Zongmi on the Two Hindrances---Translated By Charles Muller

Zongmi on the Two Hindrances
 

Translated from the Chinese Text

By Charles Muller

Translation published on the Internet at http://www.acmuller.net/twohindrances/zongmi.html

Source: From Zongmi's Yuanjuejing dashu 圓覺經大疏 (Great Commentary on the Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment) Zokuzōkyō 243.9.333-334.

云何二障。一者理障、礙正知見。二者事障、續諸生死。

The line from the SPE says:

Whatare the two hindrances? The first is the hindrance of principle, whichobstructs correct awareness. The second is the phenomenal hindrance,which [impels] the continuation of life and death.

解曰。二門分別。初總釋二障、後別釋理障。初中此二障者、有體有義。義同唯識 煩惱所知。謂事是煩惱。煩惱卽障又能續生死故。理是所知。所知非障、是障障於所知 理故。

I will explain the point in two parts. The first part is a generaltreatment of both hindrances, and the second part is a specialexplanation of the hindrances of principle. The two hindrances asexplained in the first part have an essential aspect and a formalaspect. The formal aspect is equivalent to the Yogācāra teaching of thehindrances of afflictive and cognitive hindrances.1 [In this context]"Phenomenal" refers to the "afflictions" [in the Yogācāra system]. Theafflictions act as hindrances, and are the agents that impel thecontinuity of life and death. "Principle" maps to the "knowables" [ofthe Yogācāra system]. The knowables themselves are not the hindrances;rather, the reference here is to it is the hindrances that hinder theprinciple that is to be known.

體卽起信根本無明及六染心。染心各一分義[Interlinear Note: 六中各二 義。一不覺義、二相生義。今取相生也。]卽此事障、染汚淨心。展轉相生乃至 執取計名能起諸業。皆是連續生死義故。

In the essential interpretation these two map to the fundamentalignorance and six defiled mental states of the Awakening of Faith. Onesense of the meaning of the defiled mental states[Interlinear Note: Thesix kinds of defiled mind have two aspects. One is the aspect ofnon-enlightenment; the other is the aspect of continuity of rebirth.First I will address the matter from the aspect of continuity ofrebirth.] is equivalent to the hindrances of phenomena, which defile thepure mind. This impels it into continued rebirth, as well as thereification of imagined names, which give rise to all kinds of karmicactivities. These all have the connotation of continuity oflife-and-death [as is attributed to the phenomenal hindrances in theSPE].

各餘一分[Interlinear Note: 不覺義也]及根本無明皆此理障、覆翳法界眞心。不覺妄念生起不達諸法性相。是礙正知見義。[Interlinear Note: 若唯依法相宗說則二障數同。但是用別。]

The other aspect of the defiled mental states [Interlinear Note:I.e., the aspect of non-enlightenment.], together with intrinsicignorance, is equivalent to the hindrances of principle, which obscurethe true mind of the experiential realm. Unenlightened deludedconceptualization renders one unable to apprehend the nature andcharacteristics of all phenomena. This is the meaning of [the line inthe sutra that says] "obstructs correct awareness." [Interlinear Note:"In terms of the theory of the Faxiang school only, the mental factorsthat constitute the two hindrances are the same; their difference liesin their function."]

故彼論云、是心從本巳來自性淸淨(云云)。以不達一法界故心不相應[Interlinear Note: 未有能所王數之別]忽然念起[Interlinear Note: 更無染法能爲此本故云忽然]名爲無明(云云)。爲無明所 染有其染心。

Therefore, the AMF says: "This mind is originally pure in itsown-nature...since one does not apprehend the single reality-realm, themind loses its association [with suchness] (T1666.32.577c2-6)[Interlinear Note: At this point the distinction has notyet been made between the overall cognitive function of one'sconsciousness and the distinctive mental functions.], and thoughtspontaneously arises,[Interlinear Note: Since there is no pre-existentdefiled phenomenon to serve as the basis for the arising of thisthought, the AMF says "spontaneously."] and "this is called ignorance."(T 1666.32.577c6) These defiled states of mind are defiled by none otherthan this ignorance."

