華嚴經探玄記 14.35

14.35

Fourth, under 'This bodhisattva knows the faculties…', explaining the dense forest of the activities of faculties in detail: First, 'inferior, middling, and superior' refers to vessels for teaching, meaning they are vessels receptive to the teaching of the Dharma. They are also called dull faculties, middling faculties, and sharp faculties. Receiving swiftly is called 'sharp'; receiving slowly is called 'dull'; being moderate is 'middling'. Moreover, receiving what is deep is sharp, receiving what is shallow is dull, and the middling can be known accordingly. Broad reception, lesser reception, and middling reception are also like this. Each applies to doctrine and principle, and can be seen by analogy. Second, 'prior and posterior limits, etc.' refers to distinctions in the transformation of faculties. 'Prior and posterior faculties' explains the faculties of the prior and posterior limits. 'Because the prior faculties decrease, increase, or are equal' explains 'distinct and non-distinct'. That is, the prior is that which can produce, and the posterior is that which is produced. If what is produced increases, the prior faculties decrease; if what is produced decreases, the prior faculties increase; if they are similar, they are equal. Third, 'superior, middling, and inferior' refers to distinctions among the three dispositions, meaning the distinct dispositions of the three vehicles: the superior is the Mahāyāna, the middling is the middling vehicle, and the inferior is the small vehicle. Fourth, 'accompanied by afflictions' refers to distinctions in affliction-defilement. That is, because the five feeling-faculties such as joy and pleasure are defiled by afflictions and dormant underlying tendencies, it is said that 'the companions of affliction are inseparable'. The third fascicle of the Abhidharmakośa states: 'Among defilements, the five feelings such as pleasure have a predominant function. Why? Because the sūtra states that toward pleasant feeling, greed increases; toward painful feeling, anger increases; toward neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, ignorance increases.' The explanation says: predominant function is the meaning of 'faculty'. Fifth, 'in accordance with the vehicles, etc.' refers to distinctions between the determined and undetermined. 'Among the three vehicles, among the worldly' explains 'vehicle and non-vehicle'. 'Determined and undetermined, matured and unmatured' is an overall explanation: in the Mahāyāna, those who are matured are determined, and those not matured are undetermined; in the small vehicle, those who are matured are undetermined, because they turn toward the Mahāyāna. 'Each being determined among the three vehicles' means each attains liberation in their own vehicle; hence it says 'each vehicle, etc.' 'Those whose retribution is determined are set aside' means that in the worldly realm, those who definitely cannot be transformed to enter the Path are temporarily set aside. This is stated according to the initial teaching of the Mahāyāna, which accepts the distinctness of the five dispositions. Sixth, 'conforming to the transformation of faculties, etc.' refers to distinctions in conforming activity. There are three kinds of conforming activity: First, conforming activity based on the body: the dharmas of the faculties mutually transform based on the body of the six sense bases; because the six sense bases develop reciprocally, this explains 'conforming to the transformation of faculties'. Second, conforming activity of arising and ceasing: because of light destruction, this explains 'easily destroyed'. Third, grasping characteristics through meditative practice explains 'deeply grasping characteristics'. Seventh, 'predominance, etc.' refers to distinctions in the purification of the śrāvaka: when practice is predominant and obstacles are eliminated, the meaningful goal can be accomplished; compared to ordinary beings, their practice increases. This explains the first phrase. Next, severing obstacles and accomplishing practice explains 'indestructible'. Eighth, 'transforming and non-transforming' refers to distinctions in the purification of bodhisattvas: prior to the bhūmis is called 'transforming'; above the bhūmis is 'non-transforming'. Alternatively, the first seven bhūmis are called 'transforming', and from the eighth bhūmi upward is called 'non-transforming'. Ninth, 'the three times, etc.' shows the distinctions in subsuming all faculties. Initial practice is called 'the beginning'; applying provisional means is 'correct cultivation'; and final accomplishment is called 'maturity'. The distinctions among faculties are distinguished with reference to these three