大方廣佛華嚴經疏 44.2

44.2

Tenth, the Cloud of Dharma stage (Dharmameghā-bhūmi). As for why it follows next, the *Yogācāra* explains: Although one has attained great sovereignty in expounding the Dharma among all categories [of beings], one has not yet been able to directly realize and experience the fulfilled dharmakāya; now, by diligent practice, one has attained this fulfillment, and therefore this [stage] follows. The *Treatise* (*Daśabhūmika-śāstra*) states: 'In the ninth stage, one has already purified buddha-lands and converted sentient beings; in the tenth stage, one cultivates practice so that wisdom and awakening reach completion—this is superior. Because both the eighth and ninth stages are alike in being effortless (anābhoga), [this stage] comes next to manifest its superiority over them. Moreover, it occupies the utmost summit within the Ekayāna.' Next is the explanation of the name; below there is naturally a section explaining the name, but now it is briefly analyzed. 'Cloud' is a metaphor, which has briefly three senses: first, containing water; second, covering the sky; and third, raining down showers. Relating the Dharma to the metaphor, there are many senses. 'Cloud' has four senses: 1) symbolizing wisdom; 2) symbolizing the dharmakāya; 3) symbolizing the nirmāṇakāya; 4) symbolizing the causal perfume of broad learning (bahuśruta). 'Sky' likewise has four senses: 1) symbolizing tathatā; 2) symbolizing gross heaviness (dauṣṭhulya); 3) symbolizing the dharmakāya; 4) symbolizing the ālaya[-vijñāna]. The *Mahāyānasaṃgraha* states: 'Due to obtaining the wisdom that universally takes all dharmas as its object, it contains and stores all dhāraṇī-doors and samādhi-doors.' This symbolizes the sense of containing water: the wisdom that universally takes all dharmas, such as sūtras, as its object does not depart from tathatā, just as clouds unite with the sky; the dhāraṇīs and samādhis are precisely the water. It also states: 'Just as a great cloud can cover what is like the sky, because of the vast obscurations.' This symbolizes the sense of covering the sky: precisely the aforementioned wisdom can cover the two obscurations of afflictions and knowables. It also states: 'Furthermore, because it can bring the dharmakāya to completion.' Here there are two senses: first, symbolizing the raining down of showers, which means the above wisdom generates merits and fills the dharmakāya upon which it relies; second, symbolizing omnipresent pervasion, which means the aforementioned wisdom itself fills the dharmakāya. Hence the *Suvarṇaprabhāsa* states: 'The dharmakāya is like empty space; wisdom is like a great cloud.' In the *Vijñaptimātratāsiddhi*, there are also three senses, completely identical to the *Mahāyānasaṃgraha*. But the *Yogācāra* states: 'The body of gross heaviness is vast like empty space; the fulfilled dharmakāya is like a great cloud, able to cover it all completely.' This agrees with the second sense of the *Mahāyānasaṃgraha*. But Asvabhāva's commentary explains it as wisdom covering the sky; here it is explained through the dharmakāya—when wisdom is full, then the dharmakāya is perfected. The *Awakening of Faith* states: 'Because the wisdom that manifests the dharmakāya is pure.' The present text itself states: 'Attaining the great dharmakāya, complete in sovereign mastery.' This also uses the dharmakāya as a metaphor for the cloud. The Tripiṭaka Master Paramārtha, explaining the *Suvarṇaprabhāsa-sūtra*, states: 'Empty space symbolizes the three dharmakāyas; the cloud symbolizes the wisdom of the three paths.' Here, the dharma and metaphor are also paired, but this seems not to be the intention of the sūtra, for this metaphor concerns the culmination of the stages, not what precedes the path. The thirteenth fascicle of the *Mahāyānasūtrālaṃkāra* states: 'In the tenth stage, by means of the doors of samādhi and the doors of dhāraṇī, one gathers all the causes of the perfuming of hearing, pervading the ālayavijñāna, just as drifting clouds pervade empty space. With this cloud of hearing-perfuming, at every single instant, in every single major mark, in every single minor characteristic, and in every single pore, it rains down measureless and boundless rains of Dharma, satisfying all sentient beings who are to be transformed. Because it can rain down the rain of Dharma like a cloud, it is therefore named the Cloud of Dharma.' This is spoken from the standpoint of the dharmakāya; because it has not yet reached buddhahood, the name ālaya is established. The *Daśabhūmika-vibhāṣā* states: 'Because in worlds without buddhas, it can rain down the rain of Dharma.' The *Yogācāra* also intends: To speak of a 'great cloud' is because it has not yet manifested equal awakening (samyaksambodhi). If it manifests equal awakening, it can rain down the great rain and bring benefit. Thus it is a dense cloud that does not rain, merely containing merits. However, although the various explanations are numerous, they do not exceed three senses: namely, containing merits through wisdom, completely severing all obscurations, and completely realizing the dharmakāya. Therefore, the gross heaviness that is covered is precisely the obscurations that are abandoned—namely, the obscuration of not yet having attained sovereignty among all dharmas, for this obscuration hinders the great Dharma-wisdom cloud of the tenth stage and the activities that arise from what it contains. These are the two kinds of ignorance that obstruct arisen activity: called the ignorance regarding great supernormal powers that obstructs the great cloud of wisdom, which is the ignorance regarding awakening and entering subtle secrets. By severing this obscuration, one can then realize the tathatā that is the basis of sovereignty in karma and the like; that is to say, because one has sovereign mastery over the activities of supernormal powers, dhāraṇīs, and samādhi-doors, one then accomplishes practices such as receiving the consecration (abhiṣeka), completes the prajñā-pāramitā, and attains results such as the nirmāṇakāya and samādhis. This is precisely the cloud raining down, ultimately perfecting the dharmakāya of buddhahood; and the realized tathatā is likewise the empty space that is pervaded. Their purport is one. Next is the direct explanation of the text. Within the text there are three parts: First, in the praise and entreaty there are sixteen verses: the first thirteen praise, and the latter three verses entreat. Within the former there are also two: the first three verses merely present offerings, having three categories that may be known; the latter ten verses are the deva-maidens' offerings of praise. Within that there are also two: the first one universally indicates the offering and praise, and the remaining nine directly display the words of praise. Within that there are also two: the first eight praise the Buddha's virtues and powers, and the last one encourages cultivation and its benefits. Within the former there are also two: the first five praise great sovereign function, and the latter three reveal the source of this sovereignty. Within the former there are also two: the first two show that functional benefits are universally pervasive, and the latter three show that perceptions vary according to the beholder. Within that there are also two: the first one explains universally, and the latter two reveal through the eight aspects [of the Buddha's life]. Within the source, there are also two: the first one is because wisdom understands worldly illusions, where the text has a metaphor and its application; the latter two are because realization exhausts nature and marks, wherein half a verse realizes essence, half a verse gives rise to function, half a verse shows function does not depart from essence, and half a verse shows essence and function are extinguished. In the latter three entreaties: the first one concludes the silent mental request, and the latter two are the verbal requests by the leaders.