大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 25.55

25.55

Regarding the commentary's statement, "Summarily, there are only two kinds: namely, pure and defiled, or nature and characteristic": this is the third part, subsuming the four into two. In various sūtras and treatises there are always pairs of these two kinds. First, subsuming the above four into pure and defiled has multiple meanings: Among the four, there are both pure and defiled, so three and a half classes are pure, and half a class is defiled. Second, the first three are pure: because the parasaṃbhoga has severed the conceptual barrier and already realised tathatā, it is termed pure; transformation is entirely defiled, for even if it possesses the seven treasures, defiled sentient beings dwell there, so it is also not pure. Third, the latter two are both defiled; the Renwang jing says: "The three [ranks of] worthy ones and the ten sages dwell in the fruition of retribution; only the Buddha alone dwells in the pure land." And Master Daosheng said: "Whatever has form is defiled; what is formless is pure." Then only the dharmatā is pure. If so, how could the svasaṃbhogakṣetra be called defiled? This is because it is darkly identical with the true nature, and its shape, dimension, greatness or smallness cannot be spoken of; hence it is equally subsumed under the pure. Second, subsuming the preceding four into nature and characteristic has, briefly, two gates: 1. Dharmatā is nature, and the remaining three are all characteristics. 2. Since the svasaṃbhogakṣetra is darkly identical with the true nature, it can also be named nature, while the remaining two are solely characteristics. Fourth, harmonising them into one: then pure and defiled, nature and characteristic, the three lands and the four lands are all completely integrated. This is precisely the intention of this sūtra, hence it says, "it differs from other traditions."