華嚴經探玄記 2.11

2.11

From “having first attained equal and right awakening” onward is the second section, which discriminates in detail the preceding three meanings: first, discriminating the time; second, the place; and third, the master. Concerning the time, we shall set forth five headings for now: 1. Determining its scope; 2. Enfolding what comes before and after; 3. Revealing distinctions; 4. Expressing the Dharma; 5. Explaining the root text. First, concerning determining its scope: Bodhiruci says, “Among the eight assemblies of the Avataṃsaka, the first five assemblies were preached during the first seven days after the Buddha's attainment of the Way, and from the sixth assembly onward was preached during the second seven days, because the beginning of the Daśabhūmika Sūtra says ‘during the second seven days.’” Furthermore, some say: the eighth assembly was preached at a later time, because in that text there are the five hundred śrāvakas such as Śāriputra, all of whom were converted at a later time. Such judgments are probably not in accord with the text, because during the first seven days [the Buddha] definitely did not preach the Dharma. The Commentary on the Ten Bhūmis says, “Why was it not preached during the first seven days? Because he was contemplating the practices of causes and conditions.” Since it says “contemplating,” we clearly know that he was not preaching the Dharma. Even if someone were to salvage this by saying, “He merely did not preach the ten bhūmis, not that he did not preach other teachings,” then one could not speak of “contemplating.” Later the commentary also explains, “It was to manifest his own joy in the Dharma, therefore he did not preach.” Thus we know that during the first seven days he definitely did not preach. Furthermore, the eighth assembly was also not at a later time; how could half of a single sūtra be preached first, other sūtras preached in the middle, and then this one resumed afterward? Would you have the Buddha lack the power of dhāraṇī so that he could not preach all dharmas in a single instant of thought? The Jetavana and Śāriputra are both instances of the mutual interpenetration of the nine time-periods. A later passage says, “All kalpas of the past are placed into the future and present; all kalpas of the future are turned back and placed into the past world.” It also says, “In a single instant of thought he establishes all Buddha-works of the three times,” and so on at length. Passages such as these appear everywhere; how could the Śāriputra and Jetavana utilized here not be of this kind? Therefore, we know that this sūtra was definitely preached during the second seven days. Second, concerning enfolding what comes before and after, there are three tiers: 1. At the time of these second seven days, the eight assemblies are directly enfolded and preached simultaneously. If so, why do the assemblies have a before and after? Answer: Like a seal impression: when reading, there is before and after, but the impression on the paper is simultaneous. Question: If so, how can repeated assemblies be established? Answer: The repetitions are also simultaneous, because they are unobstructed, like the mutual interpenetration of lamplights. Other matters such as remaining motionless while ascending to the heavens can be understood by following this explanation. 2. Directly at this time, the immeasurable kalpas before and after are each completely enfolded without exception, because this is the time of inconceivable liberation. 3. Enfolding layer upon layer of immeasurable thoughts and kalpas, just as Indra's net repeatedly enfolds and gathers them together. Third, concerning revealing distinctions: According to the Lalitavistara, during the second seven days in the Deer Park he turned the four truths in three turnings for those five persons; this is the Hīnayāna. According to the Guhyakādhipati-nirdeśa, during the second seven days when he turned the wheel of Dharma in the Deer Park for an immeasurable great assembly, there were those who attained the path of arhats, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and so forth; this is the Three Vehicles. According to this sūtra, during the second seven days beneath the king of trees, he turned the inexhaustible wheel of Dharma for the ocean-like assembly of bodhisattvas, making it clear that this is the One Vehicle. That the above three are simultaneous expresses, in terms of the Dharma, that root and branch are simultaneous; and reveals, in terms of persons, that capacities and responses differ. According to the Lotus Sūtra, it was three seven-day periods. The Dharmaguptaka Vinaya says six seven-day periods. The Xingqi xing jing says seven seven-day periods. According to the Mahīśāsaka Vinaya, it was eight seven-day periods. The Dà zhìdù lùn says fifty-seven days. The Shi'er you jing says it was only preached after one full year. All of these are differences in the capacities of the branch teachings; what is suitable to be heard differs in each case, which is why they are not uniform. The capacities of the root teaching are definitive, therefore it is only the second seven days. Fourth, concerning expressing the Dharma, the Commentary on the Ten Bhūmis says, “The comparative assessment of time, place, and so forth reveals superiority. Because this Dharma is superior, it is preached in the primordial time and in a superior place.” Here there are three meanings: 1. This sūtra takes the primordial time to express the superiority of the root Dharma. 2. The branch teachings are also identical, expressing that the branch does not depart from the root. 3. Revealing that the root is not the branch, because the time of the branch is unfixed while the time of the root is fixed. The time is definitively the second seven days, and there are no other differing views. Fifth, concerning explaining the text: “Having first attained equal and right awakening” is intended to reveal the meaning of the initial beginning. However, there are two aspects: 1. The first seven days are the beginning in the present world; 2. The second seven days are the beginning of preaching the Dharma. Here, seven days have elapsed since attaining equal and right awakening, hence it is said: “having first attained equal and right awakening.” Overall there are five meanings: 1. In terms of the Hīnayāna, the physical-body Buddha under this tree, through the thirty-four minds, first attained equal and right awakening, identical to all arhats, an actual attainment and not a transformation. 2. In terms of the Mahāyāna, the nirmāṇakāya of the eight aspects was manifested, first attaining equal and right awakening here. 3. In terms of the saṃbhogakāya, the practices of the ten bhūmis being fulfilled, following the uninterrupted path the fruit appears perfectly luminous; this is called first attaining equal and right awakening. 4. In terms of the dharmakāya, it refers to newly attaining the revelatory cause and its first perfect manifestation; hence it is called “first attaining.” The above Mahāyāna views all lack a beginning before the beginning. 5. In terms of the ten Buddhas, it means that throughout all the boundless worlds of Indra's net, in thought-moment after thought-moment he is in each case freshly attaining buddhahood, complete with master and retinue, exhausting the three worlds; therefore this directly and completely enfolds the beginnings of immeasurable kalpas before and after. Here, it is properly only the fifth, which concurrently enfolds the preceding four, as can be known accordingly. Because these five tiers are not separated from one another, they enfold the upāyas.