彌勒菩薩《瑜伽師地論》〈本地分中菩薩地第十五○初持瑜伽處發心品第二〉明菩薩四緣發心，如云：「當知菩薩最初發心，由四種緣、四因、四力。
云何四緣？
謂善男子，或善女人，若見諸佛及諸菩薩有不思議甚奇希有神變威力，或從可信聞如是事。既見聞已，便作是念：「無上菩提具大威德，令安住者及修行者成就如是所見所聞不可思議神變威力。」由此見聞增上力故，於大菩提深生信解，因斯發起大菩提心。
是名第一初發心緣。
或有一類，雖不見聞如前所說神變威力，而聞宣說依於無上正等菩提微妙正法菩薩藏教，聞已深信。由聞正法及與深信增上力故，於如來智深生信解，為得如來微妙智故，發菩提心。
是名第二初發心緣。
或有一類，雖不聽聞如上正法，而見一切菩薩藏法將欲滅沒。見是事已，便作是念：「菩薩藏法久住於世，能滅無量眾生大苦，我應住持菩薩藏法，發菩提心，為滅無量眾生大苦。」由為護持菩薩藏法增上力故，於如來智深生信解，為得如來微妙智故，發菩提心。
是名第三初發心緣。
或有一類，雖不觀見正法欲滅，而於末劫、末世、末時，見諸濁惡眾生身心，十隨煩惱之所惱亂，謂多愚癡，多無慚愧，多諸慳嫉，多諸憂苦，多諸麤重，多諸煩惱，多諸惡行，多諸放逸，多諸懈怠，多諸不信。見是事已，便作是念：「大濁惡世，於今正起諸隨煩惱所惱亂時，能發下劣聲聞、獨覺菩提心者，尚難可得，況於無上正等菩提能發心者。我當應發大菩提心，令此惡世無量有情隨學於我，起菩提願。」由見末劫難得發心增上力故，於大菩提深生信解，因斯發起大菩提心。
是名第四初發心緣。
願景：
針對經論推行重新斷句與編輯校對、新式標點符號，方便學人學習中觀、唯識與阿毗達摩的經論，讓學習佛典的法友們，可以隨時隨地透過手機、平板、電腦閱讀與做筆記等重點。
計畫：
目前本會計畫主持人 王穆提居士已經編校或撰寫《玄奘三藏譯撰全輯》七十六部 、《天台智者大師全集》二十七部、《三論吉藏大師合集》十七部、《成唯識論述記》、《成唯識論述記集成編對讀》、《一身六足論》、《大乘佛教修證止觀經論合輯》、《大乘唯識宗修證止觀經論合輯》、《漢語佛教修證止觀阿毗達摩論合輯》，以及漢語佛教唯識、中觀、阿毗達摩等佛教經論與註解、隨筆、問答著述已經超過三百種法寶。
若要另行印刷紙本流通贊助，請與我們聯繫：
一問：什麼是疏文斷句？
答：如王穆提居士《唯識春秋》〈文本與脈絡〉內說：「研究或者學習佛法、佛典，應當朝向文本與脈絡兩種方向去重視。遇到有疑問，則需要收集諸家多本去做對讀，而不是依照自宗的解釋，並且一一列出各種文本解釋之意義。而脈絡呢？則是去理解當時代中所產生的經論註疏各家之依據文本之背景、時空、詮釋者、翻譯三藏之地理位置，最好連註疏者所根據之經論翻譯年代去思考當時為什麼要去這樣的註解或者詮釋，畢竟像陳、隋之間的天台智者大師並不會引用大唐 玄奘三藏翻譯之經論，時代不同故，所翻經論梵文亦不同。
收集文本並且自身透過斷句、標點、句句字字與文句中的空白去分析文本，過程辛苦，但會減少自己對自宗情感上的依賴，而脈絡則會理解當時之時空背景、人類學上之各種歷史依據，如此方不會過於維護自宗，而顯得非理性的研究與學習，每個眾生都認為自宗最勝，然實際上卻遠離了理性的學習佛法。
諸多人為什麼會落在對八、九識、真識、真如等錯解，原因就在於對文本、脈絡二者並不理性的看待。也有許多學者採用西歐哲學諸如康德、黑格爾、尼采、傅柯等作為比較，實際上方法類似比較宗教學。根據文本、脈絡而將同一時代相關諸義經論疏解按照不同語系諸如漢、藏、日、越、韓、巴、尼、中亞語系、傳承、作者去思考，方能去除非理性上的情感依戀、也不會妄自造出文本本身上未說之義、更不會曲解他宗之義。
實際上，許多世俗上的事情也需如此看待，避免自己隨時因為情感上的依賴而帶入偏見。」
王穆提居士《唯識春秋》〈能自省察〉內以明疏文斷句之重要性，如說：「先前斷句編輯了窺基大師的《成唯識論述記》。大正藏本沒有顯示完整的《成唯識論》論文，所以只好一句、一句的加上。加上後，再重新檢視《述記》內文，發現諸多法義需要一句、一句的斷句，就像是大論《批尋記》那樣的方式，過程艱辛，比寫程式還需要花費時間，工作之餘，再花費心力，頭髮逐漸變白，花費數月光陰重複校對編輯。
近幾年來再重新深入日本諸位法師關於中觀、唯識著作，沒想到的是，早在西元一千餘年，位在日本九州福岡崇福寺的湛慧法師在註解、集成的四十五卷本的《成唯識論集成編》也是如此，大正藏本也沒有加上《成唯識論》、《述記》兩者之原文，僅是簡述，然湛慧法師對於《成唯識論集成編》內的註解也是一句、一句的詳細說明，並不是一段一段的註解。足見這樣的工作，精讀、精解的方式，只要是想要更深入其中者，大抵皆會如此進行，避免囫圇吞棗而得蛇為龍。
為什麼能夠發現這樣的註解方式？因為湛慧法師的註解比對自己對於《述記》的斷句後，發現原來他是根據一句一句而非一個段落的方式註解，至上八、九成以上是如此。如果自己先前沒有一句一句的斷句《述記》，則根本不會察覺古德之用心處。與一千兩百多年前的時空交錯在一起，也是因為自己要下功夫。」
最後，重新編輯疏文斷句版，主要在於讓學人有一個系統性的學習方向，如後學《唯識抄》《玄奘三藏譯撰全輯》序文：「《玄奘三藏譯撰全輯》收錄奘師所翻經論，以下稱《玄奘三藏譯撰全輯》為《全輯》，總共七十五部，一千三百三十五卷，翻譯內容若按《大正藏》分類，則遍及〈阿含部〉、〈般若部〉、〈華嚴部〉、〈寶積部〉、〈涅槃部〉、〈大集部〉、〈經集部〉、〈密教部〉、〈律部〉、〈釋經論部〉、〈毘曇部〉、〈中觀部〉、〈瑜伽部〉、〈論集部〉、〈史傳部〉、〈外教部〉共十六部，以〈經集部〉、〈毘曇部〉、〈瑜伽部〉所翻經論最甚，本《全輯》並一一針對經論文句做整理疏文斷句，高達一千餘萬字，兩萬餘頁，每部經論並加入《大正藏》出處。
《全輯》依台灣 光中法師《唐玄奘三藏傳史彙編》內之〈大唐奘公譯經目錄〉經論先後次序排列編號，如《緣起經》，即001.《緣起經》，如下表所示，學人可依次序一一閱讀學習，以進行對於奘師所翻經論有一個系統性的學習。」
二問：佛教藏經斷句或者重新編輯之時，務必需要注重之事？
答：如王穆提居士《唯識春秋》內文：「為什麼佛教經論需保留原始文本如論、述曰等藏經之原文？如《成唯識論述記集成編》提及何故本論置曰字：『然俱舍論有歸敬頌及長行釋，並是世親菩薩之所製也。攝論唯有歸敬偈無長行釋，本釋兩論作者不同。今同攝論，又准俱舍論等。正宗頌前皆置頌曰之言，長行冠以論曰，今論亦同。頌之言不通長行，論通二種，今云論云亦無巨妨。自下牒文皆唯云論不加云字，諸論皆置曰字。』即知長行冠以論曰，不可隨編輯者意而刪之。」
