大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 78.11

78.11

Regarding the commentary's statement, "This means that although they cultivated the vehicle, because their practice of the precepts was lax": this was already cited under the first ground, but below there is another explanation based on the view of Quanwu. In the past they drew near to various good spiritual friends, drawing near to such good spiritual friends as the Lotus Sūtra and the Nirvāṇa Sūtra, with minds not negligent, showing that they had formerly engaged in cultivation. Relying on various sūtras they cultivated practice, but later, hearing this sūtra—where the cause encompasses the ocean of fruition, and the fruition penetrates the source of the cause—they immediately gave rise to slander, and therefore fell into hell. Because it passed their ears upon hearing, they planted the diamond seed as a past cause; taking the great supernatural power of Vairocana as the present condition, cause and condition mutually aiding one another, they suddenly ascended to the tenth ground, and so forth. According to this, it was not that their laxity in the precepts caused them to fall into hell. Thus the "Ten Grounds" chapter says: "Although this assembly is pure and of vast wisdom, profoundly sharp and able to discern, with minds unmoving like the mountain king, which cannot be overturned, surpassing the great ocean; there are those whose practice has not been for long (five or ten lives), whose understanding has not been attained (not having the roundly fusing understanding of the Huayan), who act following consciousness and do not follow wisdom—hearing this, they give rise to doubt and fall into the evil destinies. Pitying them, I do not preach it." This refers precisely to giving rise to doubt and falling into hell. Furthermore, the "Verses of Praise" chapter says: "The Tathāgata's vast body / reaches the ultimate in the dharmadhātu; / without leaving this seat, / it is yet ubiquitous throughout all places. / If there are those who hear this Dharma, / reverently believing and delighting in it, / they are forever freed from the three evil destinies / and all bitter difficulties." Explanation: We definitely know that it was not laxity in the precepts. Also, the "Manifestation" chapter says: "Like a mass of dry grass equal to Sumeru, / into which a fire the size of a mustard seed is cast, it must be burned up completely. / Making a small offering of merit to the Tathāgata / will certainly cause suffering to be extinguished, reaching nirvāṇa." Why is this? Because their nature is ultimate. Although Quanwu is of a later generation, he could not bear to see the commentary miss the meaning of the sūtra; therefore he supported the teaching to rescue it, differing from the ancients. Because the commentary has already been put into circulation, it cannot be altered; we ask future worthy ones to examine this carefully.