華嚴經探玄記 18.16

18.16

Part six, 'Adducing Fault to Reveal Virtue', comprises three sections: first, revealing the subjects [who are] people that do not see; second, explaining the objects [that are] the domains not seen; third, explaining the reasons why they do not see. In the first [section]: the preceding text listed the general number of five hundred, but here the leaders are specially marked out, hence the ten great disciples are adduced. As for Śāriputra: this [name] is translated as 'Son of the Egret' (Qiūzǐ); the correct Sanskrit pronunciation is Śāriputra. Śāri is translated here as 'egret' (qiū), which belongs to the category of shrikes or mockingbirds. Master Kang Senghui of the Wu translated it in the Liùdù jí [jīng] as 'Son of the Egret and Heron' (Qiūlùzǐ). This is his mother's name: because his mother possessed eloquence that was sharp and swift like that bird, and her eyes turned brightly and keenly also like that bird, she was named after this metaphor. Putra is translated here as 'son'; the son takes his name from his mother. In the old translations it was rendered as 'Son of the Body' (Shēnzǐ) because in the Sanskrit language 'body' is called śarīra, just as the divisions of the Buddha's body are śarīra, which is not the meaning used here. In the Zhì lùn, it is also said that in the past he made a vow to be Śākyamuni Buddha's disciple and thus established this name. Because he was skilled at discussing doctrines, he was also named Upadiśa. Second, Mahāmaudgalyāyana: the correct Sanskrit pronunciation is Mahāmaudgalyāyana, translated here as 'Great Scion of the Bean-Gathering Clan'. In antiquity there was an immortal living in a quiet mountain retreat who regularly gathered mung beans to eat, which became his family name. The Venerable One's mother belonged to that clan, so he took his mother's clan name as his own. Having attained great spiritual superknowledges, he is distinguished from others of this clan, hence called 'Great Scion of the Bean-Gathering Clan'. The past causal conditions of these two, he and the Son of the Egret, are as explained elsewhere. Third, Mahākāśyapa: the full Sanskrit name is Mahākāśyapa, translated here as 'Great Drinker of Light'. 'Drinker of Light' is a family name; among the Brahmin surnames, in antiquity there was an immortal whose bodily radiance drank in and overwhelmed the light of the sun and moon. Kāśyapa is the lineage of this clan, hence taken as his name. This Kāśyapa's bodily radiance was also able to drink in and overwhelm the light of the sun and moon. Furthermore, he was the son of a very wealthy elder, who renounced great wealth and his clan to leave home, and was able to practice the great dhūta practices of few desires, being recognized by great men; to distinguish him from other Kāśyapas, he is called 'Great'. Fourth, Revata: fully called Hélie-fá-duō (Revata), translated here as 'House Star' (Shìxīng), which is a northern constellation. Having sacrificed to it, a son was obtained, hence he was named after it. He is also named A-lì-bō-duō (Arivata?), translated here as 'One Who Is Given Offerings'. Some say his name means 'false combination', which is revealed in the Zhì lùn by the story of the two demons eating [the corpse]. Fifth, Subhūti: correctly called Subhūti, translated here as 'Good Manifestation' (Shànxiàn), or as 'Good Reality' (Shànshí); the ancient rendering 'Good Auspiciousness' (Shànjí) is incorrect. Sixth, Aniruddha: correctly called Aniruddha; niruddha translates here as 'cessation', and a- means 'without', thus meaning 'Without Cessation'; he is the Buddha's paternal cousin. Seventh, Nanda: translated here as 'Joy'. Originally a cowherd, because he questioned the Buddha on the eleven methods of cowherding and recognized that the Buddha was endowed with omniscience, he attained the fruit of arhatship. His nature was extremely intelligent, and his voice was exquisite and wonderful, causing all who heard it to rejoice, hence he was named after this. Eighth, Gavāṃpati (Jīnpíluó): correctly called Kapila, translated here as 'Yellow'. It refers to an ancient yellow-headed immortal, after whom the clan name was taken, and he was also named after the clan name. Ninth, Kātyāyana: fully called Mahākātyāyana; this is a clan and given name, translated here as 'Great Man of the Hair-Cutting Clan'. As for this Brahmin family name: in antiquity there were many immortals who, having dwelt in quiet mountain retreats for many years, had their hair and beards grow long with no one to shave them. According to Brahmin law, shaving hair is detested. At that time, an immortal had two sons who both came to visit their father; the younger son thereupon shaved the hair of all the immortals. The immortals blessed him with vows, and he later became a noble immortal; ever since, this lineage has been called 'Hair-Cutting'. The Venerable One himself was a man of exceptionally exalted majesty and virtue; to distinguish him from others of this lineage, he is called 'Great Man of the Hair-Cutting Clan'. Moreover, in the western regions names are taken from the mother's clan; here it is shown to be the father's clan, hence the word 'man' is added. Tenth, Pūrṇamaitrāyaṇīputra: Pūrṇa is correctly called Pūrṇa, translated here as 'Full'. Maitrā is correctly called Maitrī, translated here as 'Compassion'. Nī is a feminine ending. Putra translates here as 'son'. That is, 'Son of the Full Compassion Woman', named after his mother, like the Son of the Egret and others. 