「但凡若重新編輯、疏文、斷句、對讀整理或者詮釋經論者，務必且切莫隨意更動經論文句之位置，如顛倒經論文句上下位置，以及切莫刪除藏經原有之論文，否則將成大過，何過？無能生信之大過故。倘若要刪除或調動經論內文也應當說明一二，避免讓未來學人造成誤解。...對於佛教經論之一字一句務當思維，如此方能入法門而不生誤解。」
三問：本會未來出版方向為何？
答：除於佛教藏經之中關於法相唯識、般若中觀、阿毗達摩、天台宗、三論宗、淨土宗已經整理為疏文斷句版、註解本之外，也已經逐漸編輯、撰寫關於漢語佛教日本方面之傳承法寶。未來期盼能一一註解上述相關之佛教藏經法寶與闡述撰寫相關法義流通於世，以報佛恩。
弥勒菩薩の『瑜伽師地論』「本地分中菩薩地第十五○初持瑜伽処発心品第二」において、菩薩が四つの縁によって発心することが明かされています。以下のように説かれています：
「まさに知るべし、菩薩の最初の発心は、四種の縁、四因、四力によるものである。
四縁とは何か？
善男子、あるいは善女人が、諸仏および諸菩薩が不可思議で甚だ奇なる希有な神変の威力を持つのを見たり、あるいは信頼できる者からそのような事を聞いたりする。その見聞を経た後、このように念じる：「無上菩提は大威徳を具えており、それに安住する者や修行する者に、今見聞きしたような不可思議な神変の威力を成就させるのである。」この見聞の増上力（強力な作用）により、大菩提に対して深い信解（確信と理解）を生じ、これによって大菩提心を発する。
これを第一の初発心の縁と名付ける。
あるいはある者は、前に述べたような神変の威力を見聞きしなくとも、無上正等菩提に基づく微妙な正法である菩薩蔵の教えが説かれるのを聞き、それを聞いて深く信じる。正法を聞き、深く信じるという増上力により、如来の智慧に対して深い信解を生じ、如来の微妙な智慧を得るために、菩提心を発する。
これを第二の初発心の縁と名付ける。
あるいはある者は、上記のような正法を聞かなくとも、一切の菩薩蔵の法がまさに滅びようとしているのを見る。この事を見た後、このように念じる：「菩薩蔵の法が長く世に留まれば、無量の衆生の大いなる苦しみを滅することができる。私は菩薩蔵の法を護持し、菩提心を発して、無量の衆生の大いなる苦しみを滅するべきである。」菩薩蔵の法を護持しようとする増上力により、如来の智慧に対して深い信解を生じ、如来の微妙な智慧を得るために、菩提心を発する。
これを第三の初発心の縁と名付ける。
あるいはある者は、正法が滅びようとするのを見なくとも、末劫、末世、末時において、濁悪の衆生の心身が、十の随煩悩（付随する煩悩）によって悩乱されているのを見る。すなわち、愚痴が多く、慚愧（恥じらい）がなく、慳嫉（物惜しみと嫉妬）が多く、憂苦が多く、麤重（そじゅう：煩悩による心身の重苦しさ）が多く、煩悩が多く、悪行が多く、放逸が多く、懈怠（怠け）が多く、不信が多いのを見る。この事を見た後、このように念じる：「大いなる濁悪の世、まさに今、諸々の随煩悩によって悩乱されている時に、下劣な声聞や独覚の菩提心を発する者でさえ得難いのに、ましてや無上正等菩提に対して心を発することができる者がいるだろうか。私はまさに大菩提心を発し、この悪世の無量の有情（生きとし生けるもの）を私に随って学ばせ、菩提の願いを起こさせるべきである。」末劫において発心し難いのを見るという増上力により、大菩提に対して深い信解を生じ、これによって大菩提心を発する。
これを第四の初発心の縁と名付ける。
願景（ビジョン）：
経論に対して再度の句読点整理（断句）、編集・校正、および新式句読記号の導入を推進し、学習者が中観、唯識、アビダルマの経論を学びやすくすることを目指します。これにより、仏典を学ぶ法友たちが、いつでもどこでもスマートフォン、タブレット、パソコンを通じて読み、ノートを取るなどの要点学習ができるようになります。
計画（プロジェクト）：
現在、本会のプロジェクト責任者である王穆提居士は、『玄奘三蔵訳撰全輯』七十六部、『天台智者大師全集』二十七部、『三論吉蔵大師合集』十七部、『成唯識論述記』、『成唯識論述記集成編対読』、『一身六足論』、『大乗仏教修証止観経論合輯』、『大乗唯識宗修証止観経論合輯』、『漢語仏教修証止観アビダルマ論合輯』の編校または執筆を行っています。さらに、漢語仏教における唯識、中観、アビダルマなどの仏教経論とその注釈、随筆、問答の著述は、すでに三百種類以上の法宝に達しています。
別途、紙媒体での印刷・流通をご支援（ご賛助）いただける場合は、以下までご連絡ください：
第一の問い：疏文断句（そぶんだんく）とは何ですか？
答：王穆提居士の『唯識春秋』「テキストと文脈」の中に述べられている通りです。「仏法や仏典を研究、あるいは学習する際、テキスト（原文）と文脈（脈絡）という二つの方向を重視すべきです。疑問に遭遇した場合は、自宗の解釈だけに頼るのではなく、多くの学派や複数のテキストを収集して対読（比較講読）を行い、各種テキストの解釈の意味を一つ一つ列挙する必要があります。では文脈とは何か？それは、その時代に生み出された経論や注釈の各学派が依拠したテキストの背景、時空、解釈者、三蔵を翻訳した地理的位置を理解することです。理想を言えば、注釈者が依拠した経論が翻訳された年代まで考慮し、当時なぜそのような注釈や解釈を行う必要があったのかを考えるべきです。結局のところ、陳から隋の時代に生きた天台智者大師が、唐の玄奘三蔵が翻訳した経論を引用することはありませんでした。時代が異なれば、翻訳された経論のサンスクリット語の原典も異なるからです。
テキストを収集し、自ら断句（句読点打ち）、標点（句読点などの記号付与）を行い、一文一文、一字一字、そして文と文の間の空白を通じてテキストを分析するプロセスは苦労を伴いますが、自分自身の属する宗派に対する感情的な依存を減らすことができます。そして文脈を理解することは、当時の時空背景や、人類学的な様々な歴史的根拠を理解することに繋がります。このようにして初めて、自宗を過剰に擁護し、非理性的な研究や学習に陥ることを防ぐことができます。どの衆生も自分の宗派が最も優れていると考えますが、実際にはそれは理性的によく仏法を学ぶことから遠ざかっているのです。
