大方廣佛華嚴經疏 56.34

56.34

Second, from "he then saw that person" onward, is seeing him, paying reverence, and making inquiry, which has two parts: first, seeing him and paying reverence; later, from "the youth Sudhana praised him, saying" onward, making inquiry. Now, regarding the first part, it differs slightly from before, meaning that he directly saw the essence and function of his entering samādhi; this is the same as the night-spirits below who directly reveal the dharmadhātu in the preceding text, which are mostly like this. Within the text there are five points: (1) seeing the marks of his entering samādhi; (2) beholding the superior functions of the samādhi; (3) gazing reverently and realising entry; (4) the span of time that elapsed; and (5) beholding his rising from the samādhi. Now for the first: this applies to two samādhis. The first is the cessation samādhi (nirodha-samāpatti), meaning there is no separate conceptual thought and the seven evolving consciousnesses have ceased, with only the eighth consciousness sustaining the body; through the power of preparatory vows made before the samādhi, various activities and functions are aroused from the body in samādhi. In the Perfect Teaching, because the dharmadhātu is merged, integrated, sovereign, and unobstructed, its active functions are boundless without ever giving rise to a thought; therefore, at the sixth stage one is able to enter cessation samādhi and arouse universally shared functions, because one abides in the stage of resemblance. The Vimalakīrtinirdeśa says, "without rising from cessation samādhi, yet manifesting all deportments"—this directly corresponds to this. The second is the fourth dhyāna, because the arousing of functions mostly relies upon it. The fourth dhyāna has neither inhalation nor exhalation, nor does it have vitarka or vicāra, internally purifying joy and bliss and all conceptual thoughts; thus it broadly represents that at this station the mind is fixed and motionless. Furthermore, walking beside the ambulatory path is a place of movement; yet the cessation of conceptual thought represents that it is tranquil even while moving. And saying "beside" means not dwelling in movement. Second, from "from his feet" onward, is seeing the active functions of the samādhi, which has two parts: first, separately clarifying the differences among the places of bodily functions; later, from "the bhikṣu Sāgaradhvaja also, from his body" onward, generally displaying the active functions of the light from his pores. Now for the first, there are fourteen different locations of functions in all. Explained in general terms, they gradually increase in superiority from bottom to top. Individually, each represents something different. (1) Elders and others emerging from the feet: the feet have two meanings. First, being the earliest, they mostly signify the practice of giving (dāna), because it is the foremost of the myriad practices. Second, the meaning of walking and dwelling: an elder is the elder of practice; a householder is one who obtains a peaceful dwelling; a brāhmaṇa is pure practice; and bringing bodhi to completion is beneficial practice. (2) Kṣatriyas and others emerging from the knees: because kings over the land bend and extend with sovereignty. Since movement proceeds from the knees, pure practice emerges. Following upon the previous two modes of embracing (saṃgraha-vastu), he speaks pleasant speech and common purpose. (3) Ṛṣis emerging from the waist: the waist refers to the region below the navel-wheel and between the ocean of qi; this is the place of expelling the old and absorbing the new, where ṛṣis emerge. The Sanskrit text says nābhimandala, which here translates as "navel-wheel." (4) Nāgas emerging from the ribs: because they are animals (tiryagyoni, "flank-born"). (5) Asuras emerging from the auspicious mark upon the chest: because the chest is the place where arrogance and magical illusions can arise and cease, and also it clarifies that the auspicious mark can subdue Māra. (6) Followers of the two vehicles emerging from the back: because they turn their backs on the Mahāyāna. (7) Yakṣas and others emerging from the shoulders: because the shoulders are the seat of terrifying and courageous strength, and also the place of shouldering burdens, serving the work of guarding and protection. (8) Kiṃnaras and others emerging from the belly: because it is the place of beating the belly, playing stringed instruments, and singing music. (9) Cakravartin kings emerging from the mouth: because they disseminate the ten good deeds, causing beings to turn toward the Buddhadharma. (10) Sun discs emerging from the eyes: