the four elements of which all material objects are constituted: 土 the earth element which is the solid aspect, 水 water which is the liquid aspect, 火 fire is heat and 風 wind represents motion. For more details, see the DDB entry for 四大 or the PDB under māhabhūta.  7 寂滅性中隨飲啄: Because we break this line after the fourth character, the interpretation is 寂滅性中 ‘in the nature of nirvana’ 隨飲啄 ‘one accordingly drinks and eats’. The meaning can be interpreted as when one has reached nirvana, one still drinks and eat as before.   8 真乘 ‘the true vehicle’: This refers to the chapter on similes in the Lotus Sutra (see 4.2).

Yongjia’s Song of Enlightenment  103   9 有人不肯任情徵: 不肯 means ‘unwilling to’ and we might add ‘agree’ to fit the context. The subject of 任情徵 is understood as ‘I’, so the complete meaning is ‘For those who are unwilling to agree, I will give you proof (or “verify”) according to your feelings/in whatever way that suits you’. 10 佛所印 means ‘sealed by the buddhas’, which is like a stamp of approval issued by buddhas. 11 摘葉尋枝我不能: 摘葉尋枝: 摘葉尋枝 ‘to pick leaves and look for branches’ is an idiom meaning to pursue minor things or things of secondary importance. According to Master Hsuan Hua’s commentary, leaves and branches here represent the principles of the ‘Lesser Vehicle’ (小乘) on which Yongjia says he cannot waste time and words. EXTRACT THREE This extract continues the discussion of the state of enlightenment followed by a description of the ‘sons of the Buddha’. It ends with listing attributes of the Buddha. 摩尼珠人不識。如來藏裏親收得。六般神用空不空。 一顆圓光色非色。淨五根得五力。 唯證乃知難可測。鏡裏看形見不難。水中捉月爭拈得。 常獨行常獨步。達者同遊涅槃路。 調古神清風自高。貌頰骨剛人不顧。窮釋子口稱貧。 實是身貧道不貧。貧則身常披縷褐。 道則心藏無價珍。無價珍用無盡。利物應機終不吝。 三身四智體中圓。八解六通心地印。 上士一決一切了。中下多聞多不信。但自懷中解垢衣。

Text with Romanization 摩尼珠1人不識。如來藏裏親收得。六般神用2空不空。 mó ní zhū rén bù shí rú lái zàng lǐ qīn shōu dé liù bān shén yòng kōng bù kōng 一顆圓光色非色。淨五根得五力3。 yì kē yuán guāng sè fēi sè jìng wǔ gēn dé wǔ lì 唯證乃知難可測。鏡裏看形見不難。水中捉月爭拈得。 wéi zhèng nǎi zhī nán kě cè jìng lǐ kàn xíng jiàn bù nán shǔi zhōng zhuō yuè zhēng niān dé 常獨行常獨步。達者同遊涅槃路。 cháng dú xíng cháng dú bù dá zhě tóng yóu niè pán lù 調古4神5清風自高6。貌頰7骨剛人不顧。窮釋子口稱貧。 diào gǔ shén qīng fēng zì gāo mào jiá gǔ gāng rén bù gù qióng shì zǐ kǒu chēng pín 實是身貧道不貧。貧則身常披縷褐8。 shí shì shēn pín dào bù pín pín zé shēn cháng pī lǚ hè 道則心藏9無價珍。無價珍用無盡。利物應機10終不吝。 dào zé xīn cáng wú jià zhēn wú jià zhēn yòng wú jìn lì wù yìng jī zhōng bú lìn

104  Yongjia’s Song of Enlightenment 三身四智 11體中圓。八解六通12心地印13。 sān shēn sì zhì tǐ zhōng yuán bā jiě liù tōng xīn dì yìn 上士一決一切了14。中下15多聞多不信。 shàng shì yì júe yí qiè liǎo zhōng xià duō wén duō bú xìn

Vocabulary 摩尼

móní

n

a precious gem, jewel, transliteration of Skt. maṇi

收得

shōudé

v

to catch, to gain, to receive

般

bān

n

type, class

顆

kē

meas

a measure word for small round items, like pearls and grains of sand

唯

wéi

adv

only, particularly

測

cè

v

to fathom, to conjecture, to surmise

捉

zhuō

v

to clutch, to seize, to grasp

爭

zhēng

interr

how, how can. . .

拈

niān

v

to take or pick up an object with one’s fingers

達

dá

v

to succeed, to reach a goal, to comprehend

遊

yóu

v

to travel, wander, to play

調

diào

n

tune, mode, manner

風

fēng

n

wind, customs, one’s style

貌

mào

n

facial appearance

頰

jiá

n

the jaw, the cheeks

骨

gǔ

n

bone, basic character, moral character

剛

gāng

adj

unbending, firm, strong, adamantine

顧

gù

v

to take into account, to consider, to care about

窮

qióng

adj

destitute, poor, impoverished

釋子

shìzǐ

n

sons of Shakya, disciples of the Buddha, Skt. śākya-putra

貧

pín

adj

poor, without possessions, worthless

披

pī

v

to throw over one’s shoulder, cloak with

縷

lǚ

adj

wispy, gossamer, thin

褐

hè

n

homespun, coarse clothing

Yongjia’s Song of Enlightenment  105

Notes   1 摩尼珠: The maṇi or maṇi pearl is called the ‘wish fulfilling pearl’ because whoever possesses it gets what he/she wishes for. See the DDB entry for 摩尼.   2 六般神用: These are the six functions of the maṇi pearl which are the same as the six psychic powers 六通: divine vision, divine hearing, the knowledge of past lives, awareness of other’s thoughts, unimpeded bodily actions, the extinction of outflows. See the DDB entry for 六神通.   3 淨五根得五力: 五根 are the five spiritual or wholesome faculties, the faculty of faith, the faculty of effort, the faculty of mindfulness, the faculty of concentration and the faculty of wisdom. When one has purified the faculties, one obtains the five powers (五力). Note that the Taishou text in fact has 五眼 ‘five eyes’ here, while some other editions have 五根, which is more often found in Buddhist texts preceding 五力 and seems to fit better. We have therefore amended the text.   4 古 normally refers to ancient or classical times. Because traditional Chinese culture generally considered the past better than the present, 古 has a positive connotation.   5 神 ‘spirit’: This can here be taken as referring to essence, heart, or core.   6 風自高 is a metaphor for one who is morally elevated above the mundane world.  7 貌頰 can be interpreted as one’s face has thin cheeks, so the rest of his/her body should be thin too, implying serious practice. This matches well with the next line.   8 披縷褐: Literally this means that they are wrapped in thin, homespun cloth. According to Hsuan Hua’s commentary this implies that they are so poor that they wear rags from the rubbish heap that are full of patches and stitches.   9 藏 is here a verb meaning to hold, contain or store. It should be pronounced as cáng. 10 利物應機: These are two ways of acting of bodhisattvas. 物 normally means a thing or things, but here it represents living beings. 應機 means to respond appropriately according to the opportunities or the changing capacities [of living beings]. 11 三身四智: This phrase is often used to describe all buddhas. The 三身 are the dharma body, the transformation or response body and the buddha body (see Extract One). The 四智 are the great mirror wisdom, the wisdom of equality in nature, the wondrous observing wisdom and the wisdom with unrestricted activity. See the DDB entry for 四 智 for more details. 12 八解六通: These are more ways to describe the qualities of a buddha. 八解 refers to eight kinds of liberation, see the DDB for explanation of this. 六通 is the same as 六神 通 ‘the six spiritual or supranormal powers’. See note 2. 13 心地印: 心地 ‘mind ground’, is a metaphor for the true mind of all living beings. 印 is the seal or certification of this mind ground. For more on 心地 see the DDB. Both 體中 圓 and 心地印 describe what precedes them, i.e. the three bodies and four wisdoms are perfect or complete in their essence, and the eight liberations and six spiritual powers are in the seal of the mind-ground. 14 一切了:了 is a full verb here not a particle or suffix as in MSC. The phrase means to understand completely or the understanding of everything. 15 中下 refers to average and below average people.

106  Yongjia’s Song of Enlightenment

Further reading Terebess Online at https://terebess.hu/zen/sodoka.html has links to ten different English translations of the Song. Also for an interesting comparison of the initial verses of multiple English translations’, refer to Alan Gregory Wonderwheel’s website: http://wonderwheels. blogspot.com/2010/08/yongjias-song-of-confirming-way.html. Master Hsuan Hua wrote an introduction and gave oral introductions to this text at least three times during the course of his life. Hsuan (1983) is a translation into English, based on transcripts of lectures given at Gold Mountain Monastery in San Francisco in the early 1970s. There is also a Chinese transcript of a lecture given by him in Los Angeles in 1985 (Hsuan, 1985).

References Hsuan Hua. The Song of Enlightenment by Yung Chia. Buddhist Text Translation Society, 1983. Hsuan Hua. 宣化上人. 永嘉大師證道歌淺釋. 法界佛教總會, 1985. www.drbachinese.org/online_ reading/sf_others/Enlightened_song/explanation.html. Wonderwheel, Alan G. “Yongjia’s Song of Confirming the Way.” Turning the Wheel of Wonder, 2010. http://wonderwheels.blogspot.com/2010/08/yongjias-song-of-confirming-way.html.

Unit Ten The Blue Cliff Record

The complete Chinese title of the text we shall be looking at in this unit is 佛果圜悟禪師碧 巖錄 (fóguǒ yuánwù chánshī bìyánlù) ‘The Blue (literally ‘jade-blue’ or ‘blue-green’) Cliff Record of the Chan Master Foguo Yuanwu’ (T48:2003). It is better known by the shortened title 碧巖錄 ‘The Blue Cliff Record’. It is sometimes also referred to as 碧巖 ‘The Blue Cliff Collection’. In English it is usually called ‘The Blue Cliff Record’. The text contains one hundred gōng’àns (公案 ‘public cases’) originally compiled by the Song dynasty Chan master Xuědòu Zhòngxiǎn (雪竇重顯; 980–1052 ce), who also added some verses. Gong’ans (Jap. kōan) are records of encounters with Chan masters, usually consisting of questions by a student and answers from the master. Gong’ans are not intended as logical expositions of particular points of doctrine. Rather they are riddles or puzzles that the students are expected to chew over or meditate on until they reach an understanding beyond words. Yuánwù Kèqín (圜悟克勤; 1063–1135 ce) some time later added to each gong’an an introduction (missing in a few cases), some remarks on the case and a commentary. In the Taisho version followed here, the remarks are put within parentheses. Yuanwu also added commentaries to Xuedou’s verses. 碧巖 refers to the place in Hunan where Yuanwu lived when he delivered talks on the gong’ans that led to the written text. The 碧巖錄 is held in particularly high regard by the Línjì (臨濟; Jap. Rinzai) school of Chan/Zen Buddhism, both in China and in Japan. The text is often pithy and colloquial. Some of its vocabulary and grammar is familiar from MSC, for example, we find 這 instead of Wenyan 此 ‘this’, 為甚麼 instead of 何故 ‘why’, 沒 instead of 無 as the negative of 有, and the use of resultative verb compounds (see Li and Thompson pp. 54–68), such as 跳不出 ‘cannot jump out’, ‘cannot escape’. It also contains metaphors and colloquial expressions no longer current that we often have to rely on later commentaries on the text to interpret. In this unit and subsequent units we will not include in the vocabulary list items the relevant meanings of which can be easily found in the DDB, a dictionary of Classical Chinese/ Wenyan such as Kroll, or a Modern Chinese-English dictionary. We assume that by now you will have become familiar with using such resources. EXTRACT ONE This extract comes from the first case in the collection, including in parentheses the remarks inserted by Yuanwu. It records a dialogue between Liáng Wǔdì (梁武帝) Emperor Wu of the

108  The Blue Cliff Record Liang dynasty (464–549) and Bodhidharma (菩提達磨 pútídámó). Bodhidharma is traditionally regarded as the founder of the Chan school in China. He was originally either from South India or he was a Persian from Central Asia (sources differ). He came to China some time in the fifth or sixth century. He is a popular figure in Chinese art, usually depicted as ugly and eccentric. 舉梁武帝問達磨大師(說這不唧𠺕ຕ漢)如何是聖諦第一義(是甚繫驢橛)磨云。廓然無 聖(將謂少奇特。箭過新羅。可殺明白)帝曰。對朕者誰(滿面慚惶。強惺惺果然。摸 索不着)磨云。不識(咄。再來不直半文錢)帝不契(可惜許。却較些子)達磨遂渡江至魏 (這野狐精。不免一場懡㦬。從西過東。從東過西）

Text with Romanization 舉1梁武帝問達磨大師(說這不唧𠺕ຕ漢2)如何是聖諦第一義3 jǔ liáng wǔ dì wèn dá mó dà shī shuō zhè bù jí liū hàn rú hé shì shèng dì dì yī yì (是甚繫驢橛4)磨云。廓然無聖(將謂多少奇特5。 shì shén xì lǘ jué mó yún kuò rán wú shèng jiāng wèi duò shǎo qí tè 箭過新羅。可殺明白)帝曰。對朕者誰(滿面慚惶。 jiàn gùo xīn luó kě shā míng bái dì yuē dùi zhèn zhě shéi mǎn miàn cán huáng 強惺惺果然。摸索不着6)磨云。不識 qiǎng xīng xīng guǒ rán mō suǒ bù zháo mó yún bù shí (咄。再來不直半文錢)帝不契7(可惜許8。却較些子9) duǒ zài lái bù zhí bàn wén qián dì bù qì kě xī xǔ què jiào xiē zǐ 達磨遂渡江10至魏(這野狐精11。不免一場懡㦬12。 dá mó sùi dù jiāng zhì wèi zhè yě hú jīng bù miǎn yī cháng mǒluó 從西過東。從東過西) cóng xī guò dōng cóng dōng guò xī

Vocabulary 唧𠺕ຕ

jíliū

adj

bright, quick witted, intelligent

甚

shén

adv/interr/ exclam

very, what? (like MSC甚麼), what a. . .!

將謂

jiāngwèi

v

to take as, to regard as, to consider as, also written 將為

可殺

kěshā

adv.

extremely, completely, utterly, also written 可煞

明白

míngbái

adj

clear, evident, obvious

強

qiǎng

v

to force oneself to, to strive to, to put strong effort into

着

zháo

v

a post verb (in a resultative verb compound) indicating success or completion, interchangeable with 著

The Blue Cliff Record  109 咄

duò

exclam

bah! huh!

文

wén

n

a small unit of cash

許

xǔ

part

a final exclamatory particle

場

cháng

meas

a spell of, a period of

懡㦬

mǒluǒ

adj/n

ashamed, shame, embarrassment

Notes   1 舉: This indicates that the record of a gong’an is about to begin, that it is about to be raised for discussion.   2 說這不唧𠺕ຕ漢: Yuan Wu’s first comment. Note that the verb 說 is toplicalized – ‘[thus] speaks this dull-witted fellow’.   3 第一義: i.e. the most significant or highest meaning.   4 繫驢橛: This can be used as a metaphor for a text that a student is overly attached to, but perhaps here it simply means something of no real value.   5 將謂多少奇特: The most straightforward interpretation of this would seem to be to take the emperor as the implied subject of 將謂. Or perhaps it is the commentator Yuanwu who considers Bodhidharma’s reply to be 多少奇特.   6 摸索不着: 不着 indicates that the action of the main verb is not completed, is unsuccessful. Such resultative verb compounds are common in MSC, e.g. 找不到 ‘cannot find’. Here of course what Yuanwu says the emperor is unsuccessfully groping for is not a thing, but something sensible to say.  7 帝不契: The usual meaning of 契 as a verb in Wenyan is ‘to tally, ‘to accord with’. However, Kroll also gives a medieval usage ‘to come to understand, ‘to recognize the meaning of’, which fits well as the text seems to be saying that the emperor was not able to understand the meaning of Bodhidharma’s reply.   8 許: Kroll lists one of the uses of 許 in medieval texts as a ‘phrase-final particle, expressing puzzlement or chagrin’, which is clearly its function here.   9 却較些子 ‘yet [there is] to some extent a little’: This is a phrase often used in the Chan school. It expresses reluctant, faint praise – ‘there is after all something in it’. 10 江 ‘river’: This refers specifically to the 長江 (the Yangzi River). 11 野狐精 ‘wild fox spirit’: Fox spirits were believed to be able to metamorphose. In Chan they are used as a metaphor for those who falsely claim to understand the way to enlightenment. It is not clear why Yuanwu should make such a comment about Bodhidharma. 12 懡㦬: There is no entry for this in the DDB, nor in Kroll. Strangely, the HDC – 漢語 大詞典 – has an entry for the 字 懡, which it glosses as 形容羞慚 but has no entry for the 詞 ‘懡㦬’. The 漢語大字典, on the other hand, does have an entry for the 詞 ‘懡 㦬’ which it glosses as 羞慚貌 ‘looking ashamed’. The 佛學大辭典 (Ding, 1996) also glosses 懡㦬 as 慚愧 ‘ashamed’, ‘embarrassed’.

