大方廣佛華嚴經疏 60.6

60.6

Second, from "Good son, as you have asked" downward directly confers the dharmadhātu. Here there are four [parts]: 1. conferring the essence of the Dharma; 2. revealing the name of the Dharma; 3. plumbing the primal source of the causes of the adornments; 4. investigating the nature and marks of the primary reward. In the first there are four [parts]: 1. the skillful means for gathering [him] into it; 2. conferring empowered attainment; 3. seeing the realm attained; 4. the conclusion of the event and rising from samādhi. In the first, first the question is taken up to encourage realization (from here down enters the seventy-ninth fascicle of the sūtra); afterwards, from "At that time Sudhana" downward, he seeks the skillful means for realization. Second, from "At that time Maitreya" downward, empowered attainment is conferred. First, empowerment through conditions is addressed, causing him to access the Dharma, forget words, and accord with the purport, whereupon the gate to the Buddha-Dharma opens; thus it says "went before," etc. This is opening the gate of noumenon and wisdom, revealing it to cause him to be awakened and enter. Afterward, from "Sudhana's heart rejoiced" downward, self-realization through causes is addressed: when one awakens to the knowledge and vision of the Buddha, one enters the dharmadhātu. From delusion to awakening, in approaching via preparatory practice, there is a distinction between gate and noumenon. Once realized, there is conformity, where subject and object both vanish; the illusory is itself the real, and there is no further place of entry; hence it says "closed again." Third, from "saw its tower" downward explains the seeing of the realm attained. Here there are two [parts]: first, specifically explaining what was seen; afterward, generally showing the marks of the seeing. In the former there are six: 1. seeing the dependent reward; 2. seeing the primary reward; 3. seeing the companion bodhisattvas; 4. seeing the Buddhas; 5. seeing the main tower within the towers; 6. generally seeing the functions of the adornments; yet these six are all contained within compassion and wisdom. Now, the first: first the seeing, afterward the benefit. In the former there are three: first, directly seeing a single layer of adornment, which has indication, enumeration, and conclusion. "Equal to empty space" means it accords with the dharmatā. Next, from "also saw therein" downward, within the dependent there is further dependent [reward]. Seeing many within one is the gate of subtlety, and also the gate of principal and companion. Afterward, from "Sudhana" downward, seeing many in one place is the gate of mutual inclusion. Second, from "At that time" downward explains obtaining benefit. Second, from "having just prostrated" downward, seeing the primary reward has two [parts]: first, a general indication; from "namely" downward, a specific explanation. In this there are five: 1. seeing the time of the initial aspiration; 2. from "or seeing the initial attainment of the mind of loving-kindness" downward, seeing the time of his cultivation and obtaining of the Dharma; 3. from "or seeing Maitreya as a wheel-turning [king]" downward, gathering in sentient beings according to their types; 4. from "or seeing him as a world-guardian" downward, seeing him in assemblies expounding the Dharma, wherein it first explains the distinctions among the assemblies he is in, and afterward, from "or seeing him praising and expounding the first stage" downward, shows the Dharma he expounds; 5. from "or seeing Maitreya for hundreds of thousands" downward, generally seeing his practices and functions. Third, from "or seeing the bodhisattvas" downward explains seeing the companion bodhisattvas as clouds of bodies expounding the Dharma, which are the previously mentioned countless retinue. Fourth, from "or seeing the Tathāgatas therein" downward explains seeing the virtues of the Buddhas gathering in and transforming [beings]. Fifth, from "and again therein" downward, seeing the main tower within the towers specifically explains what Maitreya is to accomplish in one lifetime. In this, first is the seeing, and afterward, from "At that time" downward, the obtaining of benefit, which can be understood. Sixth, from "further heard all" downward, seeing and hearing the functions of the adornments has ten sections: 1. hearing the nets and so forth expound the Dharma, wherein there are three: first hearing near, next from "also heard in a certain place" downward hearing far, and afterward from "Sudhana" downward obtaining benefit; 2. seeing the functions of the jeweled mirrors; 3. seeing the jeweled pillars emit light; 4. seeing the deportment