華嚴經探玄記 20.48

20.48

Fourth, from "At that time, Maitreya" onwards, he confers his own dharmadhātu. Within this there are two parts: first, praising Sudhana's capacity as a Dharma vessel and his benefits; second, directly causing him to enter his own dharmadhātu. The former has six parts: first, for his own retinue, praising Sudhana's virtues to cause people to emulate him; second, directly praising Sudhana's virtues to bring him joy; third, exhorting him to return to Mañjuśrī and Maitreya's gathering; fourth, Sudhana rejoicing in himself and re-requesting Maitreya; fifth, Maitreya re-praising Sudhana in verse; sixth, fully praising the inexhaustible great bodhicitta. Within the first section, the text has eight parts: first, pointing him out to the great assembly. Second, praising Sudhana's virtue of vigor. "Bindukara" is like [saying] the "City of Awakening." As for the "one hundred and ten," ancient masters have three explanations. One says: from above down to here, there should be one hundred and ten, but there are omissions in the text, so they are not fully enumerated. Another says: those listed above are the primary kalyāṇamitras; if one comprehensively includes the hosts and attendants, expedients, guides, and so on, then there are one hundred and ten, and therefore the text above lacks nothing. Before King Toṣa and King Mahāprabha, it is always said that they gradually passed through gatherings of people, settlements, cities, wildernesses, and so forth; hence we know that comprehensively including the places passed through, there are one hundred and ten. Another says: the five stages from faith onwards make fifty, and later, Māyā, Maitreya, Mañjuśrī, Samantabhadra, and the Buddha make five; each of these fifty-five has its own component and supreme progress, hence there are one hundred and ten. All of these explanations were given because the older sūtra was incomplete. Now that the text is complete, there is no need for differing explanations. This comprehensively gathers the preceding and subsequent kalyāṇamitras into fifty-four stages; dividing the boy Śrīsaṃbhava and the girl Śrīmatī, there are fifty-five people; each has its own component and supreme progress, hence there are one hundred and ten. Third, from "Such a youth" onwards, he praises Sudhana's virtue of directly studying the Mahāyāna. In the text there are ten phrases, and the text is clear. Fourth, from "Such a person" onwards, he praises his virtue of supreme and rare practice. Within this there are two parts: first, presenting it; second, from "Why is this?" onwards, explaining it to completion. Within explaining it to completion there are three parts: first, a general explanation; second, from "crossing the ocean of non-wisdom" onwards, a specific explanation, wherein he transforms twenty-one kinds of sentient beings; third, from "rescuing and protecting" onwards, a summarizing conclusion, which is clear. Fifth, from "Good men" onwards, he praises the rare virtue of Sudhana's bodhicitta. Sixth, from "Good men, if there are bodhisattvas" onwards, he praises Sudhana's virtue of being worthy of being a supreme model. Seventh, from "This youth, entering deportment" onwards, he praises Sudhana's practice, vast and deep like the ocean. Eighth, from "Manifesting everywhere" onwards, he explains his universal cultivation in all places. Second, from "Sudhana, you now have attained" onwards, he directly praises his virtues for Sudhana to bring him joy. Within this there are four parts: first, praising the benefits of Sudhana's original meeting with Mañjuśrī. Within this, first general, second, from "namely" onwards, specific. "Leaving far behind evil guides" and so forth is the benefit of entering the ten faiths. "Surpassing the stage of childhood ignorance" is the benefit of entering the ten abodes. "Dwelling in the stage of merit" is the benefit of entering the ten practices and ten dedications. "Being endowed with the stage of wisdom" is the benefit of the ten bhūmis. Below, it explains the benefit of entering the supreme progress of Buddha-wisdom. Second, from "If one can be like this" onwards, he praises the benefits of Sudhana's having met Puṇyaprabha and the other subsequent kalyāṇamitras. Within this, first, he generally distinguishes the benefit of seeing superior persons; second, from "Following them" onwards, he specifically reveals the benefit of hearing the wondrous Dharma; third, from "Sudhana, you should give rise to the great..." onwards, he praises Sudhana's practice of transcending kalpas and