染心義者、名煩惱礙。能障眞如根本智故。[Interlinear Note: 卽寂之照如理智也。故下說眞如自體本有眞實識知大智慧等。卽經中知字、染心喧動、違此寂靜故。云障也。]

[The AMF says] "The aspect of defiled states of mind is called theobstructions of affliction, as they are able to obstruct the fundamentalwisdom of suchness." [Interlinear Note: Thus quiescent illumination isthe wisdom of the principle of suchness. Therefore the text below saysthat the substance of true suchness is instrinsically aware of trueconsciousness and great wisdom, etc. In the SPE, the character 知(cognition) refers to the agitation from the defiled states of mind,which acts in opposition to quiescence. Thus it is called a hindrance.].

無明義者、名爲智礙、能障世間自然業智故 [Interlinear Note: 如量智也。言自然者、如月無心頓應千水。經中見字又知見倶通。前是知見之性、此是知見之相。無明昏昏、無所分別。違此智用 名爲智礙。經雖但云理障而實通於理事論局於事。智礙理障皆從所障得稱也。]

"The aspect of ignorance is called the obstructions to[discriminating wisdom], as it is able to hinder the natural karmicwisdom of the conventional world." T 1666.32.577c21 ff.[InterlinearNote: This refers to experiential wisdom. The meaning of 'natural' islike the moon's immediate reflection in all bodies of water withoutcontrivance. In the SPE, the term 見 (views, insight) is synonymous with知見 . The prior refers to the nature of insight, whereas this refers tothe aspects of insight. Ignorance has the function of blurring, suchthat things are not properly distinguished. Since this opposes thefunction of [discriminating] wisdom, it is called the obstruction towisdom. Even though the sutra attributes this kind of activity to thehindrances of principle, in fact they operate within both the hindrancesof principle and phenomena. In the AMF, they are limited to the realmof phenomena. In the cases of both the obstructions to wisdom [AMF] andthe hindrances of principle [SPE], they are named in reference to thatwhich is obstructed [rather than in reference to the obstructingagent].]

問。准論配經障眞如智、全合取爲理障。障世間智合爲事障。如何上 配與此參差。

Question: It would seem that if we are trying to match the accountsof the AMF and SPE on this point, then the AMF's obstruction of thewisdom of suchness matches perfectly to the [SPE's] hindrances ofprinciple; and the hindrance to conventional wisdom matches with the[SPE's] phenomenal hindrances [which is diametrically opposite from theway they are named]. How can the correspondences outlined above bereconciled with these?

答上巳明言此障有體。體在此論、須如上配。義同唯識與此似違。[Interlinear Note: 此論藏疏亦云、今此二障約本末相依門、以明不約人法二執故。與唯識義意稍殊。]

Answer: As was stated above, these hindrances have an essentialaspect. This essential aspect is as taught in the AMF, and thus accordswith what has just been taught. The formal aspect2 is the same as thattaught in Yogācāra, which differs somewhat from that taught in the AMF.[Interlinear Note: As Fazang's commentary to the AMF says: 'The twohindrances presently under discussion are to be understood from theperspective of the mutual dependence of root and branch, so as toclarify that they are not established in relation to the tworeifications of person and phenomena, therefore this is somewhatdifferent from the Yogācāra perspective.' (Zongmi has here citedFazang's commentary (T 1846.44.268b25), but Fazang originally got thisinterpretation from Wonhyo's commentary (T 1844.44.212a21))]

然通釋理事二障。就障理智、令不明顯倶名無明。就障心行令不解脫倶名煩惱。經 以宗於理智故、總取論中二障合爲理障[Interlinear Note: 眞如世間是理二智。 是正知見皆所障也。無明及染中一分爲能障卽前上對]

Yet if we approach the two hindrances of principle and phenomena in ageneral sense, then anything that obstructs either the principle or[discriminating] wisdom, causing them not to be clearly manifest, can becollectively called ignorance. And that which prevents mentalfunctioning from attaining liberation, can be collectively calledaffliction. Since the emphasis of the teaching in the SPE is onprinciple and [discriminating] wisdom, both of the hindrances taught inthe AMF can be generally subsumed under the category of hindrances ofprinciple taught in the SPE.[Interlinear Note: The two wisdoms of theprinciple—that of true suchness and conventional—both are the objects ofthe obstruction in the obstruction of correct awareness. [In thecontext of the AMF] this refers to ignorance and the aspect ofnon-enlightenment in the defiled states of mind, which, as shown above,act as the agents of obstruction.]

