華嚴經探玄記 8.42

8.42

From here on, the second [section] directly clarifies the dedication. Within it are also two parts: first, by means of roots of goodness, completing the vast dedication; later, from "peacefully dwelling in the dharmadhātu" onward, completing the extremely profound dedication. The former is the dedication to sentient beings and bodhi; the latter is the dedication to the ultimate reality (bhūtakoṭi). Within the former, the vast [dedication] has fifteen gates. The first gate uses those roots of goodness to dedicate toward seeing the Buddhas and cultivating the brahma-conduct of oneself and others. Within it are three [points]: first, dedicating the roots of goodness toward contemplating the practices of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas of the three times alike, establishing an extraordinary conception; second, from "Because of attaining this conception" onward, clarifying the seeing of Buddhas relying on that conception; third, from "all Buddhas and bodhisattvas" onward, clarifying the arising of practice relying on the Buddhas. Within this [third part] are three: first, cultivating one's own practice for the sake of others; second, transforming others' practice by means of oneself; third, from "Why is that?" onward, explaining the transformation of others to accord with oneself. In the first part there are twenty phrases: the first ten clarify what has already been accomplished, and the latter ten clarify superior cultivation. Within the former, the first five are freedom from defilement: 1. general presentation; 2. nature accomplished; 3. comportment complete; 4. nature free from turbidity; 5. comportment free from impurity. The next five accord with the Dharma: 1. guarding practice with a firm mind; 2. not destroyed by external conditions; 3. upwardly according with the sage's mind; 4. downwardly having no extraneous seeking, hence called "without dependence"; 5. tallying with principle and equal, hence "having nothing whatever." In the latter ten on superior cultivation: 1. not grasping or clinging, termed "freedom from inversion"; 2. not being bound [by precepts], termed "unobstructed"; 3. not seizing upon the marks of precepts, and also free from attachment to precepts (śīlavrata-parāmarśa); 4. shielding and protecting the minds of beings, termed "free from dispute," and also neither criticizing prior proscriptions nor newly establishing [others]; 5. having no faults that could be chosen; 6. tallying with and corresponding, hence termed "peacefully dwelling"; 7. transcending the two vehicles; 8. emotionally dedicated and thus unmoving; 9. not distracted; 10. free from anger. All are the utmost of freedom from defilement; hence it is called "brahma[-conduct]." From here on, regarding transforming others' practice through one's own, there are twelve phrases. The first one cites oneself as an example; from "cultivating" onward, it separately reveals what others are caused to achieve: 1. beginning cultivation; 2. practice complete; 3. faultless; 4. unattached; 5. illuminating principle; 6. free from self; 7. free from delusion; 8. free from transgressions; 9. free from shamelessness regarding transgressions; 10. resolved in holding the mind; 11. not forcefully giving rise to afflictions. The following three explain and confirm this, within which are two: first, an explanation by antithesis; later, a direct explanation. In the former, "Why is that?" raises a questioning challenge: Here the bodhisattva's practice is already complete; why does he not merely expound the Dharma to transform others and cause them to cultivate brahma-conduct, but instead cultivates it himself? Below it explains: If one does not cultivate it oneself and yet causes others to cultivate it, this is impossible. There are ten phrases, which can be understood. The Mahāyānasaṃgraha says: "If one abides in wrong practice oneself / and yet wishes to correct others' faults, / this person will never be able / to stop the errors of others." In the latter direct explanation from "Why is that?" onward, it first raises a challenge: Since if one does not cultivate it oneself one cannot teach others, how is it that one can teach others to cultivate it? In the explanation below, it first explains generally: When one acts according to one's words, free from inversion, and can expound free from inversion to instruct others, speech and action correspond; hence it says "true words and true actions." Below, it clarifies the benefits of purifying the three karmas, freeing from defilement, and destroying hindrances. Below, it separately explains cultivating oneself and teaching others in five phrases: 1. upright; 2. patient; 3. free from doubt; 4. faithful; 5. firm Dharma, which