大方廣佛華嚴經疏 7

English (machine translation) 7

Language: English

7.1

Composed by Śramaṇa Chengguan of Da Huayan Monastery on Mount Qingliang in the Tang

(From here begins the third roll of the sūtra) From here below, the second, there are eight sections, clarifying the eight classes and the assemblies of the Four Heavenly Kings. In the first four sections, the first of each is a deva, the meaning being as explained before. Now first, the prose on the gandharva kings has ten dharmas. The first is the Heavenly King of the East, meaning that gathering in and subduing in contrary and accordant ways have many modes; being skillful in responding to capacities, he is called 'Sovereign'. Second, 'universally seeing...' and so forth: it means causing sentient beings to see all the adornments of the Buddha's merit. In a single pore the Buddha brings benefit, and each and every one is like this, hence called 'universally seeing'. Third, through the skillful means of compassionate pity, removing sorrow, then joy arises; sorrow and suffering being vast and deep like an ocean, joy and pleasure are also hard to exhaust and called a 'treasury'. However, worldly sorrow and joy arise from benefit and harm; benefit and harm reside in emotion and falsehood; suffering and pleasure reside in good and bad fortune; good and bad fortune reside in love and hatred. When love and hatred are exhausted, then good and bad fortune, suffering and pleasure all vanish; when emotion and falsehood cease, then benefit, harm, sorrow, and joy are forever severed—only thus is sorrow and suffering forever severed, and joy and pleasure arise. Fourth, 'forever severing...' and so forth: it means that having attained the light of decisive wisdom, wrong delusions are forever severed. Fifth, it means the cloud of compassion universally shades, and both timber and non-timber are cooled; the moisture of wisdom universally moistens, and the three kinds of herbs and two kinds of trees all sprout. Sixth, 'manifesting vast...' and so forth: manifesting the body to benefit beings. Universally responding according with the nature, it is vast; possessing pure marks, it is wondrous and fine. Seventh, the Buddha's emerging to preach the Dharma is Great Fame; Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha are all called jewels. Causing this to be heard far and wide, in meaning it says 'universally scattering'. Eighth, 'manifesting all...' and so forth: the body's light universally illuminates, and dust cannot defile it; those who see it will certainly rejoice. The light of wisdom delights capacities, afflictive bondages do not arise, and again they rejoice; hence it says 'great joy'. Ninth, the water of the Dharma universally nourishes, the actual practice of bodhi; the practice once established, those who see it will certainly rejoice. There being no more two vehicles, all are the tree of bodhi. Tenth, 'skillfully entering...' and so forth: the non-obstruction of the one and the many is called the Buddha's realm; the heavenly king's wisdom penetrates it, hence called 'skillfully entering'.

7.3

In the verses there are also ten. The first five are self-evident.
In the sixth, the first line is the manifestation of the body. The next two lines describe all obtaining peace and bliss. 'The world' means all [beings]. 'Endless bliss' is an overall manifestation; it means that when the Buddha appears in the world and his feet tread upon it or his shadow covers it, if beings are among humans and devas, their present joy and happiness increase; if they are in the lower states of suffering, for seven days they experience peace and bliss in body and mind, up until ultimately obtaining the bliss of nirvāṇa; hence it is called 'endless'. The next line specifically indicates the bliss of cause and effect that transcends the world: cause first and then effect, the worldly first and then the supramundane, both having the meaning of gradual sequence. Furthermore, taking the meaning of the verse as a whole: the purity of the Buddha's body is the cause of liberation, and the generation of endless bliss is the fruit of liberation. The endless bliss of the world is again the cause of liberation, and the ability to manifest a pure body is again the fruit of liberation. Again, the purity of the Buddha's body is the cause for delight in seeing [him], and delight in seeing is the fruit of the pure body. Sentient beings' delight in seeing is the cause of peace and bliss, and endless peace and bliss is the fruit of delight in seeing. Endless peace and bliss is the cause of a pure body, and the ability to manifest pure karma is the fruit of the endless [bliss]. Such cyclical causality is termed 'accomplishment in sequence'.
In the seventh, the first two lines describe the jewel house rescuing faculties. 'Solid' means hard to destroy; 'dense' means free of gaps, where, having no empty space, wisdom would otherwise fail to arise. The next line is the actual dispersing of jewels.
In the eighth, the concluding line should say: 'universally radiating jewel-like radiance, he is seen thus'; yet it says 'wondrous sound'. This is an error of the translator, because 'wondrous sound' belongs to the preceding Siṃhaketu.
In the ninth, the first two lines describe the water of the Dharma universally nourishing. The next line is the universal flourishing of the trees of the Way. Furthermore, the multiple gates of expedient means are the opening of the provisional; entering the practices of bodhi is the revelation of the real. Diverse expedient means are solely for the sake of the Ekayāna; this is universal nourishment.
In the tenth, the first two lines are the Buddha's realm, and the next line is peace and bliss. That the Buddha's power can manifest without moving is to refute erroneous views: he does not contract many kalpas into a single kṣaṇa, nor does he expand a single kṣaṇa to receive many kalpas; because the original characteristics remain as such, it is called 'without moving'. In accordance with those who should be saved, the Buddha's power causes them to see.