times. That is, faculties and practices being together is called 'co-arising', because practices have beginning and end, and faculties also follow accordingly. The concluding passage below can be understood. Fifth, desires; sixth, dispositions; and seventh, direct mind: each has inferior, middling, and superior. The commentary says, 'Entry of such natures,' which explains the reason for not explaining them extensively. Because the natures and characteristics of the four dharmas, such as faculties, mutually enter into each other conformingly, they are not explained at length. Eighth, under 'He knows the underlying tendencies…', the dense forest of the activities of underlying tendencies (anuśaya) is explained. 'Underlying tendencies' carries the meaning of following and binding; they are named 'underlying tendencies' by metaphor. Just as a constable (shi) pursues a thief and, finding an opportunity, binds him, afflictions are also like this: they pursue sentient beings and, finding an opportunity, bind them. Among the ten phrases, the first four clarify where they pursue, and the latter six clarify with what they pursue. Among the former, there is pursuit in four locations: One phrase clarifies location in terms of mind, meaning co-arising with non-retribution mind and not co-arising with retribution mind. Second is clarifying location in terms of realms: the desire realm is inferior, the form realm is middling, and the formless realm is superior. Arising a mind in that corresponding realm is called 'associated with mind'; viewed in relation to another realm, it is 'unassociated'. Underlying tendencies are not like this: they are associated with everything; hence it says 'inseparable characteristics'. The commentary-sūtra having 'deeply entering' clarifies location in terms of stage, even reaching the peak of existence; the sūtra text lacks this gate. Third is clarifying location in terms of time: the phrase 'troubling sentient beings from beginningless time' means that in boundless worlds, only wisdom fears them as enemies and thieves; because [sentient beings] have never possessed the wisdom of hearing, contemplation, and cultivation, [underlying tendencies] are therefore not extinguished and constantly trouble sentient beings. Fourth is clarifying location in terms of practice: 'contrary to dhyāna, etc.' means that worldly dhyānas and the like cannot extinguish the mind's conforming activity. If there were no underlying tendencies, following these virtues such as dhyāna would constitute transcendence of the world. But being contrary to those correct supramundane cultivations, they do not allow escape. Next, clarifying with what they pursue: there are six kinds of pursuit. First, unbroken existence is the heading. The explanation 'because existence is unbroken, etc.' means that because underlying tendencies exist, they can cause the three existences to continue similarly; hence it says 'bound to the three realms'. This clarifies pursuit with reference to the former locations. Second, pursuit through distant time: because underlying tendencies pursue from beginningless time, they prevent immeasurable wholesome minds from manifesting; hence it says 'immeasurable minds, etc.' Third, pursuit arising in a single body is the heading, meaning clarifying the pursuit of actual manifestations and seeds in terms of the single present body. Below, explaining 'entry gates of the eyes and so forth' refers to the six faculties. 'Consciousnesses accumulated and arisen of six kinds' refers to the six consciousnesses produced based on the faculties. 'Pursuit born together' clarifies that underlying tendencies pursue co-arisingly with the faculties and consciousnesses. 'This is actual manifestation and perfuming the ālayavijñāna': this perfuming of the fundamental consciousness clarifies that seeds and actual manifestations of pursuit through seeds mutually assist each other, causing afflictions to flourish; hence it says 'opening the gate of afflictions'. The commentary-sūtra's 'opening the various entry gates' is with reference to the places where afflictions arise, such as the six sense bases. Fourth, pursuit of the unreal: because one does not obtain the real antidote, it says 'not knowing the antidote'. Fifth, under 'subtle pursuit', the subtle characteristic is explained: it means that in the three realms and nine stages, the affliction-body pursues within the six sense bases; because the underlying tendencies are subtle and cannot be seen, they are called 'non-existent', just as oil in sesame seeds cannot be visually seen. 'Conforming' in the commentary-sūtra clarifies that it exists. 