華嚴經探玄記 7.61

7.61

Fifth is the Dedication of the Inexhaustible Treasury of Merit. Within it, the prose text also has two parts: first, the practice of the stage; second, the fruition of the stage. The first part also has three parts: setting forth, explanation, and conclusion. Within the explanation there are five parts: first, clarifying the essence of the practices to be dedicated; second, from 'the mahāsattva dedicates all of these roots of goodness' onwards, clarifying the dedication toward bodhi and sentient beings; third, from 'the mahāsattva, with such unexcelled [roots of goodness]' onwards, clarifying the dedication toward the reality limit; fourth, from 'the mahāsattva, having thus dedicated the roots of goodness, attains inexhaustible goodness' onwards, clarifying that based on the preceding dedication, further roots of goodness are generated and again dedicated; fifth, from 'when the mahāsattva thus dedicates' onwards, concluding the virtues of practice. In the first part, where this bodhisattva practices repentance to be free from karmic obstacles, now we broadly and comprehensively analyze repentance and so forth into eight doctrinal gates: First is explaining opening and combining: in various sacred teachings there are various openings and combinings. Some make eight tiers: 1. making offerings to the Buddha; 2. praising the Buddha's virtues; 3. paying homage to the Buddha; 4. repentance; 5. entreating [the Buddha]; 6. rejoicing along; 7. dedication; 8. generating vows, as expounded in the Sūtra of the Rites of Paying Homage to the Buddha Requested by Vimalaprabhāmatī; some make seven, by combining praise and homage; some make six, briefly omitting offerings; some make five, by treating generating vows as identical with dedication, as expounded in the Daśabhūmika-vibhāṣā; some make four, removing homage to the Buddha; or three, as the Dà zhìdù lùn states: 'A bodhisattva, in the three periods of the day and the three periods of the night, in each practices three things, namely: repentance, entreaty, and rejoicing along. Practicing these three things yields immeasurable merit and brings one ever closer to the Buddha'; or two, only repenting of sinful obstacles and dedicating roots of goodness, as expounded in the Bodhisattvabhūmi-śīlasūtra. Now we shall provisionally explain according to the five items. Second is explaining their characteristics: homage to the Buddha has three, or seven, etc., as analyzed above in the chapter on the rituals of paying homage to the Buddha. Second, regarding repentance: offenses are of two kinds: 1. proscriptive offenses that violate precepts, which are repented and extinguished by relying back on the precepts to perform the ritual. 2. inherently wrongful offenses that violate true principle, which are extinguished by giving rise to practice to repent them. This [latter] has two kinds: (1) practicing repentance in accord with phenomena: either reciting dhāraṇīs of the Vaipulya sūtras to accord with the teaching, or paying homage with utmost exertion to the names of fifteen thousand Buddhas to accord with those sacred teachings, or diligently paying homage and repenting during the six periods of day and night, passing through many years, or reading and reciting the Mahāyāna to transform heavy [karmic retributions] into light experiences, and so forth. In this way, even without praising the Tathāgata's virtues, it also greatly extinguishes sins and engenders merit. (2) Extinction based on contemplation of principle: contemplating that all phenomena are empty and that the characteristics of offenses are unobtainable, whereby nothing is not eradicated. As a sūtra states: 'If one wishes to seek eradication, sit upright and contemplate the true mark,' and so forth. Furthermore, what is expounded below in the 'Chapter on Minor Marks' is also of this matter. By its meaning, this gate also generally extinguishes both proscriptive and inherent offenses. Question: If one upholds the true Dharma and repents past offenses, are these offenses extinguished or not extinguished? Answer: One may say they are both extinguished and not extinguished. Because of upholding the Dharma and repenting, heavy retributions are made to be experienced lightly; because heavy ones are not experienced, it is called extinguished. Yet because light ones are experienced, it is also not extinguished. Therefore, the newly translated Commentary on the Diamond Prajñā Sūtra states: 'Just as with the ten evil karmas, due to upholding the Dharma and repenting, one is not born in the evil destinies; this is called uprooting and extinguishing. Yet in the present life, experiencing light painful retributions is also said not to be lost.' Therefore, it quotes the 'Chapter on Expounding the Tathāgata' saying: 'If there is further a person who receives, upholds, and even explains this sūtra, this person in the present life may have nightmares, suffer severe illness, be driven and coerced into far travels, be reviled, whipped, or even lose his life, yet all evil karma will be completely eliminated.' The Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra also agrees with this statement. Third, regarding entreaty: the Dà zhìdù lùn states