7.4

Second, among the ten dharmas in the prose on the Kumbhāṇḍa kings:
The first is the Heavenly King of the south: internal afflictions and external adversaries are both called hostile harm; dwelling safely in the power of patience, he can subdue them both.
Second, 'cultivating...', etc.: the practices of dual benefit heading toward the fruit are called 'gates'; being deep, vast, and difficult to fathom, they are called an 'ocean without bounds'.
Third: knowing their present desires, he transforms and subdues them accordingly.
Fourth, 'universally accomplishing...', etc.: for those of dull faculties, he manifests through supernormal powers; for those of sharp wisdom, he demonstrates through the Dharma. Pervading the world across many kalpas is called 'universally accomplishing'; being like space, it is called 'pure'; and both being able to illuminate the world is 'light'. Transforming beings via the three wheels is the karma performed.
Fifth: the worldly afflictions and sufferings are fearsome and unstable; bodhi and nirvāṇa are tranquil and fearless. The myriad practices serve as their causal path, and so the fearless fruit of cessation is accomplished.
Sixth, 'exhausting...', etc.: craving and desires drift like an ocean, deep and wide; when the sun of wisdom shines brilliantly, delusion is exhausted and the real becomes manifest.
Seventh: it means universally manifesting body-clouds in all realms of rebirth, flashing like the lightning bolts of supernormal knowledge.
Eighth, 'universally radiating...', etc.: the light of body and wisdom dispels the two hindrances.
Ninth: cultivating compassion over many kalpas and ultimately eliminating suffering constitutes non-retrogression. Compassion possesses many expedient means, hence it is also called a 'treasury'. In order to bring peace to sentient beings, he discloses and reveals it.
Tenth, 'universally manifesting...', etc.: supernormal powers in accord with reality circulate without coming or going.

7.5

In the verses:
The first verse generally shows that the Buddha has already eliminated enemies. The greatest among enemies does not exceed arrogance: if one possesses it, one is base and ugly; if one eliminates it, one is dignified and majestic.
The next four verses are self-evident.
In the sixth, the first line is the ocean of desires. Desire is the root of suffering, hence it says 'possessing all sufferings'. The next two lines are the exhaustion [of desires]. Since desire and evil have ceased, wholesome practices should be spoken.
In the seventh, the first line is universally manifesting body-clouds. The next line explains the lightning flashes of equality, hence it says 'various'. The next line also explains thunder and rain. Thunder has two meanings: first, shaking from afar; second, generating, meaning dormant insects stir and grass and trees sprout. The thunder of the perfect sound can be inferred in like manner.
The remaining three are self-evident.

7.6

Third, the assembly of dragon kings. Following the verses and the Sanskrit text, there are eleven; the prose omits the fifth, having only ten dharmas.
The first is the dharma-gate of the Heavenly King of the west, and the second, as in the verses, will be explained below.
The third, together with the verse text, shares six meanings: 1. the realms of rebirth are the locus of transformation; 2. the pure sound is the instrument of transformation; 3. the Buddha's name is the dharma of transformation; 4. supernormal powers are the basis of transformation; 5. sentient beings are the capacity for transformation; 6. according with desires is the intent of transformation.
Fourth, 'universally manifesting...', etc.: a single pore universally manifests limitless environments and beings, because a pore, in accord with reality, can broadly contain; broadly containing is precisely being all-pervading. The Buddha who can manifest still abides within the pore; within the displayed lands, the manifestor and the manifested are not conflated; environment and being are distinct, and great and small remain clearly distinct: this is termed 'establishing distinctions'.
Fifth, Jingfa states: 'According to the Sanskrit text, there is the dragon king Jvālāna (Flame), who obtained the liberation gate of the Tathāgata's compassionate pity extinguishing all sentient beings' hindrances and entanglements of anger and delusion.' This means that when great compassion resides in the heart, the three poisons are all extinguished.
Sixth, 'disclosing...', etc.: the Buddha's great compassion is an ocean of merits, obtained only after the two provisions are completed. The compassion and merits of sentient beings are the hundred rivers; their manifestation in a single pore of the Buddha illustrates their shared essence. Once knowing they share the same essence, they naturally pay homage; because of being shown and enlightened to this, they attain great joy and bliss.
Seventh: compassionate sound coupled with wisdom is called pure; pure and free of craving, what fear or sorrow could there be?
Eighth, 'manifesting...', etc.: manifesting bodies and lands within the body.
Ninth: contemplating the Buddha's past practices as deep and vast, one therefore delights and rejoices. The word 'ocean' applies to both rejoicing and making offerings.
Tenth, 'manifesting...', etc.: performing sounds for the assembly, hence it says 'manifesting'. The sound has four meanings: 1. multiple types, meaning 'all'; 2. universal, meaning 'equal'; 3. fitting the faculties with elegance, hence 'delightful'; 4. a single sound according with every kind, hence 'unobstructed'; unobstructed is precisely expedient means.
Eleventh: this Anavatapta dragon dwells in a cool pool, producing fragrant and delicious water that flows into the four seas and directs the hundred rivers, timely spreading clouds of compassion and raining down sweet dew; therefore, it can extinguish all worldly sufferings.

7.7

There are eleven verses.
In the first, dragons have four afflictions of fever, called the suffering of blazing burning, all of which are now cured. 1. The suffering of being eaten by garuḍas: the first line is the cure, by contemplating the Buddha-dharma as identical to the three refuges; 2. the suffering of reverting to their original body during sexual union, and 3. the suffering of minute parasites in their scales: both are cured by the second line, through learning the Buddha's equal benefit; 4. the suffering of hot sand adhering to the body: the last two lines are the cure. Unable to bear the itching of the parasites, they roll in hot sand; now, great compassion and pity are able to cure this. Some say that among the four sufferings there is no suffering of minute parasites in the scales, but rather the suffering of wind blowing away their jewel robes to expose their bodies; this is also cured by the second line. In terms of dragons, it speaks for now of the dragon destiny; the final line, regarding the Buddha, universally pulls them out of terrifying paths.
In the second, this discusses manifestation in terms of the Buddha; earlier it said that the dragon can turn it. Moreover, previously a single thought was brief in time, whereas here a single pore is small in space; the two texts mutually reflect and abbreviate. The remaining nine are self-evident. But the fifth verse is what was omitted earlier.

