花嚴經文義綱目 1.21

1.21

前中諸聖教立此經名，略有五種：初依《觀佛三昧經》及《涅槃經》，名此經為雜花經。此隨喻為名，以理行交雜緣起集成故。二《智論．屬累品》名為不思議解脫經，有十萬偈。此從法就用為名，故〈性起品〉云「此經為乘不思議乘菩薩設。」又《智論》自指此經也。三梁朝《攝論》第十勝相云百千經者，即花嚴十萬偈為百千也。此從數為名。四如下〈離世間品〉出生菩薩深妙義花等，至彼當釋，此約法喻合目。五約十義立名等，如〈性起品〉，亦至彼當釋。

First, among these, holy teachings have established roughly five names for this sūtra: First, based on the Guanfo sanmei jing and the Nirvāṇa-sūtra, this sūtra is named the Miscellaneous Flowers Sūtra (Zahua jing). This takes its name according to a metaphor, because it is assembled from the pratītyasamutpāda of the intermingling of principle and practice. Second, the "Entrustment Chapter" of the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa names it the Inconceivable Liberation Sūtra, having one hundred thousand verses. This takes its name by proceeding from the Dharma toward its function; hence the "Chapter on the Arising of the Tathāgata Nature" says: "This sūtra is set forth for bodhisattvas who mount the Inconceivable Vehicle." Moreover, the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa itself points to this sūtra. Third, the tenth excellent characteristic in the Mahāyānasaṃgraha of the Liang dynasty speaks of the "Hundred-Thousand Sūtra," which refers precisely to the hundred thousand verses of the Avataṃsaka as "one hundred thousand." This takes its name from the number. Fourth, as the "Chapter on Leaving the World" below speaks of "generating the bodhisattva's profound and wondrous flowers of meaning," etc., which will be explained when we reach that point; this combines Dharma and metaphor in a unified name. Fifth, establishing the name based on ten meanings and so forth, as in the "Chapter on the Arising of the Tathāgata Nature," which will also be explained when we reach that point.