「須菩提！ 於意云何？若有人滿三千大千世界七寶以用布施，是人以是因緣， 得福多不？」 「如是，世尊！此人以是因緣，得福甚多。」 「須菩提！若福德有實，如來不說得福德多； 以福德無故，如來說得福德多。
“Subhūti, what do you think? If someone filled three thousand great thousand-worlds with the Seven Precious Jewels [saptaratnaparipūrṇa], and gave them away in the practice of giving [dāna], would this person obtain many merits [puṇya] from such causes and conditions [nidāna]?” “Thusly, Bhagavān, from such causes and conditions [nidāna], the merits [puṇya] of this person would be extremely many.” “Subhūti, if such merits [puṇya] truly existed, then the Tathāgata would not say that many merits [puṇya] that are obtained. It is from the merits [puṇya] that are unconditioned [askandha], that the Tathāgata speaks of obtaining many merits [puṇya].
Sanskrit: tatkiṃ manyase subhūte yaḥ kaścitkulaputro vā kuladuhitā vā imaṃ trisāhasramahāsāhasraṃ lokadhātuṃ saptaratnaparipūrṇaṃ kṛtvā tathāgatebhyo'rhadbhayaḥ samyaksaṃbuddhebhyo dānaṃ dadyāt, api nu sa kulaputro vā kuladuhitā vā tatonidānaṃ bahu puṇyaskandhaṃ prasunuyāt ? subhūtirāha- bahu bhagavan, bahu sugata| bhagavānāha-evametatsubhūte, evametat| bahu sa kulaputro vā kuladuhitā vā tatonidānaṃ puṇyaskandhaṃ prasunuyādaprameyamasaṃkhyeyam| tatkasya hetoḥ ? puṇyaskandhaḥ puṇyaskandha iti subhūte askandhaḥ sa tathāgatena bhāṣitaḥ| tenocyate puṇyaskandha iti| sacet punaḥ subhūte puṇyaskandho'bhaviṣyat, na tathāgato'bhāṣiṣyat puṇyaskandhaḥ puṇyaskandha iti||19||
Diamond Sūtra Discussion
Pervading the Dharma Realm 法界通分分
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Pervading the Dharma Realm 法界通分分
Text
Vasubandhu Commentary on Merit (T25, No. 1511, Scroll 3 p0792c04-0792c16)
Comments
Here the Buddha explains that the merits generated from unconditional giving are also unconditioned (Chinese 無故, Sanskrit askandha). Therefore, he describes them as immeasurable. The Seven Precious Jewels were mentioned in Section 8, where the Buddha said that the merit from accepts and maintains even as little as a four-line gāthā from within this sūtra is greater than giving the Seven Precious Jewels. Here the point made is that the merit is great but inherently empty. True merit is gained from giving without attachment.
The English phrase causes and conditions translates the Chinese 因緣, Sanskrit nidāna.
Merit (功德) was mentioned in chapters 14, 15, and 16 and is mentioned again in chapters 19, and 28. The concept of merit was discussed in the commentary on Chapter 15. Here the Chinese words 福德 and 福 are used instead of 功德, as used in Chapter 15. The English translation by Yifa, Owens, and Romaskiewicz (2006) uses the word rewards to translate 福德 and 福 and merit to translate 功德. However, the Sanskrit text has puṇya in all cases. Rewards (福德) are discussed in chapters 4, 6, 8, 11, 19, 24, and 28.
Discussion
It seems like merit is brought up again now because of a connection with the deluded mind and impermanence at the end of Chapter 18. This raises the following discussion points:
- How does merit relate to a deluded mind, impermanence, and the statement at the end of Chapter 18?
- Can you accumulate merit?
- What are some misunderstood ideas of merit (social status, etc)?
- What are some examples of very influentual movements that started with few people and little budget? E.g. Wikipedia. Compare that to some other movements or foundations that had huge budgets, e.g. The Gates Foundation.
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佛智慧根本 非顛倒功德
以是福德相 故重說譬喻
此說何義。復有疑。向說心住顛倒。若如是福德亦是顛倒。若是顛倒何名善法。為斷此疑示現心住。雖顛倒福德非顛倒。何以故。偈言。佛智慧根本故。云何示現根本。如經。須菩提。若福德有實。如來則不說福德聚福德聚故。此義云何。明有漏福德聚是其顛倒。以此福德聚是有漏故。所以如來不說福德聚。又福德聚者。即福德聚。何以故。若非福德聚者。如來則不說為智慧根本。是故福德聚者。即福德聚。
Why is the merit simile used again? The gatha says,
The Buddha's wisdom is fundamental.
There is no deluded merit.
This is a characteristic of merit.
So the the simile is used again.
What is this saying? There are more doubts. The mind dwells in delusion. If the rewards are a delusion then something that is a delusion can be called a virtuous dharma. To remove this doubt the dwelling mind is pointed out so that delusional rewards are not thought of as a delusion. So the gatha says, because "the Buddha's wisdom is fundamental." How is this fundamental? The sutra says, "Subhuti, if rewards are real then the Buddha would not say that rewards can be accumulated." What does that mean? It can be seen that rewards with outflows are a delusion. So, accumulating rewards has outflows. If somebody does not accumulate rewards the Tathagata would not say it is because wisdom is fundamental. So, rewards can be accumulated by someone that accumulates rewards.
[Original translation]