華嚴經探玄記 1.54

1.54

第四教所被機者，通有十位，於中前五簡其非器、後五正顯所為。前中五者，一違真非器。謂不發菩提心、不求出離，依傍此經求名求利莊飾我人，經非彼緣，故非其器。下云「為名利說法，是為魔業。」又如不淨說法，墮惡道等。二背正非器。謂詐現大心、偽修邪善，近感人天終不成佛，恐墮阿鼻地獄多劫受苦。如提婆達多為闡提頂，又如八大善人當成不善。前據初時即可知，此就終時方顯。下云「忘失菩提心修諸善根，是為魔業。」經非此緣，故亦非器。三乖實非器。謂雖不巧偽，然隨自執見以取經文，遂令超情至教迴不入心，故成非器。《地論》云「聞作聞解，不得不聞。」又如隨聲取義五種過失等。此上三位俱是凡愚眾生境界。下云「此經不入一切眾生之手，唯除菩薩。」良以此經非是眾生流轉之緣，故不入手。四狹劣非器。謂一切二乘無廣大心，亦非此器。下文云「一切聲聞緣覺不聞此經，何況受持。」又舍利弗等五百聲聞，皆如聾盲，不聞不見。五守權非器。謂三乘共教諸菩薩等，隨自宗中修行未滿初阿僧祇，亦非此器故。下文云「菩薩摩訶薩雖無量億那由他劫行六波羅蜜修習道品善根，未聞此經，雖聞不信受持隨順，是等猶為假名菩薩。」問：《瓔珞經》等十千劫修十信行滿，何故此中無量億等不信此經？答：以彼但於行布位中修行信等，於此圓融普賢十信一攝一切猶未聞信，由此故知二宗差別。若不爾者，修行既經爾許時劫，不信此經，何名菩薩摩訶薩也。簡非器竟。第二顯所為中五者：一正為者，謂是一乘不共教中普機菩薩，正是此經所為之器。下文云「如是經典，但為乘不思議乘菩薩摩訶薩說，不為餘人。」解云：乘者運轉為義。若依別門，初運至十信，次轉至十住乃至佛果，次第相乘以階彼岸，名可思議。若依普門，一位即一切位故，亦一運即一切運，名不思議乘。乘此乘者，十信滿心即得六位，如〈賢首品〉等說。又十住等位皆亦如是，如下文諸會處說。又如善財一生具五位等，皆是普法相收故也。又〈舍那品〉云「非餘境界之所知，普賢方便皆得入。」又普賢誡眾云：「普眼境界清淨身，我今演說仁諦聽。」如是可知。問：何故此法非餘境界？答：以盧舍那周遍塵方普應法界一切群機。若彼別機稱自根器，但各見己所見、聞自所聞，皆不見他所見、不聞他所聞。此普賢機，乃見一切所見、聞一切所聞，皆盡盧舍那能化分齊，故云普眼境也。是故當知，普別二機感普別二法各不同也。二兼為者，謂遺法中見聞信向此無盡法，成金剛種，當必得此圓融普法。如下文吞服金剛喻，又小火廣燒喻等，又如兜率天子從地獄出，得十地無生忍，展轉利益不窮盡等，皆由宿聞此法為本因故。又下文云「雖在於大海，及劫盡火中，決定信無疑，必得聞此經。」三引為者，謂彼如前共教菩薩，於彼教中多時長養深解窮徹行布教源，即當得此普賢法界。既云無量億那由他劫不信此經，即知過此劫數必當信受，以離此普法更無餘路得成佛故、經不說彼過此劫數猶不信故。問：若彼地前過彼劫數必信受者，即知地上二宗不別，豈彼所信無十地耶？答：於彼教中具有行布十地漸次乃至佛果，長養彼根器務令成熟，極遲之者至此劫數定當信入；如其疾者，是即不定，可准知耳。四轉為者，謂諸二乘以根鈍故，要先迴入共教大乘，捨二乘名得菩薩稱，然後方入此普賢法，故說此經唯為菩薩、不攝二乘。若不爾者，餘大乘經有聲聞眾為所被機，亦引二乘令其入大。唯獨此經，眾無聲聞之機、文無迴小之說，何成了義深廣之典？設第八會有聲聞者，為寄對顯法，表如聾盲，非是所被，其六千比丘非是羅漢，故不相違。是故當知，一切二乘總無頓入普賢法界。依究竟說，無有二乘而不迴入共教菩薩，無彼菩薩而不入此普賢之法，是故展轉無不皆是此法之器。五遠為者，謂諸凡愚外道闡提悉有佛性，以障重故，久遠亦當得入此法。如《佛性論》及《寶性論》皆說，以一闡提謗大乘因，依無量時說無佛性，非謂究竟無清淨性。又如此經性起大樹，於二乘闡提二處不生牙亦不捨生性等，又如日照生盲喻等。是故當知，一切眾生究竟無不皆入此法，以此普法眾生具有故。下文云「菩薩知一切眾生身中有如來菩提」等。問：若爾，何故《瑜伽》等論，定性二乘及無性有情定不成佛？答：此由教門有了不了，故有諸說。若依小乘，一切眾生總皆無有大菩提性，如小論說。若大乘初教，即五性差別，一分有性、一分無性，如《瑜伽》等。若依終教，一切眾生悉有佛性，如《涅槃》等經《佛性》等論。若依頓教，眾生佛性一味一相，不可言有、不可說無，離言絕慮，如《諸法無行經》等說。若依圓教，眾生佛性具因具果、有性有相，圓明備德，如〈性起品〉如來菩提處說。

Fourth, the capacities of beings addressed by the teaching. In general there are ten levels, among which the first five weed out non-receptacles, and the latter five directly reveal those for whom it is intended. Among the first five: First, non-receptacles through violating truth. This refers to those who do not generate the bodhicitta and do not seek liberation, but rely upon this sūtra to seek fame and profit, adorning their own ego; this sūtra is not their condition, so they are not its receptacle. Below it says: 'Expounding the Dharma for the sake of fame and profit is a māra-deed.' And also, as expounding the Dharma with impurities leads to falling into the evil destinies, and so on. Second, non-receptacles through turning away from the correct. This refers to those who pretend to manifest a great mind and falsely cultivate perverse goods; in the short term they attract [rebirth as] humans and gods, but in the end they never become buddhas, and are in danger of falling into the Avīci hell to suffer for many kalpas. Like Devadatta, who was at the apex of the icchantika, or like the eight great good persons who would become evil. The former can be known based on the beginning, while the latter is only revealed at the end. Below it says: 'Forgetting the bodhicitta while cultivating wholesome roots is a māra-deed.' The sūtra is not a condition for such, so they too are not receptacles. Third, non-receptacles through deviating from reality. This refers to those who, although not deceitful, grasp the sūtra text according to their own attached views, thus preventing this supreme teaching that transcends conception from