大方廣佛華嚴經疏 53.18

53.18

Second, the five gates from "there are ten conceits" onward clarify the practice of eliminating obstacles and receiving empowerment. This has two parts: the first two gates concern the internal accomplishment of the practice of eliminating obstacles, and the latter three gates concern the external attainment of empowered practice. In the former, the first gate presents the obstacles, and the latter gate reveals their remedies. Now, as for the first: Conceit (māna) means relying on oneself against others, having an elevated [opinion of oneself] as its nature; it obstructs non-conceit and has the production of suffering as its karmic activity. However, sūtras and treatises explain it with many differences; for now, the seven conceits are explained. Fascicle nineteen of the Abhidharmakośa-bhāṣya states: 'First, conceit (māna); second, excessive conceit (atimāna); third, conceit exceeding conceit (mānātimāna); fourth, conceit of "I" (asmimāna); fifth, conceited overestimation (abhimāna); sixth, inferior conceit (ūnamāna); seventh, perverse conceit (mithyāmāna).' Here the text expands them into ten: the fourth, fifth, and ninth possess those names, while the remaining seven only possess the corresponding senses. The first three are just [simple] conceit, based merely on an elevated mind. Thus that treatise says: 'First, conceit: it refers to considering oneself superior to those who are inferior, or considering oneself equal to those who are equal. Although it corresponds to the object, because the mind is elevated, it is termed conceit.' The first belittles people; the next two look down upon the Dharma. In the fourth, holding oneself high and encroaching upon others means considering oneself superior to those who are equal, which corresponds to excessive conceit, because it exceeds the former conceit. The fifth is conceit exceeding conceit; here, 'exceeding the excess' means exceeding the former conceit. When there are virtuous ones who should be praised, seeing praise of those who are superior and becoming displeased means: 'considering myself superior, they ought to praise me.' The sixth is perverse conceit, which means considering oneself to possess virtue when one is devoid of virtue; hence it is called perverse conceit. Accomplishing evil deeds is called lacking virtue; relying on evil and exalting oneself is called conceit. Arising slander oneself is an evil deed. The seventh is inferior conceit: the elders possessing virtue are in large part superior, and one ought not to manage affairs [disrespectfully]; that is, considering oneself slightly inferior, how could one serve others? The eighth is also perverse conceit, because one gives rise to evil deeds. The ninth is the conceit of 'I', because one is swallowed by the conceit of 'I'. The tenth is conceited overestimation: when new goodness has not arisen, this means one has not yet attained it; disputing when one ought not to dispute means claiming to have attained it. From 'simply because they had previously generated [the mind]...' onward: according to the Sanskrit text, this should be moved and placed under 'the deep pit of hundreds of thousands of kalpas ago'. From 'perishing' onward, that Sanskrit text reads: 'Speaking what ought not to be spoken, with words full of conflict, generating resentment and hostility; frequently practicing this dharma, one ought to fall into a great pit. Yet, by the power of having previously accumulated bodhicitta, one attains the power of noble, wealthy, and sovereign status; for hundreds of thousands of kalpas one still does not see a Buddha, let alone hear the Dharma.' The Jin translation and the Du shi jing largely agree with the Sanskrit text. If we simply follow the present commentary: falling into a deep pit speaks of the faults of conceit, while ultimately awakening oneself clarifies that one is not submerged forever. If based on the eight conceits, the first three are all pride (mada), also called arrogance, because before venerable objects one is unwilling to bow and pay reverence. The rest are as explained elsewhere. Second, the ten kinds of intelligent activities from 'if bodhisattvas...' onward reveal the remedial practices. That is to say, having recognized the obstructing afflictions and not allowing them to grow, restraining sentiment and following principle, honoring and revering the practice of the Dharma—hence they are called 'intelligent activities'. In the text, the opening concludes the preceding and introduces what follows, the text running through both sections; from 'What are they?...' onward, it directly shows that these are all functions of wisdom, hence they are called 'activities'.