華嚴經探玄記 17.38

17.38

The eighth major section, from "at that time Samantabhadra" onward, explains the verse section. Within it there are two hundred and thirty-one verses, divided into four: first, there are sixteen verses manifesting that virtue is vast and difficult to explain; second, from "upholding sentient beings' good roots" onward, one hundred and thirty-three and a half verses briefly show the differentiated marks of the virtues of practice; third, from "constantly relying on the Tathāgata" onward, forty-three verses properly and briefly versify the previous two thousand marks of practice; fourth, from "bodhisattvas cultivate all" onward, thirty-eight and a half verses versify the previous text concluding and exhorting practice and study. Regarding the first sixteen verses, every two verses form one conclusion, thus making eight matters: first, praising the practice of making offerings to buddhas and gathering sentient beings; second, the practice of being undefiled in both of the above two matters; third, the practice of crushing Māra and destroying afflictions; fourth, the practice of manifesting transformations for the sake of beings; fifth, the practice of rescuing sentient beings and seeking the fruit; sixth, the practice of the six pāramitās and the four immeasurables; seventh, the practice of relinquishing oneself to preserve others; eighth, generally concluding that they are vast and numerous, and consenting to speak a small portion. In the second part, from "upholding sentient beings" onward, one hundred and thirty-three and a half verses briefly showing the differentiated marks of the virtues of practice, is divided into two overall: first, sixty-seven verses explain relying on matters to express dharmas, manifesting that the marks of practice are extraordinary; second, from "one body is boundless" onward, sixty-six and a half verses explain that the functions of practice are vast. Regarding the former, there are fifteen kinds of marks of practice: the first eight verses explain the practice of the dharma tree, birds, and beasts; second, from "saṃsāra" onward, four verses on the practice of guiding the deluded and curing afflictions; third, from "the bodhisattva is a dharma king" onward, four verses on the practice of the wheel-turning king of Dharma; fourth, from "the profound sea of wisdom" onward, four verses on the practice of the great ocean and Mount Sumeru; fifth, from "deep mind" onward, four verses on the practice of the vajra dharma-rain; sixth, from "pure white" onward, four and a half verses on the practice of the dharma fortress and the garuḍa; seventh, from "pure precepts" onward, four verses on the practice of the sun and moon shining upon [all]; eighth, from "sovereign" onward, four verses distinguishing the practice of the dharma king and the Brahmā lord; ninth, from "leaving far behind" onward, four verses on the practice of leaving behind faults and accomplishing virtues; tenth, from "immeasurable upāya" onward, four verses on the practice of the four great elements and jewels; eleventh, from "bodhisattva merit" onward, four verses on the practice of flowers, incense, banners, and canopies; twelfth, from "the bodhisattva's unsurpassed" onward, four verses on the practice of the dragon, elephant, rare gem, and lamp; thirteenth, from "the bodhisattva's river of merit" onward, four verses on the practice of the river, boat, garden, and medicine; fourteenth, from "the bodhisattva equals the Tathāgata" onward, six verses on the practice of equaling the Buddha-fruit; fifteenth, from "the bodhisattva completely accomplishes" onward, four and a half verses on the practice of exhausting hindrances, perfecting virtue, and superior practice; briefly showing the conclusion and exhortation to make them listen to the extraordinary marks of practice is finished. In the second part, from "one body is boundless" onward, sixty-six and a half verses explaining that the functions of practice are vast, is divided into ten practices: the first six verses explain the practice of the profound and vast three karmas; second, from "the bodhisattva manifests such" onward, five and a half verses on the practice of making offerings to buddhas, receiving the Dharma, and samādhi and prajñā; third, from "manifesting various" onward, four verses on the practice of adverse and favorable actions accomplishing virtue completely; fourth, from "or manifesting as a śrāvaka" onward, five and a half verses on the inconceivable practice of manifesting bodies according to kind; fifth, from "or in the heavenly palace" onward, eight and a half verses on the practice of the eight phases, mindful kalpas, and the dharma-seal; sixth, from "thus knowing sentient beings" onward, seven verses on the practice of comprehending sentient beings' faculties and desires; seventh, from "the bodhisattva in a single thought" onward, seven and a half verses on the practice of the profound and swift functioning of body and mind; eighth, from "just as when a person dreams" onward, six and a half verses on the practice of vast and supremely transcendent wisdom and compassion; ninth, from "contemplating form as like a cluster of foam" onward, eleven verses on the practice of the virtue of wisdom being fully luminous and illuminating phenomena; tenth, from "vastly entering the profound" onward, five verses on concluding the virtue-functions of the extraordinary and inexhaustible practice. Briefly showing and concluding what was spoken: simply because merit is achieved, virtue is established, and practice covers the dharmadhātu, its purport is profound and abstruse—how could words express it? I merely present an exposition of a single dust mote to approximate its profound bent. Third, from "constantly relying on the Tathāgata" onward, forty-three verses properly versify the previous two thousand dharmas of practice. Within it, versifying the previous six stages constitutes six sections: first, four verses versify the two hundred gates of practice in the previous ten faiths stage; second, from "all wondrous merit" onward, four verses versify the two hundred gates in the previous ten abodes stage; third, from "upholding all kalpas" onward, six verses versify the three hundred gates in the previous ten practices stage; fourth, from "abode of vajra wondrous jewels" onward, six verses versify the three hundred gates in the previous ten dedications stage; fifth, from "pure body and bodily karma" onward, ten verses versify the five hundred gates in the previous ten bhūmis stage; sixth, from "contemplating the Sugata's wisdom" onward, thirteen verses versify the five hundred gates in the previous stage of perfected cause and fulfilled fruit of ultimate attainment. Fourth, from "the bodhisattva cultivates all practices" onward, thirty-eight verses versify the previous text concluding and exhorting practice and study, divided into three: first, one verse generally concludes what was spoken, that is, concluding the previous two thousand names by adducing a small portion; second, from "immeasurable kalpas" onward, thirty-three and a half verses separately conclude the functions of virtue; third, the final four verses conclude by vastly exhorting cultivation. Regarding the former separate [section], there are two: first, twenty-one and a half verses separately conclude that the functions of virtue are vast; second, from "pure body" onward, twelve verses conclude that the separate virtues of practice are extraordinary. In the former, it is divided into five: first, five and a half verses explain sovereignty over kṣetras; second, from "immeasurable vajra mountains" onward, six verses explain sovereignty over the three karmas; third, from "all past kalpas" onward, three verses explain sovereignty over the three worlds; fourth, from "deeply knowing" onward, five verses explain sovereignty over body and wisdom; fifth, from "manifesting such" onward, two verses conclude that sovereignty is inexhaustible. Second, from "pure body" onward, twelve verses separately concluding that the virtues of practice are extraordinary, is divided into three: the first six and a half verses explain the wheel-turning king's seven treasures, palaces, and utensils and weapons; second, from "dhāraṇī" onward, three and a half verses explain groves, springs, excursions, food, drink, and mounts; third, from "these and such" onward, two verses conclude that the above practices were cultivated and attained over many kalpas. Third, among the final four verses: the first two conclude that virtue is inexhaustible; the latter two adduce the benefits to exhort cultivation. The Chapter on Leaving the World is finished.