華嚴經探玄記 16.37

16.37

第三請分中亦二，謂長行與頌。長行中三：先舉法請、二歎眾請、三歎說請。就歎眾中三：初標眾大、二「善學」下歎德具、三「成就如是」下結眾集。就歎德中，略歎十德：一淨戒業、二念慧成、三滿二嚴、四住佛儀、五具佛行、六「正念」下大定德、七大悲德、八「決定」下大智德、九勝通德、十住果德。三結可知。三「仁者」下歎說者有堪說德。亦顯十德：一殖多善、二成妙行、三定自在、四證深密、五善除疑、六達教法、七善知根、八隨器說、九順佛智、十結無盡。「善哉」下結請。善哉有三種：一法要妙；二眾堪聞；三仁堪說，故云願說也。二偈請中有十九頌，分三：初一頌半標歎說聽、二正請十門性起、三「清淨真」下歎德勸說。就正請中，初二句請，初總門；二次句別請身業；三次句語業；四次句意業；五次句所知境；六次句所行行；七次句示所得果，有本此中更有二句，謂修習等；八次二句所轉法輪；九次二句所入涅槃；十「佛子」下四頌半請第十見聞敬養益，並如下答中廣釋。三「清淨」下歎德勸說中有六：初一請普賢說深廣境、二次一歎眾樂聞德、三次二勸以巧言因喻說、四次二重舉三業以請說、五次二歎眾會希有以勸說、六次二結請顯眾樂。

Third, the part on requesting also has two sections, namely the prose and the verses. Within the prose there are three: first, adducing the Dharma to request; second, praising the assembly to request; third, praising the expounder to request. Within praising the assembly there are three: first, indicating the greatness of the assembly; second, from "well trained" onward, praising their endowment with virtues; third, from "having accomplished such" onward, concluding the gathering of the assembly. Within praising the virtues, ten virtues are briefly praised: (1) the karma of pure precepts; (2) the accomplishment of mindfulness and wisdom; (3) the fulfillment of the two adornments; (4) abiding in the Buddha's deportment; (5) being endowed with the Buddha's practice; (6) from "right mindfulness" onward, the virtue of great concentration; (7) the virtue of great compassion; (8) from "determined" onward, the virtue of great wisdom; (9) the virtue of supreme supernormal powers; (10) the virtue of abiding in the fruit. The third, the conclusion, is self-evident. Third, from "O benevolent one" onward, praising the expounder as having the virtue of being capable of expounding. This also reveals ten virtues: (1) having planted many good roots; (2) having accomplished wondrous practices; (3) mastery of concentration; (4) realizing the profound and esoteric; (5) skillfully dispelling doubts; (6) thoroughly penetrating the teachings of the Dharma; (7) skillfully knowing faculties; (8) expounding according to the capacity of the vessel; (9) according with the Buddha's wisdom; and (10) the concluding boundlessness. From "Excellent!" onward is the concluding request. "Excellent" has three meanings: first, the Dharma is essential and wondrous; second, the assembly is capable of hearing; third, the benevolent one is capable of expounding; hence it says "we pray you will expound." Second, in the request in verse there are nineteen stanzas, divided into three: first, one and a half stanzas designating and praising the expounder and the listeners; second, the direct request concerning the ten doors of nature manifestation; third, from "Pure and true" onward, praising virtues and urging the expounding. Within the direct request, the first two lines request the initial general gate; the next two lines separately request bodily karma; the next two lines, verbal karma; the next two lines, mental karma; the next two lines, the cognitive domain; the next two lines, the practice undertaken; the next two lines, showing the fruit attained (some editions have an additional two lines here, namely "cultivating," etc.); the next two lines, the wheel of Dharma turned; the next two lines, the nirvāṇa entered; and from "O Buddha's sons" onward, four and a half stanzas request the tenth, the benefit of seeing, hearing, venerating, and making offerings. All are extensively explained below in the answers. Third, within praising virtues and urging the expounding from "Pure" onward, there are six: first, one stanza requesting Samantabhadra to expound the profound and vast domain; second, one stanza praising the assembly's virtue of rejoicing in hearing; third, two stanzas urging him to expound using skillful words, causes, and similes; fourth, two stanzas reiterating the three karmas to request the expounding; fifth, two stanzas praising the assembly as rare to urge the expounding; sixth, two stanzas concluding the request to reveal the assembly's joy.