大般若波羅蜜多經般若理趣分述讚 2.3

2.3

讚曰：自下第四、明說教處。於化土中略彰四德以顯經勝，舉化勝處以表報身及法身土亦含實德。第一、處尊勝，在欲極天他化宮故；第二、同居勝，諸佛曾遊大寶殿故；第三、嚴麗勝，無價末尼鎣眾寶故；第四、愛重勝，賢聖天仙所欣樂故。此文第一處尊勝也。是薄伽梵者，指說教主，即能住人。住者，依止居處之義。欲者貪愛，即是婬觸段食之貪。界者族類、疆畔之義。界由欲生，能生於欲，名為欲界，如胡椒飲、如金剛環。頂者頭頂，高極之義。此於欲界六欲天中最高勝處，名欲界頂。雖言勝處仍未顯名，為顯天名故。經次言他化自在諸天福力，隨欲所須如應即現。然第五天業既殊勝，則不如是隨欲化物，但以生得變化之力，變作種種所須之具而受用之。今第六天業更殊勝，雖有眾具隨欲即現，亦能自變化作眾具而不受用，要待他天變為樂具自方受用，業力勝故。由如是義，名他化天。就此天中非無貴賤臣主等別，今處彼天貴主所居，非住臣賤下惡天處，故經復言天王宮中，欲顯法尊，說必依於上極勝處，非於餘下也。如證菩提要金剛座，說此勝法必他化宮，如《十地經》依勝處也。此表報身住無漏淨土之中，亦表法身住離貪欲究竟極處清淨法界。證此法者能作利他之勝事故，亦為利他處於淨土及法性。無分別智及後得智神用無方名為自在。此乃諸天法王曾居之宮室也，故餘經言畢竟空寂以為舍。故三身利物各各別，故所居之土亦各別也。寄在天宮彰處尊而法勝，標居界頂顯妙理以幽深也。

The commentary states: Next below is the fourth [section], explaining the place where the teaching was spoken. Within the nirmāṇa land, four excellences are briefly displayed to show the supremacy of the sūtra, and by bringing up the supreme place of transformation, it is expressed that the lands of the saṃbhogakāya and dharmakāya also contain real virtues. First is the excellence of the exalted place, because it is in the Palace of Paranirmitavaśavartin, the highest heaven of desire. Second is the excellence of shared dwelling, because all Buddhas have traveled to this palace of the great treasury of jewels. Third is the excellence of magnificent adornment, because priceless maṇi jewels embellish the multitude of gems. Fourth is the excellence of cherished esteem, because it is rejoiced in by the worthy, noble ones, gods, and ṛṣis. This text constitutes the first: the excellence of the exalted place.

"The Bhagavat" designates the master of the teaching, that is, the person who is able to abide. "Abiding" has the meaning of relying on and residing in. "Desire" means craving and love, which is craving for sexual intercourse, touch, and solid food. "Realm" has the meaning of category or boundary. Because the realm is born of desire and is able to generate desire, it is called the "desire realm," just as with a pepper drink or a vajra ring. "Crest" means the summit of the head, carrying the sense of the utmost height. As this is the highest and most supreme place among the six heavens of desire in the desire realm, it is called the crest of the desire realm.

Although it is called a supreme place, its name has not yet been revealed; therefore, in order to reveal the heaven's name, the sūtra next states "Paranirmitavaśavartin." The gods' power of merit manifests whatever desires require in accordance with their wishes. Yet, while the karma of the fifth heaven is already extraordinary, it is not like this in transforming things according to desire; rather, they merely use the power of transformation born with them to create various requisite utensils and enjoy them. Now, the karma of the sixth heaven is even more extraordinary: although they have myriad utensils that appear according to their wishes, and they can also transform and create myriad utensils themselves, they do not enjoy them [directly]; they must wait for other heavens to transform them into pleasurable objects before they enjoy them themselves, because their karmic power is superior. Due to such a meaning, it is named the heaven of Paranirmitavaśavartin [Mastery over Others' Transformations].

Within this heaven, distinctions between noble and base, ministers and sovereigns, are not absent. Now, [the Buddha] resides in the dwelling of that heaven's noble sovereign, not abiding in the inferior and unpleasant heavenly stations of base ministers. Hence the sūtra further states "within the palace of the heavenly king." To demonstrate the venerability of the Dharma, its expounding must rely on the highest, supreme place, and not on other, lower ones. Just as witnessing awakening requires the vajra seat, expounding this supreme Dharma must be in the Paranirmitavaśavartin Palace, just as the Daśabhūmika Sūtra relies on a supreme place.

This symbolizes the saṃbhogakāya abiding within the untainted pure land, and also symbolizes the dharmakāya abiding in the pure dharmadhātu, the ultimate culmination that is apart from greed and desire. Because one who realizes this Dharma can perform supreme tasks of benefiting others, for the sake of benefiting others they also reside in the pure land and the Dharma-nature. Nonconceptual wisdom and subsequent wisdom, having limitless spiritual functions, are termed "mastery." This is the palace chamber where the Dharma Kings among gods once resided; therefore, other sūtras say that "ultimate emptiness and tranquility constitute the dwelling." Thus, because the three bodies benefit beings in their respective ways, the lands in which they reside are also each distinct. Being located in a heavenly palace demonstrates the venerability of the place and the supremacy of the Dharma; being marked as dwelling at the realm's crest manifests the wondrous principle as profound and fathomless.