大方廣佛華嚴經疏 11.20

11.20

The ninth section, differences due to kalpa transformations: this has two kinds. First, simply in terms of evocation, the kalpas of formation, abiding, and destruction are all called transformations. Second, solely in terms of the good and evil of the people residing within the abiding kalpa, causing the defiled and pure to transform. The explanation contains both: the first one is the former meaning, hence it says "transformations of immeasurable kalpas of formation and destruction." Saying "by nature of dharmas" means that by nature of dharmas it turns in accordance with karma. If so, how does this differ from the causes and conditions for arising? Causes and conditions focus on the cause, whereas transformation focuses on revealing the fruit. Furthermore, causes and conditions apply to existence, solely forming and not destroying, as in the causes of personal enjoyment. The remaining nine explain the latter meaning: First, encountering evil conditions, the pure transforms into the defiled; the text below says "springs and ponds all dry up," and so forth. Second, cultivating great merits of humans and gods causes the world to be mostly defiled and little pure, hence defiled is mentioned first, as the text below says "non-glutinous rice grows naturally," and so forth. Third is before the stages; because obstacles are not yet severed, it is not purely pure, but because purity is abundant, pure is mentioned first. The sūtra often says "defiled and pure"—how does this differ from the former? Perhaps it is an error of the translator, or a mistake in copying. Fourth is the initial aspiration with realization: because one resides in the land of enjoyment, it merely says "purely pure." Fifth, their respective travels: this refers to the various bodhisattvas from the second stage to the tenth stage playfully roaming with spiritual penetrations, adorning one land with many adornments, or adorning many lands with one adornment; wherever they arrive in defiled lands, they are capable of adorning them. Sixth, great adornment: this is the station of Samantabhadra, adorning the lands within dust motes, as in the light from the mouth summoning the assembly above. Seventh, adornment extinguishing: this clarifies the loss of good conditions and the emergence of evil; namely, when the Tathāgata demonstrates extinction, the deeds capable of being done extinguish accordingly. A hundred years after the Buddha's extinction, milk was not as good as water, let alone in the present age, let alone at the extreme of the period of decrease, when barnyard grass is the supreme flavor and iron is the supreme adornment! Eighth, like the coming of Maitreya. Ninth, with the Buddha's spiritual penetrations, what is not purified? Vimalakīrti pressing his toe to the earth and the Lotus Sūtra's threefold transformation of the pure lands are of this kind. The ten items above: the first is general, the rest are specific; they do not go beyond karma. Furthermore, the first two belong to ordinary beings, the next four to bodhisattvas, and the last three belong to Buddhas. Moreover, in terms of Buddhas and bodhisattvas, the defiled is made pure; in terms of ordinary beings, the pure becomes defiled. The ten verses versify the preceding in sequence, as can be known.