多くの人が八識、九識、真識、真如などに対して誤解に陥る原因は、テキストと文脈の二つを理性的に扱っていないことにあります。また、多くの学者がカント、ヘーゲル、ニーチェ、フーコーなどの西欧哲学を用いて比較を行いますが、その方法は比較宗教学に似ています。テキストと文脈に基づき、同時代に関連する諸義の経論の解釈を、漢語、チベット語、日本語、ベトナム語、韓国語、パーリ語、ネパール語、中央アジア語族などの異なる言語系、伝承、著者にしたがって考えることで初めて、非理性的な感情への執着を取り除き、テキスト自体には語られていない意味をみだりに作り出すこともなく、他宗の教義を曲解することもなくなります。
実際、世俗の多くの事柄もこのように見る必要があり、感情的な依存によっていつでも偏見を持ち込んでしまうことを避けるべきです。」
王穆提居士は『唯識春秋』の「能く自ら省察す」の中で、疏文断句の重要性についてこのように述べています。「以前、窺基大師の『成唯識論述記』の断句と編集を行いました。『大正新脩大蔵経』版には『成唯識論』の完全な論文が示されていなかったため、仕方なく一文一文付け加えていきました。付け加えた後、再び『述記』の本文を再検証したところ、多くの法義が一文一文の断句を必要としていることに気づきました。それは大論『披尋記』のような方法であり、そのプロセスは困難を極め、プログラミングを書く以上の時間を要しました。仕事の合間に心血を注ぎ、髪は次第に白くなり、数ヶ月の時間を費やして何度も校正と編集を繰り返しました。
ここ数年、日本の諸法師による中観や唯識の著作を改めて深く学び直したところ、思いがけないことに、西暦1000年代の早い時期に、日本の九州・福岡の崇福寺にいた湛慧法師が注釈・集成した四十五巻本『成唯識論集成編』も同様であったことが分かりました。『大正蔵』版には『成唯識論』と『述記』の両者の原文が付加されておらず、簡略な記述のみでした。しかし、湛慧法師による『成唯識論集成編』内の注釈も、段落ごとの注釈ではなく、一文一文の詳細な説明でした。このような精読・精解の方式というものは、さらに深く探求しようとする者であれば、大抵このように進めるものであり、生半可に理解して間違った結果を得る（蛇を得て龍とする）ことを避けるためであると十分に分かります。
なぜこのような注釈の方式に気づくことができたのか？それは湛慧法師の注釈を、自分が『述記』に対して行った断句と比較した結果、彼が段落ごとではなく、一文一文の方式に基づいて注釈を行っていること（少なくとも8、9割以上はそうであること）を発見したからです。もし自分が以前に一文一文『述記』の断句を行っていなければ、古の徳の高い方々の苦心に全く気づかなかったでしょう。1200年以上前の時空と交錯できたのも、自らが努力を惜しまなかったからです。」
最後に、疏文断句版を再編集する主な目的は、学習者が体系的な学習の方向性を持てるようにすることにあります。後学である私の『唯識抄』における『玄奘三藏訳撰全輯』の序文にこうあります。「『玄奘三藏訳撰全輯』は玄奘法師が翻訳した経論を収録しています。以下『玄奘三藏訳撰全輯』を『全輯』と呼びます。全七十五部、千三百三十五巻に及び、翻訳内容を『大正蔵』の分類に当てはめると、『阿含部』、『般若部』、『華厳部』、『宝積部』、『涅槃部』、『大集部』、『経集部』、『密教部』、『律部』、『釈経論部』、『毘曇部』、『中観部』、『瑜伽部』、『論集部』、『史伝部』、『外教部』の計十六部に及びます。中でも『経集部』、『毘曇部』、『瑜伽部』の翻訳経論が最も多くなっています。本『全輯』は各経論の文句に対して一つ一つ整理と疏文断句を行い、文字数は1000万字以上、ページ数は2万ページ以上に達し、各経論には『大正蔵』の出典を追加しています。
『全輯』は、台湾の光中法師による『唐玄奘三蔵伝史彙編』内の『大唐奘公訳経目録』の経論の順序に従って番号を振っています。例えば『縁起経』は「001.『縁起経』」となります。以下の表に示す通り、学習者はこの順序に従って一つ一つ読み進めることで、玄奘法師が翻訳した経論に対する体系的な学習を進めることができます。」
第二の問い：仏教大蔵経の断句（句読点打ち）、または再編集を行う際に、必ず重視すべきことは何ですか？
答：王穆提居士の『唯識春秋』の本文にある通りです。「なぜ仏教経論は、『論曰』や『述曰』など、大蔵経の原文（元のテキスト）を保持する必要があるのか？例えば『成唯識論述記集成編』では、なぜ本論に『曰』の字が置かれているのかについて言及しています。『然るに倶舎論には帰敬頌と長行の釈があり、これらもまた世親菩薩が製作したものである。摂論には帰敬偈のみがあり長行の釈はなく、本と釈の両論は作者が異なる。今は摂論と同じく、また倶舎論等に準ずる。正宗の頌の前には皆「頌に曰く」の言葉を置き、長行の冠には「論に曰く」を置く。今の論もまた同じである。頌の言葉は長行には通じず、論は二種に通じるため、今「論に云う」と言っても大きな妨げはない。これ以下の牒文（引用文）はすべてただ「論」とだけ言い「云」の字を加えないが、諸論は皆「曰」の字を置いている。』すなわち、長行の冠には『論に曰く』とあることを知るべきであり、編集者の意図で勝手に削除してはなりません。」
「しかし、もし経論の再編集、疏文、断句、対読整理、あるいは解釈を行う者は、経論文句の位置を絶対に変更してはなりません（経論文句の上下の位置を逆転させるなど）。また、大蔵経に元々ある論文を削除してはなりません。そうでなければ大きな過ちとなります。どのような過ちか？それは信（信仰・信頼）を生じさせることができなくなるという大きな過ちです。もし経論の本文を削除したり順序を入れ替えたりする必要がある場合は、未来の学習者に誤解を与えないよう、必ずその理由を一、二説明すべきです。…仏教経論の一字一句に対して深く思惟すべきであり、そうして初めて法門に入り、誤解を生じることがなくなります。」
第三の問い：本会の今後の出版の方向性は何ですか？
答：仏教大蔵経の中で、法相唯識、般若中観、アビダルマ、天台宗、三論宗、浄土宗に関するものを疏文断句版（句読点整理版）や注釈本として整理したことに加え、すでに徐々に漢語仏教の日本方面の伝承法宝（教えの宝）に関する編集・執筆も進めています。将来的には、上記の関連する仏教大蔵経の法宝に対する注釈を一つ一つ行い、関連する法義（仏法の意味）を解説・執筆して世に流通させ、仏恩に報いたいと願っています。
