《圓覺經清淨慧菩薩章》

February 24, 2023

於是清淨慧菩薩在大眾中,即從座起,頂禮佛足,右繞三匝,長跪叉手,而白佛言:大悲世尊,為我等輩,廣說如是不思議事,本所不見,本所不聞,我等今者蒙佛善誘,身心泰然,得大饒益,願為諸來一切法眾,重宣法王圓滿覺性,一切眾生及諸菩薩如來世尊,所證所得,云何差 別,令末世眾生聞此聖教,隨順開悟,漸次能入。作是語已,五體投地,如是三請,終而復始。爾時,世尊告清淨慧菩薩言:善哉善哉,善男子,汝等乃能為末世眾生,請問如來漸次差別,汝今諦聽,當為汝說。時清淨慧菩薩奉教歡喜,及諸大眾默然而聽。

Thereupon Pure Wisdom Bodhisattva arose amid the assembly, prostrated himself at the Buddha’s feet, perambulated clockwise thrice around the Buddha, genuflected on both knees while joining his palms with the fingers interwoven, and addressed to the Buddha, “Greatly Compassionate World Honored One, for us, Thou has already enunciated elaborately such inconceivable matters, which heretofore we have not been able either to descry, or to hear of. At present, owing to Buddha’s adroit inducement, we are all feeling ease-fully composed both in the body and in the mind, and have been greatly benefited. And yet, I would wish Thee to impart once more the Dharma King’s complete awareness for all the Dharma assembly to come. All sentient beings, and all Bodhisattvas, Tathagata, World Honored One, what is the difference between what they have realized and attained? This holy teaching now will enable latter-age beings, on hearing it, to follow their causes and conditions for enlightenment, so that they can enter by degrees.” After finishing speaking, he prostrated himself with the five members of his body prone to the ground in supplication to the Buddha, and thus did he implore thrice in succession.

At that juncture, the World-Honored One imparted to Pure Wisdom Bodhisattva, “Excellent! Excellent! Virtuous Man, you inquire, on behalf of latter-age beings, about the gradual differences between Tathagata and sentient beings. Now listen carefully, and I will expound it to you. At that time, Pure Wisdom Bodhisattva was delighted to receive the teaching, and all the masses listened in silence.

善男子,圓覺自性,非性性有,循諸性起,無取無證,於實相中,實無菩薩及諸眾生。何以故,菩薩眾生皆是幻化,幻化滅故,無取證者,譬如眼根,不自見眼,性自平等,無平等者,眾生迷倒,未能除滅一切幻化,於滅未滅,妄功用中,便顯差別,若得如來寂滅隨順,實無寂滅及寂滅者。

Virtuous Man, the essence of the complete awareness does not subsume to the Nature of the Five Propensities, which, however, are equally embodied with the selfsame Essence; furthermore, it would manifest itself in compliance with the self-nature. Therefore, it has no acquisition and no attainment. In Reality, there are actually neither Bodhisattvas nor beings. Why? For Bodhisattvas and sentient beings are all illusions. Since all illusions are extinguished, there are no people who acquire it and people who have attained it. For example, the visual faculty, which cannot look backward to see the Eye itself. Self-nature is naturally equal, so there is no such thing as equality (or so there are no things that can be equal). And yet due to perplexity and distortion, all living beings could not eradicate all illusions for themselves. So, in the extinguished and not yet extinguished states, in the false function, the difference will appear. Nonetheless, if they ever realize and comply with the Nirvana state of Tathagata, there is, indeed, no Nirvana and not anyone who attains Nirvana.

善男子,一切眾生從無始來,由妄想我,及愛我者,曾不自知念念生滅,故起憎愛耽著五欲,若遇善友,教令開悟淨圓覺性,發明起滅,即知此生,性自勞慮,若復有人勞慮永斷,得法界淨,即彼淨解為自障礙,故於圓覺而不自在,此名凡夫隨順覺性。【妙參注:有法在】

Virtuous Man, all living beings from beginningless time, due to the delusive concept of ego, together with a delusive ego-loving entity, they have never realized that every thought is arising and ceasing. So, they have developed hatred and love and indulged in the five desires.  However, if they meet a Genuine Teacher who would instruct them to be enlightened to the essence of pure complete awareness, whereby they could perspicuously realize the nature of arising and ceasing. And in the wake of this realization, it would  dawn upon them that throughout their lives heretofore they have been toiling and worrying for nothing. Apart from this, if there is a person who permanently severs all toils and worries to attain the pure state of Dharma realm and who thinks this purity is real, then his understanding of purity in turn would become his impediment. As a result, he is tending towards complete enlightenment but is not perfectly free. This is called an ordinary person’s compliance with the nature of awareness. (Miao Tsan comment: there is a phenomenon.)

 善男子,一切菩薩見解為礙,雖斷解礙,猶住見覺,覺礙為礙而不自在,此名菩薩未入地者隨順覺性。【妙參注:有覺境在】

Virtuous Man, all bodhisattvas see their understanding as an impediment. But even if they eradicate the ‘understanding-impediment’ they still abide in a view of enlightenment. This ‘enlightenment-impediment’ becomes a hindrance, and they are not perfectly free. This is called the Bodhisattva who has not yet entered the Bodhisattva grounds complies with the nature of awareness. (Miao Tsan comment: there is a state of enlightenment.)

善男子,有照有覺,俱名障礙,是故菩薩常覺不住,照與照者,同時寂滅,譬如有人自斷其首,首已斷故,無能斷者則以礙心自滅諸礙,礙已斷滅,無滅礙者。修多羅教,如標月指,若復見月,了知所標畢竟非月,一切如來種種言說開示菩薩,亦復如是,此名菩薩已入地者隨順覺性。

Virtuous Man, since the possession of illumination and awareness are termed together as impediment, the bodhisattva is always awakened without abiding. Illumination and illuminator simultaneously vanish. It is like the case of a person who cuts off his own head—when the head is cut off, there is no longer any cutter. Hence eliminate all obstacles with an impeded mind: when impediments have been eliminated, there is no one to eliminate impediments. These are called the Bodhisattva who has entered the Bodhisattva grounds complies with the nature of awareness.

善男子,一切障礙,即究竟覺,得念失念,無非解脫,成法破法,皆名涅槃,智慧愚痴,通為般若,菩薩外道所成就法,同是菩提,無明真如無異境界,諸戒定慧及淫怒痴,俱是梵行。眾生國土,同一法性,地獄天宮,皆為淨土,有性無性,齊成佛道,一切煩惱,畢竟解脫,法界海慧,照了諸相,猶如虛空,此名如來隨順覺性。

Virtuous Man, all impediments are ultimate enlightenment. Obtaining righteous thoughts and losing righteous thoughts are nothing but liberation; construction and destruction in the Dharma are both Nirvana; wisdom and folly are equally Prajna; the Dharmas fulfilled by Bodhisattvas and heretics are commonly Bodhi; ignorance and suchness are not different realms; Precept-Samadhi-Wisdom and Desire-Anger-Ignora  nce are all pure practices; sentient beings and lands share the same Dharma nature; hell and heaven are both the Pure Land; those having Buddha-nature and those not having it all attain Buddhahood. All defilements are ultimately liberation. The oceanic wisdom of the Dharma realm illuminates and comprehends all phenomena to be just like the void. This is called ‘the Tathagata’s compliance with the nature of awareness.