大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 16.70

16.70

疏「宗趣中已明言天道」者，《易．繫辭》云「易之為書也，廣大悉備，有天道焉、有人道焉、有地道焉。」〈說卦〉云「昔者聖人之作易也，將以順性命之理，是以立天之道曰陰與陽，立地之道曰柔與剛，立人之道曰仁與義。兼三才而兩之，故易六畫而成卦。」又云「在天成象、在地成形，變化見矣。」注曰「象況日月星辰，形況山川草木。」又《易》云「易與天地準，故能彌綸天地之道。仰以觀於天文，俯以察於地理，是故知幽明之故，原始反終，故知死生之說。」注云「幽明者，有形無形之象。死生者，始終之數也。」疏云「天有懸象，而成天文也。地有山川原隰，各有條理，故云地理。」此上皆是已分之相，因釋天道，故便舉之。此對正在未分之前耳。〈序〉曰「龜龍繫象之初，人文始著」者，第二對，明三才已著之相，略如向說。《易．繫辭》云「是故天生神物，聖人則之。天地變化，聖人効之。天垂象見吉凶，聖人象之。河出圖、洛出書，聖人則之。」孔疏云「如鄭康成之義，則依《春秋緯》云『河以通乾出天苞，洛以流坤吐地符。河龍圖發，洛龜書感。河圖有九篇也，洛書有六篇也。』」孔安國云「以為河圖，則八卦是也。洛書，則九疇是也。」音義云「堯有神龜負圖而出，舜感黃龍負圖而現。」言人文始著者，《繫辭》云「古者庖犧氏之王天下也，仰則觀象於天，俯則觀法於地，觀鳥獸之文與地之宜。」孔疏云「此下明聖人法自然之理而作易象。」次《易》又云「近取諸身、遠取諸物，於是始作八卦，以通神明之德，以類萬物之情。」釋曰「上云圖出八卦，今云觀乎天地者，或見龜復象天地等，於理無違。」音義云「觀乎天文以察時變，觀乎人文以化成天下。」此非正意，後人用之耳。君臣父子尊卑上下，謂之人文。龜龍舉三皇之時，斯為上古。繫象舉於夫子，即為下古。然其文王為中古，既有卦爻之辭，已有象矣，則總該三古。又上云天道即言未分，今云人文則言始著，則二言影略。則初分之時亦皆未著，直至繫象已具，方曰著明。故先有者，即易有太極，是生兩儀。兩儀生四象，四象生八卦，八卦定吉凶，吉凶生大業。即三才具矣。上明法化竟。〈序〉曰「雖萬八千歲，至無邊之義」，第二明能化淺近也。按《帝王甲子記》云「天皇氏治萬八千年，地皇氏治九千年，人皇氏治四千五百年。」有本云：三皇皆治一萬八千年。故云萬八千歲也。言「同臨有截之區」者，《毛詩》註云「有截者，齊整也。區者，域也。謂四海域內率服齊整。」言「七十二君，詎識無邊之義」者，司馬相如《封禪書》云「繼昭穆受謚號，略可道者，七十有二君。」故《管子》云「昔者封太山、禪梁父者，有七十二家。梁父，即太山下小山名也。」詎者，何也。明上七十二家賢明之君，何能識於稱性玄理無邊之義。〈序〉曰「由是人迷四忍至三途之下」，第三明所化迷淪也。言由是者，上明化主及法二皆淺近，蓋是域中一身之化，不能令所化免沈苦海。於中，上對迷理輪迴六趣，下對纏妄沒溺三途。言四忍者，即《思益經》第一〈四法品〉中「佛言：『梵天！菩薩有四法，善出毀禁之罪。何等為四？一者得無生法忍，以諸法無來故。二者得無滅忍，以諸法無去故。三者得因緣忍，知諸法因緣生故。四者得無住忍，無異心相續故。是為四忍。』」言人迷者，人人皆迷故。但迷四忍，容漂人天，故云「輪迴於六趣之中。家纏五蓋則溺三途」矣。五蓋者，一貪欲、二嗔恚、三惛沈、四掉舉、五疑也。言家纏者，家家纏也。上三皆明佛未興世群生沈溺竟。〈序〉曰「及夫鷲巖」下，第二明如來出世德用難思。於中四：一總歎化主高深、二明能化時處長廣、三別歎如來勝德、四結德歸於如來。初中四句，分二：前二句總序佛教興流、後二句寄對顯勝。今初，上句明主出西天，故云「鷲巖西峙」。峙者，立也。此約處歎人。後句即化法東被也，故云「象駕東驅」。言象駕者，略有二義：一一千年後像法之時，佛教方被故。二者象馱經故。初雖白馬來儀，本用象故。為對鷲巖，故用象駕。宋公題安國寺詩云「為龍太子去，駕象法王歸。」〈序〉曰「慧日法王」下，第二寄對顯勝。初句出域、後句超因。今初。「慧日法王，超四大而高視」者，出域中也，則異前化在域中。