大方廣佛華嚴經疏 4.3

4.3

Second, regarding the outline of the mutual correspondence of questions and answers: The ancients said that within these nine assemblies, the questions and answers on the major stations comprise five rounds in all. In the first assembly, the great assembly raises forty questions, which are completely answered within that assembly; this is named the division of presenting the fruit to encourage delight and produce faith. Second, from the beginning of the second assembly there are forty questions, which are completely answered by the end of the seventh assembly; this is named the division of cultivating causes to accord with the fruit and producing understanding. Although there are various questions in between, they are all asked in accordance with the explanation at hand and are not questions and answers on the major stations, since the 'Chapter on the Inconceivable' does not inquire into causes. Third, at the beginning of the eighth assembly, two hundred lines of questions are raised and completely answered within that assembly; this is named the division of relying on the Dharma to advance cultivation and accomplish practice. Fourth, at the beginning of the ninth assembly, sixty lines of questions are raised, and the Tathāgata enters the lion's sprint samādhi himself to manifest marks and answer them; this is named the division of sudden realization of the dharmadhātu. Fifth, east of the Blessed City, Sudhana seeks the Dharma with distinct questions and distinct answers; this is named the division of traversing the stations and gradually realizing. Past masters still took Sudhana as belonging to the main body; thus, since he is now judged as entering the dissemination, there are only four previously. If one also includes the dissemination to make five divisions, it does not breach the standard way.