華嚴經探玄記 2.35

2.35

In the third part, on the perfection of praising virtues, there are two sections: first in terms of persons, and second in terms of dharmas. In the first part, "friends" means their virtues are equal, which manifests that cause and effect are not two. This text has two meanings: first, pointing to the Buddha to manifest virtues, as the saying goes, "If you want to observe the person, first observe their friends," and so forth; second, why they gather here: because they are friends and because they complete each other. Secular texts state, "Those of like minds are called friends." Here, "virtuous friends" has three meanings: first, the meaning of surpassing oneself, as in Sudhana's advancing to friends; second, the meaning of equal virtues, because they are companions; third, the meaning of being slightly inferior, because Samantabhadra and others are called "the second venerable guides." In the second part, in terms of dharmas, the first sentence is general. All these bodhisattvas have achieved boundless merits, deep and vast like an ocean, which can be understood in line with the ten marks. In the specific explanation below, there are two parts: first, achieving the merits of their own stage; second, below "unsurpassed wisdom and vows," achieving the merits of superior advancement. However, these two divisions are generally explained in seven folds: 1. divided in terms of one practice being unripe or ripe; 2. divided in terms of two practices, such as when the practice of giving is already accomplished and one subsequently cultivates discipline, and so forth; 3. divided in terms of the two benefits; 4. in terms of bhūmis and stages, taking the attainment of a stage as superior advancement; 5. divided in terms of inference and realization; 6. in terms of two stages, where the accomplishment of a prior stage is one's own stage, and proceeding toward a subsequent stage is superior advancement; 7. in terms of cause and effect: the cause is accomplished as one's own stage, and entering the fruition is superior advancement. Now, in this text, it specifically refers to the last one, and its inclusion of the others can be understood. Within one's own stage, nine kinds of merits are achieved: 1. Achieving the merit of complete practice: this means that in no place and at no time does one not see the practice of the ten pāramitās such as giving, hence it is said, "illuminating all pāramitās." 2. Achieving the merit of the eye of wisdom: by what meaning do these practices of the pāramitās become roundly pervasive? Because with the pure eye of wisdom, one observes the three boundaries equally, it says "the eye of wisdom," and so forth. 3. Achieving the merit of deep absorption: upon what does one obtain this eye of wisdom? Because it is aroused relying upon deep absorption. In this there are three meanings: first, not tasting [clinging to] the absorption, hence it is called "pure"; the absorption arousing superior wisdom, hence it is called "bright"; second, dwelling in absorption with full maturity, entering and emerging without obstruction, hence it is called "bright and pure," as in the text below: "entering correct reception in the east, arising from samādhi in the west," and so forth; third, suddenly entering multiple absorptions, making one absorb all, hence it is called "fully bright and pure," as the text below says: "like entering samādhis numbering as many as paramāṇus, where one samādhi produces absorptions as many as dust motes." The preceding three sentences explain the practice of benefiting oneself. 4. Achieving the merit of wondrous eloquence: skillfully capable of speaking that Dharma which is difficult to speak, hence it is called eloquence, which refers to the forty unobstructednesses below, and so forth. Preaching everything with a single word is called "broad"; that what is preached is all profound is called "deep"; that this depth and breadth are both without shore and without bottom, hence it is called "inexhaustible." 5. Achieving the merit of universal illumination: because by the Buddha's merits, the bodily light manifests universally, illuminating all faculties. 6. Achieving the merit of taming and transforming: skillfully knowing the mental capacity of sentient beings, which is the thicket of mental actions. Conferring teachings according to their faculties, taming them to leave obstructions, and subduing them to enter the Dharma, hence it says "taming and subduing as appropriate." The preceding three sentences are the practices of transforming others through the three karmas. 7. Achieving the merit of true wisdom: using diamond-like wisdom to universally illuminate all differentiated realms, all having the same flavor of the equal dharmatā. 8. Achieving the merit of quantitative wisdom: using vast wisdom to clearly penetrate deep knowledge, so that there is no cognized realm that is not completely comprehended; hence it says "none not clearly penetrated." The preceding two sentences explain the virtue of wisdom illuminating the two truths. These eight sentences above manifest virtue in terms of practice. 9. Achieving the merit of subsuming stages. This has two meanings: first, subsuming the preceding practices into the five stages of faith, and so forth; second, whichever stage one is in, it immediately subsumes all the preceding and subsequent stages. These two also have two aspects: first, explaining subsumption in terms of mutual entering; second, explaining subsumption in terms of mutual identity, which should be understood as in the ten gates earlier. From the fulfillment of the mind of the ten faiths onward, all stages witness this mutual subsumption; therefore, in the "Chief of the Wise Chapter" below, the place where faith is fulfilled immediately possesses all stages up to the fruition of buddhahood, and so on; this is the meaning. The preceding finishes one's own stage.