慧日者，以佛為日，略有四義：一破闇如慧、二照現如智、三輪淨如解脫、四上三不相離，如同法界於法自在，故稱法王。言超四大而高視者，即《老子．道經》云「道大、天大、地大、王亦大。域中有四大，而王居其一焉。人法地，地法天，天法道，道法自然。」釋曰：然其說道，乃是清淨虛通，故云道法自然。自然者，不知其所以然而然故，即世界始成。域中近事，不達業因，故曰自然。今佛出現，善證真常、妙窮二諦，天地造化乃俗諦業因、域中之事耳。後句超因。言「中天調御，越十地以居尊」者，十地菩薩時經三祇，已斷十障、已證十如，成十勝行、化周十方。今比世尊，猶一塊土以方大地，況於四大何足越哉？〈序〉曰「包括鐵圍、延促沙劫」者，第二明時處長廣。初句約處，略舉三千大鐵圍內以為化境，豈同上說有截之區？後句約時，多劫促為一念、一念延為多劫，豈同上說萬八千歲？《序》曰「其為體也則不生不滅」下，第三別歎如來勝德中，即雙明化主化法，略就三大歎之。上二句明體大也。經云「佛身無生超戲論，非是蘊聚差別法。」又云「佛以法為身，清淨如虛空。」故又云「一切法無生，一切法無滅。若能如是解，斯人見如來。」〈序〉曰「其為相也無去無來」者，第二歎相大也。經云「如來非以相為體，但是無相寂滅法。身相威儀悉具足，世間隨樂皆得見。」既無相為相，故湛無去來。又德周法界，亦無來去。〈序〉曰「念處至多緒」，即第三歎用大也。於中二：一約化法為用、二約化體明用。今初。化法玄妙，異前化法域中，即行唯造品、心唯四等，方便多門圓應難測，並如經說。言「圓對」者，身則圓迴普應，若月落百川；音則稱物普聞，若風吹萬籟；意則剎那頓覺，若海印炳然，故云多緒。〈序〉曰「混大空而為量」下，二約化體明用。謂大之則無外，細之則無內。經云「譬如虛空，遍至一切色非色處。亦如虛空具含眾象，剎塵為量不可數知。」故云「豈算數之能窮」。後句「入纖芥之微區，匪名言之可述」者，經云「如於此會見佛坐，一切塵中亦如是。」塵中有剎，剎復有塵，塵復有剎，重重無盡，非是心識思量之境，故絕名言之表。表義，名言難述，即言語道斷；顯境，名言不知，即心行處滅。亦是前句明化處普周法界，後句細無不入。經云「一一毛端悉能容受無邊世界而無障礙，示現調伏無量眾生。」〈序曰〉「無德而稱者，其唯大覺歟」，即第四結，德歸於如來也。謂上之三段皆屬如來，則歎不可盡。《論語》云「泰伯，其可謂至德矣。三以天下讓，民無德而稱焉。」故經云「剎塵心念可數知，大海中水可飲盡，虛空可量風可繫，無能盡說佛功德。」即其事也。〈序〉曰「朕曩劫植因叨承佛記」下，第三自慶逢時得聞聲教。於中三：一蒙佛記、二荷太平、三萬國朝宗重譯來貢。今初。久遠種因，故得大覺親記。叨者，忝也。從「金山」下，別明記相。初明《大雲經》或有疑偽。後「玉扆」下，明《寶雨經》。鄭氏注《周禮》云「扆，屏風也。天子屏風，以玉為飾。」《寶雨經》有十卷，入《開元正錄》。第一卷中云「爾時東方有一天子，名日月淨光，乘五色雲來詣佛所，右繞三匝，頂禮佛足，退坐一面。佛告天子曰：『汝之光明甚為希有。天子！汝於過去無量佛所，曾以種種香華珍寶、嚴身之物、衣服臥具、飲食湯藥，恭敬供養，種諸善根。天子！由汝夙種無量善根因緣，今得如是光明顯曜。天子！以是因緣故，我涅槃後第□五百年法欲滅時，汝於此贍部洲東北方摩訶支那國，位居阿鞞跋致，實是菩薩，故現女身為自在主。經於多歲正法治化，養育眾生猶如赤子，令修十善。能於我法廣大住持建立塔寺，又以衣服飲食臥具湯藥供養沙門，於一切持常修梵行。』又一切女人猶有五障，此天子不為二障所障：一者輪王、二者不退菩薩。」餘如彼經。釋曰：此時更無女主弘建若是，斯言不虛。〈序〉曰「加以積善餘慶」下，二荷太平也。《易》云「積善之家必有餘慶，積不善之家必有餘殃。」今由積善故，得地平天成、河清海晏。晏，猶安也。〈序〉曰「殊禎絕瑞」下，第三萬國朝宗重譯來貢也。於中二：初兩對標、後兩對釋。前中，謂萬方仰德，殊異禎祥，奇絕瑞應，日日而至、月月而書。書史冊也。「貝牒靈文亦時臻而歲洽」，歲歲沾洽。二「踰海」下兩對，釋成。初成上禎祥而至；後「架險」下，成上貝牒臻洽。踰海航深，皆水行也。越漠架險，皆陸路也。

