華嚴經探玄記 13.5

13.5

Third, the hindrances abandoned: According to the Daśabhūmikasūtra-śāstra, it is the hindrance of subtle afflictive latencies. Explanation: Because in this stage one frequently cultivates signless contemplation and the hindrance runs contrary to this, it is called a subtle latency. Furthermore, comparing it to the hindrances of the previous bhūmis, this is called subtle; in reality, it is a portion of the innate cognitive hindrances that grasps at subtle defilement and purity, running contrary to the dharmadhātu without defilement or purity of the sixth bhūmi, and thus it constitutes a hindrance. This is truly because the fifth bhūmi surpasses the separate stages of defilement and purity of the third and fourth, bringing them together in the same place, yet the two signs are not yet exhausted; only upon reaching this [bhūmi] are they eliminated, so it is called subtle. The Cheng weishi lun says, "It is called the hindrance of the active manifestation of coarse signs, meaning a portion of the innate cognitive hindrances that grasps at the active manifestation of coarse signs of defilement and purity; that hinders the path without defilement or purity of the sixth bhūmi, and when entering the sixth bhūmi, one is able to sever it forever. Due to this, the sixth bhūmi is said to sever two ignorances and their coarse heaviness: first, the ignorance of manifestly observing the transmigration of conditioned phenomena, which is that which grasps at defilement here, because the transmigration of conditioned phenomena is subsumed under the defiled part; second, the ignorance of the extensive active manifestation of signs, which is that which grasps at purity here, because one grasps at signs of purity, contemplation with signs is extensively active, and one is not yet able to abide for long periods in signless contemplation." Explanation: The first ignorance grasps at the process of transmigration of suffering and its origin, and the latter ignorance grasps at the process of the pure signs of cessation and the path. The Suvarṇaprabhāsa Sūtra says, "First, the ignorance wherein the continuity of activities clearly manifests; second, the ignorance wherein the signs of dharmas repeatedly enter the mind." Explanation: This latter ignorance is the repeated manifestation of the pure signs of cessation in the mind, which runs contrary to prolonged, frequent signless contemplation; hence it constitutes a hindrance. The Liang Treatise, the Saṃdhinirmocana, and the Yogācārabhūmi agree with the explanation in the Cheng weishi lun.