of the jeweled images; 5. seeing the arising of necklaces and so forth; 6. the lotus flowers reappearing; 7. images appearing on the jeweled ground; 8. half-bodies appearing from the trees—tuoshaluo (tuṣāra) means frost and ice here; 9. half-moons emitting light; 10. the walls displaying past deeds, wherein first is seeing Maitreya cultivating and gathering in sentient beings according to their types, and afterward from "also saw" downward beholding the friends he served admonishing Sudhana. Second, from "At that time Sudhana" downward generally shows the marks of the seeing, first in terms of Dharma, afterward through metaphors. Now, the first. By what power could he see? With what eye did he see? With what wisdom did he see? Relying on what station did he see? In what place did he see? As the sūtra assigns these, as well as concluding the realms not spoken of before. Afterward, from "Just as" downward, metaphors show the marks of the seeing. The reason there are ten metaphors is that what they illustrate is distinct. However, there are two meanings: 1. illustrating the different causes and conditions of the ability to see; 2. illustrating the distinctions in the marks of the realms seen. As for having the first meaning: of the ten, the first generally illustrates that both the ability to see and what is seen are like dream events, large and small without obstruction, etc., to be investigated as the metaphor matches the text; the remaining nine are all specific. The second illustrates the power of one's own cause, following one's own karma, as when an ordinary being's life is about to end. The third and fourth both illustrate the power of conditions, being possessed by dragons or spirits; however, spirit possession differs for oneself and others, while dragon possession shares the same substance for oneself and others. The fifth illustrates the power of the friend's dependent reward. The sixth is the power of samādhi. The seventh illustrates the power of the emptiness of intrinsic nature. The eighth illustrates the power of sovereignty in the dharmadhātu. The ninth illustrates the power of the non-duality of wisdom and samādhi, because of the samādhi of the great wisdom of the ocean-imprint. The tenth is the power of the sovereignty of illusory wisdom. Second, regarding the distinctions in the marks of the realms illustrated, the first is also general and the rest specific. Among the specific: 1. the metaphor of karma appearing at the end of life illustrates that what is seen corresponds in secret; 2. the metaphor of being possessed by a non-human illustrates that what is seen can speak; 3. the metaphor of lingering long in the dragon palace illustrates the perfect interpenetration of moments and eons; 4. the metaphor of vast displays in the Brahmā palace illustrates the non-obstruction between one and many; 5. the metaphor of the realm of the totality-absorption (kṛtsna-samādhi) illustrates that what is seen is clear and distinct; 6. the metaphor of the city of the Gandharvas relying on space illustrates the non-obstruction between noumenon and phenomena; 7. the metaphor of different perceptions in the same place illustrates sovereign concealment and display; 8. the metaphor of the ocean reflecting the trichiliocosm illustrates the simultaneous appearance of near and far; 9. the metaphor of an illusion manifesting multitudes illustrates that what is seen has unobstructed purity and mixture. Fourth, from "At that time Maitreya" downward, the event concludes and he rises from samādhi. Here there are four [parts]: 1. alerting him to rise. Snapping the fingers also means that whereas previously obtaining the purport was the so-called forgetting of words, here obtaining the purport causes him not to stagnate in quiescence. 2. From "dharmatā" downward briefly indicates essence and marks. The first phrase marks it; from "this is" downward explains the marks seen: they are produced from conditions of Dharma-wisdom, and being produced from conditions, they lack intrinsic nature; hence it says "such intrinsic nature is like an illusion, a dream, and so forth." "None are accomplished" concludes the above meaning: because they are from conditions and lack intrinsic nature, phenomena are not accomplished; because they lack intrinsic nature and arise from conditions, noumenon is not accomplished. Due to not maintaining intrinsic nature, they can accomplish the above dharmas from conditions; though accomplished, they are not separate from the dharmatā; hence, as for phenomena, one can say "the dharmatā is thus," and also that the nature itself intrinsically possesses them. 3. From "At that time" downward, he grasps the purport and rises. 