'Such as these' concludes [the list of] those who do not see, and so forth. Second, concerning the objects not seen, there are two: first, explaining that they do not see the Buddha-fruit of the dharmadhātu; second, revealing that they do not see the bodhisattvas of the dharmadhātu. In the first, there are ten phrases, which largely correspond to what the assembly previously contemplated and requested concerning the Dharma. Question: If they were completely devoid of capacity, they could not previously have contemplated together; if they had the capacity and could contemplate, why are they now shown not to see? Answer: Because they had a mind longing for the Dharma, they could previously contemplate together; but because their [Dharma-]eyes were not yet opened, they are shown not to see. Furthermore, previously they only contemplated their own three-vehicle Buddha-fruit, but now that the One Vehicle is displayed, they cannot see it. Among the ten phrases, the first is general, revealing that because the Tathāgata has exhausted all hindrances, his functions are unhindered, hence called 'sovereignty'. Below are the particulars: 1. the two adornments of the sublime fruit stage; 2. the scope of the fruit stage and that which the Buddha knows; 3. the multifaceted nature of his functions; 4. the determinacy of his perfect voice; 5. the virtue of departing from coarse characteristics; 6. unthought benefit to sentient beings; 7. sovereignty in majesty and power; 8. upholding what all Buddhas accomplish; 9. the pure lands upon which he relies. All these are matters such as the bodies and lands manifested previously and subsequently. From 'Such...' onwards concludes their not seeing. Second, from 'likewise...' onwards, explaining that they do not see the bodhisattva assembly, there are also ten: first, not seeing the great assembly is general; below, nine are particular. Among the particulars: 1. the characteristics of their gathering through the karmic functions of their spheres; 2. not seeing the places from which their retinues come and their sitting in the palaces herein—that is, the towers previously transformed; 3. not seeing their cross-legged sitting, samādhi, and contemplation; 4. not seeing the offerings made by the bodhisattvas, and so forth; 5. not knowing their receiving predictions, increasing good, and so forth; 6. not seeing the bodies assumed by the bodhisattvas, of which there are five bodies, as is understood; 7. not seeing the bodhisattvas' halos, and so forth; 8. not seeing the bodhisattvas filling all ten directions, and so forth; 9. not knowing all the virtuous conduct of the bodhisattvas. Another explanation: among the above nine, the first four phrases are analyzed in detail into ten phrases explaining the previously gathered assembly of bodhisattvas; within the latter five phrases there are also ten phrases explaining the original assembly such as Samantabhadra, all of which can be understood. From 'Such...' onwards generally concludes their not seeing. Third, in explaining the reasons why they do not see, there are two: first, the doctrinal explanation; second, the analogies. In the first there are also two: first, explaining that at the time of the cause they did not cultivate the cause for seeing it, therefore they do not see; second, from 'nor do they possess the samādhi...' onwards, explaining that at the time of the fruit they utterly lack the capacity for seeing it, therefore they do not see. In the first, there are four: 1. explaining that their inferior practice does not reach the superior; 2. from 'all these merits...' onwards, revealing that the superior surpasses the inferior; 3. from 'why is that...' onwards, explaining that the superior is not the inferior; 4. from 'therefore...' onwards, concluding that the inferior does not see the superior. In the first, it first asks: If they lacked good roots, they should not be in the assembly; if they possessed good roots, they should not fail to see—hence it asks, 'Why is that?' Below in the explanation: first, the general explanation says that because they have good practices they are able to be in the assembly, but because these are distinct and different good practices, they do not see. Furthermore, because they are not ordinary people, they have good roots; but because they are not bodhisattvas, they do not share the same good roots. In the particular explanation below, there are nineteen phrases; the first twelve phrases specifically explain their previously not seeing the Buddha-fruit. Therein, the first two phrases provide a brief explanation: namely, explaining first that because they originally did not cultivate the good roots of great bodhi, it says 'because they originally did not cultivate the good roots capable of seeing the Tathāgata's sovereignty'—hence called 'distinct and different', so without the cause they cannot see the Buddha. 'Sovereignty' is the first phrase among the ten phrases on the Buddha-fruit above. Second, because they only cultivated practices aimed at entering nirvāṇa, it says 'they did not cultivate the practice of purifying Buddha lands'. 'Pure land' is the last among the previous ten; therefore, by mentioning the first and the last, the middle can be known. In the extensive explanation below, the first seven phrases concern not cultivating practices to benefit others, and the latter three phrases concern not cultivating practices to surpass oneself. That is, the former is a narrow mind, and the latter is an inferior mind. The textual explanation can be understood.