華嚴經探玄記 19.24

19.24

Fourth, from "At that time, that elder" downward, he imparts his own dharmadhātu. Therein are four [parts]: first, taking by the hand and so forth is the upāya of imparting, which is the preliminary practice; second, viewing all around and so forth is the direct seeing of the dharmadhātu, which is the direct realization; third, asking the causes and conditions of the Dharma, which is the subsequently attained [wisdom]; fourth, from "I only" downward concludes what he himself knows, which is establishing the name. First, taking him by the hand and leading him back represents gathering him into that which is realized. "Just observe my house" directly imparts with the Dharma. Second, from "Sudhana viewed all around" downward is realizing and seeing the dharmadhātu. First is a general viewing. Second, from "His residence was vast and great" downward is the specific viewing. That this residence has ten tiers means ten tiers upward. These characteristics are difficult to determine, so three explanations are briefly made. First, according to an ancient master: the ten tiers are the ten bhūmis. Because the eightfold noble path allows unimpeded roaming and entering, they are made into eight gates; or the four means of embracing and the four immeasurables are also made into eight gates. First, giving food refers to the practice of dāna of the first bhūmi. Second, giving jeweled robes refers to the robes of shame, conscience, and morality of the second bhūmi. Third, giving jeweled adornments refers to the practice of patience of the third bhūmi used to adorn the body. Fourth, giving inner kin refers to the auxiliary practices of the factors of bodhi of the fourth bhūmi. Fifth, compiling the true Dharma and so forth refers to obtaining the treatises on the five sciences and so forth of the fifth bhūmi. Sixth, obtaining the filling with prajñā bodhisattvas and so forth refers to the great wisdom of prajñā becoming manifest in the sixth bhūmi, wherein are three: first, generally displaying the profound wisdom; second, from "namely" downward, specifically displaying ten gates—1. illumination is quiescence, 2. quiescence is illumination, 3. external conditions do not turn it, 4. internal illumination is free from defilement, 5. its essence is firm, 6. its function is broad, 7. it contains superior virtues, 8. seeing the dharmadhātu, 9. many skillful means, 10. according with the capacities of beings, and 11. displaying via metaphor, which is an additional number; third, from "compiling like this" downward concludes the broad and reveals the brief. Seventh, bodhisattvas of the patience of accordance with sound and so forth refers to attaining superior practices amidst existence in the seventh bhūmi, knowing that various doctrinal teachings have no different meanings, completing the patience of accordance with sound. Eighth, constantly abiding bodhisattvas and so forth: herein are two virtues—the eighth bhūmi realizes the dharmadhātu of neither increase nor decrease; "supernormal powers, kṣetras" and so forth refers to being sovereign in the three worlds. "Going to all" and so forth explains receiving and upholding the Buddha's teachings in the ninth bhūmi. Ninth, those in the place of succession and so forth explains the rank of receiving the office in the tenth bhūmi, which is also the rank of equal enlightenment. Tenth, all tathāgatas is the rank of sublime enlightenment. From the initial aspiration and so forth explains gathering the causes to complete the fruit. Second, further explaining these above ten tiers: they are entirely the ranks of these ten practices, beginning from giving food, named the practice of joy, up to the tenth, the filling of tathāgatas, which is the practice of truth, because in one rank all ranks are subsumed. Here there are two layers: first, using the ten practices to subsume earlier the ten abodes, as well as the ten faiths, and subsume later the dedication and the ten bhūmis; second, having used the ten practices to exhaustively subsume all ranks, within its own ten it again uses one rank to subsume all ranks; therefore, within this fifth practice, these ten practices are fully present. Previously, the bhikṣu Sāgaradhvaja was in the rank of the ten abodes, and with the Buddha atop his crown expounded the Dharma, likewise using the gate of the ten abodes to subsume all ranks; now this elder is in the rank of the ten practices, and the residence where he abides likewise uses the gate of the ten practices to subsume all ranks. Thus the meaning of subsuming in both places is equal, only that previously it was expounded by relying on the sixth abode, and here it is distinguished in terms of the fifth practice. Furthermore, previously relying on the Buddha atop the crown while here relying on the residence are both to represent the difference between superior and inferior. Third, it is further explained: altogether not relying on ranks, but rather this bodhisattva approaches capacities with practice; manifesting an abode of superior traces, he therefore speaks of ten to reveal inexhaustibility: the first four bestow through material giving, beginning easily and gradually becoming difficult; the next two gather the giving of Dharma, beginning shallowly and later becoming deep; the next two receive the Dharma, beginning narrowly and later becoming broad; the last two manifest superior virtues, first the cause and later the fruit. In general, these ten ranks all proceed from the coarse to the gradually subtle, as can be known. Furthermore, this elder completely subsumes phenomena such as causes and fruits, practices and ranks, altogether making them his basis; therefore, they are made into a residence. Third, within the subsequently attained [wisdom], the original causes of the Dharma are revealed, wherein first is asking, and later is answering. In the answer, the roots of goodness are dedicated to three places: first, eliminating poverty and suffering, which means that the first four among the ten tiers are its retribution; second, seeing buddhas, bodhisattvas, and so forth, and third, constantly hearing the true Dharma—these two are the retributions from the fifth tier onward. Therefore, obtaining these retributions means seeking these three places through dedication, fulfilling the ten tiers. Fourth, from "I only" downward concludes the names of the Dharma, meaning that the three places sought by past vows accord with and accomplish the fulfilled ten tiers; hence it is named the dharma-gate of fulfilling great vows. The Indic text says: attaining the bodhisattva liberation named the bodhimaṇḍa adorned with unimpeded vows. The explanation says: the residence of ten tiers is named adorning the bodhimaṇḍa. The past vows penetrating the subtle is named unimpeded vows. Thus, adorning this residential place through the power of those unhindered vows is named a bodhimaṇḍa.