華嚴經探玄記 7.39

7.39

Second, revealing the characteristics of the meaning has two parts: first, specific; second, general. Within the specific, the first seven are practices following phenomena, and the last three are practices matching principle. Among the former, the first one explains the basis of practice through compassion and wisdom non-abiding; the next four explain the characteristics of practice, wherein the first explains the firmness of the mind giving rise to practice, the second analyzes vastness in terms of the Buddha, the third reveals pervasiveness in terms of Dharma, and the fourth reveals multiplicity in terms of merits; the lower two clarify the completion of practice: first, the completion of wisdom practice; second, the completion of compassion practice. Among the latter three: first, directly uniting with principle reveals the profundity and vastness of the essence; second, clarifying the arising of boundless great function relying on the essence; third, revealing the unimpeded, perfect, luminous ease of essence and function. Second, discussing generally: within each and every one there are three kinds of dedication, namely, dedicating roots of goodness toward sentient beings, toward bodhi, and toward the limit of reality (bhūtakoṭi). Each has two meanings, thereby constituting dedication. Regarding the two for sentient beings: first, because a bodhisattva's roots of goodness must be accomplished by relying on sentient beings and are the share of sentient beings, they are thus by dharmatā turned back toward sentient beings; second, broadly speaking, since one is a bodhisattva, one must deliver sentient beings, and these are tools for saving sentient beings, so in principle they must be directed toward them; otherwise, it would be identical to the two vehicles delivering themselves, not being a bodhisattva. Regarding the two for bodhi: first, a bodhisattva's roots of goodness are accomplished relying on great bodhi; because they flow from it and are its share, they naturally return to it. Second, broadly speaking, in the intention of a bodhisattva, one must ultimately seek unexcelled bodhi; therefore, the familial dharma is directed toward great bodhi. Regarding the two for the limit of reality: first, a bodhisattva's roots of goodness are conditionally produced and lack intrinsic nature, being accomplished relying on the true; because they flow from it, they are items of the true, and naturally direct toward it. Second, broadly speaking, a bodhisattva must realize the true, turning away from ignorance and illuminating the two emptynesses. Question: Why are these three dedications necessary? Answer: These three have many meanings; briefly ten kinds are discussed: 1. In terms of the bodhicitta having three minds, as the Awakening of Faith says: "Bodhicitta has three aspects: first, the straightforward mind, because of correctly contemplating the dharma of true suchness; second, the profound mind, because of delighting in cultivating all wholesome practices; third, the great compassionate mind, because of rescuing all sentient beings from suffering." 2. In terms of accomplishing the three clusters of precepts for bodhisattvas, meaning the disciplinary precepts abandoning faults are directed toward the limit of reality; gathering wholesome dharmas through vast cultivation is directed toward bodhi; gathering sentient beings with great compassion is directed toward sentient beings. Therefore the Dharma-saṃgīti Sūtra says: "If a bodhisattva abandons the mind of dedicating the three clusters, other bodhisattvas should not dwell together with him." 3. In terms of accomplishing two practices: dedication to the limit of reality protects against the practice of afflictions; the other two protect against the practice of the two vehicles. 4. Accomplishing the practices of the two benefits: directed toward the real is benefiting oneself; directed toward sentient beings is benefiting others; directed toward bodhi applies to both benefits. Another explanation: bodhi is benefiting oneself; sentient beings is benefiting others; the limit of reality is neither. 5. To accomplish the three virtues and the three bodies: through the three causal practices, the three virtues are accomplished in fruition—directed toward the limit of reality accomplishes the virtue of abandonment; directed toward bodhi accomplishes the virtue of wisdom; directed toward sentient beings accomplishes the virtue of grace; the three bodies can be known accordingly in order. 6. In terms of accomplishing compassion and wisdom: within wisdom, illuminating principle and manifesting phenomena divide into two, hence there are three. 7. Solely in terms of compassion: why direct toward bodhi? For the sake of sentient beings. Why for sentient beings? Because they are identical with the true yet do not know it. 8. In terms of wisdom: seeing that the defiled marks of sentient beings are exhausted is identical to the limit of reality, while their defiled marks are not destroyed; therefore, conferring the Buddha's wisdom upon sentient beings is why one directs toward bodhi. 9. In terms of unimpededness: the bodhi wisdom realizes identity with the nature of principle, and the defiled marks of sentient beings are identical to the true without difference; therefore, directing toward one is directing toward the three. 10. In terms of perfect illumination: the three dharmas are perfectly interpenetrating, each subsuming the dharmadhātu with ease in possessing virtues; consider the unimpededness of mutual identity and mutual entrance among all dharma doors.