華嚴經探玄記 16.19

16.19

Second, the gāthās contain two parts: first the prologue to their intent, and second the verses proper. In the former there are two: first showing the characteristics, meaning that the two powers—of self and other—are the cause. Contemplating the ten directions is the scope of establishing the teaching. Contemplating the dharmadhātu reveals the depth and breadth of the doctrinal principles. Second, from "wishing to explain" onward sets forth the intent, meaning that in order to state these ten kinds of intentions, these verses are spoken: (1) explaining the causal practices, (2) showing the resultant virtues, (3) speaking of the great vows, (4) the times and places where practices arise, (5) manifesting the Buddha when faculties mature, (6) conferring the Dharma according with capacities, (7) the benefits of what is taught, (8) cultivating causes to attain the result, (9) the result manifesting pure bodies, and (10) verbal karma providing awakening. These ten meanings are all fully revealed in the verses below. In the verses proper there are one hundred and twenty-one verses, divided into two: the first twenty-two verses reveal the scope of the teaching, and the remaining ninety-nine verses properly discern the characteristics of Samantabhadra's practice. These do not simply reiterate the preceding prose, but interweave with the preceding text to together reveal Samantabhadra's practice and function, meaning the former is concise and this is extensive, the former is essence and this is function. Some masters have also matched them to the preceding prose; but since the texts do not correspond, we know their intents differ and one should not force an alignment. In the former part there are four: first, two verses admonish the assembly to listen and promise to speak; second, eight verses from "all kalpas" onward explain this bodhisattva's vast vowed practices under past Buddhas; third, eleven verses from "in a single bhadrakalpa" onward explain cultivating the practices of the three wheels under present and future Buddhas, wherein the first seven cite present and future Buddhas and the latter four concern completing the pure practice of the three wheels; fourth, one verse from "practitioners" onward concludes the scope of the exposition. Next, the second part properly revealing the characteristics of Samantabhadra's practice also has two: first, sixty-nine verses explain the practice of great wisdom of one's own virtues; second, thirty verses from "saving measureless sentient beings" onward explain the practice of great compassion in transforming others externally. The former explains Samantabhadra's ten kinds of practices of great wisdom: (1) the first seven verses explain the practice of great wisdom in skillfully entering Indra's net; (2) seventeen verses from "deeply entering the subtle" onward explain the practice of wisdom deeply entering the subtle details of times and places (and so forth); (3) five verses from "worlds and tathāgatas" onward explain the practice of discerning the secret essentials of the minds of the Buddhas of the three times—that is, the names of worlds and the names of Buddhas. These are the coarsest, yet they cannot be fully spoken even in many kalpas; how much less the realm known within the Buddha's mind, namely the true and sublime dharmadhātu and so forth! Yet this bodhisattva can also understand it and accomplish Samantabhadra's practice of great wisdom; (4) four verses from "thus in future ages" onward discern the activities of gathering and transforming in the future; (5) four verses from "presently in the ten directions" onward penetrate the practices of the present Buddhas' realms; (6) five verses from "the bodhisattva fully brings forth" onward explain the practices of transforming through the functions of the six faculties; (7) ten verses from "deeply entering the cognitive realm" onward explain the practice of mastery over the vessel world; (8) six verses from "the bodhisattva knows all dharmas" onward explain the practice of mastery over the world of enlightened wisdom; (9) five verses from "the pure dharmakāya" onward explain the practice of the dharmakāya that is neither body nor non-body; (10) six verses from "like a master of illusion" onward explain the practice of the pure mind that is neither measurable nor immeasurable. The above concludes the wisdom practices of one's own virtues. In the second part on the practices of great compassion in transforming others externally, there are also ten practices: (1) the first six verses concern the practice of transforming beings to cause them to generate bodhi; (2) two verses from "the Tathāgata's pure body" onward praise the practice of the present Buddhas gathering sentient beings; (3) one verse concerns the practice of distributing the relics of past Buddhas; (4) one verse concerns the practice of knowing the virtues of future Buddhas; (5) four verses from "thus in the three times" onward explain the practice of deeply entering the dharmacakra; (6) five verses from "measureless and boundless minds" onward discern the practice regarding the defilement and purity of the minds and capacities of beings; (7) three verses from "all sentient beings" onward discern the practice of the dependent origination of beings' karmic retributions; (8) five verses from "such faculties" onward penetrate the practice of the unhindered nature of faculties and objects; (9) one verse concerns the practice of knowing the five kinds of teaching the Dharma; (10) the final two verses explain the practice of mastery over the mutual identity of the characteristics of the three times.