大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 3.11

3.11

From "Preparing to explain" onward is the third section: opening the chapters and explaining the text. Within the ten portals, the first eight are doctrinal portals and the last two are the direct explanation of the text, because the sūtra title is itself part of the text. Alternatively, it can be said that all nine portals are doctrinal, since the title runs through the text of the entire work. As for the sequence of arising among the ten portals: when a sage establishes a teaching, his words are never uttered in vain and his actions invariably have a cause; unless there is a great causal condition, this scripture would not be proclaimed. Hence, it begins with "The Causal Conditions for the Arising of the Teaching". Second, once the causes and conditions have arisen, there is the teaching that is aroused. Although the Buddha’s teachings are vast, they do not exceed the three piṭakas and the twelve divisions of scriptures. Not yet knowing under which basket of the three piṭakas this sūtra is subsumed, we raise the general designation of the collections of teachings to encompass the distinctive teaching of the *Avataṃsaka*, and hence this is followed by "Subsumption Under the Piṭaka Teachings". Third, having known that this sūtra is subsumed under sūtra-piṭaka and possesses the twelve divisions, yet the piṭaka teachings all extend through provisional and ultimate: rejecting the provisional and taking the ultimate, it is embraced exclusively by the Round Teaching. Not yet knowing the depth, breadth, width, or narrowness of the Round doctrine, this is followed by "The Delimitation of Doctrinal Principles". Fourth, having known that the Round Teaching is all-embracing and deeply profound, not yet knowing what faculties and vessels this sūtra accommodates, this is followed by "The Faculties Accommodated by the Teaching". Fifth, knowing that the extremely profound doctrinal principles directly accommodate vessels of the Round [Teaching], not yet knowing what constitutes the essential nature of what is expressed, this is followed by "The Depth of the Essence of the Teaching". Sixth, since the expressor and expressed, text and meaning, are already known to be comprehensively gathered, not yet knowing what principle the central tenet reveres as paramount, this is followed by "The Pervasiveness and Limitation of the Central Tenet and Purport". Seventh, having known that the purport is profound and deep, not yet knowing the scope of the expressive text and language, this is followed by "The Divisions, Chapters, and Assemblies". Eighth, having known the divisions and categories, which when expanded are inexhaustible and when condensed are hundreds of thousands, not yet knowing in what year it was transmitted and translated, nor what spiritual resonances occurred so that the patriarchal transmission would have order and one would know the superior benefit to which to turn, this is followed by "The Transmission, Translation, and Spiritual Resonances". Ninth, the great principles having been set forth, when explaining according to the text, one must first clarify the general title which encompasses all that is difficult to conceive; hence this is followed by "The General Explanation of the Title". Tenth, though the general import is known, in the text it is difficult to fathom; to make the submerged and hidden meaning manifest in brush and ink, and to make the principle that accords with the central tenet visible across hundreds and thousands [of passages], this is followed by "The Distinct Explanation of the Meaning of the Text".