大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 2.20

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."