大方廣佛華嚴經搜玄分齊通智方軌 1.37

1.37

三明向上持世界，文有四子句：初牒上香海河等并列名、二明所出蓮華、三明華所持十二佛國海七世界性。四「如是」下結等餘方。此有二，可知。若依下瞿夷文內，除三千界外有十世界：一性、二海、三輪、四圓滿、五分別、六旋、七轉、八蓮華、九須彌、十相。又義言此十界互為首，餘九莊嚴，成一百句。今此世界，或是蓮華、或是海，餘者共嚴也，可準思之。世界成相雖有眾多，義由難解，所以知耶。依此經文更有剎名，不知是何？今依一義，此剎非是如上諸相，由說佛剎無上諸相高下別故。依佛取處名剎名土，即無別異高下。若約眾生取土，即有諸相高下，文言「常轉法輪處」者，約眾生說也。若依此解，文少可尋。又《大論》中第五十卷內，「復次三千大千世界名一世界，一時起一時滅。如是等十方如恒河沙等世界是一佛世界，如是一佛世界數如恒河沙等世界是一佛世界海，如是佛世界海數如十方恒河沙世界是佛世界種，如是世界種十方無量是名一佛世界，於一切世界中取如是分是名一佛所度之分（此約三乘說）。」又《大經》本中十種世界：一世界性，是同類義。二世界海，色類多義，復深廣義。三世界輪，齊用義故。四世界圓滿，具德義故。五世界分別，是不雜義。六世界旋，是正旋義。七世界轉，是側轉義。八世界蓮華，敷發義。九世界須彌，是勝妙義。十世界相，是形貌義。何故說十？欲顯無量故。問：何故一中具見一切土？答：為修行者居自報土各各不同，佛攝眾生所現世界及佛土等，似彼報土引諸眾生，仍攝佛境盡，故使然也。又問：何故《大論》明世界海與此經不同？答：彼為三乘人方便漸釋，故不同也。

Third, explaining the worlds upheld upward, the text has four sub-clauses: 1. repeating the fragrant oceans, rivers, and so forth above and listing their names; 2. explaining the lotuses produced; 3. explaining the nature of the seven worlds of the oceans of twelve Buddha-lands upheld by the flowers; 4. from 'Thus' onward, concluding with equivalence to the other directions. This has two parts, as can be known. If according to the text of Gopa below, besides the trichiliocosm there are ten worlds: 1. nature, 2. ocean, 3. wheel, 4. perfection, 5. differentiation, 6. revolving, 7. turning, 8. lotus, 9. Sumeru, 10. characteristics. Furthermore, it is said in meaning that these ten worlds mutually take the lead, with the other nine as adornments, forming one hundred phrases. Now, these worlds are either lotuses or oceans, with the rest adorning them together; one should reflect on this accordingly. Although the characteristics of the formation of worlds are manifold, their meaning is difficult to comprehend; how then is it known? According to this sūtra text, there are other names of lands, and one does not know what they are. Now, according to one interpretation, these lands are not like the characteristics above, because it is said that the Buddha lands are differentiated into higher and lower without the aforementioned characteristics. In terms of where the Buddha takes up abode, it is called a kṣetra or a land, which is without difference, higher or lower. If in terms of sentient beings taking up lands, there are characteristics, higher and lower; when the text says 'the place where the wheel of Dharma is constantly turned', this is said in terms of sentient beings. If interpreted in this way, the text can be slightly investigated. Furthermore, in the fiftieth fascicle of the *Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa*: 'Furthermore, a great trichiliocosm is called one world, which arises at one time and perishes at one time. Worlds such as these in the ten directions, numerous as the sands of the Ganges, are one Buddha-world; worlds numerous as the sands of the Ganges of such Buddha-worlds are one Buddha-world ocean; Buddha-world oceans like the sands of the Ganges in the ten directions are one Buddha-world seed; immeasurable such world seeds in the ten directions are called one Buddha-world. Taking such a portion among all worlds is called the portion delivered by one Buddha (this is spoken in terms of the triyāna).' Furthermore, in the original root text of the *Great Sūtra*, there are ten kinds of worlds: 1. the nature of worlds, which means of the same kind; 2. the ocean of worlds, which means many varieties of form, and also deep and vast; 3. the wheel of worlds, meaning equal function; 4. the perfection of worlds, meaning endowed with virtue; 5. the differentiation of worlds, meaning unmixed; 6. the revolving of worlds, meaning proper rotation; 7. the turning of worlds, meaning oblique rotation; 8. the lotus of worlds, meaning blooming; 9. the Sumeru of worlds, meaning supremely wonderful; 10. the characteristics of worlds, meaning physical appearance. Why are ten spoken of? Because it is intended to reveal the immeasurable. Question: Why is every single land seen completely within one? Answer: Because the practitioners dwell in their own retributive lands, each different from one another. The worlds and Buddha lands manifested by the Buddha to gather sentient beings resemble those retributive lands to guide sentient beings, yet they completely encompass the Buddha's realm; hence it is so. Another question: Why does the explanation of the ocean of worlds in the *Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa* differ from this sūtra? Answer: Because that is an expedient, gradual explanation for people of the triyāna; therefore, they differ.