In Maitreya Bodhisattva's Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra, "Local Division: Bodhisattva Stage, Part 15 – First Endowed Yoga Place: Chapter Two on Generating the Resolve," it explains the four conditions for a Bodhisattva generating the resolve, stating:
"It should be known that a Bodhisattva's initial generation of the resolve (Bodhicitta) arises from four kinds of conditions, four causes, and four powers.
What are the four conditions?
A good man or a good woman might see Buddhas and Bodhisattvas exhibiting inconceivable, wondrous, and rare spiritual transformations and majestic power, or they might hear of such things from a trustworthy source. Having seen or heard this, they think: 'Unsurpassed Bodhi possesses great majestic virtue, enabling those who abide in it and practice it to achieve the inconceivable spiritual transformations and majestic power that I have just seen and heard.' Due to the predominant power of this seeing and hearing, they develop deep faith and understanding in Great Bodhi, and because of this, they generate the great Bodhi mind.
This is called the first condition for initially generating the resolve.
Or, there is a class of people who, although they have not seen or heard of the spiritual transformations and majestic power mentioned above, hear the profound and wondrous true Dharma—the teachings of the Bodhisattva Piṭaka—based on unsurpassed, perfect, and complete Bodhi being expounded. Having heard it, they believe it deeply. Due to the predominant power of hearing the true Dharma and believing it deeply, they develop deep faith and understanding in the wisdom of the Tathāgata. For the sake of attaining the wondrous wisdom of the Tathāgata, they generate the Bodhi mind.
This is called the second condition for initially generating the resolve.
Or, there is a class of people who, although they have not heard the aforementioned true Dharma, see that all the teachings of the Bodhisattva Piṭaka are about to perish. Having seen this, they think: 'If the teachings of the Bodhisattva Piṭaka remain long in the world, they can extinguish the great suffering of limitless sentient beings. I should uphold the teachings of the Bodhisattva Piṭaka, generate the Bodhi mind, to extinguish the great suffering of limitless sentient beings.' Due to the predominant power of wishing to protect and uphold the teachings of the Bodhisattva Piṭaka, they develop deep faith and understanding in the wisdom of the Tathāgata. For the sake of attaining the wondrous wisdom of the Tathāgata, they generate the Bodhi mind.
