大方廣佛華嚴經疏 18.4

18.4

Third, from "Sons of the Buddha, there are ten kinds of bodhisattva abidings" downward separately lists their names. The text has three divisions: first, stating the number and citing verification; second, listing the names according to the number; third, concluding in general to show their superiority. Now, the first means that the fruit of the Buddhas of the three periods of time is without exception accomplished through the cause of these ten abidings, like the great king's highway, an inherently constant rule; hence they expound it identically. Second, from "What are they?" downward lists the names according to the number. The abiding of initial resolve: The Yingluo [jing] says, "This is a person with roots of goodness belonging to the rank of superior progress. Whether for one kalpa, two kalpas, one Ganges [sands of kalpas], or two Ganges [sands of kalpas], they practice the ten faiths before the Buddhas. With minds having faith in the Three Jewels, they constantly abide in the eighty-four thousand prajñāpāramitās, cultivating all practices and all dharma-gates, up to initially entering the realm of emptiness and abiding in the station of the nature of emptiness; therefore, it is called abiding." According to the Benevolent Kings [Sūtra] and the Awakening of Faith, when one has cultivated the practices of faith for ten thousand kalpas to fullness, entering the station without regress, one initially gives rise to the great mind; giving rise to the mind, one immediately abides, so it is named the abiding of initial resolve. Among the three kinds of resolve, it is the resolve of accomplishing faith. Second, the abiding of cultivating the ground: it means that constantly following the mind of emptiness, it is pure, and the eighty-four thousand dharma-gates are clean and white; hence it refines and cultivates the mind-ground to make compassion and wisdom increase in brilliance, so it is named the abiding of cultivating the ground. Third, [the abiding of cultivating practice]: because skillfully contemplating emptiness and existence, one increases the cultivation of correct practice. Fourth, [the abiding of noble birth]: born into the family of the Buddha's Dharma, because the lineage is noble. Fifth, [the abiding of endowed with expedients]: carrying the ultimate while following the conventional, practicing immeasurable skill-in-means, transforming without abiding. Sixth, [the abiding of the correct mind]: because having accomplished prajñā, upon hearing praise or slander, one remains correct, and the mind's thoughts do not waver. Seventh, [the abiding of non-regression]: entering into the unarisen, ultimate nature of emptiness, in thought after thought constantly practicing emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, wielding śamatha and vipaśyanā in balance, so that conditions cannot destroy it. Eighth, [the abiding of the youthful prince]: the mind does not give rise to perversion, and one does not stir up demonic obstacles that break bodhicitta. Ninth, [the abiding of the Dharma prince]: giving rise to understanding from the teachings of the Dharma King, one will succeed to the Buddha's throne. Tenth, [the abiding of consecration]: because from the above nine abidings contemplating emptiness one attains the unarisen mind as supreme, the Dharma-water of all Buddhas is consecrated upon the crown of the head. However, these ten abidings receive their names in three ways: the fourth, eighth, ninth, and tenth are named from metaphors; the seventh receives its designation from leaving errors behind; the rest are based on virtues. Viewed from what is metaphorized, they are all karmadhāraya compounds; if viewed from what serves as the metaphor, they are sometimes tatpuruṣa compounds. Third, from "These are named" downward is the general conclusion, which can be understood. As for determining their stations, there are briefly ten perspectives: 1. According to the five stations in the Vijñaptimātratā and other texts, it corresponds to the first station. As for the five stations: first is the station of provisioning, which refers to the three virtuous [ranks]; from the initial resolve, accumulating and habituating merit and wisdom as provisions for the Path, cultivating the goods that lead to liberation for the sake of sentient beings. Second is the station of applied practice: after the factors leading to liberation are perfected, in order to enter the path of seeing, one further cultivates applied practice; it is also called the factors leading to penetration. Third is the station of thorough realization, which is the path of seeing, referring to the two kinds of path of seeing upon first entering the stages. Fourth is the station of cultivation: from the second abiding mind of the first stage up to the vajra-like unobstructed mind, it is named the path of cultivation. Fifth is the ultimate station: within the path of liberation after the vajra-like mind, extending to the end of the future, all are subsumed in this station. 