大方廣佛華嚴經疏 37.6

37.6

Fourth, the Radiant Wisdom Stage. As for why it follows: *Yogācārabhūmi*, fascicle 78, quotes the *Saṃdhinirmocana* in explaining four kinds of purity that can encompass all the stages. The previous three stages conclude the three higher purities of aspiration, morality, and meditative absorption; from this stage onward up to the Buddha stage, higher wisdom is explained, and therefore it follows next. Moreover, wisdom has many kinds; the fourth stage directly explains the abiding of higher wisdom associated with the factors of awakening, and therefore it follows next. Furthermore, although the previous stage attained worldly absorption and dhāraṇī, it was not yet able to attain the factors of awakening and relinquish attachment to absorption and attachment to dharmas; now, cultivating and realizing those practices, it therefore follows next. According to the original treatise, the previous three stages correspond to the worldly, whereas this one is transcendent; thus it follows in sequence. If viewed closely in relation to the preceding stage: because of the prior absorption and hearing, this realized wisdom is produced, and therefore it follows next. Thus the treatise states: "Relying on that pure samādhi, hearing and retaining the real wisdom as it is, it is purely demonstrated." As for "Radiant Wisdom" (arciṣmatī), it presents both the dharma and the simile, having three meanings: First, explained in terms of first entering the stage: when first entering realized wisdom, it can burn the firewood of the arrogance of understanding dharmas from the preceding stage. The basic text says: "Because the fire of wisdom can burn the firewood of unforgotten afflictions." Second, explained in terms of being within the stage: the *Vijñaptimātratāsiddhi* says, "Abiding in the supreme factors of awakening, the flames of wisdom that burn the firewood of afflictions blaze forth." Because one cultivates the factors of awakening only after abiding in the fourth stage, it is clear that this is within the stage. If one takes only this to be the wisdom, then prior to cultivating the factors of the path it would not be the Radiant Stage. Because this stage centrally explains the factors of awakening, spanning the beginning and the end, various treatises mostly rely on this explanation. The *Mahāyānasaṃgraha* says: "Because through all factors of awakening, it incinerates all obstacles." The obstacles are the two obstacles. The *Mahāyānasūtrālaṃkāra* says: "Taking the wisdom of the factors of awakening as the nature of the flame, and taking the two obstacles of affliction and knowables as the nature of firewood, the bodhisattva of this stage can arouse radiant wisdom to burn the firewood of the two obstacles; hence it is called the Radiant Wisdom Stage." *Yogācārabhūmi*, fascicle 78, quoting the *Saṃdhinirmocana-sūtra*, largely agrees with this explanation. It says: "The attained factors of awakening can burn afflictions; the fire of wisdom is like a flame." The *Suvarṇaprabhāsa-sūtra* and the *Prakaraṇāryavācā-śāstra* do not differ from this intention. Third, explained in terms of the stage's fulfillment: from the mani-gem of realized wisdom it emits the light of the āgamas; hence it is called radiant, as fully explained in the treatise below. Now, the afflictions burned are precisely the obstacles of the active manifestations of subtle afflictions to be abandoned—namely, the innate portion within the obstacle to knowables, which also includes attachment to absorption and attachment to dharmas. The factors of awakening are specifically contrary to them, and thus can burn them; for this reason, the fourth stage is said to sever two kinds of ignorance and their gross heaviness: first, the ignorance of attachment to meditative attainments, because one relishes the eight absorptions; second, the ignorance of attachment to dharmas, which is arrogance regarding the understanding of dharmas. Now, attaining uncontaminated absorption and uncontaminated teaching, one is contrary to them. Through this, one realizes tathatā free from appropriation—that is, this tathatā has no belonging, because it is not an object of grasping relied upon by grasping at a self and so forth. Having attained this tathatā, how could there be attachment to absorption and dharmas? One is then able to accomplish the practices of the factors of awakening and the practice of the non-abiding path, vigorously advancing without regress. Through realizing tathatā free from appropriation, one attains the fruit of embracing sentient beings.