'Non-conforming' clarifies that it is subtle, identical to this 'non-existent'. Sixth, pursuit free from suffering: supramundane practices, because other practices cannot be free from it, says 'without the noble path, etc.' Ninth, under 'This bodhisattva…', knowing the dense forest of the activities of births. Within this are eight phrases: First, 'manifold physical bodies' clarifies that forms and categories are different; hence it says 'distinctions in birth'. Second, 'born distinctly due to karma'; another recension of the sūtra lacks this phrase. Third, 'manifold dwelling places' clarifies that the six destinies are different; hence it says 'hells, etc.' Fourth, 'manifold upper and lower physical forms' clarifies that the three realms are different; hence it says 'the form and formless realms, etc.' Question: Since it is the formless realm, why speak of upper and lower forms? Answer: According to the Mahāyāna, there is subtle form within the formless realm, which is the superior among forms. Upper and lower among perceptions are also like this: non-Buddhists take it as non-perception, but there is actually subtle perception. Fifth, 'manifold causes similar to external forms' clarifies that in kind they are like plants and trees arising based on the earth, etc.; hence it says 'karma is the reason, etc.' Sixth, 'manifold self-characteristics': name-and-form arises together with the fundamental consciousness, which is the substance of retribution itself; hence it says 'name-and-form together, etc.' Seventh, 'manifold conforming causes of fundamental birth': if stated correctly, it should say 'conforming to the cause of fundamental birth'; arising from delusion and craving, they in turn conform to them; hence it says 'delusion, craving, etc.' Eighth, 'manifold distinctions in accumulating the truth of suffering': present births are able to accumulate future suffering. The accumulation of suffering by sentient beings of the three quests is different, termed 'manifold distinctions'. The statement 'desiring birth' means there is also pleasure; there are sentient beings who love their own bodies and others' bodies, their minds attached to characteristics, coming and going between upper and lower realms and grasping them. The explanation says: these are sentient beings of the quest for existence, loving their own realm as their own body and loving other realms as other bodies; due to attachment to characteristics, they come and go between upper and lower realms. 'Desiring action, desiring feeling'—called 'desiring feeling' in the commentary-sūtra—means pleasure and craving together with grasping, seeking everywhere. These are sentient beings of the quest for desire, seeking everywhere with craving and grasping. 'Displeasure, etc.' refers to sentient beings of the quest for false brahma-conduct. 'Small, large, immeasurable' explains the three realms. 'Non-conceptual' specifically brings up the non-conceptual heaven, because non-Buddhists take that as nirvāṇa. 'Transmigration' explains continuity; in reality, transmigration is falsely imagined as liberation. Tenth, under 'This bodhisattva…', knowing the dense forest of the activities of habit-energy, within which there are ten: The first is habit-energy of causes, meaning wholesome and unwholesome karma created in the past, whose habit-energy and present fruits either arise together or do not arise together; hence it says 'arising and non-arising'. Second is habit-energy of fruits: 'destinies' refers to the six destinies, and 'perfuming' is their habituation; just as one coming from the heavens is still fresh and pure, the extensive explanation of habituation of destinies should be known from the Sūtra of the Questions of the Ṛṣi Mahātejobhāsaprabha; hence it says 'conforming to whatever is born, etc.' Third is habit-energy of conditions: perfuming through closeness to sentient beings, just as being near a virtuous person makes one virtuous; hence it says 'conforming to sentient beings, etc.' Fourth is habit-energy of arising activities: conforming to whatever afflictions are aroused, like repeatedly giving rise to greed becomes an ingrained habit; conforming to whatever karma is created there is also habit-energy, like the son of a potter being fit to practice mindfulness of breathing; hence it says 'conforming to karma and afflictions'. Fifth is habit-energy of karma, meaning ingrained habituation in the wholesome and so forth that is created; hence it says 'wholesome, unwholesome, etc.' Sixth, revulsion and detachment from desire results in ingrained habituation, which later is easily severed; hence it says 'detachment from desire, etc.' Seventh, habit-energy is explained with reference to the intermediate state in comparison to the present: just as a person who presently