金剛般若波羅蜜經 分十一 無為福勝分
佛在這裡算了一筆大到沒有邊的帳：一條恒河裡的沙已經數不清，再把每一粒沙各當作一條恒河，這麼多恒河的沙各當作一個三千大千世界，拿七寶裝滿，全用來布施。施得這樣多，福當然多。可是佛說，這份福仍比不上受持四句偈、為人講說的福。要緊的不是哪一邊「多」，是兩種福的體性不同——財施的福有量、可堆、終有窮盡，益的是色身；持經的福以無為般若為體，不取一個實在的福相，反而無邊，而且能荷負無上菩提。施物算得愈大，愈顯出它終究是「有量的有」；四句之約，恰恰指向那個不可算的「無得」。福，不是愈攢愈厚的東西；愈不把它當成一個可握在手裡的實福，它才愈不被框住。算到極處而仍輸給至約的一偈，正是這部經要你看的：真正的福勝，勝在無所得。
Here the Buddha runs an account so vast it has no edge: the grains of sand in a single Ganges already cannot be counted; now take each grain to be one whole Ganges, and the sands of all those Ganges rivers to be that many three-thousand-fold great-thousand world-systems—fill them with the seven jewels, and give the whole as a gift. Give on such a scale, and the merit is of course immense. Yet the Buddha says this merit still does not match the merit of one who receives and keeps even a four-line verse and explains it to others. What matters is not which side is the "greater"; it is that the two kinds of merit differ in their very nature. The merit of giving wealth has measure, can be heaped up, and is in the end exhaustible; it benefits only the body of form. The merit of upholding the sūtra has the unconditioned (無為, asaṃskṛta) prajñā for its substance; precisely because it grasps no real merit-mark, it is instead boundless—and it can shoulder unsurpassed bodhi. The larger the gift of things is reckoned to be, the more it shows itself to be a "having that has measure"; the brevity of four lines points exactly toward that uncountable "nothing attained." Merit is not a thing that grows thicker the more you hoard it; the less you treat it as a solid merit you can hold in your hand, the less it is hemmed in. That a sum reckoned to its furthest still loses to a single verse at its barest is just what this sūtra would have you see: true surpassing in merit surpasses by way of nothing attained.
Shi Huijing · Zhiyue · jingang · Division 11 · The Unconditioned Surpasses in Merit · essence · Spring 2026
〔一〕恒河沙喻：沙復為河，河復有沙
經曰：
「須菩提！如恒河中所有沙數，如是沙等恒河，於意云何？是諸恒河沙寧為多不？」須菩提言：「甚多，世尊！但諸恒河尚多無數，何況其沙。」
佛說：「須菩提！就像一條恒河裡所有的沙，把每一粒沙都當作一條恒河，這麼多恒河裡的沙——你怎麼想？這些恒河的沙算不算多呢？」須菩提回答：「太多了，世尊！單是那些恒河，就已經多得數不清，何況河裡的沙呢。」
〔二〕七寶遍滿爾所世界布施，得福甚多
經曰：
「須菩提！我今實言告汝，若有善男子、善女人，以七寶滿爾所恒河沙數三千大千世界以用布施，得福多不？」須菩提言：「甚多，世尊！」
佛說：「須菩提！我現在老實告訴你：如果有善男子、善女人，拿七種珍寶裝滿那麼多——像恒河沙數那麼多的三千大千世界，全用來布施，他所得的福多不多呢？」須菩提回答：「很多，世尊！」
〔三〕持經四句為他人說，此福勝前福德
經曰：
佛告須菩提：「若善男子、善女人於此經中，乃至受持四句偈等，為他人說，而此福德勝前福德。
佛告訴須菩提：「假如有善男子、善女人，對於這部經，哪怕只是受持其中的四句偈，又能為別人講說，那麼這份福德，要勝過前面那以無量七寶布施所得的福德。」
〔1〕The simile of the Ganges' sands: each sand its own river, each river its sands
The sūtra says:
「須菩提！如恒河中所有沙數，如是沙等恒河，於意云何？是諸恒河沙寧為多不？」須菩提言：「甚多，世尊！但諸恒河尚多無數，何況其沙。」
The Buddha said: "Subhūti! Take all the grains of sand in one Ganges River, and let each single grain stand for one whole Ganges River. Now think of all the sand in all those rivers — what do you think? Would those Ganges' sands be many?" Subhūti replied: "Very many, World-Honored One! The Ganges Rivers alone would already be beyond counting, let alone their sand."
〔2〕Filling that many worlds with the seven treasures as a gift earns much merit
The sūtra says:
「須菩提！我今實言告汝，若有善男子、善女人，以七寶滿爾所恒河沙數三千大千世界以用布施，得福多不？」須菩提言：「甚多，世尊！」
The Buddha said: "Subhūti! I tell you now in plain truth: suppose a good man or good woman were to take the seven kinds of treasure and fill that many — as many as the Ganges' sands — three-thousandfold great-thousand world-systems, and give them all away as a gift; would the merit they gained be much?" Subhūti replied: "Very much, World-Honored One!"
〔3〕Keeping four lines of the sūtra and teaching them surpasses that merit
The sūtra says:
佛告須菩提：「若善男子、善女人於此經中，乃至受持四句偈等，為他人說，而此福德勝前福德。
The Buddha said to Subhūti: "Suppose a good man or good woman, with regard to this sūtra, were to receive and keep even so little as a four-line verse from it, and could explain it to others — then this merit would surpass the former merit, the merit gained from giving away those measureless treasures."
Shi Huijing · Zhiyue · jingang · Division 11 · The Unconditioned Surpasses in Merit · vernacular · Spring 2026
拿三性（遍計所執·依他起·圓成實）、「福德無實性」、「福相法身」來照金剛經這一段「以無量財施較量持經之福」。
本分的眼：重舉一個更大的施，反而顯出持經的勝
前面分八已經比過一回：拿三千大千世界的七寶布施，比不上受持四句偈為人講說。到這一分，佛把這個比較再舉一遍，而且把施物加到極大——先用恒河沙喻鋪一個天文之數：一條恒河裡的沙已經數不清，再把每一粒沙都當作一條恒河，這麼多恒河裡的沙各當作一個三千大千世界，拿七寶裝滿這無量無邊的世界去布施。施得這樣多，福自然「甚多」。可是佛仍判：持經四句為人說的福，勝過這份財施之福。古德都點出這「重舉」的用意——智顗一句「積寶多而功薄，四句約而福厚」：施物堆得愈多、愈有量，反而愈顯持經一四句之約而無窮。本分沒有「即非」那種一句之內立即遣的三段式，它走的是另一條路：用一個算到極大的有量之福，反過來逼顯無為法施的無得之勝。
「無為福勝」之「無為」：法施的福以無為般若為體
這一分名「無為福勝」，「無為」二字不是憑空來的，是接著前分「一切賢聖皆以無為法而有差別」說下來的。持經之福所以勝過財施，不在它「多」，在它的「體」不同：財施所成的，是有為之福——可量、可堆、終有窮盡；持經所成的，是以無為般若為體的福——無有為福的實自性，所以「不可思量」。用唯識的眼看，這正落在三性上：七寶布施、福德宛然，這是依緣而起的事相，是依他起——依他就是依靠眾多條件而生起；可是凡夫在這福上，妄加一層「實有一個福、實有所得」的執，把緣生的假福當成心外實在可握的東西，這一層就是遍計所執，根本無體。「無為福勝」要遣的，正是這層把福執為實的計度。
「福德無故，故說福德多」：愈不取福相，福愈無邊
唯識讀本分，最透的一句鑰匙，在後面分十九佛自己點破：「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。」——福德的「多」，恰恰建立在它「無實性」上。這話初聽弔詭：怎麼「無」反成「多」？順三性就清楚了：福德的事相（七寶布施宛然）是依他起，緣生而有；不把這福德取為實有一物（福德即非福德性），是遣掉那層遍計所執；正因不取福相、不落能得所得，這福才不被一個「有量的實福」框住，而成其無邊——這便是立圓成實：無所得處，福乃無窮。所以本分的「無為福勝」與後分的「福德無故」是一條線：有為之福以「有實可得」自限其量，無為之福以「不取福相」而其福無邊。施物算到恒河沙數恒河之沙那樣的極多，仍不及持經，正因前者落在「有量之實」裡，後者出在「無實之無得」上。
「福相法身」「福不持菩提」：持經的福與佛菩提為因
財施的福那麼多，何以仍不及持經一四句？古德的答覆很一致，落在「這福能不能荷負菩提」上。世親兩度釋此分都用「福相法身」來讀：持經之福所以勝，在於它與佛的菩提、法身為因。世親一偈說得最直：「福不持菩提，彼二能持故」——財施的福不能荷負無上菩提，唯有「自己受持」與「為他人說」這兩件事，才荷得起菩提。所以這裡的「福」分了兩種體性：財施之福是煩惱染污的因（世親「彼因習煩惱」），益的是色身、伏的是慳貪；法施之福是清淨菩提的因，益的是法身、能斷惑出有。吉藏把這財法之別列了八重，要義也在此——法施益法身、能斷惑、出有為法，財施只益肉身、只是伏慳。用唯識說，這正是「福相法身」之義：持經之福不是世間有漏的福報，是熏成佛菩提的資糧，與法身真如為因，所以重舉再多的財施，也越不過它。
福德反顯無得：「重舉勝喻」的古德定讀
那為什麼要在前面比過一回之後，又重舉一個更大的施來比？這正是本分的章法。世親立一疑為樞：「前已說過福德的譬喻了，何故此處又說？」答以「重說勝喻」——前一回的喻只顯了「福多」，還沒顯出「持經能成就大菩提」這個更要緊的因，所以重舉一個施物更大、福田更勝（諸異譯多作「布施給諸佛如來」）的喻，正為顯：無為法施能持菩提，勝過有為財福。吉藏也說：施物加倍、福田由施眾生升到供養諸佛，看似又多又勝，「由是有所得施，亦不及持經」。一面把財施鋪張到無量阿僧祇，一面以四句之至約相形——於施的正極處，陡然翻出持經的勝。這「以多顯約、以有量顯無得」的筆法，與分四「以虛空之不可量顯無住施之福」同一翻轉：都不是去破立一句話，而是把一個算到極大的「有」，反過來照出那個不可算的「無得」。
唯識為鏡：同一實相，經語與論語
以唯識為鏡讀這一分，不是說唯識從金剛經流出——三性、轉依、菩提資糧之說，自有其經源（解深密、瑜伽）與論本，般若另是一系；而是同一「福而無得、無得而福勝」之旨，金剛經以經語（無為福勝·福德無故·此福勝彼）說，唯識以論語（福德無實性·福相法身·三性·無得）說，兩相對照，其義益顯。三十頌以遍計所執說「福德有實」之妄執所當遣、以圓成實說無分別智所顯的無得之福；攝大乘論說六波羅蜜，法施攝於般若，「福相法身」與果斷三身相涉；成唯識論說「無所得」、說淨法熏習為菩提資糧，正與本分「福德無故而福多」「持經能持菩提」相印。般若一系的心經「無智亦無得」「以無所得故」，施福而無能得所得之實，與本分「無為福勝·福德無故」同一無所得之福。一句收束：金剛經以經語說的「無為福勝、以福德無故說福德多」，成唯識論以「無得·菩提資糧·淨法熏習」的技術語說的，是同一件事〔此一會通，釋慧鏡《從百法到金剛》（S5-P10）已明其旨〕。
Taking the three natures (遍計所執 parikalpita · 依他起 paratantra · 圓成實 pariniṣpanna), “merit has no real nature,” and “the merit-mark and the Dharma-body” to throw light on this passage of the Diamond Sūtra that “weighs the merit of upholding the sūtra against a giving of immeasurable wealth.”
