大方廣佛華嚴經疏 36.11

36.11

Under the third major section, from "After this bodhisattva has heard the Dharma" downward, explaining the section on revulsion: the preceding explained hearing and contemplation; this now reveals cultivation-wisdom, which is the fourth of the five kinds of skillful means—the wisdom of decisive observation skilled in dhyāna. The Śāstra states: "What is the section on revulsion? When this bodhisattva has heard all dharmas, knowing that only by practicing as preached can one attain the Buddha-dharma, he enters dhyāna, the formless realms, the immeasurables, and the superknowledges. Those are not places of delight; he is unattached to them because they are necessarily to be performed." This means that neither taking delight nor becoming attached constitutes the meaning of 'revulsion'. The immeasurable superknowledges are the fruits of revulsion; these are all the power of cultivation, mentioned in passing here. The sūtra text has seven aspects: 1. based on what one cultivates; 2. how one cultivates; 3. where one cultivates; 4. why one cultivates; 5. when one cultivates; 6. what one cultivates; 7. for what purpose one cultivates. Condensing these seven aspects yields three major sections: the first four are cultivation; the next two are realization and entry; the last one is the intention of entering. Now for the first: "After this bodhisattva has heard the Dharma" is 'based on what one cultivates', for it is based on the correct Dharma, which is the mental engagement with comprehension of marks. Next, "collecting the mind and abiding peacefully" is 'how one cultivates', for gathering scattering to abide in the Dharma is the mark of cultivation; this is the mental engagement that assimilates joy. Next, "in a secluded place" is 'where one cultivates'; secluded space applies to both phenomena and noumenon, so there is nowhere that is not cultivation; this is the mental engagement of detachment. Next, from "making this reflection" downward is 'why one cultivates', for one must cultivate to attain realization; this is the mental engagement of resolve. However, 'verbal explanation' applies to both preaching and listening, hence the Yogācārabhūmi states: "Not merely through listening to written words and sounds does one attain purity." Fascicle 33 of the Yogācārabhūmi explains that cultivating the eight absorptions in all cases possesses seven kinds of mental engagement: 1. Mental engagement with comprehension of marks, meaning that one comprehends the marks of aspiration and revulsion. 2. Mental engagement of resolve, meaning the actual practice of cultivation. 3. Mental engagement of detachment, meaning being concomitant with the path of abandonment. 4. Mental engagement that assimilates joy, meaning partially contacting and realizing joy and pleasure. 5. Mental engagement of examination, meaning re-examining and testing. 6. Mental engagement of the culmination of preliminary practice, meaning the mind attains freedom from bondage. 7. Mental engagement of the fruit of the culmination of preliminary practice, meaning entry without interval. The cultivation above already subsumes four of them: in the earlier causes of cultivation there is the mental engagement of examination, and the final two mental engagements are in the realization and entry. Among the seven, the first five run through all eight absorptions; each of the eight absorptions below possesses the latter two. Therefore, the general cultivation here is also generally manifested below. Yet they are all delusion identical with reality, perfectly interpenetrating and unobstructed, functioning spontaneously unlike ordinary aspiration and revulsion. Thus the Śāstra below states: "Because of the stage of samādhi, one attains non-retrogressing dhyāna"—non-retrogressing meaning the uncontaminated absorption. Further, explaining inner purity, it says: "Because of cultivating the uninterrupted uncontaminated samādhi," thus we know that each and every one is like tracks left by a bird in the sky.