大方廣佛華嚴經疏 2.9

2.9

Third, the scope of doctrine and principle. Having already understood that this sūtra belongs overall to the Perfect Teaching, one has yet to know what the scope of the perfect principle is. Now, this ocean of teachings is vastly profound and encompasses everything without exterior; form and emptiness mutually reflect, and its virtues and functions are multi-layered. In terms of its horizontal gathering, it fully gathers the five teachings, and even humans and devas are entirely subsumed; only then is its profundity and breadth made manifest. This is just as the hundred rivers do not encompass the great ocean, while the great ocean inevitably encompasses the hundred rivers. Although it encompasses the hundred rivers into the same single salty taste, accordingly any single drop is vastly distinct from the hundred rivers. The preceding four teachings do not encompass the Perfect, while the Perfect inevitably encompasses the four. Although it encompasses the four, the Perfect runs through them, and therefore even the ten good deeds and the five precepts are encompassed by the Perfect Teaching. How much less could it be confined to the third and the fourth, not to mention the first and the second? Thus, it has that which it penetrates, but none to which it is limited. Therefore, regarding this Perfect Teaching: speaking of its breadth, it is called the immeasurable vehicle; speaking of its depth, it reveals solely the Ekayāna. The Ekayāna has two [aspects]: first, the Common Teaching Ekayāna, because it is identical with the Sudden and identical with the Real; second, the Distinct Teaching Ekayāna, solely because it is perfectly interpenetrating and fully endowed with all virtues. In subsuming the common under the distinct, all are encompassed by the Perfect Teaching. Now, to reveal the Distinct Teaching Ekayāna, four gates are briefly demonstrated: 1. clarifying the underlying essence and phenomena; 2. gathering them back into the absolute truth; 3. demonstrating their non-obstruction; 4. all-pervasive containment. Each has ten gates to demonstrate their inexhaustibility. The ten in the first are: 1. teaching and meaning; 2. noumenon and phenomena; 3. object and wisdom; 4. practice and station; 5. cause and effect; 6. circumstantial and direct [retribution]; 7. essence and function; 8. person and dharma; 9. contrary and accordant; 10. response and stimulus. 'Teaching' is that which expresses, namely the preceding five teachings, up to light, fragrance, and so forth. 'Meaning' is that which is expressed, namely all the doctrines and principles of the five teachings and so forth. 'Noumenon' is the noumenon of the tathatā devoid of intrinsic nature revealed by the emptiness of persons and revealed by the two emptinesses. 'Phenomena' are the phenomena of form, mind, body, direction, and so on. The rest may be inferred accordingly. Second, gathering them back into the absolute truth: this is true emptiness beyond marks. The sūtra states: 'The nature of phenomena is fundamentally empty and tranquil, / without grasping and without viewing. / Emptiness of nature is itself the Buddha, / which cannot be conceived.' There are also ten meanings here, as set forth in the *Contemplation of the Dharmadhātu*. Third, demonstrating their non-obstruction. Now, while the above ten pairs are all unobstructed, for now we will demonstrate non-obstruction in terms of noumenon and phenomena, which also has ten gates: 1. The gate of noumenon pervading phenomena: this means that the noumenon without limits entirely pervades limited phenomena; therefore, in every single tiny dust mote, noumenon is completely present. 2. The gate of phenomena pervading noumenon: this means that phenomena with parts are entirely identical to the noumenon without parts; therefore, a single small dust mote pervades the dharmadhātu. Because the above two meanings mutually pervade and penetrate, all are of one same nature. Thus the 'Manifestation Chapter' states: 'When the Tathāgata realizes sambodhi, within his body he universally sees all sentient beings realize sambodhi, and even universally sees all sentient beings enter nirvāṇa, all being of one same nature, namely having no intrinsic nature.' Because noumenon pervades phenomena, when one is realized, all are realized; because phenomena pervade and are identical to noumenon, it is said that nothing at all is realized. The sūtra states: 'Just like empty space, there is neither realization nor destruction.' The one nature being devoid of nature is precisely the Buddha-nature; thus the *Nirvāṇa [Sūtra]* states: 'Buddha-nature is named the supreme emptiness, and the supreme emptiness is named wisdom.' Again, the 'Manifestation [Chapter]' states: 'There is not a single sentient being that is not endowed with the Tathāgata's wisdom.' That there is none who does not possess it is the meaning of the Ekayāna. 3. The gate of phenomena being formed based on noumenon: this means that phenomena have no separate essence and must rely on noumenon to be formed, just as waves are formed by gathering water. In this there are two [points]: First, clarifying that they are transformed through comprehensive consciousness-only. Bodhisattva Forest of Awakening's verse states: 'Mind is like a skilled painter, / able to paint all the worlds. / The five aggregates all arise from it; / there is no phenomenon it does not create.' This clarifies the meaning of mind-only. How is it known to be comprehensive? The next verse states: 'As is the mind, so also is the Buddha; / as is the Buddha, so are sentient beings. / One should know that the Buddha and the mind / are both inexhaustible in their essential nature.' Since it is the mind that is identical to the Buddha, it is clear that it is not merely the deluded mind alone. Second, clarifying that tathatā adapts to conditions to be formed. In the 'Chapter of Inquiring and Clarifying', Mañjuśrī raises an objection, saying: 'The mind-nature is one; why is there seen to be diverse varieties?' This is the objection of conditions and nature contradicting each other. Awakening Head replies, saying: 'The nature of phenomena is fundamentally unborn, / yet manifests as having birth.' This is the reply of tathatā adapting to conditions. It also states: 'All phenomena have no operation, / nor do they have an essential nature.' This clarifies that adapting to conditions does not forfeit self-nature, which is identical to the *Śrīmālādevī [Sūtra]*'s 'relying on the tathāgatagarbha there is saṃsāra, relying on the tathāgatagarbha there is nirvāṇa,' and so forth. 