華嚴經探玄記 2.59

2.59

Eighteenth, regarding the assembly of Samantabhadra: why is it that previously each person obtained a single teaching, whereas here one person possesses many teachings? Because previously they were particulars within the universal and were heterogeneous beings, whereas here [he] is the universal within the particular and a homogeneous being. Furthermore, why were many persons listed before, but here only one? Because this person's form abides in the stage of the Path and his virtues exemplify the universal gate, demonstrating that one is all and all is one, using the universal to encompass the particular. In the text there are two parts: the direct exposition and the restatement in verse. In the former there are two parts: first the general, and then the particular. In the general part: first his own share, and then his superior advancement. In the particular part there are ten gates: 1. Adorning the lands and taming sentient beings—these two are mutually identified and blend into four propositions, which can be understood. 2. Praising the Buddha throughout dust motes and sands, giving rise to the Buddha's virtues. 3. In the third, the five stages and ten vows: the two practices can be understood. 4. In the fourth, one gate containing all gates is called the universal gate; manifesting therein one body that is all bodies is called the dharmadhātu body; and that the bodies all shower rains of Dharma is called clouds. 5. The body making all kṣetras is called sustaining the lands, and therein further using the three wheels to adaptively transform is called [such]. 6. Manifesting the body everywhere in the great assemblies of all Buddha-lands is called manifesting within the assemblies; explaining this fundamental practice of the One Vehicle bodhisattvas is called the bodhisattva sphere. 7. In the seventh, arising and ceasing is the extremely brief, and kalpas of the three times are the extremely long; one thought being like this is knowing with extreme rapidity. Here, "knowing" has three meanings: first, exhausting the limits of their lengths; second, knowing their mutual entry and identification; third, penetrating their nature of equality; because these three are non-dual. 8. The bodhisattva's faculties and desires are what observes, and the ocean of spheres is what is observed; distinguishing the difference between these two is called discriminating and revealing. Here, either the sphere is adduced to illuminate the faculties, or the faculties are adduced to take up the sphere, or both are revealed; this can be understood. 9. In the ninth, the body has two aspects: first, nature; second, function. The dharmadhātu also has two aspects: first, principle; second, phenomena. Respectively, the two bodies pervade the two dharmadhātus, and the two realms and two bodies are mutually identified; the four propositions are unhindered; reflect upon this. 10. In the tenth, first broadly illuminating causal dharmas, and then from "entering all" onward illuminating their accord with the result. Furthermore, first using one word to speak of all gates is called "vast," etc.; then within each and every gate further revealing all dharmas is called "entering," etc. In the verses it follows the latter explanation. In the verses there are twenty gāthās; every two gāthās sequentially versify one Dharma-gate. Because cause and fruit are non-dual and completely encompass the substance of dharmas, the direct exposition reveals the cause and the restatement in verse illuminates the fruit, the texts alternating. In the first two gāthās: the first one adorns the lands, and the latter one tames sentient beings. In the second: the first one goes to all Buddhas—"seeing" meaning "going to"; the latter one generates merit. In the third: the first one relies on the stages to generate practice; the latter one relies on practice to enter realization. In the fourth: the first two lines versify the universal gate; the next four lines versify the dharmadhātu body; the lower two lines versify the clouds, for raining the Dharma below is called teaching and guiding, etc. In the fifth: the first one versifies upholding the Buddha-lands; the latter one, the wheels of upāya. In the sixth: the first one versifies appearing in the assemblies; the latter one, the bodhisattva sphere. In the two gāthās of the seventh: each upper half is the known, meaning the long and short; each lower half is the knower, meaning penetrating the real. In the eighth: the first one versifies the bodhisattva's faculties and desires, this alternating with the prose text; the latter illuminates the ocean of spheres. In the ninth: the first one's essence is pervasive; the latter one's function is replete. In the tenth: the first one versifies broadly distinguishing the bodhisattva dharmas; the latter one illuminates entering all-knowledge. Alternatively, it can also be a general versification. Here, in explaining the scope of Samantabhadra, using eight gates to explain Indra's net can be understood: 1. principle, 2. land, 3. body, 4. teaching, 5. dharma, 6. practice, 7. time, and 8. phenomena. Phenomena are dust motes and so forth. Generally discussing the overarching purport, according to the text there are two aspects: 1. Wherever there are proclivities and habit energies of defilements, contaminated karma and retribution, all enter the realm of the ordinary. Outside this, they enter the realm of the noble. Within the noble there are two, meaning principle and measure. These two each have two dharmas; the sphere of Indra's net is the measure within principle and one portion within measure; this can be deduced upon reflection.