entering their minds at all; thus they become non-receptacles. The *Daśabhūmika-vyākhyāna* says: 'Construing hearing as hearing, one fails to attain the un-heard.' There are also the five kinds of faults of grasping meaning according to literal words, and so on. These three levels above are all the realm of ordinary and foolish sentient beings. Below it says: 'This sūtra does not enter the hands of all sentient beings, with the sole exception of bodhisattvas.' Truly, because this sūtra is not a condition for the transmigration of sentient beings, it does not enter their hands. Fourth, non-receptacles through narrowness and inferiority. This refers to all those of the two vehicles who lack a vast mind; they too are not its receptacle. A lower passage says: 'All śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas do not hear this sūtra, how much less receive and uphold it.' Furthermore, Śāriputra and the other five hundred śrāvakas were all like the deaf and blind, neither hearing nor seeing. Fifth, non-receptacles through clinging to the provisional. This refers to the various bodhisattvas of the shared teaching of the three vehicles who, practicing within their own tenets, have not yet completed the first asaṃkhyeya [kalpa]; they too are not its receptacle. A lower passage says: 'Though a bodhisattva-mahāsattva practices the six pāramitās and cultivates the wholesome roots of the aids to bodhi for immeasurable hundreds of millions of nayutas of kalpas, if they have not heard this sūtra, or though having heard it do not faithfully accept, uphold, and accord with it, such a one is still a nominal bodhisattva.' Question: The *Yingluo jing* and others state that cultivating the ten faiths to completion requires ten thousand kalpas; why does it say here that after immeasurable hundreds of millions [of kalpas] they still do not believe in this sūtra? Answer: Because they have only cultivated faith and so forth within the gradual stages of practice, and have not yet heard of or believed in this perfectly interpenetrating Samantabhadra ten faiths where the one subsumes the all. By this we know the difference between the two tenets. Were it not so, having cultivated for so many kalpas, if they did not believe this sūtra, how could they be called bodhisattva-mahāsattvas? The weeding out of non-receptacles is complete. Among the second [group of] five that directly reveals those for whom it is intended: First, those who are directly intended: these are the bodhisattvas of universal capacity in the unshared teaching of the one vehicle; they are precisely the receptacles for which this sūtra is intended. A lower passage says: 'Such a sūtra is spoken solely for bodhisattva-mahāsattvas who ride the inconceivable vehicle, and not for other people.' Explanation: 'Vehicle' has the meaning of conveying. If relying on the distinct gate, first one is conveyed to the ten faiths, next advanced to the ten abodes up to the buddha-fruit, ascending successively to step onto the other shore; this is called conceivable. If relying on the universal gate, because one stage is all stages, one conveyance is also all conveyances; this is called the inconceivable vehicle. For those who ride this vehicle, fulfilling the heart of the ten faiths immediately attains the six stages, as explained in the 'Bhadraśrī Chapter' and elsewhere. Furthermore, the stages of the ten abodes and so forth are all likewise, as explained in the various assembly locations