大方廣佛華嚴經疏 44.3

44.3

Second, the direct exposition. The *Treatise* divides it into eight divisions: 1) the division on the fulfillment of the stage through skillful means, gathering the cultivations of the previous nine stages collectively as skillful means to fulfill this stage; 2) the division on attaining samādhis, where the practices upon first entering the stage are immeasurable in virtue, specifically citing the basis for receiving the office; 3) the division on receiving the station, which is the practice of properly dwelling in the stage, relying on the power of the aforementioned samādhi to gather the Buddha's wisdom; 4) the division on entering the great culmination, which is the practice of completing the stage, where looking back at the preceding stages practice was already exhausted, and now, completing this stage, it reaches the utmost limit of culmination; 5) the division explaining the name, because in this stage study is exhausted, virtues are discussed, and its designation is revealed; 6) the division on supernormal powers being surpassable and unsurpassable, where after completing the stage wondrous function is sovereign, unsurpassable compared to the preceding stages, yet inferior compared to the Buddha; 7) the division on the reflections of the stage, using metaphors to reveal the Dharma, just as one knows the physical form through its reflection; 8) the division on the benefits of the stage, manifesting the preeminence of the exposition to encourage cultivation and entry. The latter two divisions apply generally across all ten stages; subsuming what follows under what precedes, it is said that this stage has eight [divisions]. If we follow the previous overarching division where the latter two divisions apply generally, then this stage is divided into two: first explaining the practices of the stage, and later displaying the fruits of the station. Within the practices of the stage, there are only six divisions, as listed above. Among the six, the first is the entering mind, and the rest are the dwelling mind. The emerging mind is the softened, compliant fruit, as explained before. Now in the first division, there are two parts: first, a general explanation; and later, from 'well-fulfilled' downward, a specific revelation. In the first: 'immeasurable wisdom' refers to the vastness of the āgamas; 'contemplating and clearly awakening' refers to the depth of realizing wisdom. In the *Ratnagotravibhāga*, bodhisattvas on the stages give rise to two kinds of practice: first, concerning fundamental wisdom, it is called 'practicing in accordance with reality', which is this realizing wisdom; second, concerning subsequent wisdom, it is called 'pervasive practice', which is this vast wisdom. Bodhisattvas on all stages fully give rise to both of these practices; now here, one deliberates and cultivates these two. In the specific section, ten phrases are subsumed into seven aspects, because the first three, and the seventh and eighth, are combined. Among the seven: 1) 'skillfully cultivating practice' is the common aspect, meaning the first three phrases clarify the realization, auxiliary, and non-abiding paths, which are cultivated in common across all stages. The first phrase is the path of realization, because it consists of uncontaminated white dharmas. How does one attain realization? Due to the next phrase, the auxiliary path. By what cause is it made auxiliary? Due to the latter phrase, the non-abiding path: because of increasing merit, one does not abide in the unconditioned; because of increasing wisdom, one does not abide in the conditioned. The latter six are specific aspects: 2) 'broadly practicing great compassion' is the aspect of universally according with self-benefit and benefiting others. This synthesizes the previous seven stages into a single aspect, because the distinct aspects of the seven stages were already distinguished at the beginning of the eighth stage. This cites 'universal' to explain 'broad', and 'according' to explain 'practice'; by great compassion one benefits others and thereby completes one's own karma, hence it says 'self-benefit'. 3) One phrase, 'causing the buddha-lands to be purified', is the aspect of the eighth stage. The lower three aspects are the ninth stage; because one personally realizes this, it is cited extensively. That is: 4) one phrase, the aspect of 'teaching and transforming sentient beings', which is the ninth stage's own-share practice of entering the eleven thickets; 5) two phrases, the aspect of 'skillful understanding', meaning one thoroughly understands that tathatā is the realm where buddhas walk, and skillfully accords with the Tathāgata's practice of realizing quiescence; 6) the aspect of 'insatiability', constantly contemplating the powers and the like, wishing to enter them. The upper phrase is understanding, and this phrase is practice, both being the progressive advancement of the ninth stage. As the previous stage says, day and night one is devoted and diligent without any other thought, solely entering the realm of the Buddha; 7) the aspect of 'reaching and entering the culmination of the stage', meaning that in the tenth stage realization is exhausted; like the previous stages, concluding practice and entering the station already belongs to the tenth, hence it is said: 'named attaining the station of receiving the office'.