華嚴經探玄記 1.8

1.8

初法爾故者，一切諸佛法爾皆於無盡世界常轉如此無盡法輪，如大王路法爾常規，無停無息盡窮未來際。是故下文〈不思議品〉云「一切法界虛空等世界，悉以毛端周遍度量。一一毛端處於念念中，化不可說不可說佛剎微塵等身，乃至盡未來際劫。一一化佛身有不可說不可說佛剎微塵等頭，一一頭有不可說不可說佛剎微塵等舌，一一舌出不可說不可說佛剎微塵等音聲，一一音聲說不可說不可說佛剎微塵等修多羅，一一修多羅說不可說不可說佛剎微塵等法，一一法中說不可說不可說佛剎微塵等句身味身。復不可說不可說佛剎微塵等劫說異句身味身，音聲充滿法界一切眾生無不聞者。盡一切未來際劫常轉法輪，如來音聲無異無斷不可窮盡。」解云：准此經文，於一毛端處、於一念中出於如上業用，餘念念中皆亦如是。如一毛端處如是念念業用無盡，餘一一毛端次第周遍虛空法界等一切世界各皆如是無盡無盡。此即處以毛端該於法界，時以剎那盡於劫海，謂於此處明頓起業用，謂於此時明常起業用，此亦不待因緣，諸佛法爾。此經下文所說皆爾。問：若爾，何故處唯八會、時局二七耶？答：遮那品云「一一微塵中，佛國海安住，佛雲遍護念，彌綸覆一切。」又云「一毛孔中，無量佛剎，莊嚴清淨，曠然安住。彼一切處，盧遮那佛，於眾海中，演說正法。」解云：況八會處而不該攝十方法界？又〈發心品〉云「知無量劫即一念，一念即是無量劫。」解云：況二七日時不攝無量劫海？〈不思議品〉云「一切諸佛於一微塵中普現三世一切佛剎，於一微塵中普現三世諸佛自在神力，於一微塵中普現三世一切眾生，於一微塵中普現三世一切諸佛佛事。」解云：此中塵內三世，通括一切前後際劫，是謂諸佛法爾常說故也。

First, "due to dharmatā": by dharmatā all Buddhas constantly turn such an inexhaustible dharmacakra in inexhaustible worlds, just as the king's high road is by nature a constant rule, unceasing and unresting to the utmost limit of the future. Therefore, the "Chapter on the Inconceivable" below states: "All worlds equal to the empty space of the dharmadhātu are fully measured with the tip of a hair. At the site of each hair-tip, in thought-moment after thought-moment, bodies equal to the dust motes of unspeakable-unspeakable Buddha lands are manifested, continuing until kalpas at the utmost limit of the future. Each transformed Buddha body has heads equal to the dust motes of unspeakable-unspeakable Buddha lands; each head has tongues equal to the dust motes of unspeakable-unspeakable Buddha lands; each tongue emits sounds equal to the dust motes of unspeakable-unspeakable Buddha lands; each sound expounds sūtras equal to the dust motes of unspeakable-unspeakable Buddha lands; each sūtra expounds dharmas equal to the dust motes of unspeakable-unspeakable Buddha lands; and within each dharma are expounded padakāyas and vyañjanakāyas equal to the dust motes of unspeakable-unspeakable Buddha lands. Furthermore, for kalpas equal to the dust motes of unspeakable-unspeakable Buddha lands, distinct padakāyas and vyañjanakāyas are expounded, and their sounds fill the dharmadhātu so that none among all sentient beings fails to hear them. Throughout all kalpas at the utmost limit of the future, the dharmacakra is constantly turned, and the Tathāgata's voice is without difference, without interruption, and inexhaustible." Explanation: According to this sūtra text, at the site of a single hair-tip and within a single thought-moment, such karmic functions as described above are brought forth, and it is also like this in all other thought-moments. Just as at the site of a single hair-tip such karmic functions are inexhaustible in thought-moment after thought-moment, each and every other hair-tip in succession, pervading all worlds equal to empty space and the dharmadhātu, is likewise endlessly inexhaustible. This means that spatially a hair-tip encompasses the dharmadhātu, and temporally a kṣaṇa exhausts an ocean of kalpas. This site explains the sudden arising of karmic functions, while this time explains the constant arising of karmic functions; nor does this await causes and conditions, for it is the dharmatā of all Buddhas. All that is expounded below in this sūtra is like this. Question: If so, why are the places limited to eight assemblies and the time restricted to two weeks? Answer: The "Chapter on Rocana" states: "Within each single dust mote, / An ocean of Buddha lands resides; / The Buddha's clouds everywhere protectively mindful, / All-encompassing, cover everything." It also states: "Within a single pore, / Immeasurable Buddha lands, / Adorned and pure, / Abide spaciously. / In all those places, / Rocana Buddha, / Amid the ocean-like assemblies, / Expounds the true Dharma." Explanation: How much more so must the places of the eight assemblies encompass the dharmadhātus of the ten directions? Furthermore, the "Chapter on Generating the Mind" states: "Knowing that immeasurable kalpas are just a single thought, / And a single thought is just immeasurable kalpas." Explanation: How much more so does the time of two weeks encompass an ocean of immeasurable kalpas? The "Chapter on the Inconceivable" states: "All Buddhas universally manifest all Buddha lands of the three times within a single dust mote; they universally manifest the sovereign supernatural powers of all Buddhas of the three times within a single dust mote; they universally manifest all sentient beings of the three times within a single dust mote; they universally manifest all Buddha-works of all Buddhas of the three times within a single dust mote." Explanation: The three times within a dust mote here fully encompass all kalpas of the past and future limits; this is what is meant by all Buddhas constantly expounding by dharmatā.