華嚴經探玄記 9.18

9.18

Regarding the fifth section, on the fundamental text, three gateways are established. First, explaining the name: because the concise serves as the foundation (ben) for the broad, and also serves as the basis for the request. Second, the intention of its occurrence: due to the preceding empowerment and emergence, the essence of the bhūmis is concisely explained, giving rise to the subsequent section of request; the characteristics of the bhūmis are concisely explained, giving rise to the subsequent section of exposition. When viewed from the perspective of the later fulfilling the earlier: through the section of request revealing what is profound, the preceding essence of the bhūmis is accomplished; through the section of exposition extensively explaining, the preceding characteristics of the bhūmis are accomplished. Thus, the fundamental and the derivative mutually accomplish each other. Third, explaining the text: this text has three parts. First, distinguishing the six determinations as the essence of the bhūmis. Second, enumerating the ten names to reveal the characteristics of the bhūmis. Third, citing the identical exposition of the three times to clarify the essential supremacy of the bhūmis. In the first part, since these six determinations are the essence of the bhūmis, five gateways are now established to explain them: 1. explaining the names; 2. generally distinguishing the essence of the bhūmis; 3. subsuming them with the six determinations of the Bodhisattvabhūmi (*Bhūmidhāra*) and the Yogācārabhūmi; 4. distinguishing their operational aspects; 5. explaining the text. First, explaining the names has two parts: First, explaining the general name: 'six' is the number, and 'determination' is the meaning; revealing the name through number and meaning is an appositional compound with a numeral (daishushì). It means that noble wisdom realizes the real, discerns and conclusively determines it, accords with principle, and is free from faults, which is also termed 'virtuous' (kuśala). This is the 'determination of realization' among the three determinations in the Bodhisattvabhūmi (*Bhūmidhāra*). Generally discussed, there are six meanings: 1. in terms of the essence of practice, it is determined to be firm and non-retrogressive; 2. in view of what is realized, it is determined to have already been realized; 3. in terms of afflictions, it is determined to be capable of severing them; 4. in terms of what is trusted, it is determined to be without doubt; 5. in terms of those who are transformed, it is determined to be capable of liberating them; 6. in view of the Buddha-fruit, it is determined to be capable of accomplishing it. Second, enumerating the names: 1. Virtuous determination of contemplative characteristics: the contemplation refers to that correct wisdom illuminating principle, and characteristics refers to according and uniting as one taste; this derives its name from its intrinsic essence. 2. Real: the real wisdom is free from the faults of inverted delusion and verifies the principle without falsehood; thus, the name is established in contrast with characteristics. 3. Superior: because it surpasses the inferior and is endowed with superior virtues; the name is also established from its intrinsic characteristic and in contrast to others. 4. Cause: because it is capable of accomplishing the fruit; thus, the name is established from its functional capacity. 5. Great: because it universally covers all sentient beings and its sentiment is without limit or restriction; the name is derived from both essence and function. 6. Undaunted: because as a cause entering into the virtues of the fruit, its sentiment is free from fear; this derives its name from mind and object. Second, through this, generally discussing the differences in the essential nature of the ten bhūmis, ten gateways are briefly established: 1. Taking these six determinations as the essence, because these are precisely the fundamental essence of the ten bhūmis being expounded. 2. Taking the aforementioned light of the Mahāyāna samādhi as the nature, because this samādhi completely contains śamatha and vipaśyanā and realizes phenomena without obstruction; hence the treatise says, 'This samādhi is the essence of phenomena.' 3. Taking the two practices of doctrine and realization as the nature, because preliminary practice and conditional cultivation are solely doctrinal practice, while fundamental wisdom according with principle is solely practice of realization, and subsequent wisdom completely contains both meanings, pervading doctrine and realization, as the treatise explains below. 4. Taking the three paths of realization, assistance, and non-abiding as the essence, which can also be known through general explanation. 5. Solely taking the realized tathatā as the nature, because the conditions of the realizing wisdom are completed and its characteristics are extinguished, identical with true principle; hence the Liang translation of the Mahāyānasaṃgraha says, 'Transcendent tathatā is the essence of the ten bhūmis,' and the lower text says 'the tracks of a bird are identical with empty space,' etc. 6. Solely taking the realizing wisdom as the nature; Asvabhāva's commentary on the Mahāyānasaṃgraha says, 'The stages of the wisdom of the selflessness of phenomena are called bhūmis'; the lower text of this treatise also says, 'All that has been spoken above is based on the bhūmi of wisdom,' and this present text is also based on the bhūmi of wisdom. 7. Completely containing both object and wisdom, namely the true principle and subtle wisdom, as explained in the previous two. The later text of the Liang translation also says, 'Tathatā and wisdom constitute the nature.' 8. In terms of universal subsumption, the Vijñaptimātratāsiddhi says, 'Comprehensively subsuming all conditioned and unconditioned merits constitutes the nature.' 9. In terms of cause and effect: as the text below uses the ten characteristics of the great ocean to specifically analogize the ten bhūmis, and uses the single great ocean as a whole to analogize the Buddha-bhūmi. It also says that a bhūmi has two divisions: the open sky that is painted serves to analogize the fruit division, while the ten characteristics that can be painted analogize the cause division; therefore, both what depends and that on which it depends are together the essence of the bhūmis. 10. Generally in terms of various gateways: the ten practices of faith and so forth are the dharmas that accomplish the bhūmis, and so too are the ten [pāramitās] of dāna and so on. Furthermore, the various gateways such as the three gradual stages are all distinguished below, and all constitute the essence of the dharmas of the bhūmis. Third, regarding subsuming them with the six determinations of the Bodhisattvabhūmi (*Bhūmidhāra*) and the Yogācārabhūmi: the Bodhisattvabhūmi (*Bhūmidhāra*) says: 'The characteristics of determination are six: 1. being able to cultivate oneself and generate the vow of bodhi, surpassing all other pure vows; 2. the peerless and uncommon fruit, surpassing all worldly realms; 3. liberating the suffering of sentient beings according to need, uncommon to all śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas; 4. generating the nature of a single-thought vow, spontaneously taking joy in immeasurable pure dharmas and unwearied practice; 5. attaining inexhaustibility, perpetually non-retrogressive; 6. increasing the superior portion to consummate great bodhi is the real vow.' Explanation: the third here corresponds to the fifth in the Daśabhūmika-śāstra (*Dì lùn*), because the intention of the Bodhisattvabhūmi (*Bhūmidhāra*) is that only when subsuming both benefits does it constitute a cause. The reconciliation and explanation of the others can be understood. Fourth, regarding distinguishing their operational aspects: within these six, the first five are practices of one's own stage, and the last one is the practice of superior progression. Among the former, the first four are practices for the benefit of oneself, and the latter one is the practice for the benefit of others. Among the former, the first three clarify the virtue of the essence of practice; the latter one reveals the function and capacity of practice, meaning having the efficacy of accomplishing the fruit. Among the former, the first two have a complete essence of practice; the latter one is fully endowed with the virtues of practice. Among the former, the first clarifies the intrinsic essence of practice; the latter reveals practice as being free from faults. Therefore, having an intrinsic essence free from faults and subsuming virtues constitutes the cause, and the fulfillment of the practices of the two benefits accomplishes the Buddha-fruit. These are their operational aspects.