華嚴經探玄記 9.14

9.14

Fourth, explaining the unhindered nature of root and branch: this means explaining that the six characteristics, universal and particular, are unhindered. In explaining these six characteristics, the meaning is divided into six gates. 1. Explaining the intention for the arising of the teaching: this means destroying fixed attachments and views in order to reveal the teaching of the perfect interpenetration of dependent origination. When this principle manifests, if one affliction or obstruction is eliminated, all are eliminated; if one practice or stage is achieved, all are achieved, and so forth. 2. Categories: the four phrases such as neither arising from self nor from other, the four phrases such as neither being nor non-being, as well as the eight negations (such as non-arising) and the ten negations—all integrate phenomena into principle, and belong to this same category. However, while those others enter principle to accord with singular quiescence, here entering principle perfectly interpenetrates those phenomena, immediately being identical with and entering each other to constitute the Samantabhadra Dharma; there is this difference between them. 3. Explaining the source text: this passage originates below in the sūtra in the fourth great vow; spoken by the sūtra compiler himself, it was not arbitrarily formulated by the treatise author. 4. Explaining their establishment: Why are there only six, neither more nor fewer? Generally speaking, in the Dharma of dependent origination, there must be three gates: first, branches rely on the root, having arising and non-arising; second, since those arisen branches carry the root, when viewed in relation to each other they have sameness and difference; third, since those branches carrying the root are subsumed by the root, in their own substance they have integration and disintegration. If these three are not complete, dependent origination is not established. Since there are two in each of the three, there are only six. 5. Resolving through question and answer: there are two. First, the negative perspective: namely, neither universal nor particular, etc., as each mutually negates the other so that all characteristics are completely extinguished. Second, the affirmative perspective: namely, both universal and particular, etc., as each mutually establishes the characteristics in accordance with each other; one should reflect and extrapolate accordingly. 6. Explaining the text: there are five parts. First, enumerating according to the dharmas: namely, that within the explained dharmas there are six characteristics, etc. Second, determining the meaning of the teaching: 'this verbal explanation' determines the teaching, meaning that setting forth the words of these six characteristics here is intended to explain the sūtra text; one should understand this intention. Alternatively: the explanation of the six characteristics here is not the sūtra text at this point, but should be understood as merely the treatise master's interpretive intention. 'Excluding phenomena, namely the skandhas, dhātus, and āyatanas, etc.': this determines its meaning, stating that perfect interpenetration is explained in terms of principle, not discriminated within the phenomenal characteristics of the skandhas and so forth, which is why they are excluded and set aside. Third, listing the names: this is readily understood. Fourth, in explaining the characteristics: 'the particular relies on the root' explains that relying on the universal unfolds the particular. 'Fulfilling that root' is in turn able to complete the universal, meaning that one must rely on the particulars of the root in order to fulfill the root. 'The characteristic of increase' is the characteristic of gradual increase of the preceding nine entries, thereby revealing difference. 'Conditions forming in harmony' is briefly stated to indicate integration; 'conditions dispersing without action' extensively analyzes causes and conditions. 'Like the formation and disintegration of a world' raises an analogy to illustrate it: just as ten billion four-continent worlds combine to form one Sahā world, which is briefly stated and indicated as 'formation'; if discriminated and extensively explained, there are ten billion distinctions, and when combined into one Sahā there is nowhere it abides, hence it is 'disintegration'. Fifth, 'all the rest, etc.' encourages one to extrapolate by category in all contexts. Second, in the ten beginnings and endings of shared self-benefit and other-benefit, the sūtra text lacks an overarching clause for 'beginning and ending'. 'Beginning' is faith. 'Wishing to approach, etc.' explains the beginning of seeking the Dharma: without faith one does not seek, and without desire one cannot endure suffering to seek the Dharma. Because faith and desire arise internally, externally one can approach good friends as an upāya for obtaining the Dharma. 