Regarding the Commentary's statement, 'In [the section on] the principal purports, it has already explicitly spoken of the Way of Heaven': the 'Xici' of the Yijing says, 'As a book, the Yi is vast and comprehensive, containing the Way of Heaven, the Way of man, and the Way of Earth.' The 'Shuogua' says, 'Anciently, when the sages made the Yi, they intended it to accord with the principles of nature and destiny. Thus they established the Way of Heaven, calling it yin and yang; they established the Way of Earth, calling it the soft and the firm; and they established the Way of man, calling it benevolence and righteousness. Combining the Three Powers and doubling them, the Yi therefore forms hexagrams through six lines.' It also says, 'In Heaven they form images, on Earth they form shapes, and change and transformation become visible.' The commentary says, '"Images" refers to the sun, moon, and stars; "shapes" refers to mountains, rivers, plants, and trees.' Furthermore, the Yi says, 'The Yi accords with Heaven and Earth, and thus is able to encompass the Way of Heaven and Earth. Looking up, one observes the heavenly patterns; looking down, one examines the earthly geography. Therefore one knows the causes of darkness and light, and tracing the beginning back to the end, one knows the explanation of life and death.' The commentary says, '"Darkness and light" are the images of the shaped and the shapeless. "Life and death" are the numbers of beginning and end.' The Commentary says, 'Heaven has suspended images, thereby forming heavenly patterns. Earth has mountains, rivers, plains, and wetlands, each with their own order, hence it says "earthly geography."' All the above are the characteristics of what has already been divided; they are brought up in passing to explain the Way of Heaven. This pair corresponds precisely to the time prior to the division.

