大方廣佛華嚴經搜玄分齊通智方軌 2.87

2.87

Regarding the fifth, the inexhaustible store of merit, this has three meanings: first, giving rise to the inexhaustible; second, what is accomplished; and third, its own nature; one may judge accordingly by these three. There are [five parts]: first, the question; second, the answer; third, the conclusion; fourth, discerning virtues; and fifth, the verses. The text of the answer has four [parts]: first, defining the nature of practice; second, from "all the bodhisattva's roots of goodness are entirely" onward, dedication to bodhi and sentient beings; third, from "the bodhisattva, with such [roots of goodness]" onward, dedication to the actual limit; and fourth, from "the bodhisattva's roots of goodness as such" onward, concluding with praise of the sublime functions. In this first [part on] the nature of practice, there are two [divisions]: First, defining the nature of practice, which has four [aspects]: (1) repentance, (2) entreaty, (3) rejoicing, and (4) dedication. Rejoicing has four [aspects]: (1) achieving buddhahood, (2) expounding the Dharma, (3) nirvāṇa, and (4) dissemination, and so forth. The text has two [parts]: first, repenting errors; second, entreaty, rejoicing, and dedication. Because these three meanings are conditioned virtues and their conceptual divisions intersect, they are explained combined in the same place. This text has two [parts]: first, a general presentation; second, a detailed analysis. Within the detailed analysis, there are four passages according to the four meanings of rejoicing. This has two meanings: first, because practice accords with the three dedications, one accomplishes the inexhaustible store; second, in order to accomplish the inexhaustible, one dedicates to the three places; one can infer accordingly. Second, from "the bodhisattva reflects as follows" onward, discerning the characteristics of practice, which has two [parts]: first, adorning lands; second, adorning and perfecting persons. Adorning lands has four [aspects]: first, perfecting the lands of worlds; second, from "the bodhisattva cultivates supreme roots of goodness" onward, adorning buddha lands; third, from "in all those worlds" onward, adornments of the three times; and fourth, from "just as in one world" onward, concluding with ultimate accomplishment. Second, from "the bodhisattva again likewise" onward, adorning persons, which has two [parts]: first, discerning; second, concluding. Within the discernment there are four [aspects]: (1) persons; (2) from "these bodhisattvas" onward, briefly and completely revealing virtues; (3) from "accomplishing" onward, individually revealing virtues, which has two [aspects] that can be understood; and (4) from "accomplishing and so forth" onward, the conclusion, which has three [aspects] that can be understood. Second, from "just as in one buddha-kṣetra" onward, using a summary conclusion to reveal what is vast, which can be understood. Dedication to bodhi and sentient beings has two [parts]: first, dedicating to the two places by means of the upāya of the dharmadhātu; second, from "such roots of goodness of the bodhisattva" onward, discerning the scope of upāya. The actual limit has two [parts]: first, reiterating the overall dedication as heading toward the limit of sarvajñā; second, from "the bodhisattva practicing thus" onward, specific dedication to the actual limit; this text has two [parts]: first, dedicating by means of the wisdom entering contemplation, which has two [aspects] that can be understood; second, from "the bodhisattva thus giving rise to" onward, dedicating by means of the wisdom emerging from contemplation. "Saṃsāra is not chaotic and nirvāṇa is not quiescent" has two explanations: First, in terms of refuting characteristics: because the essence of saṃsāra is empty, it is not chaotic; because the essence of nirvāṇa is thusness, it is not quiescent. Second, explaining in terms of quiescence and function: because the essence of saṃsāra is tranquil, it is not chaotic. What is this essence? Provisionally speaking, emptiness is it; profoundly speaking, the non-empty tathāgatagarbha is it. Great nirvāṇa can establish great meaning, its marvelous functions arise abundantly leaving nothing undone, and therefore it is not quiescent. Now we rely on the latter interpretation. These two are the realm of the buddhas; the path trodden by the buddhas is called the path of the realm. There is no separate saṃsāra, so it is not made by another. The natures of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa have no fixed characteristics, hence it is said "there are no phenomena." That which all the noble ones mutually rely upon is called "dwelling together." The meaning of thusness is the same as the previous explanation. Fourth, concluding with praise, the text has two [parts]: first, reiterating and concluding the preceding text; second, from "when the bodhisattva first generates" onward, the general conclusion. The first text has four [parts]: first, reiterating the preceding nature of practice, concluding with the accomplishment of dedication to bodhi and sentient beings; second, from "with such" onward, reiterating the preceding dedication to sentient beings, concluding with the actual limit; third, from "when the bodhisattva dedicates thus, the eye ultimately" onward, concluding with the attained benefits; and fourth, from "when the bodhisattva dedicates thus" onward, the supremacy of the virtuous practice. Fourth, praising the virtuous functions, the text has three [parts]: first, stating the number; second, explaining; and third, concluding, which can be understood. In the verses there are two [parts]: first, the prose introduction; second, the verses. There are fifty verses: the first eighteen verses praise the nature of practice; the next six verses praise dedication to sentient beings and bodhi; the next fourteen verses praise the actual limit; and the next twelve verses conclude with praise.