大方廣佛華嚴經疏 12.38

12.38

Third, the fulfillment of the retinue. The text is divided into two distinct parts: 1. Marking their number and selecting [their status]; 2. Praising their supreme virtues. In the former, 'bodhisattvas' distinguishes them from ordinary beings and śrāvakas; 'in the position of succession' clarifies that they are not of the lower stations. Coming from other directions shows that they are not the old assembly. Regarding 'one life', there are two meanings in the explanation: 1. In terms of transformative marks, meaning like Maitreya. This again has three [aspects]: a. one life among humans; b. one life in heaven; c. one life descending [from heaven to be born]; here it specifically takes that in heaven. 2. In terms of one life of actual retribution, meaning that among the four kinds of inconceivable transformation death, there is only the final kind called 'not having death', being bound to a single station. This text mostly pertains to the transformative marks. Second, from 'universally skilled' onward, praising their virtues. Although virtues are measureless, it briefly praises the one [virtue of] 'universal'. 'Skilled in observing' is the wisdom that can observe. 'Universal' has two meanings: 1. All in the assembly universally share this virtue; 2. Universally observing the ten objects. 'Skilled' has three meanings: 1. Skilled in knowing marks; 2. Skilled in knowing marklessness; 3. Skilled in knowing that these two are unobstructed. From 'the realm of sentient beings' onward clarifies that the objects observed all possess the above three meanings. Among the ten, the first is the general phrase: the sentient beings to be transformed. Next, whence did these [beings] arise? Due to delusion regarding the dharmadhātu, they give rise to worlds. I shall cause them to abide in the realm of nirvāṇa and purify all their karmic fruits; therefore, one must recognize the diseases of the mind's activities and the medicine of the text and meaning, causing them to turn away from the worldly and aspire to the supramundane, neither exhausting the conditioned nor abiding in the unconditioned. The above discerned the horizontal observation of the ten dharmas; now it vertically penetrates the three periods of time. Observing nirvāṇa, one knows what has been, is currently, and will be realized; observing all karmas, what has been, is currently, and will be created; karmic retributions, what has been, is currently, and will be received; mental activities, what has been, is currently, and will be generated. The rest can be understood by analogy, also harmonizing them by means of the six marks.