大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 2

English (machine translation) 2

Language: English

2.1

Composed by the Śramaṇa Chengguan of the Great Huayan Monastery on Mount Qingliang of the Tang

Regarding the commentary's "The vast immediately enters the indivisible, and dust motes and hairs envelop without an exterior": this is the second approach, the unimpeded freedom of the broad and the narrow. The upper clause shows the great able to enter the small; the lower clause shows the small able to contain the great. Although there is [mention of] identity and entering, the intended meaning is the broad and narrow. "Indivisible" means small; miniaturized, it has no interior, and because it has no interior, it has no middle space. "Without an exterior" means great; expanded, it has no exterior. That which has no exterior is the vast bodies and lands, which immediately enter the dust motes and hairs that have no interior; hence it is called the unimpeded freedom of the broad and the narrow. Whether identical or entering, both attain the unimpeded freedom of the broad and the narrow. The sūtra says: "The Iron Ring Mountains, measureless in number, can all be placed upon the tip of a single hair. Desiring to know that the utmost great has the mark of the small, the bodhisattva thereby produces the initial resolve." The utmost great having the mark of the small is the unimpeded freedom of the broad and the narrow. It also says: "He can make small world-realms into great world-realms, and great world-realms into small world-realms," and so forth.

2.3

Regarding the commentary's "Brilliantly manifest all at once like that jar of mustard seeds": this is the third approach, the mutual containment and harmonious establishment of the minute. One can contain many: that is called mutual containment. The one and the many are unmixed: hence it says harmonious establishment. "Brilliant" means clear. There are three kinds of minuteness: First, the minuteness of what is contained. Like a lapis lazuli jar holding many mustard seeds, brilliantly manifesting all at once without impeding one another, neither before nor after; this is spoken of in the Tathāgatācintyaviṣayasūtra. However, there are two versions: one version says "white mustard seeds"; one version simply says "mustard seeds"; here we follow the latter version. This means that a single phenomenon accords with the nature, containing and tolerating exhaustively; hence all phenomena manifest within the one according to the principle contained therein. It is also that the real virtues of dependent origination are free from obstruction and unimpeded, which brings about mutual containment; not being made by gods or humans, they thereby attain harmonious establishment. Just as within the eight aspects [of the Buddha's life], every single aspect is fully endowed with the eight aspects, which is called minute. Second, from the viewpoint of the minuteness of that which contains. Third, from the viewpoint of the minuteness that is difficult to know.

2.4

Regarding the commentary's "Simultaneously complete, comparable to a drop of the ocean": this is the fourth approach, the simultaneous completeness and correspondence. Like a single drop of the great ocean, which is immediately endowed with the tastes of the hundred rivers and the ten virtues, so any single phenomenon subsumes inexhaustible phenomena. And the nine approaches below take this single approach as their general synthesis; "simultaneous" clarifies that there is no before and after, and "complete" means that what is subsumed leaves nothing out. Regarding the "ten virtues," the Daśabhūmika-sūtra says: "First, it gradually becomes deeper in sequence; second, it does not harbor dead corpses; third, other waters entering it all lose their original names; fourth, it is universally of a single taste; fifth, it is endowed with measureless rare jewels; sixth, it is so deep that its bottom is difficult to reach; seventh, it is vast and measureless; eighth, it is the dwelling place of great beings; ninth, its tides do not exceed their limits; tenth, it universally receives the great rains." The Nirvāṇa Sūtra says: "Like a person entering the great ocean to bathe, he has thereby used the waters of all the rivers." Practicing in accordance with this, within a single practice the virtues cannot be exhausted.

2.5

Regarding the commentary's "The one and the many are unobstructed, equal to a thousand lamps in an empty room": this is the fifth approach, the mutual containment of the one and the many without identity. Because the one and the many are mutual conditions for arising and their dynamic functions mutually penetrate, they can mutually interpenetrate; this is called mutual containment. Not destroying their characteristics is why it says "without identity." Like a thousand lamps shining together in a single room: the lamps differ according to their basins, each and every one being distinct; the lamps pervade according to their light, light and light interpenetrating, constantly distinct and constantly entering. The sūtra says: "Within the one, understand the measureless; within the measureless, understand the one. Comprehending their mutual arising, one will attain fearlessness." This metaphor of the lamps can also serve as a metaphor for mutual identity. Looking directly at the light, one does not see distinct characteristics, because there is only a single light.

2.6

Regarding the commentary's "Concealment and manifestation are simultaneously established, resembling the crescent moon in the autumn sky": this is the sixth approach, the secret and manifest being simultaneously established. Like the moon on the eighth or ninth night, half concealed and half manifest: when precisely manifest, it is concealed; when precisely concealed, it is manifest. It is not like the moon on the last day of the lunar month, when it is concealed without manifestation, nor like the full moon, when it is manifest without concealment. When the one subsumes the many, then the one is manifest and the many are concealed; when the many subsume the one, then the many are manifest and the one is concealed. When a single hair subsumes the dharmadhātu, then the dharmadhātu of the remaining hairs is completely concealed. Every other individual hair mutually subsumes and enters, and their concealment and manifestation are also like this. However, with that half-moon, not only do the bright and the dark coexist, but also beneath the bright there is dark, and beneath the dark there is bright. Just as entering right concentration in the east is one half being bright, emerging from concentration in the west is one half being dark. And the place of entering in the east is immediately where one arises in the east, like dark beneath the bright; the place of arising in the west is immediately where one enters in the west, like bright beneath the dark. Therefore it is called the approach of the secret and manifest being simultaneously established.

