大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 34.9

34.9

Regarding the commentary’s 'Saying "not only" means one must also cultivate and practice,' from here down, it takes up the sūtra text and explains it broadly, with each sentence clarifying the main idea of a section. In this there are two parts: first establishing the principle, and second citing proof. The former also has two parts: first correctly explaining, and second, from 'This clarifies that not practicing is an error' downward, eliminating misunderstandings. Because many people say that this section disparages having learned much and leads people to hold to ignorance without studying the doctrine, it therefore makes this distinction. In this there are three points: first, correctly distinguishing that it does not disparage having learned much, but merely rebukes hearing without practicing, not ordering people to practice without hearing; second, 'If there is no extensive learning, practice has nothing to rely upon' establishes the inverse: without hearing and without understanding, on what would one rely to practice? Third, from 'Therefore not practicing is an error' downward, it concludes the above meaning. Hearing much without practicing is exemplified by Devadatta and others, which the sūtra reprimands; hearing much and practicing is exemplified by Śāriputra and others, whom the sūtra does not reprove. Sunakkhatta was the Buddha’s son, and Devadatta was the Buddha’s brother; both understood the twelve divisions of scriptures, but because they did not rely on them to cultivate and practice, they fell bodily into the Avīci hell. Ānanda and Śāriputra, because they heard much and practiced, directly received predictions.