大方廣佛華嚴經疏 34.43

34.43

Second, within the fruit of setting forth, there are two parts: first, directly clarifying the fruit of setting forth; second, from 'O sons of the Buddha, this is called...' onward, generally concluding the characteristics of the stage. The former part contains four [sections]: 1. dharma, 2. simile, 3. application, 4. conclusion. Within the dharma, there are also four: 1. inquiring, 2. knowing, 3. practicing, 4. arriving. Knowing is understanding by name, which directly enables setting forth. However, because one knows through inquiring, inquiring comes first. The intent of knowing lies in practice, and practice will certainly enable arriving. Now, in the first part, inquiring, one fully inquires about all the stages; when the first stage is already completed, why inquire further? First, one inquires about advanced progress, not one's own portion. Second, within a single stage, the merits of all stages are fully subsumed; thus one inquires about what is subsumed, allowing that it may not yet be known. In this, regarding the 'characteristics, attainment, and fruit': 'characteristics' refers to the characteristics of all the obstacles and their antidotes across the various stages, meaning that the characteristics to be contemplated and the contemplation itself are distinct in each of the stages. 'Attainment' in the ten stages refers to directly realizing supramundane wisdom. 'Fruit' means obtaining mundane and supramundane wisdom through the power of the wisdom of realization. 'Characteristics' is expedient wisdom. 'Attainment' is fundamental [wisdom], and 'fruit' is subsequently attained [wisdom]; because subsequently attained [wisdom] takes the conventional as its object, it is called mundane, and because it is free of conceptual discrimination, it is also called supramundane. Furthermore, these three are simply the three paths: the first is the uninterrupted path, which overturns afflictions; the second is the liberation path, which directly realizes the unconditioned; the third is the path of advanced progress, in which subsequent wisdom cultivates progress. Preparatory application is not mentioned because preparatory application prior to the stages is not subsumed under the stages, and preparatory application upon the stages is included within advanced progress. 'In order to accomplish the dharmas of this stage' refers to the dharmas of the present stage. Afterwards, 'the dharmas of that stage' refers to the dharmas of the subsequent stage. According to the intent of the Treatise, accomplishing the dharmas of the stage is precisely faith and the like. Second, from 'this bodhisattva well knows...' onward, knowing is clarified. One knows through inquiring, and knowing is not different from inquiring. The sūtra expands the 'characteristics, attainment, and fruit' of the inquiry into ten phrases; the Treatise subsumes these ten phrases into five expedients. 'Expedients' means skillfulness in practice and cultivation. The first is the expedient of contemplation: contemplation means contemplative understanding, which subsumes the first two phrases. 1. Obstacles and antidotes of the various stages: using the contemplative understanding of antidotes to cure the ten kinds of obstacles establishes the distinction of the ten stages; the basic text fully contains this, and this clarifies contemplation with respect to what is severed. 2. The accomplishment and destruction of the stages: gathering practices to accomplish the stations and their accumulation is called accomplishment; the various practices dwelling separately and dispersing is called destruction; this clarifies contemplation with respect to what is known. The second is the expedient of attainment: attainment means realization and entry, which subsumes the next three phrases. In detail, there are three kinds of expedients: 1. 'Fruit of characteristics' is the expedient of desiring to enter, which is expedient wisdom; because contemplation bearing characteristics is brought to an end, it is called the fruit of characteristics. 2. 'Cultivation of attainment' is the expedient of having entered, which is fundamental wisdom, showing that it is cultivation through realization, not cultivation through conditions. 3. 'Expedient of advanced progress' is subsequently attained wisdom, meaning that the dharmas that accomplish the stages, such as faith, are pure and free of obstacles. The third is the supreme expedient: cultivating progress toward subsequent stations is called supreme; it also subsumes three phrases: 1. 'Successive progression of the stages': arising subsequent [stages] based on preceding ones, relinquishing the stage by turning one's back on its characteristics. 2. The two attachments are called 'unfit places,' and the two empties are 'dwelling places,' which also means corresponding and not corresponding. 3. Because the subsequent surpasses the preceding, the increase of skillfulness is called 'distinctive wisdom.' The fourth is the expedient of non-retrogression, which is solely the ninth phrase, because the preceding three expedients have no retrogression or cessation. The fifth is the expedient of ultimate attainment, which is the tenth phrase, because having fully purified the bodhisattva stages, one turns toward and reaches the stage of the Buddha's wisdom. If one subsumes the five expedients under characteristics and the rest: the first is characteristics; the second is endowed with all three, matching characteristics, attainment, and fruit according to the next three phrases in order; the third is solely fruit; the fourth generally clarifies the non-retrogression of the three matters; the fifth comprehensively clarifies the exhaustion of the three causes and entry into the fruit. If one subsumes the ten phrases: the first three are characteristics, the fourth is attainment, the next four are fruit, and the last two are endowed with all three. Third, from 'O sons of the Buddha...' onward, practice, and fourth, from 'due to this...' onward, arriving, may both be understood.