大方廣佛華嚴經疏 18.16

18.16

Part six, 'manifesting the real and certifying accomplishment', has two [sections]: first, manifesting auspicious signs to reveal reality; second, the bodhisattvas certifying accomplishment. In the former, first there are the earth-shaking and the raining of offerings in this world, since ten thousand Buddha-kṣetras are still an inferior practice; then from 'Like this' onwards, it concludes [their] universal reach. Second, from 'Further, with' onwards, the bodhisattvas certify accomplishment. Within this there are two [parts]: first, those able to certify appear in person; second, from 'spoke thus' onwards, they speak words of praise and narration. Within this there are four [points]: 1. praising what was spoken; 2. from 'We' onwards, adducing what is identical to manifest the certification. Here there are four identities: 1. the person able to preach, 2. the place of preaching, 3. the host of the assembly, and 4. the Dharma preached. The first and last are identical with this [world], while the middle two are only identical among those [other worlds]. Dharmamati represents understanding, so it is impossible not to have the same Dharma; if the Dharma were not identical, how could it be called certification? The middle two differing from this [world] represents that persons differ while the Path is the same, and locations differ while the Dharma is one; only then does it express a teaching that penetrates all directions and accomplishes the sense of certification. If they were also identical with this, one would suspect that the Buddhas of the other differently named worlds did not preach identically. If so, why do they all share the name Dharmameghā and the wondrous Dharma, rather than enumerating many? Because it conveys a representation: namely, the Dharma preached encompasses the ten stages and is neither crude nor shallow. Regarding what was preached, the assembly concerns the persons, the retinue includes the teachings, and the phrases, meanings, host, and companions are all identical. 3. From 'Sons of the Buddha' onwards, adducing the cause to conclude the accomplishment. 4. From 'Just as in this' onwards, concluding the vast, universal pervasiveness: meaning, not only do they come here to bear witness for you, but their certifications in other places likewise certify this, making it all the more evident that what is preached applies universally. This is the conclusion of universal pervasiveness by those bodhisattvas, not waiting for the compiler of the sūtra to conclude it. Question: Why must this sūtra be preached identically in the ten directions? Answer: Teachings of guiding and attracting vary according to capacities and differ across the directions; but the round and real teaching is the intrinsic norm [of the cosmos], and therefore it is preached identically in the ten directions, for the Tathāgatas of the ten directions share one single Path, and the three classes of worthies and ten classes of sages have no diverging road. Question: Why must the place of preaching this sūtra pervade the ten directions? Answer: Because the expressing corresponds to what is expressed, and there is no difference in the principles expressed. To express the superiority or inferiority of the stations, the certifications have greater or lesser numbers; yet judging from what is preached, there is no place it does not encompass. Some say: 'These auspicious responses and certifications above ought to be after the verses, for four reasons: 1. before the verses are spoken, the sūtra is not yet concluded, so auspicious signs and certifications should not precede them; 2. auspicious signs and certifications originally exist to certify the sūtra, and if they do not certify the verses, the verses would not be the sūtra; 3. the words of certification should not say "the text and phrases have neither increase nor decrease"; 4. if one allows the auspicious omens to belong before the verses, then the verses would have to versify both sections. Even if the Sanskrit manuscript were like this, the translators ought to have transposed the text.' This is Jingfa's fine judgment. Now, providing a single rescue, the principle may perhaps be admitted: it is in order to represent that preaching and certification are simultaneous; yet texts cannot be written simultaneously, so they are arranged in sequence. If placed completely at the end, it would seem that certification only occurs after the preaching has finished; if placed at the very beginning, before anything has been spoken, what would there be to certify? Therefore, placing it at the juncture between the prose preaching and the verse text has profound reason. The texts of all the assemblies are identical and should all be explained by analogy to this.