'Ending' is mindfulness and retention. 'The bhūmis' explains that upon obtaining the Dharma one does not forget it, recollecting what was received and retaining it without loss. What is retained? The dharmas of the various bhūmis. In truth, these two pervade the various bhūmis, because the ten lines below are all called 'beginning and ending'. If allocated by stage: the beginning is prior to the bhūmis and the ending is above the bhūmis, identical to the faith and aspiration prior to the bhūmis and the attainment of realization above the bhūmis in the entries above. Furthermore, there are āgama and realization above the bhūmis; 'the order like this should be understood according to the initial characteristic' provides yet another interpretation of the meaning of beginning and ending. The beginning corresponds to āgama, and the ending corresponds to realization and attainment; one should understand that matching them sequentially is the same as before. Hence it says 'initial characteristic', referring to the preceding characteristic of beginning and ending. Āgama is correctly pronounced *āgama*; an old translation renders it 'pure teaching', and another translation renders it 'coming', because this verbal teaching comes from one without afflictions. The current translation renders it 'transmission', meaning that this holy word is spoken in common by the Buddhas of the three times, merely transmitted and spoken by the ancient and present Buddhas, not newly created; hence it is called 'transmission'. Furthermore, based on this treatise, between above and below in the text there are nine tiers of āgama and realization in total: 1. Contrast between practice and teaching: voice and verbal teaching are called āgama; all virtuous qualities are spoken of as realization, just as in the two treasuries of letters and meanings spoken of below. 2. Contrast in terms of stages and bhūmis: practicing in accordance with the teaching before understanding and practice is called āgama; the first bhūmi and above is spoken of as realization, just as the praise of the assembly in the second request of Vimukticandra below, meaning that giving rise to hearing, thinking, cultivating, etc., prior to the bhūmis is called 'purity of āgama', while all cultivated virtues from the first bhūmi and above are collectively called 'purity of realization'. 3. Contrast between cultivation and fruition: the consciousness and wisdom arising from hearing, thinking, cultivating, and retribution in all bhūmis—the understanding that cognizes and reflects upon these four minds is called āgama; true wisdom transcending speech is taken as realization. Therefore, the treatise below says that hearing, thinking, cultivating, and so on are expressible, and because they are expressible they are called āgama, whereas the wisdom of the bhūmis transcends text and is called realization. 4. Contrast between true and provisional: the combined cultivation of the true and provisional in all bhūmis is called āgama; abandoning the provisional and tallying with the true is called realization, just as the two greats—meaning and explanation—clarified below, where the great explanation is the upāya cultivation of āgama, and the great meaning is the fulfillment of practice in realization. 5. Contrast between characteristics and reality: obtaining the characteristics of realization in worldly cultivation is called āgama; tallying with the fundamental true characteristic is called realization, just as the Dharma gate of the superior, wondrous Dharma radiance spoken of below, where 'superior' is realization and 'radiance' is teaching. 6. Contrast between essence and virtue: with regard to the practice accomplished in transcending characteristics, the beginningless dharmatā, originally concealed and now revealed, is called realization; the virtuous upāya practices accomplished relying on the root, cultivated and generated relying on the teaching, are called āgama, just as the analogy of refining gold in the text below, where the substance of gold illustrates realization and adornments such as bracelets illustrate āgama. 7. Contrast between essence and function: the preceding essence and virtue taken together constitute realization; the function of teaching and wisdom that arises relying on this in accordance with the worldly is called āgama, just as the dharmas illustrated by the jewel emitting light in the text below, where the purity of the jewel wheel illustrates the essence of realization and the blazing light illustrates āgama. 8. Contrast between one's own level and superior progress: the essence, virtues, and functions accomplished at one's own level are all called realization; being able to receive the Buddha's teaching is called āgama, just as the praise of the two powers of Vajragarbha in the text below, where wondrous wisdom and eloquence are called the power of realization, and mindfulness and firm, pure wisdom regarding the Buddha's Dharma teachings are called the power of āgama. 