delights in cultivating brahma-conduct has no defilement of desire even in the intermediate state; hence it says 'conforming to subsequent bodies, etc.', meaning that in the state of the subsequent intermediate body there is the habituation of the previous fundamental existence. Eighth, sequential perfuming with fruits: conforming to any one ingrained habituation, when successively receiving bodies in the various destinies, there is always that habituation; hence it says 'successive, etc.' Ninth, under 'perfuming through the causes of worldly dhyāna', the completion is explained: because afflictions are not severed in that dhyāna, being pulled by afflictions, when born into higher realms one still has that habituation; hence it says 'long duration, etc.' This sūtra lacks the last two phrases: First, the contrast between false and correct: 'the same Dharma' is the liberation of the two vehicles; because non-Buddhists are not identical to the Buddha-Dharma, they are called 'different'; they grasp non-perception as liberation; having habit-energy in both this false and correct is called 'perfuming', hence it says 'real and unreal'—the real is the small vehicle, the unreal is external teachings. Second, the contrast between the Great and Small Vehicles: toward the persons and teachings of the three vehicles, conforming to whatever seeing, hearing, or approaching there is, there is always habit-energy; hence it is stated. Eleventh, under 'This bodhisattva…', knowing the dense forest of the activities of the three categories [of beings]. In the commentary, this is divided into five: First, distinguishing the three categories according to lineage: those lacking the dharma of nirvāṇa are the falsely determined; those possessing the dharma of nirvāṇa are the correctly determined. Among the correctly determined, each of the three vehicles is distinct and wholly determined within itself; apart from these two is the undetermined lineage. The commentary briefly does not explain it; it should be known that this commentary explains it according to the initial teaching. Second, distinguishing the three categories according to understanding and delusion: correct view is the cause of wholesome conduct. Among the three wholesome roots, correct view alone definitely arouses wholesome karma, and is called 'correctly determined'. Non-greed and non-anger do not definitely arouse the wholesome, and are called 'undetermined'. False view is the cause of unwholesome conduct; among all afflictions, false view alone definitely arouses unwholesome karma, and is called 'falsely determined'; the rest are called 'undetermined'. Third, distinguishing the three categories according to karmic action: each of the five inexpiable sins definitely incurs the evil destinies, and is called 'falsely determined'; the five faculties such as faith definitely incur the wholesome destinies, and are called 'correctly determined'; those not matching these two are called 'undetermined'. Fourth, distinguishing the three categories according to false and correct stages: reversing the eightfold correct path yields the eight falsities; based on this, establishing the false stages of non-Buddhists is called 'falsely determined'; the correct nature transcending birth is called the 'correct stage'; based on this, establishing the correct stage of the śrāvaka is called 'correctly determined'. Fifth, directly distinguishing the three categories according to the gains and losses of Mahāyāna bodhisattvas. The phrase 'deeply entering the falsely determined category and difficult to transform' is called in the commentary-sūtra 'the characteristic of falsely determined non-transformation through evil conduct of jealousy and stinginess': begrudging others excelling oneself, and not giving the gift of Dharma to bestow upon faculties that could be transformed, is called 'jealousy'. Being stingy with wealth and not giving it is called the fault of 'stinginess'. Being able to give rise to suffering in others is called 'evil conduct without transformation', meaning killing, stealing, and the like. 'Contrary to the pāramitās': here the six hindrances obstruct the practices of the six pāramitās, hence called 'contrary'. That is, jealousy obstructs the latter three—wisdom, samādhi, and vigor; stinginess obstructs the practice of giving; evil conduct obstructs the two practices of discipline and forbearance. Due to these hindrances, bodhisattvas are prevented from accomplishing correct practice, becoming falsely determined. Correctly determined and undetermined can be known by analogous explanation. Under 'O Son of the Buddha', the overarching conclusion regarding the prior three accomplishments can be understood.