華嚴經探玄記 11.48

11.48

Tenth, explaining the text: the four fruits in the text constitute four sections. In the first there are three: the doctrine, the simile, and the application. In the doctrine there are four: first, seeing the Buddha is the condition that enables the tempering of practice; second, from "vast mind" downward explains the essence of the practice to be tempered; third, from "mostly by" downward reveals the distinctive marks of the practice on this bhūmi; fourth, from "wherever this bodhisattva" downward explains the purification of what has been tempered. In the first: this [sūtra] refers to it as "rarely seeing" [lit. seeing a few], while the commentary refers to it as "seeing many"; both are general expressions and do not refer to numbers. If the term for "number" is read with a prolonged sound, its meaning is similar. By supreme supernormal power they fly to other directions to see the Buddha's physical body and hear the true Dharma; that is the other-enjoyment body. Furthermore, by internal right vows, without moving from a single place, they see the dharmakāya's pervasive meaning and so forth. Again, relying on the "Vihāra Chapter" of the Yogācāra[-bhūmi], through right vows one attains rebirth in the enjoyment land and constantly sees the Buddha. The power of supernormal faculties and the power of vows in the Daśabhūmika-śāstra are precisely the two causes and conditions for seeing the Buddha in the Yogācāra[-bhūmi]. Here, the first is vows and the second is powers, which also accords with that treatise; hence it says "by the power of vows." Below, explaining that what is seen is vast and numerous, it gradually increases in terms of number, because the treatise speaks of skillfully manifesting many Buddhas and so forth. In the second, the essence of practice, three kinds of practice are accomplished: first, the practice of making offerings to the Buddha and the Saṅgha, with the three offerings as in the treatise; second, from "by this" downward, the practice of dedicating toward bodhi; third, from "this bodhisattva" downward, the practice of teaching and transforming sentient beings. In the third, the distinctive practices of the bhūmi, the treatise has two practices: the two attractions benefit others, and the dāna-pāramitā benefits oneself. That it is omitted here without the dāna-pāramitā is because among the two attractions, giving is material giving, pleasant speech is giving of Dharma, and fearlessness extends to both; thus the two attractions subsume and complete the practice of dāna, so it is not shown again. Fourth, from "this bodhisattva" downward explains the purification of what has been tempered. Therein, first it reiterates the two preceding practices of offering to the Buddha and transforming beings as that which can temper. Practicing the pure dharmas of the bhūmi refers to the practices of faith and so forth; these are the practices that are tempered. "Such merits" reiterates the tempered faith and so forth; "dedicating toward all-knowledge" reiterates the preceding dedication. These are also that which tempers, tempering that which is tempered, causing them to emerge from obstacles and become functional. That is to say, when the preceding bhūmi was fulfilled, purity was already attained; now it is further purified, hence it says "increasingly manifest and clear." This is emergence from obstacles. Speaking of "being capable and functional" means that the virtue of pliability is accomplished and capable of superior functioning. In the second, the simile: the goldsmith illustrates the bodhisattva; gold illustrates practices such as faith; fire illustrates the Buddha who is seen; repeatedly entering fire illustrates the three practices such as making offerings. This [sūtra] calls it "according to the power of the fire," which is the "repeatedly entering" of the treatise. Pliability and so forth illustrates the purification of what has been tempered. Question: Other sūtras and treatises say that the Buddha-nature is like gold in ore, refined to become manifest. Here it says again that faith and so forth are like gold. What different meaning is there in this? Answer: Buddha-nature has two aspects: first, the nature of principle; second, the nature of practice. Prior to the bhūmis, both are entangled by obstacles, like gold in ore. After diligently cultivating provisions for one great asaṃkhyeya [kalpa] and using the power of application to arouse the original nature of practice, one is born into and attains the first bhūmi: the initial outflow-free wisdom and the once-pervasive meaning of the revealed nature of principle, like gold emerging from ore. Here, faith and so forth are the initial outflow-free dharmas aroused by the nature of practice. Furthermore, it is like that gold freshly emerging from sand-ore, which still requires fire-tempering to make it pure. The dharmas of the bhūmis are also like this: the outflow-free [wisdom] born in the first single kṣaṇa is solely the power of the nature of practice; from the second moment onward, it is repeatedly re-perfumed, increasing and growing more flourishing. How much more so when reaching the fulfilled fruit stage of this bhūmi, where smelting and tempering are fully matured! Such is what is compared. The rest of the text can be understood.