大方廣佛華嚴經疏 8.3

8.3

From "at that time" below, in speaking verses to praise the Buddha, the ten bodhisattvas each speak separate verses, which make ten sections. Regarding the first, in the verses of Sāgaramati, he praises the Buddha's body and throne. The first five praise the Buddha's body as being endowed with virtues: 1. praising wisdom, 2. praising merit, 3. supernatural powers, 4. depth of cause, 5. supremacy of fruit; the latter five praise the adornment and beauty of what he sits upon. Since this assembly manifests from the throne, they mostly praise the throne; the text can be understood throughout. The second: the ten verses of the bodhisattva Meghasvararāja praise the throne and the ground; the text is divided into three: the first four directly praise the throne, which can be understood. The next three praise the site's ground, which further reveals the adornment of the throne; within this, the first generally shows that because the causes are deep and virtues vast, the adorned phenomena are inconceivable; from "vajra" below, it specifically shows it; the final line concludes the polishing of the jeweled throne. The last three verses praise the adornment on the ground; within these, the first two concern the earth spirits raising offering adornments, and the latter one is adornment evolving through the Buddha's power. Third: in the praise of the bodhisattva Ratnacūḍa, he solely praises the extraordinary virtues of the site's ground; the ten verses are divided into two: the first five concern the complete endowment of virtues and functions, and the latter five concern the dissemination of the Dharma transformation. As for saying "as should be expounded upon the Buddha's throne," the texts of the nine assemblies and five cycles, and the teachings according with expediency in a single transformation, are already fully expounded within the site's ground. Fourth: the verses of Mahāprajñāsūrya praise the palace halls where the Buddha dwells; the ten verses are divided into two: the first generally explains it, and the next section praises the place to make the person manifest; therefore this verse marks the person to reveal the place. "Ning" (concentrated) is the appearance of solemn order. "Sui" means to look, meaning to look with reverent solemnity. The latter nine specifically explain it, within which there are two [parts]: the first four explain that the palace hall's essence encompasses all virtues, which expands its first half; the latter five explain that its wondrous functions are unimpeded, which expands its second half. Now, the first: the first verse [shows that] although the palace halls are radiant, the Buddha's sitting upon them increases their brightness, which expands the earlier "brilliantly illuminating the palace halls." The next two verses briefly discuss the seven adornments and conclude with the ocean of wisdom, expanding the above "solemn and focused, dwelling in the Dharma hall." That is, inside there are held jeweled pillars and from the eaves hang golden bells; outside are lined gates and steps, and above are spread flower canopies; jeweled trees reflect one another and jeweled necklaces hang all around—these are the seven adornments. "Ta" is a small gate. "Dong" means to penetrate. "Spread like clouds" means layered boundlessly, succeeding one another in sequence. The earlier statement "concentrated and gazing" means looking without blinking, especially because internally there are no waves of consciousness; hence it says "the ocean of wisdom is serene." The next verse [speaks of] spreading jeweled nets, lining incense banners, deploying blazing radiances, and covering with adornments, concluding with "transcending the world," which expands the above "the Bhagavat dwelling in the Dharma hall." "Light spread like clouds" means like iridescent clouds facing the sun, above and below being equally bright. Among the latter five: 1. displaying body-clouds to tame beings, directly revealing the previous text's manifesting in the lands of the ten directions; 2. the jeweled trees manifesting the adornments of the three times; 3. briefly listing many adornments; 4. taking the above adornments and gathering multiple adornments, with superimposed Buddha seats; 5. concluding praise of the inexhaustible cloud-gathering of host and retinues. Fifth: the bodhisattva Acintya generally praises the tree of the site's unimpeded virtues; the ten verses are divided into two: the first generally shows that the past causal vows are deeply vast and inconceivable, and the supernatural powers manifest conditions producing fruits that are adorned and pure. The latter nine specifically show it, divided into three: the first five praise the tree possessing virtues to adorn the site; within these, the first two concern the trunk towering upright, the next two the branches and leaves shading and reflecting, and the latter one the flowers and fruits fragrant and brilliant. Second, there is one verse praising the lotus nets of the site's ground, meaning that when lotus flowers are spread on the ground, wheels of light revolve below, and when jeweled nets are spread in the sky, sounds issue forth amid the clouds. Third, there are three verses praising the tree's sovereignty: the first draws in, and the latter two produce. Sixth: in the verses of the bodhisattva Śatanetra, he praises both the site's tree possessing virtues, and the unimpeded Dharma transformation circulating. The first nine verses each form one gate, and the last concludes the adornment as all-pervasive, both being clear and understandable. Seventh: the verses of Suvarṇaprabhāsa praise the virtues of the Buddha's ten powers. One verse: from "one power" below, various sūtra texts repeatedly explain that the ten powers are the Buddha's unshared virtues, possessed equally by all Buddhas. Bodhisattvas generate the mind [for bodhi] based on these; the "Chapter on Pure Conduct" says: "Furthermore, one should cultivate and practice them; within each power there are immeasurable meanings, all of which should be inquired about." Therefore, they cannot not be known. However, the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-sūtra, fascicle 53, the Prakaraṇāryavācā, fascicle 4, and the Abhidharmasamuccayavyākhyā, fascicle 14 broadly analyze them; now I briefly distinguish them through seven gates: 1. setting forth the intention, 2. explaining the names, 3. intrinsic nature, 4. operations, 5. sequence, 6. distinctions, 7. explaining the text. Since understanding their names allows one to know their operations, and examining them against the text makes the distinctions easy to see, I will combine the operations, distinctions, and explanations of specific names all within the explanation of the text. Now, the first, setting forth the intention: the Dazhidulun's intention says: it reveals that the Buddha, the Great Person, has real power, causing non-Buddhists' minds to submit, the two vehicles to look toward it, and bodhisattvas to emulate it. Being able to accomplish great affairs, they ultimately attain its fruit; therefore, it must be analyzed. The Tathāgata has only one cognitive power regarding the true mark of all dharmas; this power has ten kinds of functions, so it is spoken of as ten. That is, because he accurately and fully knows all ten objects, through distinctions of time, category, and continuity, there are immeasurable powers serving as causes and conditions to deliver people; hence speaking of ten is sufficient to accomplish these affairs. Namely: with the first power, he knows what can be delivered and cannot be delivered; next, with the power of karma, he knows what has obstacles and has no obstacles; with the power of dhyāna, he knows attachment to taste and non-attachment to taste; with the power of faculties, he knows whether wisdom is much or little; with the power of aspirations, he knows what is delighted in; with the power of natures, he knows where the deep mind inclines; with the power of destinations, he deliberates sentient beings' gates of liberation; with the power of past lives, he distinguishes where they formerly came from; with the power of birth and death, he distinguishes whether the places of birth are good or ugly; with the power of the destruction of outflows, he knows sentient beings' attainment of nirvāṇa. The Buddha uses these ten to examine beings thoroughly in delivering them; therefore only ten are spoken of.