大方廣佛華嚴經疏 9.19

9.19

Part four of the major section: Manifesting auspicious omens to signify the Dharma. The previous manifestations only summoned those with karmic affinity; now that the assembly is gathered and [the teaching] is about to be set forth, these omens are manifested anew. The text on the omens has three parts: first, the light indicates the Master of the Dharma; second, the manifestation of the flower signifies the meaning; third, the manifestation of the assembly signifies the teaching. Since the Dharma relies on persons to be propagated, the master is clarified first; since meaning is the root of the teaching, it precedes the teaching. Now, the first [part], indicating the master, is divided into six: 1. the intent, 2. the essence, 3. the name, 4. the marks, 5. the expansion, and 6. the withdrawal. The first is clear. Second, emitting light from between the eyebrows is the essence of the light. 'Between the eyebrows' signifies freedom from the two extremes: regarding the essence, one does not cling to the two extremes of existence and non-existence; regarding meaning, one is unattached to the extremes of marks of dharmas such as permanence and impermanence; regarding practice, one does not cultivate the two extremes of suffering and pleasure; regarding the path, one does not abide in the two extremes of heterodoxy and orthodoxy; regarding persons, one does not grasp at the two extremes of cause and effect; regarding teaching, one does not speak in terms of the two extremes of the worldly and the transmundane; regarding truths, one does not see the two extremes of ultimate and conventional; regarding transformation, one does not fixate on the two extremes of provisional and ultimate. Therefore, for the sake of the assembly, light is emitted from between the eyebrows. Third, from 'This light...' downward, distinguishes the name of the light. 'The light of the bodhisattva's wisdom' causes one to obtain the wisdom that can know. 'Universally illuminating the treasury of the ten directions' causes one to illuminate the cognitive objects to be known. 'Treasury' has three meanings: first, the light of wisdom inexhaustibly contains virtues; second, each of the seas of worlds of the ten directions repeatedly contains lands within [every single] paramāṇu; third, it also applies to the five treasuries, because it is called 'the light of wisdom.' Illuminating the first two treasuries enables bodhisattvas to realize them; illuminating the next two treasuries enables bodhisattvas to accomplish them; realizing them results in nirvāṇa, and accomplishing them results in bodhi; illuminating the fifth treasury enables transformation and purification. The latter two of the three are as in the functional activities explained below. Fourth, from 'Its appearance...' downward, reveals the marks. That is, its color is like lamps and clouds, thoroughly illuminating like the sun and moon, pervasive and moisturizing, raining down Dharma rain, fully as described in the 'Chapter on the Sea of Marks.' Fifth, from 'Universally illuminating...' downward, is the expansion, which is the functional activity of the light. Within this, there are five: 1. the extent of what is illuminated, namely, exhausting all Buddha-lands of the ten directions; 2. what the light manifests, namely, lands and sentient beings; 3. shaking the net of lands, because all worlds are layered and reflected like shadows, mutually corresponding like the interstices of a net; 4. the Tathāgata appearing in every paramāṇu; 5. raining down Dharma according to spiritual capacities. Three Dharmas are briefly cited, all of which are manifested below: first, the clouds of the Dharma wheel, showing what is practiced; second, the clouds of transcendence, showing those who are delivered; third, the clouds of great vows, showing the Master of the Dharma discourse—meaning, being about to preach the universal Dharma, causing it to be known that the Master of the Dharma's great vows universally pervade within every paramāṇu of the lands. Sixth, from 'Having done this...' downward, is the withdrawal, which indicates that there is a final destination, and realization flows from the Buddha. Emitting light from between the eyebrows signifies cultivating the cause in accordance with the fruit, which is why it circumambulates to the right. Ascending from below, it enters through the feet, because realization is attained only by treading the path traversed by the Buddha. Second, from 'At that time, in front of the Buddha...' downward, is the manifestation of the flower signifying the meaning. The text has two distinct parts: first, a general indication. The flower appears as a seat, because it is where the assembly of the central direction manifests. Generally, it signifies the Buddhāvataṃsaka that is expounded; specifically, it signifies the Padmagarbha purified by the Buddha; therefore, this lotus appears in front of the Buddha. Since it generally signifies Avataṃsaka, it also encompasses the ten gates such as simultaneous complete