4. From "Maitreya addressed" downward, question and answer about what was seen. The question regards direct realization, attributing it to internal causes, saying "abiding in the inconceivable." The answer shows humility and respect, attributing it to conditions, saying "the power of good friends." Master and disciple defer to each other, contrary to ordinary convention. Second, from "Holy One" downward reveals the name of the Dharma, first asking and afterward answering. In the answer, first the primary gate is explained, and afterward, from "Good son" downward, the retinue. In the former, "all realms of the three times" is precisely this realm entered and seen. "Wisdom of unforgotten mindfulness" is the wisdom capable of entering and manifesting. Truly, because the three times are of one suchness, moments and eons are perfectly interpenetrated; in any one time the realms of the three boundaries are manifested; wisdom enters the three times and comprehends dharmas as empty and quiescent, intimately tallying with suchness; hence within a single thought-moment there is nothing not seen. "Treasury of adornments" has two meanings: 1. because it is adorned with the dharmatā, within a single adornment inexhaustible adornments are contained and produced, as when seeing many towers within one tower, etc. 2. Because unobstructed wisdom accords with the perfectly interpenetrating realm, adorning the tathāgatagarbha, all dharmas are fundamentally possessed; as stated above, "the dharmatā is thus," not newly accomplished. This gate contains ineffable liberations. Third, from "Sudhana asked, saying" downward plumbs the primal source of the causes of the adornments. Here there are two pairs of questions and answers: the first pair plumbs that to which they return; since after beholding the marvels and the power of gathering they suddenly vanished, he asks where they went. In the answer, because going from the fundamental to the derivative is coming, and gathering the derivative back to the fundamental is going, and going is not different from coming, [Maitreya] refers to coming and answers both at once. The latter pair reveals their primal arising. Here first is the question. Although directed back to the place of coming, since one has not investigated the ultimate return, how can one know the primal arising? Hence he seeks it again. In the answer, first is Dharma, afterward metaphor. In the Dharma, first are marks, afterward nature. That is, made through the conditions of the power of wisdom, they come; empowered through the conditions of the power of wisdom, they abide. Since they come from conditions, there is no coming and going; hence these adorned phenomena do not abide within the tower, nor are they brought from another place. Coming from conditions, they are not an accumulation; conditions ending, they cease, hence they are not eternal. If they previously had a fixed place of origin, they would fall into the fault of permanence; if existing previously and absent now, that would be annihilation. Since they are free from permanence and annihilation, how could there be marks of arising, ceasing, oneness, difference, and so forth? Hence it says "far removed from all." Afterward, metaphors are two: first, the metaphor of the dragon king sending down rain particularly illustrates the coming of non-coming. In the application, "not abiding within" is due to the power of the bodhisattva; "not abiding without" is due to the power of one's own goodness. When internal and external causes and conditions mutually negate, then both inside and outside vanish. Afterward, the metaphor of the magician displaying an illusion illustrates both coming and going as being without coming and going. Fourth, from "Sudhana said: 'Holy One'" downward investigates the nature and marks of the primary reward. Here there are two [parts]: first, asking whence he came; afterward, asking his birthplace. In the former, first is the question, afterward the answer. In the question, having seen Maitreya come from elsewhere above, he hurriedly paid homage and asked about the Dharma, having had no leisure to inquire whence he came. Thus, by occasion of the previous coming of the adorned phenomena, he now asks about his place of coming. In the answer, there are three places of coming: 1. in terms of essence, the true dharmakāya is the coming of non-coming, coming being non-coming; the text has ten pairs, consider this. 2. From "Good son, the bodhisattva from great compassion" downward, in terms of marks, the true reward-body comes from the myriad practices, just as Vimalakīrti came from the bodhimaṇḍa of myriad practices. 