大華嚴經略策 1.21

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第十四、聖賢位次。問：大小乘經皆立次位，未知此教次位如何？答：理無淺深，證有階降。以無為法賢聖不同，或階位歷然，或無所位次，各取一義未盡源流。今無位無差不礙位次差別，略有二門：一者行布，二者圓融，此二相資互無障礙。言行布者，次位歷然，故涉四天，別陳六位。第二會雜修十信顯十甚深，第三會忉利天宮方說十住，第四會夜摩天內彰十行法門，第五兜率陀天說十迴向，第六他化天內說十地法門，第七普光法堂正說等妙二覺，第八一會正顯圓融。言十信者，一信心、二進心、三念心、四定心、五慧心、六戒心、七不退心、八護法心、九願心、十迴向心。雖具十心，未成次位，不立階差，但彰十種甚深以顯隨緣行願，而其德用該攝始終，已如上說。言十住者，一發心住、二治地住、三修行住、四生貴住、五具足方便住、六正心住、七不退住、八童真住、九法王子住、十灌頂住。文義宏深備於本會。言十行者，一歡喜行、二饒益行、三無違逆行、四無屈橈行、五離癡亂行、六善現行、七無著行、八難得行、九善法行、十真實行，然即如次是布施等行。十度法門雖兼多門，十度為主。言十迴向者，一救護眾生離眾生相迴向、二不壞迴向、三等一切佛迴向、四至一切處迴向、五無盡功德藏迴向、六隨順堅固一切善根迴向、七等隨順一切眾生迴向、八真如相迴向、九無縛無著解脫迴向、十入法界無量迴向。一一位中備修諸度而為所迴向，一一迴向三處：一迴向無上菩提、二迴向一切眾生、三迴向真如實際。前二為隨相迴向，後一為離相迴向。隨離不二、事理齊修，悲智雙運則親能證入。言十地者，一歡喜地、二離垢地、三發光地、四焰慧地、五難勝地、六現前地、七遠行地、八不動地、九善慧地、十法雲地。然此十地由修十勝行、斷十種障礙、證十真如，故分十地。一一地皆有四道：一方便道、二證道、三助道、四無住道，謂各修加行為方便道，正證真如以為證道，兼修諸行以為助道，權實雙流不住生死及與涅槃為不住道。言第七會明等、妙二覺者，有十一品經。前之六品明等覺位，謂一〈十定品〉，二〈十通品〉，三〈十忍品〉，四〈阿僧祇品〉，五〈如來壽量品〉，六〈菩薩住處品〉。言等覺者，已超十地等於妙覺，約等妙覺亦名如來，雖等而修亦名菩薩，經廣顯相。言妙覺者，有五品經：謂一〈佛不思議法品〉總明佛德；二〈十身相海品〉別顯大相；三〈隨好光明功德品〉別明隨好；四〈普賢行品〉總顯圓因止；五〈出現品〉總彰果用，朗然大悟，離覺、所覺，故名妙覺。上辨行布，前後階差淺深不雜。二明圓融者，以性融相，一位之中具一切位，或初攝後、或後攝初，初後攝中、中攝初後，四十二位成四十重相攝之義，故第八會具有六位所明行法，而沒位名頓彰諸行，初心頓覺亦許頓修，故普慧菩薩發二百問，普賢菩薩申二千答為二千行，一一圓收。謂隨一行即攝二千行，行行皆爾，為圓融也。然行布圓融說有前後，義乃一時。若不備歷四天，無以彰其行布；若不一會頓說，安能顯其圓融？行布是教相施設，圓融乃理性德用，相是性之相，故行布不礙圓融；性是相之性，故圓融不礙行布。圓融不礙行布，故則一為無量；行布不礙圓融，故則無量為一。無量為一則融通隱隱，一為無量則涉入重重，故唯智知，凡情難測。謹對。

Fourteenth: The Stages of the Nobles and Sages. Question: Both Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna sūtras establish gradual stages; what are the stages like in this teaching? Answer: Principle has no shallowness or depth, but realization has gradations. Because of the unconditioned dharma, sages and nobles differ; either the gradual stages are distinct, or there are no stages at all—each takes one meaning, not exhausting the source. Now, neither having stages nor having differences does not obstruct the distinction of stages. There are briefly two gates: first, sequential arrangement; second, perfect interfusion. These two mutually support each other without mutual obstruction. Regarding sequential arrangement, the stages are distinct; thus they traverse four heavens and separately set forth six stages. In the second assembly, they variously practice the ten faiths to reveal the ten profound [principles]; in the third assembly, at the Trāyastriṃśa heavenly palace, they only then speak of the ten abodes; in the fourth assembly, within the Yāma heaven, they reveal the Dharma-gate of the ten practices; in the fifth, in the Tuṣita heaven, they speak of the ten dedications; in the sixth, within the Paranirmitavaśavartin heaven, they speak of the Dharma-gate of the ten stages; in the seventh, at the Dharma-hall of Universal Light, they speak directly of the two enlightenments, equal and wondrous; in the eighth single assembly, they reveal perfect interfusion directly. Regarding the ten faiths, they are: 1. the faithful mind, 2. the vigorous mind, 3. the mindful mind, 4. the concentrated mind, 5. the wise mind, 6. the precept-observing mind, 7. the non-regressing mind, 8. the Dharma-protecting mind, 9. the vow mind, 10. the dedicating mind. Although possessing the ten minds, they do not yet form gradual stages and do not establish gradations; they merely reveal the ten kinds of profundities to display the practices and vows that accord with conditions, and their virtuous functions encompass the beginning