This is called the third condition for initially generating the resolve.
Or, there is a class of people who, although they do not observe the true Dharma about to perish, live in the final eon, the final age, the final time. They see the bodies and minds of turbid and evil sentient beings being tormented and confused by the ten secondary afflictions—namely, being exceedingly foolish, shameless, stingy and jealous, full of sorrow and suffering, heavy and coarse, full of afflictions, full of evil deeds, given to laxity, given to laziness, and full of disbelief. Having seen this, they think: 'In this great turbid and evil age, precisely when sentient beings are tormented and confused by the secondary afflictions, even those who can generate the inferior Bodhi mind of a Śrāvaka (Voice-Hearer) or a Pratyekabuddha (Solitary Realizer) are difficult to find, much less those who can generate the resolve for unsurpassed, perfect, and complete Bodhi. I must generate the great Bodhi mind, so that the limitless sentient beings in this evil age will follow my example and arouse the vow of Bodhi.' Due to the predominant power of seeing how difficult it is to generate the resolve in the final eon, they develop deep faith and understanding in Great Bodhi, and because of this, they generate the great Bodhi mind.
This is called the fourth condition for initially generating the resolve."
Foreword:
In the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra, Maitreya Bodhisattva, a Bodhisattva in his final lifetime, speaks of correctly practicing the Four Reliances, stating: "How does a Bodhisattva correctly practice the Four Reliances? Bodhisattvas listen to the Dharma from others for the sake of seeking the meaning (truth), not for the sake of seeking worldly, embellished literary rhetoric. When a Bodhisattva seeks the meaning and listens to the Dharma without seeking mere rhetoric, even if they encounter Dharma spoken in ordinary, common language, they rely solely on the meaning and respectfully listen and accept it. Furthermore, Bodhisattvas truly understand obscure speech and profound speech. Having truly understood, they rely on the principle (truth). They do not simply believe and accept a teaching just because it is spoken by an elder, a widely known pudgala (person), a Buddha, or a Saṅgha; therefore, they do not rely on the pudgala. Because a Bodhisattva relies on the principle and does not rely on the pudgala, their mind does not waver regarding the realized true meaning, and within the true Dharma, they are not swayed by other conditions." A Bodhisattva relies on the principle, not on the pudgala, and their mind remains unwavering regarding the realized true meaning. Thus, the Yogācārabhūmi states: "If someone asks, 'What is the foundation of a Bodhisattva?' one should decisively answer: 'Great Compassion is the foundation.'" They are unwavering in the true meaning and take great compassion as their foundation. The Yogācārabhūmi originally stems from the Sarvāstivāda school and thus emphasizes the Abhidharma; however, within the Bodhisattva's Abhidharma treatises, it also advocates the true meaning of the Three Natures (Trisvabhāva) and Three Non-Natures (Tri-niḥsvabhāva). Because sentient beings do not know, do not understand, and do not realize this, the true ultimate truth (Paramārtha-satya) of the Three Turnings of the Dharma Wheel remains obscure to them.
Therefore, the Akṣayamati-nirdeśa Sūtra also states: "What does it mean to rely on the Dharma and not on the person? 'Person' refers to grasping the view of a creator or an experiencer; 'Dharma' refers to understanding that there is no view of a creator or an experiencer. A 'person' means an ordinary being, a good person, one who practices through faith, one who practices through Dharma, the Eighth Stage, a Srotāpanna, a Sakṛdāgāmin, an Anāgāmin, an Arhat, a Pratyekabuddha, a Bodhisattva, or one person who appears in the world to bring great benefit and happiness to many, generating great compassion out of pity for the world, and providing great nourishment among humans and devas—namely, the Buddha, the World-Honored One. The Buddha uses such names based on conventional truth to transform sentient beings; therefore, He speaks this way. If one grasps at such views, it is called relying on the person. To transform those who grasp at the view of a person, the Tathāgata taught relying on the Dharma and not on the person. This 'Dharmatā' (Dharma-nature) is unchanging and unalterable, non-acting and not non-acting, non-abiding and not not-abiding, completely equal, where the equal is equal and the unequal is also equal. Without thought and without object, one attains correct certainty. In all dharmas, there is no differentiation and no difference; its nature and characteristics are unobstructed, like empty space. This is called Dharmatā. If one relies on this Dharmatā, they will never depart from the Dharma of a single mark. Those who enter this gate contemplate all dharmas as sharing the same Dharmatā. Therefore, it is said: rely on all dharmas and do not rely on the person. Śāriputra, this is called the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva's inexhaustibility of the Four Reliances." This Dharmatā is unchanging and unalterable, non-acting and not non-acting, non-abiding and not not-abiding, completely equal, where the equal is equal and the unequal is also equal. Without thought and without object, one attains correct certainty. In all dharmas, there is no differentiation and no difference; its nature and characteristics are unobstructed, like empty space. This is called Dharmatā. If one relies on this Dharmatā, they will never depart from the Dharma of a single mark. Those who enter this gate contemplate all dharmas as sharing the same Dharmatā. This is the true meaning. Having believed and accepted the true meaning, how could one then rely on the pudgala (person)?
