華嚴經探玄記 8.9

8.9

The second major section, from 'This mahāsattva, by such...' onward, concludes what is done. It is the dedication that engenders joy. Within this there are four [parts]: first, concluding what is done by the practice; second, from 'If there are those who come seeking...' onward, showing that the practice is accomplished without faults; third, from 'The bodhisattva at that time...' onward, crossing over the practice without faults and thereby engendering great joy; fourth, from 'the mahāsattva's roots of goodness...' onward, taking the accomplished joyful practice and dedicating it. Within the first there are two: first, concluding the intention in terms of practice; second, from 'with great compassion...' onward, revealing the intention in terms of mind. Fascicle thirty-nine of the Yogācāra[-bhūmi] says: 'Furthermore, toward enemies, bodhisattvas practice wise giving with the intentional disposition of benevolence. Toward those who suffer, they practice wise giving with the intentional disposition of compassion. Toward those with virtue, they practice wise giving with the intentional disposition of joy. Toward those with kindness, relatives, friends, and those of agreeable mind, they practice wise giving with the intentional disposition of equanimity. One should know this is also called a bodhisattva practicing giving with skillful wisdom.' As for 'establishing the discourse of the Tathāgata', it was stated above that they receive and uphold the fundamental practices of all Buddhas, and manifest the fundamental practices of all Buddhas; since they can expound in accordance with practice, it is called 'establishing discourse'. By establishing this discourse, they cause the Buddha's goodness to arise continuously. In the following part showing that the practice is accomplished without faults, there are two: first, clarifying that the three matters accomplish the practice without faults, within which it first clarifies conforming to the seeker's intention, free from the fault of going against their mind; second, giving with a mind without regret, free from the fault of mixed thoughts; third, renouncing all things and so forth, clarifying that the given items are abundant, free from the fault of deficiency. Second, from 'toward all sentient beings...' onward, it re-explains this accomplishment. First, it explains the aforesaid mind of giving: viewing them as like an only child, the mind of compassion is deep. [Regarding] 'they are my good friends', one bears their kindness. Due to the initial mind, great compassion is nurtured; due to the subsequent mind, the mind of joy grows. Together, due to the above two minds, compassion and joy are not impaired; based on this compassion and joy, they broadly practice the mind of great giving. Below, it explains that through the abundance of goods, desires are fulfilled and the mind is gratified and delighted. Question: Why is it that when a bodhisattva sees a seeker, they engender joy and have no taint toward wealth? Answer: Because the practice of giving is mature and the hindrances to giving are exhausted. What are the hindrances to giving? Fascicle thirty-nine of the Yogācāra[-bhūmi] says: 'Furthermore, bodhisattvas truly know the hindrances to giving and their antidotes. There are four hindrances to giving: first, not having practiced it habitually before; second, a scarcity and deficiency of goods to give; third, attachment to superior and fine things; fourth, delighting in the future fruit of complete wealth. First, if a bodhisattva currently possesses various kinds of wealth and property that could be given, yet when a beggar appears before them the mind of giving does not arise, they then, with correct wisdom, know: "This is my fault of not having practiced giving habitually before. I know with certainty that because I did not habituate giving in past lives, it results now in having wealth and a beggar appearing before me yet the mind of giving does not arise. If I do not forcefully give in this life, in future lives I will certainly turn my back on the practice of giving." Therefore, the bodhisattva makes vigorous effort, deliberates, and practices wise giving. Second, when a beggar appears before them, due to the scarcity of wealth and property the mind of giving does not arise. With correct wisdom they penetrate: "Either due to faults in my past karma, or due to being bound to others in the present, it causes me to presently suffer hunger, thirst, and other pains, unable to benefit all sentient beings. Even if practicing giving leads to my destruction, it is still supreme, let alone having vegetable leaves with which to stay alive." Therefore, they endure suffering and practice wise giving. Third, when a beggar appears before them, due to the fineness of the giveable things the mind of giving does not arise. They then, with correct wisdom, penetrate: "This is my fault of attachment. In the midst of suffering I now falsely generate the notion of pleasure; through this inversion, future suffering is