Dàshū tányì 大疏談義
Discussions on the Great Commentary by 運敞 (撰)
About the work
A ten-fascicle scholastic-doctrinal commentary by 運敞 Unshō (1614–1693), an Edo-period Shingi-Shingon Buzan-ha scholar-monk, on the Mahāvairocanasūtra Commentary (大日經疏 Dàrìjīng shū) of Yīxíng 一行. The work continues the late-medieval Shingon scholastic-commentarial tradition (cf. Shōken’s Daisho hyakujō KR6t0244) into the Edo-period Buzan-ha doctrinal restoration.
Abstract
Method: a sequential commentary in the nan-imi / tō-imi (難意・答意 — “the difficulty’s intent / the answer’s intent”) dialectical form characteristic of Edo-period Shingi-Shingon scholasticism. Each topic begins with a nan-imi (the doctrinal difficulty), proceeds through a tō-imi (the proper resolution), and frequently cites the prior scholastic tradition (the Sanbō-in Henchi-in kuden, the Nanbokuchō hyakujō, the post-Raiyu Shingi-Shingon settled positions).
Representative opening (clause 1, Six-Great Dharma-body 六大法身 — the same opening clause as in Shōken’s KR6t0244):
“Nan-imi (the difficulty): In general, considering the present passage, it clarifies that the six-greats are the substance-and-aspect of the four-maṇḍala; that the universal-four-maṇḍala displays the ten realms — this is settled. Yet the Jūjūshin-ron and Hōyaku dedicatory-prefaces, when the six-greats and four-maṇḍala are separately worshipped, name Mahāvairocana among the four-maṇḍala. Therefore the ‘reaching-upward dharma-body’ should point to Mahāvairocana; this should be beyond dispute. By this reasoning, when the Buddha-bodies are classified they do not exceed four kinds, and Mahāvairocana is the natural-character dharma-body — so by all means the doubt persists.”
“Tō-imi (the answer): In general, Mahāvairocana is the total-substance of all deities; the six-great dharma-body is a settled doctrine. There is no need to include him within the ‘universal-four-maṇḍala’ — this is obvious. Therefore the ancient masters’ secret transmissions…”
Significance: a foundational Edo-period Buzan-ha scholarly commentary on the Shingon root-commentary, and one of the principal Edo Shingi-Shingon doctrinal documents.
Translations and research
- No substantial Western-language translation located.
- For the Edo Shingi-Shingon scholastic tradition: Kushida Ryōkō, Zoku Shingon Mikkyō seiritsu katei no kenkyū (1979); Sakai Shinten 酒井真典, Daihiroku — Shingon-shū gakurin yōroku 大悲録—眞言宗學林要錄 (Kōyasan: Kōyasan Daigaku, 1962).