唯取染中生起一分爲事障。此但約過患以爲障義。無所障法。若欲立之卽解脫、是 生死相續不解脫故。[Interlinear Note: 所障是解脫能障煩惱卽前下對] 以解脫無能攝歸眞理故、含其義、不立其名。

Only the aspect of the defiled mental states [from the AMF] that isconcerned with impelling rebirth should be understood as applicable tothe phenomenal hindrances of the SPE. In this case though, the passionsthemselves are understood as the agent of hindrance, and nothing isposited as being subject to the obstruction. If we wanted to positsomething as being subject to [obstruction], it would be "liberation,"since, when life and death are perpetuated, one does not obtainliberation.[Interlinear Note: The object of hindrance being liberation,and the agent of hindrance being affliction agrees with both the formerand latter interpretations.] Since the concept of liberation is notsubsumed under "reality-principle," its connotation is included, even ifit is not directly expressed.

論則但約相違爲障故、六染却障眞如智。無明却障世間智。由此渉於相反、故論自 徵云、此義云何[Interlinear Note:徵能所障不相應之意也。]釋云、 以依染心能見能現妄取境界違平等性。[Interlinear Note: 染心展轉生起差別眞如平等故、相違也。成前上句。]以一切法常靜無有起相、無明不覺妄與法違 故不能得隨順世間種種智故。[Interlinear Note:無明冥然世智種種故、相違 也。成前下句。]

Since, in the case of the Awakening of Faith, it is opposites thatobstruct each other, the six defiled mental states obstruct the wisdomof suchness, and ignorance obstructs the wisdom that discriminates theworld. It is precisely because this relationship seems contradictorythat the author of that treatise saw the need to clarify himself, saying"what does this mean" ?[Interlinear Note: This is to clarify theapparent lack of relationship between subject and object.] Hisexplanation says: "Since depending upon the defiled mind, one is able tosee, manifest, and deludedly grasp to objects, the mental function iscontrary to the equal nature of suchness." T 1666.32.577c22[InterlinearNote: adds: Defiled states of mind continue in a series, producingdiscriminations in regard to the equality of suchness; therefore theirfunction is contrary. This matches the prior point.] This is because allphenomena are eternally quiescent, lacking the marks of activity, andso the ignorance of non-enlightenment is deluded in regard to thedifferences between phenomena, and is unable to function in accordancewith the discriminating wisdom that grasps the variousphenomena.[Interlinear Note: Since ignorance blurs the distinctions madeby worldly discriminating wisdom, it acts contrary to it. This confirmsthe latter point.]

會經論雖各從一勢。理無違故、所配釋能義誠非 謬矣總釋二障竟。

In conclusion, even though the SPE and the AMF each have their ownapproach, there is no conflict in terms of the principle beingexpressed. Therefore each explanation can, according to its situation,be considered to be authentic, and not mistaken. This concludes thegeneral explanation of both hindrances.

次別釋理障。若此中所障之法須識其體。初云理障、但是標名礙知見者、正出體相。此宗以知見爲理故。故經與論每拂病、窮法皆歸覺心。不以空寂虛無、便爲眞極[Interlinear Note:眞如是流出涅槃如昨夢]圓頓宗教、顯體皆然故。華嚴亦以眞 知爲所迷法。文云、無一衆生而不具有如來智慧。

Next is the special explanation of the hindrances of principle. When,in this sutra, there is something that is obstructed, thenconsciousness has to be the substance of the obstruction. The sutrainitially says "hindrances of principle," but this is [merely] a termreferring to the obstruction of correct awareness, which is in fact amatter that transcends such categories as essence and characteristics.This is because this sutra takes correct awareness as its the"principle." Therefore, the SPE and the AMF each expel disease,exhaustively returning all dharmas to the enlightened mind. Rather thanrelying on upon the doctrines of voidness or nothingness, but insteaddirectly manifest reality to its fullest[Interlinear Note: suchnessflows out T 842.17.913b18; Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment p. 75.;nirvana is like last night's dream.T 842.17.915a16; Sutra of PerfectEnlightenment p. 116.], using the perfect and sudden teaching to expressthe essence as it is. Therefore the Huayan jing also sees suchness asthe thing which is misunderstood. That sutra says: "There is not asingle sentient being who lacks the tathāgata's wisdom." T 279.10.272c05

但以妄想執著而不證得。[Interlinear Note: 智本有而未證卽知不以斷證方爲智也]若離妄想、一切智、無師智[Interlinear Note: 不因學得] 自然智[Interlinear Note: 不因修得]無礙智[Interlinear Note: 徧聖徧凡]卽得現前。