華嚴經探玄記 4.96

4.96

Sixth is the samādhi of gathering sentient beings through the four means of embracing. Therein are sixteen verses and one line, divided into three: first, one gāthā marks the door of the samādhi and the intent; second, clarifying the karmic function; third, the final one line concludes with inexhaustibility. Within the karmic function are four: first, two verses clarify embracing through giving; second, from 'with all marks and signs' downward, four verses distinguish embracing through kind words, within which first, showing lovable bodily form causes them to gain liberation; second, from 'soft and gentle' downward, expounding the Dharma with exquisite sounds. Regarding these eight kinds of brahma-sounds, three gates are briefly made: first, varieties; second, name and essence; third, karmic function. Within the first, examining the sacred teachings, there are four varieties: 1. Distinguished in terms of doctrine and meaning: as the Daśabhūmika Sūtra says, the Tathāgata has eight kinds of sounds: the first is called seeing suffering, the second is called heading toward suffering, the third is called seeing accumulation, the fourth is called heading toward accumulation, the fifth is called seeing cessation, the sixth is called heading toward cessation, the seventh is called seeing the path, and the eighth is called heading toward the path. These eight are distinguished according to the sounds following what is expounded, because they are considered from the perspective of the function of the Buddha's voice. 2. In terms of the essence of the Buddha's voice, also as in the Daśabhūmika Sūtra, brahma-sounds are said to be of eight kinds: first, not a male voice; second, not a female voice; third, not a harsh voice; fourth, not a weak voice; fifth, not an excessively clear voice; sixth, not a turbid voice; seventh, not an aggressive voice; eighth, not a submissive voice. 3. In terms of the virtues of the Buddha's voice, there are also eight kinds: as expounded in the Brahmāyu Sūtra, first, the best voice, its sound being pure and elegant like a kalaviṅka and so forth; second, an easily understood voice, its words being distinct and clear; third, a harmonized voice, its volume being moderate; fourth, a soft and gentle voice, its words being free of coarseness and harshness; fifth, an unerring voice, its words having no errors; sixth, not a female voice, its sound being manly and bright; seventh, a venerable and wise voice, its words having no fear or timidity, like a respected person, like a person of superior wisdom whose words fear nothing; eighth, a deep and far-reaching voice, resounding from the navel like thunder. These three categories above are the essence of the Buddha's round voice, with its virtues and functions divided into three. 4. In terms of comprehensive interpenetration, there are sixty-four kinds of brahma-sounds. There are two explanations of this: first, counting sixty-four kinds separately, as fully revealed in the Guhyakādhipatinirdeśa Sūtra; second, the various masters, within the previous three categories, subsume the initial eight into the subsequent eight, each containing eight, so that eight times eight makes sixty-four. Second, name and essence. First, as for the name: only when endowed with five meanings is it called a brahma-sound. As the Janavasabha Sūtra says, if a sound has five kinds of purity, only then is it called a brahma-sound. What are the five? First, its sound is upright; second, its sound is harmonious and elegant; third, its sound is clear and penetrating; fourth, its sound is deep and full; fifth, it is heard pervasively and far away. Endowed with these five meanings, only then is it called a brahma-sound. Furthermore, 'brahma' means complete and pure, and also it is named so because it pervades and responds like the Brahmā heavens. 'Sound' (śabda) refers to grasped sound. 'Tone' (svara) illuminates that it has the resonance of expressing meaning; therefore it is named thus. Second, as for the essence: in the Hīnayāna, it is subsumed solely under the rūpa-skandha, being invisible resistant matter, subsumed under the sense-sphere of sounds among the twelve sense-spheres, and included in the realm of sounds among the eighteen realms. In the Initial Teaching, the sense-sphere of sounds and so on take emptiness as their nature. Furthermore, its essence is the discursive consciousness among the eleven consciousnesses. In the Final Teaching, this sound takes the Buddha's pure consciousness as its nature; yet this pure consciousness is furthermore not different from tathatā, so it takes tathatā as its own nature. In the Sudden Teaching, brahma-sound accords with the original nature and is thus ineffable. In the Perfect Teaching, it takes the unhinderedness of that inexhaustible dharmadhātu as its nature; therefore it comprehensively gathers everything in perfect interpenetration and sovereignty, as expounded below in the section on the Tathāgata's sound in the 'Chapter on Nature Manifestation.' Third, clarifying the karmic function has two [aspects]: first, in terms of benefiting sentient beings. The Hīnayāna benefits only the assembly present at the gathering. The Three Vehicles benefit both the manifest and the hidden assemblies. The One Vehicle benefits inexhaustible manifest and hidden assemblies, meaning layer upon layer without end. Second, in terms of measure. The Hīnayāna solely accords with human speech and sound. The Buddha's voice in the Three Vehicles pervades all realms, as Maudgalyāyana sought and could not find its limits. The One Vehicle pervades the dharmadhātu of Indra's net, layer upon layer, utterly inexhaustible. Third, from 'sentient beings' suffering and joy' downward, clarifying embracing through beneficial action (colleague-ship). Therein, first, sharing their pursuits; second, from 'if there are those who do not recognize' downward, clearly demonstrating the Dharma. The ten practices are the ten pāramitās. Fourth, from 'or there are sentient beings' downward, four verses reveal embracing through beneficial deeds, within which first, showing the faults of saṃsāra causes them to abandon it; second, from 'the Tathāgata's ten powers' downward, revealing the Buddha's virtues causes them to seek them; third, the single line 'such upāyas are immeasurable' concludes with inexhaustibility.