that entreating the Buddhas is twofold: namely, entreating them to turn the wheel of Dharma when they first achieve enlightenment, and entreating them to abide long in the world when they enter parinirvāṇa. Although one knows that the Buddhas themselves know the proper time, yet because supreme merit is engendered, one must entreat them. Furthermore, according to the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva Sūtra, entreating and reinforcing entreaties in the three times causes the bodhisattva to swiftly achieve true awakening. Fourth, regarding rejoicing along: according to the Dà zhìdù lùn and the Daśabhūmika-vibhāṣā, there are three positions: 1. all the inexhaustible merit already accomplished by all the Buddhas throughout the ten directions; 2. all the merit presently cultivated by bodhisattvas, śrāvakas, and others in the realms of the ten directions; 3. down to the roots of goodness of humans, gods, and ordinary worldlings. Toward the above three positions, one engenders rejoicing along with a deep mind in all of them, obtaining immeasurable roots of goodness. Fifth, dedication is also threefold: namely, toward sentient beings, toward bodhi, and toward the reality limit, as broadly analyzed above. Third is distinguishing cessation and performance: either all five are cessation, because all are free from obstacles; or all five are performance, because they generate supreme practices; or repentance ceases obstacles while the rest generate supreme goodness. Fourth is distinguishing [the removal of] remaining obstacles: paying homage to the Buddha removes the obstacle of arrogance; repentance removes the obstacle of evil karma; entreaty removes the obstacle of slandering the Dharma; rejoicing along removes the obstacle of jealousy; dedication removes the obstacle of seeking heterodox goals and also removes the obstacle of attachment to worldly existence. Fifth is distinguishing the virtues engendered: homage and repentance engender supreme merit; entreaty engenders supreme wisdom; rejoicing along pertains to both merit and wisdom; dedication turns the preceding two practices toward completion. Furthermore, due to the sustaining power of dedication, it prevents one from falling into the three realms or the two vehicles. Sixth is distinguishing the sequence: first, homage and praise to the Buddha seek the lord who extinguishes offenses and the conditions that engender merit, hence they are analyzed first. Second, relying on the Buddha's supreme condition, one is made to extinguish offenses and purify the vessel, hence repentance comes next. Third, relying on this purified vessel, one aspires to request the Dharma. Fourth, with regard to others' supreme practices, one forgets selfhood and gives rise to joy, assimilating them into one's own practice. Fifth, one turns what has been accomplished previously toward bodhi, so that the cycle is complete. Seventh is distinguishing the attainments of fruits: the fruits are of two kinds: 1. particular fruits: paying homage to the Buddha attains the fruit of honor; repentance removes obstacles and attains the complete fruit of dependent and primary [retribution]; entreaty attains the fruit of correct wisdom; rejoicing along attains the fruit of great retinue, great merit, and great wealth; dedication attains the fruit of departing from error, which means constantly encountering the Buddha's era, constantly being able to practice without regression, and so forth. 2. common fruits: all remotely attain unsurpassed bodhi. Eighth is revealing differences in terms of the teachings: in the Small Vehicle, the five practices are all real, nor are they elevated within its doctrine; in the initial teaching, they are empty, thereby constituting the five practices; in the final teaching, they are suchness, thereby constituted; in the sudden teaching, they transcend words to be the five; in the perfect teaching, the dharmadhātu is inexhaustible within, and each and every practice contains all practices, each inexhaustible, constituting the five practices. The first part, the essence of the practices, contains seven items in the text: 1. the goodness of repentance; 2. the goodness of rejoicing along; 3. from 'toward all tathāgatas' onwards, clarifying the goodness of paying homage and making offerings; 4. the goodness of entreaty; 5. the goodness of entering the Dharma, within which are the four wisdoms: first, wisdom derived from hearing; second, recollection is wisdom derived from contemplation; third, practicing as spoken is wisdom derived from cultivation; fourth, entering the inconceivable is all the roots of goodness of realized gnosis; 6. explaining anew the goodness of rejoicing along. Why is it explained? Because it subsumes much goodness. According to the Chapter on Rejoicing Along in the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra: 'Question: Toward the merit of a bodhisattva when first generating the mind, up to the merit of a bodhisattva in his last lifetime before buddhahood, if one gives rise to a mind of rejoicing along, how much merit is obtained? The Buddha said: The continents of the four quarters could be weighed in pounds, and even a great trichiliocosm of realms