110  The Blue Cliff Record EXTRACT TWO This is an extract from Yuanwu’s commentary on the same case from which extract one is taken. He is here not commenting directly on the gong’an but relating the first occasion on which Bodhidharma met Emperor Wu and answered a question from him. It is a very wellknown story. 達磨初見武帝。帝問。朕起寺度僧 1 。有何功德。磨云。無功德。早是惡水驀頭 澆 2。若透得這箇無功德話。許爾親見達磨 4。且道。起寺度僧。為什麼都無功德。 此意在什麼處。帝與婁約法師傅大士昭明太子。持論真俗二諦。據教中說。真諦 以明非有。俗諦以明非無。真俗不二。即是聖諦第一義。此是教家極妙窮玄處。 帝便拈此極則處。問達磨。如何是聖諦第一義。磨云。廓然無聖。天下衲僧跳不 出。達磨與他一刀截斷。如今人多少錯會。却去弄精魂。瞠眼睛云。廓然無聖。 且喜沒交涉。

Text with Romanization 達磨初見武帝。帝問。朕起寺度僧1。有何功德。 dá mó chū jiàn wǔ dì dì wèn zhèn qǐ sì dù sēng yǒu hé gōng dé 磨云。無功德。早是惡水驀頭澆2。若透得3這箇 mó yún wú gōng dé zǎo shì è shǔi mò tóu jiāo ruò tòu dé zhè gè 無功德話。許爾親見達磨4。且道。起寺度僧。 wú gōng dé huà xǔ ěr qīn jiàn dá mó qiě dào qǐ sì dù sēng 為什麼都無功德。此意在什麼處。帝與婁約法師傅大士5 wéi shén mo dōu wú gōng dé cǐ yì zài shén mo chǔ dì yǔ lóu yuē fǎ shī fù dà shì 昭明太子。持論真俗二諦6。據教中說。真諦以明非有。 zhāo míng tài zǐ chí lùn zhēn sú èr dì jù jiào zhōng shuō zhēn dì yǐ míng fēi yǒu 俗諦以明非無。真俗不二7。即是聖諦第一義。 sú dì yǐ míng fēi wú zhēn sú bù èr jí shì shèng dì dì yī yì 此是教家極妙窮玄處。帝便拈此極則處。 cǐ shì jiào jiā jí miào qióng xuán chǔ dì biàn niān cǐ jí zé chǔ 問達磨。如何是聖諦第一義。磨云。廓然無聖。 wèn dá mó rú hé shì shèng dì dì yī yì mó yún kùo rán wú shèng 天下衲僧8跳不出。達磨與他一刀截斷。 tiān xià nà sēng tiào bù chū dá mó yǔ tā yī dāo jié duàn 如今人多少錯會。却去弄精魂9。瞠眼睛云。 rú jīn rén duō shǎo cùo hùi què qù nòng jīng hún chēng yǎn jīng yún

The Blue Cliff Record  111 10

廓然無聖。且喜沒交涉 。 kuò rán wú shèng qiě xǐ méi jiāo shè

Vocabulary 且

qiě

adv

well, now then, do (imperative)

道

dào

v

to say, to speak, to tell

婁約

lóuyūe

name

Louyue (453–535), also known as Hui Yue (惠約), a senior monk during the Northern and Southern Dynasties (南北 朝) period

傅大士

fù dàshì

name

Fu Dashi (497–569), also known as Fùxī, a Buddhist scholar during the Northern and Southern Dynasties period

交涉

jiāoshè

n

connection, relationship, association

Notes   1 起寺度僧 ‘raise temples and ordain Sangha’: The emperor is referring to the fact that he has built many Buddhist temples and arranged for the ordination of members of the Sangha, for which he expects to have accrued merit.   2 早是惡水驀頭澆: The sense of 早是 here seems to be ‘already is/was [a case of. . .]’, i.e. by saying this, Bodhidharma had thrown filthy water on the emperor’s head. According to the DDB, 惡水驀頭澆 [or 灑] is used in several Chan texts in comments on a gong’an and “serves as a metaphor for the blunt exposition of the truth, akin to the idea of a ‘cold shower’: both unpleasant and enlightening.” 吳平 (Wu, 2005, see Further Reading), translates it as 就像一盆污水正對著梁武帝的腦袋澆來. However, Cleary and Cleary (also see Further Reading) translate the clause literally as “He immediately doused the Emperor with dirty water.”   3 得: Like 着 in Extract One, 得 is a post verb indicating successful completion of the action represented by the previous verb.   4 許爾親見達磨: 許 basically means ‘to allow’, ‘to permit’ so this clause could be interpreted as meaning something like ‘[If you have thoroughly understood what he said about there being no merit], then you may personally see (or meet with) Bodhidharma’. However, 許 can also be used in the sense of ‘allow to be the case’, ‘to accept as true’. In which case, the translation could be something like ‘then we can allow that you have personally seen [or met with] Bodhidharma’. Cleary and Cleary’s translation follows the first interpretation, while 吳平 follows the second.   5 傅大士: 大士 ‘great master’, was originally used to translate Skt. mahāsattva (摩訶薩) and then more widely to refer to a person of outstanding quality, especially a Buddhist teacher. 傅大士 is said to have initiated an early compilation of the Chinese Buddhist Canon and to have written a commentary on the Diamond Sutra.   6 真俗二諦: This refers to real, ultimate or absolute truth (真諦) and everyday, conventional, or relative truth (俗諦). See the PDB under paramārthasatya.  7 真諦以明非有。俗諦以明非無。真俗不二。: In other words, from the perspective of ultimate truth, things have no existence, whereas from the perspective of relative or

112  The Blue Cliff Record everyday truth, things cannot be said not to exist. The two truths are the same; they are just different perspectives.   8 The sense of 天下衲僧 . . . is that ‘of all the patched robed monks in the world [none of them could] . . .’.   9 弄精魂: The sense of this seems to be that people miss the point and engage in mystification or go all mystical. Cleary and Cleary translate it as “They go on giving play to their spirits.” 10 且喜沒交涉: ‘happily this has nothing to do with it/this is irrelevant’: This is a phrase often used by Chan teachers to criticize something that has no relevance to, or does not accord with the teachings of Chan Buddhism. EXTRACT THREE This extract is from the seventh gong’an in the collection. It begins with the record of an encounter between Huìchāo (慧超) and Fǎyǎn (法眼), in which Huichao asks Fayan a question and receives an answer. Fayan (885–958 ce), also known as Wényì (文益), was a Chan master during the Five Dynasties period and is regarded as the founder of the Fayan school (法眼宗) of Chan Buddhism. Huichao (died 979 ce) was a Chan monk also known as Cèzhēn (策真). After the short record of their exchange, together with Yuanwu’s remarks (see paragraph three of the introduction to this unit), this extract includes the beginning of the commentary. 【七】舉僧問法眼(道什麼。檐枷過狀)慧超咨和尚。如何是佛(道什麼。眼睛突出)法 眼云。汝是慧超(依模脫出。鐵餕餡。就身打劫)。法眼禪師。有啐啄同時底機。具啐 啄同時底用。方 能如此答話。所謂超聲越色。得大自在。縱奪臨時。殺活在我。不 妨奇特。然而此箇公案。諸方商量者多。作情解會者不少。

Text with Romanization 【七】舉僧問法眼(道什麼。檐枷過狀1)慧超2咨和尚。 qī jǔ sēng wèn fǎ yǎn dào shén me yán jiā gùo zhuàng hùi chāo zī hé shàng 如何是佛(道什麼。眼睛突出3)法眼云。汝是慧超 rú hé shì fó dào shén me yǎn jīng tū chū fǎ yǎn yún rǔ shì hùi chāo (依模脫出4。鐵餕餡5。就身打劫6)。法眼禪師7。 yī mó tūo chū tiě jùn xiàn jìu shēn dǎ jié fǎ yǎn chán shī 有啐啄同時8底機9。具啐啄同時底用10。方能如此答話。 yǒu cùi zhúo tóng shí dǐ jī jù cùi zhúo tóng shí dǐ yòng fāng néng rú cǐ dá huà 所謂超聲越色。得大自在。縱奪臨時11。殺活在我12。 sǔo wèi chāo shēng yuè sè dé dà zì zài zòng dùi lín shí shā húo zài wǒ 不妨13奇特。然而此箇公案。諸方商量14者多。 bù fáng qí tè rán ér cǐ gè gōng àn zhū fāng shāng liang zhě dūo.

The Blue Cliff Record  113 15

作情 解會者不少。 zùo qíng jiě hùi zhě bù shǎo

Vocabulary 餕餡

jùnxiàn

n

stuffing, filling (for 包子 ‘steamed buns’)

就

jiù

v

to approach, draw near to

解會

jiěhuì

v

to comprehend, to understand

Notes   1 檐枷過狀 ‘to carry a cangue and make an indictment’: 吳平 explains this as ‘自作自受 之意。意調原來不可問之事，今又設問。‘to suffer as a result of one’s own actions. This means that something he originally could not ask, he now insists on asking’. Cleary and Cleary translate the expression as ‘He’s wearing stocks, giving evidence of his crime’.   2 慧超咨和尚: Huichao is asking the question, so he is here referring to himself. 和尚 is how Huichao addresses Fayan. 和尚 is the general word for monk in MSC. However, its basic meaning is ‘preceptor’ (a monk who confers ordination).   3 眼睛突出: According to 吳平, this refers to the fact that 慧超鑽入這個問題，不得其 解，如鴨子吞螺獅[螄]，眼睛突出 ‘Huichao has gone into this question but is unable to find a solution, and his eyes bulge out just like a duck swallowing a snail’.   4 依模脫出 : The sense seems to be that ‘he came out with this [answer] in his usual way’. However, 吳平 explains it as meaning 回答得恰到好處 ‘his reply was spot on’.   5 鐵餕饀: Yuanwu seems to be saying that Fayan’s answer gave Huichao something very difficult to chew over and digest.   6 就身打劫: Cleary and Cleary translate this as ‘He goes right up to him and takes him’. According to 吳平, the meaning is that he 奪去慧超的疑惑，使他心中空 ‘snatched away Huichao’s doubts, making him empty in his heart-mind’.  7 法眼禪師. . .: The report of the gong’an has ended. From here onwards is Yuanwu’s commentary.   8 啐啄同時 ‘to tse-tse and peck at the same time’: The HDC explains that in this expression, 啐 refers to the sucking sound that chicks who are about to hatch make inside the shell, and 啄 refers to pecking on the shell that the hen does at the same time to help them hatch. In the Chan context, this refers to the appropriateness or incisiveness of a master’s words or actions, which are likened to the pecking of the mother hen to help the chick (i.e. the student) break out.   9 底機: 機 here refers to the subtle and profound workings of a Chan master’s mind in response to the needs of a student. 底 usually means ‘low’. However, it is sometimes used as here to represent the colloquial subordinating marker later written as 的. 10 用 refers to the functioning or putting to use of the master’s mental ability. 11 縱奪臨時: i.e. letting go or grabbing as appropriate at a particular moment. 12 殺活在我: According to 吳平 (2005) 殺活 refers to 斬斷分別妄念和復活靈覺真性 ‘cutting off and separating from deluded thoughts and bringing back to life the true nature of spiritual awareness’. Cleary and Cleary translate the clause literally: “killing and bringing life rests with oneself.”

114  The Blue Cliff Record 13 不妨 in MSC means ‘no harm in [doing something]’, ‘might as well [do something]’. Here the sense seems to be that there is no reason not to regard Fayan’s ability to say or do exactly the right thing at the right moment as something rare and wonderful. 14 商量 originally means to estimate or negotiate the price of something. In Chan, it is used to refer disparagingly to disputations among scholars, especially about the meaning of a gong’an. 15 情 here has negative connotations, i.e. their proper understanding is clouded by their emotions.

Further reading Cleary and Cleary (1977/1992) is currently the only easily available translation into English including all the cases, Xuedou’s verses and Yuanwu’s remarks and commentaries. It also has a foreword by Taizan Maezumi Roshi that includes an explanation of the role of the gong’ans in actual practice, as well as a very useful introduction by the translators that puts the text in its Chinese Buddhist and Chan contexts. Also worth consulting is Cleary (2013), which lacks Yuanwu’s remarks and commentaries, but includes translations of commentaries by the two early modern Japanese Zen Masters, Tenkei Denson and Hakuin Ekaku. For a Modern Chinese translation of the text, that by 吳平 (Wu, 2005) is definitely worth looking at. As well as a Baihua translation of the whole text, it has very useful scholarly annotations. Ren (1997) gives a clear Baihua translation of the cases and some useful annotations. However, it does not translate Yuanwu’s interspersed remarks. It also does not include Yuanwu’s introductions and has only extracts from his commentaries.

References Cleary, Thomas. Secrets of the Blue Cliff Record: Zen Comments by Hakuin and Tenkei. Shambala Publications, 2013. Cleary, Thomas and Cleary, J. C. The Blue Cliff Record. Shambala Publications, 1977/1992. Ding Fubao丁福保(編纂). 佛學大辭典. 和裕出版社, 1996. Li, Charles N. and Thompson, Sandra A. Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference Grammar. University of California Press, 1981. Ren Zefeng. 任澤鋒釋譯.碧岩錄. 佛光, 1997. Wu Ping. 吳平(注譯).碧岩集新譯. 三民書局, 2005.

Unit Eleven Liaofan’s Four Lessons

The next set of extracts is from a book written during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644 ce) by a scholar and official Yuán Liǎofán (袁了凡; c. 1533–1606 ce) born in Jiangsu province. This text is an instruction manual addressed to his son, Yuán Tiānqǐ (袁天啟) based on Liaofan’s life experiences. Although it is informed by Buddhist principles, it is written in a variety of Wenyan with fewer explicitly Buddhist words and expressions than other texts in this book. However, like many of the other texts in this reader, Liaofan’s Four Lessons influenced Chinese, Japanese and other cultures. Because The Four Lessons was written for Liaofan’s son, it is traditionally recommended that younger people study the text so that they might plan their life based on its contents. The text is divided into four sections with these titles: Learning to Create One’s Destiny, Ways to Reform, How to Cultivate Goodness and The Benefits of Humility. The excerpts in this unit are taken from the first three sections. As with the previous unit, we shall include in the vocabulary lists only items of which the relevant meanings cannot be easily found in available dictionaries. EXTRACT ONE This is an extract from beginning of the first section, which discusses how to learn to create one’s destiny. Liaofan begins by explaining why he decided to be a scholar rather than a doctor. 了凡四訓 立命之學 余童年喪父。老母命棄學舉業學醫。謂可以養生。可以濟人。且習一藝以成名。爾 父夙心也。後余在慈雲寺。遇一老者。修髯偉貌。飄飄若仙。余敬 之。語余曰。子 仕路中人也。明年即進學。何書。余告以故。並叩老者姓氏里居。曰。吾姓孔。雲 南人也。得邵子皇極數正傳。數該傳汝。余引之歸。告母。母曰。善待之。

Text with Romanization 了凡四訓 Lǐao fán sì xùn 立命之學1 Lì mìng zhī xué

116  Liaofan’s Four Lessons 余童年喪父。2老母命棄學舉業學醫3。謂可以養生。 yú tóng nián sàng fù lǎo mǔ mìng qì xué jǔ yè xué yī wèi kě yǐ yǎng shēng 可以濟人。且習一藝以成名4。爾父夙5心也。 kě yǐ jì rén qiě xí yí yì yǐ chéng míng ěr fù sù xīn yě 後余在慈雲寺。遇一老者。修髯偉貌。飄飄若仙。 hoù yú zài cí yún sì yù yī lǎo zhě xiū rán wěi mào piāo piāo ruò xiān 余敬禮之。語余曰。子仕路中人也。明年即進學。 yú jìng lǐ zhī yǔ yú yuē zǐ shì lù zhōng rén yě míng nián jí jìn xué 何不讀書6。余告以故7。並叩老者姓氏里居。 hé bù dú shū yú gào yǐ gù bìng kòu lǎo zhě xìng shì lǐ jū 曰。吾姓孔。雲南人也。得邵子皇極數正傳8。 yuē wǔ xìng kǒng yún nán rén yě dé shào zǐ huáng jí shù zhèng zhuàn 數該傳汝。余引之歸9。告母10。母曰。善待之。11 shù gāi chuán rú yú yǐn zhī guī gào mǔ mǔ yuē shàn dài zhī

Vocabulary 了凡

liǎofán

name

The name of the author, which literally means ‘putting an end to the common’

業

yè

n

profession, line of business

濟

jì

v

to help, to aid, to relieve

修

xiū

adj

elongated, tapering, long

飄飄

piāopiāo

adj

fluttering, lofty of character

進學

jìnxué

v

entry level scholar of the civil service exams during the Ming and Qing dynasties

