大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 27.3

27.3

Regarding the commentary's phrase "Abiding of kalpas and transformation are absent among the eighteen," this is the fourth, clarifying similarities and differences. In all, there are four kinds of similarities and differences, of which there are two gates here: first, similarities and differences in established names, as clarified in the separate correlations above; second, similarities and differences in expansion and contraction, which are also as stated above. However, the essence and the Buddha's abiding above each subsume two, while purity and adornment each subsume three; thus four gates subsume ten; the remaining eight gates each subsume one, and thus twelve gates subsume the eighteen—this is the difference in expansion and contraction. Third is the difference of presence and absence, which refers to the abiding of kalpas and the transformation of kalpas; the explanation for their absence has roughly two meanings: first, using the former to subsume the latter, meaning that the result subsumes the abiding of kalpas, for where there is the result of a kṣetra, there must be the time-period of the abiding of kalpas. The perfection of activities subsumes this transformation, because the bodhisattvas' supernormal powers and the Tathāgata's operations are all transformations. Second, without using the former to subsume them, why must there strictly be eighteen perfections? Adding these two makes twenty, the number being truly complete, just as making six supernormal powers into ten supernormal powers, and so forth. From "Because the abiding of kalpas exhausts the future" onward, it shows the characteristics of the two kinds of perfections. Fourth, from "From their lack of distinction" onward, clarifies the similarities and differences regarding pervasiveness and limitation. Those eighteen matters are each different from one another, whereas here 'lack of distinction' pervades all eighteen. Because 'lack of distinction' is spoken in terms of harmonious subsumption, it causes the eighteen to obtain the name 'perfection'. Thus these fourteen are all in terms of suitability; by virtue of this lack of distinction, they are termed 'perfection without distinction'. From "Since they are identical" onward, it follows the track to raise an objection: Above it says the remaining fourteen matters are all in accordance with suitability, and hence are called 'each and every'. Their lack of distinction is spoken in accordance with reality, causing the other perfections to be without distinction, not having the meaning of 'each and every'. Why does the sūtra say 'each without distinction'? The present answer here, stating "Because the matters without distinction are of multiple kinds," means that the sūtra above clarifies that each dust particle, each kṣetra, each Buddha, and each sentient being are all harmoniously subsumed; when each phenomenon is compared with another, it is called 'each and every', and each harmoniously subsuming is 'without distinction'.