華嚴經探玄記 20.21

20.21

初舉法勸修中二：初長行指後、次說偈頌前。就長行中，摩耶者，此云幻生。菩薩夫人者，梵名提婆多，正翻應名天后，古人就義名曰夫人。問：餘經論說，摩耶生佛，七日命終，生忉利天。云何此中指迦毘羅城？答：化相示滅，實報常存。若爾，迦毘豈非化處？釋：此亦深，非常人可見。如菩提樹下即蓮華藏等，又如雙林示滅常在靈山等。又摩耶等諸眷屬，若小乘中是實非化；若始教大乘中是化非實；若終教中亦實亦化，謂實是大菩薩示現為化故；若頓教中非實非化，以即相無相故；若圓教中竝是法界實德，是人亦是法門故。又是舍那海印定中所現，故屬佛實德攝也。餘竝准之。二「汝詣彼問」下教問，可知。二偈頌前法中三十三偈，分三：初一總顯己行；次十七偈遠說前劫事佛因緣，前長行所無；次「於後所過劫」下十五偈，正頌前長行所說因緣。於中，先十頌前於諸佛所所得法門、次「我於菩薩身」下五頌前於菩薩毛孔所見等事。第二依教趣入中六：初辭前、二念後、三引導、四見勝、五致敬、六申請。就念後中三：初總念知識德；二「具淨法身」下別念其身有十九種；三「如是等」下結成難見，起四種念：一云何見、二云何親近、三云何知其相、四云何聞法受持。三「作是念已」下明伴善知識方便引導，於中三：初城天教守心城、二妙德天讚德加持、三羅剎王教令起行。初中三：先供養善財。二教守心城，有二十四種，一一各初勸所作、後釋作所以。初中，應守護心城者，忍不起妄念也。離生死者，由無妄念不起惑造業，故云離也。又云應修無壞心城者，以信法不壞故，又持法不妄故。又云應放心城普照光明者，以根欲性力智光照達群機故。餘竝准釋可知。三「菩薩摩訶薩」下釋成利益，於中先總標、二「何以」下釋所以、三「佛子」下結。

In the first, 'adducing the Dharma to encourage cultivation', there are two parts: first, the prose points to what follows; second, speaking verses that versify what preceded. In the prose: 'Māyā' here is translated as 'illusory birth'. As for 'bodhisattva lady', the Sanskrit name is *devatā*, which properly translated should be called 'heavenly queen'; the ancients, in accordance with the meaning, called her 'lady'. Question: Other sūtras and treatises say that after Māyā gave birth to the Buddha, her life ended after seven days and she was born in Trāyastriṃśa Heaven. Why does it point here to the city of Kapilavastu? Answer: The marks of transformation show extinction, but the true recompense [body] eternally endures. If so, is not Kapilavastu a transformation site? Explanation: This is also profound, not something ordinary people can see. It is like beneath the bodhi tree being Padmagarbha, etc., and also like showing extinction in the Twin Trees while eternally dwelling on Vulture Peak, etc. Furthermore, regarding the retinues such as Māyā: in the Hīnayāna, they are real and not transformations; in the initial teaching of the Mahāyāna, they are transformations and not real; in the final teaching, they are both real and transformations, meaning they are truly great bodhisattvas who manifest as transformations; in the sudden teaching, they are neither real nor transformations, because identity with form is formlessness; in the perfect teaching, they are entirely the real virtues of the dharmadhātu, being both persons and Dharma gates. Furthermore, they are manifested within Rocana's sāgara-mudrā samādhi, and therefore they are subsumed under the Buddha's real virtues. The rest should all be inferred accordingly. Second, from "Go to her and ask…" onwards, instructing him to question, as can be known. Second, in the verses versifying the preceding Dharma, there are thirty-three gāthās, divided into three: the first one generally reveals her own practice; the next seventeen gāthās distantly recount the causes and conditions of serving Buddhas in past kalpas, which were absent in the preceding prose; the next fifteen gāthās, from "Kalpas passed thereafter…" onwards, properly versify the causes and conditions spoken of in the preceding prose. Within this: first, ten versify the Dharma gates obtained previously in the presence of the Buddhas; next, from "I, within the bodhisattva's body…" onwards, five versify such matters as what was seen in the bodhisattva's pores. In the second, 'proceeding to enter in accordance with the teaching', there are six parts: (1) taking leave of the previous one, (2) being mindful of the latter one, (3) guidance, (4) seeing superior [qualities], (5) paying homage, and (6) making the request. In 'being mindful of the latter one', there are three parts: first, generally being mindful of the spiritual friend's virtues; second, from "Endowed with the pure dharmakāya…" onwards, specifically being mindful that her body has nineteen kinds; third, from "Such as these…" onwards, concluding that she is difficult to see, giving rise to four kinds of mindfulness: [1] how to see her, [2] how to draw near to her, [3] how to know her characteristics, and [4] how to hear the Dharma and receive and uphold it. Third, from "Having formed these thoughts…" onwards, explaining the companion spiritual friends using upāya to guide him, wherein there are three parts: first, the city devas instructing him to guard the mind-city; second, the deva Subhadra praising her virtues and bestowing empowerment; third, the rākṣasa king instructing him to arouse practice. Within the first, there are three points: first, making offerings to Sudhana; second, instructing him to guard the mind-city, having twenty-four kinds, in each of which the action to be done is first encouraged, and then the reason for doing it is explained. In the first, 'one should guard the mind-city' means patiently forbearing so that delusionary thoughts do not arise. 'Departing from saṃsāra' means that due to having no delusionary thoughts, one does not give rise to afflictions and create karma, hence it says 'departing'. It also says 'one should cultivate the indestructible mind-city', because one's faith in the Dharma is indestructible, and also because one upholds the Dharma without forgetting. It also says 'one should release the mind-city's pervasive illumination of radiance', because the light of wisdom of faculties, desires, natures, and powers illuminates and reaches the capacities of the multitude. The rest can all be known by analogous explanation. Third, from "Bodhisattva-mahāsattva…" onwards, explaining the accomplishment of benefits, wherein there is first a general statement; second, from "Why is that?" onwards, an explanation of the reason; third, from "Child of the Buddha…" onwards, the conclusion.