containment, as well as teaching and meaning; yet its fundamental intent is precisely to signify the meaning. Appearing suddenly indicates that phenomena arise based on noumenon and are difficult to fathom. Second, from 'That flower...' downward, reveals its adornment with complete virtues. The text also has two parts: first, it designates ten kinds to reveal inexhaustible virtues; next, from 'namely...' downward, it lists ten phrases individually: the first six pertain to the essence being equipped with multiple virtues, and the latter four pertain to the wondrous function operating unimpeded. Now, regarding the first: the receptacle of the lotus seeds contains things within, hence it is called a 'treasury,' signifying that the Dharma-gate's singular nature contains all, and the name 'Padmagarbha' is established from this. In the wondrous functions that follow, in a single instant it displays many kings of maṇi jewels, which are precisely the essence of the previous treasury. Reflecting the Buddha's body signifies the non-obstruction between environment and sentient beings. Since it emits many sounds, every sound expounds the Dharma. Third, from 'When this flower was born...' downward, is the manifestation of the assembly signifying the teaching. The text briefly has three: 1. the time of the manifestation of the assembly. Saying 'in a single instant' means there is no interval between the birth of the flower [and the assembly], signifying the concordance of teaching and meaning. 2. The place of the manifestation of the assembly: from within the white curl of hair, signifying that the teaching flows from the realized, pure dharmadhātu, serving as the source of the multiple teachings, just as white is the foundation of all colors. 3. From 'There were bodhisattvas...' downward, directly explains the manifestation of the assembly, which also divides into three: first, the master and retinue appear simultaneously, universally expounding all dharmas; hence it is said that all that is expounded is complete, which is called the Supreme Sound, because the Dharma-gate of the complete teaching inevitably embraces a retinue. Below, the text says: 'Sūtras equal to the paramāṇus of an ocean of worlds served as the retinue.' Non-obstruction between the provisional and the ultimate is why it is called 'simultaneous.' Second, from 'Circumambulating to the right...' downward, expresses reverence and taking their seats. Although master and retinue differ, both cultivate the cause in accordance with the fruit, and thus circumambulate the Tathāgata to the right. Text and meaning follow one another, hence they sit upon the flower. Primary and auxiliary are not equal, so there are differences between the central dais and the filaments. Above, the meaning was clarified based on noumenon, hence it appeared suddenly; here, the teaching is established through persons, hence the assembly flows from the Buddha, just as milk comes from a cow in the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra. Third, from 'All their...' downward, reveals their virtues and activities. The Master of the Teaching is the central figure, hence the master is especially praised. The text has ten phrases, briefly given two interpretations: 1. Vertically correlated with the ten stages. This clarifies the universal containment of the virtues of the ten stages, one phrase per stage: the first stage of Joy obtains wisdom and realizes suchness; the second stage of naturally pure discipline is the conduct of the Buddha; the third stage of extensive learning enters the ocean of the dharmakāya; the fourth stage practices the factors of enlightenment, relying on good friends; the fifth stage of comprehensive practice manifests superknowledges to benefit beings; the sixth stage contemplates the dharmadhātu, and prajñā appears before it; in the seventh stage, effortful practice has concluded, so the Buddha imparts power; the eighth stage of unproduced and unmoving abides in the mind of samādhi; the ninth stage acts as a dharmabhāṇaka, seeing boundless dharmas; the tenth stage completes the great exhaustion samādhi and the like, reaching perfection. Since the first stage already encompasses the virtues of all the stages, how could the subsequent ones fail to possess the previous ones? 2. Horizontally explained in terms of the ultimate station: first, wisdom of noumenon realizes the true; second, wisdom of quantitative differentiation enters practice; third, realization exhausts the dharmakāya; fourth, constant contemplation of enjoyment; fifth, displaying supernormal transformations in each pore; sixth, contemplating Dharma-gates in a single thought; seventh, externally evoking the Buddha's empowerment; eighth, internally settling the body in samādhi; ninth, vertically seeing into the future; tenth, horizontally lacking nothing in completeness. Thus, these ten phrases are subsumed under five pairs: whether horizontally or vertically, the one who realizes necessarily possesses them, which is why two interpretations are given.