大方廣佛華嚴經疏 16.18

16.18

Eighth, from "There is a supreme samādhi" onward, eighty-nine and a half verses clarify the samādhi gate of the light from pore-hairs shining and benefiting. Wisdom tallies with the gate of liberation, and compassion perfumes the karma of body, speech, and mind; therefore [the bodhisattva] attains a body identical with the dharmadhātu, whose vast functions are boundless, and the light from his pore-hairs, touching beings, brings ten thousand kinds of benefit. Pervasive across time and place, those with the conditions encounter it: this is what is called the bodhisattva completely establishing sentient beings. The text is divided into five parts: first, one verse designates the gate and generally explains it; second, from "The light emitted" onward, the karmic function of the light of a single pore-hair is explained individually; third, from "Just as from a single pore-hair" onward, by analogy the karmic functions of the lights of all pore-hairs are revealed; fourth, from "According to their original practices" onward, the demarcations [of those who perceive it] are explained and established; fifth, from "If there are those who hear" onward, the benefits of hearing and having faith in the light [are presented]. Now, regarding the first part, because it is explained in terms of the beneficiaries, it is called "peace and joy." Within the second section, there are two parts: first, a brief explanation of the functions of the forty-four gates of light; later, from "Such as these" onward, the concise is concluded and the extensive is displayed. Within these forty-four lights, each has four meanings: 1. designating the name of the light; 2. explaining the light's function; 3. identifying the cause of the light; 4. concluding with the light's result. Grouped by their categories, they are divided into ten sections and five pairs: first, two lights reveal the Three Jewels; second, four lights cause the vast mind [of bodhi] to be generated; the above two form the pair of the Three Jewels and the four vast vows; third, two lights generally round out merit and wisdom; fourth, two lights enter the noumenon and retain the Dharma; the above form the pair of the two adornments and the two retentions; fifth, six lights bring the practices of the six perfections to fruition; sixth, seven lights effect rescue and reception through the four immeasurables; these form the pair of the six perfections and the four immeasurables; seventh, one light generally manifests the three trainings; eighth, eight lights diversely manifest the myriad practices, with making offerings coming first; these form the pair of the three trainings and the myriad practices; ninth, six lights cause the six sense-faculties to be internally purified so that all movement accords with the noumenon; tenth, six lights clarify that the six dusts are externally purified so that everything encountered is the Way; these form the pair of pure faculties and pure objects. Now, within the first two lights, the former is "Manifestation." In it, the first line gives the name; because it is close to the initial heading, it merely says "[the light] emitted," without saying "further emitting"; the next three lines explain its function; in the subsequent verse that explains the causes, it reveals the Three Jewels to make [beings] correctly take refuge, and reveals the correct path to make them turn toward it rightly. The above applies generally to both the single-essence and distinctive-mark Three Jewels, and also reveals stūpas to lead them to right faith, in meaning also including the sustained maintenance [of the Dharma]. The latter light has the function of "Illuminating," with seven lines: one verse explains the causes, all clear and understandable. In the second [group of] four lights that cause the generation of the vast mind, these are the four vast vows. The first causes sentient beings to be vowed to be delivered boundlessly, in its causes promoting the conditioned while disparaging the conditioned; the second light causes afflictions to be vowed to be severed boundlessly, in its causes promoting the conditioned while praising dhyāna concentration; both of the above cultivate both phenomena and noumenon; the third [leads beings to] aspire upward to the fruit of buddhahood; the fourth [leads beings to] delight in the Three Jewels and exhaustively master the Dharma gates; being the conclusion of the four vast vows in the causes, it therefore summarizes by stating: "and reveals the practice of the merits of generating the [bodhi] mind." In the third [group], two lights generally round out merit and wisdom. In the causes of wisdom, one discerns the characteristics of phenomena and resolves the true noumenon without marring phenomena or noumenon, and without reducing the Buddha's Dharma; thus, in a single thought, one comprehends many gates. In the fourth [group], two lights enter the noumenon and retain the Dharma: the first is wisdom entering the two emptynesses, which is the retention of meaning; the latter is possessing the four dhāraṇīs and being sovereign with respect to phenomena. In the fifth [group], among the lights of the six perfections, regarding the mention of "generating the vast mind" in the causes of the precepts: if one generates the mind of the two vehicles, that breaks the pure precepts; the vast mind guides good deeds so that they do not abide in [mere rebirth among] humans and devas, zealously spurring the myriad practices with wisdom as their leader—for each [perfection] a verse is added, and the rest can be deduced. In the sixth [group], within the seven lights of rescue and reception through the four immeasurables, the first is the light of loving-kindness, which bestows the true joy of the Buddha's wisdom and causes one to see immeasurable buddhas. This has two meanings: first, seeing the phenomenal Buddha, because it is the cause of true joy; second, seeing