The Eye of the Division: Raising an Even Greater Giving, Which Conversely Discloses the Superiority of Upholding the Sūtra
Division 8 already made one such comparison: that giving the seven jewels of the three-thousand great-thousandfold world does not equal receiving and keeping a four-line verse and expounding it for others. By this division, the Buddha raises that comparison once more, and now enlarges the thing given to the utmost — first laying out an astronomical figure with the simile of the Ganges sands: the sands in a single Ganges are already past counting; now take each grain of sand to be itself a Ganges, and the sands in all those Ganges each to be a three-thousand great-thousandfold world, and fill all these measureless, boundless worlds with the seven jewels to give away. Given on such a scale, the merit is of course “very much.” Yet the Buddha still judges: the merit of upholding a four-line verse of the sūtra and expounding it for others surpasses the merit of this giving of wealth. The ancient masters all point out the intent of this “raising it once more” — Zhiyi’s line 「積寶多而功薄，四句約而福厚」 (“the more jewels are heaped up, the thinner the merit; the four lines are spare, yet the blessing is rich”): the more the thing given is piled up, the more measured it becomes, and conversely the more it discloses the spareness-yet-endlessness of upholding a single four-line verse. This division has no three-part “is-not” formula that dispels within a single phrase; it walks another road: using a measured merit counted to the utmost to throw into relief, by contrast, the nothing-attained superiority of the unconditioned Dharma-giving.
The “Unconditioned” of “the Unconditioned Surpasses in Merit”: the Merit of Dharma-Giving Has Unconditioned Prajñā as Its Substance
This division is named “the unconditioned surpasses in merit,” and the two words “unconditioned” (無為) do not come from nowhere — they follow on from the previous division’s “all the sages and saints differ by reference to the unconditioned Dharma.” The merit of upholding the sūtra surpasses the giving of wealth not because it is “much,” but because its substance is different: what the giving of wealth accomplishes is conditioned merit — measurable, heap-able, and in the end exhaustible; what upholding the sūtra accomplishes is merit whose substance is unconditioned prajñā — having no real own-nature of conditioned merit, and so “beyond reckoning.” To the Yogācāra eye this falls just upon the three natures: the giving of seven jewels, the merit manifestly there — this is a phenomenon arisen in reliance on conditions, 依他起 (“dependent on other” — arisen in reliance on a manifold of conditions); yet the ordinary person, upon this merit, adds a layer of clinging — “there really is a merit, there really is something attained” — taking the conditionally-arisen provisional merit to be a thing really existing outside the mind and graspable, and this layer is 遍計所執, from the root without substance. What “the unconditioned surpasses in merit” must dispel is precisely this layer of reckoning that grasps merit as real.
“Because Merit Has Nothing, He Says the Merit Is Much”: the Less the Merit-Mark Is Grasped, the More Boundless the Merit
The most penetrating key to reading this division in Yogācāra lies in a line the Buddha himself breaks open later, in Division 19: 「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」 (“if merit were real, the Tathāgata would not say one attains much merit; because merit has nothing, the Tathāgata says one attains much merit”) — the “muchness” of merit is established precisely upon its “having no real nature.” Heard at first this sounds paradoxical: how does “having nothing” turn into “much”? Along the three natures it becomes clear: the phenomenon of merit (the giving of seven jewels, manifestly there) is 依他起, conditionally-arisen and present; not grasping this merit as a real thing (merit is not merit-nature) dispels that layer of 遍計所執; and precisely because the merit-mark is not grasped and one does not fall into an attainer or an attained, this merit is not boxed in by “a measured real merit,” and so becomes boundless — this is the establishing of 圓成實: where nothing is attained, the merit is endless. So this division’s “the unconditioned surpasses in merit” and the later division’s “because merit has nothing” are one line: conditioned merit, by “having a real attainment,” limits its own measure; unconditioned merit, by “not grasping the merit-mark,” is boundless in its merit. The thing given, counted to so extreme a “much” as the sands of as many Ganges as the sands of the Ganges, still does not match upholding the sūtra — precisely because the former falls within “measured reality,” while the latter issues from “the nothing-attained that has no reality.”
“The Merit-Mark and the Dharma-Body,” “Merit Cannot Carry Awakening”: the Merit of Upholding the Sūtra Is the Cause of the Buddha’s Awakening
The merit of giving wealth is so very much — why does it still not match a single four-line verse of upholding the sūtra? The ancient masters’ answer is wholly consistent, and falls on “whether or not this merit can bear up awakening.” Vasubandhu, in both of his commentaries on this division, reads it through the merit-mark and the Dharma-body (福相法身): the merit of upholding the sūtra surpasses because it is a cause for the Buddha’s awakening and Dharma-body. Vasubandhu’s verse states it most directly: 「福不持菩提，彼二能持故」 (“merit does not carry awakening; those two can carry it”) — the merit of giving wealth cannot bear up supreme awakening; only the two things, “oneself receiving and keeping” and “expounding for others,” can bear up awakening. So “merit” here is divided into two substances: the merit of giving wealth is a cause of defiled affliction (Vasubandhu: 「彼因習煩惱」, “its cause practices affliction”), benefiting the form-body and subduing stinginess; the merit of Dharma-giving is a cause of pure awakening, benefiting the Dharma-body and able to cut delusion and emerge from the conditioned. Jizang sets out eight points of difference between giving wealth and giving Dharma, and the essential meaning is the same — Dharma-giving benefits the Dharma-body, can cut delusion, and emerges from conditioned dharmas, while giving wealth only benefits the body of flesh and merely subdues stinginess. Said in Yogācāra, this is just the sense of “the merit-mark and the Dharma-body”: the merit of upholding the sūtra is not the outflow-blessing of the worldly defiled, but the provision that perfumes into the Buddha’s awakening, a cause for the Dharma-body and 真如 (tathatā) — and so however much the giving of wealth is raised again, it cannot get past it.
