大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 26.60

26.60

On the Commentary's text from "Adornments within adornments" onward: This explains the second [section], distinguishing the adornments. In the Commentary, it first explains briefly and later concludes with ten lines, which is easily understood. Now I shall first show the ten lines, and afterwards show the specific explanation. The ten lines are: 1. the substance of the banks is vajra; 2. from "pure light" onward, mani adorns the banks; 3. from "constantly manifesting" onward, manifesting the light and color of the Buddhas; 4. from "and various" onward, emitting sounds of the same kind; 5. from "its rivers" onward, swirling eddies emit reflections; 6. from "mani" onward, nets and bells hang and cover; 7. from "various worlds" onward, generally displaying multiple adornments; 8. from "mani treasure clouds" onward, treasure clouds cover above; 9. from "further emitting sublime sounds" onward, the waves emit sublime sounds; 10. from "its fragrant water" onward, the water wells forth radiant clouds. Because the text is easy to understand, it is not set forth in the prose, but is fully shown in the verses. Now to show the brief explanation: The Commentary states that "precious substance" is the first line, "precious adornments" is the second line, "holy spirits roaming and congregating" comprises the third, fourth, and fifth lines, "light and clouds reflecting one another" comprises the sixth, eighth, and tenth lines, and "ten thousand images floating with radiance" comprises the seventh and ninth lines.
On the Commentary's "like the forest of sword-leaves": In this forest, the leaves of the trees are like knives and swords, which fall and injure people. Regarding the term "tree conforming to heavenly thought": In the forty-two questions of the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra], this is the twenty-fourth. The question asks, "Why are the Three Jewels contemplated as being like a tree conforming to heavenly thought? It is called a tree conforming to heavenly thought because it transforms according to the thoughts of the devas." Only in the ninth fascicle is this answered, saying: "Furthermore, good son! Just like the āmra tree and the jambū tree, which undergo three changes in one year—sometimes producing flowers blooming in radiant colors, sometimes producing luxuriant and dense leaves, and sometimes withering and falling, appearing as if dead and dried up. Good son, what do you think? Has this tree truly died and dried up?" "No, World-Honoured One." "Good son, the Tathāgata is also like this. Within the three realms he displays three kinds of bodies: sometimes first born, sometimes grown large, and sometimes entering nirvāṇa; yet the Tathāgata's body is truly not impermanent." To explain: the intention is to clarify that the Three Jewels transform according to beings yet truly endure permanently, just as the tree conforming to heavenly thought transforms according to the thoughts of the devas yet truly does not die. Conforming to the thoughts of the devas clarifies that it is wholesome karma.
Regarding the "forest of men and women": This refers to the 106th question of the Laṅkāvatāra, "Why the forest of men and women?", and the 107th question, "Why the harītakī and āmalaka?" To explain: it means causing one to contemplate the world as being like the forest of men and women, etc. Relying on the first fascicle of the Lokasthiti-abhidharma-śāstra: "Outside the forests of Jambudvīpa there are two forests: one named Harītakī, and the second named Āmalaka. South of these two forests there are another seven forests, among which is the Forest of Human Beings. In this Forest of Human Beings, the fruit is shaped like humans. They are like the noble royal lineage of Jambudvīpa: if male, sixteen years of age; if female, fifteen years of age, fully adorned, like a bride going to her marriage. Such is the loveliness of the fruits of this Forest of Human Beings. The shape of their stems is like a human hair bun. Those who have not yet abandoned desire give rise to thoughts of lust upon seeing these fruits. Various non-Buddhists who had abandoned desire, upon seeing these fruits, immediately lost their dhyāna concentration, and lustful thoughts arose again. When their fruits ripen, only birds compete to eat them; what is left by the birds falls to the ground, extremely repulsive like a charnel ground. Those who had fallen from dhyāna concentration, having seen this appearance, gave rise to deep revulsion and regained their original concentration." This is intended to symbolize that men and women in the world are like this forest; all the glorious adornments seen are entirely like illusions, no different from this. By parikalpita-svabhāva they are falsely taken to be real, but the bodhisattva contemplates them as having nothing at all. Therefore the Laṅkāvatāra says, "Contemplate all sentient beings as being without consciousness like corpses; due to false conceptualization, they are seen to come and go. If freed from false conceptualization, they are like those corpses without a ghost entering inside to act at will." Therefore a sūtra says, "The worldly requisites of life seen by the bodhisattva are none other than the true mark." This is what it means.