大方廣佛華嚴經疏 17.23

17.23

第二南方一切慧者，了一切法真實之性，淨心地故。頌意為顯於諸眾生增長大悲，以稱實而觀救世者故。十頌分六：初二違理觀佛非見佛、次四了法真性真見佛。三有一偈，迷性取法不見佛。四一偈，佛即同法為真佛。五一偈，引已了法為見佛。六一偈，推功有本了真佛。初中，前偈出其妄觀，假設長時以況暫見；後偈明其有損，由上不依真實則取相乖真，但見集網繫於苦獄，盲無慧眼冥然不見佛之法身。然此遮取相故，假設長時，無有多劫，全不了義，以見如來增智慧故。第二四偈，了法真性真見佛。於中二：前二真觀、後二真止。前中，初二句空觀，緣生無性故；次二句假觀，隨俗假名故；次二句中觀，由前生滅一切諸法即無性故，相體即是不生滅也。後二句觀益，諸法如即是佛如，無生滅佛體本常，觀稱於如則佛常現。況三觀一心，則佛之體用無不現矣。後二真止中，以觀觀法能所紛動，故須寂之。初句牒前法性；次句泯其能所。法性本空，非觀之使空，故無所取，何有能見？次二句心冥性佛故，止絕思求。又上來空以遣有、假以遣空，如則雙遣空假、形奪兩亡，若謂雙非還成戲論，故辨起心皆妄、絕念方真，念本自無斯絕亦滅。故《中論》云「如來寂滅相，分別有亦非。如是性空中，思惟亦不可。」用斯文也。後一顯觀益。心冥體性，惑何由生？亦含三止意也。又亦通結止觀，稱上而觀，見惑性空即同佛性，何能染哉？第三一偈迷性中，上半取法、次句迷性、末句結過。第四一偈，佛即同法如。謂同空法故離三世，同假法故相具足，同雙遣故無住無著，同如體故遍不動搖。第五一偈引己中，此親自證，希眾無惑。第六一偈推功有本者，非師心也。亦謙己推人，異乎凡情，令法鉤鎖殊塗同致。下八準之。

Second, Sarvamati of the south understands the true nature of all phenomena, because he purifies the ground of the mind. The intention of the verses is to reveal the increase of great compassion toward all sentient beings, because he contemplates the Savior of the World in accord with reality. The ten verses are divided into six: the first two show that contemplating the Buddha in violation of principle is not seeing the Buddha; the next four show that understanding the true nature of phenomena is truly seeing the Buddha. Third, there is one verse showing that being deluded about nature and grasping at phenomena is not seeing the Buddha. Fourth, one verse shows that the Buddha being identical to phenomena is the true Buddha. Fifth, one verse adduces having understood phenomena oneself as seeing the Buddha. Sixth, one verse attributes merit to its origin in understanding the true Buddha. In the first part, the preceding verse points out erroneous contemplation, hypothesizing a long period to contrast with seeing momentarily; the subsequent verse clarifies its detriment: because the above does not rely on truth, grasping at marks contradicts reality; one merely sees the net of origin binding one to the prison of suffering, blind without the eye of wisdom, darkly failing to see the Buddha's dharmakāya. Yet this is to refute grasping at marks; thus it hypothesizes a long period—there are no numerous kalpas in which one completely fails to understand the definitive meaning, because seeing the Tathāgata increases wisdom. In the second part, the four verses show that understanding the true nature of phenomena is truly seeing the Buddha. Within this there are two: the first two are true contemplation, and the latter two are true calming. In the former, the first two lines are contemplation of emptiness, because conditioned arising has no intrinsic nature; the next two lines are contemplation of the provisional, because provisional names accord with the conventional; the next two lines are contemplation of the middle, because all phenomena arising and ceasing are without intrinsic nature, their marks and essence are precisely non-arising and non-ceasing. The last two lines are the benefit of contemplation: the suchness of all phenomena is precisely the Buddha's suchness; the Buddha whose essence has no arising or ceasing is fundamentally eternal; when contemplation accords with suchness, the Buddha is ever-present. How much more so when the three contemplations are in a single mind, then both the essence and function of the Buddha are fully manifest! In the latter two on true calming, because contemplating phenomena with contemplation involves the agitation of subject and object, one must make them serene. The first line repeats the preceding dharmatā; the next line eliminates subject and object. Dharmatā is fundamentally empty, not made empty by contemplation; thus there is nothing to grasp—how could there be a viewer? The next two lines show the mind merging with the nature-Buddha, thus calming and terminating conceptual seeking. Furthermore, previously emptiness dispelled existence and the provisional dispelled emptiness; suchness dispels both emptiness and the provisional, their forms mutually negating and both perishing. If one asserts the dual negation, it turns back into conceptual proliferation; therefore, it discerns that all arising thoughts are false, and only terminating thoughts is true; thoughts are fundamentally non-existent, and this termination is also extinguished. Thus the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā says: 'The Tathāgata is the mark of tranquility; discriminating existence is also not [correct]. In such intrinsic emptiness, conceptualization is also impossible.' This text is used here. The final one reveals the benefit of contemplation. When the mind merges with the essential nature, from where could delusion arise? It also contains the intention of the three calmings. Furthermore, it comprehensively concludes calming and contemplation: contemplating in accord with the above, seeing the nature of delusions to be empty is identical to Buddha-nature; how could they defile it? In the third part, the single verse on being deluded about nature: the upper half grasps at phenomena, the next line is deluded about nature, and the final line concludes the fault. In the fourth part, the single verse shows the Buddha is identical to phenomena: being identical to empty phenomena, he is free from the three times; being identical to provisional phenomena, his marks are complete; being identical to the dual negation, he is non-abiding and non-attached; being identical to the essence of suchness, he is pervasive and unshakeable. In the fifth part, adducing oneself: this is personal realization, wishing the assembly to have no doubt. In the sixth part, attributing merit to its origin means not relying on one's own subjective mind. It also humbles oneself and defers to others, differing from ordinary sentiments, causing the chain of the Dharma to reach the same destination through different paths. The remaining eight follow this.