Merit Conversely Discloses Nothing-Attained: the Ancient Masters’ Settled Reading of “Raising the Superior Simile Again”
Why, then, after one comparison has already been made, raise an even greater giving to compare a second time? This is precisely the structural method of the division. Vasubandhu sets up a doubt as the pivot: “the simile of merit has already been stated before — why state it again here?” The answer: 「重說勝喻」 (“re-stating the superior simile”) — the earlier simile only disclosed “merit is much,” and had not yet disclosed the more essential cause that “upholding the sūtra can accomplish great awakening,” and so a simile with a greater thing given and a more superior field of merit is raised again (many of the alternate translations make it “giving to the Buddhas and Tathāgatas”), precisely to disclose: the unconditioned Dharma-giving can carry awakening, surpassing conditioned wealth-merit. Jizang too says: the thing given is doubled, the field of merit rises from giving to sentient beings to making offerings to the Buddhas — seeming both more and superior — “but being a giving with attainment, it still does not match upholding the sūtra.” On one side wealth-giving is spread out to the measureless asaṃkhyeya; on the other the utter spareness of four lines is set against it — and at the very apex of giving, the superiority of upholding the sūtra suddenly turns out. This brushwork of “disclosing the spare by the much, disclosing nothing-attained by the measured” is one and the same turn as Division 4’s “disclosing the merit of non-abiding giving by the immeasurability of space”: neither one is the breaking-and-establishing of a single phrase, but rather the taking of a “having” counted to the utmost and turning it over to throw light on that uncountable “nothing-attained.”
Yogācāra as Mirror: One and the Same Reality, in the Sūtra’s Words and the Treatise’s Words
To read this division with Yogācāra as a mirror is not to say Yogācāra flows out of the Diamond Sūtra — the doctrines of the three natures, the transformation of the basis, and the provisions of awakening have their own scriptural sources (the Saṃdhinirmocana, the Yogācārabhūmi) and treatise-witnesses; prajñā is another lineage. Rather, it is one and the same purport — “merit yet nothing-attained, nothing-attained yet merit surpasses” — which the Diamond Sūtra states in the sūtra’s words (the unconditioned surpasses in merit · because merit has nothing · this merit surpasses that), and which Yogācāra states in the treatise’s words (merit has no real nature · the merit-mark and the Dharma-body · the three natures · nothing-attained); set side by side, the sense of each shows the clearer. The Thirty Verses, through 遍計所執, speak of the false clinging of “merit being real” that ought to be dispelled, and through 圓成實 of the nothing-attained merit disclosed by non-discriminating wisdom; the Mahāyāna-saṃgraha, speaking of the six pāramitās, gathers Dharma-giving under prajñā, and “the merit-mark and the Dharma-body” interlaces with the fruit’s severance and the three bodies; the Cheng weishi lun speaks of “nothing-attained” and of the perfuming of pure dharmas as the provision of awakening — sealing exactly with this division’s “because merit has nothing, the merit is much” and “upholding the sūtra can carry awakening.” And in the prajñā lineage itself, the Heart Sūtra’s 「無智亦無得」 (“no wisdom and no attainment”) and 「以無所得故」 (“because of nothing attained”) — the merit of giving with no reality of an attainer or an attained — is one and the same nothing-attained merit as this division’s “the unconditioned surpasses in merit · because merit has nothing.” To close in a line: what the Diamond Sūtra states in the sūtra’s words as “the unconditioned surpasses in merit, because merit has nothing he says the merit is much,” the Cheng weishi lun states in the technical words “nothing-attained · the provision of awakening · the perfuming of pure dharmas” — and it is one and the same matter 〔this reconciliation Shi Huijing has already clarified in purport in From the Hundred Dharmas to the Diamond (S5-P10)〕.
Shi Huijing · Zhiyue · jingang · Division 11 · The Unconditioned Surpasses in Merit · exposition · Spring 2026
考據Apparatus
一、科判定位（福德較量 · 加「較量結構」小目）
| 科判系統 | 此分之位 |
|---|---|
| 昭明 32分 | 分十一 無為福勝分 |
| 釋慧鏡 §17 二分 | 前半（眾生空·破四相·煩惱障；以福德較量反顯無得） |
| 道安 三分 | 正宗分 · 重校量（前校量之後重舉勝喻） |
| 無著十八住 T1510 | 第九住 遠離隨順外論散亂（十八住「九、遠離隨順外論散亂」[0757b08–09]；經文錨「須菩提！於意云何？若恒伽河所有沙，復有爾許恒伽河」[0757c07–09]；八住攝之為「離障礙住處」者，謂餘十二種 [0758c03]） |
| 世親 二十七疑 T1511/T1513 | 「前已說多福德譬喻，何故此中復說」之疑（T1511 0786c06），答以「重說勝喻」（後福過前，成勝校量） |
| 吉藏（三論）T1699 | 「『須菩提！於意云何？如恒河中所有沙數』下，此第二、舉諸恒河沙珍寶布施格量持說四句偈也」[0112a22–23] |
| 智顗（天台）T1698 | 重校量（「『三千七寶』下，校量……今一念信解，復一番格量」[0078b17–19]；以「積寶多而功薄，四句約而福厚」立讀） |
| 窺基（唯識）T1700 | 「依世親釋，就大文第二重校量之中……自下第二正校量中復二，初、以財施校，次、命施校」[0138b12–15] |
較量結構（福德反顯無得）：本分以「校量」為體——前分（分八 依法出生）已以三千大千世界七寶布施校量持四句之福，此分重舉勝喻，將施物加倍至「恆河沙數恆河之沙數」三千大千世界七寶（無量阿僧祇之多），所施之福田亦勝（諸譯多作「施諸佛如來」，見目二），正極處仍判持經四句之福「勝前福德無量阿僧祇」。世親判此重說有二義：一「說多義差別」（顯施之多），二「成勝校量」（顯持經功德能得大菩提，前未顯故）[0786c08–c14]。財施所以不及法施，吉藏列八義（能施是聖人智人·所受是智人·能所二人俱得福·能所皆得而不失·法施益法身·法施能斷惑·法施出有法·財施益肉身伏慳）[0112b26–0112c09]。本分「無為福勝」之「無為」，正繫前分「一切賢聖皆以無為法而有差別」之無為——法施之福以無為般若為體，故勝有為之財施。本分無「即非」三段式（其唯識義見目三）。
二、異譯對勘（六漢譯 · 恆河沙寶施較量一段）
要句：恆河中沙數恆河 / 七寶滿爾所世界布施（施諸佛如來）/ 得福甚多 / 持經四句為他人說 / 福勝前福德無量阿僧祇