7.8

Fourth, among the ten dharmas in the prose on the assembly of yakṣa kings:
The first is the Heavenly King of the north: 'obtaining through boundless...', etc., means that the good are naturally blissful without needing extra pity, while the evil inevitably suffer so his mind is partial toward them; skillfully saving through multiple gates, it is called boundless. Furthermore, this deva can subdue evil ghosts and keep them from harming sentient beings; this is rescuing and protecting.
Second: universally observing with compassionate rescue, saving from suffering and protecting the good without clinging to emptiness or existence; hence it is called expedient means.
Third: heavy obscurations of bad karma are called extremely weak and evil. Furthermore, 'weak' means having no power of goodness, referring to icchantikas; 'evil' means corrupt and evil. For those who slander the Vaipulya sūtras, clearly revealing the wondrous principle is what is meant by nourishing and benefiting.
Fourth: emulating the Buddha and praising the Buddha, he obtains the fruit of renowned fame.
Fifth: the dual illuminations of compassion and wisdom merge into a single mind, which accords with the dharmakāya; hence he constantly observes.
Sixth: preaching the Dharma with wondrous sound brings many kinds of benefits; only those who are fit to be saved receive benefit as soon as the sound reaches them.
Seventh: the teaching is vast and the principle is deep; that a single phrase can expound them is universal entry.
Eighth: causing beings to depart from error allows them to abide in the correct, which is guarding and protecting. However, for those who abide in the correct path, they do not discriminate what is wrong and what is right; this is called inconceivable.
Ninth: accumulating the cause of merit and experiencing the fruit of happiness are augmented by the light of body and wisdom.
Tenth: recollecting the Buddha and cultivating causes produces the fruit of the ten powers; since the deva has not yet realized the ultimate, it is called 'complying with'.

7.9

In the verses there are also ten; the text is clear and self-evident.

7.10

Fifth, the ten dharmas of the Mahoraga assembly:
1. Universally manifesting awe-inspiring radiance is called supernormal power. Unmoving purity of nature shows the cause of nirvāṇa, hence it is called expedient means. Relying on causes to accumulate virtue, one is certain to attain unsupported nirvāṇa.
2. Removing afflictions and tallying with quiescence is the pure cause; coolness and joyous delight are the fruit of nirvāṇa.
3. The good he treats as good, and the unwholesome the Buddha also treats as good; when awareness of good and unwholesome both vanish, one then enters fundamental purity.
4. The marks of merit and non-merit are deep and cannot be attached to; manifesting merit from non-merit is called the mark of mastery. That Buddha and Buddha are non-dual is the mark of equality.
5. Ignorance is the dark cause, which is revealed like a lamp. Fearsome karmic fruits of suffering find refuge like a banner.
6. Because of knowing that the Buddha's virtues are identical to space and equal to one's own single nature, one therefore rejoices.
7. Decisively seeing the principle, hearing the profound one does not fear, hearing the shallow one does not doubt, and hearing what is neither profound nor shallow one's mind has courage.
8. Being unmoved by the wind is heroic strength. Having rectified oneself, one can certainly rectify others, acting as a rescuing master.
8. [Again] Having cultivated the cause of joy in the past, seeing and recollecting both bring joy.
9. When the wisdom that perceives principle is perfected, conditions do not stir; wisdom being the root of practice, all pāramitās are fully rounded. It is like the ocean taking in the hundred rivers and no longer flowing elsewhere.
10. Revealing the principle of equality in sentient beings and demonstrating the Buddha's equal responses, breaking unequal sentiments to lead them to realize the equality of nature, is the path of equality.

7.11

The ten verses follow in sequence; their text is clear and self-evident.

7.12

Sixth, the ten dharmas of the Kiṃnara kings:
1. The worldly joy and blissful karma are all generated because of the Buddha.
2. Hearing the profound pleases the spirit, so the joy of the Dharma is unsurpassed, ultimately obtaining the endless peace and bliss of nirvāṇa.
3. The Buddha's virtues are deep and vast; faith likewise encompasses them.
4. His voice proclaims the true Dharma to make them hear it, so erroneous sorrows are removed and the mind is delighted.
5. Realizing that objects of cognition are mind-only and originally empty, he establishes sentient beings in awakening.
6. Because it is rare to encounter and benefits beings, he manifests; the mark-adorned constant abiding is called wondrous form.
7. Great wisdom and universal compassion are the fruits of the two adornments; the cause of all-knowledge is the karma that can produce them.
8. Karma is subtle and hard to fathom; he observes it himself to demonstrate it to beings.
9. Supernormal powers benefit beings; unbroken, it is called constant.
10. Knowing faculties and skillfully transforming them is called collecting the mind; correct wisdom directs the mind just as it does objects.

7.13

The order of the ten verses and their text are all self-evident.

