The Ten Wholesome Courses of Action Complete, and the Turn to Gathering Wholesome Dharmas
The remaining seven of the ten wholesome courses of action — departure from harsh speech, frivolous speech, covetousness, ill will, and wrong view — complete both the ten courses themselves and the first of the three clusters of pure precepts, the pure precept of restraint. The treatise then turns to the second cluster, the pure precept of gathering wholesome dharmas, opening with the bodhisattva's own reflection that every sentient being falls into the evil destinies through these same ten unwholesome courses of action, and his resolve to dwell in wholesome dharmas himself before ever attempting to teach them to others.
The Remaining Wholesome Courses of Action, and the Precept of Restraint Complete
經曰：離於惡口，所有語言侵惱語、麁獷語、苦他語、令他瞋恨語、現前語不現前語、鄙惡語、不斷語、不喜聞語、聞不悅語、瞋惱語、心火能燒語、心熱惱語、不愛語、不樂語、不善自壞身亦壞他人語，如是等語皆悉捨離。所有語言美妙悅耳，所謂潤益語、軟語、妙語、喜聞語、樂聞語、入心語、順理語、多人愛念語、多人喜樂語、和悅語、心遍喜語、能生自心他心歡喜敬信語，常說如是種種美妙語。
論曰：依離惡口，有二種離：一、果行離；二、對治離。果行離者，謂損他語，能令他瞋，如經「侵惱語、麁獷語、苦他語、令他瞋恨語」故。此句次第以後釋前，此等義一名異。復有相對語不相對語、麁惡語、常行語故，如經「現前語不現前語、鄙惡語、不斷語」故。於中現前語者，麁而不斷。不現前語者，微而有斷。如是說者與戒相違，能生他苦令他瞋故，如經「不喜聞語、聞不悅語」故。作不利益語，因瞋妬心起，令他戒相違，如經「瞋惱語」故。令他瞋惱有二種無饒益事：一、未起瞋者能令生瞋，聞時憶時不愛不樂，胸心閉塞故。如經「心火能燒語、心熱惱語、不愛語、不樂語」故。二者已有同意樂事，自身失壞令他失壞，如經「不善自壞身亦壞他人語」故。離如是等惡語故，言果行離。對治離者，謂潤益語，於中有二種：一者不麁不疾語、二者可樂語，如經「軟語妙語」故。是中不麁不疾者，戒分所攝，受行不斷故。喜者，名為可樂故。可樂有二種：一者樂可樂、二者安隱可樂。樂者，隨順人天故。安隱者，隨順涅槃城。如經「喜聞語、樂聞語、入心語、順理語」故。又復怨親中人聞時憶時能生歡喜，如經「多人愛念語、多人喜樂語」故。此語如是能作二種利益：一者他未生瞋恨令其不生，生歡喜故，復能生三昧故。二者未生親友令生故，自身現作故，令他現作故。如經「心和悅語、心遍喜語、能生自心他心歡喜敬信語，常說如是種種美妙語」故。
經曰：離於綺語，常善思語、時語、實語、義語、法語、順道語、毘尼語、隨時籌量語、善知心所樂語。是菩薩乃至戲笑尚不綺語，何況故作綺語。
論曰：依離綺語，有二種離：一、對治離；二、果行離。對治離者，善知言說時，依彼此語勸發憶念；修行時若見非善處眾生，令捨不善安住善法，彼時教化語故。如經「常善思語故、時語故」。復不顛倒語，依展轉教誨，隨順修行時義，言法言故。如經「實語、義語、法語」故。復依展轉舉罪滅諍學行時，如法語及阿含語。如經「順道語、毘尼語」故。復依攝受語說法攝受，修行時如威儀住語故，譬喻順義語故。如經「隨時籌量語、善知心所樂語」故。果行離有二種：一細、二麁。遠離此二故，言果行離。細麁者，如經「是菩薩乃至戲笑尚不綺語，何況故作綺語」故。
經曰：離於貪心，於他所有一切財物、他所用財不生貪心，不求不願不生貪心。
論曰：依不貪，有三種：一、事；二、體；三、差別。事者，攝受用，於中有二種：一、已攝受用；二、攝護想。如經「於他所有一切財物」故。體者有二種：一、所用事，謂金銀等；二、資用事，謂飲食衣服等。如經「他所用財」故。不貪性者，對治貪心故，如經「不生貪心」故。此差別對治三種貪。三種貪者：一、欲門行；二、得門行；三、奪門行。對治是等，如經「不求不願不生貪心」故。於中初、二細，第三麁。
