華嚴經探玄記 20.49

20.49

The second major section, from 'Good son, what you asked before' onward, directly confers his own dharmadhātu. Herein are four [parts]: 1. conferring the dharma-essence; 2. revealing the name of the dharma; 3. discerning the place from which he came; 4. explaining the place of birth. Within the first are five: first, explaining the upāya of gathering in and entering. Herein are two phrases: first, reiterating the question and encouraging entry to cause him to advance toward realization; second, asking him to open the door as an upāya for seeking realization. Second, from 'Maitreya snapped his fingers' onward, [he] empowers him to enter realization: that is, if viewed in terms of the power of causes, it is Sudhana practicing the unobstructed path (ānantarya-mārga), cutting off false thoughts, so that the principle realized appears, which is called 'the door opening.' Directly realizing the dharmadhātu in the path of liberation (vimukti-mārga) is called 'straightaway entering.' If viewed in terms of the power of conditions, it is Maitreya's adhiṣṭhāna. Here it is explained in terms of the power of conditions. Having realized it, turning to look back, [he sees that] original nature is inherently complete, not newly acquired; because there is no further door to an entry-place, it says 'closed again.' Furthermore, because having realized it once it is eternally attained without any regression or loss, and there is no further coming out, it says 'closed again.' Third, from 'At that time Sudhana observed' onward, [it] explains the realm seen upon realization. Herein are five: 1. seeing the dependent reward; 2. seeing the direct reward; 3. seeing the buddhas; 4. hearing the sound of the Dharma; 5. seeing the productions. First, in seeing the pure land of the dependent reward, there is first the seeing, and then the benefit. Within the seeing: this is the tower produced by Maitreya's actual retribution. Next, that within it hundreds of thousands of towers are contained explains that one land is all lands, with host and companions fully complete. Second, from 'At that time Sudhana beheld' onward, [it] explains the attainment of benefit. Herein, first is the benefit of the mind delighting and hindrances being eliminated; later is the benefit of the body pervading the towers. Second, from 'He also saw immeasurable' onward, [it] explains seeing the causes and fruits of the direct reward. Herein are six: 1. generally adducing his original conditions at the time of first generating the mind; 2. from 'or saw him first attaining the mind of loving-kindness' onward, explaining the time of practicing and receiving prediction after generating the mind; 3. from 'or saw him becoming a wheel-turning king' onward, seeing the bodies of his past births born in accordance with classes of beings, of which there are thirteen kinds; 4. from 'or being the retinue of the Four Heavenly Kings' onward, explaining seeing the preaching of the Dharma to benefit creatures in his past births, of which there are ten kinds; 5. from 'or saw the fulfillment' onward, explaining the virtue of his past practices being fulfilled; 6. from 'or saw correct reception' onward, explaining seeing the virtue of his sovereign karmic function, wherein first the pores emit clouds of bodies, and later, from 'he further saw' onward, explaining the pores emitting Dharma doors. Third, from 'or in the towers saw all tathāgatas' onward, [it] explains seeing the buddhas' virtue of gathering and transforming. Herein are three: first, seeing universally in general; next, from 'At that time Sudhana in all the towers' onward, seeing separately the marks of the eight aspects of attaining the Way to gather in living beings, seen within the one because of sovereign power without hindrance; third, from 'Sudhana saw himself' onward, concluding with the benefits of what was seen. Fourth, from 'He also heard' onward, [it] explains hearing the sound of the Dharma. Herein are two: first, hearing five kinds of sounds of the Dharma: 1. generally discerning the sound of the Dharma of practice that was heard, that is, the sound from within the golden bells, and this sound was also heard from other adornments; 2. hearing the sound of first generating the mind; 3. hearing the sound of attaining right awakening; 4. hearing the sound of the two gifts of material wealth and Dharma; 5. hearing the sound of attaining buddhahood and gathering in living beings. Second, from 'Having heard such' onward, concluding with the benefits of hearing the sounds, attaining ten kinds of gates of practice, which can be known. Fifth, from 'saw within the precious mirrors' onward, [it] explains seeing the productions. Herein are six: 1. seeing the three worlds within the precious mirrors: first seeing the world of the enlightened, next, from 'pure worlds' onward, the world of receptacles, next, from 'he also saw' onward, seeing the world of living beings; 2. also seeing the emission of nets of light within the precious pillars; 3. seeing the pearl necklaces of lapis lazuli emit water and light; 4. seeing human figures within the flowers; 5. seeing ordinary beings and noble ones within