華嚴經探玄記 16.56

16.56

第十明性起見聞敬養善根。前既示涅槃，今明供養餘跡，成益不虛，故次明也。長行內釋中三：先就法、二約喻、三簡喻異法。初中，先總辨。所謂於佛，若見佛及像、若聞名及稱念、若三業恭敬、若四事供養，於此四位所種善根，廣多無限不可稱說，故云功德無盡。下別顯中，略舉三種果：一斷滅惑障果、二「於一切」下德窮來際果、三「起諸佛」下成大菩提果。又初唯斷果令得涅槃；後唯智果令得菩提；中間通二，謂棄有為隨順無為故也。第二喻中亦三：初吞少金剛喻，喻前第二德窮來際果，謂微少善根性不可盡也。二小火能燒喻，喻第一斷滅惑障果，謂少善根性能滅惑。又釋：前滅所知障，後滅煩惱障。三藥王多益喻，喻第三成大菩提果。合中二：初以佛合藥樹。見聞等，明佛在世作六根境。故《寶性論》云「諸佛如來身，如虛空無相，為諸勝智者，作六根境界，示現微妙色，出于妙音聲，令嗅佛戒香，與佛妙法味，使覺三昧觸，令知深妙法。」大同此經也。二「若有得經卷」下合地土等，明佛滅後益。上來明廣饒益。二「佛子乃至不信」下明深饒益。《如來祕密藏經》罵藥服之得力等，罵沈燒已還香等，罵佛猶勝敬外道等。五卷《大悲經》「但出家人袈裟著身，假令左手携男、右手携女，從一酒家至一酒家。佛言：我記此人不出賢劫當般涅槃。」如是等文，同明如來法不思議也。第三簡喻異法，有標、有釋。以非世喻所能類，故云過思議也。「但隨」下明方便說喻，非是比類。「是為」下結可知。偈頌在下，顯其鉤鎖故也。上來說分竟。

Tenth, explaining the nature-manifested roots of goodness from seeing, hearing, venerating, and making offerings. Previously [the text] already demonstrated nirvāṇa; now it explains making offerings to the remaining traces, which generates benefits that are not in vain; hence it is explained next. Within the prose commentary there are three [parts]: first, with respect to the teaching; second, regarding the analogies; third, distinguishing the analogies from the teaching. In the first, it first explains generally: that is, with respect to the Buddha, whether seeing the Buddha and [his] images, whether hearing [his] name and reciting it, whether revering [him] with the three karmas, or whether making offerings of the four requisites—the roots of goodness planted in these four positions are vastly numerous, limitless, and ineffable; therefore [the sūtra] says [their] merit is inexhaustible. Below, in the specific demonstration, it briefly adduces three kinds of fruits: 1. the fruit of severing and eliminating the defilement-hindrances; 2. from "in all" downward, the fruit of virtue exhausting the limits of the future; 3. from "giving rise to the Buddhas" downward, the fruit of accomplishing great bodhi. Furthermore, the first is exclusively the fruit of severing, causing one to attain nirvāṇa; the last is exclusively the fruit of wisdom, causing one to attain bodhi; the middle one connects both, meaning that by relinquishing the conditioned, one conforms to the unconditioned. In the second part, on the analogies, there are also three: 1. The analogy of swallowing a small amount of diamond: this illustrates the second fruit above, virtue exhausting the limits of the future, meaning that even a minute root of goodness has a nature that cannot be exhausted. 2. The analogy of a small fire being able to burn: this illustrates the first fruit, severing and eliminating the defilement-hindrances, meaning that a small root of goodness inherently has the nature to extinguish defilements. Another explanation: the former extinguishes the cognitive hindrances (jñeyāvaraṇa), while the latter extinguishes the affliction hindrances (kleśāvaraṇa). 3. The analogy of the king of medicines possessing many benefits: this illustrates the third fruit, accomplishing great bodhi. In the matching of the analogy, there are two [parts]: first, matching the Buddha with the medicinal tree. Seeing, hearing, and so forth demonstrate that the Buddha, while in the world, served as the sensory sphere for the six sense faculties. Hence the Ratnagotravibhāga says: "The bodies of all Buddhas, the Tathāgatas, / Are like empty space, signless; / For those of supreme wisdom, / They serve as the sphere of the six faculties, / Manifesting subtle and sublime forms, / Emitting sublime sounds, / Causing them to smell the Buddha's fragrance of morality, / Bestowing the Buddha's sublime flavor of Dharma, / Causing them to perceive the tactile sensations of samādhi, / And causing them to know the profound and sublime Dharma." This is broadly identical with this sūtra. Second, from "if there are those who obtain the sūtra scroll" downward, it matches the ground and soil, and so forth, explaining the benefits after the Buddha's passing. The preceding explains the broad and plentiful benefits. Second, from "disciple of the Buddha, even if one does not have faith" downward, it explains the deep and plentiful benefits. The Tathāgatagarbha Sūtra speaks of cursing medicine, yet taking it one still gains strength, or cursing aloeswood, yet once burned it still smells fragrant, or cursing the Buddha, which is still superior to venerating non-Buddhists, and so on. The five-fascicle Mahākāruṇika Sūtra says: "Even if a monastic wears the kāṣāya robe on the body and, supposing with the left hand he leads a boy and with the right hand leads a girl, goes from one tavern to another tavern, the Buddha said: 'I predict this person will enter parinirvāṇa within the Bhadrakalpa.'" Passages such as these together demonstrate that the Dharma of the Tathāgatas is inconceivable. Third, distinguishing the analogies from the teaching: there is a presentation and an explanation. Because it is not something worldly analogies can compare to, it says it surpasses contemplation. From "only following" downward, it explains that analogies are spoken as an upāya and are not direct comparisons. From "this is" downward, the conclusion may be understood. The verses are placed below to reveal their interlocking link. The above concludes the Section on Exposition.