華嚴經探玄記 2.39

2.39

The ninth, the river spirits, signify flowing and moistening. In their virtue, 'diligent' means flowing, and 'benefiting' means moistening. The tenth, the ocean spirits, signify possessing virtues. As with the ten marks below and so forth, their virtues can be known through their practicing the same matters through Dharma. The eleventh, the fire spirits, signify maturation, illumination, burning, and dispelling darkness; the first two accomplish the two adornments, and the latter two extinguish the two hindrances, as may be understood accordingly. The twelfth, the wind spirits, signify gathering and dispersing: just as wind calamities disperse and the wind-mandala holds and gathers, dispersing afflictions and gathering virtues can be known accordingly. Furthermore, causing the bodies of sentient beings not to disintegrate is entirely the power of the Rocana wind spirit of dharmadhātu conditioned arising. Moreover, there are five kinds of internal wind: first, respiration wind, where inhaling and exhaling arise from the navel cakra; second, digestion wind, which moves downward to digest food; third, sustaining wind, which makes a person walk vigorously; fourth, calamitous wind, which causes people to fall ill; fifth, power-exhausting wind, which disarticulates a person's joints when they are about to die. When a person approaches death, their face displays winds of five colours: those entering hell are black; those reborn as animals are blue-green; hungry ghosts are yellow, with their tongue sticking out; those reborn as humans have an ordinary complexion; those reborn in heaven have a fresh flower-like complexion, luminous and lovely. The thirteenth, the space spirits, have seven meanings: first, boundless; second, unobstructed; third, of one taste; fourth, containing and encompassing; fifth, manifesting; sixth, free from defilement; seventh, solid and firm. The first five are derived from the name; the latter two are manifested in their virtues. The fourteenth, the directional spirits, signify manifesting: manifesting the directions and corners to enable those who are lost to reach what is right; hence the text says 'skillfully illuminating'. 'Illuminating' is equivalent to displaying. The fifteenth, the night spirits, signify aiding accomplishment, because it is not the standard time. Alternatively, they guide sentient beings in the dark night, just as with the night devas below. The sixteenth, the day spirits, signify correct cultivation, because it is the standard time; hence the text says 'having faith and delight in the correct Dharma'. It also signifies bright ornamentation, hence 'adornment'. The seventeenth, the asuras, newly rendered as asuras, are named 'non-gods' according to the *Abhidharma-mahāvibhāṣā-śāstra*. The *Buddhabhūmi-sūtra-śāstra* states that they are subsumed under the deva realm; because they practice much deceit and fraud and lack the genuine conduct of devas, they are named non-gods. Just as in the world evil conduct is called 'non-human'. Or they are named 'not handsome'. Or they are named 'not drinking alcohol', because their brewing of alcohol in the great ocean did not succeed, and so on. Or it is said that Vimacitra's mother was originally born from heaven, so they are called inferior gods. The *Āgama-sūtra* says: 'When the kalpa first formed, a deva from the Ābhāsvara Heaven came to bathe in the sea. The water touched her body, and she lost semen into the water, which formed an egg of flesh. After eight thousand years, a daughter was born. Her body was like Mount Sumeru; she had nine hundred and ninety-nine heads, each head having a thousand eyes; she had nine hundred and ninety-nine mouths, each mouth having four fangs from which fire burst forth like thunderclaps; she had twenty-four hands and nine hundred and ninety-nine feet. Floating and playing in the sea, the essence of the water entered her body, and she gave birth to an egg of flesh. After eight thousand years, it gave birth to Vimacitra. His body had nine heads, each head had a thousand eyes, water issued from his mouth, he had nine hundred and ninety-nine hands, and eight feet. His form was four times larger than Mount Sumeru, and he ate purely silt and lotus roots.' Furthermore, they frequently contend with the devas, as detailed in the *Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna-sūtra*. However, asuras have five dwelling places: first, on earth among the Citrakūṭa mountains, as explained below; second, twenty-one thousand yojanas down into the great ocean north of Mount Sumeru, where the asura king is named Rāhu, translated as 'obstacle', who can block the sun and moon with his hands, commanding countless followers; third, going down another twenty-one thousand yojanas from there, the king is named Viryavat, also commanding many followers; fourth, going another twenty-one