大方廣佛華嚴經疏 37.23

37.23

Second, in protecting against the practices of the Small Vehicle, there are ten phrases: the first is general, the rest are specific. In the general, 'such merits' refers to the preceding limbs of the path. 'In order not to abandon sentient beings' directly clarifies the meaning of protecting, because it is not like the two vehicles' self-benefit alone. In the specific, to be fully endowed with compassion and wisdom already transcends the small, not to mention guiding [others] by means of them. The first nine phrases form four parts: 1. the beginning; 2. benefiting; 3. aspiration; 4. practice. The first three protect against the small mind; the latter one protects against the small practice. 1. 'The beginning' is because the great vow is the basis for arousing practice. 2. Loving-kindness and compassion benefit beings. The above two protect against a narrow mind. 3. Contemplating the knowledge of all modes (sarvākārajñatā) is the aspiration; this protects against the small [mind]. 4. Within 'practice' there are five phrases, the first four being self-benefit: the first two seek the fruit: (a) cultivating the practice of the pure land to seek the Buddha's dependent recompense; (b) cultivating the practice of giving rise to the Buddha's dharmas to seek the dharmas of direct recompense, such as the Buddha's ten powers. The latter two seek the cause: (c) the practice of insatiably seeking the expedients of those stages, meaning the fifth, sixth, and seventh stages, hence called 'the ever-higher, superior paths'; (d) cultivating the practice of entering the stage of non-retrogression, which is the eighth stage and above, awakening to the intrinsic nature of dharmas and according with the Buddha's liberation. The last one is benefiting others, which is the practice of teaching and transforming sentient beings, which must be skillful.