華嚴經探玄記 17.9

17.9

In the third [part], the perfection of the sentient-being world, there are two [sections]: first, adducing their number to praise their virtues; second, listing their names to praise their virtues. This also means that the former adduces their number as a general praise, and the latter lists their names as specific praises. In the former, there are two: first, adducing their number to qualify and define them; second, from 'endowed with' onward, praising and revealing their superior virtues. In the former, first is adducing their number; second is selecting the great to distinguish them from the lesser; third is selecting the final to distinguish them from the initial; fourth is selecting the guests to distinguish them from the host. In the second, the praise, there are two: first, praising specifically; second, concluding generally. In the former, there are also two: first, ten lines praise the virtues of their own portion on the causal stage; second, from 'in a single thought' onward, praising their superior progressing virtues on the fruition stage. In the former, there are also two: first, five lines praise the virtue of skillful wisdom; second, five lines praise the virtue of gathering sentient beings. In the former, the first line is a general presentation, meaning that here, each single bodhisattva has already fully accomplished all the skillful means and wisdom of all bodhisattvas; in the four lines below that specifically reveal [this], there are two [parts]: first, explaining the preceding two meanings; second, revealing both virtues together. In the former, there are two: first, explaining the accomplishment of upāya, meaning that because they possess this skill in training sentient beings to enter the Dharma, it is called upāya. Because they do not allow sentient beings to fall into the stages of the two vehicles, and even if they have entered, they cause them to emerge, they definitely cause them to abide in the bodhisattva Dharma; thus it is called wonderful and superior upāya. Second, explaining the wisdom above, there are two: first, inferential wisdom knows the defiled and pure differences of worlds; second, fundamental wisdom contemplates and reaches the true realm of liberation. Another explanation: the former line knows that the marks of the worlds are not identical; the latter line knows that mutual entrance and mutual identity constitute the realm of liberation, as in the ten liberations and so on. In the second, revealing function, there are two lines: first, the virtue of extinguishing hindrances; second, the virtue of perfecting practice. This means that through the preceding skillful wisdom, there are no hindrances not exhausted, and no practices not complete, as can be known. In the second, the practice of gathering sentient beings, there are also five [lines]: first, one line generally presents it; 'well gathering', etc., means skillfully knowing faculties and capacities. 'Deeply entering the immeasurable', etc., means deeply understanding the Dharma-medicine. In the four lines below that specifically explain it, there are also two: first, two lines explain the two meanings above; second, two lines reveal conversion returning to the essence. In the former, there are two: first, in explaining the knowledge of capacities: 1. thoroughly comprehending the differences of sentient beings' karmic retribution categories; 2. knowing that which is in their minds' thoughts; 3. knowing whether their affliction-proclivities are light or heavy; 4. knowing whether their faculties and capacities are raw, ripe, inferior, middling, or superior; 5. knowing the differences in the cognitive objects they condition; 6. knowing the suitable upāyas for them to enter the Dharma, and also knowing the upāyas to arouse practice. Second, from 'the three times' onward, explaining the above deep understanding of the Dharma-medicine: 'spoken by the Buddhas of the three times' reveals the superiority of the Dharma. 'Skillfully hearing' means listening adroitly. 'Accepting' means receiving. 'Upholding' means not forgetting. 'Expounding broadly' means bestowing upon the multitudes of capacities. Below, two lines explain conversion returning to the essence: 1. although able to travel and enter boundless worlds to teach and transform sentient beings, they constantly transcend the worldly realm. 