華嚴經探玄記 7.36

7.36

Second, within the empowerment section, there are three parts: first, generally revealing those who are able to empower; second, identifying the purpose of the empowerment; third, directly revealing the characteristics of the empowerment. Within the former there are also five: 1. Explaining the manifestation of the bodies of the buddhas—namely, the millions and so forth of the ten directions; their disperse abodes and distances apart are to be understood as being identical to before. Furthermore, that multiple buddhas empower shows the increasing gravity of the teaching and reveals their identity, likewise as before. 2. Sharing the same name: the four meanings are identical to before. 3. Addressing and praising the attainment of the samādhi. 4. From "Good sons" downward, explaining the support for attaining the samādhi—namely, that the buddhas of the ten directions themselves state that they bestow empowerment so that he attains this samādhi. 5. From "Moreover, Rocana..." downward, those buddhas themselves explain the reason for bestowing empowerment, which has four phrases: (1) due to the power of Rocana's past vows, causing us to bestow empowerment; (2) due to Rocana's present spiritual power mutually evoking our collective empowerment; (3) due to Vajradhvaja's purified wisdom evoking [it] above, empowerment is therefore bestowed; (4) due to the roots of goodness of all the bodhisattvas having ripened so that they should hear this teaching, evoking the empowerment of the buddhas; therefore Vajradhvaja is able to enter this samādhi. Furthermore, in the preceding ten abodes there was only the power of his own roots of goodness and not the power of all the bodhisattvas; in the ten practices there was the power of all the bodhisattvas and not the power of his own goodness; that both are present here reveals that the stages gradually advance, complementing each other across the preceding and following [passages]. Among the four, the first two are powers of the fruit, and the last two are powers of the cause. Why are these four powers required? The first power reveals that the root of the dharma is profound and formed through the accumulation of virtue over a long time; the second, that virtue having been accomplished, in the present it stirs and stimulates the receptive faculties—these [two] are the power of the chief transformer. The third is the assisting transformative power, and the fourth is the receptive evocatory power. In the second [part], identifying the purpose of the empowerment, there are twenty-two clauses: the first ten designate what is accomplished, and the latter twelve explain what is done. In the former, the words "wishing to cause the bodhisattva" apply through the clauses below. The ten clauses are divided into three: the first four cause all bodhisattvas to attain the perfection of the virtue of wisdom: (1) wisdom of the ten fearlessnesses, without fear regarding objective conditions; (2) wisdom of the four unhindered knowledges, expounding constantly without interruption; (3) wisdom that enters the mutually identical and unhindered dependent origination of the dharmadhātu; (4) causing the causal wisdom to enter the fruit, revealing the accomplishment of the completely perfected and vast mind, which is great compassion. Next, three cause all bodhisattvas to have abundant merit: (1) explaining that their roots of goodness are vast and numerous; (2) explaining that their goodness is free from defilement, called pure and white because it is uncontaminated; (3) explaining that their goodness is extremely profound, namely entering the universal dharmadhātu. Furthermore, it reveals layer upon layer without end, because in each single gate all gates are subsumed, which is named the "universal gate." Relying on this universal gate, they therefore enter the profound dharmadhātu, and thus their possessed virtues are inexhaustible. The latter three cause all bodhisattvas to give rise to masterly functions: (1) causing them to manifest the Buddha's supernormal power of teleportation; (2) causing them to purify the recollection of past lives; (3) causing them to attain the wisdom-power regarding all faculties, which means discerning the realm of the Buddha so as to sustain the faculties of the receptive beings. Another version reads: this means sustaining their roots of goodness to cause them to increase. It is in order to accomplish these beneficial matters that empowerment is bestowed. Second, in explaining what is done, the twelve clauses are divided into two: the first three directly explain what is done, which means expounding the true Dharma at length. The first generally reveals it, and from "many gates" downward it is distinguished in detail. The first clause explains that with sustenance accomplished, the upāya for expounding is aroused; the latter clause directly shows that the ten dedications expounded are complete and perfect, hence it says "complete." The nine below reveal the purpose of the exposition, divided into three: the first three are in terms of the stages: (1) gathering in those prior to the bhūmis, (2) establishing those above the bhūmis, and (3) continuing the Buddha-fruit. Next, three are in terms of practice: (1) causing the development of the great vows of the ten dedications, (2) causing the exposition of the dedication that enters the limit of reality (bhūtakoṭi), and (3) causing knowledge of dedicating to the vast dharmadhātu. Next, three are in terms of persons: (1) causing those who have planted roots [of goodness] to give rise to joy; furthermore, because dedication is what all bodhisattvas together practice, they all rejoice; (2) explaining that this dedication is what all buddhas together practice, thus exhorting them to practice it; (3) concluding the causal practice, meaning that practice is a revealing cause, able to reveal the nature, and is thus called "protecting and maintaining." Another explanation: the former ten accomplish the practice of benefiting oneself for all bodhisattvas, and the latter twelve accomplish the practice of benefiting others for all bodhisattvas. Yet they are also mutually pervasive, and both are general at first and specific afterward. Identity, difference, integration, and disintegration should be understood in accordance with the Di lun.