大方廣佛華嚴經疏 13.2

13.2

第二「爾時文殊」下，辨言說答。就文分四：一歎眾希奇、二「諸佛子」下牒問總歎、三「何以故」下徵歎總釋、四「諸佛子如來」下廣顯難思。今初也。前眾疑問，佛令文殊答者，以文殊示居此土生有十徵，來自他方體含萬德，降魔制外通辨難思，化滿塵方用周三際，道成先劫已稱龍種尊王，現證菩提復曰摩尼寶積，實為三世佛母，豈獨釋迦之師影響而來，一切咸見，故其說也。何不待請？敬同佛故。何不待告？承佛神力，佛意許故。眾既念請，佛方現相，非夫尊極大士安得理契潛通？故上以光示普賢，此乃冥加妙德。若爾，普賢云何定後更請？表說所信甚深細故。何不入定？以果從因，同於信故。餘如上說。何故無加？以無定故，又承佛神力是冥加故。歎眾希有者，略有五義：感應懸隔難一遇故、德行內充總稱歎故、以名表法甚希有故、創起信行未曾有故、此一眾會即是等空法界會故。

Second, from 'At that time Mañjuśrī' on, distinguishes the verbal answer. Within the text there are four parts: 1. praising the assembly as rare; 2. from 'Sons of the Buddha' on, reiterating the questions and praising them in general; 3. from 'Why is that?' on, querying the praise and explaining it in general; 4. from 'Sons of the Buddha, the Tathāgata' on, broadly revealing the inconceivable. Now, the first. When the previous assembly harbored doubts and questions, the Buddha ordered Mañjuśrī to answer because Mañjuśrī, manifesting his dwelling in this land, had ten auspicious portents at birth; coming from another direction, his essence encompasses myriad virtues; subduing Māra and curbing outsiders, his eloquence is inconceivable; his transformation fills dust-mote directions, and his function pervades the three times; having achieved the path in previous kalpas, he was already named Venerable King of Dragon Lineage; presently realizing bodhi, he is again called Accumulation of Mani Jewels; he is truly the mother of the buddhas of the three times—how could he merely be Śākyamuni's teacher? Arriving like a shadow and echo, all behold him; hence he speaks. Why does he not wait for a request? Because he is revered equally with the Buddha. Why does he not wait for an announcement? Because he relies on the Buddha's spiritual power and the Buddha's mind assents. Since the assembly made a silent request, the Buddha just then manifested marks; without an overwhelmingly exalted great being, how could one tacitly communicate in accord with principle? Thus above he showed Samantabhadra with light, while here he secretly empowers Wondrous Virtue. If so, why does Samantabhadra request again after samādhi? To signify that explaining what is believed is extremely profound and subtle. Why does he not enter samādhi? Because, bringing fruition to follow cause, it is identical with faith. The rest is as explained above. Why is there no empowerment? Because there is no samādhi, and also because relying on the Buddha's spiritual power is secret empowerment. Praising the assembly as rare briefly has five meanings: the response to spiritual capacity is widely separated and difficult to encounter at once; their virtuous practice is internally replete, so they are praised in general; signifying dharmas by names is extremely rare; initially giving rise to the practice of faith has never occurred before; this single assembly is precisely the dharmadhātu assembly that equals empty space.