3. From "You ask me" downward, in terms of function, the transformation-body manifests, coming according to where faculties have matured. These three are the Dharma-, reward-, and transformation-bodies, and also essence, marks, and function, as well as noumenon, practice, and phenomena. Moreover, the first is solely noumenon, the last solely phenomena, and the middle one possesses both noumenon and phenomena. Malati (mālatī) is fully called Malayadeśa. Malaya means garland-bestowing, which is the name of a mountain. Deśa means among/region, meaning that the mountain is in this country, or the country is near this mountain. Gopā: go is earth, and pāla is guardian, namely guarding the land as well as the mind-ground. Second, from "Sudhana" downward, question and answer about the birthplace. In the question, because it was previously said that he came from his birthplace, he now plumbs it. The answer has two [parts]: first, generally explaining the birthplaces of all bodhisattvas; afterward, specifically revealing Maitreya's birthplace. In the former there are three: first, directly answering the birthplace; next, explaining the conditions and retinue of birth; afterward, comparing to reveal supremacy. Now, the first has ten [statements], in all of which the upper clause is the practice capable of giving birth, and the lower clause is the household into which one is born. That is, if one gives rise to the bodhicitta, one is a bodhisattva, which is called the household of birth. If one has deep resolve, one sees good friends. If one attains the stages, one fulfills the perfections. Transforming sentient beings is awakening others. Having wisdom, one comprehends that dharmas are unborn; having skillful means, one does not grasp the mark of the unborn and does not stagnate in the quiescence of the two vehicles; hence one is born into the household of the endurance of the unborn. The rest can be deduced accordingly. Also, the upper clause can also apply to what is born; consider this. 2. From "Good son" downward explains the conditions and retinue of birth, having twenty phrases. Prajñā being the mother and skillful means being the father has briefly three meanings: 1. true knowledge is empty and congealed, resting quiet with yin, while provisional wisdom is flowing and moving, riding the waves with yang. 2. The direct giving birth to the dharmakāya truly relies on prajñā; without skillful means, it is shared with the two vehicles; the completion of the bodhisattva lineage is through skillful means. 3. Inner understanding and outer salvation are like mother and father. Next, giving provides blessings, and morality protects. The rest may be considered accordingly. 3. From "Good son, the bodhisattva who thus" downward compares to reveal supremacy. Here there are two: first, generally distinguishing the supremacy of the household of birth; afterward, from "born into such a noble and supreme household" downward, specifically revealing the supremacy of wisdom. Second, from "Good son, my body" downward specifically reveals Maitreya's birthplace. Here there are two: first, revealing that the true reward-body and so forth pervade the dharmadhātu. The text has ten phrases: the first is general, the next eight specific, and the last concludes. 2. From "For the sake of transforming" downward reveals the distinct present and future births adapted to faculties. Here, first it explains the present birth. Kūṭa means tower; there are many towers in this village, or Maitreya's tower is located here. Afterward, from "For the sake of according with" downward explains the future birth. In this, first it directly reveals the purpose of the future birth. Being like a lotus flower has three meanings: 1. Śākyamuni having planted the seed, that flower blossoms; 2. former causes containing the fruit is like the flower not yet opened, and causes ending with the fruit appearing is like the lotus opening; 3. hearing and perfuming containing the real is like the lotus not yet open, and seeing the real and forgetting words is called awakening. The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: "If a bodhisattva's roots of goodness do not encounter the sunlight of the Tathāgata's wisdom, they will undoubtedly wither and die." This generally confirms the previous meaning. Afterward, from "My vows fulfilled" downward concludes with the assembly of the three sages. Saying "both will see me" also has three meanings: 1. both assist in conversion; 2. Sudhana represents practice, Mañjuśrī represents faith and wisdom, and when achieving sambodhi, both will realize this; 3. Mañjuśrī is an ancient Buddha, Sudhana a future Buddha, and Maitreya a present Buddha; the three times are perfectly interpenetrated, vast and completely equal; hence it says "both will see [me]."