大方廣佛華嚴經疏 35.24

35.24

Fifth, from "making this thought…" onward explains the results of the gathering [of minds]. Depending on the preceding compassionate mind, one gives rise to a supreme aspiration, because of desiring to rescue and deliver them. In the text, rescuing and gathering the ten classes of sentient beings all say "further makes [the thought]." The text each has two parts: first, observing those to be transformed; second, from "I should…" onward, providing the mind of rescue and deliverance. The former is what is to be treated; the latter is what can treat it. In the preceding "gathering," in order to reveal the distinctions, its ten minds were matched to eight kinds of sentient beings. Now, within the ten classes, each individual sentient being can admit of rescue and deliverance by the preceding ten minds. Among the ten, the first one resolves heterodoxy; hence the treatise says: "Relying on sovereign inversion as the chief, the remaining nine practice heterodoxy." The treatise opens them into three: first, the five transform sentient beings who seek desires, because they seek the external five desires; next, the two transform sentient beings who seek existence, because they seek the results of direct retribution within the three realms of existence; last, the two transform sentient beings who seek brahma-practice, because they seek the path of renunciation. Together with the first, they make four. However, that these who are to be transformed only subsume the first six in the "gathering" and lack the latter two is because the mind of gathering is a mind that benefits beings, and the scope of giving rise to this mind is broad, extending even to looking up to those endowed with virtue as teachers; whereas now, it specifically discusses rescuing and delivering, so the latter two are not those to be rescued. Even if one's fellow practitioners regress and need to be transformed, there is no separate place outside the Mahāyāna to dwell where one could speak of "pulling them out." Now, in the first, transforming inverted sentient beings: first, within those to be transformed, wrong views are the general category, meaning the four inversions—investigating outside the noumenon is called wrong view. Next, evil wisdom and evil desire—these two are the particulars. The two inversions of permanence and pleasure are called evil wisdom, because they can only operate by focused mindfulness and conceptual discrimination; the two inversions of self and purity are called evil desire, because they can operate without relying on focused mindfulness, being established by nature—due to conceptualizing self and purity, one then desires fame and so forth, as the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] explains. Third, "dense forest of evil paths" concludes that their wrong views are the cause of all faults. "Evil paths" means not the right path, showing that the preceding inversions are the sphere of activity for actively manifested afflictions. "Dense forest" is also the cause of the latent dispositions. Next, in concluding what can treat it, abiding in right view generally overturns the above heterodox practices; being on the true path overturns the dense forest of evil paths. In the second, transforming sentient beings who seek desires, the five passages are divided into two: the first three transform the faults that arise when currently obtaining and consuming the five desires; the latter two transform the faults at the time of pursuing the five desires when not yet obtained. Within the former, it is divided into three: 1. receiving non-shared wealth; 2. receiving insatiable wealth; 3. receiving accumulated wealth. First, what has already been obtained is not shared with others, which is the fault of giving rise to anger at the time of expenditure. First, what is to be treated is explained. "Mutual destruction" serves as the general phrase. Destruction has two kinds: first, fighting and disputation in words; second, confronting resentment in the mind, which is distinguishing between self and other. From "anger and resentment" onward concludes its increase. Due to anger and resentment, one thinks of retaliating, and the evil conduct of body and mind blazes without ceasing. Within what can treat it, loving-kindness can treat anger; the loving-kindness of the Tathāgata is called supreme. 2. Transforming the receiving of insatiable wealth. Sentient beings have no satiety when seeking, which gives rise to the fault of greed. First, within what is to be treated, there are two: first, greedily taking without satiety clarifies that the inner mind is difficult to satisfy; second, "only seeking wealth and gain" manifests in body and speech as wrong livelihood to maintain oneself, concluding the three karmas above. The subsequent right livelihood of the three karmas serves as what can treat it. 3. Transforming the receiving of accumulated wealth. Accumulating without dispersing naturally generates the three poisons, increasing the fault of afflictions. First, within what is to be treated, defiled attachment gives rise to greed, and dispersal and expenditure give rise to anger; if one accumulates and can disperse, how could there be greed and anger? As for delusion obscuring the above two, stating that "various afflictions blaze because of it," looking directly at the sūtra's meaning, further afflictions arise because of the above three poisons. If based on the treatise's meaning, it is because of accumulating wealth; the accumulation of wealth is itself the substance of the cause of afflictions. How does it blaze? It means that through treasuring, enjoying, and consuming, one is repeatedly burned by afflictions. However, delusion has two faults: first, confusion regarding the preceding two; one also does not know what is the fire or what constitutes the loss. Second, having no thought of seeking escape; hence it says "not understanding the essential means of escape." That is, since one is deluded into taking the burning house as pleasure, how could one have a mind to escape? Next, within what can treat it, nirvāṇa is cool and refreshing because the fires of affliction are extinguished. The above three are sentient beings who give rise to afflictions. In the second, there are two vows of transformation regarding the faults at the time of pursuing the five desires when not yet obtained, which are sentient beings who create karma. It is divided into two: the first clarifies pursuing present retribution and creating all evil deeds; the latter clarifies pursuing future retribution and creating contaminated good karma. First, within what is to be treated, there are four kinds of faults: 1. The fault of folly veiling the mind. Within this, folly is the substance of delusion; heavy darkness is the mark of delusion and also the fault of delusion; the remainder are all faults of delusion. First, "heavy darkness" means being confused about present suffering and not knowing it is suffering. Second, "delusive views" means falsely seeing pleasure in present base suffering, like seeing sky-flowers. Third, "thick film" means not seeing the suffering retributions to be experienced in the future, like an eye with a thick cataract seeing nothing at all. 2. From "entering the shroud…" onward is the fault of increasing evil and distancing oneself from the good. The first phrase increases evil: due to the delusion of being confused about maturation, one accords with unwholesome actions and increases the fetters; this is called entering the dense forest of shrouds. Next, "losing the light of wisdom" clarifies distancing oneself from the good, because delusion is an obstacle to good practices. 