Regarding the Preface's statement, 'At the beginning, when the turtle and the dragon were attached to the images, the patterns of culture first became manifest': this is the second pair, explaining the characteristic of the Three Powers having already become manifest, briefly as explained above. The 'Xici' of the Yijing says, 'Therefore Heaven generates divine objects, and the sages take them as models. Heaven and Earth change and transform, and the sages emulate them. Heaven hangs down images to reveal good and bad fortune, and the sages depict them. The Yellow River produced the Chart, and the Luo River produced the Writing, and the sages modeled themselves on them.' Kong's subcommentary says, 'According to Zheng Kangcheng's interpretation, it relies on the Chunqiu Wei, which says: "The Yellow River, communicating with the Qian trigram, brings forth the celestial package; the Luo River, coursing with the Kun trigram, casts up the earthly talisman. The dragon of the Yellow River manifests the Chart, and the turtle of the Luo River responds with the Writing. The River Chart has nine sections, and the Luo Writing has six sections."' Kong Anguo says, 'Taking the River Chart, it is the eight trigrams; the Luo Writing is the Nine Categories.' The Yinyi says, 'In the time of Yao, a divine turtle emerged bearing a chart; Shun's resonance brought forth a yellow dragon bearing a chart.' Regarding 'the patterns of culture first became manifest': the 'Xici' says, 'In ancient times, when Baoxi ruled the world, looking up he observed the images in Heaven, and looking down he observed the models on Earth, observing the markings of birds and beasts and the suitability of the soil.' Kong's subcommentary says, 'Below this, it explains that the sages modeled the images of the Yi on natural principles.' Next, the Yi also says, 'Near at hand, he took them from his own body; far away, he took them from things. Thereupon he first created the eight trigrams to communicate the virtue of the divine and luminous, and to categorize the conditions of the myriad things.' Explanation: 'Above, it says the Chart produced the eight trigrams, while here it says observing Heaven and Earth; perhaps seeing the turtle and again imaging Heaven and Earth and so forth do not contradict each other in principle.' The Yinyi says, 'One observes the heavenly patterns to examine seasonal changes; one observes the patterns of culture to transform and complete the world.' This is not the primary intention; later people merely used it. The hierarchy and positions between ruler and minister, father and son, are called "human culture" (patterns of culture). The turtle and dragon refer to the era of the Three Sovereigns, which constitutes high antiquity. Attaching the images refers to the Master [Confucius], which constitutes late antiquity. Meanwhile, King Wen represents middle antiquity: since he provided the line and hexagram statements, the images already existed; hence it covers all three antiquities. Furthermore, above it says the Way of Heaven, and it is said not to be divided; here it says the patterns of culture, and it is said to have first become manifest; thus the two statements mirror and complement each other. That is, at the time of initial division, they were also not yet manifest; only when the attached images were fully complete can they be called clearly manifest. Therefore, what existed first is: "The Yi has the Great Ultimate, which generates the Two Modes. The Two Modes generate the Four Images, and the Four Images generate the Eight Trigrams. The Eight Trigrams determine good and bad fortune, and good and bad fortune generate great undertakings." Thus the Three Powers are complete. The above explanation of the Dharma teaching is concluded.

Regarding the Preface's statement, 'Although for eighteen thousand years, [down to] the boundless meaning': the second [part] explains that those who teach are shallow and limited. According to the Diwang jiazi ji: 'The Heavenly Sovereign ruled for eighteen thousand years, the Earthly Sovereign ruled for nine thousand years, and the Human Sovereign ruled for four thousand five hundred years.' One text says: 'All Three Sovereigns ruled for eighteen thousand years.' Therefore it says 'eighteen thousand years.' Regarding 'all presiding over an orderly domain': Mao's commentary on the Shijing says, '"Jie" means neat and orderly. "Qu" means domain. It refers to the lands within the four seas all being subjugated and in order.' Regarding 'how could the seventy-two rulers know the boundless meaning?': Sima Xiangru's Fengshan shu says, 'Continuing the lineage of ancestors and receiving posthumous titles, those who can be summarily mentioned number seventy-two rulers.' Thus the Guanzi says, 'In ancient times, those who performed the Feng sacrifice at Mount Tai and the Shan sacrifice at Mount Liangfu numbered seventy-two lineages. Liangfu is the name of a small mountain below Mount Tai.' 'How' (ju) means 'how could they?'. It explains that how could the seventy-two wise and enlightened rulers mentioned above understand the boundless meaning of the profound principle that accords with the nature?