2.7

Regarding the commentary's "Layer upon layer mutually reflecting, like the hanging jewels of Indra's net": this is the seventh approach, the realm of Indra's net. Just as the pearl net covering the palace of the king of the gods: within a single bright pearl, ten thousand images all appear, and so it is with all the pearls; and then they mutually manifest reflections, reflections again manifesting reflections, layer upon layer without end. Although a thousand lights and ten thousand colors mutually reflect layer upon layer, they remain clearly distinct. It is also like two mirrors mutually reflecting: layer upon layer interpenetrating, transmitting radiance and transcribing one another, endlessly emerging in alternation.

2.8

Regarding the commentary's "Thought-moment by thought-moment perfectly interpenetrating, akin to an evening dream traversing lifetimes": this is the eighth approach, different temporal phases being established in separation throughout the ten periods. That is, in the "Chapter on Leaving the World," the bodhisattva has ten ways of explaining the three periods of time: explaining the past in the past, explaining the present in the past, explaining the future in the past, explaining the past in the present, explaining equality in the present, explaining the future in the present, explaining the past in the future, explaining the present in the future, explaining inexhaustibility in the future, and explaining the single thought-moment in the three periods of time. The previous nine are specific, and the single thought-moment is general; hence they are named the ten periods, because the three periods of time are mutually conditioned and mutually subsume one another. A single thought-moment is endowed with ten to show inexhaustibility; thus a single thought-moment is measureless kalpas, and measureless kalpas are a single thought-moment. The "Chapter on the Practices of Samantabhadra" says: "Measureless and countless kalpas / are understood as immediately a single thought-moment. / Knowing that thought-moments are also no-thought, / one thus sees the worldly realms." It is like the dream of a single evening traversing several lifetimes. The Mahāyānasaṃgraha says: "Dwelling in a dream, one thinks years have passed; / upon waking, it was only a moment. / Therefore, though time is measureless, / it is subsumed in a single kṣaṇa." The "Chapter on Leaving the World" says: "Like a person in a sleeping dream / who performs various deeds: / though hundreds of thousands of years pass, / a single night has not yet ended." Thus Zhuangzi dreamed he was a butterfly, napping for a hundred years. Such instances are vast!

2.9

Regarding the commentary's "Dharma gates overlapping, like clouds arising in the vast sky": this is the ninth approach, relying on things to manifest phenomena and engender understanding. Saying "overlapping" is intended to show that the one and the many do not obstruct each other; hence, in accordance with every single thing, there are many Dharma gates. Because any single thing is immediately the inexhaustible dharmadhātu, since the dharmadhātu is inexhaustible, things are also inexhaustible. The "Chapter on Pariṇāmanā" says: "This flower is produced from the anutpattikadharmakṣānti," and so forth, intending to clarify that all causes produce a single fruit, and a single fruit is endowed with all causes; it is not that by relying on this, something else is symbolically indicated.

2.10

Regarding the commentary's statement, "The myriad practices spread out profusely, like flowers blossoming upon brocade": this is the tenth, the gate of the distinct repositories of pure and mixed possessing [all] virtues. This name is found in the ten profundities of Zhixiang; however, it has two senses, which is why Xianshou changed it to the gate of the unhindered mastery of breadth and narrowness. First, if accord with principle is taken as pure and the myriad practices as mixed, then this is the unhindered interpenetration of phenomenon and principle, not the unhindered interpenetration of phenomenon and phenomenon. Suppose that for a bodhisattva great compassion is pure, so that to the exhaustion of the future limits he is seen only practicing compassion while his other practices are like empty space. If, in terms of the gate of the mixed, he cultivates the myriad practices together, these two gates are distinct, and this also does not constitute the unhindered interpenetration of phenomenon and phenomenon. Second, if taking the single gate of giving, all the myriad dharmas are entirely called giving, and therefore it is called pure; yet this gate of giving is itself endowed with the practices of all the [other] perfections, and therefore it is called mixed. In this way, pure and mixed do not obstruct each other, and so it is called possessing [all] virtues; thus the meaning of the unhindered interpenetration of phenomenon and phenomenon is established. Furthermore, when one contains all the perfections, if all the perfections remain preserved it is called the gate of mutual entry; if all the perfections are dissolved, it further resembles the gate of mutual identity. Therefore, he did not retain it and changed it to breadth and narrowness. Now, because Zhixiang merely applied this to practice with a slight difference, and this passage briefly omits host and companion, he again presented it here to establish the ten meanings. As for the expression "like flowers blossoming upon brocade," the intended meaning draws upon five-colored threads: though the colors of the flowers are distinct, each and every thread runs straight through. Running through serves as a metaphor for the pure; being distinct serves as a metaphor for the mixed; thus, being constantly running-through and constantly distinct is called unhindered. It is not like embroidered paintings that are merely distinct without running through the aforementioned ten profundities. This briefly sets forth the broad framework; the full explanation is as found below in the section on doctrinal scope.