could be weighed in pounds, yet the merit of this mind of rejoicing along cannot be weighed. Furthermore, if the realms of a great trichiliocosm were filled with ocean water, and one took a single hair, split it into a hundred parts, and took ocean water with one part droplet by droplet, the number of drops could be known; yet the merit of this mind of rejoicing along cannot be counted or known.' In the text there are three parts: first, rejoicing along with the roots of goodness of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas: because this bodhisattva rejoices along with their goodness with an augmented deep mind, he causes his mind to tally with and subsume that goodness; hence it says that having rejoiced, he abides in that goodness; second, from 'the three times' onwards, engendering rejoicing along with the roots of goodness of the sentient beings saved by all Buddhas; third, from 'the three times' onwards, a general conclusion: he rejoices along with all the roots of goodness in the causal and fruitional stages of the Buddhas of the three times. 7. From 'those tathāgatas' onwards, cultivating the remaining roots of goodness, which has four parts: 1. the goodness of protecting the Dharma; 2. the goodness of mindfulness of the Buddha; 3. the goodness of the causal stage, meaning that the bodhisattva path and Dharma are his own sphere; 4. the goodness of the fruitional stage. The above concludes the analysis of the essence of practices to be dedicated. From here down is the second part, revealing dedication toward bodhi and sentient beings. Within it, 'dedicates all of these roots of goodness' generally adduces dedication. Below, it is specifically revealed, having three parts: first, reciting the preceding roots of goodness; second, from 'such roots of goodness exhaust the past limit' onwards, properly undertaking dedication; third, from 'the mahāsattva's dedication of roots of goodness in this manner' onwards, concluding what is accomplished by the dedication. In the first part there are twelve clauses: 1. the merit obtained when first cultivating the preceding roots of goodness; 2. the roots of goodness generated when advancing in learning, all dedicated to adorning the lands, etc.; 3. when accumulating merits over a long time; 4. when deeply understanding and awakening to those roots of goodness; 5. when giving rise to celebratory joy toward those roots of goodness; 6. when those roots of goodness are fully equipped; 7. when those roots of goodness are completed; 8. when accomplishing remaining practices relying on those roots of goodness; 9. when attaining realization relying on goodness; 10. when reflecting upon and discerning that goodness; 11. when receiving and upholding it; 12. when assimilating it into one's own reality and firmly grasping, resolving, and preserving it—at all such times, roots of goodness are generated and universally dedicated. From here down is the second part, properly clarifying dedication, meaning that this bodhisattva dedicates roots of goodness to adorning the Buddha lands of the three times and causing sentient beings to be purified, which is dedication toward bodhi and sentient beings. In general discourse on adorning lands, there are three kinds of purity: 1. purity of the place; 2. purity of the sentient beings inhabiting the place; 3. purity of the dissemination of Dharma gates, also named purity of enjoyment. Now this text is complete with these three meanings: first, clarifying the bodhisattva's dedication to seek concrete adornments; second, from 'the mahāsattva further dedicates in this way' onwards, clarifying the quest for adornment by human treasures; third, from 'the mahāsattva dedicates with the expedient means of roots of goodness' onwards, clarifying the purity of enjoyment. The first part has three: first, specifically revealing the distinct adornments of the Buddha lands of the three times; second, generally subsuming them to adorn all worlds; third, revealing the scope of the lands adorned. The first of these has three: first, analyzing the adornment of past Buddha lands; second, adorning future Buddha lands; third, adorning present Buddha lands. In the first, adorning the past: 'such roots of goodness' recites what was cultivated before; 'exhausting the past limit' clarifies the vastness of time. 'All Buddha realms' shows the breadth of place. 'The arising of immeasurable practices' shows the multiplicity of causes. 'Buddha knowledge and bodhisattva awareness' shows depth in terms of persons. 'Responding to sentient beings', etc., clarifies the land's response to capacities. 'What the Tathāgatas uphold', etc., clarifies what is manifested by the Buddha's pure consciousness. 'Accomplished by pure causes'—this is the complete purity of the host. 'Samantabhadra', etc., clarifies what is arisen from vast causes, which is the complete purity of the retinue. 