| 版本 | 恆河沙寶施較量一段（逐字節錄） | [出處] |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T235（原典） | 「須菩提！如恒河中所有沙數，如是沙等恒河，於意云何？是諸恒河沙寧為多不？」須菩提言：「甚多，世尊！但諸恒河尚多無數，何況其沙。」「須菩提！我今實言告汝，若有善男子、善女人，以七寶滿爾所恒河沙數三千大千世界以用布施，得福多不？」須菩提言：「甚多，世尊！」佛告須菩提：「若善男子、善女人於此經中，乃至受持四句偈等，為他人說，而此福德勝前福德。 | 0749c26–0750a05 |
| 菩提流支 T236 | ……以七寶滿爾數恒沙數世界，以施諸佛如來……佛告須菩提：「以七寶滿爾數恒河沙世界，持用布施。若善男子、善女人，於此法門，乃至受持四句偈等，為他人說，而此福德，勝前福德無量阿僧祇。 | 0754a08–a18 |
| 真諦 T237 | ……若有善男子、善女人，以七寶遍滿，持施如來應供正遍覺知……「若善男子、善女人，以七寶遍滿爾所恒伽沙世界，持用布施。若善男子、善女人，從此經典乃至四句偈等，恭敬受持，為他正說。是人所生福德，最勝於彼無量無數！ | 0763b07–b19 |
| 達摩笈多 T238 | ……若此三千大千世界七寶滿作已，如來等、應等、正遍知等施與……若此法本，乃至四句等偈，受已，為他等分別廣說，此，彼緣，多過福聚生，無量、不可數。 | 0767c10–c21 |
| 玄奘 T220⑨ | ……乃至殑伽河中所有沙數，假使有如是沙等殑伽河，是諸殑伽河沙寧為多不？……以妙七寶盛滿爾所殑伽河沙等世界，奉施如來、應、正等覺……於此法門乃至四句伽他，受持、讀誦、究竟通利，及廣為他宣說、開示、如理作意，由此因緣所生福聚，甚多於前無量無數。 | 0981c12–c26 |
| 義淨 T239 | ……如弶伽河中所有沙數，復有如是沙等弶伽河，此諸河沙，寧為多不？……若復有人，以寶滿此河沙數量世界，奉施如來，得福多不？……「若復有人，於此經中受持一頌，并為他說，而此福聚，勝前福聚無量無邊。 | 0773a11–a17 |
異文所繫：
- 施境之異——「三千大千世界」對「施諸佛如來」：羅什、笈多作「以七寶滿〔恆河沙數〕三千大千世界以用布施」（施境止於世界，受者未標）；流支「以施諸佛如來」、真諦「持施如來應供正遍覺知」、玄奘「奉施如來、應、正等覺」、義淨「奉施如來」——「能斷」一系四本（流支·真諦·玄奘·義淨）皆明標受者為佛（如來）。施境之有無「諸佛如來」，繫於福田之勝劣：吉藏正以此立讀——「上大千珍寶但施眾生，故是福田劣；今恆沙珍寶供養諸佛，此是福田勝」
[0112a26–28]，明此重校量不唯施物加倍，福田亦由眾生升至諸佛，而仍不及持經。 - 「勝前福德」之量詞：羅什但「勝前福德」（無量詞）；流支「勝前福德無量阿僧祇」、真諦「最勝於彼無量無數」、笈多「多過福聚生，無量、不可數」、玄奘「甚多於前無量無數」、義淨「勝前福聚無量無邊」——五本皆綴「無量阿僧祇／無量無數／無量無邊」之量詞，羅什獨簡。無著有「無量者，過譬喻故；阿僧祇者，顯多故」之釋（
T1510 [0761b25–26]，見目五）。 - 持經行之廣狹：羅什「受持四句偈等，為他人說」（二事：受持·為說）；玄奘擴為「受持、讀誦、究竟通利，及廣為他宣說、開示、如理作意」（六事）、真諦「恭敬受持，為他正說」、義淨「受持一頌，并為他說」。世親 T1513 判「文有三者：一受持、二讀誦、三演說」
[0880a23–a24]、復分「文義二正行」（自熟內己·餘成他有情）[0880b03–b05]——持經之廣狹，繫於「自利利他」二門（見目四）。 - 沙數之喻——「恆河沙數恆河之沙」：六本全具二重恆河沙之喻（一恆河之沙，每一沙各為一恆河，取此無量恆河之沙各為一世界）——此「沙復為河、河復有沙」之疊喻穩定，正所以極言施境之無量（見目六）。玄奘、義淨作「殑伽／弶伽河」（梵 Gaṅgā 之異音譯）。
三、即非・三性（本分無即非 · 福德無故·福相法身 · 唯識義）
本分無「X — 即非X — 是名X」之三段式（前分「佛法者即非佛法」[0749b25] 已收即非一式，此分為其後之較量段；本分逕以福德較量反顯無得，不另立即非）。此非闕，乃本分義在「以福德反顯無得」而非「破立」之遮詮。其唯識義有二：
- 福德無故（福德無實性）：本分「無為福勝」之「無為」，繫前分「一切賢聖皆以無為法而有差別」
[0749b17]——法施之福以無為般若為體，無有為福德之實自性，故能勝有為財施而「不可思量」。此即後分「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」[0751c03–04]之先聲：福德之多，正以其「無實性」（不取福德相）而成。福德之事相（七寶布施宛然）即依他起，不取福德為實（福德即非福德性）即遣遍計所執，福德無故而說福德多（無得之得）即立圓成實。 - 福相法身·福不持菩提：世親二釋俱以「福相法身」讀此較量——持經之福所以勝財施者，以其與佛菩提（法身）為因。世親 T1513 偈「福不持菩提，彼二能持故」
[0877a19]：財施之福不能荷負菩提，唯「自受、為他說」二行（受持·演說）能持菩提（「言福於菩提不能持負故，二於菩提是能持故」[0877a19–21]）。此即由「福德無故」（不住福相）轉出「福相法身」（持經出生如來菩提）之唯識義（見目四）。
福德較量映無得：本分以「重舉勝喻」（施物加倍、福田升佛）而仍判持經之福勝，正以「無為法施」之福無實性、能持菩提，反顯「有所得施功德則少，無所得施其福無邊」（吉藏 [0103c16–18]，前分義通此）。即非映三性之讀，見釋慧鏡《即非三段式映射唯識三性》（S5-P01）；本分為其於福德位（以福反顯無得）之一施。
四、諸家異釋（古德 · 重說勝喻·福相法身·財法八義 · 加重）
核心 加重 ——世親（二譯）「重說勝喻」斷疑 ＋ 福相法身·福不持菩提 ＋ 吉藏財法八義 ＋ 無著第九住攝取福德： 古德於本分同以「何故重說福德譬喻」之疑為樞，逐項錨於經文。
世親 T1511（菩提流支譯） 論偈 [0786c08–c09]（斷「何故重說」之疑）：
「說多義差別，亦成勝挍量；後福過於前，故重說勝喻。」
「此義云何？前說三千世界譬喻明福德多，今重說無量三千世界故。何故不先說此喻？為漸化眾生令生信心上妙義故。又前未顯以何等勝功德能得大菩提故，以此喻成彼功德，是故重說勝喻」[0786c10–c14]。次釋持經所以勝財施，論偈 [0787a05–a06]：
「尊重於二處，因習證大體；彼因習煩惱，此降伏染福。」
「尊重於二處者，一者所說處，隨何等處說此經，令生尊重奇特相故；二者能說人，隨何等人能受持及說，以尊重經論故」[0787a07–a09]；「彼珍寶布施福德是染煩惱因，以能成就煩惱事故」[0787a14–a15]；「此福德能成佛菩提故……是故受持演說此法門，能成佛菩提勝彼福德」[0787a21–a24]。
世親 T1513（義淨譯） 論頌 [0878a16–a17]（重說勝喻）：
「為顯多差別，及以成殊勝，前後福不同，更陳其喻說。」
「前明三千世界，喻顯福多；今說無數三千，彰其更廣……前福差別不明成立之因，為於菩提無有荷持之用；今欲顯其能立因相，更將別喻隨事而言」[0878a18–a22]。次釋「福聚即非福聚」與「福不持菩提」，論頌 [0877a16]、[0877a19]：
「自受為他說，非無益集福。」「福不持菩提，彼二能持故。」
「言福於菩提不能持負故，二於菩提是能持故……何謂為二？謂自受、為他說」[0877a20–a21]；釋「聚」聲二義：「由其聚聲有二種義：一是聚積義；二是肩荷義……由其不能持荷菩提，說為非聚，即非肩義是積聚義。此二是菩提因，福乃甚多」[0877a22–a28]。
〔二譯對位：流支「說多義差別，亦成勝挍量」＝義淨「為顯多差別，及以成殊勝」；流支「彼因習煩惱，此降伏染福」（財施染因·法施降染）＝義淨「福不持菩提，彼二能持故」（財福不持菩提·受持演說能持）——同一世親論之二漢譯，名異義一。〕
無著 T1510（達摩笈多譯）：此分為十八住之第九「遠離隨順外論散亂」[0757b08–09]，經文錨「為遠離隨順外論散亂故，經言『須菩提！於意云何？若恒伽河所有沙，復有爾許恒伽河』如是等」[0757c07–c09]，八住攝之為「離障礙住處」之餘十二種[0758c03]。無著以四種因緣 顯示此法勝異：「一攝取福德，二天等供養，三難作，四起如來等念。經言『以此因緣，得福多彼』者，是攝取福德」[0762a11–a14]——本分恆河沙寶施較量，正是其「攝取福德」一支（持經之福攝勝於財施）。
吉藏（三論）T1699：「『須菩提！於意云何？如恒河中所有沙數』下，此第二、舉諸恒河沙珍寶布施格量持說四句偈也」[0112a22–23]。釋何故重舉：「上明布施少……今明布施多，謂諸恒沙世界珍寶應及持經。又上大千珍寶但施眾生，故是福田劣；今恆沙珍寶供養諸佛，此是福田勝，應及持經。今明雖施多田勝，由是有所得施，亦不及持經也」[0112a24–29]。釋何故不即接前校量：「上聞大千格量不及持經……謂波若猶是可取可說，云何受持四句及勝大千珍寶？是以上廣釋疑，明波若非可取可說故……所以釋前疑竟，方顯勝之所由，故方更格量也」[0112b03–b08]。財施不及法施列八義：「一者、明法施之時，能施之人多是聖人智人……二、明受法施之人亦必是智人方能領受……三者、明得福為勝，財施則但明能施之者得福，受施之者則不得；若使法施，則能所二人竝皆得福……四者、法施則能施所施皆得而不失……五者、財施則但益肉身，法施則益法身。六者、則法施能斷惑，財施正是伏慳。七者、法施則出有法，財施則是有流」[0112b26–0112c09]。
智顗（天台）T1698：「『三千七寶』下，校量。前舉虛空，此豈不盡？今一念信解，復一番格量。積寶多而功薄，四句約而福厚，金玉三千止以養身，一偈雖約妙極資神」[0078b17–b21]；「七寶是事善、緣因，天人果報不動不出，故以動出之慧導之得成菩提，一念圓信能導眾善，此心為勝，實相能出諸法，法即非法，諸法不生般若生也」[0078b21–b25]。〔天台以二周重說讀經，恆河沙重校量收於其「校量顯勝」一科；「積寶多而功薄，四句約而福厚」即其於財法較量之定讀。〕
古德三家異流（三論·天台·唯識）於本分同歸世親「重說勝喻」之斷疑：何故重舉福德譬喻——以前喻但顯福多、未顯持經能成菩提之因，今重舉勝喻（施物加倍·福田升佛）正所以顯「無為法施能持菩提、勝有為財福」。財施染煩惱因、不持菩提（世親），法施益法身、能斷惑、出有法（吉藏八義），此即本分「無為福勝」之古德定讀。
五、術語
恆河沙 Gaṅgā-nadī-vālukā（玄奘·義淨作「殑伽／弶伽河」；吉藏「於四河中恒河最大，其沙又多」[0112b18–19]、窺基「方廣深淺四十里為一恒河沙」[0138b22–23]）·
無為（法）asaṃskṛta（本分「無為福勝」之「無為」，繫前分「一切賢聖皆以無為法而有差別」[0749b17]；法施之福以無為般若為體）·
福德／福聚 puṇya-skandha（流支·真諦作「福德聚」、笈多·玄奘·義淨作「福聚」；世親 T1513「聚聲有二義：聚積·肩荷」[0877a22–28]）·
阿僧祇 asaṃkhya（無量數；無著「無量者，過譬喻故；阿僧祇者，顯多故」T1510 [0761b25–26]）·
福相法身（持經之福與佛菩提·法身為因；世親「福不持菩提，彼二能持故」[0877a19]）·
受持·讀誦·演說（文正行三 dhāraṇa · vācana · deśanā；世親 T1513「文有三者：一受持、二讀誦、三演說」[0880a23–a24]）。〔梵文發音輔助；施境之譯異（三千大千世界／施諸佛如來）見目二異文所繫。〕
六、譬喻・修辭（沙復為河之疊喻 + 較量結構 · 加重）
疊喻 [0749c26–c28]：「如恒河中所有沙數，如是沙等恒河……是諸恒河沙寧為多不？」「但諸恒河尚多無數，何況其沙。」
- 喻體：恆河沙數之恆河，再取此無量恆河之沙（沙復為河、河復有沙之二重疊加）。
- 喻依：「諸河顯數尚以無邊，況河中之沙云何可數」（吉藏
[0112b15–17]）——以不可數之沙顯施境之無量。 - 所顯唯識義：施境雖極於無量阿僧祇，所成有為財福仍有實可量、為生死因（窺基「其財施者為生死因，易可破壞」
[0138b29]）；持經一四句之無為福則「與菩提為因，一切外緣所不能壞」（窺基[0138b27–b29]）——以「有量之極多」反顯「無為之無得」。
較量結構（福德反顯無得 · 古德定讀，見目四）：
- 重舉之勝：前分（分八）止以三千大千世界七寶校量，此分重舉「恆河沙數恆河之沙數」三千大千世界七寶（施物無量阿僧祇之加倍）、福田由施眾生升至「施諸佛如來」（諸譯，見目二），而仍判持經四句之福勝——施之極多反顯法施之勝（吉藏「雖施多田勝，由是有所得施，亦不及持經」
[0112a28–29]）。 - 積寶與四句之相形：「積寶多而功薄，四句約而福厚」（智顗
