華嚴經探玄記 3.87

3.87

Fourth, in the large section on accomplishing superior advancement in practice, there are two: First, presenting the Buddha as the condition on which practice relies. Therein, the former Buddha's passing into extinction and the subsequent Buddha's arising is because practices differ and conditions are distinct. That the youth's karmic life still remains is because the practice is continuous. Second, relying on conditions to accomplish the benefit of practice. Therein are two: First, seeing the Buddha and attaining four samādhis is the beginning of superior advancement. 1. Mindfulness of the Buddha: The Dilun says, 'As the Buddha has attained, I too shall attain'—this is mindfulness of the Buddha. 2. Entering the universal gate to exhaust this ocean-treasury. 3. Holding by wisdom is that which turns [the wheel], and the wisdom-dharmacakra is precisely that which is turned. 4. It is because the profound Dharma delights the spirit. Second, hearing the sūtra and attaining samādhi is the end of superior advancement. Regarding the title of the sūtra, the self-nature of the dharmadhātu is pure, hence it is called 'free from defilement'; it possesses merits numerous as the sands of the Ganges, hence it is called 'adorned.' The previous sūtra was based on the aspect of the result. Here, it is treated in terms of the essence of the result, because one's own stage and superior advancement gradually deepen. Among the two samādhis, the first is treated in terms of the benefit of oneself, and the latter is treated in terms of the benefit of others. Furthermore, what stage is the youth's attainment of the Dharma here? Drawing meaning from the sūtra's overarching intention, there are three kinds of attaining Buddhahood: First, in terms of stages: through the upāya of the six aspects, it is the final mind of the ten faiths; after the superior advancement, entering the initial stage of the ten understandings is precisely attaining Buddhahood, because this is the stage of non-retrogression in the final teaching of the three vehicles. In terms of the One Vehicle, the harmonious integration of the six aspects completely includes all stages up to the Buddha-fruit. Therefore, here, the youth seeing the initial Buddha is the faith-stage's own part; hearing the initial sūtra is the faith-stage's superior advancement. Seeing the subsequent Buddha corresponds to the initial part of one's own stage of understanding; hearing the subsequent sūtra is the superior advancement of the beginning of understanding, because subsuming all stages, they are all complete. Second, in terms of practice, it does not rely on stages at all; simply, when one's own stage and superior advancement reach their culmination, one reaches the Buddha-fruit. Third, in terms of principle, all sentient beings have already attained completion and do not newly attain it again, because other characteristics are completely exhausted and the virtues of the nature are fundamentally replete. After this, there should be a concluding identification, such as 'that youth was none other than so-and-so,' and there should also be the shaking of the earth, the raining of flowers, confirmation coming from other directions, a concluding illumination across the ten directions, verse recapitulations, and so on; but because the transmission of the sūtra was incomplete, these are not yet present. Question: Since this assembly has concluded, why did no one in the assembly obtain benefit? Answer: Briefly, due to four reasons, there is no distinct benefit. 1. Among the previous three meanings, due to the first two meanings, the youth's characteristics of benefit are spoken; due to the latter one meaning, no one in the assembly distinctly obtains benefit. 2. Master Guangtong explained: This sūtra was spoken when the Buddha first attained enlightenment, merely revealing that the essence of the dharmacakra of the One Vehicle's perfect teaching is the foundation of all teachings; the characteristics of benefit in all teachings constitute this benefit, hence it is not distinguished. 3. There are simply two kinds of teachings: first, teachings that follow the faculties. Gathering the Dharma in accordance with the faculties, the faculties advance, and benefit is distinguished according to their capacity; second, teachings that follow the Dharma. Gathering faculties to conform with the Dharma, the Dharma neither increases nor decreases, hence there is no distinct benefit. 4. This sūtra is like the rising sun, shining first upon the high mountains. Since there are no middling or inferior faculties, there is no benefit according with partial capacity. The various assemblies below can all be understood by following this model. The explanation of the first assembly is concluded.