The Zongjing Lu (Record of the Source Mirror) states: "The realms of the three periods of time—past, future, and present—are originally the direct perceived aspects (Nimitta-bhāga) of the eighth Ālaya-vijñāna, manifested solely by the root consciousness." However, worldly people attach to the perceiving aspect (Darśana-bhāga) of consciousness as the beloved ego (self), and they attach to the perceived aspect (Nimitta-bhāga) of consciousness as illusory existence. Therefore, the holy Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna clearly indicated in his Mahāprajñāpāramitā Upadeśa that those who study the Abhidharma constantly attach to all dharmas as existing and objective. Those who misunderstand emptiness fall into the sect that erroneously grasps all dharmas as completely empty, and erroneously grasps cause and effect as also empty; this is the sect of "malignant attachment to emptiness" (apavāda-dṛṣṭi). Because of this, the Third Turning of the Dharma Wheel is the World-Honored One restating the wondrous path: everything is Consciousness-Only. First, the Agamas contemplated the five aggregates as impermanent, suffering, empty, and non-self. Next, the Vaipulya (Mahayana) teachings contemplated all dharmas as dependently originated, both empty and existent, neither empty nor existent—the meaning that every dharma lacks inherent nature. Finally, He expounded the most supreme and wondrous path, the correct principle of Consciousness-Only, pointing directly to true emptiness and wondrous existence. Although conventional truth acknowledges that myriad dharmas are Consciousness-Only and manifested by the mind alone, in the true ultimate truth, both mind and words are cut off. It simultaneously proclaims a Perfected Nature (Pariniṣpanna) that is both true and conventional, neither true nor conventional, falling into neither the conditioned nor the unconditioned. What is the Perfected Nature? It means that the nature of all dharmas is inherently pure. Therefore, terminology only reveals two categories: expressing the object and conveying the meaning. Because the Dharma does not fall into verbal explanation, it can be recorded and described using words. Nature, on the other hand, means that all dharmas lack inherent nature; therefore, it is not something attained through practice, but rather the ultimate of ultimate truths that is revealed—this is the One True Dharmadhātu.
The Ghanavyūha Sutra represents the profound tenets and core meanings of sutras like the Drumakinnararāja-paripṛcchā and the Avataṃsaka, which ordinary, foolish people cannot align with, realize, or comprehend. Today, although the true meaning of the Bodhisattva expounded in the Yogācārabhūmi does not explicitly state the great meaning of the Ghanavyūha, those who practice the Bodhisattva vehicle should still act in accordance with the teachings in this way, gradually realizing and practicing through hearing, contemplating, and cultivating. The Mahāratnakūṭa Sutra also expounds the wondrous meaning of actual realization. However, we ordinary beings are covered by the two hindrances (afflictive and cognitive) and have been perfumed by beginningless ignorance for a very long time. Therefore, since beginningless eons, those who transmigrate into the human state invariably take their physical body, lineage, wealth, status, and family as "I" and "mine," mistakenly clinging to them as the true self, the real self, the ultimate self, and my possessions. They are entirely unaware that the perceiving and perceived aspects of this enjoyed "I" and "mine" belong fundamentally to the manifestations of the dependent origination of various dharmas and the karmic retributions of differing maturation (Vipāka). This is illusory, impermanent, suffering, lacking a self, lacking inherent nature, and is purely the "Imagined Nature" (Parikalpita-svabhāva) clung to by foolish, ordinary beings.
Master Kuiji of the Ci'en School states in the Cheng Weishi Lun Shuji (Commentary on the Vijñāptimātratāsiddhi Śāstra): "This verse establishes the profound meaning of the Middle Way. 'Only' serves to distinguish and negate external objects; 'Consciousness' serves to comprehend and explain the existence of the internal mind. The substance of consciousness is simply a Karmadhāraya compound (attributive compound); both the nature and characteristics of consciousness are inseparable from the mind. Mental factors and the primary mind take consciousness as their master; returning to the mind and extinguishing characteristics, it is collectively called Consciousness-Only. By 'only' negating the existence of objects, those who grasp at existence lose its truth; by 'consciousness' distinguishing the emptiness of the mind, those who stagnate in emptiness violate its reality. Therefore, remaining ignorant of this emptiness and existence leads to long-term drowning in the two extremes; awakening to that existence and emptiness leads to walking highly upon the Middle Way." The five lineages in the Laṅkāvatāra Sutra and the four lineages in the Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sutra aim to explain the innate lineage (Gotra) of a Bodhisattva, or the Arhat stage abandoning the hindrance of ordinary being nature.
The Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sutra explains how Sadāprarudita Bodhisattva, for the sake of seeking the Dharma and fulfilling the Prajñāpāramitā (Perfection of Wisdom), practiced giving his own body. As it states:
"Sadāprarudita replied: 'I will sell [my body] to a Brahmin, for the sake of the Prajñāpāramitā, to make offerings to Dharmodgata Bodhisattva.'
The elder's daughter said: 'Good man! By selling your body and wishing to give your own heart, marrow, and blood to make offerings to Dharmodgata Bodhisattva, what kind of meritorious benefit will you obtain?'
"Sadāprarudita replied: 'Good woman! That person skillfully learns the Prajñāpāramitā and the power of expedient means. That person will explain to me what a Bodhisattva should do and the path a Bodhisattva should travel. By learning this Dharma and learning this path, when I attain Anuttarā Samyaksaṃbodhi (Unsurpassed, Perfect, and Complete Enlightenment), I will become a refuge for sentient beings. I will attain a golden-colored body, the thirty-two marks, the eighty minor characteristics, a halo of one zhang, limitless radiance, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, the four fearlessnesses, the ten powers of a Buddha, the four unhindered wisdoms, the eighteen unshared properties, the six spiritual penetrations, and inconceivable pure precepts, meditative absorption (dhyāna), and wisdom. I will attain Anuttarā Samyaksaṃbodhi, and within all dharmas, I will attain unhindered omniscient vision, distributing the unsurpassed Dharma treasure to all sentient beings. Such meritorious benefits, I will obtain from him.'