經曰：離於瞋心，於一切眾生常起慈心、安隱心、憐愍心、樂心、利潤心、攝饒益一切眾生心，所有瞋恨妬害妄想垢等悉皆遠離，所有一切隨順慈悲善修成就一切行故。
論曰：依離瞋障對治，為五種眾生說：一、於怨讐所生慈愍心，如經「常起慈心」故。二、於惡行眾生所，如經「生安隱心」故。三、於貧窮乞匃及苦眾生所，如經「生憐愍心、樂心」故。四、於樂眾生所煩惱染著處，如經「利潤心」故。五、於發菩提心眾生所，無量利益行中勤勞疲惓故，如經「攝饒益一切眾生心」故。此慈心等有六種障，此非分別亦非一一對。於未生怨者能生，已生者隨順增長；未生親者令不生，已生者令不增長。於自身中善法未生者令不生，已生者令滅；於不善法未生者能生，已生者令增長。於他身中不愛事未生者令生，已生者令增長；愛事未生者令不生，已生者不令隨順。如經「所有瞋恨妬害妄想垢等皆悉遠離」故。此修多羅文句次第說此瞋恨等無量惡行根本故。言等彼悉捨離故，餘隨所念一切盡以慈心利益，如經「所有一切隨順慈悲善修成就一切行」故。
經曰：離於邪見隨順正道，捨於種種占相吉凶，離惡戒見修正直見，不姦欺不諂曲，決定誠信佛法僧寶。菩薩如是日夜常護十善業道。
論曰：依正見有七種見對治。何者七種見？一者異乘見，此對治，如經「隨順正道」故。二者虛妄分別見、三者戒取淨見，此對治，如經「捨於種種占相吉凶，離惡戒見」故。惡戒見者，自取所見故。四者自謂正見，此對治，如經「修正直見」故。五者覆藏見、六者詐現不實見，此對治，如經「不姦欺、不諂曲」故。七者非清淨見，謂世間見，此對治，如經「決定誠信佛法僧寶」故。如是已說一切種離戒，復說離戒增上清淨，不斷不闕常護持故。如經「菩薩如是日夜常護十善業道」故，如是具足一切種離戒性成就故，復示不斷不闕故。次說攝善法戒淨，謂菩薩作是思惟等，修多羅次第說。
Sūtra: Departing from harsh speech, he abandons entirely all such speech as: speech that injures and vexes, speech that is coarse and violent, speech that pains others, speech that provokes others' anger and resentment, speech spoken to one's face and speech spoken behind one's back, speech that is base and vile, speech that never ceases, speech unwelcome to hear, speech unpleasant to hear, speech born of anger and vexation, speech that burns the mind like fire, speech that heats and vexes the mind, speech that is unloving, speech that is unpleasant, and speech that, itself unwholesome, ruins both oneself and others. As for speech that is beautiful, sublime, and pleasing to the ear — namely, speech that enriches and benefits, gentle speech, sublime speech, speech welcome to hear, speech pleasant to hear, speech that enters the mind, speech in accord with reason, speech beloved by many, speech that brings joy to many, speech that is harmonious and pleasant, speech that brings joy pervading the mind, and speech that gives rise to joy, reverence, and faith in both one's own mind and the minds of others — he constantly speaks all manner of such beautiful, sublime speech.
