華嚴經探玄記 6.3

6.3

First, explaining the name has two [parts]: First, the name of the assembly: in terms of place, it is called the Assembly in the Yāma Heaven; in terms of Dharma, it is called the Assembly on the Ten Practices, which can be understood by matching the explanation. Second, the chapter title: The Buddha is the leader of transformation; relying on essence to initiate function, his responding to capacities is called 'ascendance.' Where does he respond to [their] stimulus? It is the so-called Yāma. As for Yāma, if fully stated it is Suyāma; 'su' here means 'good,' and 'yāma' here means 'time,' meaning that in this heaven there is no sun or moon by which to know the seasons. Thus the Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra states: 'Observing the opening of the red lotus is daytime; the opening of the blue lotus is nighttime.' The Abhidharmakośa-bhāṣya explains the name as the 'Heaven of Singing Delights,' and also calls it the 'Heaven of Abundant Playful Delights.' 'Heaven' has the meaning of purity and luminosity. The beings in this heaven are attached to pleasure and completely unmindful of goodness, but fortunately there is the bodhisattva King of Peacocks and the lord of that heaven named the Heavenly King Muṣilinda, who constantly guide them, either when an actual deva loses a companion and tearfully reports to the king, or when a magically manifested deva falls into the water and terrifies them into feeling disgust. Question: Both before and after, he ascends without departing; they should equally be designated 'sovereign.' Why then does this assembly alone specify 'sovereign'? Answer: Ascending while unmoved, this heaven dwelling in space surpasses the previous earthly abodes; hence it is called 'sovereign.' Because it newly transcends the earthly abodes, unlike Tuṣita, it alone designates this name. Furthermore, in terms of practice penetrating the profound, it surpasses the previous understanding, and so sovereignty is used to represent it. Moreover, because understanding and practice are contiguous, following Trāyastriṃśa he arrives at Yāma; both are internal ordinary beings, unlike the previous faith, and since the retribution is elicited here to signify that practice is free from characteristics, he arrives at this celestial heaven.