大方廣佛華嚴經疏 36.10

36.10

Fourth, cultivating practice based on contemplation: above, tracing backward, the root was found to stem from vast learning; now, proceeding forward, one first seeks the wisdom of hearing and initiates the practice of hearing. In the text there are two parts: first, summing up what precedes and introducing what follows; next, under "day and night," directly giving rise to the practice of seeking. Within this it is divided into two: first, clarifying the practice of seeking the Dharma; next, under "the bodhisattva in this way," clarifying the causes of the practice of seeking. Now the first has ten clauses. 1) "Hearing the Dharma" is due to having no prideful mind. 2) "Delighting in the Dharma" is due to having no jealous mind. 3) "Taking joy in the Dharma" is asking about the meaning without the intent to subdue others. These three concern the time of listening. 4) Relying on the Great Vehicle teaching, personally seeing and correctly grasping it, without forgetting or losing it—this excludes seeking the Lesser [Vehicle], which is not called good. "Personally seeing and correctly grasping" means not awakening through others. 5) Personally chanting and reciting it accordingly. 6) Explaining it for others. 7) Conforming to the heard Dharma, contemplating its meaning in a quiet place. These three concern the time of benefiting oneself and others after having already acquired the Dharma. 8) "Reaching the Dharma" means cultivating practice based on concentration to reach the ultimate. 9) Dwelling in supramundane wisdom. 10) Conforming to the Buddha's conduct of liberation. These last three all concern cultivation, yet the last two distinguish it from worldly practices. If viewed in relation to the subsequent phase of revulsion where one properly cultivates these ten, they are all the wisdom of hearing. If viewed in relation to practicing these ten based on contemplation, they are all called practice. Among them, first, constantly hearing day and night illustrates diligent practice; the nine from delighting in the Dharma onward illustrate proper cultivation. Furthermore, regarding what is received in these ten clauses, it is solely teaching and meaning: hearing is accomplished with respect to teaching, cultivation relies on meaning, and contemplation encompasses both teaching and meaning. Second, concerning the causes of the practice of seeking, there are two parts: first, the cause of constant and diligent seeking; second, under "the bodhisattva in this way," the cause of proper cultivation, because the preceding ten clauses contain these two. Now the first: the Treatise states, "That constant and diligent practice—what is its cause? It shows that revering and valuing the Dharma leads to ultimate exhaustion." Within this it is divided into six: 1) generally clarifying the slighting of wealth and valuing of the Dharma; 2) under "for this reason, the bodhisattva," relinquishing both internal and external [goods]; 3) under "there is no reverence," internal wealth and respectful service—namely, revering with the mind and relinquishing pride, serving with the body and forgetting hardship; 4) under "if one hears a single sentence," using an analogy for relinquishing external wealth; 5) under "if one hears a single verse," slighting status and valuing the Dharma—the thrones of human and heavenly kings are ultimately impermanent, while the teaching and meaning of sentences and verses result in the Dharma King; a single sentence or a single verse refers to hearing the Dharma of teaching, while purifying bodhisattva practice refers to hearing the Dharma of meaning; 6) under "if someone says," willingly enduring suffering and valuing the Dharma—since a single sentence of Dharma can exhaust the source of suffering, multiple kalpas in hell are indeed willingly endured. Second, in the cause of proper cultivation, first it sums up what precedes; next, under "in accordance with it," it directly reveals the characteristics of the cause. That is, contemplation and correct observation in a quiet place serve as the cause of cultivation. However, the Treatise's sūtra text only says "correct observation" without the characters for "cultivating practice"; thus it is the wisdom of contemplation that serves as the cause of cultivation. If following the present sūtra, this passage of text merely serves as the heading for the text that follows.