Commentary: Departure from harsh speech involves two kinds of departure: departure through its resulting conduct, and departure through its antidote. Departure through its resulting conduct means speech that injures others and can provoke their anger — as the sūtra says, "speech that injures and vexes, speech that is coarse and violent, speech that pains others, speech that provokes others' anger and resentment." This clause proceeds by explaining the earlier terms through the later ones; these are one meaning under different names. There are, further, speech spoken face to face and speech spoken behind one's back, coarse and vile speech, and speech constantly carried on — as the sūtra says, "speech spoken to one's face and speech spoken behind one's back, speech that is base and vile, speech that never ceases." Here, "speech spoken to one's face" is coarse yet does not cease; "speech spoken behind one's back" is subtle yet does have a stopping point. Speech of this kind runs contrary to the precepts, since it gives rise to others' suffering and provokes their anger — as the sūtra says, "speech unwelcome to hear, speech unpleasant to hear." Speech that does harm, arising from a mind of anger and envy, causes others to transgress the precepts — as the sūtra says, "speech born of anger and vexation." Provoking others' anger and vexation involves two kinds of unbeneficial matters: first, causing anger to arise in one in whom it has not yet arisen, so that, whether hearing it or recalling it, one finds it unloving and unpleasant, the heart and mind stopped up and constricted — as the sūtra says, "speech that burns the mind like fire, speech that heats and vexes the mind, speech that is unloving, speech that is unpleasant"; second, ruining oneself and causing others to be ruined where there had already been a shared, pleasant bond — as the sūtra says, "speech that, itself unwholesome, ruins both oneself and others." Departing from harsh speech of this kind is called departure through resulting conduct. Departure through its antidote means speech that enriches and benefits, which is of two kinds: speech that is neither coarse nor hasty, and speech that is pleasing — as the sūtra says, "gentle speech, sublime speech." Here, "neither coarse nor hasty" belongs to the portion of the precepts, since it is received and practiced without interruption. "Pleasing" is what is meant by agreeable. The agreeable is of two kinds: what is agreeable through pleasure, and what is agreeable through peace. "Pleasure" accords with the realms of humans and gods; "peace" accords with the city of nirvāṇa — as the sūtra says, "speech welcome to hear, speech pleasant to hear, speech that enters the mind, speech in accord with reason." Further, whether enemy or kin, anyone at all gives rise to joy on hearing or recalling this speech — as the sūtra says, "speech beloved by many, speech that brings joy to many." Speech of this kind is able to bring about two kinds of benefit: first, causing anger and resentment not yet arisen in another not to arise, giving rise instead to joy, and thereby also giving rise to samādhi; second, causing friendship not yet arisen to arise, manifesting itself in one's own person and causing others to manifest it as well — as the sūtra says, "speech that is harmonious and pleasant, speech that brings joy pervading the mind, speech that gives rise to joy, reverence, and faith in both one's own mind and the minds of others, constantly speaking all manner of such beautiful, sublime speech."
Sūtra: Departing from frivolous speech, he constantly speaks well-considered speech, timely speech, truthful speech, meaningful speech, dharma-speech, speech in accord with the path, vinaya-speech, speech carefully weighed to the occasion, and speech that well understands what is dear to the mind. This bodhisattva does not engage in frivolous speech even in jest and laughter — how much less would he deliberately engage in frivolous speech!
Commentary: Departure from frivolous speech involves two kinds of departure: departure through its antidote, and departure through its resulting conduct. Departure through its antidote means well knowing the time for speech — in dependence on speech directed at both others and oneself, exhorting and calling to mind; and, in the time of practice, upon seeing sentient beings in an unwholesome place, causing them to abandon what is unwholesome and abide in wholesome dharmas, speech that teaches and transforms at the proper time — as the sūtra says, "constantly speaks well-considered speech," and "timely speech." Further, non-perverted speech — in dependence on teaching and instructing one another in turn, speech that accords with the meaning of the time of practice, speech that speaks the Dharma — as the sūtra says, "truthful speech, meaningful speech, dharma-speech." Further, in dependence on raising an offense and resolving a dispute in turn, at the time of study and practice, speech that accords with the Dharma and speech that accords with the āgama — as the sūtra says, "speech in accord with the path, vinaya-speech." Further, in dependence on speech that gathers others in through teaching the Dharma and gathering them in, at the time of practice, speech that accords with proper deportment, and speech that accords with the meaning through similes — as the sūtra says, "speech carefully weighed to the occasion, speech that well understands what is dear to the mind." Departure through resulting conduct is of two kinds: the subtle, and the coarse. Departing from both of these is called departure through resulting conduct. As for the subtle and the coarse, as the sūtra says, "this bodhisattva does not engage in frivolous speech even in jest and laughter — how much less would he deliberately engage in frivolous speech!"
Sūtra: Departing from covetousness, with respect to every possession belonging to another, and every asset another makes use of, he gives rise to no covetous mind; he neither seeks it, nor longs for it, nor gives rise to any covetous mind.
