大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 75.46

75.46

Regarding the commentary's "The latter single statement clarifies awakening, which is the gate of calm and insight (śamatha-vipaśyanā)" and following: the commentary text has three parts. First is identifying the gate above; second, from "This means it must be in awakening..." downward, explains the reason for establishing awakening; third, from "Discerning and comprehending the multiple gates above..." downward, explains the meaning of calm and insight. Under the reason for establishing awakening, it also resolves an objection. An objection asks: "Here we are clarifying dream-like forbearance; why speak of the time of awakening?" Therefore it now explains: awakening and dream mutually establish one another, so one must speak of awakening. Therein, first awakening establishes dream, because when not yet awakened one does not know it is a dream. Therein, first, "It must be at the time of awakening that one only then knows it is a dream" directly explains the reason why awakening is necessary. This means that in the night of the great dream, there must be the light of that great awakening; that is, only our World-Honoured One knows that the three realms are all like a dream. Above, the Laṅkāvatāra was cited praising the Buddha for being able to comprehend the dream. Next, "When right in the dream, one does not know it is a dream" means taking it as real. Because ordinary persons sleep continuously in the long night and do not give rise to revulsion and seeking [deliverance], Master Sengrui said: "Dreaming in a dream is an utterly confused mind." Next, "Even if one knows it is a dream, one is still not awakened" resolves a difficulty. An objection says that some people also know in a dream that it is a dream, like a person in a heavy slumber who suddenly has a dream and clearly knows 'I am dreaming,' but because of the deep sleep, is unable to attain awakening. This illustrates that bodhisattvas, from their initial aspiration, already know that the three realms are all like a dream; is that not awakening? Why need to speak further of the time of awakening? Therefore it now explains: it is still not awakening, because it is not the great awakening. Thus the Awakening of Faith says: "If a person clearly knows that the previous thought gave rise to evil and is able to stop the subsequent thought from arising, although this is called awakening, it is just non-awakening, because there is arising and ceasing, and ignorance veils the mind so it lacks self-mastery." Next it says, "When awakened, one comprehends the dream and knows there is truly no dream," which means not only that at awakening one knows the dream, but also knows there is no dream. Like an eighth-ground bodhisattva dreaming of crossing a river, illustrating the realization of the forbearance of non-arising: seeing neither the near shore of saṃsāra nor the far shore of nirvāṇa, for both that which crosses and that which is crossed are unattainable. How much more so for the great awakening! Thus the sūtra says: "For long I thought of sentient beings' suffering, wishing to liberate them with no means of liberation; today having realized bodhi, open and clear, there is nothing at all." The commentary's "However, because of the dream there is awakening, therefore the time of dream and awakening is distinguished": above explained establishing dream by awakening; here explains establishing awakening by dream. Awakening is spoken of in contrast to dream; without dream there is no awakening. Once the dream is comprehended as no dream, in contrast to what could awakening be spoken of? Therefore both awakening and dream are cut off. Just as without non-awakening there is no initial awakening, only when both awakening and dream are cut off is it wondrous awakening. The commentary's "Discerning and comprehending..." downward explains the meaning of calm and insight. Illumining the four gates above is called insight (vipaśyanā). When awakening and dream are both cut off, one does not grasp at the dream-delusion; hence the Sūtra of Immeasurable Meanings praises the Buddha, saying: "Wisdom tranquil, emotions at peace, thoughts settled in stillness; / Intent destroyed, consciousness vanished, the mind also quiescent; / Eternally severing dream-like delusions and speculative thoughts, / No longer having the elements, aggregates, realms, or sense-bases." Thus we know that it is only our World-Honoured One who definitively comprehends the dream. Master Sengrui said: "Within the long night, what is produced by the great dream is all painted by the mind, everywhere fashioning the myriad forms; the spirit wanders the five destinies, exhausting all staggering and stumbling. If one can awaken to this, one immediately shatters ignorance."