叩

kòu

v

to interrogate, to inquire, to ask about

邵

shào

name

a family name

數

shù

n

fortune, destiny, fate

Notes   1 This is the title of the first of the four sections. It consists of a noun phrase, with 學 as the head noun modified by the verb + noun construction 立命. See the introduction to this unit for a translation of this title.   2 Note that as in a number of other texts we have looked at, only one punctuation mark, ‘。’, is used in this version of the Liaofan. It is up to the reader to determine in each case what kind of grammatical units it separates.   3 老母命棄學舉業學醫: Everything that follows 老母命 up to and including 爾父夙心 也 is reported speech, expressing Liaofan’s mother’s strong opinion about what her son

Liaofan’s Four Lessons  117 should do. 棄學 is a verb + noun construction which means to ‘give up being a scholar (literally ‘abandon studying’)’. 舉業 is another verb + noun construction and means to ‘embrace an occupation’. 學醫 is to ‘study medicine’ and by extension, become a doctor.   4 夙 modifies 心, i.e. for a long time he had been of that mind.   5 明年即進學。何不讀書: The old man is still addressing Liaofan. Note that, as so often, the logical relationship between these two clauses is implicit. To make explicit the relationship between the two clauses, one might add ‘so’ in a translation.   6 余告以故: The direct object (the person being addressed) of 告, if expressed, immediately follows the verb. The indirect object (the report of what is said) follows 以. This clause literally means ‘I told [him] the reason’, but if one were to translate this, for clarity, it would be better to state what the reason is for, i.e. ‘for my lack of study’.  7 得邵子皇極數正傳: This clause is a continuation of the old man’s speech. The subject (吾) of the verb 得 is understood. Everything following 得 is a noun phrase. The head of the noun phrase 正傳, a term used to give validity to a written document or philosophy, is often translated as the ‘correct transmission’, or ‘correct tradition’. The noun modification consists of an author’s name and the title of his book, 皇極數. The full name for this book is 皇極經世書, a book about divination written in the Song dynasty by 邵雍 Shào yōng (1011–1077), also known as 邵子. Shao was a well-known philosopher, poet and historian and one of the people responsible for the Neo-Confucianism movement.   8 Notice the tones for 傳 in 正傳 and 傳汝. In the former occurrence it is a noun, and in the latter a verb.   9 余引之歸: 之 is the direct object pronoun of the verb 引 and refers to Kong. 歸 can mean to return to where one has come from, or to return to somewhere one goes to regularly. We know 歸 means ‘return home’ here because of what follows. 10 告母 is somewhat terse, but we have to assume it means Liaofan introduced Master Kong and said good things about him, again because of what follows. 11 母曰。善待之: This indicates that Liaofan’s mother was truly impressed by Master Kong. EXTRACT TWO According to Liaofan, part of the process of learning is uncovering one’s mistakes. Once one begins to realize one’s mistakes, then one can begin to correct them. Therefore this extract talks about correcting mistakes. 改過之法 春秋諸大夫。見人言動。億而談其禍福。靡不驗者。左國諸記可觀也。大都吉凶之 兆。萌乎心而動乎四體。其過於厚者常獲福。過於薄者常近禍。俗眼多翳。謂有未 定而不可測者。至誠合天。福之將至。觀其善而必先知之矣。禍之將至。觀其不善 而必先知之矣。 今欲獲福而遠禍。未論行善。先須改過。

Text with Romanization 改過之法1 gǎi guò zhī fǎ

118  Liaofan’s Four Lessons 春秋2諸大夫。見人言動。億而談其禍福3。 chūn qiū zhū dà fù jiàn rén yán dòng yì ér tán qí huò fú 靡不驗者4。左國5諸記可觀也。大都吉凶之兆。 mǐ bù yàn zhě zuǒ guó zhū jì kě guān yě dà dū jí xiōng zhī zhào 萌乎心而動乎四體。其過於厚者常獲福。 méng hū xīn ér dòng hū sì tǐ qí guò yú hòu zhě cháng huò fú 過於薄者常近禍。俗眼多翳。謂有未定而不可測者6。 guò yú báo zhě cháng jìn huò sú yǎn duò yì wèi yǒu wèi ding ér bù kě cè zhě 至誠合天。福之將至7。觀其善而必先知之矣8。 zhì chéng hé tiān fú zhī jiāng zhì guān qí shàn ér bì xiān zhī zhī yǐ 禍之將至。觀其不善而必先知之矣。 huò zhī jiāng zhì guān qí bú shàn ér bì xiān zhī zhī yǐ 今欲獲福而遠禍。未論行善。先須改過9。 jīn yù huò fú ér yuǎn huò wèi lùn xíng shàn xiān xū gǎi guò

Vocabulary 改過

gǎiguò

v+n

to correct one’s faults

大夫

dàfū

n

senior official in pre-Qin China

億

yì

v

alternate form of 臆 ‘to conjecture’, ‘to estimate’

左國

zuǒguó

name

abbreviation for three famous classical Chinese historical texts (see note 5)

大都

dàdū

adv

mostly, usually

四體

sìtǐ

n

four extremities, i.e. two arms and two legs

厚

hòu

adj

thick, kind, generous, cordial

薄

báo (also bó)

adj

thin, shabby, paltry

翳

yì

n

cataract, hindrance (to vision), obscuration

測

cè

v

to fathom, to conjecture, to surmise

Notes 1 This is the title for section two. 2 春秋 ‘spring and autumn’ is the name of a period in Chinese history (c. 771–476 bce) when the Zhōu (周) dynasty (c. 1046–221 bce) was losing power and numerous states were involved in war and intrigue. It is also the name of a text, usually translated ‘Spring and Autumn Annals’, which documents this period and probably gave it its name. The Spring and Autumn Annals is one of the Five Confucian Classics (五經), the other four being The Book of History (書經), The Book of Poetry (詩經), The Book of Changes

Liaofan’s Four Lessons  119 (易經) and The Book of Rites (禮記). It should be noted here that because Liaofan was an official and scholar, his studies were mostly in the Confucian classics. One might think that because he was a Buddhist that his references should also come from Buddhist text. One can see this is not the case. This shows that Confucian scholarship does not have to be opposed to Buddhist concepts and vice versa, as many examples throughout Chinese history illustrate. 3 億而談其禍福: 而談 adds the idea of speech or conversation to what precedes it. For example, 傾耳而談, literally means to ‘incline (towards) someone’s ear and speak’, but can be translated as ‘to whisper in someone’s ear’. Similarly, ‘conjecture and speak’ could be interpreted as ‘to predict’. 禍福 are opposites and are more easily understood by first explaining 福, a term often used to describe prosperity and good fortune which is related to one’s character and karma. If one’s karma is good, it will manifest in one’s appearance and one’s material possessions. According to this traditional Buddhist concept, rich and attractive people have accumulated a lot of 福. Conversely, 禍 is misfortune and a lack of material comforts and is the result of a larger amount of bad karma. 4 靡不驗者: The 靡 negates the nominalized phrase 不驗者. Thus the double negative indicates that all the predictions were correct. 5 左國: The previous sentence began with 春秋, and this sentence begins with 左國 which stands for three more Chinese classics: Zuo’s Commentary (左傳), Discourses of the States (國語) and The Intrigues of the Warring States (戰國策). 6 謂有未定而不可測者: This clause quotes what the people mentioned in the previous clause might say. 謂 introduces the quote. 有 is the subject of both of the two quoting clauses which are linked by 而. 有 is therefore nominalized and could be translated ‘existence’. 者 nominalizes the whole quote. Quotes following verbs like 曰 and 謂 are treated as objects of the verbs and are therefore nominalized as here. 7 福之將至: 將至 means ‘will be coming soon’ but as it follows 之 it is nominalized and is the topic of what follows. The phrase could therefore be translated ‘the impending arrival of good fortune’. 8 觀其善而必先知之矣: The possessive pronoun 其 refers to those good people who are about to receive good fortune described in the previous phrase. The object pronoun 之 refers to 其善 which is the cause of the arrival of good fortune mentioned in the previous phrase. 9 今欲獲福而遠禍。未論行善。先須改過: These clauses are logically linked, and could be translated by a single sentence. The relationship between the first two clauses is additive and together they are in a conditional relationship with the other two clauses: ‘if you want to obtain good fortune and be distanced from misfortune, then don’t yet. . .’. The relationship between the latter two can be interpreted as adversative: ‘don’t yet. . ., but first. . .’. EXTRACT THREE This extract relates examples of how acts of goodness can lead to the accumulation of good fortune down the generations. 積善之方 易曰。積善之家。必有餘慶。昔顏氏將以女妻叔梁紇。而歷敘其祖宗積德之長。逆 知其子孫必有興者孔子稱舜之大孝。曰。宗廟饗之。子孫保之。皆至論也。試以

120  Liaofan’s Four Lessons 往事徵之。楊少師榮。建寗人。世以濟渡為生。久雨溪漲。橫流衝毀民居。溺死者 順流而下。他舟皆撈取貨物。獨少師曾祖及祖惟救人。而貨物一無所取。鄉人嗤其 愚。逮少師父生。家漸裕。

Text with Romanization 積善之方1 jī shàn zhī fang 易曰2。積善之家。必有餘慶3。 yì yuē jī shàn zhī jiā bì yoǔ yú qìng 昔顏氏將以女妻叔梁紇。而歷敘其祖宗積德之長。 xī yán shì jiāng yǐ nǚ qì shū liáng hé ér lì xù qí zǔ zōng jī dé zhī cháng 逆知其子孫必有興者。孔子稱舜之大孝4。曰。 nì zhī qí zǐ sūn bì yoǔ xīng zhě kǒng zǐ chēng shùn zhī dà xiào yuē 宗廟饗之。子孫保之。皆至論也5。試以往事徵之。 zōng miào xiǎng zhī zǐ sūn bǎo zhī jiē zhì lùn yě shì yǐ wǎng shì huī zhī 楊少師榮。建寗人。世以濟渡為生。久雨溪漲。 yáng shào shī róng jiàn níng rén shì yǐ jì dù wéi shēng jiǔ yǔ xī zhǎng 橫流衝毀民居。溺死者順流而下。他舟皆撈取貨物。 héng liú chōng huǐ mín jū nì sǐ zhě shùn liú ér xià tā zhōu jiē lāo qǔ huò wù 獨少師曾祖及祖惟救人6。而貨物一無所取。鄉人嗤其愚。 dú shào shī zēng zǔ jí zǔ wéi jiù rén ér huò wù yī wú suǒ qǔ xiāng rén chī qí yú 逮少師父生。家漸裕。 dǎi fù shī fu shēng jiā jiàn yù

Vocabulary 餘慶

yúqìng

n

abundant good fortune

顏

yán

name

a surname

叔梁紇

shūliánghé

name

Shu Lianghe (c. 617–548 bce), also known as Konghe, Confucius’s father

歷

lì

v/adv

to pass through, successively, one by one

逆知

nìzhī

v

to know beforehand, to forecast, to foresee

興

xīng

v/adj

to prevail, prosperous, exalted

稱

chēng

v

to recommend, to esteem, to praise

楊

yáng

name

a family name

Liaofan’s Four Lessons  121 少師

shàoshī

n

‘junior preceptor’ (a teacher of the emperor)

榮

róng

n/name

honor, glory (the given name of Mr. Yang, above)

建寗 (建宁)

jiànníng

name

a county under the jurisdiction of the city of Sanming, Fujian province

橫

hèng

v

to cut across, to spread across

撈

lāo

v

to drag for something in water, to dredge up

Notes 1 2 3 4 5 6

This is the title for the third section. What follows this is a quote from the 易經, the Book of Changes (see this unit, Extract Two, note 2). The quote ends here. The next sentence begins with an example that Liaofan provides in support of the generalization in the quote. 孔子稱舜之大孝: Emperor Shùn (舜) was known as a filial son because although his stepmother, half-brother and even his father who had been influenced by the stepmother, tried to kill him more than once, he still respected his father and never complained. 曰。宗廟饗之。子孫保之: This is a quote from the Doctrine of the Mean (中庸), one of the four books (四書) and also attributed to Confucius. 他舟皆撈取貨物。獨少師曾祖及祖惟救人: This describes what happened because of the flood and the people being swept away. 他舟 refers to other boat owners.

Further reading The most popular English edition of this text is probably Chin (2005), which includes a translation of Master Chin Kong’s commentary. Another English edition (but without commentary) that can be found online is Yuan (1995). This includes both PDF and audio versions. The Buddhist Text Translation Society has also published excerpts, which can be found in (Hsuan, 1994). Huang (2001) contains a clear translation into Modern Chinese and useful annotations. Various dramatizations of the text have also been made and can be found on YouTube.

References Chin Kung. Changing Destiny: Liaofan’s Four Lessons. 2nd edition. Body of the Buddha Educational Foundation, 2005. Hsuan Hua. Venerable Master Hua’s Talks on Dharma, Vol. 1. Buddhist Text Translation Society, 1994. Huang Zhihai. 黃智海.了凡四訓白話解釋. 財團法人佛陀教育基金會, 2001. Yuan Liaofan. Liao Fan’s Four Lessons. Buddha Dharma Education Society of Taiwan, 1995. www. buddhanet.net/pdf_file/liaofan.pdf.

Unit Twelve Zhugui’s Commentary on the Heart Sutra

The text we shall be looking at in this unit belongs to the genre of 註解 (zhùjiě; also written 注解) ‘explanatory notes’, usually referred to as ‘commentaries’. 註解 in fact do more than simply explain difficult or obscure passages in a text. They normally provide an interpretation and expansion of the meanings in the whole text from the standpoint of a particular school of thought. Zhūguī (朱珪; 1731–1807) was an eminent Qing dynasty scholar and official. In the course of his official career he was appointed to a number of high posts, including governor general of Guangdong and Guangxi and grand secretary at the imperial court in Beijing. He was also tutor to the sons of the Qiánlóng (乾隆) emperor, including Yǒngyǎn (永琰), who in 1796 became the Jiāqìng (嘉慶) emperor. Despite court intrigues against him, Zhugui seems to have been held in high regard by both emperors and to have been particularly close to the Jiaqing emperor, who personally attended the mourning ceremony following Zhugui’s death in 1807. A biography of Zhugui in English can be found in Hummel (1943). The Heart Sutra was, and still is, a very popular choice for both monks and laymen to write commentaries on. In this commentary, Zhugui emphasizes the importance of seeing the true nature of the mind, which is our basic nature (本性) and also buddha nature itself. Our everyday mind, however, is caught up in illusory perceptions and wandering thoughts. He quotes extensively from the Śūraṃgama Sūtra (楞嚴經), which was very influential in the Chan Buddhism of his time. You might find it useful to review Unit 1 on the Heart Sutra before working through this final unit. EXTRACT ONE In this extract, Zhugui explains the meaning of the title of the sutra and identifies two ways of leaving the realms of samsaric existence and of ‘reaching the other shore’ (到彼岸), which is one interpretation of the meaning of pāramitā (波羅密多). He further says that the paramita of wisdom encompasses all the other paramitas. 摩訶般若波羅密多心經 大興朱珪注解 般若。猶言智慧。波羅密多。到彼岸也。此岸乃紅麈火宅。相生相殺。受苦無邊 地。彼岸乃超 越三界。不生不滅。常樂我淨之地也。出火宅有二種。一者橫出三 界。一者豎出三界。橫出三界者一心專念阿彌陀佛。佛力接引。即生極樂世界。永 不退轉也。豎出三界者。見自本性。徧周法界。無去無來。界不能囿也。總名到

Zhugui’s Commentary on the Heart Sutra  123 彼岸。到彼岸有六法。智慧統攝五波羅密。故獨舉智慧言。一日布施到彼岸。去慳 也。人性如月如鏡本無一物。亦無一物可以存留。一有存留。便是遮蔽。修道之人 生。一應身中四大。心中雜念。俱要盡情埽卻。庶還得本來面目而況身外錢財服用 室盧田産。何 一不可布施。

