大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 76.48

76.48

Regarding the Commentary's statement: "Its responses..." and so forth, this directly narrates what was seen and heard. From "the topography of the mountain and its monasteries" downward, it briefly indicates the fine realm. The mountain is one thousand six hundred li northeast of Chang'an, more than one hundred li southeast of Daizhou, and sprawls over several prefectures for more than seven hundred li. On the left it neighbors the Northern Peak (Hengyue), exquisitely rising above a thousand peaks; on the right it joins Mengjin, a single belt of long currents; to the north it overlooks the remote borders, checking ten thousand li of smoke and dust; to the south it embraces Fenyang, serving as the northern shield of the great kingdom. It turns and anchors the sun and moon; it accumulates and vents clouds and dragons. Although accumulated snow congeals in summer, renowned flowers bloom in ten thousand varieties; though chilly winds are sharp and fierce, auspicious herbs grow in a thousand kinds. Red crags spread horizontally, and emerald screens rise in tiers. Pushing through clouds and parting the mists, one occasionally encounters otherworldly peaks; clutched to creepers and treading upon precipices, one constantly reaches extraordinary realms. White clouds congeal and spread, rivaling ten thousand li of clear rivers; when the bright sun is about to rise, one sees a great ocean of three feet. Each of the five peaks is difficult to describe in full. As for "monasteries," the Northern Qi revered and respected [the mountain] and founded saṅghārāmas, with over two hundred sites in its old domain; at that time, there were eight monasteries where people lodged. Since Zhenyuan, the number long exceeded ten; some are embraced and jut out from the five peaks, some open between twin ridges, some rise in tiers amidst crags, and some soar high beyond the clouds—it cannot be described in full.