大方廣佛華嚴經疏 44.13

44.13

In Major Section 6, the Section on the Supernormal Powers Being Surpassed and Unsurpassed, there are six kinds of marks: 1. based on the internal; 2. based on the external; 3. the intrinsic mark; 4. the mark of performing sustained maintenance; 5. the mark of causing joy; 6. great excellence. If dividing in terms of the sūtra text, there are two: the first four are combined into one passage that directly reveals the supernormal powers; the latter two are combined into one, severing doubts and revealing excellence. Now for the first, it divides into two: first, specific explanation; second, general conclusion. In the specific [part] there are three: first, explaining reliance on the internal. "Clear penetration of wisdom" is the wisdom that initiates supernormal powers, and also dhāraṇī. Second, "supernormal powers" is the essence of the powers. Third, "sovereignty" is the virtue of the powers, which also includes inconceivable liberation and samādhi. Possessing these three matters, the powers are then unsurpassed. Second, from "in accordance with their..." onwards, reliance on the external means that functional activities arise based on external objects. It is also the third, based on the intrinsic mark, because the function of transformation is the mark of supernormal powers. These two correspond to a single passage of sūtra text, but are divided into two by way of meaning; now explaining according to the intrinsic mark, the text itself has two types: 1. transforming external phenomena, within which are three: (1) transforming the same kind between brief and extensive; (2) from "defiled worlds" onwards, transforming between defiled and pure different phenomena; (3) from "or following the thought of the mind..." onwards, particles containing worlds and so forth, which is sovereign transformation. 2. From "or following the thought of the mind, within a single hair..." onwards, manifesting one's own body, as can be known. Third, from "or following the thought of the mind, within a single thought-moment manifesting ineffable..." onwards, the mark of performing sustained maintenance means constant activity without interruption. Second, from "At that time..." onwards, in severing doubts and revealing excellence there are two: first, severing doubts; second, revealing excellence. For the first now, according to the Treatise, joy arises because doubt is eliminated. Therein are two: first, demonstrating one's own supernormal powers to sever doubts; second, expounding the Dharma to sever doubts. In the first there are two questions and answers: the first question and answer reveals that the supernormal powers are unsurpassed, causing the assembly to rejoice; the latter question and answer reveals that the supernormal powers are surpassed, causing the assembly to rejoice. In the former, first comes the question, followed by the answer. In the question, first the great assembly gives rise to doubt, adducing the Buddha to doubt the bodhisattva: "Matters such as those above might be possible for a Buddha, but how could a bodhisattva do so?" Afterwards, the leader makes the entreaty. In the answer there are two: 1. entering samādhi and displaying supernormal powers; 2. questions and answers providing determination. The first is using facts as verification. Therein are three: 1. the master of the Dharma enters samādhi; because the essential nature of the land is entirely interpenetrating, a single body can encompass it with nothing outside. 2. From "having entered this..." onwards, the assembly beholds the rarity, manifesting sovereignty of supernormal powers; hence the Buddha is named "King of Supernormal Powers." 3. From "vajra..." onwards, gathering back the function increases reverence. Second, from "At that time Liberation Moon..." onwards, in the questions and answers providing determination there are three: 1. asking the name; 2. from "also asked..." onwards, the scope of functional activity; 3. from "Sons of the Buddha, when a bodhisattva abides..." onwards, analogously revealing the vast manifoldness. Therein are two: first, merely concluding with multiple samādhis already reveals that the functional activity is inconceivable; second, from "Sons of the Buddha, this Dharma Cloud..." onwards, concluding the brief to reveal the vast, showing that the remaining virtues are inexhaustible. This is also a matter within the Great Exhaustion [Section]. Second, from "Liberation Moon..." onwards, in revealing that they are surpassed, meaning they are inferior to the Buddha, first comes the question, followed by the answer. In the question, it adduces the bodhisattva to doubt the Buddha, meaning: since the bodhisattva has actually attained this, the Buddha should not be superior; if one says [the Buddha] is superior, what are the marks of this? Thus the words of the question are identical, but the intent of the doubt is vastly distant. In the answer there are three: 1. generally rebuking the impropriety of the question, revealing that the Buddha's virtues are immeasurable. 2. From "Furthermore..." onwards, adducing what has not been spoken to reveal that the Buddha's virtues are immeasurable; that is, what was just spoken is merely a small fraction of the virtues of the tenth stage, like a small amount of earth from the four continents. To compare the totality of the bodhisattva's virtues to the Tathāgata is like comparing the earth of the four continents to the boundless great earth. How much more so when comparing the small fraction already spoken to the Tathāgata, which is like comparing a single clod of earth to the boundless great earth, for the Buddha's realization is supreme. 3. From "Sons of the Buddha, I now..." onwards, drawing upon analogous phenomena to reveal that the Buddha's virtues are immeasurable. Second, from "Sons of the Buddha, when a bodhisattva abides in such wisdom..." onwards, regarding expounding the Dharma to sever doubts: it means that the wisdom of the bodhisattva of this stage can cause sentient beings to enter all-knowledge, and moreover reveals that what was spoken above is not false in its virtue; thus doubt is eliminated and joy arises. However, the text below should present the departure from the stage's mental state in comparison with the preceding stages, which constitutes the fruition of pliancy; yet the Treatise places this back into the preceding section to display the manifold momentum of doctrinal points, which ultimately seems confusing. If following the previous precedents, the practices of the stage up to this point are concluded.