大方廣佛華嚴經疏 50.3

50.3

Second, from 'Sons of the Buddha, just as the great dragon' onward, it is revealed through metaphors. The text has three metaphors: the first two illustrate being without bondage and without liberation; the last one illustrates being immeasurable and boundless, and being immeasurable and boundless pervades the preceding two sections. Now for the first part: the former clarifies the metaphor of rain falling from nowhere, directly illustrating being without bondage and liberation. Since there is no place it comes from, what bondage or liberation could there be? The latter clarifies the metaphor of ocean water coming from the mind, illustrating the cause for being without bondage and liberation. The water takes the power of mind as cause, and is not determinately internal or external. Wisdom comes from past vows; because it is dependently arisen, coming is non-coming. The second is the metaphor of the ocean's vast depth, illustrating being immeasurable and boundless, which contains three parts: first stating the theme and admonishing to listen; second, from 'Sons of the Buddha, this Jambūdvīpa' onward, revealing through the metaphor; third, from 'Sons of the Buddha, what do you think' onward, correlating with the Dharma. Within the metaphor are three parts: first separately revealing that the water is vast, the text having four sections: 1. the water of the four continents, 2. the rainwater of the dragon kings, 3. the water emerging from palaces, and 4. the dragon king Sāgara both raining and emitting water; each is double the previous to reveal depth and vastness. Second, from 'That which emerges' onward, it generally reveals the marks of the water: because it surges forth the tide rises, and because it is quickly dissipated by the jewels the tide falls; this is the ultimate explanation. Third, from 'Sons of the Buddha, this great ocean' onward, it generally reveals immeasurability, and additionally the water has four [qualities]. Third, within the correlation are two parts: first correlating the water's immeasurability. Buddha-wisdom in a single thought-moment is inexhaustible; how much more so when exhausting the three times and pervading the ten directions, layer upon layer, how could it be illustrated by metaphor? Second, from 'Sons of the Buddha, one should know the Tathāgata' onward, it correlates with generally revealing immeasurability. It is not only wisdom that constitutes the Buddha's sphere; the factors of awakening and so forth are all the realm of range. The ocean of wisdom correlates with the water, and the rest correlates with the jewels and so forth, which are all clear and easily understood.