大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 86.8

86.8

Regarding the commentary's phrase "First, in matching it to a dream" and so forth: among these four analogies, only the reflection is an exclusive analogy; the other three are all common analogies. If according to the new translation, the two analogies of dream and echo possess both common and exclusive senses, whereas the two analogies of reflection and phantom are exclusively specific without a common sense. Now, regarding the first dream analogy: that sūtra's specific analogy says, "Just as what is seen in a dream arises from conceptual distinction, so seeing all buddhas arises from one's own mind." The upper two lines are the analogy; the lower two lines are the application. Thus, the dream object exemplifies the Buddha, and the conceptual distinction as the cause of the dream exemplifies the mind capable of recollection. Therefore, the *Contemplation of Amitāyus Sūtra* says: "This mind makes Buddha; this mind is Buddha. The correct and universal knowledge of all buddhas arises from the thoughts of the mind." Because what is dependently arisen is not real, what is seen and the one seeing are both empty, without coming or going.

Regarding the commentary's phrase "The *Pratyutpanna*..." and so forth: this adduces testimony. This sūtra is in three fascicles; its title is the *Pratyutpanna-samādhi-sūtra*, also called the *Sūtra of the Samādhi in Which the Present Buddhas of the Ten Directions All Stand Before One*, translated by the Latter Han śramaṇa Lokakṣema. It was preached at Rājagṛha in the Bamboo Grove of Karanda, and Bodhisattva Bhadrapāla asked the questions. Fascicle one contains the "Chapter on Questions"; what is quoted now is also from the first fascicle, the "Chapter on Practice." Second, the Buddha first causes one to distance oneself from evil and draw near to good, cultivating this buddha-mindfulness samādhi; therefore he raises various analogies to show the characteristics of recollecting the Buddha. The sūtra text is vast and extensive; the commentary now quotes it briefly, and I shall now fully quote one analogy. The sūtra says: "'By what cause is the samādhi where all the present buddhas stand before one brought about like this? Bhadrapāla! If there are monks, nuns, laymen, or laywomen who maintain the precepts completely and, staying in a solitary place, focus their minds in recollection: Amitābha Buddha of the western direction is now present; according to what has been heard, one should recollect him. That land is hundreds of thousands of millions of buddha-lands away from here; that land is named Sukhavatī, where the Buddha preaches the sūtras in the midst of an assembly of bodhisattvas. At all times constantly recollect Amitābha Buddha.' The Buddha told Bhadrapāla: 'Suppose a person is asleep, and in a dream sees various gold, silver, and precious jewels, or dreams of parents, brothers, wife, children, relatives, and acquaintances enjoying themselves together, with incomparable joy and happiness. When he awakens, he speaks of it to others, and again weeps remembering what was seen in the dream. Just so, Bodhisattva Bhadrapāla! If a śramaṇa or a white-clad layman hears of Amitābha Buddha of the western direction, he should recollect that Buddha, not breaking the precepts, focusing exclusively with single-mindedness for one day and one night, or seven days and seven nights; after seven days have passed, he will see Amitābha Buddha. He does not see him while awake; he sees him in a dream. Just as what is seen in a dream knows neither day nor night, perceives neither inside nor outside, is not unseen because it is in the dark, and is not unseen because there is an obstruction: just so, Bodhisattva Bhadrapāla! The mind should recollect in this way. At that time, the realms of all the buddhas—named the Great Mount Sumeru—wherever there are dark places, all open up; the eyes are not obstructed, and the mind is not impeded. This bodhisattva-mahāsattva does not rely on the heavenly eye to see through, does not rely on the heavenly ear to hear through, does not rely on supernatural feet to travel to that buddha-land, does not die here, and is not born in that buddha-land; rather, sitting right here, he sees Amitābha Buddha, hears the Dharma he preaches, and receives and upholds it all. Able to arise from samādhi, he is completely able to explain it to others.'"