thousand yojanas, the king is named Mālādhara, also commanding many followers; fifth, going beyond this number, the king is named Vimacitra, translated as 'high sound', who is Śacī's father, with a body like five Mount Sumerus. When fighting with the Lord of the Devas, he set out from the ocean floor and shouted loudly, 'I am Vimacitra! I am Vimacitra!' At that time, the mountains of Jambudvīpa all shook at once. They are also called 'cave-dwellers', meaning that within there is a city of light where they reside. Alternatively, they are subsumed under the deva realm, as in the *Buddhabhūmi-sūtra-śāstra* above. Or according to the *Abhidharma*, they are subsumed under the preta realm, because they are veiled by crooked deceit. Or according to the *Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna-sūtra*, they are subsumed under pretas and animals, because Rāhu is a lion's whelp, etc. Or according to the *Gāthā-sūtra*, they are subsumed under devas, pretas, and animals. Due to the above explanations, there are only five destinies. If dividing into six destinies: among the good, the superior, middling, and inferior correspond to devas, humans, and asuras; among the evil, the three grades correspond to the three lower paths, as can be known. According to the *Dà zhìdù lùn*, the asura king Rāhu is a great bodhisattva. The eighteenth, the garuḍas, newly named garuḍas, translated as birds with wondrous wings. The bird's wings are adorned with various jewel-like colours, not merely golden. According to the *Sāgara-nāgarāja-paripṛcchā-sūtra*, the distance between this bird's two wings is 3,360,000 li; Jambudvīpa can only hold one of its feet. According to the *Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra*, this bird can eat and digest dragons, fish, the seven treasures, and so forth, with the sole exception of vajra, because it cannot digest it. It also eats dragons that are destined to die; furthermore, it does not eat those who have taken the three refuges in the past, nor does it eat those tied with a thread of a kāṣāya robe. Also, according to the *Ekottarika-āgama*, among the golden-winged birds of the four births, an egg-born bird descends from the iron-fork tree, enters the sea, and takes an egg-born dragon. Before the water has even closed up, it returns up to its original tree to eat it; if it approaches a womb-born dragon, the bird's body immediately dies. A womb-born bird can take womb-born and egg-born dragons, but not the other two. A moisture-born bird can take dragons of three kinds of birth, but cannot take transformationally born dragons. A transformationally born bird can take dragons of all four births. Moreover, each day it eats one great dragon king and five hundred small dragons, circling the four continents repeatedly, eating them in sequence. When its life is about to end, the dragons spit poison and it can no longer eat; burned by the fire of hunger, it raises its wings and plunges straight down to the edge of the wind-mandala, is blown back up by the wind, back and forth seven times with nowhere to rest its feet, and finally dies on top of the Cakravāḍa mountain. Because it has eaten various dragons, the poisonous vapours in its flesh ignite into flame and incinerate it. The dragon king Nanda, fearing the jewel mountain would be burned, pours down rain to extinguish the fire, with drops as thick as axle-trees; its flesh dissolves and disperses, leaving only its heart, as large as a human thigh, of pure blue lapis lazuli colour. A wheel-turning king obtains it to use as a jewel, and Śakra obtains it to use as the crest-jewel in his topknot. Furthermore, the text below says: 'The bodhisattva garuḍa king, / in the great ocean of saṃsāra, / seizes gods, humans, and dragons, / and places them on the shore of nirvāṇa.' This is what it refers to. The nineteenth, the kiṃnaras, newly rendered as kiṃnaras, translated as singing spirits, can sing songs and make music. The *Saṃyuktābhidharmahṛdaya* subsumes them under the animal realm. They are also called 'spirits of doubt', meaning they are subsumed under the animal realm. Their appearance resembles a human, with an extremely handsome face and a single horn on top of their head; people who see them develop doubts, not knowing whether they are human, ghost, or animal; hence they are called 'doubt'. The twentieth, the mahoragas, newly named mahoragas, translated as large bellies, also called great serpents. Also named belly-crawling spirits, because they can protect the Dharma, they can dispel doubt. The twenty-first, the kumbhāṇḍas, according to the *Zheng fahua jing*, are called demon-paralysers, eating human vital energy, and so forth. They are also called winter-melon demons. Their king is named Virūḍhaka, translated as Increasing, ruler of the south. The heavenly king commands two divisions of demons: the first is named