大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 53.12

53.12

Regarding the commentary’s “Sixth: the contrast between essence and virtue” and so forth: it means that the cultivated essence of practice is realization, and the accomplished virtues are teaching. As for citing the metaphor of smelting gold: all ten grounds possess the metaphor of smelting gold. Taking the first ground as an example, it says: “Whatever this bodhisattva diligently cultivates—making offerings to the buddhas and teaching and transforming sentient beings—all these roots of goodness, through cultivating the pure dharmas of the grounds, are dedicated toward the ground of omniscient cognition; they become increasingly bright, pure, pliable, perfected, and pliable for use as desired. O Sons of the Buddha! Just as a skilled goldsmith refines gold, repeatedly placing it in the fire so that it becomes increasingly bright, pure, pliable, perfected, and pliable for use as desired.” Exposition: the fire is that which refines, allegorizing making offerings to the buddhas and so forth. The gold is that which is refined, allegorizing faith, mind, compassion, renunciation, and so forth. Just as worldly gold, when smelted within ore, comes forth, this allegorizes the true dharmas of the grounds merging with delusion to be called 'sentient beings'. When a practitioner cultivates up to initial entry into the grounds, they emerge from the affliction-hindrance. Now, when reaching the completion of the ground, they further make offerings and transform sentient beings, like repeatedly putting [gold] into the fire to perfume and develop the true mind, giving rise to faith and the like; this is termed 'cultivating the pure dharmas of the grounds'. When reaching the second ground, it is like boiling it again with alum to finally attain purity. In the first ground, although the defilement of stinginess is removed, subtle faults still remain. When reaching the second ground, stinginess, jealousy, and breaking precepts are all cast far away, like becoming increasingly pure. In the third ground, cultivating pure dhyāna so that it does not regress is like the weight remaining undiminished on the scales. In the fourth ground, gathering the factors of bodhi is like fashioning ornamental jewelry. In the fifth ground, through the power of cultivating and refining by raising contemplation through the upāya of the non-abiding path, it is like mother-of-pearl being polished to become even brighter and purer. In the sixth ground, through the power of cultivating and refining by non-abiding skillful wisdom contemplating causes and conditions, it is like lapis lazuli being polished so that its lustre and brilliance become increasingly magnificent. In the seventh ground, fully cultivating all factors of bodhi makes it even more refined and wondrous, like being interlaced and adorned with diverse marvelous jewels, becoming increasingly superior and doubling its radiance. In the eighth ground, effortless cultivation is like taking a golden, jeweled crown and placing it on the head of the sacred ruler of Jambudvīpa, such that none of the ornaments of all his ministers can equal it. In the ninth ground, a bodhisattva’s cultivation of wisdom-mastery is like a skilled goldsmith making a jeweled crown with which a wheel-turning sage king adorns his head, such that none of the ornaments of all lesser kings and subjects within the four continents can equal it. In the tenth ground, a bodhisattva’s cultivation of action-mastery is like a goldsmith using supreme gold to make ornaments, inlaid with great maṇi jewels, which the Paranirmitavaśavartin Deva-King personally wears on his body, unmatched by the ornaments of all other humans and devas. Exposition: all ten grounds possess the gold metaphor; the intention in all is to take gold as an allegory for realization, revealing the original nature. Accomplishing virtues such as faith constitutes the path of teaching, because it is attained through cultivation. However, where it says “gold and bracelets and so forth”: this sūtra lacks the word “bracelets”; it is bodily ornaments that are meant.