7.14

Seventh, regarding the ten dharmas of the garuḍa kings: based on Xianshou and Jingfa, both state that according to the verses, the prose text is missing the fifth, the King Holding Fast. 1. Because wisdom is non-attached, seeing is unobstructed; because compassion universally contemplates, it completely tames [all beings]. 2. Sitting everywhere under the tree of awakening is termed abiding in the dharmadhātu; manifesting supernormal powers and expounding the Dharma is termed instructing and transforming. 3. Advancing and spurring the various pāramitās, this is accomplished through past cultivation. 4. The realm is as stated in the verse. Entering the inconceivable—only this constitutes being valiant. 5. Most manuscripts omit this; I encountered one manuscript with text that read: 'The garuḍa king Power of Upholding in the Great Ocean attained the liberation door of being able to dry up the ocean of sentient beings' afflictions.' It is mostly omitted in old commentary editions; I now rely on the existing manuscript. However, the verse refers to drying up [afflictions] to explain the Buddha's merit and wisdom. 6. Sentient beings being boundless, therefore the wisdom accomplished is manifold. 7. A city has three senses: first, guarding against external enemies; second, nurturing the multitudes; third, opening gates to attract and gather [them]. Here, 'Dharma city' applies across teaching, noumenon, practice, and fruit, for when practice accords with noumenon and teaching, there are none that are not mutually adorned. Each has three senses: realizing that the nature of the mind-city is empty, the various confusions do not enter; seeing the nature-virtues [as numerous as] the sands of the Ganges, all practices then increase; and with the path obstructed nowhere, self and others are drawn in and gathered. One can then accord with the fruit, cutting off the hundred negations to achieve liberation, nurturing all virtues to make the dharmakāya complete, and opening prajñā so that nothing is obstructed. Only then is it revealed that the teaching-city is everywhere a place of nurturance, with every sentence of its explications penetrating the spirit. Having these many meanings, the verse therefore says, 'vast and unfathomable.' Because of the layered four gates, they are measureless; only our Bhagavat is able to elucidate them definitively. 8. The dharmakāya is markless, hence indestructible. Its essence is simply tathatā, equal among ordinary beings and sages. The non-conceptual wisdom abiding in and realizing it is called the power of accomplishment. 9. Manifesting forms of the same kind to tame them through skillful means. 10. The death and rebirth of sentient beings all stem from karmic activity; only the Buddha's wisdom regarding life and death can universally enter [them].

7.15

The verse text may be understood by matching and explaining it in sequence. But as for the fifth verse, since there may be an omission in what preceded, it is briefly explained here: The first two lines are profoundly deep, vast, and great. The next line: merit and wisdom mutually adorn [him], and practice connects cause and effect; the cause being deep and the effect remote is already inconceivable. Furthermore, there is one practice that is the Tathāgata's practice, the so-called Great Vehicle's Mahāparinirvāṇa. Thus the practice is the fruit, and the fruit in all cases transcends words. Speaking of the Buddha's practice, it is as in the 'Manifestation Chapter'.

7.16

Eighth, the ten dharmas of the asura kings: 1. The supreme nobility of the asuras equals the height of Mount Sumeru; the Tathāgata's awe-inspiring radiance eclipses the great assemblies of the ten directions, and sentient beings each see the truly supreme lord. 2. Those [asuras] can perform various feats with a single thread; here, in a single kṣaṇa, [the Buddha] manifests deeds such as taming beings across many kalpas. 3. Entering the Buddha's realm through many Dharma-doors, suffering is extinguished and the mind is purified; the various Dharma-doors are also like illusions. Below it says: 'Śambara is the Sanskrit for skillful illusion.' 4. Experiencing much suffering for many kalpas is for the sake of other beings and not oneself; like Śibi rescuing the dove, or Mahāsattva throwing himself off the cliff—this is already the most supreme adornment of a hero; how much more so when he ultimately attains quiescent wisdom adorned with ten thousand virtues, which on the contrary reveals that unbeneficial toil and hardship are truly repulsive. Since he acts for the sake of beings, he has a great retinue. 5. Shaking the lands and awakening latent capacities through the power of great illusory supernormal feats, without terrifying sentient beings—this is great power. 'Bali' and 'great power' are merely Chinese and Sanskrit differences. 6. Opening various expedient gates to establish sentient beings in ultimate joy. Because expedients are the root of entering the Great [Vehicle], they are all causes for the Buddha's wisdom. Being unconfused about the expedient and the real is universal illumination. 7. The myriad good deeds according with noumenon are universally indestructible; this is the locus of liberation. What defilement is not extinguished? The merit returns to sambodhi. Thus the verse says, 'The Buddha's power is like this; those who cultivate are firmly and wondrously adorned.' 8. Compassion employing wisdom universally dispels all doubt; the one who governs this matter possesses vast causal wisdom. 9. Because of making offerings and cultivating goodness, he has supreme virtue. 10. Universally entering all destinies, the places of illumination are all-pervading. The verse says, 'The times of the three periods are everywhere equal; jointly having the Buddha-nature is called definitive.' Endowed with the three meanings above, he practices equanimity. If one does not proclaim the real meaning, it is not a 'good sound'. This preceding section, as well as the night spirits below, all conclude by returning to the names; the above and below follow this pattern, and for fear of prolixity, I do not explain it.

7.17

The verse text can be understood in sequence.

