大方廣佛華嚴經疏 16.17

16.17

Seventh, the seventeen verses from 'Refined thought' onward explain the samādhi-gate of humbling oneself to identify with the world. Within this, there are three [sections]: First, six [verses] on physically identifying with the world to benefit sentient beings, where there is nothing among the dependent [environment] or primary [bodies] that is not displayed. Next, six [verses] on displaying identity with heterodox paths to rescue their errant factions: the first five distinguish them individually, and the last one summarizes them; their meaning is as explained separately. Third, the five verses from 'Sentient beings are deluded' onward explain the great function of vocal karma: the first one explains generally, the next three elucidate individually, and the last one summarizes. In the individual section, 'or border incantation speech,' in Sanskrit it is *drāviḍa-mantra-padābhī*. As for drāviḍa, it is the name of a border country in South India, translated here as 'dissolving.' Mantra means 'incantation.' Padābhī means 'words/phrases.' It means that the people of that country are endowed with a pure nature, and whatever words they utter all become divine incantations. If neighboring countries invade, they do not use weapons, but merely break them with words, and the others are destroyed naturally; hence they are called 'words of dissolving incantations.' Some also say that only young boys and girls can make words into incantations, whereas others cannot. Furthermore, as for 'secret languages of the devas' and so forth, Vibhāṣā fascicle seventy-nine says: The Bhagavat at times spoke the Four Truths in noble language for the Four Heavenly Kings; two kings understood, and two were unable to understand. The Bhagavat, out of pity, spoke the Four Truths in the vernacular of a border country in South India; of the two kings, one understood and one did not. The Bhagavat, out of pity, further spoke the Four Noble Truths in a mleccha language, whereupon all Four Heavenly Kings attained understanding. 'Skilled in refuting others' means truly being able to refute through pramāṇa of hetuvidyā (Buddhist logic) and so forth. 'Unshakable by outsiders' means truly being able to establish [theses], not being refuted by others. The final verse concludes by analogical extension: it is not only expounding the Four Truths, but the six pāramitās and myriad practices are all like this. Single-mindedly expounding the Dharma, one attains the true nature of speech, capable of giving rise to functions according with each category; this is called the power of samādhi. (From here below is fascicle fifteen of the sūtra).