華嚴經探玄記 18.53

18.53

Third, clarifying the demarcations of the outline. Numerical increments comprise ten: First, aggregating as one, meaning each constitutes a single stage. Second, following Master Yuan's division into two: first, approaching good friends; later, from "told him" onward, concluding with listening to the true Dharma; mindful reflection and practicing as expounded are both subsumed under listening. Within approaching friends there are four: first, hearing of the good friend; second, seeking the good friend; third, seeing the good friend; fourth, inquiring about the Dharma. Within the first, hearing of the good friend, there are also four: first, listing the name of the country, which is the general location; second, the name of the mountain, which is the specific location; third, the name of the good friend; fourth, instructing him to go visit. Second, within seeking the good friend there are three: 1. first hearing and feeling joy in mind; 2. paying homage at the feet and taking leave; 3. gradually walking to search for the friend. Third, within seeing the good friend there are two: first, going to see him; later, paying homage and withdrawing to stand. Fourth, within inquiring there are three: 1. having already aroused the aspiration [for bodhi], clarifying that one already has the capacity; 2. not yet knowing, etc., asking about the method of practice; 3. "I have heard," etc., praising virtues. Approaching the good friend is concluded. Second, within hearing the true Dharma there are two: first, praising his arousal of the aspiration; later, directly expounding the Dharma for him. Within expounding the Dharma: first, expounding the teaching gate of the measure of realization; later, deferring with veneration, etc., expounding the teaching gate of the measure of teaching. The outline sections above are mostly the same across the various stages, with only few differences. Third, following Master Bian's division into three parts: first, hearing the name, searching, and so forth is the stage of preparatory application; second, receiving what he expounds is directly realizing the dharmadhātu; third, deferring with veneration to superior advancements is the post-attainment stage. Fourth, following Master Yan and others' division into four measures: 1. first hearing the name, etc., is the measure of teaching; 2. seeking according to the teaching is the measure of faith; 3. seeing his supportive and principal [retributions] is the measure of inference; 4. hearing what he expounds is the measure of direct perception; these four are hearing, reflecting, cultivating, and realizing. Fifth, some venerable masters divide into five: within the fourth above, direct perception, opening out the two stages of one's own share and superior advancement, with the rest being the same as previously analyzed. Sixth, following Master Yi and others' division into six parts: 1. clarifying the mental practice of seeking and visiting; 2. clarifying reverently inquiring; 3. praising and expounding what one knows to bestow upon Sudhana; 4. expounding what one does not yet know; 5. further indicating one who knows and encouraging him to go visit; 6. taking leave and proceeding thither. Seventh, or divided into seven: within the second of these six, first seeing and then paying reverence. Eighth, or divided into eight: within the third of these six, first praising the arousal of aspiration and then expounding one's own Dharma. Ninth, or divided into nine: within the fifth of these eight, first indicating and then encouraging to go. Tenth, or divided into ten: within the sixth of the nine above, first paying reverence and then taking leave; namely: 1. seeking, 2. seeing, 3. paying homage, 4. asking, 5. praising, 6. expounding, 7. deferring, 8. indicating, 9. revering, 10. departing. Among the ten kinds of outlines with numerical increments above, the first five are outlined according to stage, and the latter five are outlined according to assembly.