2.11

Regarding the commentary's statement below, "As for its height, it cannot be looked up to: thus bodhisattvas of accumulated practice expose their gills and scales at the Dragon Gate": this is the seventh [section], the sudden transcendence in attaining benefit. The text has ten meanings. The first two generally reveal its height and depth, explaining that the provisional and the lesser cannot fathom it; the latter eight directly explain that the attainment of benefit is sudden and complete. Furthermore, the first two, height and depth, inversely reveal the attainment of benefit, explaining that the provisional and lesser do not fathom it because in the past they lacked the cause, thereby inversely exhorting sentient beings to have faith; the latter eight directly reveal the attainment of benefit, stating that it can be sudden and complete, causing them necessarily to accept it. Now, the first is the first, explaining its height and distance. Like Mounts Tai and Hua leaning against the sky, or Min and E brushing the Milky Way, their peaks are difficult to look up to; thus the Lunyu says: "Looking up to it, it is all the higher; boring into it, it is all the harder." As for "bodhisattvas of accumulated practice," the chapter "Appearance [of the Tathāgata]" says: "Suppose there is a bodhisattva who for immeasurable hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of kalpas cultivates the six pāramitās and trains in the various factors of bodhi. If he has not heard this teaching of the Tathāgata's inconceivable great awe-inspiring virtue, or having heard it at times, does not have faith, does not understand, does not accord with it, and does not enter it, he cannot be called a true bodhisattva, because he cannot be born into the family of the Tathāgata. If one is able to hear this teaching of the Tathāgata's immeasurable, inconceivable, unobstructed, and unhindered wisdom, and having heard it, believes, understands, accords with, and awakens and enters it, one should know that this person is born into the family of the Tathāgata, and so forth." It is like fish ascending the Dragon Gate: if they succeed in ascending, they transform into dragons, which is like the capacities that enter the Avataṃsaka. If they ascend but cannot cross over, they expose their gills and scales below the Dragon Gate, like nominal bodhisattvas—namely, those who cultivate gradually in the provisional teachings.

2.12

Regarding the commentary's statement, "As for its depth, it cannot be fathomed: thus the śrāvakas of superior virtue blocked their sight and hearing at the auspicious assembly": this is the second, demonstrating its depth and subtlety; that is, in the "Dharmadhātu Chapter." At the beginning there were the five hundred śrāvakas such as Śāriputra, whose virtues are praised therein: "All awakened to the true reality and all realized the bhūtakoṭi, entered deeply into the dharmatā and forever departed from the ocean of existence. Relying on the Buddha's merits, they abandoned the fetters of defilement and dwelt in the place free of hindrance. Their minds were tranquil like empty space. Toward all Buddhas they forever severed doubt and perplexity, and with deep faith they entered into the ocean of the Buddha's wisdom." Commentary: This refers to "superior virtue." Being present in the Jeta Grove at the Tathāgata's auspicious assembly and yet not seeing or hearing is called "blocking their sight and hearing." Du means to obstruct. What is in the eyes is called seeing; what is in the ears is called hearing. Although present in the assembly, they were like the deaf and blind; hence it says "blocked their sight and hearing." Thus the sūtra says: "At that time, the foremost great śrāvakas—Śāriputra, Mahāmaudgalyāyana, Mahākāśyapa, Revata, Subhūti, Aniruddha, Nanda, Kapphiṇa, Kātyāyana, Pūrṇa, and other great śrāvakas in the Jeta Grove—all did not see the Tathāgata's spiritual power, the Tathāgata's adornments, the Tathāgata's realm, the Tathāgata's play, the Tathāgata's spiritual transformations, the Tathāgata's supreme nobility, the Tathāgata's subtle practices, the Tathāgata's awe-inspiring virtue, the Tathāgata's sustenance, the Tathāgata's pure lands; nor did they see the inconceivable realm of the bodhisattvas, the great assemblies of the bodhisattvas, the universal entry of the bodhisattvas, the universal arrival of the bodhisattvas, the universal visiting of the bodhisattvas, the spiritual transformations of the bodhisattvas, the play of the bodhisattvas, the retinue of the bodhisattvas, the locations of the bodhisattvas, the adorned lion thrones of the bodhisattvas, the palaces of the bodhisattvas, the abodes of the bodhisattvas, the mastery in samādhis entered by the bodhisattvas, the contemplation of the bodhisattvas, the lion's yawn of the bodhisattvas, the valor of the bodhisattvas, the offerings of the bodhisattvas, the vyākaraṇas of the bodhisattvas, the maturation of the bodhisattvas, the courage of the bodhisattvas, the purity of the bodhisattvas' dharmakāya, the perfection of the bodhisattvas' jñānakāya, the manifestation of the bodhisattvas' praṇidhānakāya, the achievement of the bodhisattvas' rūpakāya, the complete purity of all the bodhisattvas' marks, the adornment of the bodhisattvas' constant light of many colors, the great jewel nets of brilliant light emitted by the bodhisattvas, the clouds of transformations raised by the bodhisattvas, the bodhisattvas' bodies pervading the ten directions, the completion of all the bodhisattvas' practices. All such things they did not see. Why is this? Because their roots of goodness were different; because originally they had not cultivated the roots of goodness to see the Buddha's mastery; because originally they had not praised the pure merits of all the Buddha lands in the worlds of the ten directions; because originally they had not extolled the various spiritual transformations of the Buddhas, the World-Honoured Ones; because originally they had not generated the mind of anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi amidst the cycle of birth and death; because originally they had not caused others to dwell in the bodhicitta; because originally they were unable to keep the Tathāgata's lineage from being cut off; and so forth." Above, first the persons were listed, which refers to the śrāvakas of superior virtue. Next, it explained that they did not see and so forth, which is the blocking of sight and hearing. In the explanation from "Why is this?" downward of the inferiority of the causes for not seeing: not seeing is not yet considered deep; that those of superior virtue did not know is what truly constitutes the profound subtlety.