because the eyes are like the illumination of the sun. (11) Śakra emerging from between the eyebrows: because he is the most exalted among the terrestrial beings; transforming sentient beings through the middle-way prajñā, causing them to leave the five desires and obtain pure phenomena. (12) Brahmā kings emerging from the forehead: because Brahmā kings transcend desire, hence [located] immediately above the eyebrows; furthermore, it is the place of bowing the head to request the Dharma. (13) Bodhisattvas emerging from the head: because they are the foremost and supreme. Their expounding of the practices of the ten perfections is completely clear and can be understood. (14) Buddhas emerging from the crown of the head: because they are the most venerable, supreme, and peerless. Within the text there are three parts: first, generally displaying the marks of the bodily and verbal [actions] produced; next, from "namely" onward, separately revealing the differences among the rains of Dharma; finally, the single sentence "such..." generally concludes. Within the separate revelation of the rains of Dharma, there are thirty-two kinds in all: the first twelve rains of Dharma are for bodhisattvas, and the rest are for miscellaneous classes. Now for the first: (1) The rain of Dharma of knowing universally that all is equal: roughly, there are three types of equality. First, initial enlightenment is identical to fundamental enlightenment, having no difference between initial and fundamental. Second, being equal to all buddhas. Third, sentient beings and buddhas share a single nature. Attaining these three equalities, one transforms and achieves wondrous enlightenment. (2) From "the rain of Dharma of the universal gate" onward, the ten rains of Dharma are the ten abodes: because in the stations of the Perfect Teaching, when the station of the ten abodes is fulfilled, one immediately becomes a buddha, and before this there are no other stations. This is explained in terms of including stations within stations, which is unique to the Ekayāna school; no other [tradition] has this explanation. However, these ten dharmas are all exhortations to learn: once the ten dharmas have been settled in one's own share, one is exhorted toward superior progress. "Universal gate" means the ten kinds of wisdom regarding the three times and so forth, exhorting to the buddha-abhiṣeka to cause him to cultivate progress; below all imitate this. (3) Causing them to universally study the skillfulness of the Dharma King, and so forth, for the sake of adornment. (4) Causing them to learn to know worlds, shake worlds, and so forth, none of which can be destroyed, being the most elevated. (5) Causing them to learn to explain that one is many and many is one, and other such ten kinds of vast and profound dharmas; hence it is named "ocean treasury." (6) Causing them to learn that all dharmas are markless and essenceless, and so forth; since all are so, it is named "universal sphere." (7) Knowing that sentient beings are boundless, up to knowing that sentient beings have no intrinsic nature: these are all the gate of self-nature, because boundlessness and so forth also enter into self-nature. (8) Comprehending that the fulfilled buddha-dharmas of the three times all accord with the world. (9) Universally contemplating the realms of sentient beings, and so forth, out of compassion. (10) Reciting, studying, hearing much, being in leisure and tranquility, drawing near to good spiritual friends, and so forth: all are for the sake of accumulating and storing up dharmic practices. Newly cultivating the ground of the mind, it is therefore called "newly studying." (11) Causing them to diligently make offerings to buddhas and guide the world to embrace sentient beings. If interpreted in terms of the ten stages and so forth, they can be inferred by analogy. (12) The bodhisattvas of the ten faiths: causing them to universally take the inexhaustible spheres of the Tathāgata and Samantabhadra as conditions to generate faithful minds, clearly manifesting before them to enter the stations. Later, from "for the realm of form" onward, are the twenty rains of Dharma, universally for humans, devas, and miscellaneous classes. (1) Generally for sentient beings of the realm of form, letting go of the external to dwell internally, enabling them to attain the non-obstruction of mind and objects; hence it is called "universal gate." (2) Specifically addressing the first dhyāna: because due to past habituation they have much loving-kindness but are partial to their own retinue, he now causes their loving-kindness to be universal, containing inexhaustible