7.18

Next is the third: the various assemblies of spirits, of which there are nineteen assemblies. Now first, the ten dharmas of the day spirits: 1. Wisdom comprehends the minds of beings as space penetrates matter; light illuminates the body and the world as the sun merges with the sky; the body pervades the container-world as images appear in a mirror. The principal power of the world can gather this body, because the nature of this body is equal to the world, and all enter the contemplation of capacities; hence it is called 'universally entering.' The places entered are themselves the palaces. 2. The meaning being complete accords with capacities, thus fulfilling minds and creating benefit. 3. The two lights of body and Dharma are both lovely and delightful. 4. Dharma rain moistens the seeds: for those that already hold fruit, understanding develops goodness; for those not yet sprouted, faith is generated. 5. Not failing to awaken to any dharma is called the power of universal illumination; accumulated through cultivation over vast kalpas, it becomes the adornment of wisdom. 6. Expeditiously revealing that worldly joy is also suffering, causing them to awaken and enter, and see the joy of the Dharma of noumenon, as in the Joyful Stage. 7. As for the Tathāgata's body-cloud: in terms of essence, it is neither existent nor non-existent; regarding capacities, distinctions pervade the ten directions, so it cannot be called non-existent; regarding the Buddha, it corresponds to the true dharmadhātu, so it cannot be called existent. This is the dharmakāya that is non-existent in according with conditions, constantly manifesting without being different from phenomena, in order to transform sentient beings who are non-non-existent in being quiescent and extinguished, constantly established without being different from the real; that is, the distinction within non-distinction. 8. Protecting those in danger to bring them peace; rescuing those who suffer to bring them joy. 9. Sentient beings are darkened by manifold desires, and thus sink into the long night. Illuminating them with the Dharma, joyful contentment comes first. Joyful contentment and wisdom are both the power of merit, being able to cause them to leave suffering and attain peace and joy. 10. Having the practice of the virtue of awakening, his fame is heard everywhere. Since his merit is vast and his fame lofty, his benefit is not in vain.

7.19

The verse text can be understood.

7.20

Second, the ten dharmas of the night spirits. The first seven night spirits are the good spiritual friends of Sudhana in the ten stages; their insight being deep and vast further reveals that the Dharma-doors of the ocean-like assemblies are inconceivable. 1. Universal Virtue and Pure Light is Sudhana's spiritual friend of the Vimalā Stage. That name is identical to the Dharma-door, named Universal Striding in the Joy of Quiescent Dhyāna-Meditation. The words 'universal striding' denote great valour. 'The joy of quiescent dhyāna-meditation' is the essence of samādhi. Dwelling in the bliss of the present dharma, it is thus called joy. 'Great valour' is the function of samādhi. Being valiant means capable, and being bold means fearless; that is, seeing the Buddha purify capacities and play with supernormal powers, it is thus named valiant, and also striding. Valiance being vast and great, it is called universal virtue. Being accompanied by wisdom free of afflictions, it may be termed pure light. 2. This is the spiritual friend of the Prabhākarī Stage, whose name there is Joyful Eyes Observing Sentient Beings, and whose liberation is named Universal Joy Banner of Great Power. This means that this liberation is fully endowed with all virtues and its transformation reaches everywhere, hence named great power, which is the present 'vast.' Both body and defilements being purified, all delight in seeing him; hence 'universal joy.' Compassion serving as the mark of virtue is the meaning of banner. Observing universal joy is named joyful eyes. 3. This is the spiritual friend of the Arciṣmatī Stage, whose name there is Wondrous Virtue Rescuing All Sentient Beings. Protecting the vital energy of the world is indeed rescuing beings; by virtue of protecting beings, the wondrousness of virtue is revealed. The Dharma-door is identical, and the order also corresponds. That is, if there is a response, he must appear before them to tame and purify them. 4. This is the spiritual friend of the Sudurjayā Stage, whose name there is Ocean of Quiescent Sound, and whose Dharma-door is named Adornment of Vast Joy Arising Moment by Moment. Arising moment by moment has the sense of accumulation; seeing the Buddha benefit beings, great joy is therefore generated. Adornment has two senses: first, seeing the Buddha cultivate the cause of joy as adornment, because he delights in seeing the fruit; second, accumulating this joy, the spirit adorns himself. From samādhi sound is emitted, named quiescent sound, deep and vast like an ocean. 5. This is the spiritual friend of the Abhimukhī Stage, who is said there to guard all cities and increase their awe-inspiring power; the verse says Śrī, because the Sanskrit term contains two meanings: one is auspicious, and the second is translated as 'guard.' Below, Bhadraśrī is translated as Xianshou. Furthermore, because the character shou has the same sound but different meanings—there it means 'head/leader,' while in the 'Dharmadhātu Chapter' it means 'to guard'—these are slight divergences in the translators' dialects. If harmonized through the meaning, increasing awe-inspiring power is simply universally manifesting auspiciousness, exactly fitting the sequential Dharma-door. Moreover, it is identical to what is called there the liberation of the profound, sovereign, wondrous sound. Because of the wondrous sound it delights the mind; delighting the mind purifies it; that is, being able to expound from quiescence, it is called sovereign. 6. This is the spiritual friend of the Dūraṅgamā Stage, who is said there to open the flowers of all trees. Opening all is universally causing to bloom. His Dharma-door is called there the radiance of great joy arising in bodhisattvas, where the text is slightly inverted and abbreviated. The older sūtra says: 'the radiance of the bodhisattva's measureless joy and contentment'; contentment and satisfaction are close in textual form. It means being able to know the great merit and majestic radiance of the Tathāgata's skillful wisdom in revealing the Dharma; hence it is called radiance. The Buddha satisfying the minds of beings with merit and wisdom, it contains joy and is named treasury. 7. This is the spiritual friend of the Acalā Stage, whose name there is Rescuing and Protecting All Sentient Beings through the Power of Great Vows and Vigour, and whose Dharma-door is named Instructing and Transforming Sentient Beings to Cause Them to Generate Good Roots. Instructing and transforming or awakening: the words differ but the meaning is the same; causing them to generate or to mature differs only in the beginning and end. That is, manifesting supernormal powers and displaying marks are all done to tame and transform, causing all good roots to grow. Nurturing with equanimity is rescuing and protecting all. Vigour and great vows enable him to do this. The present text is simply abbreviated. 8. Long cultivating moment by moment, constantly and universally rescuing and protecting—this is boundless compassion. This seems identical to Sudhana's spiritual friend of the Pramuditā Stage, yet the text has many differences and it is not in its sequence, so I only explain it straightforwardly. 9. Toward sentient beings difficult to break out of the three poisons, manifesting an adorned body through the door of great compassion—thus leaving a shadow in the stone chamber, or transforming the heart of a poisonous dragon; how much more so manifesting a body! 10. Originally acting for sentient beings, he therefore accomplishes his own virtue and fulfills others' joy.