'If those realms have', etc., shows they are Buddha lands, because true awakening is achieved therein. Second, in adorning future lands, there are two: first, clarifying the land's adornments, which has four parts: 1. breadth of place; 2. vastness of time; 3. from 'all Buddhas' onwards, clarifying the purity of the land's causes; 4. from 'miscellaneous jewels' onwards, clarifying the adornment of the land's fruits. Second, from 'the mahāsattva' onwards, clarifying the bodhisattva's cultivation of causal practices, which has five parts: 1. understanding pure dharmas; 2. holding them without forgetting; 3. initiating practice according to the Dharma; 4. entering realization and samādhi—the above being the completeness of the cause; 5. the Buddha's light of wisdom illuminating and gathering, completing the fullness of the fruit, thereby causing the land to attain complete purity. Third, from 'as in the future' onwards, clarifying the adornment of present lands. Within it, first, it is analogous to the future; from 'various' onwards, specifically revealing the characteristics of adornment. 'Various' is the purity of manifold adornments; 'complete' is the utmost freedom from defilement; 'universal virtue' is the broadness of benefit; the seven of color, fragrance, etc., specifically reveal adornment. From 'following good spiritual friends' onwards, these are used to adorn the thirteen kinds, including all fragrances, etc. Second, from 'with such' onwards, generally subsuming the adornments of lands in the three times above to adorn his own realm, within which are three: first general, next specific, and finally concluding. In the specific part there are twenty-seven clauses; all these are distinct adornments of the lands of the Buddhas of the three times used to generally adorn his own realm. Third, from 'adorning thus in a single world' onwards, revealing the scope of what is adorned, which has two parts: first, adorning a single realm with the adornments of the three times; second, by one category of many exhausting all three times, briefly discussing nine kinds of adornments of Buddha lands. The above concludes concrete adornments. From here down is the second part, seeking the human treasures of bodhisattvas to adorn those lands, which is the purity of sentient beings inhabiting the place, hence called a pure land. In the text there are three parts: first, generally clarifying dedicating and seeking human treasures to fill them; second, from 'these all' onwards, specifically revealing the characteristics of adornment; third, from 'in a minor fraction of a single Buddha land' onwards, concluding the scope of what is adorned. In the specific part there are two: first, clarifying human virtues filling the land; next, from 'filling' onwards, showing the completion of the characteristics of adornment. In the first, analyzing the bodhisattva's virtues, there are two tiers: first, clarifying that the bodhisattva's practice and cultivation are complete; next, from 'all arising from' onwards, revealing that the bodhisattvas' virtuous functions are fully prepared. The first of these has two parts: first specific, then a general conclusion. In the specific part there are two: first, revealing the practices of superior ability in merit and wisdom; next, from 'accomplishing the extraordinary' onwards, clarifying the practices of roots of goodness and mental resolution. In the first of these, there are two parts: first, merit and wisdom accomplishing the two benefits, within which first adducing merit, wisdom, skillful ability, etc., accomplishing the benefit of others, and entering depth, etc., accomplishing the benefit of oneself; second, from 'accomplishing mindfulness of the Buddha' onwards, clarifying merit and wisdom engendering supreme virtues. Among the six recollections, the two recollections of morality and deities are omitted; this is the practice of merit; from 'sun of Dharma' onwards, clarifying the practice of wisdom. Within it, first, vast wisdom universally illuminating; next, revealing deep wisdom penetrating the profound, meaning arising from nothingness, which explains and reveals the profound mark; wisdom arises relying on principle, hence it is deep. Below, it clarifies engendering virtues, meaning that from wisdom arise the powers, fearlessnesses, and all pure virtues, hence it says 'generating', and so forth. Second, in the practices of roots of goodness and mental resolution: first, accomplishing roots of goodness, meaning that goodness that accords with true principle is called extraordinary, and because defilements are fully exhausted, it is called pure. Surpassing the inferior is called supreme, and ascending above is called augmented. Second, from 'establishing' onwards, revealing the practice of great resolution: first adducing the root of practice, namely the great bodhicitta; next, from 'purifying Māra's deeds' onwards, analyzing the superior abilities of practice in five clauses: 1. purifying Māra's deeds; 2. understanding beings' capacities; 3. illuminating the emptiness of dharmas; 4. abandoning the four inversions; 5. from 'extinguishing ignorance' onwards, concluding. 'Cultivating all goodness' concludes the preceding roots of goodness. 