produced." Therefore, the bodhisattva makes vigorous effort and practices giving. Fourth, if after giving, a bodhisattva delights in the future fruit of great wealth and advantage and does not seek unsurpassed, complete, and perfect bodhi, they then, with correct wisdom, penetrate that this is the fault of holding a view of false fruits. They contemplate that all those conditioned phenomena are destroyed moment by moment, and the enjoyed fruits perish swiftly and disperse swiftly. Therefore, they extinguish that practice of giving accompanied by the view of delighting in false fruits, and dedicate it toward unsurpassed bodhi.' Question: According to this sūtra, the great bodhisattvas have inexhaustible treasures and broad minds of compassion; why then are there still kinds of sentient beings in the world who are poor and suffering? Answer: According to the Mahāyānasaṃgraha, a verse says: 'Seeing that karmic obstacles obstruct goodness, / revulsion arises, as well as hatred; / and harming others—such sentient beings / do not induce the bodhisattva's giving.' Here there are five meanings: first, the bodhisattva sees that when sentient beings are poor they do not create bad karma, but when rich they do create bad karma; second, when sentient beings are poor they cultivate merit, but when rich goodness is hindered; third, when sentient beings are poor the mind of revulsion toward saṃsāra appears, but when rich they do not feel revulsion; fourth, when sentient beings are poor they are kind and good, but when rich they hate others; fifth, when sentient beings are poor they cannot harm the lives of others, but when rich they harm others' lives. Because the bodhisattva sees these five meanings, they cause sentient beings to remain poor for hundreds of thousands of myriads of kalpas, so they do not commit evil karma and become stained with saṃsāra, and do not cause sentient beings to become rich for even a single kṣaṇa, becoming heedless, committing evil, and falling into the four bad destinies. Therefore, in the Yogācāra[-bhūmi], where there is peace and happiness for sentient beings but no benefit, the bodhisattva also does not act. Third, rejoicing, in two parts of text: first, superior joy sustains the spirit. In the *Puruṣa-caryā-śāstra*, the bodhisattva's joy and bliss surpass the bliss of the mundane world and that of the nirvāṇa of the two vehicles; here it only surpasses the mundane world. Second, from 'mahāsattva' onward, the mind increases on account of joy; the five phrases can be understood. Fourth, within the dedication of roots of goodness, there are ten phrases in five pairs: first, causing them to leave behind the causes and effects of suffering; second, causing them to attain the causes and effects of happiness—the above two pairs each put cause first and effect second; third, object and mind; fourth, mind and practice; fifth, partial and complete. The above has broadly revealed the characteristics of practice; this concludes the dedication of sentient beings and bodhi. From here below, the third clarifies that practice supremely accords with the true: this is the dedication of the reality limit (bhūta-koṭi). Furthermore, previously it clarified that practice is vast; from here below it reveals that practice is profound. Within this there are two: first, showing that the practicing mind is devoid of conceptual thought, generally explaining dedication without bondage or attachment; second, from 'mahāsattva' onward, clarifying freedom from defilement regarding objects, specifically revealing dedication without bondage or attachment. In the first, since at the time of this dedication it takes up the preceding practice of not being bound or attached to the body and so forth, it generally explains that the three karmas capable of dedicating are devoid of conceptual thought and accomplish the dedication. Below, it specifically reveals the characteristics of being devoid of conceptual thought, within which there are two: first, clarifying the absence of notions of phenomena such as a self; second, clarifying the absence of thoughts of karma, retribution, and so forth. In the first, the initial nine phrases clarify the absence of the notion of a self. As for *chántóu* (jantu), the ancients said: 'This means seeing all living beings as having form and substance.' Now, asking the Tripiṭaka Master again, he said this is translated as 'living being' (jantu). Second, from 'having no notions...' onward, ten phrases in five pairs clarify the absence of the notion of phenomena: first, leaving behind the notion of existing and non-existing phenomena; second, leaving behind the notion of phenomena transmigrating through the three times; third, leaving behind the notion of permanence and impermanence; fourth, leaving behind the notion of the three realms and non-realms; fifth, also leaving behind notions and leaving behind non-notions. The above clarifies that the self-nature capable of taking an object is devoid of notions. Below, it clarifies that the karmic functions