9. Contrast between signifier and signified: the substance of true wisdom is spoken of as realization; this very substance of realization divided into ten through language is called āgama, just as the dharma illustrated below by the footprints in empty space: the equality of empty space illustrates the realized wisdom of the bhūmis, which is why the treatise below says 'the abiding place of the collection of syllables is subsumed under realized wisdom'; the footprints in the sky illustrate the āgama of the bhūmis, which is why the treatise below says 'it is not that there are no names, phrases, and collections of syllables of the wisdom of the bhūmis; names, phrases, and collections of syllables are āgama dharmas'. These nine types apply to what is above and below, and should be understood accordingly. Among these ten clauses of beginnings and endings discriminated individually: the first three are thinking, cultivating, and benefiting beings prior to the bhūmis; the next one is the path of vision; the remaining six are the path of cultivation. These ten beginnings and endings are narrower than the preceding entries, because those entries encompassed hearing-wisdom before and fully subsumed the Buddha after. Why this is not the same: in reality they are equally pervasive, but because hearing-wisdom and the Buddha are not the bhūmis proper, having already been explained before, they are not analyzed again. 1. The beginning and ending of gathering: proclaiming the Dharma in accord with reflection is called 'speaking truly'; speaking truly fulfills virtue, hence it is called 'gathering'. Because that hearing-wisdom receives the Dharma from others, the teacher's function is not applicable, so it is not discussed. 2. The beginning and ending of desire: this is thinking-wisdom; a superior, increasing mind of seeking is called desire. A bodhisattva teaching and transforming desires to make sentient beings tally with the bhūmis, hence it says 'causing them to realize all Buddha-dharmas'; this is the meaning of abiding. Mindfulness is the desire; according with it is causing them to realize. 3. The beginning and ending of practice: this is cultivation-wisdom; right contemplation within this stage of application, such as the contemplation of mental discourse and consciousness-only, is called practice. Because it is not the stage of realization, it is called 'within the time of the contemplative phase'. Regarding the true non-outflow dharmas above the bhūmis, one performs contemplation with characteristics; therefore, regarding those non-outflow branches of the path, one can only cultivate contemplation with characteristics and has not yet attained contemplation without characteristics. Furthermore, relying on contemplation with characteristics, one speaks and transmits it to those beings before one, which is called 'discrimination'. The *Saṃgraha*'s 'setting up a slight object before oneself, calling it the nature of consciousness-only, etc.' and the *Vijñaptimātratā-siddhi*'s 'contemplating the mind with characteristics, etc.' are all practices of this stage. Because it is the contemplation of mental discourse, it is called 'speaking' in the sūtra and 'contemplation' in the treatise sūtra; their meaning is one. 4. The beginning and ending of realization: this is the stage of the path of vision. 'The radiance of great wisdom' is fundamental wisdom; 'well discriminating' is subsequent wisdom. 'Adorning oneself with them': the two wisdoms accomplish virtues. Furthermore, the character 'selecting' in the treatise sūtra is this discrimination; being supreme among discriminations, it is called 'well discriminating'. Being supreme means the selflessness of dharmas; surpassing the small is called great. Curing delusions is called radiance. 'In this matter' and 'in that time, all being well known': this explains the word 'upāya'; because it is the path of vision of characteristics, there is this knowledge. Since the treatise does not make it explicit, three interpretations are now given: First, 'in this matter' is in this matter of the path of vision; 'in that time' is in the time of the contemplative phase prior to the bhūmis. Directly illuminating this and skillfully knowing that as well is called 'all being well known', which constitutes upāya; upāya still has the meaning of adorning oneself. Second interpretation: 'this matter' is the same as before; 'that time' refers to all the practices and characteristics within the subsequent path of cultivation, so that using this subsequent wisdom to illuminate the past and penetrate the future is called 'all being well known'. Third, 'in this matter' is in the path of vision of characteristics of this subsequent wisdom; 'in that time' is in the time of the true path of vision of that fundamental wisdom; 'all being well known' means skillfully possessing the two wisdoms and using them to adorn oneself, which is called upāya. Alternatively: because taking the true path of vision as dharma also knows that, it says 'all being well known'. 