大方廣佛華嚴經疏 60.14

60.14

Second, from "At that time" onward, clarifies hearing the wondrous, inconceivable virtues of the Buddha. The preceding prose only revealed the perfection of the cause, whereas these verses set forth the functions of the fruit; they do not versify the preceding text. However, there are two intentions: First, in relation to Samantabhadra. Samantabhadra's intention is: "Above, you saw that I am inconceivable, which is still the causal station; now I show you the fruit, which is even more profoundly deep." Second, in relation to Sudhana. Sudhana's equaling the Buddhas is only the perfection of the cause; because the ocean of the fruit is beyond words, it does not speak of attaining Buddhahood. Now, by relying on displaying the Buddha's virtues, it reveals the marks of Sudhana's fruit. Therefore, the cause and fruit are interwoven in the prose and verses. In the text there are three parts: First, the verses indicate the virtues, admonish [them] to listen, and promise to speak. Second, from "At that time" onward, the prose adduces the assembly thirstily longing and wishing to hear. Third, from "At that time Samantabhadra" onward, [he] extensively sets forth the marks of virtue, leading the assembly to seek fulfillment. Therein are two parts: first, the prose reiterates the admonition and promises to speak within limits; second, the verses extensively reveal the Buddha's inconceivable virtues. There are ninety-five verses, divided into two: first, ninety-three verses separately praise the Buddha's virtues; second, two verses conclude with the inexhaustibility of the virtues and exhort faith without doubt. In the former, the first eighty verses are an exposition of Dharma, and the latter thirteen verses clarify by metaphors. However, they generally praise the twenty-one kinds of superlative virtues of Vairocana's complete ten bodies, and are divided into twenty-one sections: First, there are two verses, which are the virtue of unhindered activity toward the knowable, meaning that the Buddha's unobstructed wisdom is unattached and unhindered regarding the distinct categories of all phenomena. Second, there is one verse, clarifying the virtue of the purest ability to enter into the non-dual mark of existence and non-existence in tathatā, meaning that comprehending tathatā as non-dual, there is therefore no stirring of thought. Third, there are three verses, which are the virtue of unceasing effortless Buddha-work, meaning that abiding in the Buddha's non-abiding abode, [the Buddha] engages in Buddha-work without cessation; hence it says "or seen," etc. Fourth, there are fifteen verses, which are the virtue of non-differentiation in the basis, intention, and activities within the dharmakāya, meaning that because the wisdom relied upon by the Buddhas is identical, their intention to benefit sentient beings is identical, and their functions of retribution and transformation are identical. Hence, the previous sūtra states that one attains the equality of the Buddhas, which also corresponds to the "intention of equality" among the four kinds of intention in the Mahāyānasaṃgraha. Here, the extensive enumeration of all Buddhas mutually pervading each other is already a wonderful explanation, and now we further prove it with textual principles. All these Buddhas are Vairocana's body; this text states that Akṣobhya is within this [Sahā] trichiliocosm. Akṣobhya originally resides in the east, but now it says he is here, making clear he is not different from this [place]. Furthermore, Amitāyus Buddha and Candraprabha Tathāgata both pervade the ten directions; how could they be separated from this? Moreover, they all say "or seen," so we know that the one Buddha is seen differently according to [beings]. If one were to say this separately praises other Buddhas and simply says Akṣobhya is here, how would that constitute praising [his] virtues? How much more so given that the ocean of lands of Padmagarbha is entirely Vairocana's transformed realm, and Amitāyus and the others have not gone beyond the types of worlds—how could they not be this Buddha? The Lotus Sūtra and the Aṅgulimālīya-sūtra both speak of emanations in the ten directions; hence we know that Dharmākara's distinct conditions and the sixteen princes were all provisional teachings. Deduced through principle, they are all manifested from the Tathāgata's ocean-seal [samādhi]; on what basis would [the Buddha] not speak of the Buddha he himself manifested, but speak of another? Therefore we know that Bhadraśrī Buddha and the others are all the fundamental master. However, this section of text also concurrently reveals the seventeenth virtue of manifesting differentiated Buddha-lands according to their resolute intentions. In the text there are three parts: the first eight [show that] host and retinue adorn lands and gather sentient beings identically; the next four [show that] subtle containment and turning the Dharma[-wheel] are identical; the latter three universally gather the multiple gates, concluding the preceding and