大方廣佛華嚴經疏 8.31

8.31

In the tenth, below 'in this manner', it concludes by unifying without end. The text is divided into two parts: 1. Concluding within the Padmagarbha; 2. Concluding outside the Padmagarbha. The first also has two parts: first, adducing this world; second, below 'within its Padmagarbha', analogizing all worlds within the Padmagarbha. In this there are three parts: first, analogizing the ocean-like assemblies raising offerings. 'All worlds' means that within the Padmagarbha there are world-systems as numerous as the paramāṇus of ten ineffable buddha-kṣetras, and in each one of these systems there are worlds as numerous as the paramāṇus of ineffable-ineffable buddha-kṣetras; in all those worlds there are leaders of the world making offerings. Second, below 'in all those', analogizing the buddhas sitting in the bodhimaṇḍa. However, there are two meanings: 1. Those leaders of the world each make offerings to the buddha of that place; 2. Those leaders of the world also make offerings to this Buddha, and this Buddha also sits in the bodhimaṇḍa of those worlds. Third, below 'each and every', analogizing and concluding with the assembly obtaining the Dharma. In this there are eleven phrases expressing the attainment of benefit from hearing the Dharma. The attainment of benefit has three aspects: 1. Benefit from hearing, because each has faith and understanding, meaning believing his words and understanding their meaning; 2. Benefit from reflection, meaning examining and contemplating what they face; 3. Benefit from cultivation. The benefit from cultivation has seven aspects: (1) The gateway of cultivation, meaning samādhi and expedient means; (2) The Dharma of cultivation, meaning provisions aiding the path; (3) The fruition of cultivation, meaning realization in accord with noumenon; (4) The benefit of cultivation, meaning producing Dharma-joy according to what is attained; (5) The transformation of cultivation, meaning each entering the measureless gateways of the vehicles and realms of sentient beings; (6) The conformity of cultivation, meaning awakening to and understanding the Dharma-gateways in conformity with past sages; (7) The culmination of cultivation. The culmination of cultivation has three aspects: [a] The culmination of great compassion: entering the realm of the Buddha's spiritual powers. Entering the realm of the Buddha's spiritual powers is solely to benefit beings, hence this constitutes the virtue of grace; [b] The culmination of great wisdom: entering the realm of the Buddha's powers. Because the Tathāgata's realm of powers is unsurpassed in compassion and wisdom and cannot be matched, it constitutes the virtue of the Buddha's wisdom; [c] The culmination of sovereignty: entering the Tathāgata's gateway of liberation. Eliminating all obstacles, with mind and objects sovereign, it constitutes the Buddha's virtue of abandonment, which is also precisely the aforementioned gateways of liberation. Second, below 'as in this', concluding outside the Padmagarbha: that is, analogizing the dharmadhātu by the Padmagarbha, each has such an assembly, together forming one single great dharmadhātu assembly; only then is it the inexhaustible preaching of the Avataṃsaka. The above ten sections generally explaining the causes and conditions for the arising of the teaching are now concluded.