大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 89.7

89.7

Regarding the commentary's "It also says, 'Because by means of the syllable na...'" and below: this is the second part, gathering and absorbing [them into] perfect interpenetration. Within this, there are four points: First, gathering back in reverse order from the end. That is to say, because of the fifth [syllable's] absence of both nature and characteristic, how could there be the fourth, the conditioned formations? Formations are precisely characteristics, so having characteristics entails having the third. Since the ultimate truth has no formations, how could there be the ultimate truth? Due to the emptiness of the ultimate truth, there is the second, fundamental purity. Since there is no third, how could there be a second? Due to the second's fundamental purity, one then speaks of non-arising; since there is no second, how could there be non-arising? As for the commentary's "Because the dharma of the syllable a is fundamentally non-arising, therefore the syllable na has neither nature nor characteristic," this is revolving and mutually gathering. By means of the initial syllable a giving rise to the fifth syllable na, it completes a circle like a ring. That is, within non-arising, how could there be nature or characteristic? Therefore it causes the five syllables to mutually give rise to each other, revolving without impediment. As for the commentary's "You should know that this is essential..." and below, this concludes into contemplative practice: realizing fundamental purity, one accomplishes the contemplation of the three emptinesses, saying "free from self and what belongs to self," what belongs to self being precisely phenomena. Therefore the above three passages are all text from the Sūtra of the Five Syllables. As for the commentary's "The Vairocana-sūtra..." and below, this reconciles and interprets the two texts, and also concludes what precedes to introduce what follows. It concludes the preceding five syllables and introduces the remaining thirty-seven syllables that follow. The phrase "mostly relies on that sūtra" refers to the Vairocana-sūtra. "And Amogha's translation" refers to the alternate translation, the Forty-Two Syllable Doors of the Avataṃsaka. Because the meaning of this alternate translation is identical to that of the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-sūtra, it relies on the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-sūtra, but there are minor differences in the sounds of two or three syllables, so it does not state that it relies on it. However, Amogha's alternate translation in all cases first cites the name from the Prajñā[pāramitā] sūtra, placing the distinct name first, and only afterwards explains the meaning, as will be seen below.