華嚴經探玄記 16.56

16.56

Tenth, explaining the nature-manifested roots of goodness from seeing, hearing, venerating, and making offerings. Previously [the text] already demonstrated nirvāṇa; now it explains making offerings to the remaining traces, which generates benefits that are not in vain; hence it is explained next. Within the prose commentary there are three [parts]: first, with respect to the teaching; second, regarding the analogies; third, distinguishing the analogies from the teaching. In the first, it first explains generally: that is, with respect to the Buddha, whether seeing the Buddha and [his] images, whether hearing [his] name and reciting it, whether revering [him] with the three karmas, or whether making offerings of the four requisites—the roots of goodness planted in these four positions are vastly numerous, limitless, and ineffable; therefore [the sūtra] says [their] merit is inexhaustible. Below, in the specific demonstration, it briefly adduces three kinds of fruits: 1. the fruit of severing and eliminating the defilement-hindrances; 2. from "in all" downward, the fruit of virtue exhausting the limits of the future; 3. from "giving rise to the Buddhas" downward, the fruit of accomplishing great bodhi. Furthermore, the first is exclusively the fruit of severing, causing one to attain nirvāṇa; the last is exclusively the fruit of wisdom, causing one to attain bodhi; the middle one connects both, meaning that by relinquishing the conditioned, one conforms to the unconditioned. In the second part, on the analogies, there are also three: 1. The analogy of swallowing a small amount of diamond: this illustrates the second fruit above, virtue exhausting the limits of the future, meaning that even a minute root of goodness has a nature that cannot be exhausted. 2. The analogy of a small fire being able to burn: this illustrates the first fruit, severing and eliminating the defilement-hindrances, meaning that a small root of goodness inherently has the nature to extinguish defilements. Another explanation: the former extinguishes the cognitive hindrances (jñeyāvaraṇa), while the latter extinguishes the affliction hindrances (kleśāvaraṇa). 3. The analogy of the king of medicines possessing many benefits: this illustrates the third fruit, accomplishing great bodhi. In the matching of the analogy, there are two [parts]: first, matching the Buddha with the medicinal tree. Seeing, hearing, and so forth demonstrate that the Buddha, while in the world, served as the sensory sphere for the six sense faculties. Hence the Ratnagotravibhāga says: "The bodies of all Buddhas, the Tathāgatas, / Are like empty space, signless; / For those of supreme wisdom, / They serve as the sphere of the six faculties, / Manifesting subtle and sublime forms, / Emitting sublime sounds, / Causing them to smell the Buddha's fragrance of morality, / Bestowing the Buddha's sublime flavor of Dharma, / Causing them to perceive the tactile sensations of samādhi, / And causing them to know the profound and sublime Dharma." This is broadly identical with this sūtra. Second, from "if there are those who obtain the sūtra scroll" downward, it matches the ground and soil, and so forth, explaining the benefits after the Buddha's passing. The preceding explains the broad and plentiful benefits. Second, from "disciple of the Buddha, even if one does not have faith" downward, it explains the deep and plentiful benefits. The Tathāgatagarbha Sūtra speaks of cursing medicine, yet taking it one still gains strength, or cursing aloeswood, yet once burned it still smells fragrant, or cursing the Buddha, which is still superior to venerating non-Buddhists, and so on. The five-fascicle Mahākāruṇika Sūtra says: "Even if a monastic wears the kāṣāya robe on the body and, supposing with the left hand he leads a boy and with the right hand leads a girl, goes from one tavern to another tavern, the Buddha said: 'I predict this person will enter parinirvāṇa within the Bhadrakalpa.'" Passages such as these together demonstrate that the Dharma of the Tathāgatas is inconceivable. Third, distinguishing the analogies from the teaching: there is a presentation and an explanation. Because it is not something worldly analogies can compare to, it says it surpasses contemplation. From "only following" downward, it explains that analogies are spoken as an upāya and are not direct comparisons. From "this is" downward, the conclusion may be understood. The verses are placed below to reveal their interlocking link. The above concludes the Section on Exposition.