華嚴經探玄記 4.85

4.85

Within the first section, there are seven verses, divided into three parts: the first two clarify that the virtue is broad while the explanation is brief, which is self-evident; the next four explain the reason for the brief explanation; the last one concludes the characteristics that have been summarized. In the second explanation, the first verse discerns the basis of the vastness of the virtue, and the second clarifies the excellence of the virtue based on the mind. In the former, because there are four kinds of difficulty, even though it is the initial mind, it makes this merit vast and boundless. First, the difficulty of place: being able to generate the mind in the midst of the suffering and distress of birth and death; because this is difficult, the generated merit is vast. Second, the difficulty of time: having generated the mind long ago and being completely unmoving is not yet considered difficult, but now it is the opposite; therefore, the merit generated is manifold. Third, the difficulty of the object: being able to seek this limitless bodhi, where the mind follows the object, and is thus vast. Fourth, the difficulty of mind: if one generates the mind and is indecisive in advancing or retreating, the merit generated is not vast, but now it is the opposite; thus it is vast. The four lines of one verse should be understood respectively in this way. Among the three kinds of generating the mind in the Awakening of Faith, this corresponds to the very first, the generation of the mind through the completion of faith; hence it is called 'initial'. It is identical to the first abode of initial aspiration among the ten abodes below, and to the 'Chapter on the Merits of the Initial Generation of the Mind'. This concerns the culmination of faith, while that concerns the beginning of the abodes; hence they are not two. Since perfecting faith and entering the abodes is alone regarded as faith, why does perfecting the abodes and entering practice not serve as the abodes? The explanation says: faith does not form a distinct stage, so it is not analogous. In the second part, on the superior stages that arise: the first verse points out that even a small amount is inexhaustible; the latter two reveal that the manifold is beyond words—how could one explain it without being brief? In the third part, concluding the explanation of a small portion, there are three layers: 1. What is cultivated over many kalpas is difficult to discern; thus, let us only discuss the merit of a single thought-moment. 2. The merit within this single thought-moment cannot be fully spoken of by the Tathāgata even throughout kalpas; therefore, let us only discuss the merit spoken of in a single session. 3. The merit spoken of in this single session is still so deep and broad that only a Buddha can speak of it and bodhisattvas cannot know it; therefore, from what the Buddha has spoken, taking a small portion known to bodhisattvas, it is now spoken. Furthermore, this small portion interpenetrates with that vastness in four propositions: 1. Because this small portion is not different from the manifold, gathering the small to be identical with the manifold, what is spoken here is also an unspoken speaking. Like the sky traversed by a bird, it is not different from the vast sky not yet traversed. Therefore, the 'Chapter on Nature Manifestation' says: 'Like a bird flying through empty space, / Traveling for hundreds and thousands of years, / The places it has traversed and not yet traversed / Are all immeasurable. / If someone for hundreds of thousands of kalpas / Expounds the Tathāgata's practices, / What has been spoken and not yet spoken / Are all immeasurable.' 2. Or, gathering the manifold to be identical with the small, the meaning is also complete. As the Dilun says: 'Because it grasps and gathers in accordance with reality and perfection.' 3. Or, because both are gathered, it is both spoken and unspoken. 4. Or, because neither is gathered, it is neither spoken nor unspoken. These should all be contemplated accordingly. Question: Why do bodhisattvas in the stage of faith here come to have such vast merit? Answer: This is the practice and virtue of Samantabhadra's dharmadhātu, which is merely manifested within the gate of faith; therefore, it cannot be fully spoken of. If discussed analytically, there are four propositions in total: 1. Or, discerned solely in terms of the stage and grading proper to the gate of faith, this faith is merely a stage heading toward good realms, like light feathers, etc., as spoken in sūtras such as the Yingluo benye and Renwang; this refers to the Three Vehicles. 2. Or, discerned solely in terms of the intrinsic virtue of Samantabhadra, as spoken in the 'Chapter on Samantabhadra's Practice'. 3. Or both, meaning revealing this virtue of Samantabhadra with reference to that gate of faith, as spoken in this chapter; this is spoken with reference to the causal part of the One Vehicle. 4. Or neither, which is entirely ineffable; this refers to the realm of the resultant part that transcends speech. Therefore, the stage of faith explained in the Complete Teaching is distinctly different in meaning from the ten faiths in the Three Vehicles.