2. According to the sixth fascicle of the Mahāyānasaṃgraha, there are four stations, and it corresponds to the beginning of the first station. As for the four stations: first is the station of practice of resolute understanding, beginning from the ten faiths and ending before the stages; the remaining three—seeing, cultivation, and ultimate—are identical to the latter three of the five. 3. According to fascicle forty-seven of the Yogācārabhūmi, twelve abidings are expounded, and it corresponds to the beginning of the second. As for the twelve: first is the abiding of disposition, meaning that the bodhisattva is naturally benevolent and virtuous by nature; naturally accomplishing the virtues of a bodhisattva, holding all seeds of the Buddha's Dharma; naturally free from gross defilements, unable to manifest gross afflictions and entanglements. Second is the abiding of practice of resolute understanding, meaning all bodhisattva practices from initial resolve up to the point of not yet attaining pure higher intention. Third is the abiding of extreme joy; fourth is superior morality; fifth is superior mind. The sixth, seventh, and eighth are named superior wisdom, divided into three kinds: sixth is the abiding of superior wisdom associated with the factors of awakening; seventh is the abiding of superior wisdom associated with the truths; eighth is the abiding of superior wisdom associated with the cessation of the circulation of dependent origination. Ninth is the signless abiding with effort; tenth is the signless abiding without effort; eleventh is the abiding of unobstructed comprehension; twelfth is the supreme bodhisattva abiding; thirteenth is the supreme Tathāgata abiding. The twelve abidings mentioned previously are spoken with respect to bodhisattvas; adding the Tathāgata at the end makes thirteen abidings. The second is the three virtuous [ranks]. From the third onward, they correspond respectively to the ten stages. 4. Also according to the Yogācārabhūmi and fascicle seven of the Prakaraṇāryavācā, seven stages are established upon the thirteen abidings: first is the stage of disposition; second is the stage of practice of resolute understanding; third is the stage of pure higher intention, which are the preceding three abidings; fourth is the stage of performing correct practice, meaning from the fourth up to the ninth abiding; fifth is the stage of determination, which is the tenth abiding; sixth is the stage of determined practice, which is the eleventh abiding; seventh takes the latter two abidings as the stage of reaching the ultimate. The first six are solely for bodhisattvas; the seventh establishes bodhisattvas and Tathāgatas together as a stage. 5. According to the lower fascicle of the Benevolent Kings [Sūtra], thirteen Dharma-masters each abide in one station, and it corresponds to the first. As for the thirteen: first is the disposition of habituation; second is the natural disposition; third is the disposition of the path; fourth is Mahāyāna of wholesome awakening; fifth is virtuous wisdom; sixth is illuminating wisdom; seventh is jñeya; eighth is superior penetration; ninth is constantly manifesting reality; tenth is profound penetration; eleventh is equal awakening, which is the eighth stage; twelfth is the supernatural transformation of the light of wisdom, corresponding to the ninth stage; thirteenth is the bodhisattva contemplating the Buddha, which in meaning corresponds to the tenth stage and equal awakening, while the Buddha is not counted among the thirteen. 6. According to the five patiences in the upper fascicle of the Benevolent Kings [Sūtra], this corresponds to the lower grade of the patience of subduing. As for the five patiences, they are the patience of subduing, the patience of faith, the patience of compliance, the patience of the unarisen, and the patience of extinction, each having upper, middle, and lower grades, matched respectively with the three virtuous [ranks], the ten stages, equal awakening, and sublime awakening. 7. Also according to the fifty-two stations of the Benevolent Kings [Sūtra], it corresponds to the second. 8. According to the forty-two stations of sages and worthies in the Yingluo [jing], it corresponds to the lower virtuous ranks of the ten abidings, because the ten faiths are not separately established, the ten faiths being subsumed within the ten abidings. 9. According to the six dispositions of the Yingluo [jing], it also corresponds to the first. As for the six dispositions: first is the disposition of habituation; second is the natural disposition; third is the disposition of the path; fourth is the holy disposition; fifth is the disposition of equal awakening; sixth is the disposition of sublime awakening. If according to the Laṅkāvatāra and other texts, there are no stations at all. 10. According to this sūtra, forty-two stations are expounded, without distinct names such as provisioning and applied practice; yet the expounded stations, being established in reliance on dharmatā, are both unobstructed in sequential arrangement and perfect interpenetration, as analyzed in the profound text. The unfolding and folding of the ten faiths has already appeared in the 'Chapter on the Chief of the Virtuous'.