[0078b19]）——七寶之「多而有量」與四句之「約而無窮」相形，於施境正極處陡顯持經之勝。
修辭之要：先以二重恆河沙極言施境之無量（鋪張之「廣」），復以「受持四句偈」之至約（翻轉之「約」）相形——極多之財施與至約之法施相形，於「施之無量」正極處反顯「持經之勝」。此「以多顯約、以有量顯無得」之修辭，與分四「以虛空顯無住施之福」、分三「全度而即空」同一翻轉之筆。此目於福德較量分（分八·十一·十五·廿四）加重，配「較量結構」小目。
七、互讀
- 三十頌（T1586）：二空·轉依（v.29 圓成實）——本分「無為福勝·福不持菩提」即「無為法施之福以無分別智為體、能持菩提」之經語對應；遍計所執（v.20）為「福德有實」之妄執所對治之論本。
- 二十論（T1590）：唯識無境·破實有外塵——財施福為煩惱塵染因之說（世親，〔見目四〕）與二十論破實塵之旨相通；此義繫於次分微塵段，本分為其先聲。
- 攝大乘論（T1594）：入因果·六波羅蜜（法施攝於般若度；福相法身與「果斷·三身」之論本相涉）。
- 成唯識論（T1585）：轉依·無得（「福德無故說福德多」即「無所得」之論本技術語；福不持菩提·受持演說能持菩提，即「淨法熏習·菩提資糧」之經語對應）。
- 心經（T251）：「無智亦無得」「以無所得故」——施福而無能得所得之實，與本分「無為福勝·福德無故」同一無所得之福。
本分「無為福勝·福德無故」，即三十頌、成唯識論「無得·轉依」之經語對應；「福不持菩提，受持演說能持」（〔見目四〕世親二釋）即攝論、成唯識論「菩提資糧·淨法熏習」之先聲。釋慧鏡命題「金剛經以經語說成唯識論以技術語說者」〔摘自《從百法到金剛》S5-P10〕；福德反顯無得之讀，通於「應無所住而生其心」之轉依〔摘自《應無所住而生其心》S5-P06〕。〔約定：只列實相關者，不强挂——系聯，非湊數。辯中邊論於本分無正面對位，從闕。〕
八、東西對觀（西方視角 · 對觀，非裁奪）
- 「無為福勝」之福德較量 ↔ 西方價值論之「不可通約性」（incommensurability；物質之善與精神之善能否同尺度衡量）：西方亦辨「量之多」（財寶）與「質之勝」（智慧）不可同度；唯識／古德讀「福勝」非僅價值層級之高下，乃福之體性之異——財福有實、為生死因、染煩惱（世親「彼因習煩惱」），法福無實、持菩提、益法身（吉藏八義），是「有為·無為」之體性別，非僅「量·質」之比較。
- 「福德無故，故說福德多」之弔詭 ↔ 西方「贈與經濟」與「無償性」之悖論（禮物之價值正在其不可計量）：西方多讀「真正的價值不可量化」為一價值論之弔詭；古德以「福德無實性」為三性所攝（不取福德相即遣遍計，福無實而說多即立圓成），非價值之兩難，乃離分別執之現觀。
- 二重恆河沙之無量喻 ↔ 西方數學之「可數無窮·超限數」（康托爾 transfinite；無窮之中有大小）：可對觀；然「沙復為河」之疊喻於古德非數論之超限，乃「有量之極多終不及無量之無得」之喻——以可數之無窮反顯不可量之無為，非審美或數理之無限。
- 對觀之要：西方傾向以「精神之善勝物質之善」為價值層級之斷言，或以「無償贈與」為待解之悖論；古德以「無為福勝」為福之體性之判——財福·法福之別，根於「有為·無為」「染因·淨因」「不持菩提·能持菩提」之修證差別，非僅價值排序。價值層級與體性之判之別，正是東西之一可注。
- （本目為西方視角之對觀；經與唯識讀法始終為主，西方為旁參，非裁奪義理。具體文獻屬研究者考索之事。）
九、校本定位
羅什 T0235 [0749c26–0750a05]（原典 · 無為福勝分）。六譯本恆河沙寶施較量一段 [出處] 見目二：流支 T0236a [0754a08–a18] · 真諦 T0237 [0763b07–b19] · 笈多 T0238 [0767c10–c21] · 玄奘 T220⑨ [0981c12–c26] · 義淨 T0239 [0773a11–a17]。 科判／論本：無著 T1510 [0757b08–09·0757c07–c09·0758c03·0762a11–a18] · 世親 T1511 [0786b24–0787a25] · 世親 T1513 [0877a16–a28·0878a16–a22·0880a23–b05]。 古德：吉藏 T1699 [0112a18–0112c09] · 智顗 T1698 [0078b17–b25] · 窺基 T1700 [0138b11–c01]。
1 · Placement in the Sectioning Schemes (the weighing of merit · adds a "weighing-structure" sub-register)
| Sectioning scheme | Placement of this division |
|---|---|
| Zhaoming 32 divisions | Division 11, The Unconditioned Surpasses in Merit (無為福勝分) |
| Shi Huijing §17 two-part | First half (emptiness of beings · breaking the four marks · the affliction-hindrance; the weighing of merit, to reveal no-attainment in reverse) |
| Dao'an's three-part schema | Main-teaching division · the repeated weighing (raising the surpassing simile again after the prior weighing) |
| Asaṅga's eighteen abodes, T1510 | Ninth abode, far from the distraction of conforming to external doctrines (eighteen abodes, "ninth, far from the distraction of conforming to external doctrines" [0757b08–09]; the sūtra-text anchor 「須菩提！於意云何？若恒伽河所有沙，復有爾許恒伽河」 [0757c07–09]; the eight abodes embrace it as the "abode of parting-from-hindrance," the remaining twelve [0758c03]) |
| Vasubandhu's twenty-seven doubts, T1511/T1513 | The doubt "the merit-simile having already been stated as much, why state it again here" (T1511 0786c06), answered with "the repeated stating of the surpassing simile" (the later merit exceeds the former, completing the surpassing weighing) |
| Jizang (Three-Treatise), T1699 | 「『須菩提！於意云何？如恒河中所有沙數』下，此第二、舉諸恒河沙珍寶布施格量持說四句偈也」 [0112a22–23] |
| Zhiyi (Tiantai), T1698 | the repeated weighing (「『三千七寶』下，校量……今一念信解，復一番格量」 [0078b17–19]; set up with 「積寶多而功薄，四句約而福厚」) |
| Kuiji (Yogācāra), T1700 | 「依世親釋，就大文第二重校量之中……自下第二正校量中復二，初、以財施校，次、命施校」 [0138b12–15] |
The weighing-structure (merit revealing no-attainment in reverse): this division takes "weighing" as its body — the previous division (8, born of the dharma) already weighed the merit of upholding the four lines against giving the seven jewels of the three-thousandfold great-thousand world; this division raises the surpassing simile again, multiplying the gift to "as many three-thousandfold great-thousand worlds as the grains of sand in Ganges-rivers numerous as the sands of the Ganges" (a muchness measureless, beyond reckoning), and the field of merit too more surpassing (many versions have "given to the buddhas, the Tathāgatas," see register 2), and still judges the merit of upholding the four-line verse "to surpass the former merit beyond measure, beyond reckoning." Vasubandhu judges this repeated stating to have two senses: one "stating the distinction of muchness" (manifesting the muchness of the gift), one "completing the surpassing weighing" (manifesting that the merit of upholding the sūtra can attain great bodhi, not manifested before) [0786c08–c14]. As to why the merit of giving things does not match the gift of dharma, Jizang lists eight senses (the giver is a sage and a wise one · the receiver is a wise one · both giver and receiver attain merit · both attain and do not lose · the gift of dharma benefits the dharma-body · the gift of dharma can cut off delusion · the gift of dharma issues into the dharma that goes beyond conditioned existence · the gift of things benefits the flesh-body and subdues stinginess) [0112b26–0112c09]. The "unconditioned" of this division's "the unconditioned surpasses in merit" is precisely tied to the previous division's "all the worthy and holy are differentiated only by the unconditioned" — the merit of the gift of dharma has unconditioned prajñā as its body, and so surpasses the conditioned gift of things. This division has no three-part "is-not" formula (its Yogācāra sense, see register 3).