the Buddha of the mind, because each mind-flower possesses the nature of awakening. The next three are lights of compassion that pull beings out of suffering: the first is the suffering of distress and hardship; the next is the suffering of illness; the last is the suffering of death. Causing them to see the Buddha brings two benefits: first, when giving up life, they have no terror; second, they have no fear of the evil destinies. Furthermore, concerning the necessity of encouraging them at the verge of death, the *Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa*, fascicle 28, says: "A short time at the verge of death can surpass the power of lifelong practice, because it is so fierce, like fire or poison." According to the method of the Western Regions, when someone is about to give up life, they have him face west, and place a standing image in front of him, also facing west; tying the head of a banner to the image's hand and fingers, they make the sick person hold the banner's tail, recite the Buddha's name, and form the intention to follow the Buddha to be reborn in the Pure Land, while also burning incense, striking the chime, and assisting in reciting the Buddha's name. If one can practice this, not only will the deceased be reborn before the Buddha, but in the end he will also succeed in seeing the Buddha's light. If someone's spirit roams the great expanse, coming and going without obstruction, that is left outside this discussion; otherwise, one should diligently exert oneself in this practice. The next two lights cause Dharma-joy to arise: first, rejoicing in the Dharma and listening to its preaching, Dharma-joy is already replete; finally, whatever condition is encountered is nothing other than the Buddha's Dharma, achieving the culmination of joy. The last causes the accomplishment of great equanimity, relinquishing and eliminating heedlessness, the root of all delusions. In the seventh [group], one light generally manifests the myriad practices: because the three trainings encompass them exhaustively, it is called "Universally Heard." In the eighth [group], eight lights diversely explain all practices, with making offerings coming first: the first five pertain to reverent offerings [to the field of merit], and the last three to bestowing charity on the field of compassion. In the ninth [group], six lights internally purify the six sense-faculties. In the tenth [group], six lights externally clear the six sense-objects. The text in both cases is readily understood. A *ge* is a flat-headed halberd. A *tian* is a small spear. Second, from "Such as these" onward, the concise is concluded and the extensive is displayed: the lights functioning from a single pore-hair are as many as dust motes and sands. Third, from "Just as from a single pore-hair" onward, by analogy the karmic functions of the lights of all pore-hairs are revealed, and the basis upon which their functions rely—namely, the power of samādhi—is concluded. Fourth, from "According to their [original practices]" onward, the demarcations [of those who perceive them] are explained and established. If there are lights such as these, why are they not seen now? It is said that those with conditions see them, like eyes beholding light; those without conditions do not perceive them, blind people ever in darkness. In this there are two parts: first, a verse generally explains it. "According to their original practices" refers back to the previous past causes. "The lights attained" refers back to the previous resulting functions. If there are past conditions and those who once practiced together, then they see such differences according to what they perceive. The subsequent six verses explain them individually: within these, the first two speak through doctrine, and the latter four speak through metaphors. In the former, the first verse treats past conditions. There are four past conditions: 1. having shared karma in the past; 2. loving their practice; 3. being able to rejoice in accord; 4. merely seeing what was done. The latter verse treats present causes: one does not necessarily need past conditions; so long as the meritorious practice is internally solid, the light will shine upon them. There are three kinds of causes: 1. cultivating extensive merit; 2. making offerings to many buddhas; 3. seeking the fruit of buddhahood; these are the two adornments of merit and wisdom. The seven categories above are all touched by the light's illumination. In the metaphorical explanation, both metaphors of seeing and not seeing are explained, and both have doctrinal applications. First, the sunrise metaphor illustrates the cause of the light's benefit. In the application, it states that the sun of the Dharma is ever bright; those with wisdom whose minds do not abide in phenomena are like people with eyes who are able to see it. There are three classes of people who cannot see it: 1. ordinary fools; 2. non-Buddhists of heterodox faith; 3. [followers of] the two vehicles of inferior understanding; all of them lack the causes and conditions, like people without eyes. Later, the metaphor of the jewel adornment illustrates the actual benefit of the light. It clarifies that the jewel of the Dharma is ever-abiding; depending on merit or the lack of merit, it abides in some places and not in others. Fifth, from "If there are those who hear" onward, one verse clarifies the benefits of hearing and having faith in the light. That is to say, if one faithfully understands and comprehends without generating doubt or perplexity, one will accomplish the fruit of buddhahood. One does not, because of not seeing, doubt that the bodhisattva lacks light; nor does one, because extreme suffering is not relieved, think that the light has no benefit; nor does one put the resulting function on too high a pedestal, thinking the bodhisattva incapable of it; therefore it says: "forever severing all doubts."