Commentary: Non-covetousness is of three kinds: the matter, the essence, and the distinction. The matter means what is possessed and used, which is, within itself, of two kinds: what is already possessed and used, and what is merely thought of as belonging to and protected by another — as the sūtra says, "every possession belonging to another." The essence is of two kinds: the matter of what is used, referring to gold, silver, and the like; and the matter of what is relied upon, referring to food, drink, clothing, and the like — as the sūtra says, "every asset another makes use of." The nature of non-covetousness serves as the antidote to a covetous mind — as the sūtra says, "gives rise to no covetous mind." This distinction is the antidote to three kinds of covetousness. The three kinds of covetousness are: the conduct of the gateway of desire, the conduct of the gateway of acquisition, and the conduct of the gateway of seizure. The antidote to these is as the sūtra says, "he neither seeks it, nor longs for it, nor gives rise to any covetous mind." Among these, the first two are subtle, and the third is coarse.
Sūtra: Departing from ill will, he constantly gives rise, toward every sentient being, to a mind of loving-kindness, a mind of peace, a mind of compassion, a mind of joy, a mind of enriching benefit, and a mind that gathers in and enriches every sentient being; every taint of anger, resentment, envy, malice, and false thought he leaves entirely behind; and, according with loving-kindness and compassion in every respect, he skillfully cultivates and accomplishes every practice.
Commentary: The antidote to the hindrance of ill will is explained with respect to five kinds of sentient beings. First, toward an enemy, giving rise to a mind of loving-kindness and compassion — as the sūtra says, "constantly gives rise to a mind of loving-kindness." Second, toward sentient beings of evil conduct — as the sūtra says, "gives rise to a mind of peace." Third, toward those who are poor and destitute, begging, and suffering — as the sūtra says, "gives rise to a mind of compassion, a mind of joy." Fourth, toward those who, though happy, are tainted and attached through affliction — as the sūtra says, "a mind of enriching benefit." Fifth, toward sentient beings who have given rise to the thought of enlightenment, who grow weary and worn out in boundlessly beneficial practice — as the sūtra says, "a mind that gathers in and enriches every sentient being." This loving-kindness and the rest have six kinds of hindrance, which are neither separately distinguished nor matched one to one. Toward an enemy not yet arisen, it prevents him from arising; toward one already arisen, it accords with and increases him. Toward a friend not yet arisen, it causes him not to arise; toward one already arisen, it prevents his increase. Within one's own person, toward wholesome dharmas not yet arisen, it prevents their arising; toward those already arisen, it causes their destruction. Toward unwholesome dharmas not yet arisen, it causes them to arise; toward those already arisen, it causes their increase. Within another's person, toward what is displeasing and not yet arisen, it causes it to arise; toward what has already arisen, it causes its increase; toward what is pleasing and not yet arisen, it causes it not to arise; toward what has already arisen, it prevents it from continuing. As the sūtra says, "every taint of anger, resentment, envy, malice, and false thought he leaves entirely behind." This sūtra passage, in this sequence, speaks of anger, resentment, and the rest as the root of boundless evil conduct. Speaking of "and the rest" means that he abandons all such things entirely; as for whatever else may be brought to mind, he benefits it entirely with a mind of loving-kindness — as the sūtra says, "according with loving-kindness and compassion in every respect, he skillfully cultivates and accomplishes every practice."
Sūtra: Departing from wrong view, he accords with the correct path, abandons every manner of divination and fortune-telling of good and ill omen, departs from views that hold to evil precepts, and cultivates a correct and upright view; he is neither deceitful nor cunning, and holds firm, sincere faith in the Three Jewels of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṃgha. A bodhisattva such as this, day and night, constantly guards the ten wholesome courses of action.
