Toh 3990Giải Thích Kinh Đại Thừa Cao Quý Về Bốn Nhân Tố

Summary

This short commentary, ascribed to Vasubandhu, explains
The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra on the
Four Factors (Āryacaturdharmakanāmamahāyānasūtra, Toh
251), a discourse on a set of four
factors of the path of a bodhisattva: the thought of
awakening, the spiritual friend, the twin qualities of
tolerance and lenience, and dwelling in the forest. The
commentary proposes various reasons for the sūtra’s
composition and explains why it refers to bodhisattvas as
followers of the Great Vehicle. It also specifies the four
factors, which obstructive elements these factors overcome,
which beneficial elements they support, and why śrāvakas and
pratyekabuddhas are not called bodhisattvas.

Acknowledgements

The translation was completed by Adam Pearcey, under the
patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of
the Buddha, and was edited by the 84000 editorial team.

Introduction

Vasubandhu’s commentary begins with a discussion
of the sūtra’s purpose. The author then proceeds to
discuss why the sūtra focuses specifically on four
factors. Several different reasons are given,
including simplicity and ease of memorization. The
commentary also notes that the sūtra refers to
followers of the Great Vehicle as bodhisattvas,
great beings, and it offers some interesting
explanations for the use of these terms.

There is no translator’s colophon to
Vasubandhu’s commentary and therefore no clear
information as to who translated it. Jñānadatta’s
commentary does have a colophon, stating that the
translators were Dānaśīla, Prajñāvarman, and Yeshé
De. It is possible that both commentaries were
translated at the same time and that the colophon
applies to them both. The two commentaries are also
listed together in the Denkarma catalog of
translated works, and
both texts also appear among the Dunhuang documents
(IOL Tib J 71–74).

The Translation

An Explanation of The Noble Sūtra on

the Four Factors

Homage to the youthful Mañjuśrī!

This sūtra explains that

for as long as they
live, bodhisattvas, great beings, should not abandon
four factors even at the cost of their lives. For
what purpose was it undertaken? It was undertaken
for the purpose of giving an explanation to those
who have embarked upon the Great Vehicle and might
be confused regarding how unsurpassable awakening
should be attained. It was also undertaken for the
purpose of encouraging the heedless to take proper
care, motivating those who are thoroughly
discouraged, and delighting those who have set out
on the Great Vehicle.

The number four is used so that anyone who is
intimidated by vastness will abandon any resistance
to listening to the teaching. Using a number also
facilitates memorization. Tolerance and gentleness,
which appear toward the end, are not counted
separately because they both have a single
purpose.

There are many ways of referring to those who
have set out on the Great Vehicle, but here two
names are specified. There are three reasons for this,
related to interest, practice, and comprehension.
Because of their interest in profound objects of
knowledge, they are referred to as
bodhisattvas, and because of
their interest in great power, they are referred to
as great beings. How do these
names relate to practice? Such beings strive
intensely toward complete, perfect, and
unsurpassable awakening for themselves, and they
fully protect all sentient beings from suffering.
How do these names relate to understanding?
Awakening is realized through the two powers. What
are these two? They are the power of intelligence
and the power of diligence. Awakening cannot be
realized where there is a lack of knowledge or
through minimal effort.

What is the reason that there are said to be
four factors? Is this not too few or too many? There
are four factors that obstruct the accumulation of
the supplies necessary for awakening, and these are
four remedies for them. What are these four
obstructive factors? They are (1) not seeking the
goal, (2) not knowing the methods, (3) a lack of
concern for sentient beings, and (4) concern for
sense objects. The alternative set of four is (1)
not getting started, (2) getting started in the
wrong way, (3) quitting what one has started, and
(4) becoming distracted after getting started.

Alternatively, there are four factors conducive
to the accumulation of the supplies necessary for
awakening, and these four factors constitute their
foundation. What are the four factors conducive to
the accumulation of the supplies necessary for
awakening? They are (1) longing for instructions and
guidance, (2) acquiring them, (3) being a worthy
recipient of them, and (4) having accomplished them.
The alternative set of four is (1) seeking the goal,
(2) knowing the methods and then accomplishing them,
with subdivision into (3) bringing sentient beings
to maturity, and (4) developing the qualities of a
buddha.

Alternatively, four reasons one would travel a
difficult path to traverse are (1) the wish to go,
(2) knowledge of the path, (3) setting aside
discouragement, and (4) heedfulness. It is through
these that the path of samsara is traversed, and the
four factors constitute their foundation.

Put briefly, in this sūtra the Blessed One
explains the actions that are appropriate for those
who have embarked upon the Great Vehicle and how
these actions will not fail to bear fruit.

Notes

Bibliography

Tibetan Texts

Western Language Sources and

Translations