華嚴經探玄記 18.76

18.76

第四「爾時良醫」下明示法界中二：初敬歎法器、後授己法門。前中四：初審其發心。二敬禮供養。何故禮者？古釋云：顯敬法重人故，明諸弟子修行法時敬法具，顯師即不爾，已有過教之德，是故於弟子常有敬法之心，但身事不得起禮。今此以心行難明，故現相表之。又云：敬其道器也。又云：不輕末學也。今更釋：以菩提心是佛因故，重其果而敬其因，此敬則是行菩薩行故，示此軌則令眾倣學。又釋：佛果大心不足為難，創起大心此則為難，是故經云「發心畢竟二不別，如是二心前心難。自未得度先度他，故我頂禮初發心。」又釋：此心希有，能廣出生，是故敬禮。如新翻《法界無差別論》中，敬禮菩提心者，如世間人禮白分初月不禮滿等，以希現故、滿月由此故。三「敬重」下明言中歎德中三：初十歎大心功德能。初二為佛果依正性。性者因也，以菩提心是因法，故皆云性。次二成所化因。次二成業行因。次二願智因，謂願常隨有，智恒離欲。後二為大果因，謂菩提涅槃也。二「為一切佛」下十句，為十王敬護。三「彼為安慰」下明得敬護之因，亦十句可知。四「善男子」下汎明一切菩薩勝德中二：初法說；二「菩薩為大風」下十三句約喻顯德，准釋可知。二「爾時良醫」下示己法界中二：初口光集眾，說法廣益；二還昇本坐，方示己法界。問：前既敬禮，今何故復坐？答：前未與法，非弟子故，致敬無咎；今現師位，是故還坐。所言不虛者，言必饒益故。天竺本名得妙音陀羅尼法門。解云：即是此中分別知天龍等語言是也。業用及結名可知。

Fourth, from "At that time the skilled physician" onward, showing the dharmadhātu comprises two parts: first, revering and praising the vessel of the Dharma; and later, conferring his own Dharma gate. The first [part] contains four: first, examining his arousal of the aspiration; second, paying homage and making offerings. Why does he pay homage? An ancient commentary says: To reveal that he reveres the Dharma and values the person. When the disciples practice the Dharma, they are fully endowed with reverence for the Dharma; to show that the master is not like that [is not the point, but rather], having already the virtue of surpassing the teachings, he therefore constantly harbors a mind of reverence for the Dharma toward disciples, yet in bodily affairs he should not initiate homage. Here, because inner mental actions are difficult to perceive clearly, he manifests bodily signs to express it. Another says: It is out of reverence for him as a vessel of the Way. Another says: It is so as not to slight beginners. Now we further explain: Because the bodhicitta is the cause of buddhahood, one values its fruit and reveres its cause; since this homage is itself the practice of the bodhisattva conduct, he shows this exemplar to cause the assembly to emulate it. Another explanation: The great mind of the fruit of buddhahood is not difficult; first arousing this great mind is what is difficult. Therefore the sūtra says: "The initial arousal of the mind and the ultimate [fruit] are not two; between these two minds, the initial mind is the harder. While not yet having crossed over oneself, first crossing over others—therefore I bow my head to the initial arousal of the mind." Another explanation: This mind is rare and able to give birth extensively, and is therefore paid homage. As in the newly translated Dharmadhātv-aviśeṣa-śāstra, paying homage to the bodhicitta is like worldly people paying homage to the new crescent moon of the bright fortnight and not paying homage to the full moon, etc., because it appears rarely, and because the full moon originates from this. Third, from "reverence" onward, in praising [his] virtues with words, there are three: First, ten [clauses] praising the merits and abilities of the great mind. The first two are the nature of the environmental and personal [aspects] of the fruit of buddhahood. "Nature" means cause; because the bodhicitta is the causal factor, they are all called "nature". The next two constitute the cause of those to be converted. The next two constitute the cause of karmic practices. The next two are the cause of vow and wisdom—namely, vows constantly following existence, and wisdom perpetually separated from desire. The last two are the cause of the great fruits—namely, bodhi and nirvāṇa. Second, the ten clauses from "for all buddhas" onward are [his] being revered and protected by the ten kings. Third, from "to console them" onward explains the causes for obtaining reverence and protection; these are also ten clauses, which can be understood. Fourth, from "good man" onward broadly explains the supreme virtues of all bodhisattvas, in two: first, an exposition of the Dharma; second, the thirteen clauses from "bodhisattvas are like a great wind" onward use metaphors to reveal virtues, which can be understood according to the interpretation. Second, from "At that time the skilled physician" onward, showing his own dharmadhātu comprises two parts: first, emitting light from the mouth to assemble the multitude, preaching the Dharma for wide benefit; second, returning and ascending to his original seat, only then showing his own dharmadhātu. Question: Having paid homage earlier, why does he now sit again? Answer: Earlier, because he had not yet conferred the Dharma and [Sudhana] was not a disciple, extending reverence incurred no fault; now he displays the station of a master, and therefore sits again. "What he speaks is not in vain" means his words are inevitably beneficial. The Indian text names this "attaining the Dharma gate of the dhāraṇī of wonderful sound". The commentary says: This refers to the discriminating knowledge of the languages of devas, nāgas, and so forth in this passage. The karmic function and the concluding name can be understood.