Regarding the Preface's statement, 'Because of this, people are deluded about the four kṣāntis, [down to] falling beneath the three evil destinies': the third [part] explains that those who are taught are deluded and sunk. Saying 'because of this' indicates that both the teaching master and the Dharma explained above are shallow and limited; they are merely the teaching of a single person within the world, unable to save those taught from sinking into the ocean of suffering. Therein, the upper pair corresponds to being deluded about principle and transmigrating through the six destinies, and the lower pair corresponds to being bound by delusion and sinking into the three evil destinies. Regarding the 'four kṣāntis': in the first fascicle, 'Chapter on the Four Dharmas', of the Viśeṣacintabrahma-paripṛcchā-sūtra: 'The Buddha said: "Brahmā! A bodhisattva has four dharmas that skillfully eradicate the sin of breaking the precepts. What are the four? First, attaining the endurance of non-arising (anutpattikadharmakṣānti), because all dharmas do not come. Second, attaining the endurance of non-cessation, because all dharmas do not go. Third, attaining the endurance of causes and conditions, because of knowing that all dharmas arise from causes and conditions. Fourth, attaining the endurance of non-abiding, because of having no different mind continuing in succession. These are the four kṣāntis."' Saying 'people are deluded' means that each and every person is deluded. If one is merely deluded about the four kṣāntis, one might still drift through [the realms of] humans and devas, hence it says, 'transmigrating within the six destinies. As families are entangled in the five hindrances, they sink into the three evil destinies.' The five hindrances are: first, sensual desire; second, ill will; third, sloth and torpor; fourth, restlessness and worry; fifth, doubt. Saying 'families are entangled' means that every family is entangled. The above three parts all fully explain that sentient beings were submerged before the Buddha arose in the world.

Regarding the Preface's statement, 'And when at the Vulture Peak' downwards: the second [major section] explains that the Tathāgata's appearance in the world and his virtuous functions are inconceivable. Therein are four: first, praising generally the loftiness and depth of the teaching master; second, explaining the vastness and longevity of the time and place of the teaching; third, praising specifically the Tathāgata's superior virtues; fourth, concluding by attributing the virtues to the Tathāgata. In the first, there are four lines, divided into two: the first two lines generally introduce the arising and spreading of the Buddhist teachings; the last two lines borrow a contrast to reveal its superiority. Now for the first: the upper line explains that the master arose in the Western Heavens, hence it says 'Vulture Peak loomed in the west.' 'Loomed' (zhi) means stood up. This praises the person by referring to the place. The subsequent line is the Dharma teaching spreading eastward, hence it says 'the elephant chariot was driven to the east.' Regarding the 'elephant chariot', there are briefly two meanings: first, after one thousand years, during the Semblance Dharma period, the Buddhist teaching only then reached [here]. Second, elephants carried the sūtras. Although at first a white horse arrived, originally elephants were used. In order to match 'Vulture Peak', 'elephant chariot' was used. Duke Song's poem inscribed at Anguo Monastery says, 'Departing as the Dragon Prince; returning as the Dharma King driving an elephant.'

Regarding the Preface's statement, 'The Sun of Wisdom, the Dharma King' downwards: the second [part] borrows a contrast to reveal superiority. The first line transcends the realm of the world; the subsequent line surpasses the stages of cause. Now for the first: 'The Sun of Wisdom, the Dharma King, transcends the four greats and looks down from on high' means transcending the worldly realm, thus differing from the previous teachings within the worldly realm. 'Sun of Wisdom': taking the Buddha as the sun has briefly four meanings: first, destroying darkness like wisdom; second, illuminating like cognition; third, the purity of the disk like liberation; fourth, the above three are not separated, being identical to the dharmadhātu, possessing mastery over dharmas, hence called 'Dharma King.' Regarding 'transcending the four greats and looking down from on high': the Daoist classic Laozi says, 'The Dao is great, Heaven is great, Earth is great, and the King is also great. Within the realm there are four greats, and the King occupies one of them. Man models himself on Earth, Earth models itself on Heaven, Heaven models itself on the Dao, and the Dao models itself on naturalness.' Explanation: When it speaks of the Dao, it is pure, empty, and unobstructed, hence it says 'the Dao models itself on naturalness.' 'Naturalness' (ziran) means it is so without knowing why it is so; that is, the initial formation of the world. These are proximate events within the worldly realm, not comprehending karmic causes, hence called 'naturalness.' Now the Buddha has appeared, skillfully realizing true permanence and subtly fathoming the two truths; the creation and transformation of Heaven and Earth are merely conventional truth, karmic causes, matters within the worldly realm. The subsequent line surpasses the stages of cause. It says: 'The Tamer of the Central Heavens surpasses the ten stages to dwell in the supreme position.' Bodhisattvas of the ten stages spend three asaṃkhyeya kalpas, have already severed the ten hindrances, realized the ten suchnesses, accomplished the ten superior practices, and their transformation pervades the ten directions. Now comparing them to the World-Honoured One, it is like a lump of earth compared to the great earth; how much less can the four greats compare—they are surpassed effortlessly!