2.13

Regarding the commentary's statement below, "Seeing and hearing serve as the seed, and the eight difficulties transcend the stages of the ten grounds": the text has eight passages, directly showing the characteristics of the round and pervasive attainment of benefit. This first passage explains the benefit of seeing and hearing, which is also called the benefit of the seed; namely, the three tiers of sudden completion of the devaputras of the hells in the "Chapter on the Minor Marks," as well as the First Ground's statement: "Though dwelling in the ocean waters or kalpa fire, those capable of receiving this Dharma will surely hear it. Those who give rise to doubt and lack faith will never hear such teachings." Disbelieving and not hearing inversely demonstrates that believing and hearing constitutes benefit. Ocean waters refer to dragons, subsumed under the animal rebirth. Kalpa fire refers to the devas: the fire disaster reaches the First Dhyāna, and beings are reborn in the devas of the Second Dhyāna such as the Ābhāsvara heaven. This is the difficulty of long-lived gods. Being able to hear here, together with the devaputras of hell above, already accounts for three difficulties. The spirits and ghosts at the Buddha's assembly also hearing suffices for the three evil destinies. The time of the fire disaster also includes before and after a Buddha. The difference between human and deva paths already includes worldly intelligence, nor are the northern continents excluded. The deaf see with their eyes and the blind hear with their ears; thus the eight difficulties are complete. All admit of the meaning of hearing the sūtra to serve as a seed. "Transcending the stages of the ten grounds" specifically lies in the devaputras of the hells, taking the weighty to encompass the light. If even the Avīci hell attains sudden completion, how could those favored to be among human beings fail to listen closely? Thus, the "Chapter on the Merit of the Radiance of the Minor Marks" says: "The Buddha addressed Jewel-Hand Bodhisattva, saying: 'O Son of the Buddha! Under the soles of the bodhisattva's feet there are thousand-spoked wheel marks, named King of Universally Illumining Radiance. This has a minor mark named King of Fullness. It constantly emits forty kinds of light, among which one light is called Pure Merit, which can illumine worlds as numerous as the dust motes of a hundred million nayutas of Buddha lands, bringing to maturation the various karmic practices, desires, and inclinations of sentient beings according to their nature. Sentient beings of extreme suffering in the Avīci hell who encounter this light all end their lives and are born in the Tuṣita heaven. Once born in the heaven, the heavenly drums produce sound, extensively expounding the Dharma for them. And so on up to: At that time, when those devaputras heard the expounding of Samantabhadra's vast pariṇāmanā, because they attained the ten grounds, because they obtained the samādhi of the adornment of all powers, and because they repented and eliminated all heavy hindrances through the three karmas purified equally to the number of sentient beings, they immediately saw seven-jeweled lotus flowers as numerous as the dust motes of hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of Buddha lands, and upon each flower there was a bodhisattva sitting cross-legged, emitting great light, and so on, up to scattering flowers upon the bodhisattvas.'" It also says: "Those clouds of fragrance universally rained down upon worlds as numerous as the dust motes of immeasurable Buddha lands. If there were sentient beings whose bodies were touched by the fragrance, their bodies attained peace and bliss, up to extinguishing eighty-four thousand defilements." It concludes: "Having known this, they achieved the pure roots of goodness of the unobstructed radiance of the clouds of fragrant banners." Commentary: This is the first tier of attaining the ten grounds. Next it says: "If there are sentient beings who see its canopy, they plant roots of goodness equal to the sands of one Ganges River under a wheel-turning king with a pure golden rim." Commentary: This is the second tier of attaining the ten grounds. Later the text says: "This bodhisattva mahāsattva dwells in the position of a wheel-turning king with a pure golden rim and emits the pure light of the maṇi topknot. If there are sentient beings who encounter this light, all attain the stage of the tenth ground of a bodhisattva, accomplish immeasurable radiance of wisdom, obtain the ten kinds of pure eyes up to the ten kinds of pure minds, and fully possess immeasurable extremely deep samādhis." Commentary: This is the third tier of attaining the ten grounds.

2.14

Regarding the commentary's statement, "When understanding and practice reside in oneself, a single lifetime completes the fruition of distant kalpas": this is the second, the benefit of understanding and practice. In the seventy-eighth fascicle of the sūtra, Maitreya praises Sudhana, saying: "Other bodhisattvas, only after immeasurable hundreds of thousands of myriad kotis of nayutas of kalpas, are able to fulfill the bodhisattva's vows and practices, and are able to draw near to all Buddhas and bodhisattvas. This elder's son, within a single lifetime, is able to purify Buddha lands, is able to transform sentient beings, is able to penetrate deeply into the dharmadhātu with wisdom, is able to accomplish all pāramitās, is able to increase and broaden all practices, is able to fulfill all great vows, is able to transcend all deeds of Māra, is able to serve all good spiritual friends, is able to purify all bodhisattva paths, and is able to fully possess all practices of Samantabhadra." Prince Mahāprabhāsa also completed the fruition of many kalpas in a single lifetime. Both of the above illustrate swift realization. Furthermore, the tenet of this sūtra demonstrates perfection across three lifetimes: first, the lifetime of seeing and hearing; second, the lifetime of understanding and practice, which refers to the above two lines; third, the lifetime of realization and entry, which refers to the following two lines.

