新華嚴經論 11.19

11.19

二寄位表法者，寄阿脩羅位，表救護一切眾生離眾生相迴向。為明此初迴向，如阿脩羅雖處大海，而海水不沒；雖同天趣，無天妙樂故。如此位菩薩處於生死，無生死中五欲之樂；雖處涅槃，無涅槃中寂滅之樂，故名救護眾生離眾生相迴向。又如〈法界品〉云「成就如來高出世間阿脩羅王」。又王者自在義，明此位菩薩於涅槃生死中而得自在故。又阿脩羅，亦云阿素羅，阿之言無，素云遊故，又云妙。又羅云戲。如《婆沙論》釋為非天也。雖天趣攝，為多諂詐，無天妙樂。象此位菩薩行大悲方便萬行，似如諂詐、似如生死，無有人天五欲無常、涅槃出世寂滅之樂。主十迴向中檀波羅蜜門。舊名不須，此舊翻謬矣。或云毘摩之母，以本從生故，故名劣天。如《阿含經》云「劫初成時，光音天來入海中洗浴。水觸其身，失精在水，還成肉卵。經八千歲，乃生一女。身若須彌，有九百九十頭，頭有千眼，有九百九十口。口有四牙，牙上出火，猶如礕礰。二十四手，九百九十脚，在海浮戲。水精入身，生一肉卵。經八千歲，生毘摩質多羅，身有九頭，頭有千眼，口中出水，有九百九十手，有八脚。其形四倍大於須彌山，純食淤泥及以藕根。又與天諍。」廣如《正法念經》說。然阿脩羅住處有五：一地上眾寶山中。二云在須彌山北下，入大海二萬一千由旬，有阿脩羅王名羅睺，此云障礙，能以手障日月明，領無量眾。三從此更下二萬一千由旬，有阿脩羅王名勇健，亦領多眾。四復過二萬一千由旬，有阿脩羅王名花鬘，亦領諸眾。第五復過是數，名毘摩質多羅，此云響高，是舍脂父。舍脂是天帝釋后，父與天帝釋鬪戰時，發自海中揚聲大叫云：「我是毘摩質多羅。我是毘摩質多羅。」時閻浮提山岳一時震動。亦名穴居，謂彼中有光明城，於中住故。或天趣攝。已上《佛地論》。依毘曇，鬼趣攝。又毘摩質多羅，此云種種事。又毘摩者，此云遍空。質多羅，云種種嚴儀。言此脩羅與帝釋戰時，嚴備種種軍仗之儀遍空而列。舊云響高，又曰穴居者，非。此依唐朝禮法師等翻，是第四惡趣攝。如經中十種阿脩羅王表位進修中，以明菩薩大悲徹下，如大海而得其底。身出大海，明菩薩不沒惡道，能離自憍慢故。以真攝俗，真俗圓融，處苦海而恒出，寄其此位表迴向法門。

Second, 'lodging the stage to symbolize the Dharma' means lodging in the stage of the asuras to symbolize the dedication of merit of rescuing and protecting all sentient beings while being free from the conception of sentient beings. This illuminates that in this first dedication of merit, just as an asura, although dwelling in the great ocean, is not submerged by the ocean water; and although belonging to the deva-destiny, lacks the wondrous bliss of the devas; so too the bodhisattvas of this stage dwell in saṃsāra without the bliss of the five desires of saṃsāra, and although dwelling in nirvāṇa, lack the bliss of the cessation of nirvāṇa; hence it is called the dedication of merit of rescuing and protecting sentient beings while being free from the conception of sentient beings. Furthermore, as the 'Chapter on the Dharmadhātu' says: 'The asura kings who have accomplished the Tathāgata's lofty transcendence of the world.' Moreover, 'king' signifies mastery, illuminating that the bodhisattvas of this stage attain mastery within nirvāṇa and saṃsāra. Furthermore, asura is also called asura; 'a' means non-, 'sura' means traveling, or wondrous; 'ra' means sport. As the *Vibhāṣā* explains, they are 'non-devas.' Although subsumed under the deva destiny, because they are largely deceitful, they lack the wondrous bliss of devas. This symbolizes that the bodhisattvas of this stage practice the myriad practices of great compassion and expedient means, appearing as if deceitful and as if in saṃsāra, without the impermanent pleasures of the five desires of humans and devas or the world-transcending bliss of the cessation of nirvāṇa. It presides over the gate of the perfection of giving (dānapāramitā) among the ten dedications of merit. The old name was 'not-needing' (bùxū), but this old translation is an error. Some say 'mother of Vemacitrin,' because they originally arose from her; hence they are called 'inferior devas.' As the Āgama says: 'When the kalpa first formed, an Ābhāsvara deva came into the ocean to bathe. The water touched his body, and his semen was discharged into the water, turning into a flesh-egg. After eight thousand years, a female was born. Her body was like Sumeru, with nine hundred and ninety heads, a thousand eyes on each head, and nine hundred and ninety mouths. In each mouth were four fangs, from which fire shot forth like thunderbolts. She had twenty-four arms and nine hundred and ninety legs, floating and playing in the ocean. Water essence entered her body and gave birth to a flesh-egg. After eight thousand years, it gave birth to Vemacitrin, whose body had nine heads, a thousand eyes on each head, water flowing from his mouths, nine hundred and ninety arms, and eight legs. His form was four times larger than Mount Sumeru, and he ate purely silt and lotus roots. Moreover, he fought with the devas.' This is explained in detail as in the *Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna Sūtra*. Furthermore, the dwelling places of asuras are five: first, among the mountains of jewels on the earth; second, twenty-one thousand yojanas north beneath Mount Sumeru, entering the great ocean, where there is an asura king named Rāhu, which means 'obstacle,' who can obstruct the light of the sun and moon with his hands, commanding immeasurable assemblies; third, further down twenty-one thousand yojanas from this, where there is an asura king named Courageous, who also commands many assemblies; fourth, again beyond twenty-one thousand yojanas, where there is an asura king named Flower-Garland, who also commands various assemblies; fifth, again beyond this number, named Vemacitrin, which means 'loud sound,' who is the father of Śacī. Śacī is the consort of the heavenly lord Indra. When her father fought with Indra, he raised his voice from the ocean and shouted loudly: 'I am Vemacitrin! I am Vemacitrin!' At that time, the mountains of Jambudvīpa shook all at once. They are also called 'cave-dwellers,' meaning that they have a city of light within where they dwell. Alternatively, they are subsumed under the deva destiny. The above is from the *Buddhabhūmi-śāstra*. According to the Abhidharma, they are subsumed under the ghost destiny. Furthermore, Vemacitrin is translated as 'various affairs.' Moreover, 'Vema' means 'pervading space,' and 'citrin' means 'various adornments and insignia.' This means that when this asura fought with Indra, he arrayed various military weapons and insignia, lining them up pervading space. The old translation of 'loud sound' and 'cave-dweller' is incorrect. This follows the translation of Dharma Master Li and others of the Tang dynasty; they are subsumed under the fourth evil destiny. As in the sūtra where the ten kinds of asura kings symbolize the progress of stages, this illuminates that the bodhisattva's great compassion penetrates to the bottom, reaching the floor of the great ocean. Their bodies emerging from the great ocean illuminates that the bodhisattva does not sink into evil destinies and is able to leave behind self-arrogance. Encompassing the conventional through the ultimate, the ultimate and conventional are harmoniously fused; constantly emerging while abiding in the ocean of suffering, this stage is lodged to symbolize the Dharma-gate of dedication of merit.