大方廣佛華嚴經疏 40.16

40.16

Third, explaining the superiority of samādhi. Within this there are two parts: first, explaining the contemplation of emptiness; second, from 'These ten markless...' onward, analogously revealing the remaining two [doors of liberation]. The former also has two parts: first, listing the ten foremost [emptinesses]; second, from 'This bodhisattva...' onward, concluding with the multiple doors. Now, the first: in the Commentary [on the Daśabhūmika Sūtra], the ten are divided into four: first, excluding the fourth, the first five are called 'contemplation'; second, using the fourth, it is called 'non-negligence'; third, using the seventh, it is called 'attaining the superior'; fourth, using the remaining three, they are called 'matters of cause'. Now, the first: 'contemplation' refers to contemplative understanding. The first three view emptiness with respect to marks: 1. 'Entering emptiness' is the emptiness of persons and is also the general statement; 2. is the emptiness of phenomena; 3. is taking the preceding two emptinesses as the ultimate truth and contemplating that it too is empty. The latter two view emptiness with respect to reality: 4. contemplates the emptiness of the fundamental consciousness (ālayavijñāna)—the tathāgatagarbha encompasses all without exterior, hence it is called 'great emptiness'; 5. contemplates that the seven transforming consciousnesses arise in combination without being separate from the tathāgatagarbha and all lack self-nature, hence it is called 'combinatory emptiness'. The Laṅkāvatāra states: 'The seven consciousnesses are also like this; they arise combined together with the mind.' It also says: 'The indestructible marks are eight; the markless is also markless.' Second, 'non-negligence': relying on understanding to generate practice, the cultivation of practice reaches the ultimate, hence it is called 'foremost'. The Commentary says: 'Discerning good cultivation, it is the foremost of its own portion. Cultivating without satiety, it is the foremost of superior progress.' Third, 'attaining the superior': virtue is accomplished due to cultivation, because merit arises. Fourth, 'matters of cause': because function arises based on virtue. There are three kinds of function: the first is for one's own benefit, called 'the matter of the cause for purifying the cognitive obscuration.' Discursive discrimination is the cognitive obscuration; now, attaining as-it-is emptiness, one can purify discursive discrimination. The latter two are for the benefit of others: one is 'the matter of the cause for transforming sentient beings'. Because compassion arises based on emptiness, one does not abandon them. Two is 'the matter of the cause for taking rebirth in existence'. Because of attaining emptiness, one is free from defilement; because of according with existence, one does not separate from the realms of existence. The above explanation based on the Commentary is already profound and wondrous. Moreover, these ten emptinesses are mostly identical to and slightly different from the eleven emptinesses in the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra, so they are further explained accordingly. The first eight realize real emptiness; the latter two are emptiness that gives rise to function. 'Entering emptiness' corresponds to internal emptiness and external emptiness there, because of the internal and external twelve āyatanas. 'Self-nature' corresponds to natural emptiness (svabhāva-śūnyatā), because it is not just now beginning to be non-existent. 'Emptiness of the ultimate truth' is completely identical in name and meaning. 'Foremost emptiness' is called 'emptiness of emptiness' there, meaning that the former emptiness only empties the ultimate truth, whereas now it explains that both existence and non-existence are originally empty of themselves. That sūtra says: 'Existence and non-existence—this is called the emptiness of emptiness. Being so and not being so—this is called the emptiness of emptiness.' It means that being so and not being so are also empty in their very essence. Such emptiness of emptiness is the place where the two vehicles are bewildered and drowned; bodhisattvas of the ten stages comprehend it only in a minor degree, hence it is called 'foremost'—here too it is explained with reference to a minor degree. 'Great emptiness' is the same in name; there it is called prajñāpāramitā. 'Combination' is internal-and-external emptiness. Arising because there is combination and no combination is conditioned emptiness. The eighth is unconditioned emptiness, for 'as-it-is' is unconditioned. The two such as 'not abandoning' are distinct in both name and meaning. If one wishes to harmonize them: the ninth is beginningless emptiness, because from the beginningless it is not separate from saṃsāra and yet is empty; the tenth is the emptiness of non-existence, meaning that separation and non-separation are both non-existent. The rest, such as the conclusion, can be understood.