大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 3.6

3.6

Seventh, clearly indicating dharmalakṣaṇas (dharma characteristics) to display the sūtra’s comprehensive inclusion: Now, the nature (dharmatā) and characteristics (dharmalakṣaṇa) are like the sun and moon in the sky, or Qian and Kun in the *Book of Changes*. In both the East (China) and the West (India), schools have been distinguished and teachings promulgated; only one whose learning encompasses both tracks can be called a thorough master. Therefore, when interpreting the sūtra, it is essential to indicate them clearly. However, the dharmalakṣaṇas in this sūtra are vast in both names and meanings: in some places there are names without extensive explanations of their meanings, and in other places there are meanings without names. When past masters came across a single name, they would extensively cite treatises to interpret it, unpacking meanings along with the names, so that the meanings became inexhaustible. For example, in explaining the one hundred and forty-one vows of the "Pure Conduct Chapter" (Śuddhacaryā), they set up various analytical criteria; in explaining the four fruits of the "Brahmacaryā Chapter", they extensively cited the *Abhidharmamahāvibhāṣā-śāstra*; for greed and anger in the "Inquiry with Clarity Chapter", they fully transcribed from *Vijñaptimātratāsiddhi*; for the three inversions in the "Ten Practices Chapter", they drew extensively on various traditions. Although these are indeed Dharma portals, the profound contemplation practice was obscured by nominal marks; now I present them only briefly. Where past commentators encountered meanings without names, they were at a loss; now I cite various sūtras and treatises to govern them by name, so that the dharmalakṣaṇas within the sūtra shine brightly across the treatises. For instance, the twenty-one kinds of virtues in the "Tuṣita Chapter" have meanings without names, while the beginning of the "Transcending the World Chapter" has names without elaborated meanings. Now, in the "Tuṣita Chapter", I cite sūtras and treatises extensively to explain them, whereas in the "Transcending the World Chapter", I present them only briefly. Furthermore, the "Transcending the World Chapter" fully embraces all the stages, and within each and every stage the meanings are subsumed without remainder—sometimes with different names for the same meaning, or broader and narrower treatments earlier and later—yet across the forty-two stages, the sequence is without error. Now, fully citing the text of the sūtra from the six assemblies, I explain them against what preceded, making them lucidly apparent, so that every sentence of this seven-fascicle sūtra has textual support, reversing and disproving the prevalent conjecture of past commentaries. However, between the nature and characteristics traditions, dharmalakṣaṇas have similarities and differences: for instance, the five eyes and ten eyes, the six supernormal powers and ten supernormal powers, and so forth, are each demonstrated so that no doubt remains. For example, in the first fascicle, praising virtues is explained through the ten bodies—this is the dharmalakṣaṇa of the Dharmatā school. Explaining wisdom entering the three periods of time by extensively citing the four wisdoms—this is the dharmalakṣaṇa of the Dharmalakṣaṇa school. Using the liberation gates of the ocean of assemblies to explain the titles of the ocean of assemblies—this is the dharmalakṣaṇa of the Dharmatā school. Using the six pāramitās under nine criteria to explain the sūtra’s ten pāramitās—this is the dharmalakṣaṇa of the Dharmalakṣaṇa school. Harmonizing the ten supernormal powers and ten tolerances with the six supernormal powers and five tolerances, fusing the ten bodies and ten wisdoms with the three bodies and three wisdoms, using the ten portals of nirvāṇa to harmonize and synthesize the four kinds of nirvāṇa, and unifying one wisdom with the four wisdoms within the ten kinds of buddha-wisdom—these are dharmalakṣaṇas wherein the two traditions of nature and characteristics are free from contradiction. Cases of this kind are numerous. Furthermore, the dharmalakṣaṇas clarified in the commentaries on other sūtras are mostly collateral introductions. For instance, the *Lotus Sūtra* merely says: "The Tathāgata’s vision and knowledge, powers, fearlessnesses, dhyāna-contemplations, liberations, and samādhis have penetrated deeply and boundlessly." This is an overall praise of the profound reach of buddha-wisdom; yet coming across the single character "power" commentators establish a chapter on the ten powers; for "fearlessness" they establish a chapter on the four fearlessnesses; for dhyāna they establish the four dhyānas; for contemplation, the eight attainments; and for liberation and samādhi they likewise establish analytical chapters. In this manner, even thousands or myriads of chapters explaining a single fascicle could not exhaust them. If this were to constitute the cognitive object of sarvākārajñatā (all-aspect wisdom), one would have to study even more approaches. Yet grasping the profound purport of the *Lotus Sūtra*, it merely reveals that sentient beings equally possess the Buddha's vision and knowledge: what was earlier taken out and put inside is known to the son; it is not that ten or five chapters can exhaust this subtlety. The *Avataṃsaka Sūtra* is different from this: since topics such as the ten pāramitās and ten powers are clarified in several dozen places throughout the single sūtra, one must synthesize them in a single chapter to suddenly understand the profound purport. For instance, in the "Ten Grounds Chapter", dharmalakṣaṇas are used as contemplation gates: if one does not understand the three sets of precepts, how can one comprehend the name of the Ground of Freedom from Defilement (Vimalā)? If one does not understand the eight dhyānas, how can one know the practice of the Ground of Emitting Light (Prabhākarī)? In the Fourth Ground, the factors of enlightenment constitute the radiant light of wisdom realizing the unborn. In the Fifth Ground, the truths exhaust the ultimate and conventional to transform beings. In the Sixth Ground, prajñā requires contemplating conditioned origination: the ten doors are arrayed like stars and the three contemplations are full like the moon; investigating nature and characteristics to their depths, prajñā manifests before one. In the Seventh Ground, exhausting all factors of bodhi, provisional and ultimate are practiced together. In the Eighth Ground, only when all seven exhortations are encompassed does one see the effortless path. In the Ninth Ground, dwelling in the position of a Dharma master, one must know medicines and illnesses; if one does not attain the forty types of eloquence, how could one broadly transform beings? Only upon attaining the Tenth Ground does one completely exhaust the profound subtlety of all-aspect wisdom. The forty-two stages are clearly demonstrated, all corresponding to contemplation practice; through the causes and effects of the nine assemblies and five cycles, the Buddha Path is perfected and rounded. Therefore, whether characteristics or nature, whether cause or fruit, there is none that does not form contemplation, none that does not accord with truth; practicing in accordance with the sūtra is entirely the sage’s intention. If one does not understand the dharmalakṣaṇas, not only will one fail to understand the sage’s intent, but one will also fail to be an expounder. Examining the text, one will naturally know this.