大方廣佛華嚴經疏 17.36

17.36

Fourth, explaining the text: the four chapters are divided into two parts: the first three concern the practice and virtues belonging to the station, and the latter one concerns the superior advancement toward the subsequent [station]. The reason the preceding assembly lacked superior advancement is that it was merely an expedient toward the stations, not yet having constituted a station. The pariṇāmanā constitutes stations, yet lacks advancement toward subsequent ones, because the completion of the stations of the three kinds of worthies collectively serves as the expedient toward the stages, and also because it reveals an approach devoid of conceptual differentiation, transcending the marks of advancement. Now, the first [part] is divided into three: the first chapter identifies the station, the next chapter identifies the practice, and the latter chapter clarifies the virtues. The first is also named 'understanding', and its text is divided into seven sections: 1. the section on samādhi, 2. the section on empowerment (adhiṣṭhāna), 3. the section on emerging [from samādhi], 4. the section on the root, 5. the section on expounding, 6. the section on verification and completion, and 7. the section on reiterated verses. Now for the first. Why enter meditative concentration? Briefly, six purposes are distinguished: 1. because this samādhi is the essence of the Dharma; 2. because without realization it cannot be expounded; 3. to reveal that this Dharma is not a realm of conceptual thought; 4. to examine the faculties [of beings] and scrutinize the Dharma; 5. to receive the Buddha's empowerment; and 6. to fulfill the proper ritual protocol; the rest is as explained in the Profound [Meaning]. The text has three distinctions: 1. the person entering meditative concentration. The one entering is Dharmamati because he is the head of the assembly; if others entered there would be disorder, as they are not subdued, and to reveal that Dharmamati is capable of expounding the ten abodes. 2. That upon which entering meditative concentration relies: meaning relying on the Buddha's power to attribute the merit to the teaching host, expressing absence of pride. 3. The name of the entering into meditative concentration: in order to distinguish it from the concentration of the fruit, it says 'bodhisattva'. Because [the mind] accords with nature and is capable of knowing, with contemplation and understanding possessing skill-in-means, it is named 'skill-in-means'. Because the ten abodes each subsume multiple gates of skill-in-means, it says 'immeasurable'. Because the mind arrives at the Dharma, it says 'entering'. Moreover, all samādhis possess three marks: entering, abiding, and emerging. When the five consciousnesses face sensory objects, the mental consciousness goes out through the gates; distancing from sensory objects and protecting the sense-faculties, the mental consciousness turns back inward—this applies commonly to provisional and Hīnayāna teachings. Here, the stillness that is identical to illumination is named 'entering', the illumination that is identical to stillness is named 'emerging', and having entered and not yet arisen is named 'abiding'. Other samādhis and so forth are all explained as before. Second, the section on empowerment begins from 'By the power of samādhi'. Within this there are three: 1. a general differentiation of causes and conditions; 2. clarifying the purpose of empowerment; 3. specifically revealing the marks of empowerment. In the first, there are again three: 1. indicating the cause of the empowerment; 2. the manifestation of the conditions for empowerment; 3. praising the causes and conditions for expounding. In the first, meaning by the power of samādhi, the treatise states that the reason Vajragarbha was particularly empowered is that he attained this concentration. Previously, through the Buddha's power, he was able to enter; now, through the power of meditative concentration, the Buddhas manifest; they mutually serve as marks of predominant influence. How is it called the unconditioned samādhi? It reveals that the fundamental wisdom of self-realization is still without losing illumination, secretly coinciding with the Buddha's mind; thus it induces the Buddhas to manifest and bestow the empowerment of the three modes of action. 2. The manifestation of the conditions for empowerment begins from 'The ten directions'. The number of Buddhas from each origin is described as a thousand because, compared to the practices, [these stations] are still inferior. That many Buddhas empower reveals the increase of reverence toward the Dharma and the dharmabhāṇaka, and also reveals that they empower because the Buddhas expound in unison. That the Buddhas are identically named Dharmamati is because the Dharma they attained is not different. The treatise states: 'When this bodhisattva hears names identical to his own, he increases in joy.' Yet all the Buddhas manifesting in this gate of the abodes are named Dharmamati because of the power of the Dharma, and because the Dharma is naturally so. 'Universally manifesting before him' is because they arrive without coming. 