華嚴經探玄記 17.4

17.4

First, explaining the title has three parts: 1. The name of the division: this clarifies the third [division], named 'Division of Relying on the Dharma to Advance in Cultivation'—that is, relying upon the methods of practice to cultivate and accomplish correct practice; hence this name is established. 2. As for the name of the assembly: in terms of place, it is called the 'Re-assembly at Universal Light'. Now, why re-assemble here? Because the earlier [assembly at] Universal Light was the beginning of generating understanding; now, clarifying the initiation of practice based on understanding, [the Buddha] re-assembles here. If so, why not also re-assemble at the third or fourth places? Explanation: The former was the Dharma for generating understanding, which could be lodged in multiple places; now, one merely accomplishes practice based on the former Dharma, hence there are not multiple assemblies. 3. As for the chapter title, there are four points: First, the text below has ten meanings, which will be discerned when reaching that point. Second, an alternate translation of another edition is named 'Sūtra on Crossing Over the World'. Third, yet another edition is named 'Sūtra of the Two Thousand Answers to Difficulties by Samantabhadra Bodhisattva'. Fourth, this chapter is named 'Transcending the World', which also has four meanings: (1) In terms of deluded grasping being the world, emptiness itself is transcendence. As the text above says: 'All worlds are born from false conceptualization; these falsely conceptualized dharmas, their nature has never existed.' (2) In terms of dependent origination being the world, being devoid of self-nature is called transcendence. As the text above says: 'The dharmas of the five skandhas across the three times are called the world; these exist due to falsity, and their nonexistence is transcending the world.' (3) In terms of practice: always being in the world yet not subsumed by the world, hence called transcendence. (4) In terms of stages: humans and devas are the world, while the two vehicles are transcendence; the two vehicles are the world, while bodhisattvas are transcendence; the bodhisattva's portioned [saṃsāra] and transformational [saṃsāra] are both the world, while the Buddha-fruit's ultimate state is transcendence. What is discerned here is the practice of the six stages; therefore, the two stages of cause and fruit are both immediately the world and yet not the world, hence called transcendence. Within the chapter this is clarified, so it is taken as the title.