華嚴經探玄記 4.62

4.62

In the sixth section, on the profundity of the correct teaching, there are three parts: 1. adducing the power of the teaching; 2. adducing the power of practice from "in order to know" downward, wherein the ten factors are divided into three: first, generally knowing the five skandhas; second, knowing the distinct defiled and pure retributions of the three realms; third, knowing that delusion and craving are the conditions for retribution; 3. from "if one knows" downward, challenging the teaching by means of practice to reveal that the teaching lacks power. The sense of the challenge is: is delusion severed due to the teachings of the doctrine, or is delusion severed due to diligently contemplating the dharmas? If it can be severed due to the teaching, then vigorous effort is unnecessary; if it can be severed due to diligent practice, then the teaching adds nothing and diminishes nothing. This means that this teaching adds nothing to virtue and diminishes nothing from defilements. Alternatively explained: gaining the teaching adds nothing, and losing the teaching diminishes nothing, because it has no function. This is the objection based on the contradiction regarding the power of teaching. The intent of the answer is: because the teaching is the condition for vigorous effort, and diligent contemplation supports the teaching so that one is then able to sever defilements, one quickly transcends [saṃsāra]. The teaching has supreme power; when laziness runs counter to the teaching, there is no power of the teaching, and therefore it is difficult to be liberated. The challenger used the power of practice to take away the power of the teaching, while the respondent revealed that practice arises from the power of the teaching, because one should accord with the teaching and depart from laziness. Vīryavaktra answers it. In the verses there are three parts: first, one verse exhorts listening, speaks generally, and opens two chapter headings; next, one verse distinguishes vigorous effort according with the teaching to explain the heading of quick transcendence; third, there are eight verses explaining how laziness contravenes the teaching to elucidate the heading of difficulty in liberation. 1. The simile of the laziness of much learning: this person has previously heard a little, but still cannot comprehend it, like a small fire. Now they forcefully seek to hear and recite extensively, like wet firewood. Because both the new and the old are lost and no benefit is achieved, this is laziness. Furthermore, this person wishes to study many teachings suddenly in a short time, and since the study fails, they end up becoming lazy. 2. The simile of the laziness of lacking power: this person has meager merit and little mental strength, and frequently abandons their study so that nothing is accomplished; hence it is laziness. Furthermore, although this person spends much time, they frequently interrupt it, so the work is not accomplished; this is called laziness. 3. The simile of the laziness of one-sided cultivation: this person turns their back on good spiritual friends and relies solely on scripture scrolls to seek the wisdom of hearing; because nothing is attained, they become lazy. Furthermore, although this person does not interrupt [their practice], because external conditions are lacking, their work is also not accomplished. 4. The simile of the laziness of inverted cultivation: this person hears that copying and upholding scripture scrolls leads to the realization of liberation, but because they do not understand the intention of a different time, when after a long time they do not obtain it, they become lazy. Furthermore, although this person has external conditions, they are all people who study erroneously, grasping falsely and seeking in an inverted manner, and thus they tumble and fall. 5. The simile of the laziness of excessive seeking: this person does not realize their own lack of the wisdom of hearing, and expects directly to master all Buddha-dharmas; failing to master them, they become lazy. Furthermore, although this person has good external conditions, their internal causes are lacking—that is, they lack the hands of faith, lack the feet of keeping the precepts, do not draw the bow of samādhi, and do not fit the arrow of wisdom; how could they shoot the great earth of defilements? 6. The simile of the laziness of meager power: this person expects to completely fathom the deep ocean of the Buddha-dharma with a single moment of mental consciousness; unable to enter, they become lazy. Moreover, hearing that calling on the Buddha in a single thought eliminates many heavy sins, they stop after chanting just one phrase, saying, "My sins are already eliminated," and so forth. 7. The simile of the laziness of slight remedy: this person hears that the Buddha's teaching can extinguish the fire of defilements, and with slight hearing expects to extinguish them completely; when after a long time they are not extinguished, they claim the Buddha's teaching is useless and abandon it altogether; hence this is laziness. 8. The simile of having no intention to seek transcendence, also called the simile of grasping at the self and haughtiness: this person hears that sentient beings are identical to suchness, and because they do not understand delusion and awakening, they say, "Since I am identical to suchness, I have already realized the dharmadhātu; what more is there to cultivate?" They thus give rise to laziness.