大方廣佛華嚴經疏 6.5

6.5

Third, from "planting immeasurable" downward, their virtuous conduct is fully perfected. What was the benefit of the earlier gathering? It was to cause their virtue to be perfected. Within this, it first resolves the perfection of the cause, and afterward enters the ocean of the fruit. Now, the first: the text has five clauses. First, "planting immeasurable good"—they have already surpassed the seventh stage, because of their exceptionally superior kuśala-mūla. Second, from "all have already" downward—they have already surpassed the eighth stage, because their great vows are fulfilled. Third, from "that which they practice" downward—they have already surpassed the tenth stage, because their practice is complete and their obstacles purified. Fourth, from "regarding emancipation" downward—the preceding explained the perfection of virtue, and this possesses the path of deliverance: one path is immeasurable paths, already surpassing birth-and-death and not dwelling in nirvāṇa; therefore it says "skilfully emerge". Fifth, from "constantly seeing" downward, this concludes with seeing the Buddha: because their virtue is as lofty as the tenth stage, for this reason they constantly see. It is not seeing through inference; hence it says "distinctly". Not grasping at physical marks is called "illuminating and discerning". Furthermore, the Buddha pervades manifoldly across oceans of lands as numerous as atoms and hairs; having such virtue, they behold this; this is called "distinctly illuminating and discerning".

Second, from "by the power of superior understanding" downward, they enter the ocean of the fruit. This section of text, looked at from what precedes it, is specific, because amid possessing virtues in general they specifically enter the fruit; looked at from what follows, it is general, because it is the heading of liberation among the forty assemblies; here it is provisionally subsumed under the former. Within this, there are two: first, mounting causes to enter the fruit; this is knowing through inferential cognition, like seeing the soaring of a luan-phoenix and knowing the great void can be penetrated, or gazing at a leaping dragon and knowing the vast ocean can be traversed. That is to say, by the power of superior understanding they seal and assent to the Buddha's words, knowing the depth and distance of his merit and wisdom; by the power of faith and understanding they look up to the Buddha's transformation, knowing the vastness of his loving-kindness and compassion. This is entering the great ocean of the Tathāgata's virtues; it is also superior understanding sealing and sustaining the virtues of the fruit. Second, from "attained in..." downward, it explains obtaining a portion of the fruit's function. When it says "liberation gate", the obstacles of the Buddha-fruit are stilled and its great function is unobstructed, therefore it is called "liberation". True liberation is the Tathāgata's penetrating wisdom. One roams into it, hence it is named "gate". Because the assembly individually verifies and accords with it, it is termed "attaining". This liberation is itself the gate; the Buddha attains it in its generality, and the ocean-like assembly attains it in its particulars. Furthermore, the Buddha's liberation is simply called liberation, whereas the dharma attained by the assembly is termed a "gate", because it can access that fruit and function. This is the gate of liberation. Moreover, the dharma attained by the assembly is free from obstacles and sovereign, so it is called liberation. The place entered by wisdom is also called a gate; because one enters the liberation of the fruit by means of the liberation of the cause, it is also called a gate—this liberation is itself the gate. However, only when general and specific perfectly interpenetrate, cause and fruit mutually penetrate, and there is manifold non-obstruction, does it become the true liberation gate. Therefore, below, it either praises the Buddha's fruit-virtues, or praises the causal practice, or explains in terms of what the devas and others have attained, wishing to illuminate them implicitly.

Next, "sporting in supernormal powers" directly clarifies the marks of entry. "Sporting" means sovereignty in entering and exiting. "Supernormal powers" are unfathomable and unhindered. Interpreted in terms of contemplating the mind: non-obstruction between mind and object is called liberation; entering noumenon through this is hence named a gate. If one takes a gate as an [external] gate, it cannot provide passage. If the gate is itself suchness as it truly is, what is there to pass through? When right entry entails the disappearance of both, that is the true gate. One who enters like this has original awakening serene and clear, which is called exhausting the ocean of the fruit. When the real is not outside the delusive, cause and fruit perfectly interpenetrate; when mind and object are boundless, liberation is without limits.