華嚴經探玄記 9.6

9.6

Third, regarding the principal theme, there are also two: First, explaining the theme of the assembly: in terms of persons, there are the presiding transformer and the assistants in transformation, each possessing essence, characteristics, and function, all extending to nature manifestation and practice-arising, as can be understood. In terms of dharmas, there are the two causes and fruitions—generative and revealing, differentiated and equal; they are also the causes and fruitions of practice-arising and intrinsic possession; there are also the teachings/phenomena and the principle/meaning. Essence, characteristics, and function may be understood by analogy with the preceding, differing only in extending to nature manifestation; the remaining meanings may be understood accordingly. Second, regarding the theme of the chapter: in general terms, this chapter takes the practices of realization of the ten bhūmis as its principal theme. Distinctively, there are ten meanings: 1. In terms of the source, it is solely the ineffable nature of the ocean of fruition. 2. In terms of what is realized, it is undefiled true suchness. 3. In terms of gnosis, it refers to the three gnoses—fundamental, subsequent, and so forth. 4. In terms of abandonment, it refers to abandoning the seeds and active manifestations of the two hindrances. 5. In terms of what is cultivated: the first bhūmi cultivates the practice of vows; the second bhūmi, the practice of morality; the third, the practice of dhyāna; the fourth, the practice of the limbs of the path; the fifth, the practice of the truths; the sixth, the practice of conditioned arising; the seventh, the practice of the factors of bodhi; the eighth, the practice of pure lands; the ninth, the practice of expounding the Dharma; the tenth, the practice of receiving the stage. 6. In terms of what is accomplished through cultivation, there are four practices: the first bhūmi is the practice of faithful joy; the second, the practice of morality; the third, the practice of samādhi; the fourth and above are all the practice of wisdom. Within the practice of wisdom, the fourth, fifth, and sixth are the wisdom of the two vehicles; from the seventh bhūmi onward is the wisdom of bodhisattvas. 7. In terms of stages, there are two stages: the stage of realization and the stage of instruction (āgama), as they are the stages of the ten bhūmis. 8. In terms of the vehicles provisionally lodged, the first, second, and third bhūmis provisionally lodge the worldly human and deva vehicles; the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh bhūmis provisionally lodge the supramundane three vehicles; the eighth bhūmi and above provisionally lodge the supra-supramundane One Vehicle; therefore, the various vehicles are taken as the dharmas of these bhūmis. 9. In terms of the practices of the lodged stages, within the ten bhūmis one accomplishes the practices of the ten pāramitās—dāna and so forth. 10. In terms of retribution, one manifests the phenomenal aspects of the ten kings. The remaining meanings will be distinguished separately below.