大方廣佛華嚴經疏 12.2

12.2

Second, specifically explaining the systems of lands and fragrant oceans. Explaining the two headings together means that the fragrant oceans rely on the oceans of lands, the seed systems of lands rely on the fragrant oceans, and the various lands rely on the seed systems of lands. This also has prose and verses. The prose is divided into three parts: first, a general presentation of what the various oceans rely upon; second, sequentially and specifically revealing the oceans, systems, and lands; third, a general summary conclusion and explanation. Now, this is the first.

Although earlier only the two headings of seed systems of lands and lands were raised, when explaining their dwelling and reliance, it is consistently said that they rely on oceans; therefore, the number of oceans is listed. These many fragrant oceans are all on the surface of the oceans of lands, so they are called that on which they rely. Speaking of being “like Indra's net”: in broad distribution, it resembles a chariot wheel. What is distinctive is that the net of Śakra's palace is formed by stringing heavenly pearls: taking one large pearl at the center, the next largest pearls are strung through and encircle it, and in this manner, winding round and round successively through hundreds of thousands of turns. Viewed from above, below, the four sides, and the four corners, all align in orderly ranks. Now, although these fragrant oceans are on the ground, their distribution is similar. Furthermore, there is the meaning of multiple layers of mutual interpenetration; hence it is said to be “like” it.

Second, from “Disciples of the Buddha, here in the very center…” onward, sequentially and specifically revealing the various oceans, systems, and lands. The text is divided into three: first, discerning the single ocean in the middle; next, discerning the ten oceans circling to the right; and finally, clarifying the oceans governed by the ten oceans. However, the ten oceans each govern oceans numbering as many as the paramāṇus of an ineffable number of Buddha lands; revealing them collectively, there are ten ineffable paramāṇu numbers of Buddha lands. Spoken sequentially, there are only one hundred and eleven oceans, the rest being merely mentioned in brief.

Now, the first: the single ocean at the center. The text is divided into two: first, clarifying that the fragrant ocean produces a flower to support the seed system of lands; afterward, from “there are ineffable…” onward, clarifying the worlds supported [by it]. The former has three points: First, the name of the fragrant ocean: because many flowers emit light, and also because the practice-flowers of bodhisattvas serve as the cause. Second, the name of the flower: because fragrant maṇi jewels adorn this flower, and also because it arises from the maṇi bottom. In terms of the Dharma, it is formed by the complete illumination of the myriad practices. Because the ocean can have flowers, it receives the name of the flower; because the flower relies on the ocean, it takes the designation of the ocean floor. Third, the name of the system: in terms of phenomena, because precious light illuminates far and wide. In terms of the Dharma, the seed system of worlds is precisely the contained seeds, each having the meaning of the light of great wisdom illuminating the dharmadhātu everywhere, and because their nature and virtues mutually adorn each other.

In the second part, regarding the supported worlds, there are three sections: first, a general presentation of the large number; second, from “at its lowest level…” onward, specifically discerning the twenty tiers of great lands; third, from “Disciples of the Buddha…” onward, analogously concluding the rest. The first text is clear.

In the second part, the specific discernment: according to the heading and the conclusion, there are ineffable land paramāṇus. In its specific discernment, it only lists nineteen Buddha-land paramāṇu numbers as twenty tiers. The encircling lands are only two hundred and ten Buddha-land paramāṇu numbers, which will be reconciled and explained below. The twenty tiers are divided into twenty sections. In the lowest tier, the text contains seven matters: First, raising the name. Second, discerning the limit—meaning the limit occupied by the world, like the vajra limit. Third, reliance and dwelling: if based on this name, it is largely the same as the lotus flower on which the seed system of lands relies. However, older commentaries say that above the flower produced from the boundless fragrant ocean mentioned before, there is further this flower supporting this one realm. Taking the upper tiers as an analogy having separate reliances and dwellings, they made this explanation. What harm is there in considering that the lowest relies on the general flower? Fourth, its shape being like a maṇi: because the shape of a maṇi has eight facets, appearing square yet not square, appearing round yet not round, hence it differs from the eight corners below. Fifth, the covering above. Sixth, the retinue. Seventh, the name of the Buddha in this realm: free from the defilements of the two obscurations, his eye of wisdom is pure, illuminating the world like a lamp. Yet the Buddha's virtues are boundless, each corresponding to one significance.

From the second tier onward, there may be eight matters, adding the distance from here; or there may be nine matters, adding the statement of being “purely immaculate.” According to this, if these words are absent, it covers both defiled and pure. Above this, the retinue gradually increases, and the matters in the middle numbers of lands can be understood by analogy.

In the fifth, the statement “universally square” means: looked at as a whole, it is square, yet within one face there are also many corners and recesses. A recess is a corner; the style of the text accommodates this.

Its thirteenth primary land is this Sahā [world]. Regarding the statement that its shape is like space: Jingfa says that both Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna sūtras say that the essence of space has no physical form and has no visible mark. Saying now that it has a shape is an error by the translator who inverted the text. The Sanskrit text says *samanta* (circular/universal), *deva-bhavana* (heavenly palace), *gagana* (space), *alaṃkāra* (ornamentation/canopy), *saṃsthāna* (shape). Inverting the text, “shape” should be placed before “circular,” and “space” placed above “heavenly palace,” and then combined and embellished as: “its shape is circular, covered above with the ornaments of heavenly palaces dwelling in space.” Jingfa's reasoning here is profoundly justified. Now, interpreting it according to the sūtra, there is also reason in it: although space is formless, it is spoken in accordance with worldly convention. Worldly texts point to space as heaven, regarding heaven as a round vault whose shape is like an overturned cauldron, thus describing heaven's disposition as enclosing the flat wilderness. It is also like the *Lotus Sūtra* saying “King Brahmā is the father of sentient beings,” which is likewise merely speaking according to worldly convention.

In the fifteenth, where it says its shape is like a svastika: Jingfa says that *śrīvatsa* originally was not a character (word), but the mark of a virtuous one; correctly speaking, it is “ocean cloud of auspiciousness.” The myriad virtues are deep and vast like an ocean, benefiting beings like clouds. Translators since antiquity mistakenly translated *lakṣaṇa* as *akṣara*, thereby taking a mark as a character, which was an error. Now, interpreting the meaning, this mark is formed by the aggregation of myriad auspicious virtues, and hence it is designated as *wan* (ten thousand/svastika), aiming for brevity of speech while encompassing the meaning; it should properly be called the “myriad marks.” The rest are all easy to understand.