大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 80.28

80.28

Regarding the commentary's statement 'Eighth, also with two meanings' and so forth: this explains the sūtra's 'limitless,' which is 'pervading all minds' in the text below. The explanation below also has two: first, it says that a bodhisattva should know that in one's own mind, from thought-moment to thought-moment, there is always a buddha attaining right awakening, which is vertically without boundaries; second, the explanation below says: why is this? Because all buddha-tathāgatas do not depart from this mind in attaining right awakening. That is the second meaning: thought-moment by thought-moment response is the transformation body; once attained, eternally enduring is the reward body. Below 'the mind is without initial characteristics,' it tallies with the dharmadhātu body. However, this single phrase comes from the Awakening of Faith. The treatise says: 'When the bodhisattva grounds are exhausted, one awakens to the mind's initial arising; the mind has no initial characteristics, because by virtue of leaving behind subtle thoughts, one is able to see the nature of the mind. The mind is then eternally abiding, which is called ultimate awakening.' Below, saying 'not departing from this mind' secretly accords with the meaning of principle. However, for 'awakening to the mind's initial arising, the mind has no initial characteristics,' there are naturally two meanings: first, awakening is the subject of awakening, and mind is the object of awakening. The mind is the initial characteristic, namely the karmic characteristic, which is the subtle thought: initially deluded about the real, unenlightened, the mind moves. Now it is devoid of this characteristic. Second, awakening and mind are explained together: when the mind of right awakening arises, it is devoid of the characteristic of a subject that arises, and hence it accords secretly with principle. If there were a characteristic of arising, it would not accord with principle. Here it precisely adopts this meaning, hence saying 'the mind is without initial characteristics, secretly according with principle,' the meaning encompassing the former, because devoid of subtle thoughts, it is therefore devoid of the characteristic of awakening. In accordance with dharma characteristics, the transformation body has a beginning and an end, the reward body has a beginning but no end, and the dharmakāya has neither beginning nor end. Now according with principle, the reward [body] is also without beginning; hence it says 'initial awakening is identical to original awakening; there is no longer any difference between initial and original, which is called ultimate awakening.' Hence it says 'because of having no prior limit,' which means without beginning. Having no end is the same as the upper phrase's having no subsequent limit. Since the dharmakāya and reward body are interfused, the response identical to the essence is without interruption from thought-moment to thought-moment; the three bodies are interfused.