大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 84.28

84.28

Under the Commentary's statement, "If explained distinctly...," the second is the detailed explanation. Within this, there are two parts: first, generally clarifying what is relied upon; and second, opening the sections to provide the direct explanation. In the former, two texts are cited to explain the lion. Now, the first: the "Chapter on the Lion's Roar" in the *Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra*, which is fascicle twenty-five of the Southern edition, or fascicle twenty-seven according to the Northern edition. Regarding "there is an extensive metaphor and its application," it should now be fully set forth. This is Bodhisattva Siṃhanāda making an inquiry to the Tathāgata, and the Tathāgata praises him before the assembly to cause them to revere the Bodhisattva, thereupon explaining the reason for his virtuous name, stating: "Now before me you wish to utter a lion's roar. Good son! Just as a lion king knows his own bodily strength and the sharpness of his teeth and claws, plants his four feet firmly upon the earth, abides securely in his rocky cave, shakes his tail, and emits a sound—if one is able to possess such marks, know that he is able to make a lion's roar." Commentary: Below, it is expounded as eleven matters; the sūtra applies the metaphor all at once, but now we first apply it separately to the lion. The sūtra states: "Good son! The Tathāgata, the Fully Awakened One, has wisdom as his teeth and claws, the four bases of supernormal power and the six pāramitās as his perfected body, the ten powers as his heroism, great compassion as his tail, and abides securely in the pure dwelling of the four dhyānas." Commentary: This fully possesses the metaphor and its application, applying it to the lion.