Regarding the Preface's statement, 'Encompassing the Iron Enclosure, contracting and expanding kalpas as numerous as sand grains': the second [part] explains the vastness and longevity of the time and place. The first line refers to place: it briefly mentions the interior of the three thousand great Iron Enclosure mountains as the realm of transformation; how could it be the same as the 'orderly domain' mentioned above? The subsequent line refers to time: condensing many kalpas into a single thought-moment, and expanding a single thought-moment into many kalpas; how could it be the same as the 'eighteen thousand years' mentioned above?

Regarding the Preface's statement, 'As for its essence, it is neither arising nor ceasing' downwards: in the third [part], specifically praising the Tathāgata's superior virtues, it jointly clarifies the teaching master and the teaching Dharma, praising them briefly according to the three greatnesses. The first two lines explain the greatness of essence. A sūtra says, 'The Buddha's body is unarisen, transcending prapañca, and is not a differentiated dharma of accumulated aggregates.' It also says, 'The Buddha takes Dharma as his body, pure like empty space.' Thus it also says, 'All dharmas are non-arisen, all dharmas are non-ceasing. If one can understand like this, this person sees the Tathāgata.'

Regarding the Preface's statement, 'As for its characteristic, it neither goes nor comes': the second [part] praises the greatness of characteristic. A sūtra says, 'The Tathāgata does not take characteristics as his essence, but is merely the signless, quiescent dharma. The bodily marks and dignified deportment are completely perfected, and the world sees them according to its inclinations.' Since signlessness is taken as the characteristic, it is serenely free of going and coming. Furthermore, as virtue pervades the dharmadhātu, there is also no coming or going.

Regarding the Preface's statement, 'The stations of mindfulness [down to] many modes': this is the third [part], praising the greatness of function. Therein are two: first, taking the Dharma of transformation as function; second, taking the essence of transformation to explain function. Now for the first: the Dharma of transformation is profound and subtle, differing from the previous Dharma teachings within the worldly realm; that is, practice consists solely of the stages, mind consists solely of the four immeasurables, and upāyas have many gates, their perfect responses difficult to fathom, all as explained in the sūtra. Regarding 'perfect responses': as for the body, it turns completely to respond universally, like the moon reflecting in a hundred rivers; as for the voice, it is heard universally according to things, like the wind blowing through myriad pipes; as for the intention, it awakens suddenly in a kṣaṇa, like the ocean-seal reflecting brightly; hence it says 'many modes.'

Regarding the Preface's statement, 'Merged with the great void as its measure' downwards: the second [part] explains function in terms of the essence of transformation. It means that when large, there is nothing outside it; when small, there is nothing inside it. A sūtra says, 'For instance, like empty space pervading all places with or without form; and like empty space completely containing all images, taking the dust motes of lands as measure, it cannot be known by counting.' Therefore it says, 'How could calculation exhaust it?' Regarding the subsequent line, 'Entering into the subtle realm of a minute mustard seed, it cannot be described in words': a sūtra says, 'Just as the Buddha is seen sitting in this assembly, so it is within all dust motes.' Within a dust mote there are lands; the lands again have dust motes, and the dust motes again have lands, layer upon layer without end. This is not an object of thought and discrimination by mind and consciousness, hence it lies beyond the realm of verbal designation. Expressing the principle, words fail to convey it, which is the cutting off of the path of speech; revealing the realm, words cannot grasp it, which is the extinction of the trace of mental activities. Also, the previous line clarifies that the place of transformation universally encompasses the dharmadhātu, while the subsequent line shows that it enters the finest without exception. A sūtra says, 'Every single tip of a hair can accommodate boundless worlds without obstruction, manifesting the taming of immeasurable sentient beings.'

