大方廣佛華嚴經疏 32.4

32.4

Second, under [the line], "At that time, Great Wisdom...", is the cessation [caused by] the Dharma being deep and difficult to receive. Within the text there are two parts: first is the narration of the intent, and then the gāthās reply to what came before.

In [the phrase], "causing the assembly to rejoice," this is the general character of the reply. That is to say, the gāthās were originally spoken to eliminate the previous doubt and affliction and cause their minds to attain joy. The reply has two [aspects]: first, being competent to reply, because he himself possesses great wisdom; second, replying without trepidation, because he does not fear that the great assembly would be incapable [of receiving it]. The Treatise states: "These two demonstrate that oneself and others are free of fault." Therefore, the meaning of the later gāthās explains that the Dharma is difficult to preach, not that he himself lacks wisdom and is unable to preach it. It merely says that it is difficult to hear, not rebuking the great assembly as being entirely incapable of hearing it.

Among the gāthās, the five gāthās are divided into four [sections]:
First, the initial two verses explain that the Dharma is difficult to preach, which dispels the previous doubt of "for what reason" (nāma-hetu) and establishes that he possesses wisdom above.
Next, one verse reveals that the Dharma is difficult to hear, which dispels the previous doubt of "through what condition" (pratyaya) and establishes his prior fearlessness.
Third, one verse uses an analogy for the difficulty of preaching and hearing.
Fourth, the final verse adduces the difficulty to conclude with remaining silent.

In the first [section], there are two parts: the preceding verse reveals the Dharma that is difficult to preach, and the subsequent verse clarifies the reason why it is difficult to preach.

Now, the first. The word "difficult" at the end of the verse is precisely the general characteristic, meaning that it is difficult to obtain. The reason why it is difficult to obtain is clarified in the subsequent verse.
This difficulty is of two kinds: first, the most difficult, because its essence transcends names and marks, hence the sūtra says "foremost"; second, unprecedentedly difficult, because it is absent in phenomenal marks, hence the sūtra says "rare". The above two clarify the characteristics of difficulty.
What is the essence of this difficult Dharma? It is precisely the first two lines of the verse. "Bodhisattva conduct" is supramundane wisdom; that is, the path of realization (adhigama-mārga). The realizing mind engages with its sphere, hence it is named "conduct stage". "Matters" refers to the phenomenal practices of the ten stages, which are the path of teaching (deśanā-mārga), because their marks have distinctions. "Supreme" generally speaks of the excellence of the above two. "The root of all Buddhas" explains why the above wisdom of realization receives the name of bodhisattva conduct. Conduct has the meaning of cause. Being awakened to the Buddha's wisdom is why one is called a Buddha; now, this wisdom of realization also awakens to the Buddha's wisdom, and therefore serves as their root. Root is cause.
Where do this teaching and realization constitute a difficulty? That is, in revealing and analytically explaining them: because the path of realization extinguishes the mind, it is difficult to reveal; and because the path of teaching relies on realization, it is also difficult to analyze.