2 · Collation of the Variant Translations (six Chinese versions · the Ganges-sand jewel-giving weighing passage)
Key passage: Ganges-rivers numerous as the sands of the Ganges / the seven jewels filling that many worlds given (given to the buddhas, the Tathāgatas) / the merit attained is much / upholding and teaching to others the four-line verse from the sūtra / the merit surpasses the former merit beyond measure, beyond number
| Version | The Ganges-sand jewel-giving weighing passage (verbatim excerpt) | [loc] |
|---|---|---|
| Kumārajīva T235 (root) | 「須菩提！如恒河中所有沙數，如是沙等恒河，於意云何？是諸恒河沙寧為多不？」須菩提言：「甚多，世尊！但諸恒河尚多無數，何況其沙。」「須菩提！我今實言告汝，若有善男子、善女人，以七寶滿爾所恒河沙數三千大千世界以用布施，得福多不？」須菩提言：「甚多，世尊！」佛告須菩提：「若善男子、善女人於此經中，乃至受持四句偈等，為他人說，而此福德勝前福德。 | 0749c26–0750a05 |
| Bodhiruci T236 | ……以七寶滿爾數恒沙數世界，以施諸佛如來……佛告須菩提：「以七寶滿爾數恒河沙世界，持用布施。若善男子、善女人，於此法門，乃至受持四句偈等，為他人說，而此福德，勝前福德無量阿僧祇。 | 0754a08–a18 |
| Paramārtha T237 | ……若有善男子、善女人，以七寶遍滿，持施如來應供正遍覺知……「若善男子、善女人，以七寶遍滿爾所恒伽沙世界，持用布施。若善男子、善女人，從此經典乃至四句偈等，恭敬受持，為他正說。是人所生福德，最勝於彼無量無數！ | 0763b07–b19 |
| Dharmagupta T238 | ……若此三千大千世界七寶滿作已，如來等、應等、正遍知等施與……若此法本，乃至四句等偈，受已，為他等分別廣說，此，彼緣，多過福聚生，無量、不可數。 | 0767c10–c21 |
| Xuanzang T220⑨ | ……乃至殑伽河中所有沙數，假使有如是沙等殑伽河，是諸殑伽河沙寧為多不？……以妙七寶盛滿爾所殑伽河沙等世界，奉施如來、應、正等覺……於此法門乃至四句伽他，受持、讀誦、究竟通利，及廣為他宣說、開示、如理作意，由此因緣所生福聚，甚多於前無量無數。 | 0981c12–c26 |
| Yijing T239 | ……如弶伽河中所有沙數，復有如是沙等弶伽河，此諸河沙，寧為多不？……若復有人，以寶滿此河沙數量世界，奉施如來，得福多不？……「若復有人，於此經中受持一頌，并為他說，而此福聚，勝前福聚無量無邊。 | 0773a11–a17 |
What the variants turn on:
- The variance of the gift's recipient — "the three-thousandfold great-thousand world" versus "given to the buddhas, the Tathāgatas": Kumārajīva and Dharmagupta have 「以七寶滿〔恆河沙數〕三千大千世界以用布施」 (the gift's recipient stops at the world, the receiver unmarked); Bodhiruci 「以施諸佛如來」, Paramārtha 「持施如來應供正遍覺知」, Xuanzang 「奉施如來、應、正等覺」, Yijing 「奉施如來」 — the four versions of the "Able-to-Cut" line (Bodhiruci · Paramārtha · Xuanzang · Yijing) all expressly mark the receiver as the Buddha (the Tathāgata). The presence or absence of "the buddhas, the Tathāgatas" in the gift's recipient turns on the superiority or inferiority of the field of merit: Jizang sets up precisely this reading — 「上大千珍寶但施眾生，故是福田劣；今恆沙珍寶供養諸佛，此是福田勝」
[0112a26–28], making clear that this repeated weighing not only multiplies the gift but also raises the field of merit from sentient beings to the buddhas, and yet still does not match upholding the sūtra. - The quantifier of "surpasses the former merit": Kumārajīva has only 「勝前福德」 (no quantifier); Bodhiruci 「勝前福德無量阿僧祇」, Paramārtha 「最勝於彼無量無數」, Dharmagupta 「多過福聚生，無量、不可數」, Xuanzang 「甚多於前無量無數」, Yijing 「勝前福聚無量無邊」 — five versions all append the quantifier 「無量阿僧祇／無量無數／無量無邊」, Kumārajīva alone is plain. Asaṅga has a gloss 「無量者，過譬喻故；阿僧祇者，顯多故」 (
T1510 [0761b25–26], see register 5). - The breadth-and-narrowness of the practice of upholding the sūtra: Kumārajīva 「受持四句偈等，為他人說」 (two matters: upholding · teaching to others); Xuanzang expands it to 「受持、讀誦、究竟通利，及廣為他宣說、開示、如理作意」 (six matters); Paramārtha 「恭敬受持，為他正說」; Yijing 「受持一頌，并為他說」. Vasubandhu T1513 judges 「文有三者：一受持、二讀誦、三演說」
[0880a23–a24], and further divides "the two right practices of text and meaning" (maturing the inner self · accomplishing other sentient beings)[0880b03–b05]— the breadth-and-narrowness of upholding the sūtra turns on the two gates of "benefiting self and benefiting others" (see register 4). - The simile of the sand-count — "Ganges-rivers as the sands of the Ganges": all six versions have the double Ganges-sand simile (the sand of one Ganges, each grain of sand being one Ganges, taking the sand of these measureless Ganges-rivers each as one world) — this 「沙復為河、河復有沙」 layered simile is stable, precisely so as to state to the extreme the measurelessness of the gift's recipient (see register 6). Xuanzang and Yijing have 「殑伽／弶伽河」 (variant transliterations of the Sanskrit Gaṅgā).
3 · “Is-Not” and the Three Natures (this division has no "is-not" · merit being nothing · the dharma-body of the mark of merit · the Yogācāra sense)
This division has no three-part "X — is-not X — is called X" formula (the previous division's 「佛法者即非佛法」 [0749b25] already closed an "is-not" formula, and this division is its subsequent weighing passage; this division directly reveals no-attainment in reverse through the weighing of merit, setting up no further "is-not"). This is not a lack: the division's sense lies in "revealing no-attainment in reverse through merit" rather than in the removal-rhetoric of "breaking-and-establishing." Its Yogācāra sense is twofold:
- Merit being nothing (merit without real nature): the "unconditioned" of this division's "the unconditioned surpasses in merit" is tied to the previous division's 「一切賢聖皆以無為法而有差別」
[0749b17]— the merit of the gift of dharma has unconditioned prajñā as its body, with no real self-nature of conditioned merit, and so can surpass the conditioned gift of things and be "immeasurable." This is the prelude to the later division's 「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」[0751c03–04]: the muchness of merit is constituted precisely by its "having no real nature" (not grasping the mark of merit). The event-mark of merit (the giving of the seven jewels vivid) is the dependent-arisen, not grasping merit as real (merit is is-not the nature of merit) is the removal of the wholly-imagined, merit being nothing yet said to be much (the attainment of no-attainment) is the establishing of the perfectly-accomplished. - The dharma-body of the mark of merit · merit does not bear bodhi: Vasubandhu's two glosses both read this weighing through the "dharma-body of the mark of merit" — the reason the merit of upholding the sūtra surpasses the gift of things is that it is a cause with the Buddha's bodhi (the dharma-body). Vasubandhu T1513's verse 「福不持菩提，彼二能持故」
[0877a19]: the merit of the gift of things cannot bear bodhi, only the two practices "self-upholding · teaching to others" (upholding · expounding) can bear bodhi (「言福於菩提不能持負故，二於菩提是能持故」[0877a19–21]). This is the turning out, from "merit being nothing" (not abiding in the mark of merit), of the Yogācāra sense of "the dharma-body of the mark of merit" (upholding the sūtra issues forth the Tathāgata's bodhi) (see register 4).
