華嚴經探玄記 18.58

18.58

Fourth, from 'At that time Sudhana saw him' downward, clarifies the direct attainment of the dharmadhātu. Within this there are five: first, seeing the person; second, performing bows; third, asking questions; fourth, praising in asking; fifth, the direct teaching. In the first, seeing him on the mountain peak represents the threshold of non-retrogression of this dwelling-stage. His quietly reflecting and walking back and forth clarifies that he is cultivating samādhis such as the pratyutpanna-samādhi, and also because it is the single-practice samādhi (ekavyūha-samādhi). Furthermore, quiet reflection is the cultivation of śamatha, and walking back and forth constitutes vipaśyanā. Moreover, it is the characteristic mode of contemplating the samādhi of the present buddhas, as in the Bhadrapāla Sūtra and so forth. In the second, bowing, circumambulating to the right is the mark of utmost respect. In the third, asking questions, there are two: first, stating that he has already generated the mind [for bodhi], showing that he is a vessel of the Dharma, so that it may be easily expounded to him. Second, asking about what he does not yet know, revealing his thirst for the Dharma, causing [the master] to arouse compassion and swiftly expound it. The various passages below are all explained in the same way as this. In the question, although following the previous instruction of ten questions, the subsequent stages mostly retain these two. Collated according to the Sanskrit text, it should say: 'and yet I do not know how a bodhisattva should study and how a bodhisattva should practice in the bodhisattva path.' This means understanding first and practicing afterwards; it can be understood from the context of the passage. 'I hear that the Great Master is well able to proclaim [it]': according to the Sanskrit text, it should say: 'I hear that the Great Master is well able to instruct and well able to admonish the bodhisattvas.' This means that through instruction, the former understanding is accomplished; through admonition, the former practice is accomplished. Because the translation preserved brevity, it simply says 'proclaim'. The subsequent passages are all explained in the same way as this. In the fourth, praising in asking, there are two: first, general; second, specific. In the specific, there are nine phrases, identical to what was previously instructed. The first two phrases are exactly the same, while the remaining phrases are not in the same sequence. The third, 'entering the realm of bodhisattvas', is the former 'taking the realm of bodhisattvas as condition'. The fourth, 'giving birth to', etc., is also identical. The fifth, 'broad mind', is the former 'increasing and broadening', etc. The sixth, 'complete with', etc., is the former 'endowed with the conduct of Samantabhadra'. The seventh, 'conforming to', etc., is the former 'fulfilling', etc. The eighth, 'in saṃsāra', etc., is the former 'ultimate', etc. The ninth, 'conditioned', etc., is the former 'purity' and 'correct mindfulness', etc. These all praise by matching the faculties through the knowledge of others' minds. In the fifth, from 'Good son' downward, directly indicates the dharmadhātu. Within this there are two: first, indicating the meaning; afterwards, from 'I only' downward, concluding with the name. In the former, there are two: first, clarifying the essence of the Dharma attained; second, from 'universally illuminating' downward, clarifying its karmic functions. In the former, as for 'the power of liberation', Dharma Master Zheng says: 'This is the essence of the dwelling of arousing the mind; it refers to the original nature of liberation: because of hearing and perfuming by the Mahāyāna, the ordinary person's basis is transformed and caused to attain liberation, and hence it is called liberation. In reliance upon what is thus realized, the wisdom able to realize it is named "power".' Now I explain: this is the unobstructed functioning aroused in reliance on samādhi being called 'liberation', like the inconceivable liberation and so on, seeing multiple worlds in a single speck of dust. Now this is also like that: without departing from this place, seeing the distinct conditioned and unconditioned states of the buddhas of the ten directions is simply the powerful functioning of this liberation. As for 'attaining the eye of wisdom': however, this liberation has the capacity to accommodate the vast within a small place, and has the capacity to see all within a single place. Now between these two, it specifically takes 'able to see' and does not take 'able to accommodate', and hence it says 'attaining this with respect to that'. This specifically differentiates and determines the essence of the Dharma attained. In the second, clarifying the functions, there are two: first, general; second, specific. Speaking generally, this eye sees all worlds and so forth, not merely seeing the buddhas. 'Universally illuminating', etc., explains the eye of wisdom. 'Unobstructed sphere of cognition' explains upāya. 'Eliminating all obstacles' explains purity. Second, from 'all buddha-transformations' downward, specifically distinguishes seeing the buddhas. First, clarifying the power able to see, which refers to dhāraṇī, translated here as 'total retention', having mindfulness and wisdom as its nature. However, there are multiple kinds: either retention of phenomena, or retention of buddhas and so on. Now, eliminating retention of phenomena and so on, it therefore says 'buddhas'. Yet among buddhas there are also the dharmakāya, saṃbhogakāya, and nirmāṇakāya; now, eliminating the dharmakāya and saṃbhogakāya, it takes only the nirmāṇakāya buddhas, and hence it says 'all buddha-transformations'. Therefore, the various forms and colors of the buddhas seen are all nirmāṇakāya buddhas. Second, directly clarifying the buddhas seen: first, seeing the bodies of the buddhas, initially in the eastern direction, and afterwards by analogy in the other nine directions. Second, from 'various' downward, seeing the functions of the buddhas. Within this, first seeing the buddhas manifesting various primary and secondary states according to capacities; second, seeing the buddhas decisively expounding the Dharma among assemblies. In the second, from 'Good son' downward, concluding the scope of the name: 'universal door' differentiates it from particular doors, meaning that within particular doors one might see one or two directions, one or two buddhas, etc., none of which match the ten directions; now, not relying on those, it is called the 'universal door'. If this door is opened, one universally sees dust-mote-numbered buddhas of the ten directions, as the text reveals. 'Radiance' reveals the distinct clarity of what is seen. This 'radiance of the universal door' is the previous 'universally illuminating'. 'Observing': what is seen is careful and subtle, which is the previous 'observing'. 'Correct mindfulness': at the time of seeing, one is not disordered, which is the above 'eliminating obstacles', etc. The above is what is able to see; the buddhas are what is seen; the samādhi is the concentration upon which that seeing relies. Initially entering the dwelling-stage, the radiance of the mindfulness-of-the-buddha samādhi extensively sees the buddhas because the Buddha is the ultimate fundamental reliance. One's own portion is concluded, for only in reliance upon the Buddha can the remaining practices be accomplished.