7.21

In the verses, the ten verses correspond in sequence. In the first: the first line is the power of liberation capable of contemplating; the next line is the joy of quiescence. The spirit contemplates this essence of the Buddha with this samādhi, so the subsequent sūtra text says: 'Universally seeing the Buddhas of the three periods without grasping, because he knows that the Tathāgata is markless, and that nature and marks are fundamentally empty. Therefore it is said: quiescent, of the mark of empty space.' The next line is great valour, which according to the sūtra below purifies both self and others. The next line is the fruit of samādhi. The above is explained with respect to the Buddha. If explained with respect to the deva, all four lines are the function of samādhi, because by abiding in this liberation one can see the Buddha's essence, function, cause, and fruit. The second and third can be understood. In the fourth, rejoicing universally in accordance with noumenon is vast and boundless. Even though the internal mind does not waver while externally manifesting awesome wrath, it is all the more deep and difficult to fathom. 5. Because of quiescence, he is able to be pervasive. 6. Because sentient beings fundamentally exhaust themselves, they are quiescent and extinguished. Therefore, with wisdom exhausting the extremes of delusion, noumenon is everywhere revealed; with delusion penetrating to the true source, confusions are entirely exhausted, and joy is then satisfied. The remaining four can be understood.

7.22

Third, the ten teachings of the direction-governing spirits. First, manifesting the body and preaching the Dharma to enable [beings] to awaken and attain the fruits are both the power of rescuing and protecting. Second, displaying marks through supernormal powers is the karma that is able to accomplish; sentient beings escaping suffering is the karma that is accomplished. Third, the light of Dharma destroys darkness: when darkness is cut off, wisdom is born. Wisdom and Dharma-joy arise together; cutting off [darkness] takes tranquil extinction as its joy. Fourth, universally manifesting and preaching the Dharma: whenever it is heard, delusions are necessarily extinguished, and hence [the effort] is never in vain. Fifth, the sage is nameless and establishes names in accord with things, holding precious solely the generation of virtue and the extinction of delusions. The sixth and seventh can be understood. Eighth, karma is identical with nature-emptiness, yet its retribution is never lost, both being without difference. Non-obstruction between nature and marks is the power of sovereignty: preaching that [karma] can incur retribution causes evil karma to be eliminated; preaching that the nature of karma is empty causes good karma also to vanish. Ninth, the previous [passage] concerned preaching the nature and marks of karma to make beings bring karma to an end; this [passage] concerns knowing the differentiations of karma to adapt transformations to beings' capacities. Tenth, worldly people never lack a beginning, but few are able to carry it through to the end; now the sage has the resolution and the capacity, and therefore what he undertakes is brought to completion. Worldly people, following desire along with others, cannot eliminate both; now [the sage] possesses kindness and compassion, and therefore causes beings to rejoice: that is to say, among the ten pāramitās there is none that is not brought to completion, and the four immeasurable minds cause beings to be filled with joy.

7.23

In the verses, the sequential correlations and explanations can be understood.

7.24

Fourth, the ten teachings of the prose regarding the space-governing spirits. First, when wisdom penetrates noumenon, then the ten eyes illuminate broadly; when sun and moon merge with the sky, then the myriad phenomena are distinctly clear. Second, the two lights of body and wisdom pervade and enter the dharmadhātu. Third, the Buddha's body being like space is the boundless realm; being unborn and unstained is the auspicious wind. Fourth, expounding the holy path widely entails leaving behind the three obstructions and peacefully abiding in the two kinds of emptiness. Fifth, seeking above and transforming below is called the vast practice; for the sake of setting sentient beings at ease, it is like a wondrous topknot. Sixth, as for the disaster of drowning in birth-and-death, the light of compassion and wisdom comes to their rescue. Seventh, not obstructing the mutual guidance of merit and wisdom is called superior power. Eighth, delusion is dispelled by wisdom. Ninth, wondrous sound preaches well. Tenth, without destroying the original locus, [the body] ubiquitously matches the ten directions.

7.25

In the verses, the ten gāthās proceed in sequence. In the third, space has four meanings that encompass the five dharmas: first, being free from the arising of the grasper is the cutting off of false conceptualization; second, being free from the marks of the grasped is [being without] marks and without names; third, the object lacking intrinsic nature is tathatā; fourth, the mind attaining nothing is right wisdom. Deluded about suchness, names and marks are formed, and false conceptualization arises; awakened to the source of names and marks, the attachment to suchness is reversed to become wisdom. Outside of suchness there is no wisdom; the essence of wisdom is itself suchness. These two are like space, quiescence and illumination being unobstructed. Seeing the Buddha in this way is called auspicious. In the fourth, both the prose and the list say "peacefully abiding"; now it says "round light." The round light signifies wisdom, and peacefully abiding signifies samādhi; these two things support each other and are mentioned interchangeably before and after, both being able to eliminate obstructions, without contradiction in principle. In the sixth, regarding the "ocean of birth-and-death," fascicle seventy of the Yogācārabhūmi states: "Five dharmas resemble birth-and-death so that it obtains the name of a great ocean: first, because its extent is boundless; second, because it is extremely deep; third, because it is difficult to cross; fourth, because it cannot be drunk; fifth, because it is the locus of great jewels." The commentary explains: due to the first four meanings, sentient beings transmigrate; due to the fifth meaning, bodhisattvas enter it—this is spoken in terms of a partial analogy. Fascicle ninety states: "Due to three aspects, it is not like an ocean of water: first, the intrinsic natures differ—the fraction meant by an ocean of water is solely a part of form; second, the sinking differs—it is solely humans and animals, and solely the drowning of the body; third, the transcendence differs—even those who have not severed desire can cross it." For the ocean of birth-and-death, the reverse of the above may be reflected upon. The remaining seven verses can be understood.

