華嚴經探玄記 5.75

5.75

In the second part, demonstrating superiority through comparative measurement, there are eleven sections of comparative measurement altogether: 1. the comparative simile of benefiting beings; 2. the comparative simile of pacing lands; 3. the simile of calculating the formation and destruction of kalpas; 4. the simile of knowing desires and joys well; 5. the simile of knowing faculties well; 6. the simile of knowing aspirations well; 7. the simile of knowing expedients well; 8. the simile of knowing the minds and thoughts of others well; 9. the simile of knowing the characteristics of karma well; 10. the simile of knowing afflictions well; 11. the simile of the merit of making offerings to buddhas. In the treatise, these are subsumed into six: the first three form three; the next five form one; the next two form one; the last one forms one; hence they make six. The explanation has three approaches: 1. correlating with the preceding six profundities; 2. in terms of the similarity to the bodhisattva's bodhicitta; 3. in terms of remedying the six hindrances. In the first part, there are two: first, comparative measurement to demonstrate superiority; subsequent, from "Why is this?" onwards, explaining the reason for the superiority. In the former, there are ten tiers, which form two: the first one is spoken individually, and the subsequent nine are spoken generally. In the first, there are four: 1. presenting the vast undertaking; 2. asking the direct question; 3. the answer revealing the vastness; 4. discerning the transcendence. In the first part, there are also four vastnesses: 1. vastness of what is offered to, namely asaṃkhyeya beings, and so forth; 2. vastness of the offerings, namely all utensils of pleasure; 3. vastness of the time of offering, namely for one kalpa, and so forth; 4. vastness of the benefit, causing them to cultivate the five precepts, and so forth. In the subsequent nine, there are also four: first, presenting the nine matters together, which also possess the four vastnesses, known by analogy with the first, differing only in incremental increases and so forth; 2. the question; 3. the answer; 4. the transcendence, all of which can be known. Second, in explaining and demonstrating the superiority, there are two: first, "Why is this?", which directly questions. The questioning has two senses. One says: the merits mentioned before are very numerous; on what basis are they not comparable to this? Thus it is explained: the bodhisattva who first generates the mind does not [generate it] for the sake of such limited measures, and therefore cannot be compared. The second says: what superior virtue does the bodhisattva of the initial mind have that transcends the previous stages? It is explained: because of desiring never to cut off the lineage of the buddhas, and so forth, they therefore transcend the former. The subsequent texts should all be understood by analogy with this. Second, from "Son of the Buddha" onwards, explaining and establishing it. In explaining and establishing it, there are two: first, clarifying that one does not generate the mind for limited matters, revealing that the previous four vastnesses are not truly vast; second, from "desiring not to cut off the lineage of the buddhas" onwards, clarifying that one generates the mind for limitless matters, thereby revealing that this transcends that. Herein there are twelve phrases: the first one is the transcendence of stage, which is general. Since bodhicitta is the lineage of the buddhas, the bodhisattva's constantly giving rise to it is called not cutting it off; furthermore, the bodhisattva transforming sentient beings and establishing them in the lineage of the Tathāgata without letting them grasp lesser fruits is also called not cutting it off, unlike the previous five precepts. The remaining phrases are specific. 1. Transcendence of mind: according to what follows, it should say desiring to fill the worlds of the ten directions with a mind of loving-kindness and compassion, overturning the previous ten asaṃkhyeya realms, and so forth. 2. Transcendence of practice: desiring to deliver all sentient beings, overturning the previous limitation, hence it says "all". 3. Transcendence of knowing the formation and destruction of the characteristics of the vessel [world]: this is knowing the places of transformation, namely knowing the distinctions of formation and destruction; furthermore, knowing that formation is itself destruction and so forth is the all-knowledge of the Buddha, hence it is vast. 4. Knowing that within the vessel [world], the categories of retribution, defilement, and purity of sentient beings all arise from differences in karma, which is the knowledge of the power of karma. 5. Knowing that the essence of the previous vessel is fundamentally pure, which is the knowledge that accords with principle. 6. Knowing the coarse and subtle underlying tendencies and habits of the beings to be transformed, which is the knowledge of the exhaustion of outflows, namely knowing that they are immediately empty, and also immediately constitute hindrances, and so forth. 7. The supernormal knowledge of death and birth, which is the power of the divine eye. 8. Knowledge of the power of faculties. 9. Knowledge of the minds of others. 10. The three penetrations of knowledge, which also includes the knowledge of past lives. 11. Also the knowledge that accords with principle. Furthermore, among these eleven, the first two are great compassion, and the remaining nine are great wisdom. Among the wisdoms, the fifth and eleventh are the all-knowledge of the Buddha-stage; the rest are the knowledge of all aspects; and since both are without demarcation, they therefore transcend.