華嚴經探玄記 13.4

13.4

Second, the sequence also has three meanings: First, the previous stage was assigned to the śrāvakas, while this [stage] clarifies the pratyekabuddhas; the assigned dharma surpasses the former, so it comes next. Second, although the fourth bhūmi transcends the world, it cannot accord with it; the fifth bhūmi can accord with the world, but cannot destroy views of defilement and purity; this bhūmi contemplates the dharmadhātu without defilement or purity to destroy those views, so it comes next. Third, the Cheng weishi lun says, "In the preceding five bhūmis, contemplation with signs is frequent and signless contemplation is rare; in the sixth bhūmi, signless contemplation is frequent and contemplation with signs is rare; from the seventh bhūmi onward, it is purely signless contemplation." Now, in this bhūmi one retreats from the rarity [of signless contemplation] and enters into its frequency; hence it must follow.