大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 90.40

90.40

Regarding the Commentary's phrase from "Eighteen" onwards: according to the sūtra, this is realizing the Buddha's equal stage free from middle and extremes; the Commentary merely presents the names of the virtues. Asabhāva says: "Due to doubting how the wonderful cognition of the Tathāgata described above, being ultimately neither one nor different, is characterized, it is next explained." Such things as being free from middle and extremes, permanent and impermanent, are all characteristics of the two extremes. In the Treatise's establishment of the name, speaking of "spatial directions and locations" refers to the world-realms. "Without limitation" explains "free from middle and extremes." The expression "free from middle and extremes" has four meanings in brief: First, space is free from middle and extremes, and the Buddha's virtues are like it, without limitation. Second, world-realms are free from middle and extremes, and the ten bodies of all Buddhas, right within them, equally pervade them in conformity with the measure of world-realms. Third, this dharmakāya and so forth equally pervade within the Buddha stage, without middle, without extremes, and without limitation. Fourth, this dharmakāya and so forth pervade all places, manifesting and acting to benefit all sentient beings. However, this is not because [the Buddha's] own-nature is devoid of middle and extremes; hence the sūtra clarifies that his body is like a mani jewel endowed with immeasurable colors, which corresponds to the second meaning of pervading everywhere. Yet being neither color nor non-color constitutes being free from middle and extremes, which corresponds to the third and fourth meanings. Its manifesting according to [conditions] without abiding also corresponds to the third and the first meanings. Because it is without limitation, Śīlabhadra calls this the extraordinary virtue of the characteristic of tathatā; the meaning is entirely identical, because it negates both [extremes] and furthermore does not abide.