2.15

Regarding the Commentary's line: "The lion springs vigorously: the ocean-like assemblies suddenly realize [the fruit] within the forest": this is the third [benefit], the benefit of sudden realization. At the beginning of the sixtieth fascicle, it says: "At that time, the World-Honoured One, knowing the thoughts in the minds of all the bodhisattvas, taking great compassion as his body, great compassion as his portal, and great compassion as his head, using the dharma of great compassion as an upāya, pervaded space and entered the siṃhavijṛmbhita (lion's sprint) samādhi." The older translation rendered this as "vigorous spring" (fenxun); the meaning of "vigorous spring" is explained in terms of a lion, as that rendering is convenient. Reaching the beginning of the sixty-first fascicle, after Samantabhadra opened and revealed [the teaching], because the Tathāgata emitted light from between his eyebrows to illuminate [all], the great assembly of bodhisattvas in the Jetavana forest saw all Buddha-kṣetras throughout the entire dharmadhātu and space-realm; within each single dust-mote there were all the Buddha-lands, numbering as many as the dust-motes of all Buddha-kṣetras, with various names, various colours, various purities, various dwelling places, and various forms. Within all such lands, there were great bodhisattvas seated upon lion thrones at the bodhimaṇḍas achieving supreme correct awakening, surrounded before and behind by great assemblies of bodhisattvas, with all the lords of the world making offerings to them, and so forth. It goes on to say: "Therefore, they all were able to enter into the Tathāgata's inconceivable, profound samādhis and the great supernatural powers pervading the entire dharmadhātu and space-realm; either entering into the dharmakāya, or entering into the rūpakāya, or entering into the practices accomplished in the past, or entering into the fully perfected pāramitās, or entering into the adorned pure wheels of practice, or entering into the bodhisattva bhūmis, or entering into the power of achieving correct awakening, or entering into the undifferentiated great transformations of the samādhis wherein the Buddhas dwell, or entering into the Tathāgata's powers, fearlessnesses, and cognitions, or entering into the ocean of the Buddha's unimpeded eloquence." That is the extensive explanation of sudden realization in the forest, where with ten kinds of capacities to enter, they entered into these objects of entry.

2.16

Regarding the Commentary's line: "The elephant king turns about: the six thousand achieve the Way upon hearing his words": this is the fourth [benefit], the benefit of transcending provisional [teachings]. That is, in the sixty-first fascicle, at the beginning of the final assembly, there is the assembly of the six thousand monks. Śāriputra instructed the six thousand monks to contemplate Mañjuśrī's ten virtues. The six thousand requested to go and see Mañjuśrī, and Śāriputra had them meet him. At that time, the youth Mañjuśrī, surrounded by immeasurable sovereign bodhisattvas and their great assemblies, looked back at the monks like an elephant king turning around; hence it says "the elephant king turns about." As for "the six thousand achieve the Way upon hearing his words," the monks generated vows, and Mañjuśrī instructed them to arouse ten kinds of tireless minds. When the monks heard this dharma, they immediately attained the samādhi named "Unimpeded Eye Seeing the Spheres of All Buddhas." By attaining this samādhi, they saw all the Tathāgatas, Buddhas of all immeasurable and boundless worlds in the ten directions, together with all their bodhimaṇḍas and assemblies; they fully saw all the sentient beings in all destinies of those worlds in the ten directions; they also fully saw the various distinctions of those worlds in the ten directions; they also fully saw all the dust-motes in all those worlds; they also fully saw the palaces in which all sentient beings in those worlds dwell, adorned with various jewels; they also heard the various vocal sounds of those Tathāgatas, Buddhas preaching all dharmas, fully understanding the expressions and explanations; they were also able to observe the faculties, minds, and desires of all sentient beings in those worlds; they were also able to recall the previous and subsequent ten lives of all sentient beings in those worlds; they were also able to recall the events of ten kalpas each in the past and future of those worlds; they also fully saw the ten past lives of those Tathāgatas, Buddhas, their ten achievements of correct awakening, ten turnings of the wheel of Dharma, ten kinds of supernatural powers, ten kinds of preaching, ten kinds of admonitions, and ten kinds of eloquence; and they also immediately accomplished ten thousand bodhicittas, ten thousand samādhis, and ten thousand pāramitās, all becoming pure; they attained the fully perfected radiance of great wisdom; they attained the ten kinds of soft and subtle supernatural powers of bodhisattvas; and they dwelt in the firm, unshakeable bodhicitta. At that time, the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī exhorted the monks to dwell in the practices of Samantabhadra. Having dwelt in the practices of Samantabhadra, they entered the ocean of great vows. Having entered the ocean of great vows, they accomplished the ocean of great vows. Because they accomplished the ocean of great vows, their minds became pure; because their minds were pure, their bodies became pure; because their bodies were pure, their bodies became light and agile; because their bodies were light and agile, they attained great supernatural powers without regression. Because they attained these supernatural powers, without departing from beneath Mañjuśrī's feet, they universally manifested their bodies in the presence of all Buddhas across the ten directions, fully accomplishing all Buddha-dharmas. Explanation: This is "achieving the Way"; within a single samādhi there are ten universal functions, all being complete benefits.