4. The gate of phenomena being able to manifest noumenon: this means that because phenomena are formed by gathering noumenon, phenomena are unreal and noumenon is real; the other-dependent nature devoid of intrinsic nature is precisely the fully perfected nature, just as the unreality of wave marks causes the water to manifest. The verses of the [Haven of] Yama state: 'How can the aggregates be spoken of? / What nature do the aggregates possess? / The nature of the aggregates cannot be extinguished; / therefore they are spoken of as unborn. / Distinguishing these aggregates, / their nature is fundamentally empty and tranquil. / Because they are empty, they cannot be extinguished; / this is the meaning of the unborn. / Sentient beings being thus, / all Buddhas are also like this. / The Buddhas and the dharmas of all Buddhas / have no intrinsic nature whatsoever.' Again, the 'Chapter on the Ten Tolerances' states: 'Just like an echo in a valley, arising from conditions, / yet it does not contradict the nature of phenomena.' The verses on the summit of Mount Sumeru state: 'Fully knowing all phenomena / to have no intrinsic nature whatsoever.' Such passages are widespread throughout the nine assemblies. 5. The gate of noumenon annulling phenomena: this means that since phenomena are entirely noumenon, phenomena are exhausted without remainder, just as water annuls waves so that the marks of the waves are completely exhausted; therefore it is said that sentient beings and Buddhas neither increase nor decrease. The 'Manifestation Chapter' states: 'Just like empty space, whether all worlds are formed or destroyed, it is always without increase or decrease. Why? Because empty space has no birth. The bodhi of all Buddhas is also like this: whether realizing sambodhi or not realizing sambodhi, it is also without increase or decrease. Why? Because bodhi has no mark.' Up to saying: 'Supposing all sentient beings were in a single thought-moment to all realize sambodhi, it would be equal and no different from not realizing sambodhi, because all are equal in having no mark.' The *Sūtra on Neither Increase Nor Decrease* also shares this explanation; it does not say there is no increase or decrease in reference to a portion of sentient beings not attaining Buddhahood. 6. The gate of phenomena being able to conceal noumenon: this means that the true noumenon adapts to conditions and forms phenomenal entities, which subsequently causes phenomena to manifest and noumenon not to appear. Just as water forms waves, motion manifests and stillness is concealed. When the dharmakāya transmigrates through the five paths, it is called sentient beings. Wealth Head's verse states: 'All that is spoken of in the world / is entirely discrimination; / never has a single dharma / been able to enter the nature of phenomena,' and so forth. 7. The gate of true noumenon being identical with phenomena: this means that whatever is true noumenon is certainly not outside of phenomena, because it is the principle of the selflessness of phenomena and because emptiness is form. Only when noumenon is identical with phenomena is it the true noumenon. This is because the Seventh Dedication states: 'The nature of phenomena does not contradict phenomenal marks,' and so forth. 8. The gate of phenomenal entities being identical with noumenon: this means that what is assembled from conditions must have no self-nature; its entire essence is precisely the real. The above two gates properly clarify the meaning of the two truths not contradicting each other, just as wetness does not contradict waves and waves do not contradict wetness, because their entire essence is mutually identical. The verses of [Haven of] Yama state: 'Just as gold and the color of gold / have no difference in their nature, / so too with dharmas and non-dharmas: / their essential nature has no difference.' This also serves as an analogy for the tathāgatagarbha and the ālayavijñāna being mutually without difference. Furthermore, because phenomena are identical with noumenon, although existing they are not eternal; because noumenon is identical with phenomena, although empty they are not annihilated. Furthermore, because noumenon and phenomena are mutually identical, arising and ceasing are simultaneous. The Sumeru verse states: 'All actions of ordinary beings / swiftly return to exhaustion; / their nature is like empty space, / therefore they are said to be inexhaustible. / The wise speak of inexhaustibility, / yet here too there is nothing spoken; / because self-nature is inexhaustible, / there can be an inconceivable exhaustion,' and so forth. Thus the simultaneous four marks do not await subsequent non-existence, and also cause ultimate eradication and realization to be free from subject and object. The 'Chapter on the Ten Stages' states: 'It is neither initial, middle, nor final, / beyond the reach of words.' The 'Dedication Chapter' states: 'There is no suchness outside wisdom to be entered by wisdom, / nor is there wisdom outside suchness capable of realizing suchness,' and so forth. 9. The gate of true noumenon not being phenomena: that which is real within delusion is distinct from delusion, just as wetness is not motion. 10. The gate of phenomenal entities not being noumenon: that which is delusion within the real is distinct from the real, just as motion is not wetness. The verse of Forest of Conscience states: 'Just as form and non-form, / these two are not one.' It also states: 'Just as marks and marklessness, / saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, / their discriminations are each different,' and so forth. The above seventh and eighth gates clarify that noumenon and phenomena are not different; the ninth and tenth gates clarify that noumenon and phenomena are not one. Therefore, the conditioned and the unconditioned are neither one nor different. The Fourth Dedication states: 'In the realm of the conditioned, showing unconditioned dharmas without destroying conditioned marks; in the realm of the unconditioned, showing conditioned dharmas without discriminating the unconditioned nature.' The above ten points are of the same pratītyasamutpāda, and thus are called unobstructed. Looking from noumenon toward phenomena, there is formation and destruction, identity and departure. Looking from phenomena toward noumenon, there is concealment and manifestation, oneness and difference. Contrary and accordant with complete freedom, unobstructed and unimpeded, they arise simultaneously and suddenly. Contemplating deeply causes the discernment to appear clearly, so as to accomplish the contemplation of the perfect and unobstructed interpenetration of noumenon and phenomena.