Commentary: Correct view acts as the antidote to seven kinds of wrong view. What are these seven? First, the view of another vehicle — its antidote is as the sūtra says, "accords with the correct path." Second, the view of false discrimination, and third, the view that clinging to precepts is purifying — their antidote is as the sūtra says, "abandons every manner of divination and fortune-telling of good and ill omen, departs from views that hold to evil precepts." A view holding to evil precepts means clinging to a view of one's own devising. Fourth, the view that regards itself as correct — its antidote is as the sūtra says, "cultivates a correct and upright view." Fifth, the view that conceals its own faults, and sixth, the view that falsely displays what is not real — their antidote is as the sūtra says, "neither deceitful nor cunning." Seventh, the view that is not pure, meaning worldly view — its antidote is as the sūtra says, "holds firm, sincere faith in the Three Jewels of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṃgha." Having thus spoken of every kind of the precept of restraint in full, the treatise next speaks of the surpassing purity of the precept of restraint, guarded constantly, without interruption and without deficiency — as the sūtra says, "a bodhisattva such as this, day and night, constantly guards the ten wholesome courses of action." In this way, having shown the accomplishment of the nature of every kind of the precept of restraint in full, it further demonstrates that it is without interruption and without deficiency. Next, the treatise speaks of the pure precept of gathering wholesome dharmas — namely, the bodhisattva's reflection, and so forth — following the sequence of the sūtra itself.
Reaching departure from covetousness, ill will, and wrong view — the three mental courses that close out the ten — Huiyuan pauses to explain why their treatment suddenly narrows. Each of the ten wholesome courses of action admits, in principle, three kinds of departure: departure through its cause (因離), departure through its antidote (對治離), and departure through its resulting conduct (果行離); the bodily courses possess all three, and the four verbal courses lack only departure through cause. But the three mental courses possess the antidote alone: 良以貪等業道之本更無所依，故非果行 — "covetousness and the rest are themselves the very root of these courses of action, with nothing further they depend upon, and so they do not constitute resulting conduct." And since covetousness is not itself a resultant, no further cause can be posited prior to it — 以非果故，不可對之更立異因，故無因行 — "because it is not a fruit, no different cause can be established over against it, and so there is no departure through cause." Killing, stealing, and the rest are actions that issue from an antecedent mental root and ripen outward into visible conduct; covetousness, ill will, and wrong view are that root itself, so the threefold analysis that elsewhere yields three departures here collapses to one.
On the three clauses of wrong view naming, respectively, 邪見, 戒取, and 見取, Huiyuan notes that the sūtra's own wording is asymmetric: the first two are named for their 獨頭 — "independent" — form, while the third is named for its 足上 — "founded-upon-other-views" — form, even though he insists both 戒取 and 見取 actually possess both forms. He raises the objection himself: 戒取豈無足上？見取之中豈無獨頭？ — "how could clinging to precepts lack a founded-upon form? How could clinging to views lack an independent form?" His answer: clinging to precepts is independent when one takes the precepts or ascetic observances themselves as the true path, and founded-upon-other-views when one takes some other wrong view as the path, using that view as its support — 用彼諸見為脚、足故, "using those views themselves as its legs and feet"; clinging to views is independent when one simply proclaims saṃsāra itself to be bliss or purity, and founded-upon when it takes some other view as supreme. The sūtra names only whichever form of each is statistically the more common — 戒取中獨頭者多，今偏舉之；見取之中足上者多，今偏論矣 — "among instances of clinging to precepts, the independent form is more common, and so it is singled out here; among instances of clinging to views, the founded-upon form is more common, and so that is what is discussed here" — a matter of economy in exposition, not a claim that the other form does not exist.
The Pure Precept of Gathering Wholesome Dharmas Begins
經曰：菩薩作是思惟：一切眾生墮諸惡道，皆由不離十不善業道集因緣故。是故我當先住善法，亦令他人住於善法。何以故？若人自不行善、不具善行，為他說法令住善者，無有是處。
論曰：墮諸惡道者，有三種義：一者乘惡行往故；二者依止自身能生苦惱故；三者常墮種種苦相處故。何故言十不善業道？謂攝到一切惡果數故。言十不善業道攝到一切惡果數者，說十不善業道故。數者，攝取十名故。惡者，不善故。果者，墮地獄、畜生、餓鬼等可毀故。到者，攝取業故。集因者，受行故。菩薩如是遠離無因、顛倒因，善解眾生自行惡業，住非法處不能遠離。菩薩思惟深寂靜已，欲救彼眾生自知堪能，復觀察障及對治，不善業道及果、善業道及果，及上上清淨，起增上心求學修行，攝善法戒清淨行故。
Sūtra: The bodhisattva reflects thus: all sentient beings fall into the evil destinies entirely because they have not departed from the cause and condition of accumulating the ten unwholesome courses of action. For this reason, I shall first dwell in wholesome dharmas myself, and shall also cause others to dwell in wholesome dharmas. Why is this? If a person does not himself practice what is wholesome, and does not himself possess wholesome conduct, then there is no such thing as his teaching the Dharma to others and causing them to dwell in what is wholesome.