is the Dharma that guides and maintains. "Roots of goodness are dedicated in this way" concludes the dedication above. Second, from "Furthermore" onward, it clarifies dedicating to cause the attainment of all dharmas. Within it are ten phrases: 1. causing attainment of the Dharma-gate, meaning being able to realize the Dharma and refute false treatises; 2. from "completely obtaining the three times" onward, causing attainment of the ocean of Dharma—first a general designation, then from "in each and every" onward, separately revealing ten kinds of Dharma-oceans: (1) productive dharmas, which are the characteristics of establishing a thesis; (2) expedient means, which are reasons and examples that skillfully establish the thesis-dharma; (3) linguistic dharmas, which are the rules of speech according to locale; (4) designations, which apply names to meanings, establish meanings according to the capacities and inclinations of beings, and establish order in sequence; (5) written teachings forming models, as well as arranging rules of teaching; (6) ceremonies of expounding and transmitting to reveal meaning through words; (7) where expounded understanding penetrates, called "gate," and also the Dharma-gates of various tenets; (8) causing people to open understanding, called "entry"; (9) tenets and meanings distinct and clear, making understanding definite; (10) concluding the tenets, perfectly establishing meanings, and setting them up, called "abiding dharmas"; "completely obtaining the inexhaustible Dharma-treasury" generally concludes what is obtained; 3. from "attaining the fearless Dharma" onward, causing attainment of Dharma eloquence; 4. from "attaining non-retrogression" onward, causing attainment of Dharma illumination; 5. from "attaining immeasurable bodies equal to the dharmadhātu" onward, causing attainment of the dharmakāya; 6. attaining Dharma abidance; 7. attaining Dharma reality, hence called "definitive Dharma"; 8. learning many dharmas; 9. abiding in practical dharmas; 10. turning toward internal realization. "Dedicating in this way" onward concludes the achieved fruits. Third, from "Furthermore" onward, it clarifies the perfection of practice for both benefits [of oneself and others]. The first ten are the perfection of one's own practice, meaning seeing immeasurable Buddhas equal to the dharmadhātu, etc., which can be understood. From "He further has this thought" onward, he further causes sentient beings to be identical with himself, hence saying "no different from me." The eleven phrases equally show nondifference. Fourth, from "Furthermore" onward, it clarifies practice tallying with the dharmadhātu, also having ten phrases: First, wisdom arises relying on principle, so it is also boundless like the nature. Sentient beings adorned by the dharmadhātu has three meanings: 1. relying on this dharmadhātu, sentient beings are perfected, hence called "adorned"; 2. because sentient beings are identical with the dharmadhātu, sentient beings are made pure, hence called "adorned"; 3. because sentient beings are jointly within the conditioned arising gate of the great dharmadhātu, which subsumes the dharmadhātu, sentient beings are endowed with virtues. Fifth, from "Furthermore" onward, it clarifies seeing the Buddhas and understanding dharmas. Within it are three: first, general; second, there are ten phrases on seeing Buddhas and completing practice; third, there are ten phrases on understanding the dharmadhātu: (1) not changing according to conditions, hence unarisen; (2) not preserving its own nature; (3) non-dual; (4) not that which depends; (5) delusion cannot defile it; (6) not an object-condition, hence free from marks; (7) not a cognizing subject, hence tranquil; (8) filling all places yet not being all places, hence called "having no place"; (9) following the flow without departing, defilements manifesting without accumulating; also relinquishing defilements without departing, purity manifesting without accumulating; (10) among all stages its nature does not alter, hence called "indestructible"—illuminating and penetrating the dharmadhātu is uniformly called "understanding." Sixth, from "Furthermore" onward, causing sentient beings to become Dharma masters. Within it, he causes them to become twenty kinds of Dharma masters, causing sentient beings to become Buddhas and great bodhisattvas, acting as Dharma masters. Within the twenty phrases there are two parts each: all first state the name of the Dharma master, and later explain and reveal the meaning. They are also that which is performed, because this is dedication of the same category. It is the dedication of roots of goodness from the gift of Dharma, causing them to become Dharma masters, etc. In