and the end, as explained above. Regarding the ten abodes, they are: 1. the abode of generating the mind, 2. the abode of preparing the ground, 3. the abode of cultivation, 4. the abode of noble birth, 5. the abode of complete skillful means, 6. the abode of the upright mind, 7. the abode of non-regression, 8. the abode of the youthful state, 9. the abode of the Dharma prince, 10. the abode of empowerment. Their text and meaning are vast and profound, fully present in their own assembly. Regarding the ten practices, they are: 1. the practice of joy, 2. the practice of beneficial action, 3. the practice of non-opposition, 4. the practice of indomitability, 5. the practice of freedom from confusion and delusion, 6. the practice of good manifestation, 7. the practice of non-attachment, 8. the practice of difficulty of attainment, 9. the practice of good dharmas, 10. the practice of truth. In sequence, these are the practices of giving and so forth. Although the Dharma-gates of the ten pāramitās encompass many gates, the ten pāramitās are primary. Regarding the ten dedications, they are: 1. the dedication to rescuing and protecting sentient beings while being free from the characteristic of sentient beings, 2. the indestructible dedication, 3. the dedication equal to all Buddhas, 4. the dedication reaching all places, 5. the dedication of the inexhaustible treasury of merits, 6. the dedication according with and firm in all roots of goodness, 7. the dedication equally according with all sentient beings, 8. the dedication with the characteristic of tathatā, 9. the dedication of unbinding and unattached liberation, 10. the dedication entering the boundless dharmadhātu. In each single stage, one fully cultivates the various pāramitās as what is dedicated; each dedication is made toward three places: 1. dedicated to unsurpassable bodhi, 2. dedicated to all sentient beings, 3. dedicated to the true reality of tathatā. The first two are dedications conforming to characteristics; the last is dedication free from characteristics. Conforming and being free are non-dual, principle and phenomena are cultivated together, and when compassion and wisdom are operated in tandem, one can personally realize and enter. Regarding the ten stages, they are: 1. the Joyous stage, 2. the Immaculate stage, 3. the Luminous stage, 4. the Radiant stage, 5. the Difficult to Conquer stage, 6. the Manifest stage, 7. the Far-Reaching stage, 8. the Immovable stage, 9. the Good Wisdom stage, 10. the Cloud of Dharma stage. Now, these ten stages are divided into ten stages because of cultivating the ten superior practices, severing the ten kinds of obstructions, and realizing the ten aspects of tathatā. Each stage has four paths: 1. the path of skillful means, 2. the path of realization, 3. the auxiliary path, 4. the non-abiding path. That is, each cultivating preliminary practice is the path of skillful means; directly realizing tathatā is the path of realization; concurrently cultivating the various practices is the auxiliary path; and the dual flow of the provisional and the real, abiding neither in saṃsāra nor nirvāṇa, is the non-abiding path. Regarding the seventh assembly explaining the two enlightenments of equal and wondrous, there are eleven chapters of the sūtra. The first six chapters clarify the stage of equal enlightenment, namely: 1. 'Chapter on the Ten Samādhis', 2. 