Text with Romanization 摩訶般若波羅密多心經 mó hē bō rě bō lúo mì dūo xīn jīng 大興朱珪注解 dà xīng zhū gūi zhù jiě 般若。猶言智慧。波羅密多。到彼岸也。 bō rě yóu yán zhì hùi bō lúo mì dūo dào bǐ àn yě 此岸乃1紅麈2火宅3。相生相殺4。受苦無邊地。 cǐ àn nǎi hóng chén hǔo zhái xiàng shēng xiàng shā shòu kǔ wú biān dì 彼岸乃超越三界5。不生不滅。常樂我淨6之地也。 bǐ àn nǎi chāoyuè sān jie bù shēng bù miè cháng lè wǒ jìng zhī dì yě 出火宅有二種。一者橫出三界。一者豎出三界7。 chū hǔo zhái yǒu èr zhǒng yī zhě héng chū sān jiè yī zhě shù chū sān jiè 橫出三界者一心專念阿彌陀佛。佛力接引。即生極樂世界8。 héng chū sān jiè zhě yī xīn zhuān niàn ā mí túo fó fó lì jiē yǐn jí shēng jí lè shì jiè 永不退轉9也。豎出三界者。見自本性。徧周法界10。 yǒng bù tùi zhuǎn yě shù chū sān jiè zhě jiàn zì běn xìng biàn zhōu fǎ jiè 無去無來。界不能囿11也。總名到彼岸。 wú qù wú lái jiè bù néng yòu yě zōng míng dào bǐ àn 到彼岸有六法。智慧統攝五波羅密。故獨舉智慧言12。 dào bǐ àn yǒu lìu fǎ zhì hùi tǒng shè wǔ bō lúo mì gù dú jǔ zhì hùi yán 一日布施到彼岸。去慳13也。人性如月如鏡本無一物。 yī rì bù shī dào bǐ àn qù qiān yě rén xìng rú yuè rú jìng běn wú yī wù 亦無一物可以存留。一有存留。便是遮蔽14。 yì wú yī wù kě yǐ cún líu yī yǒu cún líu biàn shì zhē bì 修道之人生。一應身中四大。心中雜念。俱要盡情埽卻。 xīu dào zhī rén shēng yī yīng shēn zhōng sì dà xīn zhōng zá niàn jù yào jìn qíng sào què 庶還得本來面目而況身外錢財服用室盧田産15。 shù huán dé běn lái miàn mù ér kuàng shēn wài qián cái fú yòng shì lú tián chǎn

124  Zhugui’s Commentary on the Heart Sutra

Vocabulary 大興

dàxīng

name

place name, Zhugui’s native town, now a district of Beijing

一心

yìxīn

n

unity of mind, one-pointedness of mind

徧

biàn

adv

same as 遍 (2.2)

囿

yòu

n/v

enclosure, to enclose, to circumscribe

統攝

tǒngshè

v

to completely embrace, to encompass

存留

cūnliú

v

to maintain, to be retained

雜

zá

adj

mixed, confused, distracted

卻

què

suff

a post-verbal suffix indicating that the action has been completely accomplished

服用

fúyòng

n

[daily] necessities

Notes 1 2 3 4 5 6

7

When 乃 is used in an equative clause (X 乃 Y[也]) it emphasizes the identity of the two noun phrases – ‘X is precisely Y’, ‘X is indeed Y’, ‘X is in fact Y’. In such contexts, the function of 乃 is much the same as that of 即. 紅麈 ‘red dust’: 紅 symbolizes ‘passion’ and 麈 symbolizes the objects of passion. 紅麈 thus refers to the passion-filled ‘ordinary’ samsaric world. 火宅 ‘burning house’: The Buddha said that everything in the ordinary world is burning with the fires of greed, hatred and delusion. See also the story in the Lotus Sutra of the father enticing his children out of the burning building (4.2). 相生相殺 ‘mutually giving birth mutually killing’: i.e. beings are [continually] giving birth to one another and killing one another. 三界: The three realms or domains of samsaric existence. These are the realm of desires (欲界), the realm of forms (色界) and the realm without forms (無色界). See the PDB under Skt. traidhātuka. 常樂我淨: One interpretation of this is as two noun phrases each consisting of a head and modifier – ‘permanent bliss and the purity of I/the self’. 我淨 is used as a translation of Skt. śuddhâtman ‘pure atman’, ‘pure soul’, which is usually considered a Hindu rather than Buddhist concept. A  different interpretation takes each 字 separately as nouns: ‘permanence, bliss, self, and purity’, which are taught in the Nirvana Sutra (涅 槃經) as positive responses to the basic Buddhist notions of 無常 (impermanence), 苦 (suffering), 無我 (no-self) and 污 (defilement). This is the interpretation of these four 字 given in the DDB. The 佛光大辭典 supports this interpretation. It has an entry for 常樂 我淨 (p. 4533中), called ‘the four qualities of Nirvana’ (涅槃四德). 常 is explained as referring to ‘the forever unchanging realization [which] is the realization of reaching the state of Nirvana’ (達涅槃境界之覺悟為永遠不變之覺悟), 樂 is explained as referring to ‘the peace and happiness and lack of suffering of this state’ (其境界無苦而安樂), 我 is explained as referring to ‘free, at ease, lacking the slightest constraints’ (自由自在毫 無拘束), and 淨 is explained as referring to ‘lacking the defilements of the afflictions’ (無煩惱之染污). 一者橫出三界。一者豎出三界 ‘one is going sidewise out of the three realms, one is going vertically out of the three realms’: i.e. one of the ways of transcending the three realms is indirect, while the other is direct.

Zhugui’s Commentary on the Heart Sutra  125 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

極樂世界 ‘domain of extreme happiness’: i.e. Amitâbha’s pure land Skt. sukhāvatī. 永不退轉 ‘[one will] never fall back/backslide’: In other words, those who are taught by Amitâbha in his pure land are certain to go on from there towards Nirvana. 徧周法界 ‘encompassing all dharma realms’: The 法界 are the domains in which all the activity of all dharmas (phenomena) takes place, the entire realm of human experience. The mind thus encompasses the whole universe. See the PDB under dharmadhātu. 界不能囿: i.e. the realms cannot fence in or limit one’s mind. 故獨舉智慧言 ‘therefore alone raise wisdom to speak [about]’: i.e. this is why wisdom (般波) is the only paramita mentioned in the title of the sutra. 去慳: When 去 has an object other than a place, it has the meaning of ‘get rid of’ or ‘discard’. As the object of 去, 慳 is, of course, nominalized – ‘miserliness’, ‘meanness’. 一 A 便 B: This is like MSC 一 A 就 B, ‘once/as soon as A occurs, [then] B occurs’. 況身外錢財服用室盧田産: What Zhugui seems to be saying here is that reacting just to physical sensations within one’s own body can give rise to distracting thoughts, requiring a complete sweeping away of all the emotional reactions to them before one is able to return to [contemplation of] one’s basic nature. How much more distracting, therefore, are external possessions such as wealth, houses and land.

EXTRACT TWO In this extract, Zhugui comments on the five skandas (五藴) and their illusory nature. 無色無受想行識 五藴妄想結成。實皆如來藏妙真如性。佛云一切浮塵諸幻化相。當處出生。隨處滅 盡。幻妄稱相。其性真為妙覺明體。如是乃至五蘊。六入。從十二處至十八界。 因緣和合。虛妄有生。因緣別離。虛妄名滅。殊不知生滅出來。本如來藏。常住妙 明。不動周圓。妙真如性。性真常中。求于去來迷悟生死。了不可得。兹姑引佛經 之論五蘊者明之。佛吿阿難。汝身中堅相為地。潤濕為水。煖觸為火。搖動為風。 由此四纏。分汝湛 圓妙覺明心為視為聽為覺，為察。

Text with Romanization 無色無受想行識 wú sè wú shòu xiǎng xíng shí 五藴妄想結成。實皆如來藏妙真如性1。 wǔ yùn wàng xiǎng jié chéng shí jiē rú lái zàng miào zhēn rú xìng 佛云一切浮塵諸幻化相2。當處出生。隨處滅盡3。 fó yún yī qiè fú chén zhū huàn huà xiàng dāng chǔ chū shēng súi chǔ miè jìn 幻妄稱相。其性真為妙覺明體。如是乃至五蘊。 huàn wàng chēng xiàng qí xìng zhēn wéi miào jué míng tǐ rú shì nǎi zhì wǔ yùn 六入4。從十二處5至十八界6。因緣和合。虛妄有生。 lìu rù cóng shí èr chǔ zhì shí bā jiè yīn yuán hé hé xū wàng yǒu shēng

126  Zhugui’s Commentary on the Heart Sutra 因緣別離。虛妄名滅。殊不知生滅出來。本如來藏。 yīn yuán bié lí xū wàng míng miè shū bù zhī shēng miè chū lái běn rú lái zàng 常住妙明。不動周圓。妙真如性。性真常中7。 zhù miào míng bù dòng zhōu yuán miào zhēn rú xìng xìng zhēn cháng zhōng 常求于去來迷悟生死8。了不可得9。 cháng qíu yú qù lái mí wù shēng sǐ liǎo bù kě dé 兹姑引佛經10之論五蘊者明之。佛吿阿難。 zī gū yǐn fó jīng zhī lùn wǔ yùn zhě míng zhī fó gào ā nán 汝身中堅相為地。潤濕為水。煖觸11為火。搖動為風。 rǔ shēn zhōng jiān xiàng wéi dì rùn shī wéi shǔi nuǎn chù wéi hǔo yáo dòng wéi fēng 由此四纏。分汝湛圓妙覺12明心為13視為聽為覺，為察。 yóu cǐ sì chán fēn rǔ zhàn yuán miào jué míng xīn wéi shì wéi tīng wéi júe wéi chá

Vocabulary 稱

chēng

v

to designate, to call, to name

殊不知

shūbùzhī

adv+ adv+v

‘[one] hardly realizes that. . .’, ‘[it’s] hard to imagine that. . .’

周圓

zhōuyuán

n/adj

circumference, all around, all pervasive

引

yǐn

v

to draw from, to cite, to quote

煖

nuǎn

adj

same as 暖

Notes   1 如來藏妙真如性 ‘the marvelous suchness nature of the tathāgatagarbha’: 如來藏 is also sometimes called 佛法藏 (5.3). It is often translated into English as ‘tathāgata matrix’ or ‘womb of the tathāgatas’ (see the PDB under tathāgatagarbha). 真如, ‘suchness’, ‘just as it is’ refers to things as they actually are, the underlying nature of reality. It means the same as 如如 (see 3.3). See The PDB under tathatā.   2 一切浮塵諸幻化相: Although there is no linking verb like 為 or 有, nor a final particle like 也, the context makes it clear that this should be understood as an equative clause ‘all floating dust [i.e. objects] are of the nature of illusion and change [or illusionary transformations]’.   3 當處出生。隨處滅盡: i.e. at the place where they arise, they will also completely disappear.   4 六入 ‘the six entrances’: i.e. the six organs through which sense data enter, namely, the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind as listed in the Heart Sutra (see 1.2). Also referred to as 六處 ‘the six sense-bases’.   5 十二處 ‘the twelve sense bases’: these include the 六入 and the six types of sense objects. See 5.1 note 11.   6 十八界: The eighteen elements or dhātu of perception, which include the 六入 and their associated six consciousnesses and six types of sense objects (十二處). See 1.2. note 5.

Zhugui’s Commentary on the Heart Sutra  127  7 性真常中: the sense here suggests that 性 is the subject/topic of the clause, which can be translated as ‘its nature is in the true and the unchanging’. The alternative interpretation would be to take 性真 as a noun phrase subject ‘the truth of its nature is in the unchanging’.   8 求于去來迷悟生死: 去來迷悟生死 are pairs of opposites, ‘going and coming’, ‘delusion and enlightenment’ and ‘life and death’. The whole clause is dependent on the clause that follows, so it can be translated ‘if/when you always seek it in [the dualities of] coming and going, delusion and enlightenment and life and death. . .’.   9 了不可得: 了 can mean either ‘complete(ly)’, ‘final(ly’) or ‘to understand clearly’, ‘to fully know’ (as in 了知). However, preceding 不, it usually has the former meaning, in the sense of ‘finally not’, ‘not at all’, ‘never’. This seems to fit best here, i.e. ‘finally it cannot be gained’ or ‘it can never be gained’. 10 The sutra that is about to be quoted from here is the Śūraṃgama Sūtra (楞嚴經). 11 煖觸: ‘[what has the characteristic of] being warm to the touch’. 12 Note that 覺 here has the sense of ‘awakened’ or ‘enlightened’. In the next clause, it is used in the sense of ‘knowing’ or ‘perceiving’. 13 分 . . . 為 ‘divide . . . into’: i.e. the constraints of the physical elements [of your body] divide up your [fundamentally] unlimited, enlightened mind into [the processes of] seeing, hearing, knowing and investigating. EXTRACT THREE In this extract, Zhugui explains that the hindrance to the wisdom that can take us to ‘the other shore’ is our attachment to delusions, in particular the delusion that takes our ‘dull-witted and soiled’ body as a ‘true self’. 菩提薩埵依般若波羅密多故心無罣礙 菩提薩埵。人法兩空。覺悟有情之謂。即菩薩也。以下復就智慧到彼岸申言之。人 之所以動多障礙者。總為迷悶執著。蓋執著此頑濁之身。以為真我。遂從六根起貪 欲心。起瞋恨心。起利名9心。起求謀造作心。起嫉妒他人心。起損人利己心。而此 心如同蛇蠍。如在桎梏。無往而不罣礙矣。若知此身非我。不久腐朽。受用與性無 涉。造孼將來正苦。自能外形骸。以理自守。而罣礙少也。況智慧日長。則見地日 高。始而不為境轉。繼且不為 法縛。始而不滯于有。並且不著于空。身世間何一足 覊絆者乎。

Text with Romanization 菩提薩埵依般若波羅密多故心無罣礙 pú tí sà dǔo yī bō rě bō luó mì dūo gù xīn wú guà ài 菩提薩埵。人法1兩空。覺悟有情之謂2。即菩薩也。 pú tí sà dǔo rén fǎ liǎng kōng júe wù yǒu qíng zhī wèi jí pú sà yě 以下復就智慧到彼岸申言之3。人之所以動4多障礙者。 yǐ xià fù jìu zhì hùi dào bǐ àn shēn yán zhī rén zhī sǔo yǐ dòng dūo zhàng ài zhě 總為迷悶5執著。蓋6執著此頑濁之身。以為真我。 zōng wéi mí mēn zhí zhuó gài zhí zhuó cǐ wán zhúo zhī shēn yǐ wéi zhēn wǒ

128  Zhugui’s Commentary on the Heart Sutra 遂從六根7起貪欲心。起瞋恨心。起利名8心。 sùi cóng lìu gēn qǐ tān yù xīn qǐ chēn hèn xīn qǐ lì míng xīn 起求謀造作心。起嫉妒他人心。起損人利己心。 qǐ qíu móu zào zùo xīn qǐ jí dù tā rén xīn qǐ sǔn rén lì jǐ xīn 而此心如同蛇蠍。如在桎梏。無往而不罣礙矣9。 ér cǐ xīn rú tóng shé xiē rú zài zhì gù wú wǎng ér bù guà ài yǐ 若知此身非我。不久腐朽。受用與性無涉。 rùo zhī cǐ shēn fēi wǒ bù jǐu fǔ xǐu shòu yòng yǔ xìng wú shè 造孼將來正苦。自能外形骸10。以理自守。而罣礙少也。 zào niè jiāng lái zhèng kǔ zì néng wài xíng hái yǐ lǐ zì shǒu ér guà ài shǎo yě 況智慧日長。則見地11日高。始而不為境轉12。 kuàng zhì hùi rì zhǎng zé jiàn dì rì gāo shǐ ér bù wéi jìng zhuǎn 繼且不為法13縛。始而不滯于有。並且不著于空。 jì qiě bù wéi fǎ fù shǐ ér bù zhì yú yǒu bìng qiě bù zhuó yú kōng 身世間何一足覊絆者乎14。 shēn shì jiān hé yī zú jī bàn zhě hū

Vocabulary 受用

shoùyòng

to make use of what one has received, to experience, to enjoy

境

jìng

objective realm, objects of perception or cognition, what gives rise to the activity of the six sense organs

于

yú

interchangeable with 於

一足

yìzú

one foot, a single step

覊(=羈)絆

jībàn

to fetter, to restrain, to hobble

Notes   1 人法兩空 ‘person dharma two are-empty’: i.e. in the case of bodhisattvas, both persons and dharmas are empty. For further explanation of this, see the 佛光辭典 (Vol. 1, p. 256) under 人法二空.   2  . . . 之謂: ‘that is to say. . .’, ‘this means. . .’.   3 申言之 ‘extend speak [about] it’: i.e. what follows will elaborate or expand upon this.   4 動多障礙: 動 can be a verb ‘to move’ or ‘to act’, or a noun ‘movement’, ‘action’. As a verb, it can be transitive or intransitive. Taking it as a transitive verb here, then we can interpret phrase as ‘[the reason why people] set in motion (or stir up) many obstacles’.

Zhugui’s Commentary on the Heart Sutra  129   5 迷悶: These could be interpreted separately as ‘delusion’ (or ‘bewilderment’) and ‘depression’. However, the DDB has an entry for the compound 迷悶 which it glosses as ‘confusion’, which clearly fits here.   6 蓋: The introductory particle 蓋 indicates that the statement following it is generally, or almost certainly the case. When it introduces an explanatory statement, it is sometimes translated ‘for’ or ‘because’.  7 六根 ‘six bases’: Like 六入 this refers to the six sense organs, namely, eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind.   8 名 ‘name’ is used here in the sense of ‘reputation’.   9 無往而不罣礙 ‘there is no going and not obstructing’: i.e. wherever one goes there will be obstructions; there will be obstructions everywhere. 10 自能外形骸: i.e. [if] you can get outside the human frame, transcend the limitations of the body. 11 見地: ‘ground of seeing’, i.e. level of discernment, stage of insight. 12 不為境轉: i.e. your insight won’t be diverted or perverted by objects of perception. 13 法 here refers to mental objects (that the mind gets caught up in). 14 何 . . . 乎: The use of 何 followed by the final interrogative particle 乎 indicates a rhetorical question – ‘how can . . . ?’ The sense here is that once one has reached this stage, how can one’s bodily senses or the affairs of the mundane world be the slightest impediment to awakening to things as they really are.

