大方廣佛華嚴經疏 56.12

56.12

Third, from 'At that time, Sāgaramegha' onward, he praises [Sudhana] and reveals the dharmadhātu. Within this are two parts: first he praises [Sudhana as] a vessel of the Dharma, and next he directly transmits the Dharma. In the former are three parts: first is the root question. Because those who produce the thought of awakening are rare, if one has not produced the thought of awakening, one is not capable of being transmitted the Dharma, as one is not a Dharma vessel. Next, from 'Sudhana' onward, is the answer, because it is not false. Afterwards, from 'Sāgaramegha said: Good man, if all...' onward, is the direct praise. Within this are two parts: first he praises the difficulty of fully possessing the causes and conditions, so that those who produce it are rare; next, from 'Those who produce the bodhicitta' onward, he reveals the supremacy of the characteristics of producing the thought of awakening, so that those who produce it are hard to find. As for the first: first the spiritual friend praises, and next, from 'One must obtain' onward, there is praise in accordance. Serving spiritual friends serves as the condition; all the rest are causes. In all there are ten phrases: the first phrase is general, namely, having planted the Samantabhadra Dharma-door in past lives to accomplish the spiritual disposition. Second, from 'possessing the true' onward, is specific: first, obtaining the wisdom light of the tathatā-samādhi is called 'possessing the path of reality.' This means comprehending the quietude and illumination of the mind, giving rise to the virtues of a Buddha. The rest can be understood. Second, in revealing the characteristics of producing the thought of awakening, there are eleven phrases: the first five are the mind of great compassion, where the first two are general and the remaining three are specific; the next four are the profound mind, practicing the great vows to the exhaustless limits of empty space; the final two are the straight mind, not running contrary to the dharmatā and realizing the fruit of wisdom. Moreover, these ten minds are mostly identical to the ten minds of the proper station of the ground-cultivating abode (zhidi zhu); fearing prolixity, I will not correlate them. Second, from 'Good man, I dwell' onward, he directly transmits the essentials of the Dharma, that is, contemplating the ocean of Dharma, beholding the Buddha, and hearing the Dharma. Clarifying this next after the preceding recollection of the Buddha reveals that hearing the Dharma and widely propagating it are next in importance. Within this are two parts: first he clarifies the cultivation of contemplation, and next, from 'Good man, as I did this' onward, the benefits of completing the contemplation. In the former are two parts: first, relying on phenomena to reveal the explanation; second, from 'Good man, I pondered' onward, wishing to forget the explanation to seek the purport. As for the first: first he generally indicates it. Saying 'twelve years' marks the completion of one cycle (ji), symbolizing that after passing ten thousand kalpas, one enters the second abode. It also symbolizes the comprehensive contemplation of the bodhisattva's twelve abodes and twelve entrances. Next, from 'namely' onward, he specifically reveals them, all relying on phenomena to express the Dharma. The ten meanings of the ocean of wisdom are as explained in the 'Ten Grounds' chapter; here it is the ocean of compassion. Second, forgetting the explanation to seek the purport is the immediate cause of beholding the Buddha, which can be understood. Second, regarding the benefits of completing the contemplation, there are two parts: first he clarifies beholding the Buddha, and next, obtaining the hearing of the Dharma. As for the first: this is beholding the unobstructed dependent and primary [retributions] of the dharmadhātu. Within this, he first beholds the dependent and then beholds the primary. In the former are three parts: first, a general indication of the essence and marks; because one deeply contemplates the ocean of mind and ocean of Dharma, the lotus of mind and the lotus of practice naturally blossom forth, and the untainted nature-virtues are all complete without lack. Second, from 'millions of asuras' onward, the external marks serve as adornments. Third, from 'this great lotus flower' onward, the causes are adduced to reveal its supremacy. Second, from 'I then beheld that' onward, he clarifies beholding the primary retribution; that is to say, once the mind and practice have blossomed, the inherently awakened Tathāgata suddenly manifests. Within this, he first clarifies that the marks of virtue are fully complete, and next, from 'He also thought' onward, that the causes are complete and the functions are vast, which can be understood. Second, from 'At that time, this Tathāgata' onward, he clarifies obtaining the hearing of the Dharma. The reason it is expounded within the ocean is to symbolize that it flows forth from the ocean of compassion and wisdom. Within this are three parts: first, expounding; next, receiving and upholding; afterwards, transmitting to others. As for the first: first he generally indicates it. 'Universal Eye' (Samantacakṣus) is because it explains the universal Dharma, and because it universally explains all dharmas. For one who attains this Dharma, within a single dharma one beholds all. Next, from 'disclosing' onward, he specifically reveals what is explained, which can be understood. Second, from 'From him I' onward, he clarifies receiving and upholding. Within this are two parts: first, he generally reveals the abundance of the Dharma that is upheld, because it is an inexhaustible Dharma-door of the mutual identity of the one and the many; next, from 'Good man' onward, he specifically reveals the characteristics of upholding much. Within this, he first indicates the long duration. Twelve hundred years has a symbolic meaning identical to twelve years. Next, from 'day by day' onward, he specifically reveals that what can uphold and what is upheld have ten kinds of upholding. The first one is upholding what is heard; all the rest are upholding the meaning. Second, only by tallying with the inherently quiescent wisdom is one able to enter. Third, circling endlessly within a single meaning, one is therefore able to enter universally. Fourth, the meanings on ground after ground are distinct, and thus one is able to differentiate them. Fifth, 'mighty power' means universally gathering them in one's embrace; if explained in terms of what is expounded in gathering, it means gathering all sentient beings through mighty power, the same as the explanation of the dhāraṇī of majesty and virtue in the ninth ground. Sixth, just as a blossoming flower leads to fruit, here opening up the teaching leads to the fruit. Moreover, when a flower opens, the real is seen, serving as adornment; here opening up the verbal teaching allows one to see its purport. Seventh can be understood. Eighth, just as space is markless yet embraces all, it clarifies the wondrous noumenon and displays the marks of phenomena. Ninth, when multiple lights of wisdom gather upon a single dharma, the principles and meanings are amplified. Tenth, just as the ocean contains ten virtues, each is distinguished and analyzed; all who uphold the sūtra should emulate this text.