華嚴經探玄記 3.12

3.12

Fifth, as for the four hidden intentions: The Samuccaya states: 'These four kinds briefly encompass all hidden principles spoken by the Tathāgata in the Mahāyāna.' The Liang [translation of the] Mahāyānasaṃgraha, fascicle six, states: 'What the Tathāgata speaks does not go beyond the four intentions and four reliances; reliance is precisely the hidden [intention].' Asvabhāva's [commentary on the] Mahāyānasaṃgraha, fascicle five, states: 'The four intentions and four hidden intentions: all words of the Buddha should be resolved accordingly.' First, the hidden intention to induce entry: in order to transform sentient beings who fear annihilation, based on worldly conventional principles, he taught in the Śrāvaka vehicle that there are sentient beings who are spontaneously born, and in the Mahāyāna he taught that the mind is permanent, and so forth. This teaching of the existence of persons and dharmas in both the Greater and Lesser Vehicles is entirely a hidden intention. The Mahāyānasūtrālaṃkāra states: 'One should know that in order to teach the śrāvakas to enter into the meaning of the Dharma and cause them to have no fear, he taught that matter and so forth exist.' Second, the hidden intention regarding characteristics: meaning that wherein he speaks of the characteristics of dharmas, revealing the three self-natures. Asvabhāva's commentary states: 'In order to cause them to awaken to and enter into the characteristics of the knowable.' The explanation says: Although this speaks of the characteristics of dharmas, the intention reveals the three non-natures, and therefore it is hidden. Furthermore, the Mahāyānasūtrālaṃkāra states: 'One should know that with respect to the three self-natures such as the imagined, which are without substance, without arising, and naturally pure, he spoke of all dharmas.' The explanation says: Although this speaks of the three natures, the intention reveals the three non-natures, as can be known in corresponding order. Third, the hidden intention regarding the antidote: meaning that wherein he speaks of the eighty-four thousand antidotal practices. The explanation says: Stating existence with respect to non-existence, difference with respect to sameness, and so forth, are all hidden intentions; to counter the obstructions of the sentient beings to be transformed, he spoke of these eighty-four thousand, and so forth. Fourth, the hidden intention regarding transformation: as in the verse: 'Awakening to the unstable as stable, / dwelling well in reversal, / extremely tormented by affliction, / one attains supreme bodhi.' Asvabhāva's commentary states: 'Stubbornness and distraction are called stable. Because it is not this stability, it is called unstable, which is pliant samādhi free from distraction; right within this one generates firm wisdom, awakening to it as stable.' The explanation says: The flowing movement of a distracted mind is explicitly called unstable, but regarding its stubbornness it is secretly called stable; a concentrated mind holding its object is explicitly called stable, but regarding its pliancy it is secretly called unstable. If one takes the explicit sense, generating firm wisdom regarding distraction, one will be far from bodhi; now taking the hidden sense, generating firm wisdom regarding the concentrated mind, one then attains bodhi. Asvabhāva states: 'It means being able to dwell well in the four reversals, knowing that these reversals are definitively unmoving.' The explanation says: If one takes the explicit sense, dwelling within the four reversals of imputing permanence and the like to impermanence and the like, how could one attain bodhi? Now taking the hidden sense, knowing that this permanence and the like are arbitrarily imagined and arisen upon impermanence and the like, definitively knowing this is called skillfully dwelling in reversal; therefore one can attain bodhi. Vasubandhu's commentary also states: 'It means dwelling well in the overturning; regarding impermanence and the like, imputing permanence and the like is called inverted; regarding impermanence and the like, [seeing] impermanence and the like overturns this inversion.' In this sense, overturning what they imputed is called reversal; dwelling in this, one attains bodhi. As for 'extremely tormented by affliction,' Asvabhāva's commentary states: 'Because one is fatigued by vigorous labor for the sake of the sentient beings being transformed.' The explanation says: If one takes the explicit sense, the mental afflictions such as greed and anger that disturb practitioners are called affliction, which would be far from bodhi. Now taking the hidden sense, the practitioner's vigorous exertion and painful labor are also called affliction; thus one attains bodhi. As in the verse: 'Dwelling long in saṃsāra and suffering, / only because of great compassion.' The Liang and Wei [translations of the] Mahāyānasaṃgraha, as well as Vasubandhu's [commentaries on the] Sūtrālaṃkāra, Abhidharmasamuccayabhāṣya, and other treatises, can all be understood by analogy.