Further reading Zhu (2004) is an edition of this commentary printed in Hong Kong in traditional Chinese book form and printed by subscription for free distribution. It is based on an edition which came originally from Lingyin Temple (靈隱寺) in Hangzhou. There is also an online version of the complete text at www.zhonghyl.com/contentv2ewe2580. For a translation of the Suramgama-sutra, from which Zhugui’s commentary quotes extensively, see Luk (2010). In addition, there is an online version of the Buddhist Text Translation Society’s translation of this sutra, together with an extensive commentary at www.cttbusa.org/ shurangama1/shurangama1.asp. A biography of Zhugui can be found in Hummel (1943–1944).

References Hummel, Arthur W. Eminent Chinese of the Ch’ing Period, 1644–1912. U.S. Government Printing Office, 1943–44. Luk, Charles. The Śūraṃgama-sūtra. The Corporate Body of the Buddha Education Foundation, 2010. Zhu Gui. 大興朱珪註解. 摩訶般若波羅多心經. 鴻鵠成印刷廠, 2004.

Appendix One Word Class Categories

Caveats 1

2

3

4

In the vocabulary lists, we note the word class of each item using the abbreviations given below. However, there is a great deal of fluidity of word class in Buddhist Chinese (BC), as there is in Wenyan (文言 ‘Literary Chinese’) in general, and our general principle is to give just the basic or default word class of each item in the vocabulary lists. However, in cases in which an item is commonly used in two word classes, both word classes will be given separated by /. Where two word classes are given separated by +, it means that the item is in fact a phrase consisting of two words. For convenience, we use word class labels that are used in the description of the grammars of English and other European languages, and are likely to be familiar to users of this book. However, it is important to bear in mind that word classes in English and other European languages do not map exactly on to word classes in BC. The classification of words in other descriptions of Wenyan or BC may differ from that presented here. Specifically, we do not make use of the category of ‘co-verbs’. In addition, we have reduced the traditional very large category of particles, redistributing many ‘particles’ into other word classes. There is no generally agreed classification of word classes in Wenyan. Only some basic information and one or two examples are given below for each word class. Where necessary, more information will be found in the notes following each extract. See also the Further Reading section of the Orientation.

adj = adjective As in English and MSC, adjectives in Wenyan and BC can pre-modify nouns, usually specifying some kind of quality, e.g.: 善女人 ‘good woman/women’ Also as in MSC (but not in English) adjectives can function in predicates without needing a linking verb (a verb like ‘is’, ‘are’ etc.) in front of them. 五蘊皆空 ‘the five aggregates [are] all empty’ Also like verbs, they can be negated with 不. 心中不善 ‘in [their] heart-minds [they are] not good’

Appendix One: Word Class Categories  131 For these reasons, what we are calling adjectives are sometimes categorized as a sub-class of verbs.

adv = adverbs Adverbs modify the meanings of verbs and adjectives. They normally occur before the verbs and adjectives they modify, e.g. 最勝 ‘most victorious’, ‘most excellent’, ‘completely surpassing’ 諦聽 ‘listen carefully’ Many adjectives are also commonly used as adverbs. 如來善護念諸菩薩 ‘the Tathagatha (Buddha) well protects and keeps in mind the bodhisattvas’ Adverbs also function as clause adjuncts adding information to the clause about circumstances such as time and place. 爾時世尊，告五苾芻曰 . . .‘[At] that time/Then the world-honored-one addressed the five bhiksus saying. . .’. In traditional grammars of English, this is sometimes referred to as the ‘adverbial’ function. Note that we also include in the class of adverbs the following: • • •

Words used before a verb to express relative time, such as 已 ‘already’, and 曾‘once’ (these could alternatively be classed with the auxiliary verbs, see below). Distributives such as 皆 ‘in all cases’, 或 ‘in some cases’, 莫 ‘in no case’ and 各 ‘in each case’ (often translatable into English with determiners such as ‘all’, ‘some’ etc.). Verb negators such as 不 (as in MSC used as the general negator) 未 ‘not yet’ and 勿 negative imperative ‘don’t’. These are sometimes classed as particles.

aux = auxiliary verb These are verbs that are used in front of ‘ordinary’ or ‘content’ verbs or to modify or add to their meaning in some way. This category includes what are usually called modal verbs or modal auxiliaries (expressing probability, desirability, ability etc.) such as 當 ‘should’, 宜 ‘had better’, ‘ought to’, 能 ‘can’, ‘able to’, 得 ‘can’, ‘manage to’, and 可以 ‘can’, ‘may’. Also in this category are auxiliaries indicating futurity such as 將, 且 and 欲 (literally ‘want’). 當 can also indicate futurity. 當知菩薩有一法能斷一切諸惡道苦 ‘[You] should know that bodhisattvas have one method that can put an end to the suffering of all the evil ways [destinies]’.

conj ＝ conjunction There are two main types of conjunctions: structural and cohesive. Structural conjunctions mark either coordinate or subordinate relations between units.

132  Appendix One: Word Class Categories 與 and 及 are common conjunctions marking coordination of noun phrases. 君子與小人 ‘gentlemen and inferior people’ 而 and 以 (‘in order to’) are coordinating conjunctions used between two clauses or two verb phrases. 而 does not provide any information about the logic of the relationship between the two clauses or verb phrases. This has to be inferred from the context. In the glosses, we gloss 而 as ‘and’. 欲施而無財 ‘[She] wanted to distribute alms but lacked wealth’. Structural conjunctions used to indicate logical relationship between subordinate and main clauses either occur at or near the beginning of the subordinate clause (typically after the topic/subject), or occur at the end of the clause. Beginning conjunctions include 如 ‘if’ and 雖 ‘although’. 名雖有二，體本同一 ‘Although their names are different, their substance is basically the same’. Those occurring at the end of a clause include 時 ‘when’, 故 ‘because’, 已來 ‘since’. 什在胎時，其母自覺。‘When Shi was in [her] womb, his mother self-realized’. 無罣礙故，無有恐怖 ‘Because [they] have no obstructions, [they] have no fear’. Cohesive conjunctions express a logical relationship of a clause or sentence with what precedes it, without indicating a structural relationship. These include 故 ‘therefore’, 亦 ‘also’, 復 ‘again’, ‘further[more]’ and 遂 ‘thereupon’, ‘then’. These are sometimes called ‘conjunctive adverbs’. 爾時世尊復告龍王言 ‘Then the World-Honored-One further said to the Dragon King. . .’.

dem = demonstrative These are referring or ‘pointing’ words. Most can both pre-modify nouns and substitute for nouns (therefore they are sometimes called demonstrative adjectives and demonstrative pronouns). These include 此 ‘this’, ‘these’, 彼 ‘that’, ‘those’ and 是 ‘this’, ‘these’, ‘that’, ‘those’. Note that although 此 and 彼 can often be translated by the English demonstratives ‘this/ these’ and ‘that/those’, in some contexts, 此 can simply be translated as ‘it’. In other contexts, other English expressions may be needed to capture the meanings of ‘in some sense relatively close’ and ‘in some sense relatively far’. 其福勝彼 ‘Its merit surpasses the former [action]’. 我常住於此 ‘I eternally dwell here’. 諸 ‘all the’ and 一切 ‘all’, ‘each and every’ can also be classed as demonstratives. They function only as noun pre-modifiers. Note that in BC, 諸 often functions purely as a marker of plurality.

Appendix One: Word Class Categories  133 諸趣輪轉 ‘turning of the wheel through all the [rebirth] destinations’ 一切浮塵 ‘all floating dust’

exclam = exclamation or exclamatory word These are not common in the texts. One example is 咄 (duò) ‘bah!’ ‘huh!’

interr = interrogative These include the general interrogative 何 ‘what, why, how’ etc. Other interrogatives with more specific meanings are 安 ‘how’, ‘where’ and 孰 ‘which’, ‘what’, ‘who’. 何不讀書 ‘Why not study?’ 孰為夭。孰為壽 ‘Which are untimely death? Which are longevity?’

meas = measure word These are not as commonly used as in MSC. Two examples from the text extracts are 段 ‘a section of’, ‘a portion of’, ‘a stretch of’ and 顆, a measure word for small, round things.

name (no abbreviation) These are names of people and places, sometimes called ‘proper nouns’.

n = noun In most cases, nouns in BC can be translated by nouns in English. However, note that nouns like 上，下，前，後, 內，外and 中 at the end of noun phrases are usually translatable as prepositions in English. For this reason, they are sometimes called ‘postpositions’. 汝身中堅相為地 ‘the hard characteristics in your body are earth [element]’

num = numbers These are basically the same as in MSC, though note that 兩 is not normally used for the cardinal number ‘two’, as in MSC. It usually indicates a pair of something, or both of something. Also note that cardinal numbers (一， 二，三 etc.) are often used where ordinals might be expected in English or MSC (第一，第二，第三).

part = particle These include aspect particles and modal particles. Aspect is concerned with whether an action, a process, or a change of state is viewed as in progress or completed. The most common aspect particles are the perfective (completed) aspect particles 已, used at the end of clauses or verb phrases, and 矣, used at the end of sentences. 矣 is often used where a new situation is presented as coming about based on a cause or condition represented in a previous (subordinate) clause.

134  Appendix One: Word Class Categories 起損人利己心 . . . 無往而不罣礙矣 ‘If/Once the state-of-mind of harming people and benefiting oneself arises . . . then there will be nowhere you can go and find no obstruction’. 已 is often used at the end of a subordinate clause to indicate that the action or situation represented by the clause comes about or is completed before the action or situation in the following (main) clause. 智者知已，應修善業 ‘Once the wise know this/Having realized this, they/the wise should cultivate good deeds [karma]’. (Note that pre-verbal 已 is classified as an adverb, see above.) Modal particles are concerned with interpersonal meanings, i.e. the speech function (statement, question, command or exclamation) of a sentence and its rhetorical force. Common modal particles are 也, 乎 and 哉. 也 indicates a statement of fact, ‘this is how/what it is, ‘this is a case of X’. 也 is commonly used at the end of verb-less equative (X is Y) clauses. 波羅密多。到彼岸也 ‘Pāramitā is [means] arriving at that [the other] shore’. 乎 marks a polar (‘yes or no’) question, similarly to 嗎 in MSC, and 哉 marks an exclamation. 奇哉！‘How strange!’

prep = preposition As in English and MSC, prepositions are words that express temporal, spatial and other relations, and precede nouns to form prepositional phrases. Most prepositions in Wenyan/BC are in origin verbs and are sometimes classified as ‘co-verbs’. 乎 and 於 are commonly used prepositions that express a general locative (and sometimes agentive) meaning (to, in, on, at, from, by etc.). The precise nature of the relationship expressed by these prepositions depends on context. 於中無有作者 ‘within [it] there is no doer’ Other prepositions that express more specific meanings include 以 ‘with’, ‘by’, 自 from’, 由 ‘through’, ‘because of’, 如 ‘like’ and 為 ‘for’, ‘on behalf of’. 以往事徵之 ‘ . . . to verify it with past events’ 如是我聞 ‘Like this (= thus) I have heard. . .’

pro = pronoun As in English and Modern Standard Chinese (MSC), personal pronouns substitute for ‘full’ nouns or names. In BC, they are used much more sparingly than in English and in MSC, especially third person pronouns. 吾, 余 and 我 are all used for ‘I’, ’my’, ‘me’ as well as ‘we’, ‘our’ and ‘us’. 汝 and 爾 are both used for ‘you’ and ‘your’. 吾為汝書 ‘I will read it for you’

Appendix One: Word Class Categories  135 之 is a third person (singular and plural) object pronoun, used for both persons and things. 而告之言 ‘and told them saying. . .’ 其 is a possessive pronoun (his, her, its, one’s, their), for example: 其福勝彼 ‘Its merit surpasses the former’. 其 is also occasionally used as a third person subject pronoun. Note that names, titles, honorific epithets, or deprecatory epithets (when referring to oneself) are also often used where personal pronouns might be expected in English.

struc = structural marker Structural markers indicate the structural status of units. The most common are 者, 之 and 所. 者 is a nominalizing particle, i.e. it indicates that the phrase or clause it comes at the end of functions syntactically as a noun, e.g. it can function as the subject of a clause. Often, but by no means always, it has the sense of ‘a person who. . .’, one who. . .’. 發菩提心者 ‘Those/One who have/has brought forth the heart-mind of bodhi (enlightenment/awakening)’. 之 is used in a noun phrase to indicate that the phrase or clause that precedes it is subordinate to and in some way modifies the head of the noun phrase that follows it (similarly to 的 in MSC). 一切眾生之類 ‘all the categories of sentient beings’ 所 can be interpreted as a relative pronoun that represents the object of the following verb and can be glossed as ‘that-which’ or ‘what’. However, we class it here as a structural marker as, like 者 and 之, it is used to nominalize verb phrases or clauses. 所求不得 ‘not getting what one seeks’

suff = suffix Two noun suffixes used in BC are 子 and 等. Both are used after nouns referring to people. 子 often but not always has a diminutive meaning. 等 indicates plurality, similarly to MSC 們. However, we cannot assume that where there is no 等, the noun is singular. 弟子 ‘disciple(s)’, ‘follower(s)’ 我等 ‘we’, ‘us’

v = verb As in English and MSC, verbs function as the grammatical center of predicates and represent notions such as doing and happening, thinking and believing, being and becoming. They can be negated using 不. 皆於四衢道中露地而坐 ‘[They] all sat [down] at the crossroads in the open air’. 惠能不識字 ‘Huineng does not know characters/is illiterate’. 身為明鏡臺 ‘The body is a bright mirror stand’.

Appendix Two Vocabulary Index

Items are sequenced first according to the alphabetical order of the Hanyu Pinyin transcription of their first characters. Where two or more characters have the same transcription, they are secondarily sequenced according to number of strokes. The transcriptions and list of first characters can be found in the first column on the left. The vocabulary items themselves appear in the second column. Items consisting of more than one character are further sequenced alphabetically according to the transcription of their second character. The last column to the right indicates the unit and extract number of the vocabulary list in which the item is first explained. A small ‘n’ after the unit and extract number indicates that the item is further explained in a note. Where more than one location is given for an item, it means that the item has two or more distinct meanings that are explained in different vocabulary lists. Initial Character Item

Hanyu Pinyin

Unit.Extract

阿鼻

ābí

9.1

阿耨多羅三藐三菩提

ānòuduōluó sānmiǎo sānpútí

1.3, 1.3n

阿僧祇

āsēngqí

3.3, 4.3n

阿修羅

āxiūlúo

3.3, 3.3n

安詳

ānxiáng

4.1

安隱

ānwěn

4.2

闇

àn

8.3

拔舌

báshé

9.2

把捉

bǎzhuō

9.2

白言

báiyán

2.3

ā 阿

ān 安 àn 闇 bá 拔 bǎ 把 bái 白

Appendix Two: Vocabulary Index  137 Initial Character Item

Hanyu Pinyin

Unit.Extract

般

bān (also see bō)

9.3

薄

báo (also see bó)