Explication: Right after this follows the analogy of the woman Sumanā. From "seven days" downward, it shows the application of the characteristics, taking it to be like a dream vision, without any definite, real substance. That sūtra has many dream analogies; now only two are cited: the former analogy of the seven jewels exemplifies being empty right within existence, because upon awakening nothing is obtained. The latter analogy of being like a dream exemplifies emptiness not obstructing existence, since existence is phenomena itself. However, the non-duality of both is the meaning of the middle way; hence only the intended sense is taken and two are briefly cited.

Furthermore, to explain specifically in terms of meaning: the mind-nature is like the object, contemplation is like the mental image based on conditions, and the completion of contemplation is like the dream; this applies solely to the practicing person. Again, the dharmakāya is like the object, the saṃbhogakāya is like the thought, and the nirmāṇakāya is like the dream; this applies solely to the Buddha's realm. Again, that Buddha is like the object, the practitioner is like the thought, and seeing the Buddha is like what is seen in a dream; this applies jointly to sympathetic resonance. These three explanations interpret the sūtra's common analogy that all buddhas as well as one's own mind are both like a dream.

Regarding the statement that there was a woman named Xumen: in the sūtra there are two people, on account of recollecting three women. The sūtra says: "Suppose a person hears that in the country of Vaiśālī there is a courtesan named Sumanā; or suppose someone hears of a courtesan named Jīvavartī; or suppose someone hears of Upasumā." Yet the sūtra's words are somewhat obscure. If we turn to the *Bhadrapālaparipṛcchā-sūtra*, the narrative events are entirely identical while the text is distinct. That sūtra says: "Furthermore, Bhadrapāla! In this country of Magadha there were three men. The first heard that in the city of Vaiśālī there was a courtesan named Sumanā. That second person heard of a courtesan named Āmrapālī. That third person heard of a courtesan named Utpalavarṇā. Having heard, they each devised upāya, binding their thoughts and diligently seeking them without ceasing for a moment. Yet those three men had never actually seen such women; merely from hearing of them from afar, they gave rise to lustful thoughts and recollected them unceasingly. Later, on account of a dream, they supposed themselves in the city of Rājagṛha engaging in sexual intercourse with those women. Once the sexual act was completed, their seeking mind ceased; their desire fulfilled, they then awakened. Having awakened, they remembered what was done in the dream, just as what they had heard and seen, and just as what they had experienced. If one who recalls in this way comes to your place and explains it all to you, you should preach the Dharma to him with upāya, teaching and transforming him in accordance, causing him to dwell on the stage of non-retrogression and ultimately achieve anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi. In the future he will certainly attain buddhahood, named Good Awakening."

Also, regarding the words "as in Śrāvastī" and so forth: this is the sixth fascicle of the *Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa*, which seems to cite this narrative with slight differences. The treatise says: "When the Buddha was in the world, three men were companions. They heard that in Vaiśālī there was a courtesan named Āmrapālī, in the country of Śrāvastī there was a courtesan named Sumanā, and in the city of Rājagṛha there was a courtesan named Utpalavarṇā, all incomparably handsome and upright. The three men, each having heard, long recollected them with attachment in their minds, and then in dreams engaged in relations with them. Having awakened, they thought: 'That person did not come, nor did I go, yet the lustful affair was accomplished.' Through this they immediately awakened to the fact that all phenomena are also like this. Thereupon they went together to the place of Bodhisattva Bhadrapāla and asked about the matter. The Bodhisattva answered: 'All phenomena are truly like this; they all arise from recollection.' The Bodhisattva then preached the Dharma to them with upāya, and they all attained the stage of non-retrogression."

Explication: The general meaning is identical to the sūtra, lacking only the prediction of buddhahood. However, the general meaning of the sūtra and treatise highlights that only after recollecting and seeing the Buddha does one awaken to the emptiness of nature and the mutual non-obstruction of existence and non-existence, which is identical to the commentary's intention.