大方廣佛華嚴經疏 13.29

13.29

The fifth layer of light shines upon ten thousand worlds; within the verses, the causal practices equal to bodhi are clarified. The text has ten lines of verse, all using three lines to distinguish the marks and one line to exhort to practice. Although all are actions, they progressively become deeper and subtler. They are briefly divided into five: First, one verse on the action of descending to rescue through great compassion: not seeking self-benefit, it says 'eternally transcending humans and devas'. Next, four verses on the action of ascending toward wisdom: first, faith; second, aspiration; third, mindfulness; fourth, study. Furthermore, the first is long-term practice, because constant faith does not waver. The second is earnest practice, because aspiration does not retrogress. 'Refreshing wisdom' means being free from the fever of defilements. The next verse is uninterrupted practice, because it is not suspended even for a moment. The final verse is practice without remainder, because one constantly and universally studies. Third, there is one verse on the action of inner illumination. 'Contemplating the true mark of the body' is like the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa contemplating the Buddha as 'not having come from the previous limit' and so forth, or like the Lotus [Sūtra] 'not being inverted' and so forth. Chapter on Dharma in the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā states: 'As for the true mark of all phenomena, mental activities and verbal expressions are severed; there is neither arising nor ceasing; it is quiescent like nirvāṇa.' This is the first half. It also states: 'The Buddhas have sometimes spoken of a self, and sometimes spoken of non-self. Within the true mark of all phenomena, there is neither self nor non-self.' This is the second half. Furthermore, being free from self transcends ordinary beings; being free from non-self transcends the two vehicles; thus one is able to deliver with compassion. However, 'self and non-self' generally comprises four propositions: first, only self; second, only non-self; third, both together, namely, non-self in saṃsāra and self in nirvāṇa; fourth, the negation of both above, because they mutually relativize and deprive one another. Fourth, one verse on the practice of equal contemplation. Because great compassion is of the same essence, there is equal contemplation. Seeing the true puts an end to the false; without giving rise to discrimination, when delusion is exhausted and one tallies with suchness, it is called 'entering reality'. Fifth, the final three verses are on the action of great function. The first verse is the supernormal power of the base of psychic power (ṛddhipāda); the latter two are the supernormal power of the wisdom of phenomena. Within these, the first is knowing lands: the land of dharmatā is non-form, and the rest are all form; these two are integrated, and both are thoroughly known. The final one is knowing the Buddha. Furthermore, as for the ten progressive stages: first, through compassion one wishes to rescue living beings. How should one rescue them? By having faith and joy in approaching the Buddha. What dharma of his does one delight in? Delighting in the Buddha's merits, because the Buddha accomplishes his body through merits. What benefit is there in idle delight? One should cultivate and study from thought to thought. Studying others is not as good as contemplating oneself; contemplating oneself does not equal bringing sentient beings and oneself into parity; entering the real and stagnating in quiescence, one should give rise to great function. What is the purpose of this function? One should seek to exhaust the worlds of the ten directions and enter the ocean of all buddhas.