大方廣佛華嚴經疏 31.28

31.28

Second, within the characteristics of the stages, there are four [parts]: first, lodging a question to prompt the inquiry; second, from 'Sons of the Buddha' onward, citing numbers to show commonality; third, from 'What are [they]?' onward, investigating the numbers and enumerating their names; fourth, from 'Sons of the Buddha, these bodhisattvas' onward, concluding the names to demonstrate their superiority. The first is understandable. In the second, because they produce and sustain, they are spoken identically across the three periods of time. The words 'spoken identically' occur in the text on the characteristics of the stages, but their meaning also encompasses the essence of the stages. In the third, the enumeration of names, it is in order to counteract the ten hindrances, realize the ten aspects of tathatā, and accomplish the ten superior practices that the ten stages are taught; the citations of the treatises will also be explained below in the detailed commentary. Here, relying on the basic treatise, I briefly explain the names of the stages. The treatise says: 'Having achieved the unsurpassed practice of benefiting oneself and others, and first realizing the holy station, one generates abundant joy; therefore it is named the Stage of Joy.' This has two meanings: first, because the two benefits are initiated and accomplished; second, because the holy station is newly attained, and one's original aspiring mind is fulfilled, joy is generated. 'Second, abandoning the mental errors that can arise, the defilements of breaking precepts, etc., and possessing pure precepts completely, it is therefore named the Stage of Purity (Vimalā).' This has three meanings: first, abandoning the cause, namely abandoning the defilements that can prompt errors and violations; second, abandoning the fruit and action, namely abandoning the evil karma of breaking precepts—hence it says 'etc.'; third, abandoning through antidotes, namely possessing pure precepts completely. 'Third, according with hearing, reflection, and cultivation, etc., illuminating phenomena and making them manifest, it is therefore named the Luminous Stage (Prabhākarī).' This has only one meaning: namely, the three wisdoms illuminate the dharmas heard at this stage. If based on the treatise below, there is yet another meaning, namely attaining the characteristics of wisdom-radiance of the fourth stage, like the samādhi of attaining light, etc. Hence the treatise below says: 'His practice-wisdom of non-action and non-arising is here named light, and based on this light it is named the Luminous Stage.' However, both the Vijñaptimātratā and this sūtra call it 'Emitting Radiance', meaning that having accomplished superior samādhi and the dhāraṇī of great dharmas, one can emit the radiance of boundless, wondrous wisdom. Thus there are three meanings: first, samādhi is that which can emit; second, dhāraṇī is that which can sustain; third, the wisdom-radiance of the subsequent stage is that which is emitted and sustained. Yet the three wisdoms concern the beginning, whereas emitting radiance concerns the later [attainment], hence they are named differently. 'Fourth, the fire of wisdom being able to burn the kindling of the unforgotten defilements, it is therefore named the Radiant Stage (Arciṣmatī).' Radiance is the flame of wisdom, hence it is named the Stage of Radiant Wisdom. This also encompasses two subsequent meanings: first, the fire of fundamental wisdom can burn the defilements that rely upon and generate conceit from the unforgotten retention of what was heard in the preceding stage; second, in terms of the function arising from subsequent wisdom, the treatise below says: 'Within the mani-jewel radiance of the dharma-light of his realized wisdom, he emits the radiance of the teachings (āgama), enters the meaning of immeasurable dharma-gates, and the radiant wisdom-place illuminates universally and manifests.' For this reason, the name of this stage is explained as 'Flame'. Question: Based on the first meaning, do the preceding and succeeding stages not also burn afflictions? Due to two meanings, this stage alone receives the name: first, in terms of the allocated station, this stage is allocated to being supramundane and uncontaminated; second, in terms of the three trainings, this stage corresponds to wisdom, as it is where wisdom is first attained. 'Fifth, attaining supramundane wisdom, skillfully able to deliver those difficult to deliver with expedients, it is therefore named Difficult to Conquer (Sudurjayā).' This has only one meaning, namely that the non-conflict between the real and the conventional is extremely difficult to surpass. Because the third stage conforms with the worldly and has not yet been able to transcend it, and while the fourth stage transcends it, it cannot follow [the worldly], mostly clinging to the two extremes and finding it difficult to cross over. Now, having attained transcendence of the world and also being able to accord with the conventional, skillfully mastering the five sciences, the non-conflict between the real and the conventional can cross over one-sided clingings; this is truly difficult to surpass. Because it is first attained here, it uniquely receives its name. 'Sixth, the practice of the prajñāpāramitā having intervals, yet great wisdom manifests before one, therefore it is named the Manifest Stage (Abhimukhī).' That is, wondrously penetrating dependent origination and inducing non-discrimination is called the practice of prajñā. Manifesting directly as if seen by the eyes is called 'manifest before one'. Contrasted with the subsequent, its inferiority is shown by calling it 'having intervals', because in the seventh stage one is constantly in contemplation. 