11.2

寶

bǎo 

3.3

倍

倍

bèi

6.2, 6.2n

備

備

bèi

5.3

逼

bī

6.2

比丘

bǐqiū

2.1

比丘尼

bǐqiūní

3.3

彼

bǐ

3.3

苾

苾芻

bìchú

2.3, 2.3n

畢

畢竟

bìjìng

5.1

辟

辟支佛

bìzhīfó

4.1, 4.1n

避

避

bì

6.1

邊

biān

3.2

邊畔

biānpàn

8.2

便

便

biàn

8.1

遍

遍

biàn

2.2

徧

徧

biàn

12.1

表

biǎo

9.2

別

bié

5.1

別駕

biéjià

8.1

般若

bōrě

1.1

bān 般 báo 薄 bǎo  寶 bèi

bī 逼 bǐ 比

彼 bì

biān 邊 biàn

biǎo 表 bié 別 bō 般

138  Appendix Two: Vocabulary Index Initial Character Item

Hanyu Pinyin

Unit.Extract

波羅蜜

bōluómì 

3.1

波羅蜜多

bōluómìduō

1.1

薄伽梵

bóqiéfàn

2.3, 2.3n

不得

bùdé

8.1

不群

bùqún

6.1

布施

bùshī

3.3

怖畏

bùwèi

7.3

擦

cā

8.1

財寶

cáibǎo

5.3

慚愧

cánkuì

7.3

策

策

cè

7.1

測

測

cè

9.3

曾

céng

4.1

剎那

chànà

9.1

剎土

chàtǔ

8.2

産

産

chǎn

6.3

諂

諂曲

chǎnqū

8.3

懺悔

chànhuǐ

7.2

超

chāo

6.2

常

cháng

2.3

常日

chángrì

6.2

場

cháng

10.1

波 bó 薄 bù 不

怖 cā 擦 cái 財 cán 慚 cè

céng 曾 chà 剎 chǎn

chàn 懺 chāo 超 cháng 常

場

Appendix Two: Vocabulary Index  139 Initial Character Item

Hanyu Pinyin

Unit.Extract

嘗

cháng

6.3

瞋

chēn

8.2

瞋恚

chēnhuì

5.2

塵埃

chén’āi

8.1

塵沙

chénshā

9.2

稱

chēng

11.3, 12.2

成

chéng

9.2

持

持

chí

3.3

馳

馳

chí

4.2

赤

赤

chì

6.2

勅

勅

chì

6.3

出家

chūjiā

6.1

除

chú

1.3

觸

chù

1.2

慈

慈

cí

5.2

辭

辭

cí

6.1, 6.2

此

cǐ

4.3

次

cì

2.2

次日

cìrì

8.2

葱嶺

cōnglǐng

6.1

嘗 chēn 瞋 chén 塵 chēng 稱 chéng 成 chí

chì

chū 出 chú 除 chù 觸 cí

cǐ 此 cì 次 cōng 葱 cū

140  Appendix Two: Vocabulary Index Initial Character Item

Hanyu Pinyin

Unit.Extract

麁

cū

5.3

存留

cūnliú

12.1

達

dá

9.3

達多

dáduō

6.1

達摩瞿沙

dámóqǘshā

6.2

大乘

dàchéng/dàshèng

3.2

大德

dàdé

2.3

大都

dàdū

11.2

大夫

dàfū

11.2

大興

dàxīng

12.1

大眾

dàzhòng

3.1

旦

dàn

6.3

當

dāng

6.2

導

dǎo

4.1

道

dào

10.2

道場

dàochǎng

7.3

得道

dédào

6.2, 10.2n

徳行

déxíng

6.2

燈

dēng

8.3

等

děng

2.1, 5.2

諦

諦

dì

2.1, 8.2

弟

弟子

dìzǐ

2.2

麁 cūn 存 dá 達

dà 大

dàn 旦 dāng 當 dǎo 導 dào 道 dé 得

dēng 燈 děng 等 dì

diān

Appendix Two: Vocabulary Index  141 Initial Character Item

Hanyu Pinyin

Unit.Extract

顛倒

diāndǎo

1.3

電

diàn

3.3

調

diào

9.3

定

dìng

2.2

毒

毒

dú

9.1

讀

讀誦

dúsòng

3.3

覩

dǔ

7.3

度

dù

1.1, 4.3n

端正

duānzhèng

5.1

斷

duàn

5.2

頓

dùn

9.2

咄

咄

duò

10.1

墮

墮

duò

2.3

厄

è

1.1

爾來

ěrlái

4.3

爾時

ěrshí

2.3

發

fā 

3.1

乏

fá

6.3

法

fǎ

1.2, 5.2n, 12.3n

顛 diàn 電 diào 調 dìng 定 dú

dǔ 覩 dù 度 duān 端 duàn 斷 dùn 頓 duò

è 厄 ěr 爾 fā  發 fá 乏 fǎ 法

142  Appendix Two: Vocabulary Index Initial Character Item

Hanyu Pinyin

Unit.Extract

法相

fǎxiàng

7.3

髮

fà

6.3

犯

犯

fàn

7.2

梵

梵

fàn

5.3

梵語

fànyǔ

8.2

方

fāng

7.3

方便

fāngbiàn

2.2

放

fàng

9.2

非

fēi

3.2

匪懈

fěixiè

6.3

分明

fēnmíng

9.2

焚

fén

4.2

風

fēng

9.3

奉

fèng

2.3

夫

fū

6.3

夫

夫

fú

7.1, 7.1n

伏

伏

fú

4.3

弗

弗沙提婆

fúshātípó

6.3

服

服用

fúyòng

12.1

浮

浮

fú

9.1

fà 髮 fàn

fāng 方 fàng 放 fēi 非 fěi 匪 fēn 分 fén 焚 fēng 風 fèng 奉 fū 夫 fú

fù

Appendix Two: Vocabulary Index  143 Initial Character Item

Hanyu Pinyin

Unit.Extract

付

付

fù

3.1

負

負

fù

8.3

富

富

fù

5.3

復

復

fù

1.1

復次

fùcì

2.3

改過

gǎiguò

11.2

剛

gāng

9.3

告

gào

2.1

功

功

gōng

9.2

恭

恭敬

gōngjìng

3.1

宮

宮

gōng

5.1

供

gòng

6.2

供養

gòngyǎng

4.3

垢

gòu

1.2

垢膩

gòunì

7.2

古

古

gǔ

9.3, 9.3n

骨

骨

gǔ

6.3, 9.3

故

故

gù

1.3

顧

顧

gù

9.3

罣礙

gùa’ài

1.3

乖

guāi

5.3

觀

guān

1.1, 7.1

gǎi 改 gāng 剛 gào 告 gōng

gòng 供 gòu 垢

gǔ

gù

gùa 罣 guāi 乖 guān 觀

144  Appendix Two: Vocabulary Index Initial Character Item

Hanyu Pinyin

Unit.Extract

歸依

guīyī

5.3, 5.3n

貴

guì

6.2

毫分

háofēn

5.2

好

hào

4.2

合

合

hé

3.1

何

何

hé

2.1

何以故

héyǐgù

3.2

和睦

hémù

5.3

褐

hè

9.3

恆

héng

5.3

橫

hèng

11.3

厚

hòu

11.2

忽

hū

6.2

護

hù

3.1

化

huà 

3.2, 8.2n

懷

huái

4.3, 6.2

歡喜

huānxǐ

3.3

還

huán

6.3

guī 歸 guì 貴 háo 毫 hào 好 hé

和 hè 褐 héng 恆 hèng 橫 hòu 厚 hū 忽 hù 護 huà  化 huái 懷 huān 歡 huán 還

Appendix Two: Vocabulary Index  145 Initial Character Item

Hanyu Pinyin

Unit.Extract

huàn 浣

浣

huàn

7.2

喚

喚

huàn

9.2

幻

huàn

3.3

毀謗

hǔibàng

5.3

毀犯

huǐfàn

7.2

慧

huì

4.1n, 8.3

惑

惑

huò

7.1

豁

豁然

huòrán

7.3

唧

唧2ຕ

jíliū

10.1

機

機關

jīguān

9.2

覊(=羈)

覊(=羈)絆

jībàn

12.3

及

及

jí

2.3

即

即

jí

1.1, 1.3, 8.3n

急

急要

jíyào

7.1

集

集

jí

1.2, 1.2n

藉

藉

jí

7.1

既

既

jì

2.3, 4.3n

偈

偈

jì

3.3

濟

濟

jì

11.1

家世

jiāshì

6.1

頰

jiá

9.3, 9.3n

假

jiǎ

8.2

huàn 幻 hǔi 毀 huì 慧 huò

jī

jí

jì

jiā 家 jiá 頰 jiǎ 假

146  Appendix Two: Vocabulary Index Initial Character Item

Hanyu Pinyin

Unit.Extract

jiān 肩

肩

jiān

3.1

間

間

jiān

6.3

間雜

jiānzá

5.2

堅

jiān

7.3

建

建寗

jiànníng

11.3

健

健

jiàn

7.2

漸

漸

jiàn

7.3, 9.2n

將

jiāng

6.1, 8.1

將謂

jiāngwèi

10.1

交

交涉

jiāoshè

10.2, 10.2n

郊

郊fl

jiāoyíng

6.1

皆

皆

jiē

1.1

揭

揭帝揭帝般羅揭帝般羅 僧揭帝菩提薩婆訶

jiēdì jiēdì bōluó jiēdì boluósēng jiēdì pǔtí sapohē

1.3, 1.3n

嗟

嗟訝

jiēyà

8.1

劫

劫

jié

4.3, 4.3n

結

結

jié

7.1, 7.1n

節

節

jié

6.1

截

截

jié

9.2

潔

潔

jié

7.3

解

jiě

4.1, 9.3n

解會

jiěhuì

10.3

解脱

jiětuō

2.2

戒

戒

jiè

7.2

界

界

jiè

1.2, 1.2n, 3.2n, 5.1n, 12.1n

堅 jiàn

jiāng 將 jiāo

jiē

jié

jiě 解

jiè

Appendix Two: Vocabulary Index  147 Initial Character Item

Hanyu Pinyin

Unit.Extract

金剛

jīngāng

3.1, 3.1n

進學

jìnxué

11.1

盡

jìn

4.1

經

經

jīng

1.1

精

精進

jīngjìn

2.3n, 4.1

驚

驚

jīng

8.1

驚

驚怪

jīngguài

8.1

淨

jìng

1.2, 8.2n

淨名

jìngmíng

8.3

敬

敬慕

jìngmù

6.1

境

境

jìng

12.3

境界

jìngjiè

7.3

競

jìng

4.2

鳩

鳩摩炎

jiūmóyán

6.1

究

究竟

jiūjìng

1.3

就

就

jiù

10.3

鷲

鷲

jiù

4.3

具

jù

7.2

具足

jùzú

4.1, 7.3n

俱

俱

jù

4.3, 5.1n

懼

懼

jù

6.3

卷

juǎn

6.1

眷屬

juànshǔ

5.3

jīn 金 jìn 盡 jīng

jìng 淨

競 jiū

jiù

jù 具

juǎn 卷 juàn 眷 jūn

148  Appendix Two: Vocabulary Index Initial Character Item

Hanyu Pinyin

Unit.Extract

君

jūn

9.1, 9.2n

餕餡

jùnxiàn

10.3

顆

kē

9.3

可殺

kěshā

10.1

肯

kěn

6.2

孔子

kǒngzǐ

11.3

叩

kòu

11.1

枯

kū

6.3

誑

kuáng

9.2

撈

lāo

11.3

類

lèi

3.2

離

lí

1.3n, 5.2

離間

líjiàn

5.3

禮拜

lǐbài

8.1

立

立

lì

11.1n

歷

歷

lì

11.3

戀慕

liànmù

4.3

良

liáng

7.2

君 jùn 餕 kē 顆 kě 可 kěn 肯 kǒng 孔 kòu 叩 kū 枯 kuáng 誑 lāo 撈 lèi 類 lí 離 lǐ 禮 lì

liàn 戀 liáng 良

Appendix Two: Vocabulary Index  149 Initial Character Item

Hanyu Pinyin

Unit.Extract

靈

líng

4.3, 7.3

令

lìng

3.2, 3.2n

露

lòu

2.1, 2.1n

露

lù

3.3

露地

lùdì

4.2

縷

lǚ

9.3

卵

luǎn

3.2

落

luò

6.3, 6.3n

貌

mào

9.3, 9.3n

沒意

méiyì

8.1

迷

迷

mí

8.2

彌

彌日

mírì

6.2

靡

mǐ

5.1, 11.2n

覓

mì

9.2

綿

mián

6.3, 6.3n

妙

miào

4.1

滅

miè

1.2, 1.2n

liǎo líng 靈 lìng 令 lòu 露 lù 露 lǚ 縷 luǎn 卵 luò 落 mào 貌 méi 沒 mí

mǐ 靡 mì 覓 mián 綿 miào 妙 miè 滅

150  Appendix Two: Vocabulary Index Initial Character Item

Hanyu Pinyin

Unit.Extract

滅度

mièdù

3.2, 3.2n

敏

mǐn

6.1, 6.1n

名

名重

míngzhòng

6.1

明

明白

míngbái

10.1

明達

míngdá

2.2

命

mìng

2.2

摩訶

móhē

8.2

摩訶薩

móhēsà

3.2

摩尼

móní

9.3

摩炎

móyán

6.2

磨

mó

9.2

懡㦬

mǒluǒ

10.1

沒

沒

mò

9.1

莫

莫

mò

7.1, 8.2n

乃

nǎi

12.1n

乃至

nǎizhì

1.2

男子

nánzǐ

3.1, 3.1n

惱

nǎo

2.3, 2.3n

尼

尼

ní

6.2

泥

泥洹

níhuán

7.1

逆

nì

7.2, 7.2n

逆知

nìzhī

11.3

mǐn 敏 míng

mìng 命 mó 摩

磨 mǒ 懡 mò

nǎi 乃 nán 男 nǎo 惱 ní

nì 逆

Appendix Two: Vocabulary Index  151 Initial Character Item

Hanyu Pinyin

Unit.Extract

拈

niān

9.3

念

niàn

2.2

涅槃

nièpán

1.3

煖

nuǎn

12.2

排

pái

4.2

泡

pào

3.3, 3.3n

披

pī

9.3

譬喻

pìyù

4.1

偏袒

piāntǎn

3.1, 3.1n

飄飄

piāopiāo

11.1

貧

pín

9.3

品

pǐn

4.1, 4.1n

娉

pìng

6.2, 6.2n

婆羅痆斯

póluóniésī

2.3

剖析

pōuxī

9.2

菩薩

púsà

1.1

菩提

pútí

3.3, 3.3n, 5.2n

niān 拈 niàn 念 niè 涅 nuǎn 煖 pái 排 pào 泡 pī 披 pì 譬 piān 偏 piāo 飄飄 pín 貧 pǐn 品 pìng 娉 pó 婆 pōu 剖 pú 菩

152  Appendix Two: Vocabulary Index Initial Character Item

Hanyu Pinyin

Unit.Extract

菩提薩埵

pútísàduǒ

1.3

普

pǔ

4.1

妻子

qīzǐ

5.3

其

其

qí

3.1

奇

奇

qí

4.2, 4.2n

啟

啟

qǐ

3.1

綺

綺

qǐ

5.2

妻

妻

qì

6.2, 6.2n

棄

棄

qì

6.1

強

qiǎng

10.1

且

qiě

6.2, 10.2, 10.2n

侵

侵奪

qīnduó

5.3

親

親近

qīnjìn

4.1

清

清淨

qīngjìng

7.2

輕

輕

qīng

8.1

情

qíng

2.3, 2.3n, 10.3n

頃之

qǐngzhī

6.3

窮

qióng

6.2, 9.3

龜茲

qiūcí

6.1

pǔ 普 qī 妻 qí

qǐ

qì

qiǎng 強 qiě 且 qīn

qīng

qíng 情 qǐng 頃 qióng 窮 qiū 龜

Appendix Two: Vocabulary Index  153 Initial Character Item

Hanyu Pinyin

Unit.Extract

qiú

2.1

qúdào

4.2

取

qǔ

3.3

趣

qù

2.1, 2.1n, 5.1, 5.1n

却 (or 卻)

