大方廣圓覺脩多羅了義經直解卷上
The Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment: Direct Explanation, Volume One
唐罽賓國沙門佛陀多羅譯
Translated by the Tang Dynasty monk Buddhabhadra of Jibin Kingdom
明匡山逸臾憨山釋德清解
Commentary by Hanshan Deqing, Hermit of Mount Kuang
明新安 程夢暘覺我較閱
Ming Xin'an Cheng Mengyang Juewo, Collated
此經，以單法為名，一真法界如來藏心為體，以圓照覺相為宗，以離妄證真為用，以一乘圓頓為教相。以單法為名者，論云：所言法者，謂眾生心。圓覺二字，直指一心，以為法體。此有多稱，亦名大圓滿覺，亦名妙覺明心，亦名一真法界，亦云如來藏清淨真心。楞伽云：寂滅一心，即起信所言一法界大總相法門。體稱謂雖多，總是圓覺妙心。唯此一心，乃十法界凡聖迷悟依正因果之本，為諸佛之本源，號為法身，為眾生之心地，故名佛性。一切諸法，皆依此心建立，故單以法為名。其大方廣，乃此心法所具體相用三大之義。然大即體大，謂此一心，包法界而有餘，擴太虗而無外，橫該竪遍，大而無外，故名大也。方即相大，又方訓法也，謂此一心，為眾生之佛性，以有此性軌則，一聞佛性，便能生解，長劫輪迴，持而不失，故曰軌物生解，任持自性。以無相真心，而為有相之法則，故方為相大也。廣即用大，以稱此心體，周遍無遺，無剎不現，無物不周，故為用大也。以此法義，圓備一心，以此經中，直指此心，為生佛迷悟脩證之本，故云單法為名也。脩多羅是梵語，此云契經，以凡是佛所說之經通名契經，謂是契理契機之教，但應機有大小，為小乘人說者名不了義經，為大乘人說者名了義經，謂顯了究竟之極談，以題中通指此經乃經藏中了義之經，非不了義經也。上十字乃一經所詮之法義，下一經字乃別指當經能詮之文字也。一真法界如來藏心為體者，經云入於神通大光明藏，即如來藏清淨心體平等不二，故曰一真。又云如法界性究竟圓滿，是則名為因地法行，首稱大陀羅尼門，即一法界大總相法門，體為諸佛之因地，菩薩之行本，故以此為一經之體也。以圓照覺相為宗者，經云一切如來本起因地，皆依圓照清淨覺相，永斷無明方成佛道，故以為一經之宗也。離妄證真為用者，經云知是空華即無輪轉，又云知幻即離離幻即覺，故以此為用也。一乘圓頓為教相者，以此經純談覺性，圓脩三觀頓證一心，雖列二十五輪，但是一心轉換，並無階級次第，故以圓頓為教相也。然此五重乃天台釋經之軌則，攝盡全經之旨趣，故學者開卷了此則恩過半矣。
This scripture is named for the single truth: the Dharmadhatu of the One True Reality, the Tathagata-garbha mind, is its substance. Its core teaching is perfect illumination of awareness. Its function is to abandon delusion and realize truth. Its doctrinal classification is the One Vehicle, complete and sudden approach.
**Named for the single truth**: The Treatise says, "What is called Dharma is the mind of sentient beings." The term "Perfect Enlightenment" directly points to this one mind as the essence of reality. It has many names: the Great Perfect Enlightenment, the Wondrous Enlightened Mind, the One True Dharmadhatu, and the Tathagata-garbha's pure true mind. The *Lankavatara Sutra* calls it "the still and extinct one mind"—what the *Awakening of Faith* calls "the single Dharmadhatu, the great total mark of phenomena." Though it has many labels, it is always this perfect enlightened wondrous mind. This one mind is the root of all conditioned and unconditioned phenomena, of ordinary beings and sages, of delusion and enlightenment, of cause and effect. It is the source of all Buddhas, called the Dharma-body; it is the ground of all sentient beings, hence called Buddha-nature. All phenomena are established based on this mind, thus it is named solely after this truth.
The terms "vast, square, and extensive" refer to the three aspects of this mind's essence, characteristics, and function. "Vast" means greatness of essence: this one mind encompasses the entire realm of reality, extending beyond empty space itself, with nothing outside it. Hence it is called "great."
"Square" means greatness of characteristics. "Square" also means "standard" or "norm." This one mind is the Buddha-nature of sentient beings. Because this nature serves as a guiding principle, upon hearing Buddha-nature, beings can give rise to understanding. Even through countless cycles of rebirth, this nature is maintained and never lost. Thus it "normatively gives rise to understanding and sustains its own essence." The formless true mind serves as the standard for all phenomena with form, hence "square" indicates greatness of characteristics.
"Extensive" means greatness of function. Because this mind's essence is all-pervasive, no realm is left unmanifested, no thing is untouched. Thus it is "extensive" in function.
These meanings are fully contained within the one mind. Since this scripture directly points to this mind as the foundation of delusion, enlightenment, cultivation, and realization for both sentient beings and Buddhas, it is said to be "named for the single truth."
*Sutra* is a Sanskrit word, meaning "scripture" in Chinese. All scriptures spoken by the Buddha are called sutras, meaning teachings that accord with principle and capacity. However, teachings adapted for those of lesser capacity are called provisional or incomplete scriptures, while teachings for those of greater capacity are called complete or definitive scriptures—the ultimate and final expression of truth. In the title, the term "sutra" indicates that this scripture belongs to the category of definitive scriptures, not incomplete ones. The first ten words of the title describe the meaning explained throughout this scripture, while the final word "sutra" specifically refers to the text itself as the vehicle for that meaning.
**The Tathagata-garbha mind, the One True Dharmadhatu, is its substance**: The scripture says, "Entering the great divine light treasury"—this is the pure mind-body of the Tathagata-garbha, equal and non-dual, hence called "One Truth." It also says, "As the nature of the Dharmadhatu is ultimately perfect, this is called the causal ground practice." The first mention of "the great Dharani gate" refers to the single Dharmadhatu, the great total mark of phenomena. This is the causal ground for all Buddhas and the foundation of Bodhisattva practice. Hence it serves as the substance of this entire scripture.
**Perfect illumination of awareness as its core teaching**: The scripture says, "All Tathagatas, in their original causal ground, rely on perfect illumination of the pure awareness to eternally cut off ignorance and realize Buddhahood." Thus this perfect illumination is the central teaching of the entire scripture.
**Abandoning delusion to realize truth as its function**: The scripture says, "Knowing that things are like flowers in the sky, there is no further轮回." It also says, "Knowing illusion, one immediately leaves it; leaving illusion, one immediately awakens." This is the function of the scripture.
**The One Vehicle, complete and sudden approach as its doctrinal classification**: Because this scripture purely discusses the nature of awareness, perfectly cultivates the three contemplations, and directly realizes the one mind, even though it presents twenty-five methods of practice, they are all transformations of this single mind with no stages or hierarchy. Hence its doctrine is classified as "complete and sudden."
These five categories follow the Tiantai school's method of interpreting scriptures, which captures the essential meaning of the entire text. For beginners, understanding these points will cover more than half of the scripture's message.