大方廣佛華嚴經疏 50.6

50.6

The sixth section is the practice of manifestation. Previously it explained that the realm of range and wisdom are boundless; now it reveals that in application, compassion and wisdom are inexhaustible; although the ocean of wisdom is already full, compassion never ceases. In the prose are two parts: first, stating them; second, explaining the characteristics. In explaining the characteristics there are three parts: first, stating the two practices; next, explaining the two practices; finally, concluding the two practices. Now for the first part, the meaning has multiple implications: 1. Unobstructed practice is the phenomenal practice of noumenon. Tathatā practice is the noumenal practice of phenomena. The former is the mark of practice, while the latter is the essence of practice. Furthermore, the former is compassion identical to wisdom, while the latter is wisdom identical to compassion. The former is the conventional identical to the ultimate, while the latter is the ultimate identical to the conventional; fused without obstruction, they constitute the Tathāgata's practice. Second, from 'Sons of the Buddha, just as tathatā' onward, it explains both, containing two parts: first explaining tathatā practice, and then unobstructed practice. Now for the first part: the name 'tathatā' contains both Dharma and metaphor. In the text are three parts: first, repeating the name to interpret it, explaining that the essence transcends the three times, and hence is identical to tathatā. Conforming to suchness forms practice, and practice is identical to suchness. Past and future are not conditions, hence neither arising nor moving; the present is free from conditions, hence not originating. Second, it again cites the formlessness of the dharmadhātu to explain that negating both accords with the middle, from which we know that the true mark and so forth are all the Tathāgata's practice. Third, it cites the metaphor of a bird flying through empty space to explain the meaning of non-measure. Non-measure has two aspects: 1. Because the practice is vast and immeasurable, it is said that the Tathāgata's practice has no boundaries. 2. Being phenomenal yet identical to the real, it is devoid of delimited measure; hence it is illustrated by empty space. Since it has no measure, how could there be an immeasurable? If one posits an immeasurable, that itself is a measure. The perpetual quiescence of negating both constitutes the Tathāgata's practice; therefore, the mind becomes increasingly void, and the practice increasingly vast—practicing all day, yet never having practiced. Therefore the *Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra* states: 'There is yet another practice which is the Tathāgata's practice, namely the Great Vehicle's Mahāparinirvāṇa.' Second, from 'Sons of the Buddha, the Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksambuddha' onward, it explains unobstructed practice. In the text are two parts: first generally clarifying according to the Dharma, and then separately illustrating through metaphors. Now for the first part: wisdom does not abide anywhere, and compassion manifests what is practiced; that is, compassion and wisdom are unobstructed, being intrinsically free from the two hindrances and causing others to be unobstructed—all of which are unobstructed practice. In separately illustrating through metaphors are two metaphors: first, the metaphor of the garuḍa cleaving the ocean, which illustrates compassion identical to wisdom; second, the metaphor of the sun and moon having no deliberate thought, which illustrates compassion not losing wisdom. Third, from 'Sons of the Buddha, one should in this manner' onward, it concludes both practices: the nature concludes tathatā, and the mark concludes unobstructedness.