華嚴經探玄記 7.25

7.25

Fifth is the Banner of Wisdom, so named because profound wisdom is unimpeded. Its ten verses are divided into three parts: first, four verses praise the limitlessness of the Buddha's virtues and functions; next, four verses praise the Buddha's unimpededness in oneness and difference; last, two verses praise the Buddha's sovereignty over arising and ceasing. Within the first: the first two verses reveal the limitlessness of function, and the latter two verses explain the inexhaustibility of virtue. Within the first of these: first, it identifies the vessels that respond to function—meaning that practitioners endowed with unimpeded wisdom and limitless compassion constantly see all buddhas everywhere in the ten directions. This reveals that the Tathāgata is never hidden even for a moment from those of great capacity, possessing five meanings: first, a single body is completely vast, hence it says "seen in the ten directions"; second, a single body is identical to all, hence it says "seeing all buddhas"; third, it explains that this function has never ceased for a moment, hence it says "constantly seeing"; fourth, it reveals that this function has never not been tranquil, hence it says "having no place from which it comes"; fifth, it displays that what is expounded is also profound, hence it says "the Dharma also has no attachment." In the latter part explaining the inexhaustibility of virtue: it means that of all those bodies manifested previously, each and every one of those bodies contains the inexhaustible virtues of the dharmadhātu; therefore, to speak of the virtues of that single body for inconceivable kalpas could still not exhaust them, how much less so for all the remaining bodies! Sentient beings of the three times and so forth are comparatively measured to reveal the vast quantity. In the second part praising the unimpededness of oneness and difference: first, one verse speaks in terms of doctrine, meaning that because the non-dual dharmadhātu is interpenetrated, it is inconceivable. How so? It cannot be conceived as non-dual, because it manifests many bodies; it cannot be conceived as many bodies, because there has never been any difference; it cannot be conceived as one and many, because there are not two dharmas; it cannot be conceived as neither, because essence and function are fully present—this is perfect interpenetration that is difficult to fathom. Next, one verse provides an analogy; next, one verse matches the doctrine; the following one verse explains non-oneness and non-difference; all can be understood. In the third part on sovereignty over arising and ceasing: the first verse explains manifesting arising and ceasing while not arising or ceasing; the second verse explains that the manifested arising and ceasing is in turn identical to non-arising and non-ceasing.