kumbhāṇḍa, and the second is named preta, named after what he commands. The twenty-second, the yakṣa spirits, whose king is Vaiśravaṇa in the north, translated as Much Hearing, also named after what he commands. Because he restrains all evil spirits and does not let them harm sentient beings, the text says 'diligently protecting'. The twenty-third, the moon, signifies cool refreshment, as in the text below: 'The bodhisattva is the cool moon', etc. Second, it signifies unfurling, as in unfurling the lotus, just as the text says 'giving rise to the jewel-like mind', etc. Furthermore, according to the *Abhidharmakośa-bhāṣya*, the moon is forty thousand yojanas from the earth and fifty yojanas wide, composed of crystal and silver as two sides, revolving and casting reflections, so there is waning and waxing. According to the *Dīrgha-āgama*, its city is exactly square, one thousand nine hundred and sixty li, and equally high. It has two parts: one part is made of heavenly gold, and one part is made of lapis lazuli. The king's throne is twenty li; seen from afar, it appears round. The heavenly lifespan is five hundred years, with descendants succeeding one another for one kalpa. The twenty-fourth, the sun, is fifty-one yojanas wide; its city is exactly square, two thousand and forty li, and equally high. The palace walls are pure gold, decorated with the seven treasures. The king's throne is twenty li. Lifespan and descendants are the same as the moon devas. Supported by the wind, it circles the four sides of Mount Sumeru. The devaputras of the sun and moon above are both attendants to the Four Heavenly Kings, subsumed under the first heaven; both are the power of the Path manifesting diverse forms according to conditions. In their virtues, the first phrase refers to the benefit of oneself, and the latter phrase refers to the benefit of others, just as the sun signifies accomplishment and abundance. Furthermore, according to the *Ratnagotravibhāga*, the sun of Dharma has four meanings: first, shattering darkness, like wisdom (prajñā); second, illuminating and manifesting, like knowledge (jñāna); third, the pure disc, like liberation; fourth, the above three being inseparable, like the dharmadhātu. The twenty-fifth, Trāyastriṃśa, translated as the Thirty-Three Heavens. Regarding the Thirty-Three Heavens, fascicle five of the *Buddhabhūmi-sūtra-śāstra* says: 'On the four sides of Mount Meru there are eight great heavenly kings each, with Śakra residing in the middle, hence there are thirty-three.' If written fully, it should be Śakra-devānām-indra, translated as Capable Lord of the Devas. According to the *Tridharmaka-śāstra*, the devaputras here are one yojana in height; their robes are two yojanas long, one yojana wide, and weigh six carpus; their lifespan is one thousand years. In their virtues, they possess both kinds of benefit, as can be known. The twenty-sixth, Yāma, translated as Time Heaven, so named because day and night are distinguished by the timely opening and closing of flowers. The *Buddhabhūmi-sūtra-śāstra* says: 'It means that here they experience pleasure according to the time, hence named Time-division.' The devas here are two yojanas in height; their robes are four yojanas long, two yojanas wide, and weigh three carpus. Their lifespan is two thousand years. In their virtues, their own stage and superior progress can be known. The twenty-seventh, newly named Tuṣita, translated as Joyful Contentment. The *Buddhabhūmi-sūtra-śāstra* says: 'Bodhisattvas in their final birth teach there, mostly practicing the conduct of joyful contentment, hence named Joyful Contentment.' According to the *Dīrgha-āgama*, they are four yojanas in height; their robes are eight yojanas long, four yojanas wide, and weigh one and a half carpus. They consume nectar, and their lifespan is four thousand years. In their virtues, wisdom and samādhi can be known. The twenty-eighth, Nirmāṇarati, named in the *Buddhabhūmi-sūtra-śāstra* as the Devas who Delight in Transformations, delighting in transforming by themselves, creating various instruments of pleasure to amuse themselves. Furthermore, they transform instruments of pleasure by themselves and enjoy them themselves without violating others, hence named Good Transformation, also named Delighting in Transformation. According to the *Tridharmaka-śāstra*, they are eight yojanas in height; their robes are sixteen yojanas long, eight yojanas wide, and weigh one carpus. They eat nectar, and their lifespan is eight thousand years. Their virtues include the two benefits. The twenty-ninth, Paranirmitavaśavartin, where according to the *Buddhabhūmi-sūtra-śāstra*, they cause others to transform and create instruments of pleasure to display their own sovereignty, hence the name. According to the *Tridharmaka-śāstra*, their body, robes, and lifespan are double that of the previous; this may be understood accordingly. In their virtues, they have mastery in entering the Dharma. The thirtieth, the Brahmā [devaputras], are newly named because of freedom from sensual defilement; the extremity of purity is called freedom from desire. The *Buddhabhūmi-sūtra-śāstra* states that because of freedom from desire and tranquility, they are called Brahmā; 'bodies' refers to the assembly. According to the *Dīrgha-āgama*, because they speak with a Brahmā voice amidst the Brahmā assembly, they are so named. 