大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 68.78

68.78

In the commentary, from "Hence the obstacles abandoned are also abandoned..." down, third, is the obstacles abandoned. This is also from the Vijñaptimātratāsiddhi; now the treatise text should be fully produced. The treatise states: "The eighth is the obstacle of exerting effort within signlessness: that is, a portion of the innate cognitive obstacle prevents the signless contemplation from arising effortlessly. In the preceding five grounds, contemplation with signs is abundant and signless contemplation is scarce. On the sixth ground, contemplation with signs is scarce and signless contemplation is abundant. On the seventh ground, there is purely signless contemplation; though constantly continuous, there is exertion. Because there is exertion within signlessness, one is not yet able to manifest signs and lands effortlessly. Such exertion obstructs the effortless path in the eighth ground. When one is able to enter the eighth ground, it is permanently severed; through that permanent severance, one attains the two masteries. Because of this, the eighth ground is said to sever two kinds of folly and their crude heavy states: first, the folly of exerting effort regarding the signless; second, the folly regarding mastery over the signless, which causes one to lack mastery within signs. This also includes a portion of signs and lands. From the eighth ground upward, because the purely undefiled path arises effortlessly, the afflictions of the three realms never occur, though the subtle cognitive obstacles in the seventh consciousness may still occur; the cognition of the emptiness of persons and its fruition do not conflict with them." The explanation states: Seeking signlessness is called exertion because it prevents signless contemplation from being effortless. Because the contemplative mind in the five grounds is inferior, signless contemplation is scarce. Because on the sixth ground one contemplates defilement and purity as equal, signless contemplation is abundant. On the seventh ground, one makes exertion. However, according to Dharmapāla, the cognition that exerts effort within signlessness is in its essence not an obstacle, because of its wholesome nature. It is only because the cognitive obstacle causes one to make exertion that it is called the obstacle of exertion. Because the seventh ground has exertion, although it manifests various signs such as gold and lands, it is considered an obstacle because they are not manifested effortlessly. "The cognition of the emptiness of persons" refers to the subsequently attained cognition and the cessation-attainment induced by the cognition of the emptiness of persons. In the Suvarṇaprabhāsa, the two follies are named: "first, the avidyā of expending much effort regarding signless dharmas; second, the avidyā of grasping at signs as mastery, which is difficult to cross over; the remaining two are self-evident." The commentary merely grasps the essential purport, and the meaning is already broadly complete. The rest is as explained before. In the commentary, "the suchness realized" is also the text of the Vijñaptimātratāsiddhi. It states in full: "The eighth is the tathatā free from increase and decrease: that is, this tathatā is free from attachments to increase and decrease, because it does not increase or decrease following defilement and purity. This is also called the tathatā on which mastery over signs and lands relies, meaning that having realized this tathatā, one attains mastery over both manifesting signs and manifesting lands." Comparing the treatise to the commentary, the detail and brevity can be known. This name is also the name in the Mahāyānasaṃgraha; Vasubandhu's commentary states: "It means that when defilement decreases here, there is no decrease, and when purity increases, there is no increase." Asabhāva's commentary states: "Beyond dharmas there is no function, hence there is no increase. Dharmas are not destroyed, hence there is no decrease." Asabhāva further explains it identically to Vasubandhu. The Madhyāntavibhāga-śāstra states: "Through penetrating this, one fully realizes the anutpattikadharmakṣānti, not seeing a single dharma increase or decrease among pure or defiled dharmas." The above explains non-increase and non-decrease. Furthermore, Vasubandhu's commentary on the tathatā on which mastery over signs and lands relies states: "Attaining mastery among signs is called mastery over signs, because whatever one desires is immediately manifested. Attaining mastery over the lands manifested, such as desiring a land to become gold, jewels, and so forth, is accomplished according to one's will." The explanation states: "Signs" refers to manifesting bodies; "lands" refers to the receptacle realm; hence below, mastery is elucidated regarding the three worlds.