blessings. (3) The Deva of Sovereign Mastery over Others' Transformations (Paranirmitavaśavartin): transforming worldly sovereignty to generate sovereignty in the ten powers. (4) Singling out the hosts of Māra from among the Paranirmitavaśavartin devas: Māra loves to destroy others and exalt himself; he now causes them to attain the Dharma-banner of a loving mind to crush their perverse arrogance. (5) Manifesting delight according with thoughts: this merely defiles one's own mind, so he transforms it to make their thoughts pure. (6) Although they are content with worldly pleasures, it is fitting that they give rise to the intention to transcend the world. (7) Worldly pleasures are gratifying from time to time, but they do not equal the joy of Dharma-bliss. (8) The acme of terrestrial dwelling envies dwelling in space as superior; this does not equal using merit and wisdom to adorn the emptiness of dharmatā. (9) Yakṣas by nature are mostly violent and harmful; hence he causes them to rejoice in living beings. This clarifies joy in terms of antidotes; the previous Yāma Deva was according to what was appropriate. (10) Because they are skilled at playing musical sounds, even śrāvakas of superior virtue are overwhelmed by them; he now causes them to attain adamantine wisdom, which leaves nothing uncrushed and nothing unfulfilled. (11) They rely on their great bodies and give rise to arrogance; he causes them to see the dharmakāya conforming to the realm of the dharmadhātu. (12) They observe the ocean with pure eyes wishing to swallow nāgas; he causes them to universally illuminate responsive capacities with the eye of loving-kindness and the light of wisdom. (13) In accord with their skill in singing, he causes them to attain superior worldly wisdom that enters into existence while identical with emptiness. (14) Human kings are attached to pleasure; hence it specifically serves as an antidote. (15) Nāgas have much venomous anger; hence he preaches joy to them. Having fears of hot sand and the like, he preaches that the Dharma-banner can destroy them. (16) Pythons have much venomous malice and are incessantly bitten and eaten by worms; hence he preaches that internally their venomous minds cease and externally their suffering ceases. (17) Sentient beings in the hells experience boundless suffering in their bodies and think boundless evil in their minds; if they use right mindfulness of the Triratna as an adornment, they immediately cast off all suffering. (18) Animals have much delusion. (19) The ghost-soldiers of Yama fear one another, and even the king's body has fears of molten iron and boiled bronze. (20) The various difficulties: namely, the eight difficulties, as well as being bound and imprisoned in human gaols and so forth, where there is much disquiet; hence he comforts them universally, causing them all to be able to enter the assembly of the worthy and noble, reversing those places of difficulty. Finally, concluding that it is all-pervading: because functions accord with the nature. Second, generally displaying the active functions of the light from his pores, which can be understood. Above, seeing the marks and functions of the samādhi is concluded. Third, from "at that time the youth Sudhana, with single-mindedness" onward, in gazing reverently and realising entry, there are ten sentences: the first sentence contemplates the person to realise the dharmadhātu of persons; the remaining sentences contemplate phenomena to realise the dharmadhātu of phenomena. Therein, the first single sentence is general, meaning samādhi is the essence and liberation is the function, clarifying essence and function together. The second separately contemplates that essence. The next two sentences separately contemplate those functions: first, benefiting sentient beings extensively and abundantly; second, being non-conceptual and all-pervasive, being tranquil even while functioning. The next two sentences contemplate the causes of the previous essence and function: first, because internal wisdom is pure; second, because external conditions augment it. The final three sentences contemplate his superior progress, progressing and benefiting the latter three based on the previous essence and function. Fourth, from "dwelling thus" onward, is the span of time that elapsed. Six months and six days: because in the sixth abode he fulfilled the sixth perfection, and because he nourished his spirit with the flavor of the Dharma, both body and mind were completely forgotten, unaware of the long time. Fifth, from "after this had passed" onward, clarifies his rising from samādhi, because what was to be done was finished.