華嚴經探玄記 11.47

11.47

九次第者，何故於先說此調柔？以前說信等十行，今此轉更鍊使精妙，義便先彰。既當地行熟，必趣後地，次明發趣。問：若爾，何故《瑜伽．住品》先明發趣，後說調柔？答：此是本經，彼論引此，計應不別。然論主迴之，隨別義意。義意云何？彼論意說當地修行，信等滿則便推求後諸地事，是故先明發趣，然後方說當地鍊行，故後辨調柔。此約說時以明次第。今此本經中約行時說，是先調柔行、後求上進。亦可法實，隨說皆得。三前二行解細故先說，攝報是麁是故後顯。若爾，願智非麁，何乃最後？釋：前三俱是差別果故，同在先論；願智是其無差別果，是故後說。前中行細、解次、報事最麁，以為先後也。

Ninth, sequence: Why is this pliancy explained first? Because earlier the ten practices of faith and so forth were explained, and now these are further smelted and refined to make them subtle and wondrous; the meaning being convenient, it is revealed first. Since the practice of this bhūmi is matured, it must advance to the subsequent bhūmi, so next setting forth is explained. Question: If so, why does the *Yogācārabhūmi*, "Vihāra Chapter", explain setting forth first and pliancy later? Answer: This is the root sūtra; that treatise cites this, and presumably there should be no difference. However, the treatise master inverted them according to a different intended meaning. What is that intended meaning? The intent of that treatise explains that when cultivating on this bhūmi, once faith and so forth are fulfilled, one immediately investigates matters of the subsequent bhūmis; therefore setting forth is explained first, and only then is the refinement of practice on this bhūmi explained, hence clarifying pliancy later. This explains the sequence in terms of the time of exposition. Here in this root sūtra, it is spoken in terms of the time of practice: first practicing pliancy, and later seeking higher progress. It is also permissible that the reality of dharmas allows either exposition. Third, the former two, practice and understanding, are subtle and thus explained first; gathered retribution is gross and therefore revealed later. If so, vows and wisdom is not gross, so why is it last? Explanation: the first three are all differentiated fruits and thus treated first together; vows and wisdom is an undifferentiated fruit, and therefore explained later. Among the former: practice is subtle, understanding is next, and the matters of retribution are grossest, forming the sequence.