capable of taking an object are devoid of conceptual thought, meaning not being bound by notions or thoughts is called being without bondage or attachment. Roaming in emptiness without obstruction and accomplishing dedication, it is therefore called 'the dedication with a mind liberated, without bondage and without attachment'. Within this, intention and the retribution of intention are explained in terms of mental karma; causal karma and karmic retribution are explained in terms of bodily and verbal karma. Furthermore, karma is explained in terms of apparent karma, and intention is explained in terms of the substance of karma. Thus, without mind and without non-mind, one performs the great dedication of giving as before. From here below, clarifying freedom from defilement regarding objects specifically explains the dedication, within which there are four: first, specifically clarifying non-attachment; second, from 'If a mahāsattva, regarding...' onward, specifically clarifying non-bondage; third, from 'If regarding this phenomenon one is not bound...' onward, specifically clarifying the liberated mind; fourth, from 'If a mahāsattva, by all these roots of goodness...' onward, specifically clarifying the dedication. In the first, 'when making such a dedication' means that, about to specifically explain that at the time of making the great dedication as before one is constantly devoid of cognitive conditions and thoughts, it is therefore now summarized again. Below, it specifically shows non-attachment, within which the internal refers to the six sense faculties, the external refers to the six sense objects; the conditions refer to the subject taking conditions, and the objects refer to the objective sphere; the rest can be understood. In the second, non-bondage, first taking up the preceding non-attachment arises based on the preceding to initiate the subsequent: mind defiled by objects is called attachment, and objects entangling the mind is called bondage. The *Laṅkāvatāra* says: 'The mind is bound to sense objects; reflective perception and wisdom turn in accord with them.' This is what it means. Due to deep greedy attachment to objects, the mind is bound by objects and cannot attain mastery; now all of this is absent. Regarding the five aggregates there are each three meanings: first, 'not binding form' generally shows non-bondage. 'Not binding grasping of form' specifically concerns ordinary beings grasping the five aggregates. 'Not binding the cessation of form' specifically concerns noble ones having no grasping of the five aggregates. Furthermore, 'not binding and not grasping' means not being bound to existence. 'Not binding cessation' means not being bound to non-existence. Both are free from grasping and attachment, and are not bound by them. Below, it clarifies the liberated mind, within which there are three: first, marking, meaning taking up the preceding to initiate the subsequent. 'Regarding this phenomenon' refers to the phenomena of existence and non-existence in the above five aggregates. Because fundamentally one understands that those phenomena are fundamentally devoid of bondage and their nature is fundamentally liberated, not only now beginning to be liberated, it is therefore said 'there is also no liberation'. Next is the question, followed by the explanation. First, it specifically explains the reason why nature is liberated amidst the preceding existing phenomena: this existing phenomenon is itself without arising, ceasing, and so forth, hence its nature is self-liberated. Later, from 'When a bodhisattva thus sees phenomena...' onward, it specifically explains the reason why nature is liberated amidst the preceding non-existing phenomena. Seeing phenomena as non-phenomena, because the path of speech is cut off, takes up the preceding existing phenomena as having a nature that is inherently non-existent. 'Regarding non-phenomena as phenomena' initiates the subsequent: amidst non-existence one is also naturally separated; because one does not abide in non-existence, it does not obstruct existence. The former is existence that is non-existent, hence one is liberated from existence; the latter is non-existence that is not non-existent, hence one is liberated from non-existence. Because karma is not destroyed, one fully engages in practice; because one does not stagnate in emptiness, one is not the same as the two vehicles; therefore, without regressing, one seeks all-knowledge. The remaining phrases can be seen. Fourth, specifically explaining dedication. First is the general, meaning turning toward the knowledge of all aspects; from 'in order to transform sentient beings...' onward, it specifically reveals it. First it questions and then answers, revealing ten phrases, all of which mean transforming sentient beings to accomplish these matters, hence it is called dedication; it can be understood. The above concludes the dedication of the reality limit. In general, the second major section, 'arousing practice based on the body', is concluded.