the jewel trees; 6. seeing the practices and functions within the crescent moon images, wherein are fourteen kinds: 1. emitting light; 2. seeing Maitreya's past practices of practicing giving; the remaining twelve kinds of manifesting bodies to transform and guide can be known. Another explanation: taking the preceding together, there are seven kinds of Dharma doors: 1. the Dharma door of the bells manifesting sounds; 2. the Dharma door of the mirrors manifesting forms and marks; 3. the Dharma door of the pillars manifesting sustaining power; 4. the Dharma door of the necklaces manifesting adornment; 5. the Dharma door of the flowers manifesting blossoming; 6. the Dharma door of the trees manifesting establishment; 7. the Dharma door of the crescent moons manifesting abiding in stages and initiating practice. Fourth, from 'Maitreya addressed' onward, in the questions and answers discerning and determining, are three: first, the question; next, the answer of 'Yes, indeed'; third, discerning and determining his vision by similes. Herein are ten similes to reveal it: 1. the simile of dreaming of mountains and oceans, illustrating Sudhana transcending delusion to see superior realms; 2. the simile of karma appearing at the point of death, illustrating the inconceivable realm appearing subtly; 3. the simile of being possessed by a non-human, illustrating the empowerment to see superior dharmas; 4. the simile of long duration in the dragon palace, illustrating long kalpas being thought a moment; 5. the simile of the vast appearance of jewel treasuries, illustrating many events appearing within one; 6. the simile of the realm of the kṛtsna-samādhi, illustrating superior realms appearing in accordance with the mind; 7. the simile of the gandharva-city being unobstructed, illustrating the unobstructed dharma of what was seen; 8. the simile of ascending to heaven and seeing humans, illustrating attaining sovereignty in seeing dharmas; 9. the simile of the ocean reflecting the three-thousandfold world, illustrating the clear virtue of what was seen; 10. the simile of illusory manifestations being unobstructed, illustrating the extraordinary virtue manifested by authoritative power. Fifth, from 'At that time Maitreya' onward, [he] withdraws his majesty and causes [him] to rise. Herein are three: first, withdrawing majesty to awaken and make him rise; second, first asking what was seen; third, answering in accord with reality; all can be known. The conferring of the dharma-essence is finished. In the second [part], revealing the name of the dharma, there is first the question and then the answer. Because it gathers in the anterior and posterior limits, it is called 'entering the wisdom of the three times.' This is precisely the three presents among the nine times. 'Correct mindfulness and reflection' reveals that the wisdom that can see is clear and unerring. 'Adornment Treasury' explains that the realm that is seen possesses virtues and contains [them] within: that is, the tower gathers in all kalpas and all kṣetras, each possessing superior virtues and each having productions; hence this name is established. Furthermore, because this person's stage is ultimate, he does not say 'I only know this.' Also, because the practices of the Dharma are fulfilled, it says 'attained such unspeakable dharmas.' The third [part], from 'Great Holy One' onward, discerns the place from which he came. Herein are two: first, explaining the dependent reward, with first the question and then the answer. The meaning of the question says: inside this small tower are so many extraordinary matters; did they come in from outside, or is it not so? In the answer are two similes: first, explaining the simile of production through supernatural power without a place of origin; second, the simile of manifestation through wisdom and vows without a root. Second, from 'Sudhana said' onward, reveals the direct reward. Herein are two: first the question, and then the answer. The meaning of the question: previously having seen Maitreya come from outside, he did not know the place of coming, and therefore asked. In the answer are three: 1. in terms of reality, there is no destination; 2. speaking of existence in terms of practice; 3. discerning coming in accordance with events. Another explanation: first, regarding the dharmakāya; next, regarding the saṃbhogakāya; later, regarding the nirmāṇakāya. Also: first the essence, next the virtue, later the function. Within the first, there are ten phrases on having no destination. 'Destination' (qu) has the meaning of place, meaning there is no place from which one comes, nor any place to which one arrives. Furthermore, 'qu' has the meaning of directing toward, and also there is no initiating or directing toward coming and going. Second, from 'Good son' onward, within speaking of existence in terms of practice, it explains that the dharmakāya accords with conditions; speaking of destination in terms of practice is similar to the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa saying, 'I come from the bodhimaṇḍa.' There are seven phrases: 1. compassion, 2. precepts, 3. vows, 4. superknowledges, 5. essence, 6. function, 7. transformation, which can be known. Third, from 'As to what you asked' onward, within speaking of coming in accordance with events: because the tower by the ocean inlet was the place of practicing the Way, and the country of Moli was the place of his original birth, he temporarily stayed in the place of birth to transform people, and therefore came back here from there. As for 'Moli,' fully stated it is Māladeśa. 