2.17

Regarding the Commentary's line: "Enlightening [him] at the Eastern Shrine: full wisdom is no different from the initial mind": this is the fifth [benefit], the benefit of perfecting wisdom. As for "enlightening [him] at the Eastern Shrine," the sixty-second fascicle says: "At that time, after the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī had exhorted the monks to generate anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhicitta, he gradually travelled south through the human realm and arrived east of the city of Dhanyākara (Fucheng), dwelling at the site of the great caitya in the Sāla Grove of the Adorned Banner where past Buddhas had transformed sentient beings." Explanation: This is the Eastern Shrine. At that time, the people of Dhanyākara heard that the youth Mañjuśrī was at the site of the great caitya in the Sāla Grove of the Adorned Banner, and an immeasurable assembly came out of the city and went to his presence. In the individual enumeration below, there were five hundred upāsakas, five hundred upāsikās, five hundred boys, and five hundred girls; Sudhana was one of them. Below, Mañjuśrī observed Sudhana alone. Having observed him, he comforted and instructed him, expounding all Buddha-dharmas for him, up to saying: "Having expounded this dharma, he earnestly exhorted him to increase his strength, causing him to rejoice and generate anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhicitta, and also caused him to recall his past roots of goodness. Having done this, he again preached the Dharma according to what was fitting for the sentient beings at that place, and then departed. At that time, the youth Sudhana, hearing such various virtues of the Buddha from Mañjuśrī, single-mindedly and diligently sought anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi, and spoke verses following Mañjuśrī," and so forth; this is "enlightening [him] at the Eastern Shrine." As for "full wisdom is no different from the initial mind," at the beginning of the eightieth fascicle, wisdom illuminates the non-dual characteristics. The sūtra says: "At that time, Mañjuśrī reached out his right hand from afar, across one hundred and ten yojanas, and stroked Sudhana's head, speaking thus: 'Excellent, excellent! Good man! If one is separated from the faculty of faith, one's mind will be inferior, sorrowful, and regretful; one's meritorious practices will not be complete; and one will regress and lose diligence. If one's mind generates attachment to a single root of goodness, or becomes satisfied with a small amount of merit, one cannot skillfully generate practices and vows, will not be embraced and protected by spiritual friends (kalyāṇamitra), will not be remembered by the Tathāgatas, and cannot comprehend such dharmatā, such principles, such dharma gates, such practices, and such spheres—whether universal knowledge or various knowledge, whether exhausting the source and bedrock, whether understanding, entering, explaining, differentiating, realizing, or attaining—none of these will one be able to do.'" Explanation: From "comprehend dharmatā" onwards is "full wisdom." If one is separated from the mind of faith, one cannot attain it; this conversely demonstrates the preceding meaning: because of the mind of faith, one is able to not depart from the initially generated mind; thus faith and wisdom are non-dual. If considered from the perspective of unshakeable wisdom as the beginning, then the former and latter two wisdoms are non-dual.

2.18

Regarding the Commentary's line: "Entrusted to stages while seeking in the south: the fulfillment of the cause does not exceed a pore": this is the sixth [benefit], the benefit of completing the stages. This means that Sudhana's initial meeting with Mañjuśrī was entrusted to the stage of the ten faiths. From Meghasvara (Deyun) to Gopā, it was entrusted to the stages of the three worthies and ten sages. From Māyā onward, they were all entrusted to equal awakening. Later, upon seeing Samantabhadra, he attained the fulfillment of the cause not exceeding a pore. The text says: "At that time, the youth Sudhana also saw his own body inside Samantabhadra's body, transforming sentient beings in all worlds throughout the ten directions." It also says: "This youth Sudhana, from his initial generation of the mind until seeing the bodhisattva Samantabhadra, had entered all oceans of Buddha-kṣetras during that interval; now, entering the oceans of Buddha-kṣetras in a single thought inside a single pore of Samantabhadra, they exceeded the former by ineffable-ineffable multiples of the dust-motes of Buddha-kṣetras. Just as with one pore, all pores were likewise so." It also says: "The youth Sudhana, within the kṣetras in the bodhisattva Samantabhadra's pores, traversed them sometimes spending one kalpa in one kṣetra, practicing thus; up to sometimes spending ineffable-ineffable Buddha-kṣetra dust-mote kalpas, practicing thus. Nor did he perish in this kṣetra and appear in that kṣetra; thought-moment after thought-moment he pervaded boundless oceans of kṣetras to transform sentient beings, causing them to direct themselves toward anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi. At that time, the youth Sudhana then sequentially attained the oceans of all practices and vows of the bodhisattva Samantabhadra, becoming equal to Samantabhadra and equal to all Buddhas, with a single body filling all worlds: equal in kṣetras, equal in practices, equal in correct awakening, equal in supernatural powers, equal in wheels of Dharma, equal in speech, equal in voice, equal in powers and fearlessnesses, equal in the dwellings of Buddhas, equal in great loving-kindness and compassion, and completely equal in inconceivable liberation and sovereignty." Explanation: This is the fulfillment of the cause within a pore.

2.19

Regarding the Commentary's line: "Splitting open the sūtra scroll within a dust-mote: thought-moment by thought-moment the fruit is achieved": this is the seventh [benefit], revealing the benefit of the fruit achieved from the cause; that is, the simile of the great sūtra hidden in a dust-mote in the "Tathāgatotpattisaṃbhava Chapter" (Manifestation of the Tathāgata). The sūtra verse says: "Just as there is a great sūtra scroll / Equal in measure to the three-thousandfold world / Remaining within a single dust-mote / And all dust-motes are likewise so; / There is a person of intelligence / Who with pure eyes sees it clearly / Breaks open the dust-mote and brings out the sūtra scroll / Universally benefiting sentient beings. / The Buddha's wisdom is also like this / Universally present in the minds of sentient beings / Entangled by false conceptualizations / Neither perceiving nor knowing it. / The Buddhas, with great compassion / Cause them to eliminate false conceptualizations; / In this way it appears / Benefiting all bodhisattvas." The sūtra also says: "One should know that within one's own mind, in every thought-moment there is always a Buddha achieving correct awakening. Why is this? Because all Tathāgatas, Buddhas do not depart from this mind to achieve correct awakening." When thought-moment by thought-moment there is correspondence, then thought-moment by thought-moment [the fruit] is achieved.

