大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 90.8

90.8

Regarding the commentary's "Or in a single city encountering multiple spiritual friends": this is like the night deities who are mostly in the Buddha's assembly. Regarding "Or seeking a single spiritual friend passing through multiple cities": this is like passing through many cities over twelve years at Vimukti's place seeking the Samantamukha Sūtra, and so on. This meaning is superior to the former. Regarding the commentary's "The first one is general, and the remaining eight are specific": the general consists of instruction, guidance, benefit, and rejoicing. "Instruction" means showing the Dharma gate; "guidance" means exhorting them to cultivate; "benefit" means bringing about awakening and accomplishing benefit; "rejoicing" means according with their capacities to bring them joy. The specific lines in the scripture begin from "replete with immeasurable"; the commentary explains them according to their difficulties. First it presents the first line as distinct from the sixth; lines two, three, four, and five are not explained at all. Later it explains lines seven and eight, having two meanings: first, explaining them according to the line as belonging to the two persons; second, explaining them together, because Mañjuśrī is the one who can abide, and Samantabhadra's bodhimaṇḍa is the place that is abided in. Regarding "This also has the same meaning as indicating the subsequent friend": it is also because of establishing the bodhimaṇḍa of Samantabhadra's practices. There is no explicit indication in the text, hence it says "has the same meaning."