'Māla' here is translated as 'garland' (chuan), and 'deśa' here is translated as 'middle' (zhong), meaning the Garland Middle Country; this is near the Malaya Mountain, and hence the names are similar. Gopāla is translated here as 'guarding the earth.' In the fourth [part], explaining the place of birth, are two: first the question, and then the answer. The meaning of the question: since it was previously said that he came from the place of his former birth, one does not yet know what a bodhisattva's place of birth is. In the answer are two: first, explaining the place of generating the virtues of practice based on the family of the Dharma; second, the place of the nirmāṇakāya's birth based on a family of mundane events. Within the first are five: 1. revealing the place where birth occurs; 2. the conditions of birth and retinue; 3. comparative measurement revealing superiority; 4. sovereignty in what is known; 5. the vastness of essence and function. In the first are ten kinds, all being places where practices arise: 1. causes of practice, 2. conditions of practice, 3. marks of practice, 4. support of vows, 5. transforming others, 6. contemplating the principle, 7. according with events, 8. benefiting creatures, 9. non-abiding, 10. complying with antiquity. Second, from 'Good son' onward, in explaining the conditions of birth and retinue are twenty phrases: the first seven explain bearing and rearing, the next four are for growing and benefiting, and the remaining nine are for establishing [him] like a prince, which can be known. Third, from 'Such a bodhisattva transcends ordinary beings' onward, in comparative measurement revealing superiority are ten phrases: the first phrase, transcending ordinary beings and realizing the nature, is general; from 'born into the family of the Tathāgata' onward are nine specific phrases, which can be known. Fourth, from 'A mahāsattva born into such a family' onward, explains sovereignty in what is known, wherein are seven phrases: 1. knowing destinations to be empty and manifesting receiving birth; 2. understanding destinations to be like illusions and abiding in existence without attachment; 3. realizing non-self and transforming living beings; 4. understanding saṃsāra and being able to endure for a long time; 5. knowing the aggregates to be phantom-like; 6. understanding all dharmas; 7. attaining the dharmakāya free from defilement. Fifth, from 'Good son, my pure dharmakāya' onward, explains the vastness of karmic function, with ten phrases: the first, the dharmakāya filling the dharmadhātu; the remaining nine, the virtuous body filling the dharmadhātu. Second, from 'If fellow practitioners' onward, explains the place of the nirmāṇakāya's birth based on a family of mundane events, wherein are three: first, being born among humans. As for 'the settlement of Juti,' fully stated it is Kuṭāgāra, which is translated here as 'tower'; that is, the Tower Settlement mentioned just prior in the text. [He is born there] for three classes of living beings: 1. for fellow practitioners; 2. to eliminate arrogance; 3. for parents and relatives. Second, being born in Tuṣita, for four kinds of living beings: 1. to transform the devas there; 2. to assemble those of one life [remaining] to preach the Dharma; 3. to transform fellow practitioners of past lives; 4. to unfold what was transformed by the Buddha. That is, for the living beings transformed by the bequeathed teachings of Śākyamuni, because their faculties were not yet mature, they were like unbloomed flowers; moreover, because they had not yet attained benefits, they were also like closed flowers, awaiting Maitreya Buddha to cause them to open and develop. Third, 'descending to be born, attaining buddhahood, and both you and Mañjuśrī seeing me' is explained with three meanings: one says that when I attain buddhahood in the future, I will also preach this Avataṃsaka, and at that time there will also be the teachings preached by Mañjuśrī and Sudhana, hence it is said. The second says that when I attain buddhahood, both you and Mañjuśrī will come to assist me in propagating the Dharma's transformation. The third is to symbolize the Dharma: as to why above in the Buddha's assembly Sudhana only sought the various kalyāṇamitras and did not seek the Buddha, it is because Sudhana in this life has a body of cultivating causes, and not yet having realized the fruit he did not go to where the Buddha was; it does not mean he did not seek it. But because the fruit is separated from the cause, it is said that he will see the Buddha in the future. Because it is the fulfillment of the stages, there is no deferral upward, and so forth. Above, the kalyāṇamitra who gathers virtues into causal marks is finished.