'Deva' signifies sovereignty, luminosity, and purity. According to the *Dà zhìdù lùn*, there are three kinds of devas: first, human devas, referring to monarchs; second, born devas, referring to the desire and form heavens; third, pure devas, referring to the ultimate truth devas such as Buddhas and bodhisattvas. Śikhin is translated as fire-coloured, or fire-crested, because the fire calamity reaches here. If one cultivates the superior dhyāna, one is born in this heaven; emitting a great Brahmā voice amidst the Brahmā assembly, each deva thinks, 'He is speaking with me alone.' He possesses the supreme mastery in the trichiliocosm; his face is like that of a youth, his body is the colour of white silver, half a yojana in height, wearing golden-coloured robes, neither male nor female, feeding on the joy of dhyāna, with a lifespan of one kalpa. This is determined according to the *Dīrgha-āgama*. In their virtues there are four phrases: first, by what they deliver; second, what is delivered; third, what is eliminated; fourth, what virtues are accomplished; this can be known from the text. The size of the first dhyāna is equal to one thousand sets of four continents in the desire realm; one thousand first dhyānas is equal to the second dhyāna, and the second dhyāna is the zenith of the fire calamity. One thousand second dhyānas is nearly equal to the third dhyāna, and the third dhyāna is the zenith of the water calamity. One thousand third dhyānas is nearly equal to the fourth dhyāna, and the fourth dhyāna is the zenith of the wind calamity. Moreover, 'Brahmā' can be translated as quiet, pure, or clean; it is also called Brahmā-clean. Furthermore, Śikhin is the lord of the first dhyāna at the zenith of the fire calamity, and is also called 'holding a topknot', and so on. The thirty-first, Ābhāsvara: according to the *Dà zhìdù lùn*, the second dhyāna is generically named Ābhāsvara. When those devas speak, their mouths emit boundless pure light; their bodies are two yojanas in height, and their lifespan is two kalpas. Also, because they emit sound through the fire-light of the first dhyāna to guide and attract beings to be born in this heaven, they are so named. In their virtues, wisdom and samādhi can be known. The thirty-second, Śubhakṛtsna: because in the third dhyāna they are free from joy, body and mind are completely pure. According to the *Dīrgha-āgama*, through superior upāya one is born in this heaven. The king is named Pure Wisdom; he has four arms, holds a wind-mandala, and rides a garuḍa. In their virtues, because this is a stage of bliss, they cause beings to attain the vast bliss of the true nature. The thirty-third, Bṛhatphala: because the fourth dhyāna is the most supreme among mundane wholesome fruits, it is also named Vast Fruit. In their virtues, because this is an immovable stage, they enter the tranquility of nature. The thirty-fourth, Maheśvara: according to the *Dà zhìdù lùn*, translated as the Great Sovereign Deva, who has eight arms, three eyes, rides a great white bull, and knows the count of raindrops in the trichiliocosm. Because he is the most supremely sovereign in the trichiliocosm, with none surpassing him, this name is established. Moreover, according to the first fascicle of the *Dà zhìdù lùn*: 'The fourth dhyāna has eight kinds: five are the abodes of anāgāmins, which are the Pure Abodes; three are the shared dwellings of ordinary beings and noble ones. Transcending the eight abodes, there is the dwelling place of tenth-stage bodhisattvas, also named the Pure Abodes, titled Great Sovereign Heavenly King.' From this one should know that the name 'Pure Abode' has four aspects: first, in terms of purely clear recompense, which applies to both ordinary beings and noble ones; second, in terms of virtues surpassing ordinary beings, which applies only to anāgāmins and the like; third, in terms of cause, as stated: 'there are tenth-stage bodhisattvas', the tenth-stage bodhisattvas being the ten bhūmis, where among the ten bhūmis this is the retribution fruit subsumed under the tenth bhūmi; fourth, in terms of fruit, meaning that within this are the saṃbhogakāya pure lands of the three vehicles, hence this name is established. Moreover, according to the *Dà zhìdù lùn*, outside the eight heavens there is additionally a separate heaven of tenth-stage bodhisattvas.