大方廣佛華嚴經疏 8.27

8.27

10. Explaining the text: The first verse clarifies the perfection of giving (dāna). Giving up one's own possessions to benefit others is called giving; it takes non-greed and the three karmas arising from it as its nature. This has three kinds: material giving, Dharma giving, and giving of fearlessness. In the first half, concerning the cause, giving practiced with great compassion already encompasses these three; this compassion is also the first three of the seven supremacies. In the second half, concerning the fruit, material giving sustains the body, fearlessness benefits the mind, and the Dharma sustains the dharmakāya; hence the resultant body attained is the most wondrous of bodies. Because all three gladden sentient beings, whoever sees it necessarily rejoices. It is also because of possessing the seven supremacies that the body is wondrous. Second, the perfection of morality (śīla). Preventing faults and stopping evil is called morality; it takes the three karmas when receiving and training in the bodhisattva precepts as its nature. Morality has three kinds: morality of restraint and morality of gathering wholesome dharmas yield the fruit of a pure body; morality of gathering sentient beings can eliminate the suffering of beings. 'Pervading the ten directions' is because the unmanifest precept-body is equal to sentient beings. Third, patience (kṣānti). Being able to bear various phenomena without yet being able to forget them is called patience; this is explained in terms of patience toward sentient beings. Furthermore, patience means acceptance; patience is wisdom. Bearing both phenomena and noumenon takes non-anger, vigor, investigative wisdom, and the three karmas arising from them as its nature. Patience also has three kinds: patience in enduring harm from enemies, patience in bearing suffering, and patience in examining phenomena. The verse says 'Faith and understanding of the real', which is precisely examining phenomena. Complete bodily marks are the fruit of the first two patiences; emitting pure radiance is the fruit of the third patience. Fourth, vigor (vīrya). Refining the mind in the Dharma is called refinement; when the refined mind strives to attain its goal, this is designated vigor; it takes diligence and the three karmas arising from it as its nature. It also has three kinds: armor-like vigor, vigor of gathering the wholesome, and vigor of benefiting and bringing joy. The first line applies to the first two, for regarding armor-like vigor, the Yogācārabhūmi explains: 'Even if a thousand great eons were a single day and night, abiding in the hells merely to deliver a single sentient being.' The next line is the third. The latter half applies to the fruits of all three: since the cause is free from characteristics of body and mind, the fruit can have a body that pervades the ten directions. Fifth, meditation (dhyāna). In Sanskrit it is dhyāna, translated here as quiet contemplation; it takes meditative absorption (samādhi) as its nature. It also has three kinds: abiding, inducing, and accomplishing tasks. Having induced superknowledges to accomplish tasks that benefit sentient beings, those who see it deeply rejoice; abiding in present dharmic bliss, active afflictions do not arise. Moreover, it assists wisdom in severing afflictions, so that those who see it have their afflictions destroyed. Sixth, prajñā. Prajñā is a Sanskrit word, translated here as wisdom (hui); investigating the true principle is called wisdom. This and the subsequent four all take discrimination of dharmas (dharmapravicaya) as their essence. It also has three kinds: non-conceptual wisdom of the emptiness of persons, non-conceptual wisdom of the emptiness of dharmas, and non-conceptual wisdom of the emptiness of both. The Mahāyānasaṃgraha takes preparatory, fundamental, and subsequently attained wisdom as the three, explained in terms of the six perfections. The Yingluo jing takes illuminating existence, illuminating non-existence, and illuminating the middle way as the three, which is explained solely in terms of the emptiness of dharmas. The meaning of the three contemplations will be clarified below. Because wisdom guides the myriad practices, it says 'cultivating oceans of practices'. 'Fully endowed' means possessing the above three. Because the cause is like having eyes, the fruit attains the two lights of body and wisdom, which can extinguish all darkness. Seventh, skillful means (upāya). This is skillfulness; u- means method, -pāya means suitability. The lower four each have only two kinds. Here, the first means the skillful means of dedication and the skillful means of deliverance. The text says 'transforming sentient beings in various ways', which is the skillfulness of deliverance; accomplishing what is cultivated includes dedication to bodhi; the transformed beings being boundless, as a fruit he horizontally pervades the ten directions; attaining the fruit for the sake of beings, he vertically exhausts future limits without resting. Eighth, vows (praṇidhāna). This refers to aspiring and making earnest vows. According to one opinion, it takes desire, resolute conviction, and faith as its nature. It also has two kinds: the vow to seek bodhi and the vow to benefit and bring joy to others. Through the first vow, one appears in the world; through the latter vow, one rescues beings without cessation. Ninth, power (bala). Because it cannot be bent or subdued, as one contemplates, one cultivates, and it is accomplished spontaneously. It also has two kinds: reflective discernment and cultivation. Here, 'dharmic power' means cultivating through reflective discernment of dharmas; hence the Mahāyānasaṃgraha says: 'Through these two powers, the preceding six perfections manifest without interruption.' The sūtra says 'becoming natural power', meaning achieved without a teacher, practiced with nothing disadvantageous—how could it be destroyed? Tenth, the perfection of knowledge (jñāna). Decisiveness is called knowledge, meaning awakening and understanding in accord with reality. It also has two kinds: the knowledge of experiencing dharmic bliss and the knowledge of maturing sentient beings. The commentary by Asvabhāva says: 'Through the six, such as giving, this knowledge is accomplished; and through this knowledge, the six are established—this is called experiencing dharmic bliss.' Through this wondrous knowledge, one correctly understands how giving, morality, and so forth benefit sentient beings. The sūtra calls it 'universal-door knowledge'. Comprehensively it contains both knowledges; specifically assigned, the first line is maturing sentient beings and the second line is experiencing dharmic bliss. Because these two are not dual, they form an unobstructed power, diffusing light to illuminate everywhere.