the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Sūtra, "Chapter on the Dharma Master" (and so forth); in the Bodhisattvapiṭaka Sūtra, "Chapter on the Dharma Master" (and so forth). The Benevolent Kings Sūtra has thirteen kinds of Dharma masters, namely the twelve abodes and the Buddha. Furthermore, after the Buddha passes into nirvāṇa in the realms of the ten directions, one who protects, upholds, and receives the Tathāgata's true Dharma, broadly propagating and transforming without interruption, is a Dharma master. Such as Dharma Master Bianji, Dharma Master Nārāyaṇa, Dharma Master Dāmóshìlì, and so on; entirely through such persons the Buddhadharma was revived and long abided in the world, etc.; these are Dharma masters who uphold the true Dharma. As for "discerning all māra-deeds": as in the Sūtrālaṃkāra, there was a māra who falsely manifested supernormal powers, appearing in the form of an arhat to delude and confuse monks, and the foolish all took refuge. A monk of vast learning used the touchstone of Abhidharma to rub it, whereupon the counterfeit gold was exposed, and he immediately reprimanded him; other foolish people became angry at this Dharma master, but only realized the outcome later (and so forth). Seventh, from "The bodhisattva mahāsattva" onward, it clarifies practice without division or choice. "Not choosing" means not conceptualizing. Also, because all things done tally with the nature without fault, there is nothing to select out, hence called "not choosing." The ten phrases in the text on achieving dharmas are the fruition-dharmas achieved. The remaining phrases can be understood. Eighth, from "The bodhisattva mahāsattva" onward, it clarifies achieving great practice without attachment. In this are two: first, clarifying non-attachment, excluding what is not desired; second, from "only wishing" onward, clarifying what is aspired to and rejoiced in, in order to achieve great practice. In the former there are eighteen phrases: the first seventeen protect against afflictions and avoid attachment to the world; the last one protects against the two vehicles and avoids attachment to lesser fruits. Dedication with a poisonous mind is like a novice monk dedicating to become a dragon, etc. Dedication that destroys roots of goodness is dedicating to become a māra king or a powerful king who destroys the Triratna, etc.; this [bodhisattva] has none of those. In the second part on wishing to achieve great practice, there are nine phrases, meaning dedicating to achieve the great practice of Samantabhadra for oneself and others. Ninth, from "The bodhisattva mahāsattva with such an impartial mind" onward, it clarifies correctly desiring great practice. Within it are four: The first ten phrases clarify the mind that is able to dedicate. Second, from "causing all sentient beings" onward, forty-two gates of dedication, aspiring to achieve great practice for oneself and others. Among them, "discriminating conditioned arising and obtaining a mind born of transformation through the Dharma" means that from discriminating those dharmas, a mind of wisdom arises, hence called "born of transformation through the Dharma." All of these are the great practice of Samantabhadra. Third, clarifying freedom from defilement: first a statement, then from "Why is that?" onward, explaining the completion of freedom from defilement. Fourth, from "When dedicating in this way" onward, concluding the benefits of dedication. Tenth, from "Furthermore" onward, dedicating to cause sentient beings to obtain Dharma-voice and verbal karma: the first is general, and the remaining thirty-two sounds are specific; all are the aspects of the Buddha's perfect voice endowed with virtues, which can be understood. Eleventh, from "Furthermore" onward, within dedicating for sentient beings to obtain the dharmakāya, are three: First, ten [phrases] cause them to obtain the practical essence of the ten bodies. Second, from "The bodhisattva mahāsattva" onward, ten [phrases] cause them to obtain the practical marks of the ten bodies: 1. reflecting without obstruction, called the clear and pure body; 2. universally manifesting sentient beings of the five destinies within it, its essence free of dark hindrances, called the body free from turbidity; 3. causes rounded and fruits full, called the ultimate body; 4. pure virtues filling within, called the pure body; 5. affliction-hindrances exhausted, called the body free from dust; 6. hindrances to the knowable exhausted, called the body free from various dusts; 7. latent karmic impressions also extinguished, called the body free from defilement; 8. constant light perpetually shining, called the luminous body; 9. on each body there are marks and signs as numerous as