大方廣佛華嚴經疏 53.16

53.16

Second, the three gates from "there are ten ways of seeking the Dharma" onwards explain practices of superior progress: first, seeking further the essentials of the Dharma; second, after obtaining them, clearly understanding them; third, practicing as taught. As for the first: this is because practice is accomplished by relying on these [ways]. (1) The initial mind is solely straightforward. (2) From the middle to the end there is no laxity. (3) Internally, one does not spare one's body. (4) Externally, one forgets fame and profit. (5) Both [kinds of] benefit are equally perfected. (6) Grasping the meaning, one forgets the words. (7) The fruit is not sought hastily. (8) The cause answers to what was undertaken. (9) Universal resolution of doubts and confusions. (10) Solely fulfilling the Buddha vehicle. Apart from these ten seekings, all are heterodox seekings. As for the second, the clear understanding of the Dharma: if, having obtained it, one does not illuminate and penetrate it, what is the use of seeking it? Broadly speaking, through Samantabhadra's superior wisdom one clearly understands the distinctions between ordinary beings and noble ones of the three vehicles. (1) Ordinary beings: like immature and ignorant children, they are not yet able to transcend the world, and therefore follow the mundane to cultivate the four roots of goodness. (2) Those of dull faculties: practicing the path by following faith in another's words, they are called followers by faith. (3) Those of sharp faculties: practicing the path by personally perusing the Dharma of the sūtras and so forth, they are called followers of the Dharma. However, since the text now says "awakening to the self-nature of dharmas" and so forth, one knows that the first nine of the ten also encompass the Great [Vehicle]; hence the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa explains that there is a teaching of the ten stages shared by the three vehicles. The two persons above are differentiated according to their faculties. (4) The eighth person: this refers to the candidate for the first fruit. Furthermore, the commentary on the "Chapter on the Sages and Nobles" in the Abhidharmakośa states: "The eighth person refers to the patient acceptance of the Dharma of suffering; because among the eight patient acceptances, counting from behind, it is the eighth." Moreover, in the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa there is the stage of the eighth person. If considered in terms of transcending abandonment, it can encompass the candidates for the second and third fruits—that is, possessing the afflictions of the path of cultivation and abandoning one through five [classes of defilements] is the abandonment of the candidate for the first fruit; the next [three] toward the second, abandoning nine; and up through exhausting the defilements of the eight stages down to the patient acceptance of the Dharma of suffering is the candidate for the third [fruit]. (5) The Dharma of the first fruit, severing the manifold fetters: this refers to the three primary and three secondary [fetters], as already [explained in the chapter on] the Ten Stages. It can also refer to the eighty-eight entanglements of defilements severed by vision, which are called the manifold fetters. By seeing the truth-principle, the outflow of ignorance is severed; ignorance is the root of saṃsāra, hence called the outflow of saṃsāra. (6) The fruit of the once-returner: contemplating the faults of the taste of desire, he has already severed six grades; although the defilements of three grades can moisten one rebirth, he goes and returns once while knowing there is no going or returning. (7) The fruit of the non-returner: because he has severed the nine grades completely, he does not return to the desire realm. Because he has severed defilements up through the eight stages, it is stated generally that he "does not delight in the three realms." (8) The fruit of the non-learner. The eight liberations are: (i) liberation of contemplating external forms with internal form; (ii) liberation of contemplating external forms without internal form; (iii) the pure liberation—the first two depend respectively on the first and second dhyānas, and the third depends on the fourth dhyāna; the next four formless [attainments] are the four liberations; and the eighth is the liberation of the cessation of perception and feeling. The remaining meanings have already appeared above and are detailed in various treatises. (9) and (10) can be understood. As for the third, the Dharma of practice: because it is only by practicing as taught that one obtains the Buddha-Dharma. "Constantly acting for the gods": "for" (wèi) is in the falling tone, hence the Jin sūtra says "awakening the gods." The rest can all be understood. The above concludes the practice of active cultivation.