大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 2.37

2.37

Second, from "I now" onward, he requests divine empowerment and protection. The six lines are divided into three: First, the initial two lines state the intention behind seeking refuge, as the intention is to explain the sūtra. In general, there are many reasons for making refuge known: broadly speaking, the Three Jewels are auspicious and serve as the most supreme wholesome condition for all sentient beings. Those who take refuge are able to accomplish the great matter, give rise to all roots of goodness, leave behind the sufferings of birth and death, and attain the bliss of nirvāṇa. Moreover, all sūtras have the six fulfillments at the beginning to inspire faith in beings. After the Buddha passed into extinction, whenever disciples composed works, they all took refuge in the Three Jewels to show that their study had a foundation, that they did not act willfully on their own authority, and in order to be free from fault. They request divine empowerment and protection so that their work will accord [with the truth]. The upper line humbly expresses his own inferior wisdom, which is like a single hair. The lower line praises the Dharma as vast and profound, identical to the true dharmadhātu. Measuring empty space with a single hair might momentarily yield a conceivable measure, but how could ordinary intellect ever plumb the depths of the Dharma? Next, the two lines from "May I rely upon" express the characteristics of wishing for empowerment and protection: the upper line clarifies empowerment, and the lower line clarifies the benefit. Now, for the first: unable to enter deeply into samādhi to outwardly induce the Buddha's empowerment, he merely asks for the compassion of identical essence, hoping to be moistened by superior benefit. In the lower line regarding benefit, every phrase is in secret accordance, wishing that beginning and end will not conflict. Saying "secret" is also an expression of humility: failing to attain manifest empowerment, he merely hopes for secret accord, causing an ordinary mind and an ordinary brush to silently harmonize with the sage's mind. Third, the two lines from "Causing the Dharma Eye" state the purpose of composing the work: to make the Dharma eye fully complete and completely transform sentient beings. The "Xianshou Chapter" states: "By the august spiritual power of those great beings, the Dharma eye is forever complete and without deficiency." The reason the Ninth Pariṇāmanā does not aspire to Buddhahood, but aspires only to equal Samantabhadra, is truly because Samantabhadra encompasses the cause and thoroughly penetrates the result, being present both before the Buddha and after the Buddha; Samantabhadra is the very root of all Buddhas and the essence of the dharmadhātu. Therefore, the statement in the *Vajraśekhara Sūtra* that "the Buddhas of the ten directions pay homage to Samantabhadra" also carries this meaning. However, as for the purpose of composing the work, he only wishes for the Great Dharma to be propagated and for sentient beings to be benefited and gladdened—this is the overarching intent of compassion and wisdom. In specific terms, there are many conditions: because this sūtra is what all Buddhas have realized, the fundamental wheel of the Dharma and the standard for all teachings, respected and followed without exception throughout this land and the Western Regions. The translation commissioned by the Holy Empress was rich and broad in phrasing; Xianshou was about to explain it, but his great vow was not completed, for upon reaching the nineteenth fascicle he suddenly passed away into quiescence. Master Huiyuan claimed to continue it, but he also excised parts of the earlier commentary, and his style and phrasing failed to carry on the ancients, causing later students to despise the great sūtra, preventing the flowing current of Vairocana's mind-source from being drawn upon, and leaving successors to gaze at the shore of Samantabhadra's ocean of practice. Wishing to propagate it, [Chengguan] uttered a deep sigh: if faults are left unsaid and right and wrong are mixed together, not only will the brilliance of earlier transmitters be obscured, but the path of students will truly be obstructed. If one points out its flaws and exposes its errors, will this not only foster contentious sentiments, but also defile the realm of the mind's wisdom? Therefore, touching my heart atop the Five Peaks and looking up in reliance upon the Three Honored Ones, I could not help but undertake this work. For these specific intentions, there are ten in brief: first, the sage's intent is profound and far-reaching, so each sets forth his understanding; second, to reveal mind-contemplation without waiting to participate in Chan; third, to uphold the great tenets of old without wishing to eclipse others; fourth, to clip superficial verbiage and directly discuss the ultimate principle; fifth, to be adept in one's own and others' tenets without recklessly refuting them; sixth, to distinguish past and present, as the new and old meanings differ; seventh, to clearly indicate the characteristics of dharmas, showing what the sūtra encompasses; eighth, to broadly expound profound words so that beings awaken to the essentials of mind; ninth, to extinguish right and wrong without recklessly refuting; tenth, to harmonize beginning and end so that head and tail are worthy of inspection. The first is the general intention, while the latter nine are specific intentions. As for pointing out past flaws, in the commentary I wish to conceal rights and wrongs, yet transmitters must know advantages and disadvantages. With the sincere requests of the disciples, it was difficult to go against them; in prolonged propagation one should not proliferate accounts, for fear that people will lose the tenets, cling to traces, and vie in creating disputes.