'Fulfilling great vows' concludes the preceding vows of bodhicitta. Second, from 'accomplishing such' onwards, the general conclusion of many virtues can be known. From here down is the second part, clarifying that the bodhisattvas' virtuous functions are fully prepared. Within it are three parts: first, 'all arising from Dharma gates' generally reveals what is accomplished by supreme virtues; below, specific explanations; next, from 'accomplishing such' onwards, the conclusion. In the specific part there are two: first, intrinsic virtues; second, from 'complying with' onwards, clarifying progressive virtues. In the first part there are three: first, clarifying the virtuous functions of roots of goodness; second, from 'attaining bodhi' onwards, clarifying the virtuous functions of great wisdom; third, from 'among bodhisattvas' onwards, clarifying the virtuous functions of samādhi. In the first part, supreme goodness is virtue, and 'constantly performing', etc., shows its function. Within the function of wisdom there are three: first is the virtuous function of luminous wisdom: first adducing the essence of wisdom, meaning that because it is without the darkness of delusion, it is luminous. 'A single body', etc., shows superior function; second, from 'accomplishing' onwards, is the virtuous function of great wisdom: first, the virtue of wisdom discerning the dharmadhātu is the function of wisdom. Third, from 'universally roaming' onwards, is the virtuous function of pure wisdom. Roaming lands with a pure mind is the purity of the essence of wisdom, meaning that because it is effortless, it is like space. Being fully capable of discerning is the breadth of marvelous function. Third, in the virtuous functions of samādhi: first, revealing the attained samādhi, meaning its essence and function are deep and vast, named inconceivable. Below, showing superior functions, there are three: 1. the function of skillfully advancing toward fruition; 2. the function of abiding in reliance and understanding the correct; 3. the function of penetrating depth without fear. The above concludes intrinsic virtues. From here down is the second part, clarifying progressing to enter the Buddha's sphere. Within it are ten clauses, divided into two: the first six are virtues of subsuming the Buddha's sphere above; second, from 'fully capable' onwards, four clauses clarify virtues of unfathomable marvelous function. Among the first six: 1. identical with the Buddha's causal goodness; 2. illuminating what the Buddha has realized; 3. upholding what the Buddha has expounded; 4. proclaiming the Buddha's perfect voice; 5. obtaining the same eloquence and linguistic phenomena as the Buddha. 6. 'Attaining the unsurpassed Buddha stage' concludes the attainment of the fruitional stage. Second, below, clarifying the four marvelous functions: 1. pervading lands without obstruction; 2. gathering dharmas without defilement; 3. broad function of mind and wisdom; 4. expounding the Dharma in accord with reality. Among these four: the first is physical karma, the next two are mental karma, and the last is verbal karma, as can be known. From 'accomplishing' onwards, concluding virtues reveals manifold adornments. 'Worlds' shows adornment by human treasures; hence the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Sūtra says: 'The country's name is Great Jewel Adornment, because bodhisattvas are great treasures.' This clause is general adornment. Below, specifically revealing it, there are six clauses: 1. superior persons filling the lands; 2. true virtues constituting adornment; 3. abiding in accord with principle; 4. progressive virtues mutually assisting, meaning that by practicing well, one's own virtues advance; 'perfuming and cultivating' means that the virtues of the bodhisattvas mutually assist and perfume; 5. purity of virtue without defilement, meaning unmixed with ignorance and not contemplating different vehicles; 6. calming complexity and according with the Path. Below, the third part concludes the scope of what is adorned, having three parts: first, regarding a single land, a minor fraction of a place is already filled with such ten kinds of large numbers of bodhisattvas; second, analogously showing that every other minor place within that single land is fully filled with such ten kinds of large numbers of bodhisattvas; third, since there are such many layers upon layers of ten kinds of large numbers of bodhisattvas in a single land, analogously worlds of space and the dharmadhātu are likewise filled with such bodhisattvas. From here down is the third part, clarifying the adornment and purity of enjoyment, which is also the adornment and purity of the fullness of the Dharma. Within it are ten matters: 1. dedicating toward lands to make them adorned and pure, as analyzed before; 2. causing bodhisattvas to fill them, also as before; 3. causing Buddhas to appear; 4. having fruitional dharmas to be sought; 5. having great vows capable of seeking; 6. essential ways of practicing the Dharma; 7. causing the capacities to be converted to be purified; 8. causing one to see the Buddha in those realms in the future; 9. causing the Buddha to abide constantly; 10. turning the dharmacakra of the true teaching, which, because it is not an expedient teaching, is called non-retrogressing. The above concludes the proper dedication constituting adornment. Below is the third part, concluding what is accomplished by the dedication, having five clauses, as can be known.