大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 58.7

58.7

Regarding the Commentary's "Now first, the intention of the question: why is it that here he speaks of being free from fear?": that is to say, upon attaining the first ground, one is far removed from all afflictions, karma, and suffering; why does it speak exclusively of being free from fear? Second, the answer. The Commentary has two points of intention: 1. Because the five fears exclusively obstruct the first ground, and the first ground completely severs them, it speaks of them exclusively; other obstructions generally obstruct all grounds, and on the first ground they are not completely exhausted, so it does not speak of them. Just as among the ten fetters, the five views and doubt are completely exhausted at the stage of seeing, so their severance is exclusively spoken of, whereas greed, anger, ignorance, and conceit generally obstruct both seeing and cultivation, and are not exhausted here. 2. Fear is an obstruction to joy, so it is spoken of exclusively; hence it is simply spoken of within the section explaining the name. As for the Commentary's "Therefore the treatise above says 'far removed from this cause'": because it is the treatise's introductory transition before the sūtra, it is called "above." The full text of the treatise states: "Next it explains what is fear? What is the cause of fear? Because of being far removed from this cause, there is no fear." The subcommentator explains: In the treatise, fear has a question without an answer; in the sūtra, freedom from fear has an answer without a question; therefore the Commentary sets it forth completely.