dust particles of ten Padmagarbha [realms], called the delightful body; 10. form filling the dharmadhātu, color pervading the ten directions, open and unobstructed, called the unobstructed body. Third, from "With such" onward, it clarifies the superior functions of the ten bodies: first general; from "manifesting to sentient beings bodhisattva practice" onward, ten phrases separately reveal the marks of function; the final phrase concludes what is accomplished by dedication. Twelfth, from "Furthermore" onward, it clarifies the completion of boundless great practice. Within it, the body universally giving rise to practice is the condition for being able to benefit; from "those who see are not in vain" onward, it directly clarifies the benefits accomplished: 1. causing them to generate the mind [of bodhi]; 2. indestructible mind; 3. vast practice; 4. possessing compassion to transform beings; 5. seeing Buddhas and cultivating goodness; 6. settling beings to abide in the Dharma, obtaining the hearing-wisdom of the dharmacakra; Dharma illumination is thinking, and practicing bodhisattva practice is cultivation; 7. from "entering sentient beings" onward, eleven phrases clarify illuminating the source of dharmas, hence called "entering." Briefly citing eleven, in reality they are inexhaustible; this concludes the dedication. Thirteenth, from "Furthermore" onward, dedicating to accomplish the adornment of lands. Within it are two: first, clarifying adornment of identical essence, having two: first, identical with the dharmadhātu; second, mutually subsuming and attaining the highest true enlightenment, revealing already having become a Buddha, manifesting that it is a Buddha land. Second, from "Each and every of those lands" onward, adornment of specific marks, in which there are ten adornments: 1. jewel adornments; 2. incense; 3. flowers; 4. garlands; 5. paste incense; 6. powdered incense; 7. robes; 8. canopies; 9. banners; 10. flags. Regarding the first, jewel adornments, there are three: first, discerning the differences among adorning items; second, from "He further has this thought" onward, revealing the limits of what is adorned; third, from "This is" onward, conclusion. Within the first, among the one hundred adornments, from the initial thrones and curtains down to musical instruments, there are eighty-three external dharmas; from "having adorned the jewel-body" onward, seventeen clarify the adornment of internal dharmas, namely the three karmas and six sense organs. "Jewel-tendencies" means mental tendencies, or noble and far-reaching aspirations. The rest can be understood. Truly it is because environment and person are unobstructed, mutually adorning and displaying supremacy. The first, jewel adornments, is finished. Second, from "as with jewel adornments" onward, citing jewels as an example for the remaining nine gates, each having one hundred items, forming one thousand kinds of adornments, so that one can know by analogy; hence it says "likewise also thus." Fourteenth, from "Such a bodhisattva mahāsattva" onward, it clarifies concluding the great purpose of dedication. Within it are three: first, one phrase is for the sake of nurturing roots of goodness, meaning that by the power of this vast dedication, roots of goodness are increased, and for this reason he dedicates; second, one phrase is for the sake of adorning and purifying Buddha lands, and for this reason he dedicates; third, twenty phrases are for the sake of causing sentient beings to be pure and equal, and for this reason he dedicates. This one phrase is general, and the nineteen below are specific, in order to cause sentient beings to obtain both equal and pure virtues in complete perfection. From "The bodhisattva mahāsattva" onward, concluding equality and concluding purity can be understood. Fifteenth, from "The bodhisattva mahāsattva further has this thought" onward, it clarifies causing sentient beings to realize the Dharma and give rise to preaching. Within it are three: first, causing them to realize the Dharma, where 'attaining' means realization; what is realized is profound and vast, termed the immeasurable ocean of Dharma; second, from "in each and every" onward, giving rise to wisdom relying on realization; third, from "causing sentient beings" onward, clarifying giving rise to preaching relying on wisdom, having ten phrases: 1. causing good teaching; 2. causing retention of meaning; 3. identical fruit eloquence; 4. identical Buddha body; 5. mind of expounding the Dharma; 6. obtaining wisdom of expounding; 7. omnipresent places of expounding; 8. uninterrupted expounding; 9. causing joy in seeking; 10. causing joy in expounding. The above concludes the dedication to sentient beings and bodhi.