'Seventh, skillfully cultivating the effort of signless practice, and reaching the culmination where one can surpass the supramundane paths of the world and of the two vehicles, it is therefore named Far-Reaching (Dūraṅgamā).' This has perhaps three meanings: first, skillfully cultivating signlessness to reach the border of signlessness, hence named Far-Reaching; second, effort reaching the ultimate, hence named Far-Reaching; third, looking back, it surpasses the preceding, hence named Far-Reaching. Combined, they form a single meaning: skillfully cultivating the practice of signlessness explains the word 'practice', while 'effort' and what follows explain the word 'far-reaching'. However, 'skillfully cultivating' has two meanings: first, the preceding stage had intervals and was not called skillful cultivation, whereas now being constantly in contemplation is called skillful cultivation; second, relinquishing existence for non-existence is not skillfully cultivating non-existence, whereas now being free from both existence and non-existence is called skillful cultivation. How is one free from both? That is, due to expedient wisdom within emptiness, one is free from existence; due to superior practice within existence, one is free from non-existence. In the explanation of 'far-reaching' below, effort being consummate directly explains the meaning of 'far-reaching', like reaching the very border of a single realm, hence it is far. In comparison to what is it surpassed? The characteristics of the first three stages are similar to the worldly, and it has already surpassed them by far. In comparison to the fourth, fifth, and sixth, their characteristics are similar to the two vehicles, and now it surpasses them as well. In the fifth stage, the real and conventional do not conflict; how does this differ from being free from both existence and non-existence here? Broadly, there are three differences: first, that stage was not yet able to surpass the two vehicles; second, although it entered the conventional by means of the real, it was not yet sovereign in the dual practice; third, that stage had not yet attained profound prajñā, so its dual practice was not profound and subtle. 'Eighth, retributive practice being fully matured, signless and uninterrupted, it is therefore named the Immovable Stage (Acalā).' This also has three meanings: first, having relinquished practice in the three realms and taken birth receiving the fruit of transformational rebirth, it is called retributive practice; relying on this to initiate practice, it is accomplished spontaneously, and thus effort does not move it; second, attaining the wondrous wisdom of signlessness through the forbearance of non-arising dharmas, signs do not move it; third, these two being uninterrupted, defilements do not move it. Combined, they form a single meaning: in the preceding stage, signlessness had already attained uninterruptedness, and defilements could not move it either, yet it was moved by effort and did not receive the name 'Immovable'; now, because of effortlessness, it causes the signless contemplation to be spontaneous and uninterrupted, so that all three cannot move it. The analogies of the wheel-turning king and the Brahmā king below can verify this. 'Ninth, attaining unobstructed power, preaching the Dharma to accomplish the practice of benefiting others, it is therefore named the Stage of Good Wisdom (Sādhumatī).' Attaining unobstructed wisdom is not yet called 'good'; only preaching everywhere and benefiting everywhere is called 'good'. 'Tenth, attaining the great dharmakāya and being fully sovereign, it is therefore named the Dharma Cloud (Dharmameghā).' This has two meanings: first, attaining the great dharmakāya speaks of the essence of the dharma cloud, and being fully sovereign explains the meaning of dharma cloud, namely having the sovereign function of raining down the preaching of the Dharma—this names it in terms of that which can preach; second, attaining the great dharmakāya explains the meaning of dharma, as one is a great dharma vessel; fully sovereign explains the meaning of cloud, as one can receive the rain-like preaching of the Tathāgata. In the section explaining the names below, this will naturally be elaborated. These ten attain their names in roughly four pairs: first, in terms of dharma and analogy: Radiant Wisdom and Dharma Cloud combine dharma and analogy in their designation, while the rest are based on dharma alone; second, in terms of essence and function: Joy and Good Wisdom are named in terms of essence, while the rest are based on function; third, in terms of self and other: Purity and Immovable receive their appellations in terms of the other, while the rest establish their names from their own meaning; fourth, in terms of comparison with their own station, although Far-Reaching receives its appellation in comparison to others, the rest receive their names within their own stations. These ten are perfectly interpenetrating, each stage possessing all of them. If considered in terms of sequential arrangement, the names of the preceding encompass the succeeding, but the appellations of the succeeding do not encompass the preceding. For example, the name 'Joy' in meaning encompasses the ten stages, but the appellation 'Dharma Cloud' does not extend to the first nine. Now, to show their distinct characteristics, each receives its name from what is first attained, which will be shown again in the text below. Fourth, concluding the names to demonstrate superiority is understandable.