The weighing of merit maps no-attainment: this division, by "raising the surpassing simile again" (multiplying the gift, raising the field of merit to the buddhas) yet still judging the merit of upholding the sūtra as surpassing, reveals in reverse precisely through the merit of the "unconditioned gift of dharma" being without real nature and able to bear bodhi, that "where giving is with attainment, the merit is little; where giving is without attainment, the merit is boundless" (Jizang [0103c16–18], the previous division's sense carrying through here). For the reading mapping "is-not" onto the three natures, see Shi Huijing, The Mapping of the Three-Part "Is-Not" Formula onto the Yogācāra Three Natures (S5-P01); this division is one expression of it at the position of merit (revealing no-attainment in reverse through merit).
4 · Variant Readings of the Ancient Masters (the repeated stating of the surpassing simile · the dharma-body of the mark of merit · the eight senses of things-and-dharma · weighted)
Core, weighted — Vasubandhu (two translations) "the repeated stating of the surpassing simile" cutting the doubt + the dharma-body of the mark of merit · merit does not bear bodhi + Jizang's eight senses of things-and-dharma + Asaṅga's ninth abode gathering merit: the ancient masters all, in this division, pivot on the doubt "why repeat the merit-simile," anchoring each to the sūtra-text.
Vasubandhu T1511 (Bodhiruci's translation) the treatise's verse [0786c08–c09] (cutting the doubt "why repeat"):
「說多義差別，亦成勝挍量；後福過於前，故重說勝喻。」
「此義云何？前說三千世界譬喻明福德多，今重說無量三千世界故。何故不先說此喻？為漸化眾生令生信心上妙義故。又前未顯以何等勝功德能得大菩提故，以此喻成彼功德，是故重說勝喻」 [0786c10–c14]. Then glossing why upholding the sūtra surpasses the gift of things, the treatise's verse [0787a05–a06]:
「尊重於二處，因習證大體；彼因習煩惱，此降伏染福。」
「尊重於二處者，一者所說處，隨何等處說此經，令生尊重奇特相故；二者能說人，隨何等人能受持及說，以尊重經論故」 [0787a07–a09]; 「彼珍寶布施福德是染煩惱因，以能成就煩惱事故」 [0787a14–a15]; 「此福德能成佛菩提故……是故受持演說此法門，能成佛菩提勝彼福德」 [0787a21–a24].
Vasubandhu T1513 (Yijing's translation) the treatise's stanza [0878a16–a17] (the repeated stating of the surpassing simile):
「為顯多差別，及以成殊勝，前後福不同，更陳其喻說。」
「前明三千世界，喻顯福多；今說無數三千，彰其更廣……前福差別不明成立之因，為於菩提無有荷持之用；今欲顯其能立因相，更將別喻隨事而言」 [0878a18–a22]. Then glossing "the accumulation of merit is is-not the accumulation of merit" and "merit does not bear bodhi," the treatise's stanzas [0877a16], [0877a19]:
「自受為他說，非無益集福。」「福不持菩提，彼二能持故。」
「言福於菩提不能持負故，二於菩提是能持故……何謂為二？謂自受、為他說」 [0877a20–a21]; glossing the two senses of the sound 「聚」: 「由其聚聲有二種義：一是聚積義；二是肩荷義……由其不能持荷菩提，說為非聚，即非肩義是積聚義。此二是菩提因，福乃甚多」 [0877a22–a28].
〔The two translations matched: Bodhiruci 「說多義差別，亦成勝挍量」 = Yijing 「為顯多差別，及以成殊勝」; Bodhiruci 「彼因習煩惱，此降伏染福」 (the gift of things a contaminated cause · the gift of dharma subduing contamination) = Yijing 「福不持菩提，彼二能持故」 (the merit of things does not bear bodhi · upholding and expounding can bear it) — the same Vasubandhu treatise in two Chinese translations, differing in name, one in meaning.〕
Asaṅga T1510 (Dharmagupta's translation): this division is the ninth of the eighteen abodes, "far from the distraction of conforming to external doctrines" [0757b08–09], the sūtra-text anchor 「為遠離隨順外論散亂故，經言『須菩提！於意云何？若恒伽河所有沙，復有爾許恒伽河』如是等」 [0757c07–c09], the eight abodes embracing it as the remaining twelve of the "abode of parting-from-hindrance" [0758c03]. Asaṅga with four causes-and-conditions manifests the superiority of this dharma: 「一攝取福德，二天等供養，三難作，四起如來等念。經言『以此因緣，得福多彼』者，是攝取福德」 [0762a11–a14] — this division's Ganges-sand jewel-giving weighing is precisely its branch of "gathering merit" (the merit of upholding the sūtra gathered surpassing that of the gift of things).
Jizang (Three-Treatise) T1699: 「『須菩提！於意云何？如恒河中所有沙數』下，此第二、舉諸恒河沙珍寶布施格量持說四句偈也」 [0112a22–23]. On why raise it again: 「上明布施少……今明布施多，謂諸恒沙世界珍寶應及持經。又上大千珍寶但施眾生，故是福田劣；今恆沙珍寶供養諸佛，此是福田勝，應及持經。今明雖施多田勝，由是有所得施，亦不及持經也」 [0112a24–29]. On why not directly continue the prior weighing: 「上聞大千格量不及持經……謂波若猶是可取可說，云何受持四句及勝大千珍寶？是以上廣釋疑，明波若非可取可說故……所以釋前疑竟，方顯勝之所由，故方更格量也」 [0112b03–b08]. That the gift of things does not match the gift of dharma he lists in eight senses: 「一者、明法施之時，能施之人多是聖人智人……二、明受法施之人亦必是智人方能領受……三者、明得福為勝，財施則但明能施之者得福，受施之者則不得；若使法施，則能所二人竝皆得福……四者、法施則能施所施皆得而不失……五者、財施則但益肉身，法施則益法身。六者、則法施能斷惑，財施正是伏慳。七者、法施則出有法，財施則是有流」 [0112b26–0112c09].
Zhiyi (Tiantai) T1698: 「『三千七寶』下，校量。前舉虛空，此豈不盡？今一念信解，復一番格量。積寶多而功薄，四句約而福厚，金玉三千止以養身，一偈雖約妙極資神」 [0078b17–b21]; 「七寶是事善、緣因，天人果報不動不出，故以動出之慧導之得成菩提，一念圓信能導眾善，此心為勝，實相能出諸法，法即非法，諸法不生般若生也」 [0078b21–b25]. 〔Tiantai reads the sūtra by two cycles of repeated stating, the Ganges-sand repeated weighing being gathered under its "weighing manifesting the surpassing" section; 「積寶多而功薄，四句約而福厚」 is its settled reading at the things-and-dharma weighing.〕
The three ancient-master streams (Three-Treatise · Tiantai · Yogācāra) in this division all return to Vasubandhu's "repeated stating of the surpassing simile" doubt-cutting: why raise the merit-simile again — because the prior simile only manifested the muchness of merit, not yet the cause of upholding the sūtra's accomplishing bodhi, and now the surpassing simile is raised again (the gift multiplied · the field of merit raised to the buddhas) precisely so as to manifest "the unconditioned gift of dharma can bear bodhi, surpassing the conditioned merit of things." The gift of things is a contaminated-affliction cause and does not bear bodhi (Vasubandhu); the gift of dharma benefits the dharma-body, can cut off delusion, issues into the dharma that goes beyond conditioned existence (Jizang's eight senses) — this is the ancient masters' settled reading of "the unconditioned surpasses in merit" in this division.
5 · Terminology
恆河沙 Gaṅgā-nadī-vālukā (Xuanzang · Yijing have 「殑伽／弶伽河」; Jizang 「於四河中恒河最大，其沙又多」 [0112b18–19], Kuiji 「方廣深淺四十里為一恒河沙」 [0138b22–23]) ·
無為（法）asaṃskṛta (the "unconditioned" of this division's "the unconditioned surpasses in merit," tied to the previous division's 「一切賢聖皆以無為法而有差別」 [0749b17]; the merit of the gift of dharma has unconditioned prajñā as its body) ·
福德／福聚 puṇya-skandha (Bodhiruci · Paramārtha have 「福德聚」, Dharmagupta · Xuanzang · Yijing 「福聚」; Vasubandhu T1513 「聚聲有二義：聚積·肩荷」 [0877a22–28]) ·
阿僧祇 asaṃkhya (a measureless number; Asaṅga 「無量者，過譬喻故；阿僧祇者，顯多故」 T1510 [0761b25–26]) ·
福相法身 (the merit of upholding the sūtra is a cause with the Buddha's bodhi · the dharma-body; Vasubandhu 「福不持菩提，彼二能持故」 [0877a19]) ·
受持·讀誦·演說 (the three right practices of text, dhāraṇa · vācana · deśanā; Vasubandhu T1513 「文有三者：一受持、二讀誦、三演說」 [0880a23–a24]). 〔Sanskrit as a pronunciation aid; for the rendering-variance of the gift's recipient (the three-thousandfold great-thousand world / given to the buddhas, the Tathāgatas), see register 2, what the variants turn on.〕
6 · Simile and Rhetoric (the layered simile of "sand becoming rivers" + the weighing-structure · weighted)
The layered simile [0749c26–c28]: 「如恒河中所有沙數，如是沙等恒河……是諸恒河沙寧為多不？」「但諸恒河尚多無數，何況其沙。」
- Simile-vehicle: the Ganges-rivers numerous as the sands of the Ganges, then taking the sands of these measureless Ganges-rivers (the twofold layering of "sand becoming rivers, rivers having sand again").