'Chapter on the Ten Supernormal Knowledges', 3. 'Chapter on the Ten Patiences', 4. 'Chapter on Incalculable Numbers', 5. 'Chapter on the Lifespan of the Tathāgata', 6. 'Chapter on the Bodhisattvas' Dwelling Places'. 'Equal enlightenment' means already transcending the ten stages and equaling wondrous enlightenment; in terms of equaling wondrous enlightenment, it is also named Tathāgata; though equal, it still cultivates, so it is also named bodhisattva; the sūtra explains its characteristics extensively. Regarding wondrous enlightenment, there are five chapters of the sūtra: 1. 'Chapter on the Inconceivable Dharmas of the Buddha', generally clarifying the Buddha's virtues; 2. 'Chapter on the Ocean of Characteristics of the Ten Bodies', separately revealing the great characteristics; 3. 'Chapter on the Merits of the Radiance of the Minor Marks', separately clarifying the minor marks; 4. 'Chapter on the Practices of Samantabhadra', generally revealing the complete cause; 5. 'Chapter on the Manifestation [of the Tathāgata]', generally displaying the functions of the fruit: brightly having the great awakening, free from the perceiver and the perceived, hence named wondrous enlightenment. The above explains sequential arrangement, where before and after, gradations, and shallowness and depth are not confounded. Second, to clarify perfect interfusion: using nature to fuse characteristics, a single stage contains all stages: either the beginning includes the end, or the end includes the beginning; the beginning and the end include the middle, and the middle includes the beginning and the end; the forty-two stages form the meaning of forty-fold mutual containment. Therefore, the eighth assembly fully possesses the practices explained in the six stages, yet eliminates the names of the stages to suddenly display all practices; at the initial mind one suddenly awakens, and one is also permitted to cultivate suddenly. Thus Bodhisattva Samantamati raises two hundred questions, and Bodhisattva Samantabhadra offers two thousand answers, making two thousand practices, each completely encompassing [all]. That is, any single practice contains the two thousand practices; every practice is like this, which is perfect interfusion. Although sequential arrangement and perfect interfusion are spoken of as before and after, their meaning is simultaneous. Were one not to traverse all four heavens, one could not display their sequential arrangement; were it not suddenly spoken in a single assembly, how could one reveal their perfect interfusion? Sequential arrangement is the pedagogical establishment of doctrinal characteristics, while perfect interfusion is the virtuous function of the nature of principle. Characteristics are the characteristics of nature, so sequential arrangement does not obstruct perfect interfusion; nature is the nature of characteristics, so perfect interfusion does not obstruct sequential arrangement. Because perfect interfusion does not obstruct sequential arrangement, the one is immeasurable; because sequential arrangement does not obstruct perfect interfusion, the immeasurable is one. When the immeasurable is one, fusion and penetration are hidden and subtle; when the one is immeasurable, interpenetration and entrance are manifold. Therefore, only wisdom knows this; it is difficult for ordinary feelings to fathom. Respectfully answered.