大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 4.45

4.45

Regarding the Commentary's statement: 'Or distinguishing three differences, this is spoken in terms of essence, characteristic, and function': this is the fifth, reconciling the three bodies. Directly speaking, the dharmakāya pertains to essence, the sambhogakāya pertains to characteristic, and the nirmāṇakāya pertains to function. However, the 'Determining the Meaning' section of the Awakening of Faith states: 'What is called meaning has three kinds: first, the greatness of essence, because the tathatā of all phenomena is equal, neither increasing nor decreasing; second, the greatness of characteristic, because the tathāgatagarbha is replete with immeasurable inherent virtues; third, the greatness of function, because it can produce all mundane and supramundane good causes and fruits.' Preceptor Zang explains the greatness of characteristic: 'Between the two kinds of garbha, this refers only to the non-empty tathāgatagarbha. As for the greatness of function, it refers to following superior karmic deeds, spoken in terms of the great function of the self-essence. The two bodies of reward and transformation are spoken in terms of coarse and subtle functions, causing all sentient beings to first accomplish worldly goodness and ultimately accomplish supramundane goodness.' Exposition: Relying on this explanation, both greatnesses of essence and characteristic are called the dharmakāya, because the inherent virtues are fundamentally possessed inherently. Function is the reward and transformation bodies, which is also spoken in terms of the three greatnesses. If correlated separately: first, because the non-empty garbha is revealed only through cultivation, serving as the true retribution, it is the reward within the greatness of function; because it is for others' enjoyment, revealing superiority, it is called reward; if adapted to the capacities ascending the stages, it is also a transformation.