2. Why do they abide in the world yet constantly transcend it? Explanation: because they understand that the conditioned is itself the non-dual dharmadhātu. In the second, the superior progression, there are eleven lines: first, one general line, meaning swiftly accomplishing the Buddha-fruition. According to the newly translated Avataṃsaka's Chapter on the Inconceivable Realm of the Buddhas, Samantabhadra, Mañjuśrī, and the others are all Buddhas of other directions; wishing to form an assembly with Vairocana Buddha, they manifest bodhisattva bodies. Therefore, we know that these [bodhisattvas] are all in fact Buddhas; hence it says 'attaining the wisdom of all Buddhas'. Below, the fruition functions are specifically revealed: 1. personally manifesting the Buddha-body: in thought after thought without interruption unto the exhaustion of the future, they should manifest the accomplishment of Buddhahood and personally act as Dharma-masters, while constantly acting as bodhisattvas to assist others in transformation; 2. able to cause others to accomplish Buddhahood: by the power of superior and skillful means, they turn sentient beings around, so that when they are destined to attain great bodhi, they definitely will; 3. attaining sovereign wisdom: the cognitive realms traversed by the minds of all sentient beings are boundless and limitless; just knowing them comprehensively would already be extraordinary, how much more so when entering one they know all, illustrating that their virtue of wisdom is supremely sovereign; 4. attaining a sovereign body: because they manifest causal bodies without departing from the fruition stage; 5. attaining a sovereign stage: because although manifesting causal bodies, they do not overturn fruition wisdom, for cause and fruit are non-dual; 6. attaining sovereign practice: because not abandoning practice that conforms to phenomena, they enter into non-practice, for with respect to the object, principle and phenomena are unimpeded, and with respect to wisdom, quiescence and function are non-dual; 7. attaining sovereign compassion: because although they have already accomplished Buddhahood, for the sake of sentient beings they constantly cultivate bodhisattva practice for immeasurable kalpas without ever resting; 8. revealing sovereign virtue: because this sovereign, extraordinary jewel is difficult to encounter; 9. sovereignty in gathering and transforming: 'turning the dharmacakra' clarifies the essence of the transforming teaching; 'taming' reveals the superior function of the Dharma; 'causing them to attain', etc., reveals the benefits achieved; seeing the principle profoundly and thoroughly, it is therefore called 'bright and pure'; also, causing them to be free from the hindrance of the knowable, it is called 'bright'; causing them to be free from the affliction hindrance, it is called 'pure'; wisdom illuminating the dharmadhātu is called the 'Dharma-eye'; 10. concluding with identity with all Buddhas: all the pure virtues of the Buddhas of the three times, the stages in which they abide, the marks of practice they accomplish, and the great vows they arouse—these bodhisattvas have achieved them all, being non-dual with them. Second, from 'endowed with' onward, concluding their inexhaustible virtues, as can be known. In the second [part], listing their names to praise their virtues, there are three: first, among the list of names, their marks of practice universally pervade and fully fill the dharmadhātu, so all are named 'Universal' (Samanta-); second, concluding the number, as can be known; third, praising their virtues, in ten lines: first, one general line, meaning fully attaining Samantabhadra's boundless practices and Samantabhadra's unimpeded vows; this praises Samantabhadra's virtues. Among the specifics: 1. the foremost practice of gathering the Dharma; 2. accepting and upholding the true Dharma—the above two praise the virtuous practices of universally [upholding] the true Dharma; 3. transforming all sentient beings so that the seed of the Buddhas is not cut off; this is the virtue of universal transformation. Another explanation: subsequently there will be further appearances of Buddhas, hence it says the seed of the Buddhas is not cut off; 4. thoroughly knowing the Dharma of the Buddhas' successive bestowal of predictions upon bodhisattvas. Another explanation: knowing that after the Buddhas' parinirvāṇa, the successive bestowal of predictions leads to Buddhas appearing in the world; this is the virtue of universal wisdom; 5. from 'according with all' onward, the practice of attaining Buddhahood and expounding the Dharma; this is the virtue of Universal Eye; 6. the practice of manifesting Buddhas in accordance with places; this is the virtue of Universal Light; 7. the practice of causing freedom from delusion and defilement; this is the virtue of Universal Contemplation and Universal Illumination; 8. the practice of being able to eliminate karma; this is the virtue of Universal Banner, rising high above karmic hindrances; 9. the practice of causing realization of the dharmadhātu; this is the virtue of Universal Awakening. These nine above, viewed from past vows now fulfilled, are subsumed under Samantabhadra's vows, such as the ten great vows, etc., which should be correlated and understood accordingly; viewed from what is performed in present conditions, they are subsumed under Samantabhadra's practices. Therefore, this passage is both vows and practices. The section on the preface is concluded.