- Ground of the simile: 「諸河顯數尚以無邊，況河中之沙云何可數」 (Jizang
[0112b15–17]) — manifesting the measurelessness of the gift's recipient with sand beyond reckoning. - The Yogācāra sense manifested: though the gift's recipient is taken to the extreme of measureless asaṃkhya, the conditioned merit of things it accomplishes still has reality to be measured and is a cause of birth-and-death (Kuiji 「其財施者為生死因，易可破壞」
[0138b29]); the unconditioned merit of one four-line verse of upholding the sūtra is 「與菩提為因，一切外緣所不能壞」 (Kuiji[0138b27–b29]) — using "the utmost much of the measurable" to reveal in reverse "the no-attainment of the unconditioned."
The weighing-structure (merit revealing no-attainment in reverse · the ancient masters' settled reading, see register 4):
- The surpassing of raising it again: the previous division (8) weighed only with the seven jewels of the three-thousandfold great-thousand world; this division raises again "the seven jewels of as many three-thousandfold great-thousand worlds as the sands of the Ganges-rivers numerous as the sands of the Ganges" (the gift multiplied to a measureless asaṃkhya) · the field of merit raised from giving to sentient beings up to "given to the buddhas, the Tathāgatas" (the versions, see register 2), and still judges the merit of upholding the four-line verse as surpassing — the extreme muchness of the gift reveals in reverse the surpassing of the gift of dharma (Jizang 「雖施多田勝，由是有所得施，亦不及持經」
[0112a28–29]). - The accumulated jewels set against the four lines: 「積寶多而功薄，四句約而福厚」 (Zhiyi
[0078b19]) — the seven jewels' "much yet measured" set against the four lines' "spare yet inexhaustible," at the very summit of the gift abruptly revealing the surpassing of upholding the sūtra.
The point of the rhetoric: first the measurelessness of the gift's recipient is stated to the extreme with the double Ganges-sand (the lavish "breadth"), then set against it the utmost sparseness of "upholding the four-line verse" (the overturning "spareness") — the extremely much gift of things set against the utmost spare gift of dharma, at the very summit of "the measurelessness of the gift" revealing in reverse "the surpassing of upholding the sūtra." This rhetoric of "manifesting the spare through the much, manifesting no-attainment through the measurable" is one and the same overturning brushstroke as division 4's "manifesting the merit of non-abiding giving through empty space" and division 3's "wholly delivering yet at once empty." This register is heavy in the merit-weighing divisions (8 · 11 · 15 · 24), paired with the "weighing-structure" sub-register.
7 · Cross-Reading
- Thirty Verses (T1586): the two emptinesses · the transformation of the basis (v. 29, the perfectly-accomplished) — this division's "the unconditioned surpasses in merit · merit does not bear bodhi" is the scriptural counterpart of "the merit of the unconditioned gift of dharma has the non-discriminating wisdom as its body · can bear bodhi"; the wholly-imagined (v. 20) is the treatise-text of the false clinging "merit has reality" that is counteracted.
- Twenty Verses (T1590): consciousness-only with no object · breaking the real existence of external dust — the doctrine that the merit of the gift of things is a cause of affliction-dust-contamination (Vasubandhu, 〔see register 4〕) is in common with the Twenty Verses' aim of breaking the real dust; this sense is tied to the next division's fine-dust passage, this division being its prelude.
- Mahāyāna-saṃgraha (T1594): the chapter on entering cause-and-fruit · the six perfections (the gift of dharma embraced in the perfection of prajñā; the dharma-body of the mark of merit bears upon the treatise-text of "the fruit of cutting · the three bodies").
- Cheng weishi lun (T1585): the transformation of the basis · no-attainment (「福德無故說福德多」 is the treatise-text technical vocabulary of "no-attainment"; merit does not bear bodhi · upholding and expounding can bear bodhi is the scriptural counterpart of "the perfuming of pure dharmas · the provisions of bodhi").
- Heart Sūtra (T251): 「無智亦無得」「以無所得故」 — the merit of giving without the reality of an attainer and anything attained, one and the same merit of no-attainment as this division's "the unconditioned surpasses in merit · merit being nothing."
This division's "the unconditioned surpasses in merit · merit being nothing" is the scriptural counterpart of the Thirty Verses' and Cheng weishi lun's "no-attainment · the transformation of the basis"; "merit does not bear bodhi, upholding and expounding can bear it" (〔see register 4〕, Vasubandhu's two glosses) is the prelude to the Saṃgraha's and Cheng weishi lun's "the provisions of bodhi · the perfuming of pure dharmas." Shi Huijing's thesis "the Diamond Sūtra says in scriptural language what the Cheng weishi lun says in technical language" 〔drawn from From the Hundred Dharmas to the Diamond, S5-P10〕; the reading of merit revealing no-attainment in reverse runs through the transformation of the basis of "one should give rise to the mind abiding nowhere" 〔drawn from One Should Give Rise to the Mind Abiding Nowhere, S5-P06〕. 〔Convention: list only what is genuinely pertinent; no forced pegging — linkage, not padding. The Madhyānta-vibhāga has no frontal counterpart in this division; omitted.〕
8 · East–West Observation (Western perspective · observation, not adjudication)
- The weighing of merit in "the unconditioned surpasses in merit" ↔ Western axiology's "incommensurability" (whether the good of the material and the good of the spiritual can be measured by the same scale): the West too distinguishes "muchness of quantity" (material treasure) from "superiority of quality" (wisdom) as not measurable by one scale; the Yogācāra / ancient-master reading of "merit surpasses" is not merely a high-or-low value-ranking but a difference of the essential nature of merit — the merit of things has reality, is a cause of birth-and-death, contaminates with affliction (Vasubandhu 「彼因習煩惱」); the merit of dharma has no reality, bears bodhi, benefits the dharma-body (Jizang's eight senses), a difference of essential nature of "conditioned · unconditioned," not merely a comparison of "quantity · quality."
- The paradox of "merit being nothing, hence said to be much" ↔ the West's "gift economy" and the paradox of "gratuitousness" (the value of the gift lies precisely in its being unquantifiable): the West largely reads "true value cannot be quantified" as an axiological paradox; the ancient masters take "merit without real nature" as embraced by the three natures (not grasping the mark of merit is the removal of the wholly-imagined, merit being unreal yet said to be much is the establishing of the perfectly-accomplished), not a value-dilemma but the direct insight of parting from discriminative clinging.
- The double-Ganges-sand simile of the measureless ↔ Western mathematics's "countable infinity · transfinite numbers" (Cantor's transfinite; there is large and small within the infinite): one may set them beside; yet for the ancient masters the layered simile of "sand becoming rivers" is not the transfinite of set theory, but a simile of "the utmost much of the measurable still does not match the no-attainment of the immeasurable" — using a countable infinity to reveal in reverse the unmeasurable unconditioned, not an aesthetic or mathematical infinite.
- The point of the observation: the West tends to assert "the good of the spiritual surpasses the good of the material" as a value-hierarchy, or to take "gratuitous giving" as a paradox awaiting solution; the ancient masters take "the unconditioned surpasses in merit" as a judgment of the essential nature of merit — the difference of the merit of things and the merit of dharma is rooted in the realization-difference of "conditioned · unconditioned," "contaminated cause · pure cause," "not bearing bodhi · able to bear bodhi," not merely a ranking of value. The difference of value-hierarchy and the judgment of essential nature is itself one note worth marking between East and West.
- (This register is a Western-perspective observation; the scriptural and Yogācāra reading remains throughout the principal one, the West a secondary reference, not an adjudication. The specific literature is a matter for the researcher's inquiry.)
9 · Manuscript Placement
Kumārajīva T0235 [0749c26–0750a05] (root · The Unconditioned Surpasses in Merit). The six versions' Ganges-sand jewel-giving weighing passage [loc] is in register 2: Bodhiruci T0236a [0754a08–a18] · Paramārtha T0237 [0763b07–b19] · Dharmagupta T0238 [0767c10–c21] · Xuanzang T220⑨ [0981c12–c26] · Yijing T0239 [0773a11–a17]. Sectioning / treatise texts: Asaṅga T1510 [0757b08–09·0757c07–c09·0758c03·0762a11–a18] · Vasubandhu T1511 [0786b24–0787a25] · Vasubandhu T1513 [0877a16–a28·0878a16–a22·0880a23–b05]. Ancient masters: Jizang T1699 [0112a18–0112c09] · Zhiyi T1698 [0078b17–b25] · Kuiji T1700 [0138b11–c01].
Shi Huijing · Zhiyue · jingang · Division 11 · The Unconditioned Surpasses in Merit · apparatus · Spring 2026