attaining swift accomplishment. Within this, first, he generally presents swift attainment of the fruit; next, he specifically reveals the swift cultivation of the cause, meaning that his progressive practice surpasses the crowd. For other bodhisattvas, it is spoken according to the distinctions of the stages; that he completely possesses them in a single lifetime is spoken according to the universal gate's overarching subsumption. Moreover, this single lifetime also subsumes many kalpas, just as the ṛṣi above grasped his hand and completed the practices of many kalpas. Furthermore, although this Samantabhadra Dharma perfectly interpenetrates and mutually subsumes so that one stage is all stages, and hence all are attained in a single lifetime, it still must depend upon a straightforward mind and vigor to attain swift accomplishment. A straightforward mind means that within the mind there are no mixed extraneous thoughts, and entry is fierce and flourishing. Vigor means acting in accord with one's mind. Below, from "Those who..." onwards, he praises the accomplishment of benefits. Fourth, from "Sudhana, you should know" onwards, he praises the rare-to-meet virtue of universal practice. This also has two parts: first, praising that the practice is rare to accomplish, meaning that when the past Buddhas cultivated their practices formerly, none ever met so many kalyāṇamitras within the body of a single lifetime; therefore, you now are exceedingly rare; second, from "Those sentient beings" onwards, he also praises the benefits. Third, from "At that time, Maitreya" onwards, he exhorts him to return to Mañjuśrī and Maitreya's gathering. Within this there are five parts: first, exhorting him to go to Mañjuśrī; second, Sudhana weeping because of recollecting his deep kindness; third, Mañjuśrī granting him a necklace; fourth, Sudhana offering and scattering it, explaining that guiding with wisdom causes him to accomplish meritorious practice; fifth, Maitreya rubbing his head, explaining the meaning of empowerment and gathering. Fourth, from "At that time, Sudhana" onwards, explaining Sudhana's rejoicing in himself and re-requesting, he first speaks verses rejoicing in himself, and afterwards pays reverence and re-requests. Within this there are three parts: first, a general reverent request; second, from "Great Sage" onwards, requesting by praising virtues, wherein he first praises the full perfection of practices and stages, next, from "For the sake of afflictions" onwards, he praises the virtue of gathering and liberating beings, and third, from "I only pray" onwards, concludes the request. Fifth, Maitreya's re-praising of virtues in verse has sixty-eight stanzas, divided into six parts: first, one stanza generally praising his single-minded seeking; next, ten verses specifically praising his welcome arrival; next, eight verses praising the intention of his coming; next, ten verses explaining the establishment of practices and stages; next, twenty-two verses praising benefiting others along with his own practice; below, seventeen verses exclusively concluding the practices of self and other. Sixth, from "At that time, Maitreya" onwards, extensively praising the inexhaustible virtues of bodhicitta, there are four parts: first, concluding the preceding and introducing the subsequent, generally praising the arousal of the mind; second, from "You have attained good benefits" onwards, praising the attainment of ten kinds of good benefits; third, from "Why is this?" onwards, extensively revealing the virtues of arousing the mind, which has two hundred and eighteen phrases: the first one hundred and fifteen phrases explain that the extraordinary virtues of bodhicitta are as high and equal as the Buddha-fruit; second, from "For example, just as a person obtains the medicine of sovereignty" onwards, one hundred and three phrases explain that the sovereign virtues of bodhicitta are vast, multiple, and immeasurable. In the former, Master Guangtong allocated them to the twelve abodes and divided them into twelve sections. Now I say that here each phrase reveals a distinct supreme virtue within bodhicitta, all running through beginning to end, and these also cannot be separately allocated to the various stages; each reveals virtue by worldly metaphors, which may be understood by analogy of explanation. As for the "heavenly virtue vase," because whatever one seeks within it is completely obtained, it is like a wish-fulfilling jewel. "Haṃsa" is translated here as "goose feather"; making a garment out of