7.26

Fifth, the ten teachings of the wind-governing spirits. First, matching the sunlight of wisdom with the wind of expedient means, wisdom enters deep phenomena without obstruction, and the body enters the world without shadow or image. Second, the bodhisattva, with the great mind seeking bodhi, holding offerings matching reality, vast as empty space, without obstructing the multiplicity of phenomena, and with a body that completely embodies the Dharma, offers to boundless Buddhas in a single thought-moment; just like the power of that wind, there is nothing it does not accomplish. Third, when a long wind suddenly arrives, floating clouds scatter and perish; when the wind of compassion suddenly rises, the sickness of delusion and suffering vanishes. Fourth, the wind adorned with merit and wisdom smashes mountain-like obstructions. Fifth, the ten powers subdue Māra, and the ten armies are completely wiped out. That it is solely named drying up the waters is because desire and craving come first. Sixth, the compassionate sound from the pore eliminates the five fears; like the varied piping of a hundred apertures, it roars everywhere to please beings' capacities. Seventh, because wisdom enters the true mark, wondrous eloquence is like an ocean; like wind striking a tree, it is thus able to droop down. Eighth, the expedient means for subduing beings are what wisdom enters, and are therefore called a treasury. Ninth, the palace of dhyāna necessarily entails the simultaneous roaming of concentration and wisdom, and is thus able to eliminate the darkness of ignorance. In terms of the Buddha, movement and quiescence are non-dual, and seeing him necessarily eliminates ignorance. Tenth, the brilliant illumination of the sun and moon would not operate without the wind; wisdom's practice being unobstructed relies on the power of expedient means. The ten verses can be understood. (Below, we enter the fourth fascicle.)

7.27

Sixth, the ten teachings of the prose regarding the fire-governing spirits. Some say: according to the Sanskrit text, the fourth is missing here. First, manifesting in the world through the power of vigor eliminates the ignorance of beings. Because it is the very first, it exclusively draws upon the meaning of fire. Second, delusion has two meanings: first, drifting, and second, distress; turning them around skillfully then allows them to be stilled. Third, merit that accords with the nature is unmoved by marks and delusions. Combined with great compassion, its self-benefit is unmoved. Both being able to gather virtues inexhaustibly is called a treasury. Fourth, some say: according to the Sanskrit text, the spirit's name is Supremely Exalted Calyx-Light Universally Illuminating, and the Dharma door is named Able to Universally Eliminate the Dust of Defilements, meaning that practices throughout an ocean of kalpas have been perfected. Now being able to manifest supernormal powers to eliminate delusions, the verse says "Spirit of the Myriad Wondrous Palaces," identical with the previous listing of names. "Myriad wondrous" is simply the meaning of "supremely exalted." However, most editions lack it; some editions have the complete reading: "the fire-governing spirit Palace of Myriad Wonders attained the liberation door of a great compassion that broadly shelters sentient beings." It is feared that this is an omission in transmission. Fifth, regarding "radiant light shining," and so forth: the sunlight merging with space is boundless like space; wisdom tallying with the true mark is boundless matching reality. Although cultivated and achieved over vast kalpas, it is completely identical with what is fundamentally possessed. Exhausting the spiritual and reaching the ultimate of numbers, it is subtly exhausted and difficult to conceive. Reality is the root of delusion, which is the direct cause (hetu); wisdom illuminating the source of the mind is the revealing cause, just like space and the sun. Now we briefly set forth ten meanings to clarify what is difficult to conceive: first, that the sun and space are neither identical nor separate; second, they are neither abiding nor non-abiding; third, yet the sun skillfully acts as a good condition for destroying darkness, an essential factor in revealing space; fourth, although it destroys darkness and reveals space, space undergoes neither loss nor gain; fifth, while in noumenon there is indeed no loss, deducing from phenomena, once the obscuration of darkness is forever removed, the nature does not increase, and the myriad phenomena contained in the realm of space all appear; sixth, and yet although the nature of this empty space is pure, if there is no sunlight, then darkness arises; seventh, it is not that because empty space is empty it can eliminate darkness of itself: if darkness is eliminated, it must rely on sunlight; eighth, if the sun lacked space, it would have neither light nor illumination; if space lacked the sun, darkness would not eliminate itself; ninth, yet the nature of this darkness neither comes nor goes, and the essence and marks of the sun are also neither born nor extinguished; tenth, only when there is the sun illuminating space are heaven and earth thoroughly brightened. The sun of wisdom illuminating the emptiness of mind-nature also has ten meanings, which may be understood by analogy with this. This does not merely explain this passage, but also connects broadly with numerous sūtras, encompassing what comes before and after. Sixth, the essence being quiescent and emitting illumination is called tranquil light; by this, merit is accomplished to adorn the marks of the body. The seventh and eighth can be understood. Ninth, distinguishing the marks of dharmas leaves forever behind unresolved foolishness; awakening to the true nature of dharmas leaves behind views of attachment. Tenth, sustaining vows with practice, one is thus able to manifest in the world and make the lion's roar.

