大方廣佛華嚴經疏 41.3

41.3

The second section, the formal exposition, has two parts: first the practice, and then the fruit. Within the practice there are five distinctions of marks: 1. the distinction of the antidote to the practice of delighting in inactivity; 2. the distinction of the antidote to its obstacles; 3. the superior distinction of dual practice; 4. the superior distinction over the preceding and higher stages; 5. the distinction of its fruit. Among the five, the first is the skillful means of heading toward the stage, which corresponds to the mind of entering [the stage]; the remaining four are the mind of abiding, the mind of emerging, and the fruit. Furthermore, within abiding, the first is the initial abiding in the stage, the next is formally abiding in the stage, the next, though spoken of later, extends in meaning from beginning to end, and the last is the fulfillment of the stage. First, 'delighting in inactivity' means passionately delighting in the contemplation of emptiness through prajñā; this is precisely the obstacle of the active manifestation of subtle signs. In this stage, not clinging to whatever exists serves as the antidote. Second, although one was previously able to counteract the mind of the preceding stage that delighted in emptiness, because it still possessed measure and effort it was still an obstacle; thus, one cultivates immeasurable and effortless practice as an antidote. Third, since the defiling obstacles are exhausted, calming and insight (śamatha and vipaśyanā) are practiced in tandem. Fourth, it explains that the effort of this stage surpasses the preceding six stages and is superior to the subsequent three stages ('higher' means the subsequent ones). Fifth, because the stage is fulfilled, it explains the fruit of dual practice. Now, in the first division there are four parts: 1. concluding the preceding and introducing the subsequent; 2. from 'What are...' downward, interrogating and revealing its marks; 3. from 'The bodhisattva with such...' downward, concluding the functions of the practice; 4. from 'Having entered...' downward, displaying its scope. Now, in the first: having fulfilled the practices of the six stages concludes the preceding, its meaning implicitly containing the signless practice that is to be counteracted. This is because when the signless practice of prajñā is fulfilled, developing attachment to it is not an exalted practice. Next, from 'wishing to enter' downward explains the introduction of the subsequent. The ten kinds of skillful means are precisely the antidotes; that is, the previous delight in inactivity is not called skillful means, as it cannot give rise to exalted practices and is not the superior path. Now, taking the wisdom of the non-self of dharmas that does not abandon sentient beings in ten ways as the antidote, it counteracts the previous delighting mind; this is called the wisdom of skillful means, which can then grasp exalted practices, and hence is called giving rise to the superior path. Thus, cultivating emptiness without abiding in emptiness is the wisdom of skillful means within emptiness; engaging in existence through emptiness without abiding in existence is the superior path within existence. 'Path' is practice; because the practice traversed is superior, it is called 'exalted'. In what is it exalted? That is, in the mundane and supramundane assigned previously, being empty makes it superior to the mundane; being able to engage in existence makes it superior to the supramundane. In the previous six stages, although they also cultivated compassion and did not abide in nothingness, they were unable to do so while in quiescence, acting only when emerging from emptiness; hence they did not attain the name of superior skillful means. Although practicing both emptiness and existence, they mostly clung to emptiness, which was only termed the antidote of delighting in inactivity. Second, within interrogating and revealing: the reason the superior practice attains being exalted and unsurpassed is due to the ten meanings below. Each meaning has two clauses: the upper clause contemplates emptiness, and the lower clause engages in existence. When the upper clause attains the lower clause, it becomes the wisdom of skillful means within emptiness; when the lower clause attains the upper clause, it becomes the superior practice within existence. Not stagnating in either emptiness or existence, both employ the word 'although'. The treatise master [Vasubandhu] subsumes the ten into four kinds of merits: the first three are each one, and the latter seven form one. 1. The first clause is the circumstance of the cause protecting against bad actions. Bodhisattvas have two kinds of bad actions: first, not delighting in benefiting and giving joy; second, giving rise to views based on craving. Now, due to the upper clause there are no views based on craving, and due to the lower clause one is able to benefit and give joy. If either of the two is lacking, there are bad actions; now, protecting against them through the two clauses constitutes the circumstance of the cause of compassion free from views based on craving. 2. The circumstance of the cause of superior wealth and body. Due to making offerings to the Buddha, one obtains wealth and body. Due to attaining equality, both circumstances are superior: superior wealth accords with what beings need, and a superior body assumes whatever category is wished. 3. The circumstance of the cause protecting wholesome roots (kuśala-mūla). Wholesome roots mean diligently accumulating merit as provisions for bodhi; now, accumulating them with the wisdom that is identical with emptiness attains the exaltedness of that superior cause, causing all the accumulated qualities and dharmas to become exalted pāramitā practices, which is termed 'protecting'. Although possessing loving-kindness and compassion, these are merely exalted aspirations. These three are all for one's own benefit; the latter seven are collectively for the benefit of others, united as the fourth: the circumstance of the cause of gathering sentient beings, which consists of seven kinds: the first is taking birth according to beings; the next two are transforming them to make them leave obstacles; the latter four are gathering them to make them abide in goodness. Within the first, taking birth through the power of vows is to serve as the leader of sentient beings, so one must adorn the three realms. It is merely birth through vows, not through karma and afflictions; hence it is called 'leaving far behind'. Second, explaining the antidote: demonstrating the arising of afflictions, wishing to make them counteract and sever them while knowing their nature is quiescent, only then is it the ultimate antidote, causing them to see that they are constantly and naturally quiescent. Third, to extinguish cognitive obstacles (jñeyāvaraṇa): there are four kinds of obstacles, as explained in the worldly wisdom of the fifth stage, causing one to perform immeasurable activities such as composing texts and treatises according to the minds of sentient beings to serve as the antidote. Fourth, gathering assemblies for the great Dharma: giving rise to the practice of purifying lands for the sake of beings. This clarifies the environmental retribution (yibao); the three below clarify the direct retribution (zhengbao) of the three wheels benefiting beings. Fifth is bodily karma: manifesting a body where there is no body causes them to generate five blessings, namely seeing, hearing, approaching, making offerings, and practicing. One's own body has no body, being identical with the Buddha's dharmakāya. The two below are also like this. Sixth is verbal karma, turning the wheel of the Dharma. Seventh is mental karma: within the absence of long or short, skillfully explaining according to questions, prophesying matters of the three periods of time, and giving rise to practices of the three periods of time. Third, in concluding the superior functions: the treatise commentary says, 'These ten kinds of initiating superior practices are mutually paired graspings and antidote graspings.' That is, the upper and lower clauses are paired against each other, hence called 'mutually paired'. Because each of these upper and lower clauses can serve as an antidote, the upper clauses counteract ordinary beings and the lower clauses counteract the lesser [vehicles]; according to the different antidotes, the meaning is as explained above. 'Due to the two graspings, they are called superior practices, counteracting the preceding obstacles.' Fourth, displaying the scope clarifies signlessness without interruption. The name of the Signless Stage is established from this. This also subsumes the preceding non-retrogressing abiding; it is unlike the preceding six, where upon attaining the abiding stage one abandons the mind of entering the stage, entering through cultivation and understanding, not entering through practice. Here, because one enters through practice, constantly practicing without abandoning, it is called non-retrogressing abiding.