華嚴經探玄記 16.6

16.6

Fourth, in explaining the text, there are two parts: first brief, then extensive. The former also has two parts: first explaining the gathering and benefiting through the fruit's function, and later, from "Furthermore, the bodhisattva…" onward, explaining the gathering and benefiting through the cause's function. In the former, why does the Buddha speak it himself? Ancient commentators explained: the preceding "Chapter on Asaṃkhyeyas" explained the culmination of the cause, while this chapter explains the culmination of the fruit; hence only the Buddha speaks it. Another explanation is: to explain that the mark is extremely minute while its function is extremely vast—because this matter is difficult to comprehend, the Buddha speaks it himself. That he addresses Ratnahasta is because [he] is able to collect and take up [the teachings]. The subsidiary minor mark of the "Ocean King" is a minor mark of the subsidiary marks at the edge of the great mark on the area of the wheel markings on the soles of the feet. Because the karmic functions of the other great marks are difficult to comprehend, he explains the function of the lowest wheel mark. Furthermore, because the great mark of the wheel mark is still difficult to comprehend, he explains the subsidiary marks; and because the subsidiary marks are still numerous, he explains just one subsidiary mark, the Ocean King. Because this fruit-function is still difficult to comprehend, he explains the gathering and benefiting [performed] when [the Buddha] was a bodhisattva in Tuṣita. Regarding this causal function, there are two parts: first, causing them to leave suffering, be born in heaven, and accomplish the practice of peace and joy; second, from "having been born in heaven…" onward, causing them not to cling to heavenly pleasures and accomplishing the practice of enriching benefits. This also means that the former is the benefit of the physical light, and the latter is the benefit of the voice from the sky. In the former, as for causing them to purify the ten eyes and so forth: because those sentient beings formerly possessed the seed of hearing and seeing the Dharma of Samantabhadra, and furthermore encountered the touch of Rocana's dharmadhātu light, they attained the benefit of the ten eyes of Samantabhadra. In the second part, the benefit in heaven, first showing that sounds and names are not to be delighted in is in order to keep them from clinging to pleasure. Below, in properly expounding the Dharma, there are four causes and conditions for being born in heaven: first, non-laxity, which is the antidote that feels revulsion toward evil; second, having planted superior good in past lives; third, having once encountered good friends; fourth, the present Buddha's empowerment: by these they were born in heaven. Showing these causes and effects, they should not be lax.