却 (or 卻)

què

8.3

卻

卻

què

9.1, 12.1

雀

雀梨大寺

quèlídàsì

6.2

然

rán

7.2

染色

rǎnsè

7.2

惹

rě

8.1

任情

rènqíng

9.2

榮

róng

6.1

柔軟

róuruǎn

4.3

如

rú

1.1

如來

rúlái

3.1, 3.1n

如來藏

rúlái

5.3n, 12.2n

汝

rǔ

2.3

入

rù

3.2, 12.1n

qiú 求

求

qú 衢道 qǔ 取 qù 趣 què

rán 然 rǎn 染 rě 惹 rèn 任 róng 榮 róu 柔 rú 如

rǔ 汝 rù 入

154  Appendix Two: Vocabulary Index Initial Character Item

Hanyu Pinyin

Unit.Extract

瑞

ruì

7.3

若

ruò

2.3n, 3.2, 3.2n

三昧

sānmèi

4.1

散

sàn

7.3

色

sè

1.1, 1.1n, 3.2n

僧

sēng

4.3, 4.3n

沙門

shāmén

7.1

善

shàn

2.2, 2.2n, 3.1n, 3.2n

善現

shànxiàn

3.1

善知識

shànzhīshì

8.2

燒

shāo

4.2

少師

少師

shàoshī

11.3

邵

邵

shào

11.1

舍

shè

4.2

舍利

shèlì

4.3, 4.3n

舍利子

shèlìzǐ

1.1

舍利弗

shèlìfú

4.1

設

設

shè

4.2, 6.2n

攝

攝

shè

5.3

神

shén

1.3, 9.3n

神解

shénjiě

7.1

ruì 瑞 ruò 若 sān 三 sàn 散 sè 色 sēng 僧 shā 沙 shàn 善

shāo 燒 shào

shè 舍

shén 神

Appendix Two: Vocabulary Index  155 Initial Character Item

Hanyu Pinyin

Unit.Extract

甚

shén

4.1, 10.1

甚

甚

shèn

6.1

慎

慎水

shènshuǐ

9.1

生

生

shēng

1.2

陞

陞

shēng

8.2

聲

聲聞

shēngwén

4.1

盛

盛

shèng

2.1

勝

勝

shèng

3.3, 8.3

聖

聖

shèng

2.1

施

施

shī

2.1, 2.1n, 2.3

濕

濕

shī

3.2

食

食

shí

6.3

時

時

shí

3.1

實

實

shí

3.2n, 9.1n

實叉難陀

shíchānnántuó

5.1

始

始

shǐ

6.1

使

使君

shǐjūn

8.2

世

shì

1.3, 1.3n

世人

shìrén

8.2

示

示

shì

2.1

是

是

shì

1.1, 1.2n, 2.2n

是故

shìgù

1.2

視

視

shì

2.2

誓

誓願

shìyuàn

5.3

適

適

shì

4.2

釋

釋子

shìzǐ

9.3

shén 甚 shèn

shēng

shèng

shī

shí

shǐ

shì 世

156  Appendix Two: Vocabulary Index Initial Character Item

Hanyu Pinyin

Unit.Extract

收得

shōudé

9.3

受用

shoùyòng

12.3

叔

叔梁紇

shūliánghé

11.3

殊

殊不知

shūbùzhī

12.2

書

書

shū

8.1

述

述

shù

7.1

術

術

shù

7.1

數

數

shù

11.1

順

順

shùn

5.3

舜

舜

shùn

11.3

思

sī

5.1

思惟

sīwéi

5.2

斯

sī

4.2

四

四體

sìtǐ

11.2

嗣

嗣

sì

6.1

夙

sù

11.1, 11.1n

隨

suí

2.3, 2.3n, 12.2n

隨宜

suíyí

4.1

遂

suì

6.3

娑竭羅

suōjiéluó

5.1

shōu 收 shòu shū

shù

shùn

sī 思

斯 sì

sù 夙 suí 隨 suì 遂 suō 娑 suǒ

Appendix Two: Vocabulary Index  157 Initial Character Item

Hanyu Pinyin

Unit.Extract

所

suǒ

1.3n

所以

suǒyǐ

4.1n

誦

sòng

6.1

他

tā

2.1

胎

tāi

3.2

臺

tái

8.1

泰然

tàirán

4.2

貪

tān

5.2, 5.2n

歎

tàn

6.2

唐

táng

1.1

體

tǐ

8.3, 8.3n

倜

倜儻

tìtǎng

6.1

剃

剃

tì

6.3

天

tiān

3.3

天竺

tiānzhú

6.1

聽法

tīngfǎ

6.2

通

tōng

6.2

童蒙

tóngméng

7.1

童壽

tóngshòu

6.1

所 sòng 誦 tā 他 tāi 胎 tái 臺 tài 泰 tān 貪 tàn 歎 táng 唐 tǐ 體 tì

tiān 天 tīng 聽 tōng 通 tóng 童

158  Appendix Two: Vocabulary Index Initial Character Item

Hanyu Pinyin

Unit.Extract

童子

tóngzǐ

8.1

統攝

tǒngshè

12.1

偷盜

tōudào

5.2

徒

徒

tú

8.1

途

途

tú

7.1

王族

wángzú

6.2

妄

wàng

5.2

韋

韋

wéi

8.2

唯

唯

wéi

9.3

違

違拒

weíjù

5.3, 5.3n

未

未

wèi

4.1

位

位

wèi

6.1

為

為

wèi

2.1, 5.2n, 8.1n

畏

畏

wèi

5.2

文

文

wén

10.1

聞

聞

wén

2.3

我所

wǒsuǒ

5.1

吾

吾

wú

4.1

無

無等

wúděng

1.3, 1.3n

無量

wúliàng

3.2, 3.2n

無明

wúmíng

1.2

無上

wúshàng

1.3

tǒng 統 tōu 偷 tú

wáng 王 wàng 妄 weí

wèi

wén

wǒ 我 wú

wù

Appendix Two: Vocabulary Index  159 Initial Character Item

Hanyu Pinyin

Unit.Extract

勿

勿

wù

8.1

悟

悟

wù

6.1

希

希

xī 

3.1

惜

惜

xī

4.3

悉

悉

xī

5.1

膝 

膝 

xī 

3.1

息

息

xī

2.2, 2.2n

習

習氣

xíqì

5.2, 5.2n

喜

xǐ

8.2

下

xià

6.3

仙人

xiānrén

2.3

咸

咸

xián

4.3, 6.2

閑

閑

xián

9.1

賢

賢

xián

2.1

相應

xiāngyìng

8.2

降伏

xiángfú 

3.1

相

xiàng

1.2, 6.1

相續

xiāngxù

7.3

向

xiàng

2.1

邪

xié

5.2

信

xìn

3.3

xī 

xī

xǐ 喜 xià 下 xiān 仙 xián

xiāng 相 xiáng 降 xiàng 相

向 xié 邪 xìn 信 xīng

160  Appendix Two: Vocabulary Index Initial Character Item

Hanyu Pinyin

Unit.Extract

興

xīng

11.3

行

行

xíng

1.1, 1.1n, 2.2n

形

形

xíng

5.1

姓氏

xìngshì

11.1

修

xiū

5.1, 11.1

修習

xiūxí

7.1

虛

xū

1.3

虛誑

xūkuáng

5.3

虛妄

xūwàng

5.1

須菩提

xūpútí

3.1, 3.1n

許

xǔ

6.3, 10.1

尋

xún

9.2

訓

xùn

11.1

焉

yān

6.2

言

言教

yánjiào

4.1

顏

顏

yán

11.3

演

yǎn

4.1

演說

yǎnshuō

3.3

黶

yǎn

6.2

咽

咽

yàn

6.3

厭

厭

yàn

5.1

興 xíng

xìng 姓 xiū 修 xū 虛

須 xǔ 許 xún 尋 xùn 訓 yān 焉 yán

yǎn 演

黶 yàn

yáng

Appendix Two: Vocabulary Index  161 Initial Character Item

Hanyu Pinyin

Unit.Extract

楊

yáng

11.3

仰

yǎng

2.1

夭

yāo

5.3

要

yào

7.1

耶

yé

5.1

業

yè

2.2, 11.1

依

yī

1.3

疑

yí

6.3

以

以

yǐ

1.3, 6.2

已

已來

yǐlái

4.1

一如

yìrú

8.3

一心

yìxīn

12.1

一足

yìzú

12.3

亦

亦

yì

1.1

易

易

yì

7.2

益

益

yì

8.2

異

異

yì

1.1, 4.2

異處

yìchù

6.3

意

yì

1.2

意趣

yìqù

4.1

義

義趣

yìqù

7.3

億

億

yì

4.1, 11.2

翼

翼

yì

7.1

翳

翳

yì

11.2

楊 yǎng 仰 yāo 夭 yào 要 yé 耶 yè 業 yī 依 yí 疑 yǐ

yì 一

意

162  Appendix Two: Vocabulary Index Initial Character Item

Hanyu Pinyin

Unit.Extract

譯

譯

yì

1.1

懿

懿

yì

6.1

議

議

yì

5.1

因

因果

yīnguǒ

7.3

陰

陰

yīn

2.1, 2.1n

引

引

yǐn

8.1, 12.2

飲

飲

yǐn

6.3

應

yīng

2.3, 3.1

影

yǐng

3.3

勇猛

yǒngměng

4.1

勇銳

yǒngruì

4.2

踴躍

yǒngyuè

4.2

憂

憂悔

yōuhuǐ

4.2

優

優婆塞

yōupósāi

3.3

優婆夷

yōupóyí

3.3

由

由

yóu

5.1

猶

猶

yóu

6.3

猶如

yóurú

8.2

遊

yóu

9.3

遊觀

yóuguān

6.3

遊戲

yóuxì

4.2

有

有

yǒu

3.1, 12.3n

囿

囿

yòu

12.1

于

yú

12.3

yīn

yǐn

yīng 應 yǐng 影 yǒng 勇

踴 yōu

yóu

遊

yǒu

yú 于

Appendix Two: Vocabulary Index  163 Initial Character Item

Hanyu Pinyin

Unit.Extract

于闐

yútián

5.1

於

於

yú

2.1

愚

愚

yú

8.2

餘

餘

yú

5.2

餘慶

yúqìng

11.3

語

語

yǔ

4.3

與

與

yǔ

4.2, 5.1

欲

yù

2.3

淵

yuān

6.2

圓滿

yuánmǎn

5.2

怨

yuàn

2.1

曰

yuē

1.3

云

yún

2.1

蘊

yùn

1.1

雜

zá

12.1

災

災患

zāihuàn

2.2

哉

哉

zāi

8.1

載

zǎi

4.3, 4.3n

藏

zàng

1.1, 9.3n

早晚

zǎowǎn

9.2

yǔ

yù 欲 yuān 淵 yuán 圓 yuàn 怨 yuē 曰 yún 云 yùn 蘊 zá 雜 zāi

zǎi 載 zàng 藏 zǎo 早晚

164  Appendix Two: Vocabulary Index Initial Character Item

Hanyu Pinyin

Unit.Extract

造

zào

5.1

擇

zé

2.2

曾祖

zēngzǔ

11.3

摘

摘

zhāi

9.2

齋

齋

zhāi

6.2

宅

zhái

4.2

長

長老

zhǎnglǎo

3.1, 3.1n

掌

掌

zhǎng

3.1

障礙

zhàng’aì

4.2

招

招

zhāo

9.2

昭

昭明

zhāomíng

10.2

著

著

zháo

3.1

着

着

zháo

10.1

照

zhào

1.1

珍

zhēn

4.2

爭

爭

zhēng

9.3

徵

徵

zhēng

9.2

正

正宗

zhèngzōng

3.2

諍

諍

zhèng

5.3

證

證

zhèng

6.2

zào 造 zé 擇 zēng 曾 zhāi

zhái 宅 zhǎng

zhàng 障 zhāo

zháo

zhào 照 zhēn 珍 zhēng

zhèng

Appendix Two: Vocabulary Index  165 Initial Character Item

Hanyu Pinyin

Unit.Extract

之

zhī

3.2

直心

zhíxīn

8.3

止

止

zhǐ

2.2, 7.1

執

執

zhí

8.3

至

至

zhì

8.1

志

志

zhì

2.2, 8.2

制

制

zhì

2.3

致

致

zhì

5.1

智

智

zhì

1.2

質

質

zhì

4.3

終

zhōng

8.2

終日

zhōngrì

8.2

塚

zhǒng

6.3

重

重

zhòng

7.2

眾

眾

zhòng

3.2

周圓

zhōuyuán

12.2

咒

咒

zhòu

1.3

晝

晝夜

zhòuyè

5.2

諸

zhū

1.2, 2.1n

住

zhù

3.1

專精

zhuānjīng

6.3

zhī 之 zhí 直 zhǐ

zhì

zhōng 終 zhǒng 塚 zhòng

zhōu 周 zhòu

zhū 諸 zhù 住 zhuān 專

166  Appendix Two: Vocabulary Index Initial Character Item

Hanyu Pinyin

Unit.Extract

莊嚴

zhuāng yán

7.3

捉

zhuō

9.3

著

著

zhuó

2.2, 3.1, 7.2

啄

啄

zhuó

9.2

資

zī

7.1

自覺

zìjué

6.2

自 . . . 來

zì . . . lái

4.3

自性

zìxìng

5.1

自在

zìzaì

1.1

總

zǒng

8.1

縱横

zònghéng

6.3

走

zǒu

4.2

撰

zuàn

9.1

最勝

zuìshèng

5.3

尊

zūn

2.1

左國

zuǒguó

11.2

坐禪

zuòchán

7.1

zhuāng 莊 zhuō 捉 zhuó

zī 資 zì 自

zǒng 總 zòng 縱 zǒu 走 zuàn 撰 zuì 最 zūn 尊 zuǒ 左 zuò 坐

Appendix Three

: Texts in Simplified Characters

Texts in Simplified Characters

UNIT ONE Extract One 般若波罗蜜多心经 唐三藏法师玄奘译 观自在菩萨行深般若波罗蜜多时，照见五蕴皆空，度一切苦厄。舍利子！色不异 空，空不异色；色即是空，空即是色。受、想、行、识，亦复如是。 Extract Two 舍利子！是诸法空相，不生不灭，不垢不净，不增不减。是故，空中无色，无受、 想、行、识；无眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意；无色、声、香、味、触、法；无眼界， 乃至无意识界；无无明亦无无明尽，乃至无老死亦无老死尽；无苦、集、灭、道； 无智，亦无得。 Extract Three 以无所得故，菩提萨埵依般若波罗蜜多故，心无挂碍；无挂碍故，无有恐怖，远离 颠倒梦想，究竟涅槃。三世诸佛依般若波罗蜜多故，得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。故知 般若波罗蜜多，是大神咒，是大明咒，是无上咒，是无等等咒，能除一切苦, 真实不 虚，故说般若波罗蜜多咒。即说咒曰：揭帝 揭帝般罗揭帝 般罗僧揭帝菩提萨婆诃。

UNIT TWO Extract One 于是，尊者舍梨子告诸比丘：「诸贤！世尊为我等出世，谓为他广教、广示此四圣 谛，分别、发露、开仰、施设、显现、趣向。云何为四？谓苦圣谛，苦集、苦灭、 苦灭道圣谛。诸贤！云何苦圣谛？谓生苦、老苦、病苦、死苦、怨憎会苦、爱别离 苦、所求不得苦、略五盛阴苦」

168  Appendix Three: Texts in Simplified Characters Extract Two 「诸贤！云何苦灭道圣谛？谓正见、正志、正语、正业、正命、正方便、正念、正 定。诸贤！云何正见？谓圣弟子念苦是苦时，集是集、灭是灭，念道是道时，或观 本所作，或学念诸行，或见诸行灾患，或见涅槃止息，或无着念观善心解脱时，于 中择、遍择、次择，择法、视、遍视，观察明达，是名正见。」 Extract Three 佛说五蕴皆空经 大唐三藏法师义净奉制译 如是我闻：一时薄伽梵，在婆罗痆斯仙人堕处施鹿林中。尔时世尊，告五苾刍曰：「 汝等当知，色不是我，若是我者，色不应病及受苦恼。『我欲如是色，我不欲如是 色。』既不如是，随情所欲，是故当知，色不是我；受想行识，亦复如是。复次苾 刍！于汝意云何？色为是常？为是无常？」白言：「大德！色是无常。」

UNIT THREE Extract One 金刚般若波罗蜜经 善现启请分第二 时长老须菩提在大众中，即从座起，偏袒右肩，右膝着地，合掌恭敬而白佛言：「 希有世尊。如来善护念诸菩萨，善付嘱诸菩萨。世尊、善男子、善女人，发阿耨多 罗三藐三菩提心云何应住？云何降伏其心？ Extract Two 金刚般若波罗蜜经 善现启请分第二 时长老须菩提在大众中，即从座起，偏袒右肩，右膝着地，合掌恭敬而白佛言：「 希有世尊。如来善护念诸菩萨，善付嘱诸菩萨。世尊、善男子、善女人，发阿耨多 罗三藐三菩提心云何应住？云何降伏其心？ Extract Three 应化非真分第三十二 「须菩提！若有人以满无量阿僧祇世界七宝，持用布施。若有善男子、善女人，发 菩提心者，持于此经，乃至四句偈等，受持、读诵，为人演说，其福胜彼。云何为 人演说？不取于相，如如不动。何以故？一切有为法，如梦、幻、泡、影；如露， 亦如电，应作如是观。」佛说是经已，长老须菩提，及诸比丘、比丘尼、优婆塞、 优婆夷，一切世间天、人、阿修罗，闻佛所说，皆大欢喜，信受奉行。

Appendix Three: Texts in Simplified Characters  169

UNIT FOUR Extract One 妙法莲华经方便品第二 尔时，世尊从三昧安详而起，告舍利弗：「诸佛智慧甚深无量, 其智慧门难解难入， 一切声闻、辟支 佛所不能知。所以者何? 佛曾亲近百千万亿无数诸 佛，尽行诸佛无 量道法，勇猛精进名称普闻， 成就甚深未曾有法，随宜所说意趣难解。舍利弗！吾 从成佛已来，种种因缘，种种譬喻，广演言教无数方便，引导众生令离诸着。所以 者何？如来方便知见波罗蜜皆已具足。 Extract Two 尔时长者即作是念：『此舍已为大火所烧，我及诸子若不时出，必为所焚。我今当 设方便，令诸子等免斯害。』父知诸子先心各有所好种种珍玩奇异之物，情必乐 着，而告之言：『汝等所可玩好，希有难得，汝若不取，后必忧悔。如此种种羊 车、鹿车、牛车，今在门外，可以游戏。汝等于此火宅、宜速出来，随汝所欲，皆 当与汝。』尔时诸子闻父所说珍玩之物，适其愿故，心各勇锐，互相推排，竞共驰 走，争出火宅。是时长者见诸子等安隐得出，皆于四衢道中露地而坐，无复障碍,其 心泰然，欢喜踊跃。 Extract Three 自我得佛来，

