大方廣佛華嚴經疏 12.37

12.37

Fifth, explaining the text. If according to the division into ten sections based on the meaning of the chapters, the following three chapters correspond to the 'Section on the Fruit's Function Responding to Capacities Universally Pervading'. If according to the division into ten sections based on the Dharma aligned with the assemblies, this single assembly corresponds to the second, the 'Assembly of Faith Accomplishing Virtue'. Now, dividing in accordance with the four rounds of questions and answers: from this to the end of the seventh assembly corresponds to the second, the 'Section on Cultivating the Cause to Accord with the Fruit and Generating Understanding'. If following [the format of] the various assemblies, it should simply be divided into questions and answers. Now, to accord with the text, a single assembly is divided into three: first, the preparatory section; second, the request section; third, the exposition section. Now, first, the preparatory section. It is fully like the beginning of the sūtra, only differing slightly by adding 'Universal Light'. It is briefly divided into three: first, marking the host, time, and place; second, from 'when first attained' onward, specifically revealing the three matters; third, from 'together with ten buddhas' onward, the fulfillment of the retinue. Within the second part, it is divided into three: First, specifically revealing the time of preaching. Second, from 'in the Universal Light' onward, specifically revealing the place of preaching. The place is located about three li southeast of the Bodhimaṇḍa, at a bend of the Nairañjanā River; the dragon of that river created this for the Buddha. Now presenting the general subsumes the specific; earlier marking the name of the country gathered the branches into the root; because above it mentioned the name of the [Bodhimaṇḍa] site, below [it shows that] without moving from the tree of awakening, [he reaches] everywhere throughout the ten directions. Third, from 'wondrous awakening' onward, specifically revealing the virtues of the host, which also shows the marks of attaining sambodhi. Based on the beginning of the eighth assembly and the Saṃdhinirmocana-sūtra and so forth, all say that the Buddha has twenty-one kinds of virtues; they will be explained extensively in the 'Ascending to Tuṣita' chapter. The present text has the first ten phrases, which are also explained briefly here. Among the ten phrases, the first is general, and the rest are specific. In the general [phrase], 'wondrous awakening was all-complete': for 'wondrous awakening', the Jin translation has 'good awakening', and the Śāstra translation has 'sambodhi' (correct awakening); this is truly because the Sanskrit sound su encompasses 'wondrous', 'good', and 'correct', so the translators selected accordingly. Awakening means bodhi. Illuminating both the ultimate and the conventional, it is therefore called 'wondrous awakening'. Possessing all the following phrases, it is distinct from persons in the causal stage; hence it is also called 'complete'. Among the specific [phrases]: 1. 'The two practices were forever severed': afflictive [obscurations] and cognitive [obscurations], saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, are both called the 'two practices'; neither manifesting before [him] is called 'forever severed'. 2. 'Penetrated the markless Dharma': pure tathatā is called the 'markless Dharma'. 'Penetrated' means understood. 3. The Tathāgata constantly abides in great compassion, spontaneously benefiting and gladdening [beings]. Furthermore, he constantly abides in the holy, divine, and brahma abidings; hence it says 'abode in the Buddha's abiding'. 4. That which is realized, that which realizes, and the transformative functions are all equal to all buddhas. 5. Equipped with the path of the antidote, because of being liberated from hindrances. 6. The doctrinal teaching preached cannot be overturned by non-Buddhists. 7. Walking through the favorable and adverse conditions of the world, māras and enemies cannot obstruct him. 8. Establishing the doctrinal teaching, which transcends speech and thought. 9. Regarding the objects of the three periods of time, whether phenomena or noumenon, he understands and prophesies them without error. Possessing these nine specifics completes the first general phrase. Identity, difference, accomplishment, and destruction can be known by reflecting on them accordingly.