"At that time, hearing this supreme and wondrous Buddhadharma, the elder's daughter rejoiced greatly. Her heart trembled and her hair stood on end. She said to Sadāprarudita Bodhisattva: 'Good man! This is extremely rare. What you speak of is wondrous and hard to encounter. For the sake of each and every one of these meritorious dharmas, one should be willing to sacrifice bodies as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Why? Because what you speak of is immensely wondrous. Good man! Whatever you need now, I will give it all to you. Gold, silver, pearls, lapis lazuli, crystal, amber, coral, and other precious gems, as well as flowers, incense, necklaces, anointing incense, burning incense, banners, canopies, clothing, music, and other offering items—use them to make offerings to the Prajñāpāramitā and Dharmodgata Bodhisattva. Good man! Do not afflict your own body. I also wish to go to Dharmodgata Bodhisattva with you to plant wholesome roots, for the sake of attaining such a wondrous Dharma as you have described.'"
If Sadāprarudita Bodhisattva was like this, how can we foolish, ordinary beings generate a mind of non-diligence? A mind without shame? This is to inspire future students to establish the foundational meaning of the Three Periods of Teachings. The meaning of the "Bodhisattva Piṭaka" is the Mātṛkā (matrix/foundation) of the Bodhisattva Abhidharma, the meaning of adorning Buddha deeds. However, the ultimate truth is only the Dharmatā of True Suchness that transcends words, discards characteristics, and reveals its nature. Today, using the Prajñā of texts to write across the Dharmadhātus and enter the profound depths of the Buddhas, a Bodhisattva's study of the Five Sciences (Inner knowledge, Logic, Medicine, Arts/Crafts, and Grammar/Linguistics) is for the purpose of benefiting oneself and others. It is to clearly contemplate the skillful dependent origination of all dharmas, to expediently save and guide ordinary beings who possess the Bodhisattva lineage, to open the Buddha's knowledge and vision, and to go against the great ocean of the flow of birth and death. Broadly citing the various deeds of a Bodhisattva's beneficial practices, there is in fact no substantial deed of adorning by saving all sentient beings, because all dharmas lack inherent nature, the dependent nature is pure and is also the perfected nature, and the perfected nature is solely the ultimate truth of True Suchness. Practitioners, by relying on this introductory treatise to guide the stages of practice of the Three Turnings of the Dharma Wheel and the exposition of Bodhi, will surely be covered by the compassionate vows of the Bodhisattva lineage, engaging in beneficial actions and cooperative efforts. We hope that through this true meaning of the Bodhisattva, we can practice together and realize the meanings of cause, effect, root, branch, and ultimate reality regarding the Three Natures and Three Non-Natures.
Vision:
Focusing on the sutras and treatises, we promote re-punctuation, editorial proofreading, and the implementation of modern punctuation marks. This makes it convenient for scholars to study the sutras and treatises of Madhyamaka, Yogācāra, and Abhidharma, allowing Dharma friends studying Buddhist texts to read and take notes on key points anytime, anywhere via smartphones, tablets, and computers.
Project:
Currently, the project director of this Association, Upasaka Wang Muti, has already edited, collated, or authored over 300 volumes of Dharma treasures. These include the Complete Translated and Authored Works of Tripitaka Master Xuanzang (76 texts), the Complete Works of Tiantai Master Zhiyi (27 texts), the Collection of Sanlun Master Jizang (17 texts), the Cheng Weishi Lun Shuji, the Cheng Weishi Lun Shuji Integrated Comparative Reading, the One Body and Six Legs Treatises, the Compilation of Mahayana Buddhist Meditation Sutras and Treatises, the Compilation of Mahayana Yogacara Meditation Sutras and Treatises, and the Compilation of Chinese Buddhist Meditation and Abhidharma Treatises, as well as Chinese Buddhist treatises, commentaries, essays, and Q&As on Yogācāra, Madhyamaka, and Abhidharma.
If you wish to sponsor the printing of physical copies for circulation, please contact us at:
Question 1: What is "Punctuation and Parsing of Classical Texts" (疏文斷句)?
Answer: As Upasaka Wang Muti states in the "Text and Context" section of his Spring and Autumn of Yogacara:
"When researching or studying the Buddhadharma and Buddhist texts, one should focus on two directions: text and context. When encountering doubts, one needs to collect multiple editions from various masters for comparative reading, rather than relying solely on the interpretation of one's own school, and list the meanings of the various textual interpretations one by one. And what about context? That involves understanding the background, time and space, interpreters, and geographic locations of the Tripitaka translators of the texts that the commentators of that era relied upon. It is best to consider the translation era of the sutras and treatises relied upon by the commentator to think about why they had to make such annotations or interpretations at that time. After all, Tiantai Master Zhiyi, who lived between the Chen and Sui dynasties, would not have quoted the sutras and treatises translated by the Tang dynasty's Tripitaka Master Xuanzang. Because the eras were different, the Sanskrit source texts of the translated treatises were also different.
Collecting texts and personally analyzing them through parsing, punctuation, examining every sentence and word, and the blank spaces in the text is a strenuous process. However, it reduces one's emotional reliance on one's own school. Understanding the context helps one comprehend the space-time background of that era and various anthropological historical foundations. In this way, one will not become overly protective of one's own school, which appears as irrational research and learning. Every sentient being believes their own school is supreme, but in reality, they have drifted far from a rational study of the Buddhadharma.
Why do many people fall into misunderstandings regarding the eight or nine consciousnesses, true consciousness, True Suchness, etc.? The reason lies in not looking at text and context rationally. Many scholars also use Western European philosophy—such as Kant, Hegel, Nietzsche, Foucault, etc.—for comparison. In reality, this method is akin to comparative religion. Only by thinking about the commentaries and explanations of related sutras and treatises of the same era according to different language families (such as Chinese, Tibetan, Japanese, Vietnamese, Korean, Pali, Nepali, Central Asian languages), lineages, and authors—based on text and context—can one eliminate irrational emotional attachments, avoid arbitrarily inventing meanings not stated in the text itself, and avoid distorting the meanings of other schools.
In fact, many worldly matters must also be viewed in this way to avoid bringing in prejudice due to emotional reliance at any moment."