3. "Walking on the dangerous paths of the wilderness" clarifies the fault of experiencing suffering retribution. Saṃsāra is long and vast, completely without anything to rely on; it is compared to a wilderness. Having many difficulties and obstacles, it is further called a dangerous path. Transmigrating is called "walking." 4. "Giving rise to all evil views" is the fault of having no correct antidote. The treatise says: "It means creating many causes of sin, and at the time of approaching death, seeing marks of evil retribution." When one's mind gives rise to "regretful views," one either regrets what was previously cultivated or gives rise to evil views, hence called regretful views; yet one cannot gather the correct antidote, which is why it is called a fault. Next, within what can treat it, first, attaining the pure eye of wisdom is the substance. This eye has two capabilities: first, seeing the true mark as it is; second, due to seeing the true mark, not following others. Endowed with these two meanings, it is called the true eye of wisdom. Using these two phrases, it generally overturns the preceding faulty views, for the former are all real. Second, transforming those who pursue future retribution and practice good conduct who have the fault of following the dangerous path: it means that due to delusion that is confused about the supreme truth of transcendence, they create meritorious karma and immovable karma seeking future retribution, and thus are constantly on a dangerous path. In the preceding what is to be treated, the ten phrases are divided into three: the first phrase is the self-substance, meaning it is saṃsāra itself. Second, from "about to fall…" onward is the obstacle, meaning that being in it, it is difficult to escape. Third, from "following along…" onward clarifies the loss, meaning that abiding in it, one loses the good of renunciation. First, the self-substance: it means that because a small amount of worldly good serves as the root, the retributions of humans and devas are perilous, hence called a dangerous path. Second, the obstacles are all matters within the dangerous path. The text has eight phrases, confused about suffering, accumulation, path, and cessation, two for each in sequence. 1. Clarifying that there is suffering: it means that although the mind seeks escape, practice accords with the three bad destinies, like bordering a deep abyss; hence it says "about to fall." 2. "Entering into the net of evil views": this clarifies confusion about suffering. Within the result of suffering, falsely giving rise to the notion of pleasure, one is entangled by the net of evil views, like the crossing vines on a worldly dangerous path. 3. From "being by folly…" onward is confusion about the causes of accumulation: it means being veiled by folly, not knowing afflictions, and not realizing the emptiness of karma, like being added to a deep forest without seeing the peril. 4. From "following after…" onward clarifies their creating accumulation. The world lacks the right path; when studying, they follow heterodoxy, and further give rise to heterodox karma, acting out inverted conduct, like a dangerous path with many forks, entering at every turn the trails of jackals and wolves. Although walking ceaselessly to exhaustion, desiring to advance, they instead turn back. 5. "Like a blind person" shows the absence of the substance of the path and the absence of the right eye of wisdom; only obtaining results and becoming greedily attached, they are blinded by desire. Therefore, the Lotus Sūtra says: "Blinded by the folly of attachment to pleasures"—this is precisely this meaning. Like walking into danger without eyes, having nowhere to turn. 6. "Having no guide" clarifies lacking the conditions for the path. "Guide" refers to Buddhas and bodhisattvas. Having departed from the clear guide, there are two kinds of losses: first, they shall be born in evil paths; second, in this life and future lives, although situated among humans and devas, because negligence obstructs their vision, even though Buddhas appear in the world, some do not see or hear them. Like a blind person without a guide, if they do not fall into a deep pit, they sit and do not advance. 7. "Taking what is not the essential path of escape to be the essential path of escape" is precisely confusion about cessation: aspiring to nirvāṇa yet heading to a different place, taking the circumstances and retributions of Brahmā up to Īśvara to be nirvāṇa. Advancing this heterodox understanding as right view is like taking a blockage on a dangerous path as an open way. 8. "Entering Māra…" and so forth shows having obstacles to cessation. The five wondrous desires are the realm of Māra; greedy attachment constitutes entering. The six sense objects robbing good are called evil thieves; being led along constitutes being seized. Third, from "following along…" onward, the two phrases clarify loss. The first phrase relies on enemies, hence losing the dharma of abandoning evil; the second phrase distances oneself from good spiritual friends, hence losing the dharma of advancing in good. Both person and dharma are lost. Next, within what can treat it, pulling them out of the dangerous path generally abandons the preceding evils. Abiding in the city of fearlessness is the place where one can abandon them. If one encounters a city in the wilderness, what fear is there of numerous difficulties? Contrasting directly with the text above, if one stirs thoughts without knowledge, one accords with the mind of Māra and distances oneself from the intention of the Buddha. When quiescence and illumination operate together, one exits the dangerous difficulties and enters the city of wisdom. The above transformation of those who seek desires is concluded.