5. The beginning and ending of the path of cultivation: 'supramundane wisdom' distinguishes its wisdom-essence. 'Wisdom power' clarifies that it has the capacity to enter dharmas. 'Dharma' is the practice dharma; 'meaning' is the doctrinal principle, which is what is entered by wisdom, meaning that these dharmas and meanings can produce complete wisdom, hence called 'the gate of complete wisdom'; the wisdom power of the path of cultivation can enter that gate, hence it is so stated. For the latter five beginnings and endings, the treatise author relies on curing the five hindrances to explain them by counteracting them. Question: Are the five hindrances here real or fictitious? Answer: They are both real and fictitious. Meaning: those who have these hindrances do not attain this stage, and those who attain this stage lack these hindrances; therefore, by provisionally setting them against these hindrances, the counteracting practices are revealed, which is the 'manifesting explanation' among the ten types of explanation. In the treatise, it first discriminates the five hindrances separately and then cites the sūtra to contrast and reveal them; both are now explained together. Within each hindrance there are two parts: first, stating the name of the hindrance, namely being unable to destroy the heterodox with the orthodox; below, explaining the meaning of the hindrance. Having already spoken the orthodox meaning, the words of others can destroy it, which is the loss of one's own practice. Retinues scatter and disperse, which is the loss of the practice of transforming others; thus it constitutes a hindrance. Below, citing the sūtra to reveal the antidote: 'in accord with what they are attached to' reveals one's own orthodox meaning to counteract heterodox attachments, hence it says 'in accord with where they should abide'. 'Explaining in sequence', hence this is indicated. The following line explains: because one has attained unhindered, joyful eloquence, wisdom, and brilliance, one is able to refute others. In the treatise sūtra, these two are combined into one clause. 2. 'Unable to answer objections': this lists the name. The preceding explained the inability to refute; this explains the inability to establish. Being confused by questions loses the practice of self-benefit; if what one says is not believed, one loses the practice of other-benefit. Below, the sūtra is cited to reveal the antidote: namely, realizing the stage of unhindered great wisdom, hence it says 'endowed, etc.' 3. Becoming attached to the small loses both benefits; not forgetting the great mind constitutes the antidote. 4. Being indolent in transforming sentient beings also goes against both benefits; being untiring in transforming beings constitutes the antidote, hence it says 'accomplishing the teaching and transformation, etc.' 5. Lacking skill in transformation means lacking upāya and also losing both benefits; having clear comprehension and skillful wisdom regarding all dharmas, such as the five sciences, is called 'determinate wisdom', which serves as the antidote. Furthermore, among these five hindrances: the first is inability to destroy another's heterodox doctrine; the second, although able to destroy another's, is inability to establish one's own orthodox doctrine; the third, although able to establish and destroy, delights mentally in the Hīnayāna; the fourth, although not delighting in the Hīnayāna, is lazy in transforming others; the fifth, although untiring in transforming, lacks the upāya to transform others. Therefore, up to the fifth, the practice of transformation is briefly complete. The twenty clauses above, which comprehensively explained the purpose of the empowerment, are concluded. From here down is the third section, explaining the characteristics of empowerment. In this there are three: oral, mental, and physical empowerment. The sequence of these three empowerments has two approaches: 1. In terms of the Buddhas of other directions: oral empowerment comes first, taking advantage of the preceding speech to encourage the discourse. Because internal wisdom and pure awakening are the causes for what was spoken before, mental empowerment is explained next to bestow wisdom, so that upon obtaining wisdom he is capable of explaining matters. Next, because he is to arise from samādhi, physical empowerment touches his crown to make him arise. 2. In terms of Rocana Buddha: mental is first, physical is next, and oral is last. In order to cause him to attain samādhi, since samādhi depends on mental power, it comes first; the body's light illuminates to increase his majestic virtue; verses are spoken from the cloud terrace, with oral karma bestowing teaching, only after which he is able to speak. Therefore, these three proceed from subtle to manifest to accomplish the discourse.