仁王般若經疏 3.108

3.108

From "Profound Penetration" onward explains the seventh stage, and the text has seven sections: first, indicating the name of the stage; second, advancing in practice; third, distinguishing the patience; fourth, separating from obstacles; fifth, gathering virtues; sixth, concluding the rank; and seventh, transformative activity within the stage. First, indicating the name: it says "Profound Penetration Bodhisattva," which refers to the Far-Reaching Stage. Second, regarding the duration of advancing practice, saying "ten asaṃkhyeya [kalpas]" refers to the number and quantity [of time] within the stage. Third, distinguishing the patience: saying "joy in the Dharma of non-arising" means that upon obtaining non-arising on the seventh stage, one begins to realize the Dharma and comfort the spirit; thus it is called the patience of joy in the Dharma. By analogy, because the first stage is the beginning of obtaining the ten stages, it is named Joyous. This is the lower-grade contemplation of the patience of non-arising. Fourth, separating from obstacles: saying "extinguishing the cause, karma, and fruit of the accumulation of the three realms" refers to [the birth and death of] segmented portions, not complete and ultimate exhaustion. The preceding six stages exhaust the causes, and the seventh stage extinguishes the fruits. It may also be that the sixth stage cuts off manifest defilements, while the seventh stage cuts off habitual propensities. It may also be that, with respect to those tied causes and fruits of karma, this stage does not exhaust them completely. Fifth, gathering virtues: saying "dwelling in the final body" refers to the culmination of the segmented portions of karma bound to the three realms, which is termed dwelling in the final body. According to the past causal conditions in the Da zhidu lun, a seventh-stage bodhisattva has a physical flesh-body. The seventh stage is the śrāvaka stage; because śrāvakas achieve the path in a physical flesh-body, [the treatise] borrows phenomenal marks to explain the principle, hence saying that the seventh stage has a physical flesh-body. The Da zhidu lun also says that "the first stage is called the dharmakāya"—how much more would the seventh stage be a physical flesh-body? This "physical flesh-body" is the flesh of the dharmakāya of transformation. This is merely one perspective of explanation and must not be clung to as absolute. Therefore, the Avataṃsaka-sūtra says: "At the very moment of initial aspiration, one immediately attains correct enlightenment"—how could the seventh stage still have a physical flesh-body? Regarding "countless merits and practices are all accomplished": while dwelling in the final body, it comprehensively explains that the virtues are not solitary, hence saying "countless."