所经诸劫数，

无量百千万，

亿载阿僧祇，

常说法教化，

无数亿众生，

令入于佛道。

尔来无量劫，

为度众生故，

方便现涅槃，

而实不灭度，

常住此说法。

我常住于此，

以诸神通力，

令颠倒众生，

虽近而不见。

众见我灭度，

广供养舍利，

咸皆怀恋慕，

而生渴仰心。

众生既信伏，

质直意柔软，

一心欲见佛，

不自惜身命。

时我及众僧，

具出灵鹫山，

我时语众生：

『常在此不灭，

以方便力故，

现有灭不灭。

170  Appendix Three: Texts in Simplified Characters

UNIT FIVE Extract One 十善业道经 大唐于阗三藏实叉难陀奉制译 如是我闻：一时佛在娑竭罗龙宫，与八千大比丘众、三万二千菩 萨摩诃萨具。尔时 世尊告龙王言：「一切众生心想异故，造业亦异，由是故有诸趣轮转。龙王！汝见 此会及大海中，形色种类各别不耶？如是一切，靡不由心造善不善身业、语业、意 业所致。而心无色，不可见取，但是虚妄诸法集起，毕竟无主，无我、我所。虽各 随业，所现不同，而实于中无有作者。故一切法皆不思议，自性如幻。智者知已， 应修善业，以是所生蕴．处．界等，皆悉端正，见者无厌。」 Extract Two 「龙王！当知菩萨有一法，能断一切诸恶道苦。何等为一？谓于昼夜， 常念、思 惟、观察善法，令诸善法念念增长， 不容毫分不善间杂。是即能令诸恶永断、善 法圆满，常得亲近诸佛、菩萨及余圣众。言善法者，谓人天身、声闻菩提、独觉 菩提、无上菩提，皆依此法以为根本而得成就，故名善法。此法即是十善业道。何 等为十？谓能永离杀生、偷盗、邪行、妄语、两舌、恶口、绮语、贪欲、瞋恚、邪 见。龙王！若离杀生，即得成就十离恼法。何等为十？一、于诸众生普施无畏； 二、常于众生起大慈心；三、永断一切瞋恚习气； Extract Three 尔时世尊复告龙王言： 「若有菩萨依此善业，于修道时，能离杀害而行施故，常富 财宝，无能侵夺；长寿无夭，不为一切怨贼损害。离不与取而行施故，常富财宝， 无能侵夺；最胜无比， 悉能备集诸佛法藏。离非梵行而行施故，常富财宝，无能侵 夺；其家直顺，母及妻子，无有能以欲心视者。离虚诳语而行施故，常富财宝，无 能侵夺；离众毁谤，摄持正法，如其誓愿，所作必果。离离间语而行施故，常富财 宝，无能侵夺；眷属和睦，同一志乐，恒无乖 诤。离麁恶语而行施故，常富财宝， 无能侵夺；一切众会，欢喜归依，言皆信受，无违拒者。

UNIT SIX Extract One 高僧传卷第二 鸠摩罗什 此云童寿。天竺人也。家世国相。什祖父达多。倜傥不群名重于国。父鸠摩炎。聪 明有懿节。将嗣相位。乃辞避出。东度葱岭。龟兹王闻其弃荣甚敬慕之。 自出郊fl 请为国师。王有妹年始二十识悟明敏过目必能。一闻则诵。

Appendix Three: Texts in Simplified Characters  171 Extract Two 且体有赤黡法生智子。诸国娉之并不肯行。及见摩炎心欲 当之。乃逼以妻焉。既而怀什。什在胎时。其母自觉。神 悟超解有倍常日。闻雀梨大寺名德既多。又有得道之僧。 即与王族贵女徳行诸尼。弥日设供请斋听法。什母忽自通 天竺语。难问之辞必穷渊致。众咸叹之。有罗汉达摩 瞿沙曰。此必怀智子。为说舍利弗在胎之证。 Extract Three 及什生之后还忘前言。顷之什母乐欲出家。夫未之许。遂 更产一男名弗沙提婆。后因出城游观见冢间枯骨异处纵横于是深惟苦本定誓出家。 若不落发不咽飮食。至六日夜气 力绵乏疑不达旦。夫乃惧而许焉。以未剃发故犹不尝进。即勅人除发。乃下飮食。 次旦受乐禅法。专精匪懈学得初 果。

UNIT SEVEN Extract One 修习止观坐禅法要 (一曰童蒙止观亦名小止观) 天台山修禅寺沙门智顗述 诸恶莫作，众善奉行，自净其意，是诸佛教。若夫泥洹之法，入乃多途。论其急 要，不出止观二法。所以然者，止乃伏结之初门，观是断惑之正要；止则爱养心识 之善资，观则策发神解之妙术；止是禅定之胜因，观是智慧之由借。若人成就定慧 二法，斯乃自利利人法皆具足。故《法华经》云：「佛自住大乘，如其所得法，定 慧力庄严，以此度众生。」当知此之二法，如车之双轮，鸟之两翼；

Extract Two 具缘第一 夫发心起行，欲修止观者，要先外具五缘：第一、持戒清净。如 经中说：「依因此戒，得生诸禅定，及灭苦智慧。」是故比丘应持戒清净。然有三 种行人持戒不同：一者、若人未作佛弟子时，不造五逆；后遇良师，教受三归五 戒，为佛弟子。若得出家，受沙弥十戒，次受具足戒，作比丘，比丘尼。从受戒 来， 清净护持，无所毁犯；是名上品持戒人也。当知是人修行止，观必证佛法；犹 如净衣，易受染色。二者、若人受得戒已，虽不犯重， 于诸轻戒， 多所毁损。为修 定故，即能如法忏悔，亦名持戒清净，能生定慧。如衣曾有垢腻，若能浣净，染亦 可着。三者、若人受得戒已，不能坚心护持，轻重诸戒多所毁犯。 依小乘教门，即 无忏悔四重之法；若依大乘教门，犹可灭除。故经云。「佛法有二种健人：一者、 不作诸恶，二者、作已能悔。」

172  Appendix Three: Texts in Simplified Characters Extract Three 忏悔者，须具十法，助成其忏：一者、明信因果；二者、生重怖畏；三者、深起惭 愧；四者、求灭罪方法；所谓大乘经中，明诸行法，应当如法修行；五者、发露先 罪；六者、断相续心；七者、起护法心；八者、发大誓愿，度脱众生；九者、常念 十方诸佛；十者、观罪性无生。若能成就如此十法，庄严道场，洗浣清净，着净洁 衣，烧香散花，于三宝前，如法修行。一七，三七日，或一月， 三月，乃至经年，专心忏悔所犯重罪，取灭方止。云何知重罪灭相？若行者如是至心忏 悔时，自觉身心轻利，得好瑞梦；或复覩诸灵瑞异相；或觉善心开发；或自于坐中觉身 如云如影，因是渐证，得诸禅境界；或复豁然解悟心生，善识法相，随所闻经，即知义 趣，因是法喜，心无忧悔。如是等种种因缘，当知即是破戒障道罪灭之相。

UNIT EIGHT Extract One 童子引至偈前礼拜，惠能曰：『惠能不识字，请上人为读。』时，有江州别驾，姓 张名日用，便高声读。惠能闻已，遂言：『亦有一偈，望别驾为书。』别驾言：『 汝亦作偈？其事希有。』惠能向别驾言：『欲学无上菩提，不得轻于初学。下下人 有上上智，上上人有没意智。若轻人，即有无量无边罪。』 别驾言：『汝但诵偈， 吾为汝书。汝若得法，先须度吾。 勿忘此言。』惠能偈曰： 『菩提本无树，明镜亦非台； 本来无一物， 何处惹尘埃？』 书此偈已，徒众总惊，无不嗟讶，各相谓言：『奇哉！不得以貌取人，何得多时， 使他肉身菩萨。』祖见众人惊怪，恐人损害，遂将鞋擦了偈，曰：『亦未见性8。』 众以为然。 Extract Two 次日，韦使君请益。师升座，告大众曰：「总净心念摩诃般若波罗蜜多。」复云： 「善知识！菩提般若之智，世人本自有之；只缘心迷，不能自悟，须假大善知识， 示导见性。当知愚人智人，佛性本无差别，只缘迷悟不同，所以有愚有智。吾今为 说摩诃般若波罗蜜法，使汝等各得智慧。志心谛听！吾为汝说。善知识！世人终日 口念般若，不识自性般若，犹如说食不饱。口但说空，万劫不得见性，终无有益。 善知识！摩诃般若波罗蜜是梵语，此言大智慧到彼岸。此须心行9，不在口念。口念 心不行，如幻、如化、如露、如电；口念心行，则心口相应，本性是佛，离性无别 佛。何名摩诃？摩诃是大。心量广大，犹如虚空，无有边畔，亦无方圆大小，亦非 青黄赤白，亦无上下长短，亦无瞋无喜，无是无非，无善无恶，无有头尾。诸佛刹 土11，尽同虚空。世人妙性本空，无有一法可得。自性真空，亦复如是。善知识！莫 闻吾说空，便即着空。第一莫着空，若空心静坐，即着无记空。」 Extract Three 师示众云：「善知识！我此法门，以定慧为本。大众！勿迷，言定慧别。定慧一 体，不是二。定是慧体，慧是定用。即慧之时定在慧，即定之时慧在定。若识此

Appendix Three: Texts in Simplified Characters  173 义，即是定慧等学。诸学道人，莫言先定发慧、先慧发定各别。作此见者，法有二 相。口说善语，心中不善。空有定慧，定慧不等。若心口具善、内外一如，定慧即 等。自悟修行，不在于诤。若诤先后，即同迷人，不断胜负，却增我法，不离四 相。善知识！定慧犹如何等？犹如灯光。有灯即光，无灯即暗。灯是光之体，光是 灯之用；名虽有二，体本同一。此定慧法，亦复如是。」 师示众云：「善知识！一行三昧者，于一切处行住坐卧，常行一直心是也。《净 名》云：『直心是道场 13，直心是净土 14。』莫心行谄曲，口但说直；口说一行三 昧，不行直心。但行直心，于一切法勿有执着。迷人着法相、执一行三昧，直言： 『常坐不动，妄不起心，即是一行三昧。』

UNIT NINE Extract One 永嘉大师证道歌 唐慎水沙门玄觉撰 君不见。绝学无为闲道人。不除妄想不求真。 无明实性即佛性。幻化空身即法身。法身觉了无一物。 本源自性天真佛。五蕴浮云空去来。 三毒水泡虚出没。证实相无人法。刹那灭却阿鼻业。 Extract Two 若将妄语诳众生。自招拔舌尘沙劫。 顿觉了如来禅。六度万行体中圆。梦里明明有六趣。 觉后空空无大千。无罪福。无损益。 寂灭性中莫问觅。此来尘镜未曾磨。今日分明须剖析。 谁无念谁无生。若实无生无不生。 唤取机关木人问。求佛施功早晚成。放四大莫把捉。 寂灭性中随饮啄。诸行无常一切空。 即是如来大圆觉。决定说表真乘。有人不肯任情征。 直截根源佛所印。摘叶寻枝我不能。 Extract Three 摩尼珠人不识。如来藏里亲收得。六般神用空不空。 一颗圆光色非色。净五根得五力。 唯证乃知难可测。镜里看形见不难。水中捉月争拈得。 常独行常独步。达者同游涅槃路。 调古神清风自高。貌颊骨刚人不顾。穷释子口称贫。 实是身贫道不贫。贫则身常披缕褐。 道则心藏无价珍。无价珍用无尽。利物应机终不吝。 三身四智体中圆。八解六通心地印。 上士一决一切了。中下多闻多不信。但自怀中解垢衣。

174  Appendix Three: Texts in Simplified Characters

UNIT TEN Extract One 举梁武帝问达磨大师(说这不唧2ຕ汉)如何是圣谛第一义(是甚系驴橛)磨云。廓然无圣( 将谓少奇特。箭过新罗。可杀明白)帝曰。对朕者谁(满面惭惶。强惺惺果然。摸索不 着)磨云。不识(咄。再来不直半文钱)帝不契(可惜许。却较些子)达磨遂渡江至魏(这 野狐精。不免一场懡㦬。从西过东。从东过西） Extract Two 达磨初见武帝。帝问。朕起寺度僧1。有何功德。磨云。无功德。早是恶水蓦头浇2。 若透得这个无功德话。许尔亲见达磨 4。且道。起寺度僧。为什么都无功德。此意 在什么处。帝与娄约法师傅大士昭明太子。持论真俗二谛。据教中说。真谛以明非 有。俗谛以明非无。真俗不二。即是圣谛第一义。此是教家极妙穷玄处。帝便拈此 极则处。问达磨。如何是圣谛第一义。磨云。廓然无圣。天下衲僧跳不出。达磨与 他一刀截断。如今人多少错会。却去弄精魂。瞠眼睛云。廓然无圣。且喜没交涉。 Extract Three 【七】举僧问法眼(道什么。檐枷过状)慧超咨和尚。如何是佛(道什么。眼睛突出)法 眼云。汝是慧超(依模脱出。铁馂馅。就身打劫)。法眼禅师。有啐啄同时底机。具啐 啄同时底用。方 能如此答话。所谓超声越色。得大自在。纵夺临时。杀活在我。不 妨奇特。然而此个公案。诸方商量者多。作情解会者不少。

UNIT ELEVEN Extract One 了凡四训 立命之学 余童年丧父。老母命弃学举业学医。谓可以养生。可以济人。且习一艺以成名。尔 父夙心也。后余在慈云寺。遇一老者。修髯伟貌。飘飘若仙。余敬 之。语余曰。子 仕路中人也。明年即进学。何书。余告以故。并叩老者姓氏里居。曰。吾姓孔。云 南人也。得邵子皇极數正传。數该传汝。余引之归。告母。母曰。善待之。 Extract Two 改过之法 春秋诸大夫。見人言动。亿而谈其祸福。靡不验者。左国诸记可观也。大都吉凶之 兆。萌乎心而动乎四体。其过于厚者常获福。过于薄者常近祸。俗眼多翳。谓有未 定而不可测者。至诚合天。福之将至。观其善而必先知之矣。祸之将至。观其不善 而必先知之矣。 今欲获福而远祸。未論行善。先须改过。

Appendix Three: Texts in Simplified Characters  175 Extract Three 积善之方 易曰。积善之家。必有余庆。昔颜氏将以女妻叔梁纥。而歷叙其祖宗积德之长。逆 知其子孙必有兴者孔子称舜之大孝。曰。宗庙飨之。子孙保之。皆至論也。试以往 事征之。杨少师荣。建寗人。世以济渡为生。久雨溪涨。横流冲毁民居。溺死者顺 流而下。他舟皆捞取货物。独少师曾祖及祖惟救人。而货物一无所取。乡人嗤其 愚。逮少师父生。家渐裕。

UNIT TWELVE Extract One 摩诃般若波罗密多心经 大兴朱珪注解 般若。犹言智慧。波罗密多。到彼岸也。此岸乃红麈火宅。相生相杀。受苦无边 地。彼岸乃超 越三界。不生不灭。常乐我净之地也。出火宅有二种。一者横出三 界。一者竖出三界。横出三界者一心专念阿弥陀佛。佛力接引。即生极乐世界。永 不退转也。竖出三界者。见自本性。徧周法界。无去无来。界不能囿也。总名到彼 岸。到彼岸有六法。智慧统摄五波罗密。故独举智慧言。一日布施到彼岸。去悭 也。人性如月如镜本无一物。亦无一物可以存留。一有存留。便是遮蔽。修道之人 生。一应身中四大。心中杂念。具要尽情埽却。庶还得本来面目而况身外钱财服用 室卢田产。何 一不可布施。 Extract Two 无色无受想行识 五蕴妄想结成。实皆如来藏妙真如性。佛云一切浮尘诸幻化相。当处出生。随处灭 尽。幻妄称相。其性真为妙觉明体。如是乃至五蕴。六入。从十二处至十八界。因 缘和合。虚妄有生。因缘别离。虚妄名灭。殊不知生灭出来。本如来藏。常住妙 明。不动周圆。妙真如性。性真常中。求于去来迷悟生死。了不可得。兹姑引佛经 之论五蕴者明之。佛吿阿难。汝身中坚相为地。润湿为水。煖触为火。摇动为风。 由此四缠。分汝湛 圆妙觉明心为视为听为觉，为察。 Extract Three 菩提萨埵依般若波罗密多故心无挂碍

菩提萨埵。人法两空。觉悟有情之谓。即菩萨也。以下复就智慧到彼 岸申言之。人之所以动多障碍者。总为迷闷执着。盖执着此顽浊之 身。以为真我。遂从六根起贪欲心。起瞋恨心。起利名9心。起求谋 造作心。起嫉妒他人心。起损人利己心。而此心如同蛇蝎。如在桎 梏。无往而不挂碍矣。若知此身非我。不久腐朽。受用与性无涉。造 孼将来正苦。自能外形骸。以理自守。而挂碍少也。况智慧日长。则 见地日高。始而不为境转。继且不为 法缚。始而不滞于有。并且不 着于空。身世间何一足覊绊者乎。