大方廣佛華嚴經疏 25.30

25.30

Twentieth, from "unobstructed limit" onward reveals two phrases, namely, exhausting the nature of space and extending to the end of the future limit—that is, contemplating the Tathāgata's virtues of endlessness and the like, meaning that the aforementioned benefit and joy are all endless. The Saṃdhinirmocana and Buddhabhūmi possess both of these phrases. When unpacked, there are twenty-one phrases among the particulars; below, "Leaving the World" only says "equaling the realm of empty space," without "extending to the end of the future limit," intending to show a rounded number. Bandhuprabha also says: "The following two phrases display the Bhagavat's endless virtues: the first phrase is benefit for oneself, and the latter phrase is benefit for others. Therefore it says that just as empty space, passing through kalpas of formation and destruction, is in its nature constantly endless, all the real virtues of the Tathāgata are also like this; just as the future limit has no end, the virtues of benefiting others are also like this." However, Asanga's commentary merely says "endless virtues and so on," without discussing unpacking or combining. Vasubandhu and Asanga's brother [Vivṛtisaṃgraha/Vinitadeva] unpack this word "and the like" as ultimate virtue, and therefore both say "and the like," meaning that "and the like" includes ultimate virtue; thus they explain the first phrase with endless virtue, and the second phrase with ultimate virtue, which is Asvabhāva's intent. The latter phrase is ultimate endlessness, which differs from the previous endlessness: the former discusses endlessness horizontally, hence saying "exhausting all realms to perform all beneficial deeds for sentient beings everywhere"; the latter phrase reveals endlessness vertically, hence saying "revealing that the Buddha's virtues are forever without end, because the sentient beings to be transformed are forever without end." Because they equally reveal endlessness, the two phrases are combined; because self and other and so on differ, the two phrases are unpacked. Now, the intent of our text is combined, wishing to show that the two benefits are not separated from one another, so extending to the end of the future limit applies both to reaching the limit of the dharmadhātu and to exhausting empty space. In the previous section, constantly following and not abandoning has already been shown. In order to conform with the two treatises, the text is divided into two: first, only horizontally discussing endlessness, properly explaining exhausting the nature of empty space; second, from "being the supreme field of merit" onward, jointly relying on the horizontal and vertical to reveal endlessness, simultaneously explaining extending to the end of the future limit. In the first part, the first two phrases generally say "unobstructed limit," which is the dharmakāya and wisdom-body, like empty space, without obstruction, without boundary or limit, without end or decrease, without arising or ceasing, without change, called the unobstructed limit. Yet it is able to manifest directly to perform all benefits and joys, just as empty space accommodates physical obstacles; hence it is said to bring forth great power. Next, from "the most victorious sun" onward distinctively reveals the unobstructed function relying on space, briefly citing one sun that possesses four virtues: 1. storing a thousand rays of light; 2. manifesting reflections in a hundred rivers; 3. being seen by all who have eyes; 4. giving birth to myriad varieties, named diverse giving. The language of the preceding passage contains both dharma and metaphor; from "the Buddha is" onward, it speaks solely in terms of dharma. First, the store of brightness is the aforementioned store of the sun, because the brightness of body and wisdom contains, gathers, and gives birth [to all]. From "all powers" onward is like the sun being without deficiency. From "constantly with great" onward is like the sun spreading its light, keeping away all māra enemies and subduing the foes of old age and death, just as the great brightness of the sun deprives other celestial lights of their brilliance. Because it does not solely correspond to the above, the text contains reflections and omissions. Second, as for jointly relying on the horizontal and vertical to discuss endlessness, it merely says "all," because this extends across the ten directions and future limits. In the text, it first explains being a field that produces merit and wisdom. "Supreme field of merit" is because it possesses the preceding virtues. From "whatever there is" onward explains the meaning of "supreme field." Three meanings are called supreme: 1. making [beings] pure, like being free of wild weeds; 2. cause being small and fruit being great, as the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] explains the merit of Cunda's giving; 3. entering inexhaustible wisdom, like a field producing according to the seed, and like grain reproducing without end, forming an adamantine seed that never perishes. Possessing these three meanings, it is called a supreme field. Next, from "being for all" onward shows being the master of the field. Next, from "for all sentient beings generating" onward explains that its essence is precisely the field. Finally, from "wisdom" onward explains the meaning of being able to be a field, because it possesses both compassion and wisdom. First, provisional and real being non-dual are combined into one wisdom; paired with being able to save below, compassion and wisdom are unobstructed and combined into one mind, which is the Tathāgata's most pure awakening. The names of the virtues cited above rely entirely on Asanga; the explanations mostly rely on Asvabhāva, and where there are differences, they have also been compared and settled. There are slight differences and similarities with the "Chapter on Leaving the World," but the overarching purport does not conflict, which will be further displayed when we reach the lower chapter. Relying on the above explanations, the textual purport has support and the marks of virtue can be distinguished, like the constellations arrayed in the sky, brilliant and unmixed. How could one merely expand the text and broadly unfold phrases, while faintly and cursorily setting forth the Buddha's supreme virtues? I hope later scholars will not fault this for being voluminous yet not essential.