In the section "Able to Introspect" in Spring and Autumn of Yogacara, Upasaka Wang Muti highlights the importance of punctuating and parsing classical texts, stating:
"Previously, I punctuated and edited Master Kuiji's Cheng Weishi Lun Shuji. The Taisho Tripitaka edition did not display the complete text of the Cheng Weishi Lun, so I had to add it in sentence by sentence. After adding it, I re-examined the inner text of the Shuji and found that many Dharma principles required sentence-by-sentence parsing, much like the method used in the Pixun Ji (Record of Investigations) of the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra. The process was arduous; it required more time than writing programming code. Using my spare time after work, expending mental energy while my hair gradually turned white, I spent months repeatedly proofreading and editing.
In recent years, as I delved again into the works of Japanese masters regarding Madhyamaka and Yogācāra, I unexpectedly discovered that as early as the 1000s CE, Master Zennei at Sōfuku-ji Temple in Fukuoka, Kyushu, Japan, did exactly the same thing when annotating and compiling the 45-volume Cheng Weishi Lun Integrated Compilation. The Taisho Tripitaka edition also did not add the original texts of both the Cheng Weishi Lun and the Shuji, providing only a brief summary. However, Master Zennei's annotations within the Cheng Weishi Lun Integrated Compilation were also detailed, sentence-by-sentence explanations, not paragraph-by-paragraph annotations. This shows that such work—this method of intensive reading and precise explanation—will generally be undertaken by anyone wanting to delve deeper, to avoid swallowing things whole and mistaking a snake for a dragon.
How was I able to discover this method of annotation? Because after comparing Master Zennei's annotations with my own parsing of the Shuji, I found that he was annotating based on a sentence-by-sentence method rather than a paragraph method—this was true for at least 80 to 90 percent of the text. If I had not previously parsed the Shuji sentence by sentence myself, I would never have noticed the painstaking efforts of the ancients. Being able to intersect with a space and time from over 1,200 years ago was only possible because I was willing to put in the hard work."
Finally, the main purpose of re-editing the punctuated and parsed editions is to provide students with a systematic direction for learning. As stated in the preface to my Yogacara Notes and the Complete Translated and Authored Works of Tripitaka Master Xuanzang:
"The Complete Translated and Authored Works of Tripitaka Master Xuanzang collects the sutras and treatises translated by Master Xuanzang. Hereafter referred to as the Complete Collection, it totals 75 titles and 1,335 rolls. If classified according to the Taisho Tripitaka, the translated contents span 16 divisions: Agama, Prajñā, Avataṃsaka, Ratnakūṭa, Nirvāṇa, Mahāsaṃnipāta, Sutra Compilation, Esoteric, Vinaya, Sutra Explanation, Abhidharma, Madhyamaka, Yogācāra, Treatise Compilation, History/Biography, and Non-Buddhist Teachings. The translations in the Sutra Compilation, Abhidharma, and Yogācāra divisions are the most numerous. This Complete Collection organizes and parses the sentences of the sutras and treatises one by one, amounting to over 10 million words and more than 20,000 pages, and includes the Taisho Tripitaka source for each text.
The Complete Collection is numbered according to the sequential order of the sutras and treatises in the 'Catalog of Sutras Translated by Master Xuanzang of the Great Tang' found in Master Guangzhong's Compilation of the Historical Biography of Tripitaka Master Xuanzang of the Tang Dynasty (Taiwan). For example, the Pratītya-samutpāda Sūtra is numbered '001. Pratītya-samutpāda Sūtra'. As shown in the table below, students can read and study them sequentially to undertake a systematic learning of the sutras and treatises translated by Master Xuanzang."
Question 2: When punctuating or re-editing the Buddhist Tripitaka, what matters must be paid attention to?
Answer: As stated in the text of Upasaka Wang Muti's Spring and Autumn of Yogacara:
"Why do Buddhist sutras and treatises need to retain the original texts of the Tripitaka, such as 'The Treatise States' (論曰) or 'The Commentary States' (述曰)? For example, the Cheng Weishi Lun Integrated Compilation mentions why the word 'states' (曰) is placed in this treatise: 'However, the Abhidharmakośa-bhāṣya has verses of homage and prose explanations, both of which were composed by Vasubandhu Bodhisattva. The Mahāyāna-saṃgraha only has verses of homage and no prose explanations; the authors of the root text and the commentary are different. Now, following the Mahāyāna-saṃgraha, and also based on the Abhidharmakośa, etc., before the main verses, the words 'The verse states' are placed, and the prose is crowned with 'The treatise states'. This treatise now does the same. The words of the verse do not apply to the prose, but the treatise applies to both; thus, saying 'The treatise says' is of no great hindrance. From here down, the quoted texts only say 'The treatise' without adding the word 'says' (云), but all treatises place the word 'states' (曰).' Knowing that the prose is crowned with 'The treatise states,' one must not delete it at the editor's whim."
"For anyone re-editing, providing commentary, parsing sentences, organizing comparative readings, or interpreting sutras and treatises, you must absolutely not arbitrarily change the position of the sentences in the texts, such as reversing the order of the sentences. Furthermore, you must absolutely not delete the original treatises existing in the Tripitaka; otherwise, it will result in a grave fault. What fault? The great fault of rendering people unable to generate faith. If it is necessary to delete or move the inner text of a sutra or treatise, one should provide an explanation to avoid causing misunderstandings for future students. ... One must contemplate every single word and sentence of the Buddhist sutras and treatises; only in this way can one enter the Dharma door without generating misunderstandings."
Question 3: What is the future publishing direction of this Association?
Answer:
菩薩藏佛教學會，目前已經出版：
《成唯識論述記集成編對讀》（二十冊）《成唯識論述記集成編對讀》（二十冊）
300《玄奘三藏譯撰全輯》七十六部 唐 玄奘 譯撰 台灣 王穆提 疏文斷句
299《攝大乘論及釋》疏文斷句七種合刊 台灣 王穆提 疏文斷句彙整
303 唯識宗念佛法門〈唯心念佛〉 日本 解脫上人 貞慶法師 撰 台灣 王穆提 疏文斷句