2.20

Regarding the Commentary's line: "Exhausting the vow-portals for sentient beings: in mote after mote the practices are fulfilled": this is the eighth [benefit], the benefit of accomplishing practices and vows. This means that when a bodhisattva generates the mind to completely transform the realm of sentient beings, only if the realm of sentient beings were exhausted would the great vows end; yet because the realm of sentient beings is inexhaustible, the great vows are endless. Therefore the "Daśabhūmika Chapter" says: "If the realm of sentient beings were exhausted, my vows would then be exhausted. But because the realm of sentient beings cannot be exhausted, these roots of goodness of my great vows have no end." Now, although the realm of sentient beings has no end, they equally contain the sūtra scroll; therefore Samantabhadra opens it, requiring that exhausting the inexhaustible sentient beings be made the great vow. As for "in mote after mote the practices are fulfilled," the bodhisattva's great compassion cannot be exhausted; therefore the measure of their mind is difficult to fathom. For the sake of a single sentient being, within a single dust-mote, traversing immeasurable kalpas cultivating the myriad practices, the mind does not grow weary. Every mote is like this, and every sentient being is fully so; only then is it revealed that the vows and practices are inexhaustible. The bodhisattva Mañjuśrī praised Sudhana, saying: "You pervade all kṣetras, / For kalpas equal to dust-motes, / Cultivating the practices of Samantabhadra, / Accomplishing the path of bodhi."

2.21

In the Commentary, the eighth part, from "It may truly be called a wondrous exposition that is eternal and constant" onward, concludes with praise of its vastness and profundity. Within this there are two parts: first, revealing its supremacy in terms of its own characteristics; second, revealing its supremacy by comparison with others. As for the first, there are four lines. The first line, spoken by the Buddha, clarifies that it is an exposition that is eternal and constant, because its prior and subsequent limits are boundless. Second, "a vast standard universally applicable" clarifies its omnipresence, for there is no country where this Dharma is not taught; it clarifies that it is universally applicable, unlike the teachings adapted to circumstance which are taught in some cases and not in others. Third, "an ultimate discourse according with nature" reveals its depth, because each and every [aspect] accords with the Principle, and because a single phrase or line cannot be exhausted. The Great Being Samantabhadra said to Sudhana: "In my ocean of Dharma, there has never been a single phrase or line that was not sought and attained by renouncing the position of an immeasurable wheel-turning king." Fourth, "the essential track of the One Vehicle" clarifies its essential wondrousness, meaning that within the One Vehicle, it is the uncommon purport of the Distinct Teaching's One Vehicle, the portal of perfect causes, and the wondrousness of achieving Buddhahood.

2.22

In the Commentary, from "Exploring these profound purports and then viewing other sūtras" onward, is the second [part], revealing its supremacy by comparison with others, with the doctrine first and the analogies after. The former, the doctrine, is clear. In the analogies that follow, the text has two analogies. First, "It is like the bright sun adorning the sky, eclipsing the radiance of all lights" is the analogy of the brilliance of wisdom outshining [all else]. The sun upon rising is called the bright sun. "Adorning" (li) means attaching to. This sūtra is like the bright sun: once the bright sun has risen, all other lights have their radiance eclipsed. "Lights" (jing) means brilliance; that is, the great brilliance courses across the sky, and the myriad stars have their radiance eclipsed. When this sūtra is grandly expounded, the other scriptures lose their luster. Second, "Mount Sumeru straddling the ocean, surpassing the heights of all peaks" is the analogy of towering supremacy being difficult to equal. Mount Sumeru is this sūtra; the myriad peaks are the other sūtras. Even supposing the seven golden mountains and the Iron Ring Mountains are compared in height and breadth to the Mount of Wondrous Height (Sumeru) emerging from the sea, all their heights are diminished, because looking down upon the myriad peaks, they are like mere anthills.

2.23

In the Commentary, the ninth part, from "Therefore the Bodhisattva searched for the secret in the Dragon Palace" onward, expresses feelings of rejoicing at having encountered it. Within this there are two: first, clarifying the origins of its propagation; second, directly expressing feelings about encountering it. Now for the first. It means that more than five hundred years [after the Buddha's demise], Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna finally entered the Dragon Palace to search and seek, and obtained this profound and abstruse scripture, as recorded in separate biographies and the Zuānlíng jì. As for "Great sages expounded it in the Eastern Xia," this specifically refers to Buddhabhadra alongside other venerable figures, meaning that Jñānagupta, Faye, Divākara, Śikṣānanda, and others expounded this scripture. "In the Eastern Xia" means east of the Congling (Pamir) Mountains, a region of thousands of li, called the Divine Land of the Great Xia. What was stated above as "therefore" is because, being so deep and wondrous, it was searched out to be expounded. Thus Nāgārjuna entered the Dragon Palace and saw countless [texts], but specifically chanted this sūtra because it was profound and wondrous. Hence the Dàzhìdù lùn names it the Great Inconceivable Sūtra. Furthermore, all the venerable masters saw that in this sūtra, a single phrase or line could not be written even if the ink of the ocean were exhausted, and a single verse or ray of light shatters the severe torments of the hells; therefore, the various masters dedicated their lives to propagating it.