this, water poured on it does not adhere, symbolizing that bodhicitta is not defiled by dust and dirt. The "seven proclivities" are the five dull proclivities such as greed, plus taking the two views of self and extremes, hence making seven. As for the "pratipakṣa medicine," this is translated as "illuminating-lamp medicine." As for the "vailuona wind," it should be the vairambha wind, translated here as "whirling fierce wind." Next, from "Son of the Buddha, bodhicitta is like this..." onwards, he concludes its virtues and equates them to the cause and fruit, explained below: because the virtues of the bodhisattva's stages and the virtues of the Buddha-fruit all arise from within this mind, this mind is equal to what is produced by them. Second, from "Good man, for example, just as a person obtains the medicine of sovereignty" onwards, he explains that the virtues of bodhicitta are vast, multiple, and immeasurable. Within its one hundred and three phrases, various masters have also allocated them by dividing them into the ten bhūmis. Here they are also comprehensively explained: each phrase reveals one virtue, all having the metaphor first and the application second, which may be understood by analogy of explanation. Because both the speaker and listener here are great persons and have vast vision, most of the parables presented do not exist among humans. As for the "vigaṅgata medicine," fully and correctly it is vigama, translated here as "removing," meaning it can remove poisons and evil weapons. As for the "sandhāna great medicinal king tree," it is translated here as "medicine for knitting breaks," meaning this tree's medicine can cause injured bones, flesh, and so forth to be knit back together, hence the name. As for the "medicinal herb named aramba," fully it is aratilaramba, translated here as "medicine that gains joy," meaning that applied to the body, it causes bodily afflictions and mental evils to cease and brings forth delight, hence its name. As for the "udakavāra sandalwood," fully it is divy-oragasāra. "Divya" is translated here as "wondrous"; "oraga" is translated here as "belly-crawler," that is, the class of dragons and snakes. "Sāra" is translated here as "supreme," and also as "solid," meaning this sandalwood is solid and supreme, growing in the dragon palace, hence its name. As for the "pārijāta tree," correctly it is pāriyātra-kovidāra, translated here as "tree of pervasive fragrance," meaning this tree's branches, flowers, and fruits are all fragrant, hence this name is established. Furthermore, the fragrance of this tree everywhere perfumes the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven, hence it is called "pervasive fragrance." As for the "nālīra tree," fully it is nālīrakiri, translated here as "tree whose stalks and so forth are useful." "Nālī" here translates as "stalk." "Ra" is a plural sound, indicating stalks and so forth, branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits. "Kiri" translates here as "able to act," meaning that the stalks and parts of this tree are all useful in benefiting sentient beings. This tree grows in the sea; its form is very tall, resembling a tāla tree. Its fruit is very delicious, containing juice within, resembling a coconut tree. As for the "alasa medicine," fully it is hāṭaka-alasa, translated here as "golden-light juice medicine." "Hāṭaka" means golden light, and "alasa" means juice medicine. It comes from a well in the mountains, guarded by dragons; if anyone gets to drink it, they all become immortals. As for the "kavika bird," fully it is kalaviṅka, translated here as "sweet-sounding talking bird." "Kala" means sweet sound, and "viṅka" means speech. It means that within the snowy mountains, no bird's call can equal it. Moreover, it can make sounds even while inside the egg. As for the "ayakanta iron," fully it is ayaskānta; "ayas" here translates as "iron," and "skānta" translates here as "subduing," meaning this iron can subdue and crush other iron, hence it is called "iron that subdues." As for the "makara fish," this is translated as "extremely large fish," referring to a giant turtle-fish. Fourth, from "Good man" onwards, he concludes that the preceding virtues are vast, multiple, and immeasurable. First he presents them generally, and afterwards concludes specifically. Why is bodhicitta extensively praised here for Sudhana? Because this is the culmination of the stages. The accomplishment of works and the establishment of virtues arise from the original great mind, hence it must be praised.