Regarding the Preface's statement, 'The one whose virtue cannot be named—is it not solely the Great Awakened One!': this is the fourth [part], concluding by attributing the virtues to the Tathāgata. It means that the above three passages all belong to the Tathāgata, so praising him can never be exhausted. The Lunyu says, 'Taibo may indeed be said to have possessed the highest virtue. Thrice he declined the empire, and the people could find no words to praise his virtue.' Thus a sūtra says, 'The thoughts of minds in as many lands as dust motes can be counted; the water in the great ocean can be drunk completely; empty space can be measured; the wind can be bound; yet no one can fully describe the Buddha's merits.' This is precisely that matter.

Regarding the Preface's statement, 'In kalpas past, We planted causes, and have unworthily received the Buddha's prediction' downwards: the third [major section shows the sovereign] personally rejoicing in encountering the times and being able to hear the verbal teachings. Therein are three: first, receiving the Buddha's prediction; second, bearing the great peace; third, myriad nations paying court and presenting tribute through repeated translation. Now for the first: having planted causes long ago, the sovereign received the personal prediction of the Great Awakened One. 'Unworthily' (dao) means humbly. From 'Golden Mountain' downwards, it specifically clarifies the signs of the prediction. First, it explains that the Dayun jing might be suspected of being spurious. Later, from 'Jade Screen' downwards, it clarifies the Baoyu jing. Zheng's commentary on the Zhouli says, 'The yi is a standing screen. The screen of the Son of Heaven is decorated with jade.' The Baoyu jing has ten fascicles, entered in the Kaiyuan zhenglu. In the first fascicle, it says: 'At that time, in the east there was a devaputra named Sun-and-Moon Pure Light, who rode five-colored clouds to come to the Buddha's place. Having circumambulated [the Buddha] three times to the right, he bowed his head to the Buddha's feet and withdrew to sit to one side. The Buddha told the devaputra: "Your radiance is extremely rare. Devaputra! In the presence of immeasurable Buddhas of the past, you once respectfully made offerings of various incense, flowers, precious gems, adornments for the body, clothing, bedding, food, drink, and medicine, planting all roots of goodness. Devaputra! Because of the causes and conditions of your planting immeasurable roots of goodness in the past, you now obtain such brilliant radiance. Devaputra! Because of these causes and conditions, after my nirvāṇa, in the fifth five-hundred-year period when the Dharma is about to perish, in the country of Mahācīna to the northeast of this Jambudvīpa, dwelling in the stage of avaivartika, you will truly be a bodhisattva; therefore you will manifest as a woman to become a sovereign of mastery. Throughout many years you will govern with the True Dharma, nourishing sentient beings like newborn babes, causing them to practice the ten good deeds. You will be able to broadly uphold my Dharma, establishing stupas and monasteries, and also offer clothing, food, drink, bedding, and medicine to śramaṇas, always cultivating pure conduct in all moral observances." Furthermore, whereas all women still have five obstructions, this devaputra is not obstructed by two obstructions: first, that of a cakravartin; second, that of an irreversible bodhisattva.' The rest is as in that sūtra. Explanation: At this time there was no other female ruler who promoted and established [the Dharma] like this; these words are truly not false.

Regarding the Preface's statement, 'Added to this is the remaining blessing of accumulated goodness' downwards: the second [part] is bearing the great peace. The Yi says, 'A family that accumulates goodness will surely have remaining blessings; a family that accumulates evil will surely have remaining calamities.' Now, due to the accumulation of goodness, the earth is peaceful, heaven is completed, the Yellow River is clear, and the seas are tranquil. 'Yan' means peaceful.

Regarding the Preface's statement, 'Distinct portents and peerless auspicious omens' downwards: the third [part] is that myriad nations pay court and present tribute through repeated translation. Therein are two: first, two pairs state the theme; second, two pairs explain it. In the former, it means that the myriad quarters revere virtue, and distinct portents and peerless auspicious omens arrive daily and are recorded monthly. Recorded in the historical records. 'Palm-leaf scriptures and efficacious texts also arrive at times and enrich year by year' means enriching year after year. The two pairs from 'crossing the seas' downwards explain and complete [the thought]. The first completes the arrival of the auspicious omens above; the latter from 'bridging hazards' downwards completes the arrival and enrichment of the palm-leaf scriptures above. Crossing the seas and navigating the deeps are all travel by water. Crossing the deserts and bridging hazards are all travel by land.