大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 79.41

79.41

Third, concerning verbal action. From the Commentary's "The meaning of the round voice" downwards, it is divided into three: first, general clarification; second, explaining the text; third, criticizing earlier views. In the first, regarding the Commentary's statement, "First, recounting the past," and so forth: previously there were three meanings. The first says: The Buddhas are solely the body of the ultimate truth, eternally severed from the ten thousand forms, lacking shape and sound; they simply manifest measureless form and sound in accordance with capacities, just as an echo arises following a call though a valley has no sound. However, speaking with respect to the Buddha, having no voice is one; discussing with respect to capacities, the myriad sounds are not one. As for calling it 'one voice' and 'round voice', it is truly because at a single time and in a single assembly, those of different kinds equally understand, each obtaining a single voice according to their faculties and natures, not hearing other sounds, without confusion and without overlapping. To show that this is extraordinary, it is called 'one voice'. The sound pervades the ten directions, and wherever capacities are mature, none fail to hear it; therefore it is called 'round voice'. It does not mean that it is all-pervading like empty space without distinct tunes and melodies. The sūtra says: 'Universally proclaiming to sentient beings in their respective kinds of voices'—this is what it means. The second says: Speaking with respect to the Buddha, there are truly forms and sounds, and his voice is all-pervading, with nowhere it does not reach; but it lacks the differences of the five notes and four tones; lacking different melodies, it is called 'one voice'. Because it is all-pervading, it is called 'round voice'. However, the round voice serves as the sovereign condition, manifesting many sounds in accordance with the differences in faculties, just as the full moon is only a single round form, yet manifests many reflections according to the differences in vessels. It is also like the long wind having many kinds of sounds according to its various apertures. The sūtra says: 'The Buddha expounds the Dharma with a single voice, and sentient beings each attain understanding according to their kind.' The third says: The Tathāgata, within a single verbal action, produces the speech and sounds of all sentient beings; therefore, he causes those sentient beings each to hear their own speech, and it is not that the Tathāgata emits only one sound; it is called 'one voice' merely because his verbal action is uniform, and called 'round voice' because that which is emitted is manifold. Just as the sound of the Śaci drum can still emit many sounds simultaneously, how much more so the Tathāgata? Regarding "Second, discerning discrepancies": the above three interpretations all err by grasping one side. First, the ultimate truth lacks shape and sound, which is not the meaning of one voice; and it only accords with the sounds of others, not being his own voice. Second, it is solely a single utterance, lacking manifold sounds. If the one is not identical with the manifold, how could it be a round voice? If existent, the manifold should also exist; if non-existent, the one must also be non-existent; how could the one exist while the manifold does not? Third, although it is solely manifold, it also lacks the one. If verbal action is uniform, how could all sentient beings be a single voice? Therefore, none of them are correct. Regarding "Third, harmonizing and synthesizing": the above merely censured one-sidedness, not meaning total error. Only by combining the above three meanings is it the single meaning of the round voice. That is, the manifold is identical to the one; if the manifold is not identical to the one, it is not one voice. The one is also identical to the manifold; if the one is not identical to the manifold, it is not a round voice. Duality is identical to emptiness, and emptiness is identical to duality; if duality is not identical to emptiness, because it is an attachment and not devoid of intrinsic nature, it is neither round nor one; if emptiness is not identical to duality, it is neither voice nor round. Therefore, being fused and unimpeded is precisely the round voice. Among these three meanings: the first is the meaning of non-arising and non-cessation; the next is the meaning of non-crookedness; the last is the meaning of universal reaching. One knows that if one grasps its correct meaning, then it comprehensively gathers all without omission; if one does not grasp the correct intention, they all become contrary to principle.