大方廣佛華嚴經疏 1.25

1.25

Sixth, relying on the speaker. The Dharma neither declines nor flourishes of itself; its propagation depends on persons. The text below says: 'If there is no person to preach the Buddhadharma, even those with wisdom cannot comprehend it.' Now, the speakers here extend throughout the three worlds; opened up, they become five: namely, buddhas, bodhisattvas, śrāvakas, sentient beings, and the vessel [world]. Opened further, they become ten: namely, adding the three times, dust motes, pores, the vessel, and sentient beings, since each has partial and full expressions. Pores and dust motes represent partial preaching. The aforementioned various speakings extend throughout the three times; hence the chapter 'Samantabhadra's Practice' says: 'Buddhas speak, sentient beings speak, and lands speak; thus they speak across the three times,' and so forth, extending boundlessly. In the 'Dharmadhātu Chapter', their categories are manifold: for example, the Asamkhyeya and Minor Marks are spoken by the Buddha. The other assemblies are mostly spoken by bodhisattvas. At the beginning of the 'Dharmadhātu Chapter' there is preaching by śrāvakas. The various spiritual friends are mostly spoken by bodhisattvas, and are also called speaking by sentient beings. The bodhi tree and the like represent the speaking of the vessel world. This will be understood when we come to the text. The speakers employ different methods, sometimes using sound, sometimes exquisite colors, and so forth, as analyzed under the essence of the teaching.