華嚴經探玄記 17.30

17.30

Below, the second part, from "ten kinds of upāyas" onwards for ninety gates, explains the characteristics of practice from the second bhūmi upwards. It is divided into three: first, thirty lines explain the practice of wisdom and upāya; second, thirty lines from "ten kinds of entering sentient beings" onwards explain the practice of benevolence, compassion, and upāya; third, thirty lines from "ten kinds of trends" onwards explain the ultimate practice of compassion and wisdom. In the first part, the first ten upāyas refer to skillfully cultivating correct practice. The first six are the upāyas of relinquishing characteristics, skillfully cultivating the six pāramitās, as is knowable; the last four are upāyas for gathering sentient beings: 1. benevolence giving joy; 2. compassion substituting for suffering; 3. bestowing wisdom; 4. giving the Dharma. Second, regarding "there are ten kinds of joy in cultivation," precisely because one has skillful and unobstructed means, one is able to joyfully seek all practices; hence this is said. 1. Joy in superior goodness; 2. joy in extraordinary adornments; 3. joy in the vast; 4. joy in the extremely profound; 5. joy in the four immeasurables; 6. joy in upholding precepts; 7. joy in benevolence and patience; 8. joy in clear understanding; 9. joy in spiritual powers; 10. joy in listening to the Dharma. The above discern the causes; the last one reveals the resulting fruit. Third, regarding "there are ten kinds of liberations deeply entering the world," it means that cultivating joyfully without cease, one can, through the superior power of liberation, cause all worlds to enter one another and so forth; hence it is named. Among them, 1. entering the one with the many; 2. entering the many with the one; 3. one Buddha fills the ten directions; 4. showing the world to be entirely empty; 5. sharing the adornments of the Buddhas; 6. one bodhisattva fills everything; 7. entering a pore; 8. entering among sentient beings; 9. one fruition pervasive everywhere; 10. one wonderful voice fills all. Second, from "there are ten kinds of entering sentient beings" onwards, thirty [lines] explain the upāya of compassion: the first ten explain unconditioned great compassion skillfully tallying with the nature of beings, hence named "entering the nature of sentient beings." Furthermore, it causes the realm of sentient beings to have something to enter, hence named "entering the nature of sentient beings." "Nature" is also named "realm"; "realm" has two meanings: first, the meaning of delimitations; second, the meaning of being a cause. In the text, the first five explain unimpeded mutual entry: 1. gathering phenomena into principle; the next two, gathering multiple phenomena into one; 4. gathering branches into the root; 5. gathering multiple realms into one. The last five turn to enter transformative function: the first one enters the vessels of those who are transformed; the last four enter the characteristics of the transformer: the first enters transformation in accordance with types, and the remaining three are knowable. Second, regarding "there are ten habit-energies," by skillfully entering the nature of beings, it causes repeated habituation to form, serving as the cause of practice, which is perfuming to become habit-energy. 1. The energy of the root of practice; 2. the energy of completed practice; 3. downward transformation; 4. upward seeing; 5. receiving birth; 6. great practice; 7. the ten vows; 8. the ten pāramitās; 9. principle-wisdom; 10. quantitative wisdom. Third, regarding "there are ten blazing activities," once the preceding causes of habituation are established, they can generate actual manifestations and proliferate great functions; hence the name. The first two are adorning the land and gathering sentient beings; the next two are accomplishing goodness relying on conditions; the next two are benevolence and compassion; the next two are skillfulness in practice; the last two are cause and fruit. Third, from "there are ten kinds of trends" onwards, thirty lines explain the ultimate practice of compassion and wisdom. In this, the first ten trends mean reaching practice and reaching the fruit, hence named "trends." The first two are the six pāramitās and the three trainings; the next two are wonderful wisdom and true objects; the next two are accomplishing goodness relying on the Dharma; the next two are initiating practice relying on persons; the last two are attaining Buddhahood and expounding the Dharma. The first eight trend toward causes; the last two trend toward fruits. Second, regarding "there are ten kinds of matters that can fulfill the Buddhadharma," because these ten matters are present, all Buddhadharmas are completely fulfilled; hence this is said. The first two are faith in persons and phenomena; the next two are leaving faults behind; the next two are faithfully entering superior realms; the next two are dwelling in the correct and leaving behind the erroneous; the last two are mindfulness of the Buddha and faith in the fruit. Among these ten, if one accomplishes even one kind as taught, it will cause the Buddhadharma to be entirely fulfilled, not to mention possessing all ten matters. Third, regarding "there are ten kinds of retrogression that should be kept far from," having become able to fulfill the Buddhadharma, one is then able to cultivate the Path and not retrogress amidst conditions; hence this is said. The first four lose the practice of benefiting others; the last six lose the practice of benefiting oneself; contemplate them so as to keep far from them.