below. Moreover, like Sudhana fulfilling the five stages in a single lifetime, these are all due to the mutual inclusion of the universal dharma. Also, the 'Rocana Chapter' says: 'Not what is known by other realms; / by Samantabhadra's upāya, all can enter.' Furthermore, Samantabhadra admonishes the assembly, saying: 'The pure body of the realm of the universal eye, / I now expound; O good ones, listen carefully!' Such is known. Question: Why is this dharma not within other realms? Answer: Because Rocana ubiquitously pervades dust-mote realms, universally responding to all the various capacities of the dharmadhātu. If those of distinct capacities accord with their own dispositions, each only sees what they themselves see and hears what they themselves hear; none sees what others see or hears what others hear. These capacities of Samantabhadra, however, see all that is seen and hear all that is heard, fully exhausting Rocana's scope of capacity to transform; hence it is called the realm of the universal eye. Therefore one should know that the universal and distinct capacities evoke the universal and distinct dharmas differently. Second, those who are concurrently intended: this refers to those who, during the remnant Dharma, see, hear, believe, and incline toward this inexhaustible dharma, forming a vajra-seed; they will definitely attain this perfectly interpenetrating universal dharma. This is like the analogy below of swallowing the vajra, or the analogy of a small fire burning widely, and so forth; also like the god in Tuṣita emerging from hell to attain the ten bhūmis and the forbearance of non-arising, progressively benefiting beings inexhaustibly, and so forth—all have the prior hearing of this dharma as their root cause. A lower passage also says: 'Though being in the great ocean, / or within the fire at the end of a kalpa, / with decisive faith without doubt, / one will definitely get to hear this sūtra.' Third, those who are guided: this refers to those bodhisattvas of the shared teaching mentioned before, who, after a long time of nurturing within that teaching, deeply understand and exhaust the source of the gradual teachings; they will then attain this Samantabhadra dharmadhātu. Since it says that for immeasurable hundreds of millions of nayutas of kalpas they do not believe this sūtra, one knows that upon surpassing this number of kalpas they will definitely believe and accept it, because apart from this universal dharma there is no other path to attain buddhahood, and because the sūtra does not say that they still disbelieve after surpassing this number of kalpas. Question: If those prior to the bhūmis definitely believe and accept after surpassing that number of kalpas, then one knows that above the bhūmis the two tenets are not distinct; could what they believe lack the ten bhūmis? Answer: In that teaching there is fully the succession of the gradual ten bhūmis up to the buddha-fruit, nurturing their faculties so as to bring them to maturity. The slowest among them will definitely believe and enter upon reaching this number of kalpas; as for the quick ones, it is indeterminate, which can be understood by analogy. Fourth, those who are redirected: this refers to those of the two vehicles who, due to their dull faculties, must first turn back and enter the Mahāyāna of the shared teaching, relinquishing the name of the two vehicles to obtain the designation of bodhisattva, and only then enter this Samantabhadra