2.24

In the Commentary, "Considering that in the era of the True Dharma its clear brilliance was still hidden, how fortunate that in the late Semblance Age we have chanced upon this profound transformation!" and so forth, is the second [part], directly expressing feelings about encountering it. Within this there are also two: first, rejoicing for oneself by contrasting with the past; second, rejoicing for oneself by considering the present. Now this is the first. It means that during the five hundred years [after the Buddha]—which corresponded to the True Dharma—the clear brilliance of this sūtra was hidden within the Dragon Palace, and people of that time did not hear it. How fortunate that in the declining final years of the Semblance Dharma, we encounter this profound and subtle transformation! Living in the end of the Semblance Age, one ought properly to feel sorrow, yet looking back at those who previously did not hear the sūtra, we need not feel inferior even to the era of the True Dharma; hence we rejoice for ourselves. This is based on the [reckoning that] the period of the True Dharma without destruction is one thousand years; thus the present is the end of the Semblance Age, because the present is 1,860 years since the Great Master's nirvāṇa. Furthermore, according to the Candragarbha section of the Mahāsaṃnipāta: in the first five hundred years, liberation is steadfast; in the second five hundred years, dhyāna concentration is steadfast; in the third five hundred years, erudition is steadfast; in the fourth five hundred years, stupas and monasteries are steadfast; and in the fifth five hundred years, fighting and quarreling are steadfast. Today, living at the end of the period of stupas and monasteries and nearing the time of fighting and quarreling, to nevertheless hear this inconceivable sūtra—even breaking one's body into pieces could not repay such joy.

2.25

In the Commentary, "Moreover, encountering a sagely sovereign, and being able on the Sacred Mountain to exhaust my thoughts on the profound principle, how could there not be joyous leaping!" is the second [part], rejoicing for oneself by considering the present. In this rejoicing there are three: first, rejoicing in the time; second, rejoicing in the place; third, rejoicing in what is practiced. The first is "moreover, encountering a sagely sovereign," meaning that an era of clarity is difficult to encounter, and now we meet an enlightened and sagely Son of Heaven, who expounds the Five Teachings and loftily propagates the One Vehicle, with arrays of monasteries facing each other and the sounds of bells and Sanskrit chanting intermingling, so that one can reside in leisure in the halls of learning and probe the profundities of the mysterious gate—this is the first blessing. Second, "being able [to be] on the Sacred Mountain" rejoices in the place. The Sacred Mountain of Qingliang is the foremost of the three thousand [worlds], where the Great Sage Mañjuśrī, the ancestral master of all Buddhas, [resides]; although the Golden World is in the east, the place where he dwells is itself the Golden World. Although the Great Sage pervades the dharmadhātu, his gathering of receptive capacities is ever on this mountain. The response to sympathetic resonance is universal, like reflections descending into a hundred streams; Qingliang is ever-present, like the pale moon clear in the sky. The ten thousand sages mysteriously give aid upon the Five Peaks; hundreds of spirits transmit the blessing through a thousand ages; moreover, the Great Fu Lingjiu monastery bears the name of a holy temple, and this single, insignificant monk is privileged to be numbered among its dwellers. For this joyous fortune, I feel ashamed across many lifetimes—this is the second blessing. Third, "to exhaust my thoughts on the profound principle" rejoices in what is practiced. The Buddhāvataṃsaka-mahāvaipulya-sūtra is the deep treasury of Vairocana, the core marrow of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra, that which all Buddhas realize, and that which all bodhisattvas uphold. It encompasses nature and characteristics without omission, and completes principle and wisdom to stand uniquely preeminent. It does not fall into the hands of ordinary people; how fortunate to receive and uphold it! Even bodhisattvas of accumulated practice are still bewildered; how fortunate to explore its profound depths! Giving up one's life finds its proper place; exhausting one's thoughts finds its proper destination—this is the third blessing. "How could there not be joyous leaping" concludes the three above. It is like being drowned in the great ocean and encountering a fragrant boat, or falling from the vast sky and mounting a miraculous crane; at the extremity of joy and leaping, how could dancing hands ever suffice? Therefore, in my feelings of gratitude and joy, only the sages and worthies truly know me.

2.26

In the Commentary, the tenth part, "The title is called Buddhāvataṃsaka-mahāvaipulya-sūtra," is the general title for the inexhaustible sūtras. Below, the name and title are briefly explained; because they will be explained extensively in the ninth section below, it is here called "brief." Within this there are three: first, proposing both headings of the sūtra and the chapter; second, explaining both headings; and third, concluding both above. Now for the first, proposing the sūtra's heading first. That is to say, whether proceeding from the brief to the extensive, unfolding boundlessly, the ocean of inconceivable teachings does not depart from these seven characters; hence it says "the general title for the inexhaustible sūtras," proposing the sūtra's title. Second, "'The Wondrous Adornments of the Leaders of the Worlds, Chapter One,' is the specific title for the categories of meaning in the various sections," proposes the chapter heading. The "various sections" refers to the thirty-nine chapters. A "chapter" (pin) denotes differences in categories of meaning. Since the present [chapter] is one of them, it is called a specific title.

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大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 — Classical Chinese