大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 5.31

5.31

In the commentary, from “Furthermore, Vasubandhu’s Mahāyānasaṃgraha[-bhāṣya]” downwards is the second part, which reveals the phenomena that are threaded and gathered. Within it are two parts: first, citing the Mahāyānasaṃgraha for the direct explanation; second, citing others by analogy. In the former, it refers to fascicle 1 of that treatise. The text also has two parts: first, citing the treatise to state the overarching headings; second, from “Basis” downwards, citing the treatise for the specific explanations. The explanation of the stated four meanings is thus divided into four parts: First, in explaining the basis, three items are raised. (1) “In this place” refers to the place where the sūtra was preached, such as the Buddha residing in the country of Magadha and so forth. (2) “Due to this” refers to the causes and conditions for preaching the sūtra, namely the capacities addressed, and so forth. For example, in the Daśabhūmika-sūtra, it is due to the empowerment of the Buddhas of the ten directions, the request of Vimukticandra, and so on. (3) “For this purpose” refers to the intent of preaching the sūtra. For instance, the chapter “Generating the [Bodhicitta] Mind” states: “In order to reveal the Buddha-dharma; in order to illuminate everywhere with the light of wisdom; in order to disclose and elucidate the real meaning,” and so forth. Hence the Liang translation [of the Mahāyānasaṃgraha] says: “This place, this person, this function.” In the commentary, “Characteristics refers to the characteristics of conventional truth and ultimate truth” means what the characteristics of the World-Honoured One’s preaching of the Dharma are like. The Buddhas preach to sentient beings solely based on the two truths, and there are no other characteristics. In the commentary, “Phenomena refers to the aggregates, realms, and bases” and so forth refers to the doctrinal gateways and upholding phenomena of the expressed meaning, each and every one of which applies to both of the two truths. Aggregates refers to the five aggregates; realms refers to the eighteen realms; bases refers to the twelve bases; dependent arising refers to the twelve links of dependent arising; truths refers to the four truths; foods refers to the four foods, as stated at the beginning of fascicle 10 of Vasubandhu’s treatise. Dhyānas refers to the four dhyānas; immeasurables refers to the four immeasurables; formless refers to the four formless attainments; liberations refers to the eight liberations; bases of overcoming refers to the eight abhibhvāyatanas; bases of totality refers to the ten kṛtsnāyatanas; limbs of bodhi refers to the thirty-seven limbs [of awakening], and so on. Unhindered cognitions refers to the four pratisaṃvids; non-contention refers to the araṇā-samādhi. “And so forth” covers other numerical dharmas. These are all richly characterized in the later text of the sūtra. In the commentary, “Meaning refers to speaking in accordance with implicit intention” and so forth: “meaning” refers to the underlying reason. In preaching the Dharma, the World-Honoured One speaks either explicitly or with implicit intention. For instance, saying that “all are empty” is spoken from the perspective of ultimate truth; ordinary persons do not understand it and claim there is no conventional truth, and so forth. It is also like the four intentions and four adaptations. The Liang translation explains the meaning: “Meaning refers to what is to be done, hence it is called meaning; generating the path and extinguishing defilements are these matters.” The purport is: the sūtras preached by the Buddha are solely aimed at causing sentient beings to generate the path and extinguish defilements; this is their meaning. It is also the Buddha’s intention.