introducing the following. Fifth, from "Or seeing Śākya[muni]" onward, there are three verses, which are the virtue of practicing the remedies for all obstructions, meaning that at all times [the Buddha] constantly cultivates awakening wisdom to remedy the six blinders, etc. Since it says "already having passed through many kalpas," it is not fixed at his initial attainment. Sixth, there are three verses, which are the virtue of subduing all heterodox paths. Therein, the first two are the two paths of teaching and realization; the last one is manifesting a body of the same kind as those subdued. Seventh, from "Or manifesting in Tuṣita" onward, there are sixteen verses, which are the virtue of being born in the world without being obstructed by worldly dharmas. Therein, the first five are the unhindered manifestation of the eight marks in the world; the next three are being unhindered while dwelling in heavenly palaces; the next six are being unhindered in skillful transformations according with the world; the last two conclude with unobstructed wisdom's ability to universally accord with capacities. Eighth, from "The Tathāgata abides" onward, there are eighteen verses, clarifying the virtue of establishing the true Dharma. Therein, the first four verses establish the Dharma-wheel of the three vehicles and concurrently reveal its operations; the next three clarify establishing the remedies of the six pāramitās and the factors of awakening; the next seven clarify that with a single voice, according to [different] categories, the hearing of the Dharma is varied, even unto infinity; the last four clarify the equal verbal action responding to all. Ninth, from "Endowed with" onward, there are three verses, clarifying the virtue of conferring vyākaraṇa, meaning predicting past and future just like the present; hence it says "all clearly seen." Tenth, there are four verses, clarifying the virtue of manifesting sambhogakāya and nirmāṇakāya. Eleventh, from "Or holding" onward, there are two verses, clarifying the virtue of severing all doubts, meaning being well-decided in all objects, and thus able to sever others' doubts. Twelfth, there are nine verses, the virtue of causing entrance into various practices, meaning completely comprehending the natures and actions of all sentient beings, and causing them to enter according to their faculties. Thirteenth, "The Tathāgata's unobstructed wisdom," one verse, is the virtue of generating wondrous wisdom in the future, meaning the Buddha knows what is long into the distance. Fourteenth, there are five verses, the virtue of manifesting according to their resolute intentions, meaning manifesting bodies according to their intentions. Fifteenth, there are three verses, which are the virtue of being the basis for the preparations of immeasurable sentient beings to be tamed. The meaning is: the Buddha's wisdom serves as the basis for the preparations of immeasurable bodhisattvas to tame sentient beings. Sixteenth, from "The Tathāgata's pure" onward, there are two verses, clarifying the virtue of fulfilling the pāramitās of the equal dharmakāya. However, as in the Mahāyānasaṃgraha, the dharmakāya possesses five marks: the first line takes white (pure) dharmas as its mark, because it is the sovereign mastery of the ultimate fruit's perfection; the next two lines are the inconceivable mark, the next one being the non-dual mark, and the next one being the mark of non-reliance; the next line is the mark of permanent abiding; the two similes in the next line: a drawing in empty space illustrates non-reliance, and a dream illustrates the non-dual mark of neither existence nor non-existence. The rest cannot be illustrated by similes, or are omitted without similes. Seventeenth, there is one verse, clarifying the virtue of manifesting differentiated Buddha-lands according to resolute intentions. Since they are manifested according to intentions, they cannot be illustrated by similes. This verse also completely brushes away the preceding similes: just as mountains and the like certainly do not rely on space, existence and the like certainly cannot serve as similes for the Buddha. Eighteenth, one verse, clarifying the virtue of the three kinds of Buddha-bodies having no boundary in direction or place. Nineteenth, one verse, gathering three kinds of virtues as identical to dharmatā, etc., which is the virtue of constantly manifesting the benefit and joy of all sentient beings unto the limit of saṃsāra. Equaling empty space is the inexhaustible virtue, etc. Equaling the limit of reality is the ultimate virtue, because like the limit of reality, it exhausts the limits of the future. The last two verses conclude with the inexhaustibility of virtues, and also distinctively reveal the inexhaustible virtue. Although it is a general conclusion, it corresponds to a distinct passage. Therein, the preceding verse concludes the virtues, and the latter verse exhorts faith. Ancient masters also took these two verses as the propagation section for the entire text, as discussed previously.