dharma; hence it is said that this sūtra is solely for bodhisattvas and does not subsume the two vehicles. Were it not so, other Mahāyāna sūtras have assemblies of śrāvakas as capacities to be addressed, and also guide the two vehicles to enter the Mahāyāna. If only this sūtra lacked capacities of śrāvakas in its assembly, and lacked passages on turning the small [to the great], how could it be a definitive, profound, and vast scripture? Even if there are śrāvakas in the eighth assembly, this is to manifest the Dharma by way of contrast, expressing that they are like the deaf and blind, not that they are addressed; the six thousand bhikṣus are not arhats, so there is no contradiction. Therefore one should know that across the board, no one of the two vehicles enters the Samantabhadra dharmadhātu abruptly. According to the ultimate explanation, there are no two-vehicle practitioners who do not turn back to become bodhisattvas of the shared teaching, and no such bodhisattvas who do not enter this Samantabhadra dharma; therefore, indirectly, all are receptacles for this dharma. Fifth, those who are distantly intended: this refers to all ordinary fools, non-Buddhists, and icchantikas, who all possess the buddha-nature; due to their heavy obstructions, over a long time they too will attain entry into this dharma. As both the *Buddhagotra-śāstra* and the *Ratnagotravibhāga* say, because the icchantika slanders the Mahāyāna, it is said based on an immeasurable time that they lack the buddha-nature, not that they ultimately lack the pure nature. It is also like the great tree of nature manifestation in this sūtra, which does not sprout in the two places of the two vehicles and icchantikas, yet does not relinquish its nature of generation, and like the analogy of the sun shining on the born-blind, and so forth. Therefore, one should know that ultimately there are no sentient beings who do not enter this dharma, because sentient beings inherently possess this universal dharma. A lower passage says: 'The bodhisattva knows that within the bodies of all sentient beings there is the Tathāgata's bodhi,' and so on. Question: If so, why do treatises like the *Yogācārabhūmi* state that those of the determinate nature of the two vehicles and beings without nature definitely do not become buddhas? Answer: This is because the gates of teaching have the definitive and the non-definitive, hence there are various explanations. If relying on the Hīnayāna, all sentient beings entirely lack the nature of great bodhi, as stated in Hīnayāna treatises. If it is the initial teaching of the Mahāyāna, there are the differences of the five natures, where one portion has the nature and one portion lacks the nature, as in the *Yogācārabhūmi* and elsewhere. If relying on the final teaching, all sentient beings have the buddha-nature, as in sūtras like the *Nirvāṇa Sūtra* and treatises like the *Buddhagotra-śāstra*. If relying on the sudden teaching, the buddha-nature of sentient beings is of one taste and one characteristic, which cannot be said to exist nor said not to exist, transcending words and conceptualization, as stated in the *Sarvadharmāpravṛtti-nirdeśa* and others. If relying on the perfect teaching, the buddha-nature of sentient beings is replete with both cause and fruit, possessing both nature and characteristics, perfectly clear and complete with virtues, as stated in the passage on the Tathāgata's bodhi in the 'Nature Manifestation Chapter'.