7.28

The verses add the fourth; the rest can all be understood.

7.29

Seventh, the ten teachings of the prose regarding the water-governing spirits. First, great compassion without conditions is called impartiality. Second, boundless practice-dharmas adorn oneself and others. Third, being tranquilly unmoved to observe capacities, and responding when stimulated so as to gather [beings] accordingly: like accumulated snow congealing white in winter, and flowing everywhere without fail in summer. Fourth, wondrous sound expounds the Buddha's profound intent, causing beings to awaken to the revolving and returning of the wondrous Dharma. Fifth, the two lights of body and wisdom universally awaken, open, and transform, abundantly filling the dharmadhātu, pure and without defilement. Sixth, in the pure dharmadhātu, nature and marks are both cut off; when no virtue is not seen, then the great function does not perish. Seventh, because sentient beings are inexhaustible, great compassion is limitless; full without overflowing, it has the meaning of contentment. Flowing or stopping in accord with conditions: this is sovereignty. Eighth, seeing the Buddha everywhere, great joy is therefore boundless. Joy arises from the Buddha, which is the treasury named after the Buddha; like listening to the sound of flowing springs, none fail to be pleased. Ninth, because of the merit of the non-obstruction between nature and marks, one can universally manifest supernormal powers; like a stream reflecting space and form, majestic light billows and shines. Tenth, the practice of taming beings is vast, boundless like space; its functioning never pauses for an instant, inexhaustible like space.

7.30

In the verses, the first half of the first verse distinguishes the cause and fruit of a single mark, the next line illustrates the rest by analogy, and the last line clarifies the benefit. What is said initially as "pure" is because it is free from faults and unconditioned. Being "as numerous as dust motes" is because it brings benefit and joy according to suitability. Taking compassion as the cause, one attains the fruit of wondrous marks; taking marks as the cause, one attains the fruit of inexhaustibility. However, the Tathāgata's marks have both pure and mixed aspects; this refers to the pure approach. If taken according to the mixed approach, then any single mark or single pore completely encompasses the Tathāgata's dharmadhātu practices. Every mark is also like this; pure and mixed are unobstructed, cause and effect mutually merge, because they are accomplished completely and not partially. A single mark or single pore of the Buddha is identical with the dharmadhātu, without measure; now this spirit enters the inexhaustible marks from a single door of compassion. This is spoken in terms of the marks of the ten bodies. As for the causes of the thirty-two marks, they only speak of one mark having one cause, as in treatises such as the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa and Yogācārabhūmi, and sūtras such as the Mahāparinirvāṇa and Mahāsaṃnipāta, which will be cited when we reach the Chapter on the Ocean of Marks. In the fifth verse, saying "inexhaustible" at the beginning clarifies that the light is constant. Next, "filling the dharmadhātu" clarifies that the light is all-pervading. "Inconceivable" clarifies that the light is profound, manifesting form where there is no form, and being blue and yellow where it is neither blue nor yellow. Its third line clarifies the function of the light. The remaining nine can be understood.

7.31

Eighth, the ten teachings of the ocean-governing spirits; the verses lack the third. First, making offerings to the Buddha for the sake of beings is the merit of equal giving, attaining marks of myriad jewels to adorn the body. Second, skillfully preaching the Dharma and protecting goodness in accord with capacities and desires causes them to grow to maturity. Third, it means expounding the deep and vast Dharma and realizing that afflictions are empty. The Sanskrit text's verse states: "Guide of all worlds, / The great rain of the Dharma cloud is unfathomable; / It dries up the inexhaustible oceans of all suffering: / This is the Dharma door of entering without defilement or dust." According to this text, it is drying up the ocean of suffering. Fourth, if one sees the Buddha's realm, delusions vanish and suffering ceases. According to the present sūtra text, the third is about afflictions and the fourth is about suffering; if one relies on the Sanskrit text, suffering comes first and delusion comes second. Since the translators omitted text, it resulted in a discrepancy between text and meaning. Therefore, ancient masters said that the fourth verse was omitted. Since the concluding names are identical, we know that it was the third that was omitted. Always abiding in waves means universally using water as palaces. Fifth, destroying ignorance with wisdom. Sixth, being shifted by conditioned activity, everything is suffering. When the cause of bodhi arises, the suffering of arising and ceasing vanishes, and one then attains the tranquil and extinct ease of nirvāṇa. Seventh, bringing wisdom to eliminate ignorance cannot avoid views; realizing that ignorance sees the nature, the view of ignorance vanishes of itself. Viewing the true and false equally is the Buddha's realm. Eighth, all sentient beings possess the Buddha-gotra; perfectly luminous and precious, endowed with virtues, it is called a jewel. The Buddha eye views universally, and the Buddha wisdom reveals universally, causing the direct cause to be manifested, like uncovering a gold mine. If the great mind arises, it is like a seed producing a sprout, and is therefore called "producing." The conditioning and revealing causes are the wondrous path capable of awakening. Ninth, realizing suchness and not grasping, the mind is unmoved, clear and still like a calm ocean; myriad virtues return to it, so that even Mount Sumeru might be overturned, but how could Māra harass it? Subduing Māra in a single thought-moment is as in the Abhiniṣkramaṇa-sūtra. Tenth, entering the samādhi of the dharmadhātu, pervading just like the dharmadhātu.

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Linked texts (1)

大方廣佛華嚴經疏 — Classical Chinese