Commentary: "Falling into the evil destinies" carries three meanings: first, riding upon evil conduct, one goes there; second, in dependence on one's own person, it is able to give rise to suffering and distress; third, one constantly falls into places marked by every manner of suffering. Why does it speak of the ten unwholesome courses of action? Because it gathers in and arrives at the full tally of every evil fruit. As for saying that the ten unwholesome courses of action gather in and arrive at the full tally of every evil fruit, this speaks of the ten unwholesome courses of action. "Tally" means gathering in the full count of ten. "Evil" means unwholesome. "Fruit" means falling into hell, the animal realm, the realm of hungry ghosts, and the rest, all deserving of censure. "Arrive" means gathering in karmic action. "Accumulating cause" means receiving and carrying it out. The bodhisattva, in this way, departs from causelessness and from perverted causation, well understanding that sentient beings, themselves carrying out evil karma and dwelling in places contrary to the Dharma, are unable to depart from it. Having reflected with profound stillness, the bodhisattva, wishing to rescue these sentient beings and knowing himself capable of doing so, further contemplates the hindrance and its antidote, the unwholesome courses of action and their fruit, the wholesome courses of action and their fruit, and their surpassing purity higher still, giving rise to a mind of ever greater resolve to seek learning and to cultivate practice — the pure conduct of the precept of gathering wholesome dharmas.
Huiyuan reads the entire opening of the pure precept of gathering wholesome dharmas as unfolding across four elements — 智 (intellect), 願 (vow), 觀 (contemplation), and 行 (conduct) — each of which he in turn analyzes through the same three questions: what is known, vowed, contemplated, or practiced; through what cause it arises; and for what reason it arises. The passage translated here reaches only the first two of the four: 初思眾生墮惡皆由不善業道，是其智也；是故我當先住善法下，是其願也 — "first, reflecting that sentient beings fall into evil destinies entirely through the unwholesome courses of action, this is the intellect; from 'for this reason I shall first dwell in wholesome dharmas' onward, this is the vow" — with contemplation and conduct, and the fuller comparison of the five grades of wholesome and unwholesome courses of action, still to come.
On the bodhisattva's reasoning that he must dwell in wholesome dharmas before ever teaching them to others, Huiyuan treats the sūtra's own rhetorical question — why, having just resolved to save sentient beings, does the bodhisattva say he must first dwell in the good himself, rather than moving straight to a vow to help others? — as answered entirely by the conditional the sūtra states directly: 若自不行，令他住者，無有是處。無是處故，必先自住 — "if he does not himself practice it, and yet causes others to dwell in it, there is no such thing; and because there is no such thing, he must necessarily dwell in it himself first." He glosses the sūtra's own wording clause by clause: 自不行者，無始方便 — "not practicing it oneself" means having no means even to begin; 不具者，無終成也 — "not possessing it in full" means having no way to bring it to completion; teaching others is only 益物之始, "the beginning of benefiting others," and causing them to dwell in it is 化他終成, "the completion of transforming them" — so that a beginning and an end with no practice standing behind them, in Huiyuan's own phrase, simply 無此途理，名無是處, "have no such path or principle, and this is what is meant by there being no such thing."
Part 16 Complete
This closes Part 16: the remaining seven of the ten wholesome courses of action, from departure from harsh speech through departure from wrong view, completing both the ten courses themselves and the pure precept of restraint in full — and the opening of the pure precept of gathering wholesome dharmas, the bodhisattva's reflection that every sentient being falls into the evil destinies through these same ten unwholesome courses, and his resolve to dwell in wholesome dharmas himself before ever teaching them to others. Part 17 continues within Vimalā, the Ground Free of Defilement, showing how this same practice of the ten wholesome courses yields three entirely different fruits — the Śrāvaka, the Pratyekabuddha, and the Bodhisattva — depending on the mind that practices them.
Continue to Part 17 — The Ten Kinds of Wholesome Courses of Action, Compared and Contemplated →