大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 3.54

3.54

Regarding the Commentary's statement, "Now, using the time of no-time, I will briefly reveal ten levels of temporal distinctions": from here down is the second [major section], laying out the topics and explaining [them]. Within this, there are three parts: first, the initial two clauses state [the topic]; next, from "First, solely one thought-moment" downwards explains [it]; last, from "In..." downwards concludes. In the second part, the explanation: "First, solely one thought-moment" means that in the span of a single kṣaṇa, boundless teachings are expounded throughout inexhaustible places. "Second, exhausting seven days" means that in the first seven-day period after initially attaining the Way, [the Buddha] himself enjoyed the great bliss of the Dharma. The "great bliss of the Dharma" is what is called the bliss of the quiescence of wisdom. In the second seven-day period, he suddenly expounded this sūtra. Why did he expound this sūtra right after initially attaining [the Way]? Because this sūtra is supreme. If initially attaining [the Way] manifests supremacy, why did he not expound it at the very beginning of the first seven-day period? The treatise says: "Because of reflective conduct and causal-conditional conduct. The 'cause' is the cognition that can expound, and the 'conditions' are the capacities [of beings] to be transformed. Wishing to expound the wondrous Dharma he had attained in order to respond to the capacities of beings, it is therefore called 'reflective conduct and [causal-conditional] conduct.'" Regarding the Commentary's statement, "Third, pervading the three periods of time": this means exhausting the boundless kalpas of the past and future periods, constantly and ubiquitously expounding this sūtra without ever pausing for an instant. Because the above three are simple, the Commentary merely lists their names. Regarding the Commentary's statement from "Fourth, subsuming kalpas of the same kind" downwards: because the meaning is somewhat subtle, characters have been added to each. The Zhigui merely states: "Fourth, subsuming the same kind; fifth, collecting kalpas of different kinds; sixth, subsuming kalpas with a thought-moment; seventh, repeatedly collecting kalpas and thought-moments; eighth, time in realms of different kinds; ninth, mutual entry of each other; tenth, collecting the branches with the root." Now, having added a character [to each], the meaning is easily seen; thus none are explained, and only the tenth is explained. "Subsuming the same kind" means that within the aforementioned boundless kalpas, each subsumes its own kind, as long kalpas only subsume long kalpas, short kalpas only subsume short kalpas, and so forth. Regarding the Commentary's "Fifth, collecting kalpas of different kinds": this means long kalpas subsume short kalpas, and so forth. Regarding the Commentary's "Sixth, subsuming kalpas with a thought-moment": within a single thought-moment, boundless kalpas of both the same and different kinds are subsumed; every thought-moment is like this. Regarding the Commentary's "Seventh, repeatedly collecting kalpas and thought-moments": within the kalpas subsumed by the thought-moments above, each kalpa is constituted by thought-moments, and each and every thought-moment also subsumes all kalpas. Thus, just as thought-moment after thought-moment is inexhaustible, kalpa after kalpa is also unfathomable, like the net of Indra, layer upon layer without end. Regarding the Commentary's "Eighth, time in realms of different kinds": the above seven levels were discussed solely in terms of worlds of one kind, such as the present single category of the Sahā world. Now, explaining boundless kṣetras of different kinds, such as tree-shaped and river-shaped ones—since the kṣetras share the same location, yet have different times as well as simultaneous times, each with its own distinct boundary—throughout the duration of that time, this sūtra is constantly expounded. Regarding the Commentary's "Ninth, mutual entry of each other": the time-kalpas existing in those realms of different kinds also individually collect one another. Or, the times of realms of the same and different kinds mutually subsume and enter each other, whether thought-moments or kalpas, layer upon layer without end, identical to the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh above; during all those times, this sūtra is constantly expounded. Regarding the Commentary's statement, "This means taking non-kalpa as kalpa": because the tenth is difficult to perceive, it is explained with this sentence. Taking non-kalpa as the root, kalpa is the branch. "Non-kalpa" is stated because it is free from delimitations. Like the Lotus Treasury World, it takes non-kalpa as kalpa, and kalpa is non-kalpa. Thought-moments and the like are also like this, because time has no length or shortness and is free from delimitations; because free from temporal divisions, those kalpas are expounded; and because time has no separate essence but is established on phenomena, and since phenomena are completely merged, time follows suit as well. The "Chapter on Leaving the World" says: "The bodhisattva-mahāsattva knows that all kalpas are non-kalpas, yet truly expounds the numbers of all kalpas; this is the sixth unobstructed abode." Therefore, it says "taking non-kalpa as kalpa," and during the aforementioned boundless time-kalpas, the Avataṃsaka is constantly expounded.