大方廣佛華嚴經疏 25.29

25.29

Nineteenth, from "always maintaining the original vow" onward explains reaching the limit of the dharmadhātu—that is, contemplating the virtue of the Tathāgata exhausting the limit of saṃsāra to constantly manifest benefit, peace, and joy for all sentient beings. Because the above mentioned the mark of having no center or extremes, [one might ask:] how is it markless? Therefore, it is next said to reach the limit of the dharmadhātu. This means that because this dharmadhātu is most pure, being free from all prapañca is the mark of the dharmadhātu. Being able to give rise to actions of benefit as an equal outflow, reaching the limit of this dharmadhātu has no end. Bandhuprabha also names this virtue the exceptional virtue of the marks of the attained fruit, stating that it attains the ultimate, pure dharmadhātu, and such a dharmadhātu is attained through practicing the path. By this, the phrase "reaching the limit of the dharmadhātu" has two meanings: 1. It is identical with the dharmadhātu in being permanent. 2. It is identical with the dharmadhātu in being pure. In the text, it first explains constantly benefiting and bringing joy; second, broadly benefiting and bringing joy. In the first part, "always maintaining the original vow" means that when originally generating the mind, [the vow was]: "If the dharmadhātu and the realm of sentient beings could be exhausted, then my vows would be exhausted." Now, the realm of sentient beings is not yet exhausted, so the Buddha constantly manifests benefit and joy. As for being a good friend, good friends in the world have roughly seven things: 1. not abandoning [others] when they meet with suffering; 2. not despising them when poor and lowly; 3. telling them secret matters; 4. mutually covering and protecting; 5. doing what is difficult to do; 6. giving what is difficult to give; 7. enduring what is difficult to endure. The Tathāgata is also like this: for the sake of beings, following them into the suffering of the six destinies without abandoning them; when they are poor, lacking the wealth of Dharma, not despising them; revealing to all the original nature and adventitious defilements; when their roots of goodness are not yet mature, covering the real with the provisional; when they can bear the real transformation, covering the false with the real; putting on ragged and dirty clothes and holding a dung-removal vessel is doing what is difficult to do; untying the bright jewel from the topknot is giving what is difficult to give; when sentient beings oppose the Buddha's teaching even for many kalpas, his mind is without regression or wavering, which is enduring what is difficult to endure to the utmost—only then is it called steadfast. Next, from "pure" onward explains being identical with the purity of the dharmadhātu. Although constantly transforming, it is free from the marks of subject and object, and hence is called foremost. Next, from "six destinies" onward [shows] broadly not abandoning. Next, from "if there are" onward [shows] not abandoning past conditions. Next, from "and in" onward comprehensively reveals not abandoning. If one temporarily did not follow them, one would abandon the original vow; acting according to one's vows is called not deceiving. Next, from "all with" onward shows the skillful benefit of gathering them in, causing them to be identical with the purity of the dharmadhātu, because it crushes the defilements of Māra.