大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 90.23

90.23

In the commentary, from 'Deducing it by reason' onward, the seventh part concludes and establishes the correct meaning: the Buddhas of the ten directions are all suddenly manifested by our Fundamental Teacher through the oceanic reflection [samādhi]. Moreover, the divided bodies in the *Lotus Sūtra* possess many pure lands; why did the Tathāgata not point to his own pure lands, but rather directed people to go separately to Amitābha or Abhirati? Reflecting on this, one knows that Buddhas such as Bhadraśrī and Amitābha are all the Fundamental Teacher. What is there to wonder at? As for 'Bhadraśrī', this refers to the Tathāgata of the Utpalagandharuci world, passing beyond a hundred myriads of asaṃkhyeya realms in the 'Lifespan' chapter. The verse in the sūtra says: 'Or they see the exquisite lotus realm, / Wherein abides Bhadraśrī Tathāgata.' If this were not praising the Fundamental Teacher, what purpose would there be in speaking of another Tathāgata in another realm? Furthermore, as in the Dhāraṇī Teaching, it also speaks of thirty-seven deities, all of which are manifested by the single Buddha Vairocana. That is to say, Vairocana Tathāgata internally realizes his self-enjoyment body, accomplishing the five cognitions, and from four cognitions issue the Tathāgatas of the four directions: from the great perfect mirror cognition issues Akṣobhya Tathāgata of the east; from the cognition of equality issues Ratnasaṃbhava Tathāgata of the south; from the sublime observing cognition issues Amitāyus Tathāgata of the west; from the cognition of accomplishing actions issues Amoghasiddhi Tathāgata of the north; and the pure dharmadhātu cognition is itself Vairocana Tathāgata. Regarding the thirty-seven: each of the Tathāgatas of the five directions has four great bodhisattvas to their left and right, which adds another twenty. The four great bodhisattvas of Vairocana Tathāgata of the center are: first, Vajrapāramitā Bodhisattva; second, Ratnapāramitā Bodhisattva; third, Dharmapāramitā Bodhisattva; fourth, Karmapāramitā Bodhisattva. The four bodhisattvas of Akṣobhya Tathāgata of the east are: Vajrasattva Bodhisattva, Vajrarāja Bodhisattva, Vajrarāga Bodhisattva, and Vajrasādhu Bodhisattva. The four bodhisattvas of Ratnasaṃbhava Tathāgata of the south are: Vajraratna, Vajratejas, Vajraketu, and Vajrahāsa. The four bodhisattvas of Amitāyus Tathāgata—also named Avalokiteśvararāja Tathāgata—of the west are: Vajradharma, Vajratīkṣṇa, Vajrahetu, and Vajrabhāṣa. The four bodhisattvas of Amoghasiddhi Tathāgata of the north are: Vajrakarma, Vajrarakṣa, Vajrayakṣa, and Vajrasaṃdhi. The above makes twenty-five in total. Together with the four means of attraction and eight offerings, there are thirty-seven. The four means of attraction are hook, lasso, chain, and bell. The eight offerings are incense, flower, lamp, unguent, play, garland, song, and dance. All have 'Vajra-' above and '-bodhisattva' below. These thirty-seven deities each have their seed syllables, all flowing forth from the Fundamental Teacher's cognitive functioning, which shares the same overarching import as the instantaneous manifestation through the oceanic reflection in the present sūtra. Question: If based on this meaning, does it not contradict the intention of equality? The intention of equality states: 'Saying "he is identical to me" is spoken relying on the intention of equality, not that he is identical to my physical body.' How can all be said to be the Fundamental Teacher? Answer: The statement about equality is merely one meaning. Consciousness-Only even explains: 'Among all sentient beings, some belong to multiple Buddhas, and multiple Buddhas jointly transform them as a single Buddha. If they belong to a single Buddha, the single Buddha can manifest as multiple bodies. Each and every Tathāgata of the ten directions is like this.' Here, it is precisely a single Buddha capable of acting as multiple bodies; only by praising in accordance with this does one truly praise the Fundamental Teacher.