3. Praising the causes and conditions for expounding begins from 'Spoke to Dharmamati'. Within this are two: 1. praising the presence of the cause for empowerment, namely being able to enter meditative concentration. Saying 'You are able' is an expression of rare transcendence: this concentration is difficult to obtain, yet you now have been able to enter it. Adducing the name of the concentration is because hitherto he entered silently and the assembly did not yet know its name; therefore it is adduced and praised to cause the assembly to look up with reverence. 2. The dual explanation of the causes and conditions of empowerment and meditative concentration begins from 'Good son, the ten directions'. Within this, first four causes are specifically revealed: 1. the divine power of the accompanying Buddhas—that the Buddhas speak it themselves is to cause the assembly to revere them; 2. the past vows of the principal Buddha; 3. the present majesty of the principal Buddha; 4. the kuśala-mūla of Dharmamati. The receptivity and resonance of the great assembly are omitted. Afterward, the two phrases 'Entering this samādhi' and 'Causing you to expound the Dharma' conclude the attribution of the causes: meaning that through the above four matters, the former three are conditions and the fourth is the cause; because cause and condition combine, he enters this samādhi. Hence, the four prior are the causes of concentration, while 'causing you to expound the Dharma' is the cause of empowerment; thus the treatise states, 'Why empower? In order to expound this Dharma.' Therefore, within the 'Ten Practices' and 'Ten Dedications', both state: 'To cause you to enter this samādhi and expound the Dharma.' Furthermore, this 'causing you to expound the Dharma' also summarizes the subsequent text. However, the Daśabhūmika-śāstra explains that all the Buddhas and Vairocana empower due to prior vows; thus all four passages are causes of empowerment. Because in that sūtra the Buddhas merely say 'empower you with divine majesty', whereas Vairocana says 'empowers due to the power of original vows', ancient commentators then took the Buddhas' empowerment as the cause for attaining concentration, and converted the three conditions below into causes of empowerment. This caused attaining concentration to lack the latter three causes; then what would be the use of the word 'also'? Since it concludes, 'causing you to enter this samādhi', how could the latter three not be causes of concentration? This not only contradicts the text and principle of the sūtra, but also opposes what the treatise explains. As for the true meaning, these four causes apply to two senses: 1. due to these four being the causes for attaining concentration, as distinguished above; 2. due to the latter three also being causes of empowerment, the Buddhas then take the power of vows as the cause of empowerment. In order to reveal this principle, the author of the treatise states that that Buddha previously made this vow, and now again empowers by himself. Question: Between the empowerment and the concentration, which is prior and which posterior? If concentration comes first and empowerment after, it should not say 'You are able to enter this samādhi; this is the collective empowerment of you by the Buddhas of the ten directions... up to... and through the power of your kuśala-mūla you entered this samādhi.' If empowerment comes first and concentration after, then the section on empowerment should not be expounded only after the section on samādhi. Moreover, the Daśabhūmika-śāstra states: 'Why empower? In order to expound this Dharma'—it does not say 'in order to enter samādhi.' It also states that they only empowered Vajragarbha and no other because this bodhisattva attained this concentration. Since both have textual evidence, how are they reconciled? Ancient commentators answered: empowerment and concentration are simultaneous. That is, if empowerment occurs without concentration, the distracted mind cannot bear receiving it; if concentration occurs without empowerment, one's own power cannot enter this profound concentration; therefore they are simultaneous. This interpretation also contradicts teaching and principle. The text shows that after he had fully entered samādhi, the Buddhas only then manifested their bodies, praised his attainment of concentration, and, after stating the purpose of empowerment, only then bestowed the empowerment of the three modes of action. To say they are simultaneous—how does that not contradict the text? If one says they are simultaneous, then they cannot serve as causes, which contradicts principle. Nor should one cite the proof of co-arising cause (sahabhū-hetu), because these two matters admit of being separate. If properly explained, there are two kinds of empowerment: if regarded in terms of internal and external, where kuśala-mūla, majestic power, and the power of vows secretly assist him to attain concentration, it precedes concentration. If regarded in terms of bestowing wisdom, praising, touching the crown of the head, and urging speech—the manifest empowerment of the three modes of action—it follows concentration. The two texts are clearly evident; why be confused?