華嚴經探玄記 4.11

4.11

Third, in explaining the world of sentient beings, there are two [parts]: first, determining the persons; later, praising their real virtues. In the first there are four [distinctions]: (1) distinguishing the many from the few, meaning as many as the paramāṇus of ten Buddha-lands; (2) distinguishing the great from the small, meaning great bodhisattvas; (3) distinguishing the final from the initial, meaning bound to one last birth; (4) distinguishing the new from the old, meaning assembling together from other directions. However, regarding these four positions, looking from the former to the latter, they are progressively extraordinary, all of which can be known accordingly. In the third, "one birth" has three meanings: (1) in terms of human beings; (2) in terms of the heavens; (3) in terms of the body of descent and birth—these are in terms of the characteristics of transformation. If in terms of real retribution, among the four kinds of transformed retribution, only the very last position without birth and death still remains; hence it is called "one birth". The intention of this sūtra is explained in terms of the former meaning. Second, within praising virtues, the text has eight phrases, and the meanings have seven pairs: The first two phrases are a pair of medicine and disease, meaning the first phrase thoroughly understands their capacities and lineages, and the second phrase deeply realizes the dharmadhātu that is transmitted. Second, "constantly well contemplating", etc., explains the pair of defilement and purity: as in the Mahāyānasaṃgraha, the parikalpita defiled aspect on the paratantra is called saṃsāra, and the pariniṣpanna pure aspect is called nirvāṇa; the two aspects being not different is called the single paratantra. If one sees one aspect, the nature of the other aspect is not different. Therefore the sūtra says: "The Tathāgata sees neither saṃsāra nor nirvāṇa." Furthermore, the Madhyamakaśāstra says: "Between the world and nirvāṇa there is not the slightest difference." This is called the non-obstruction of defilement and purity. Interpenetrating the four phrases: either taking the root to follow the branch as only the worldly; or reversing this as only nirvāṇa; or mutually interpenetrating and dual-manifesting; or mutually eclipsing and both vanishing—skillfully contemplating this principle is called "well contemplating", and constantly contemplating without rest is called "constantly contemplating". Third is the pair of cause and effect, meaning the various distinctions in the fruition of retribution and karmic cause of sentient beings; clearly understanding that these are all established relying on the mental activities of the consciousnesses of sentient beings. Fourth is the pair of teaching and meaning, meaning that meaning is the meaning of all phenomena signified, and flavor is the teaching of all phenomena as signifier, namely the padakāya and vyañjanakāya. Fifth is the pair of bondage and liberation, meaning that contemplating that the characteristics of that world are identical to emptiness is called departing from worldly dharmas, without waiting to destroy the world. Sixth is the pair of principle and phenomena, meaning that dharmas arisen from conditions are called conditioned, and the true principle of naturelessness is called unconditioned. Unifying conditions as identical to the real without destroying dependent arising is called completely distinguishing the unconditioned; obliterating principle as solely phenomena without losing principle is called completely distinguishing the conditioned. A lower text says: "Issuing the unconditioned realm within the conditioned realm, yet also not destroying the conditioned realm." The unconditioned is likewise; it can be considered accordingly. Seventh is the pair of the three times, meaning knowing that the three presents each subsume the past and future and mutually identify and enter; this constitutes the ten times. Mi is like 'none'. Guan means 'penetrating'. In these three times there is nothing that is not thoroughly penetrated. The introductory section above is concluded.