新華嚴經論 13.8

13.8

二釋品來意者，大意有五：一答前世主三十七問，佛海、眾生海、波羅蜜海等。此品示業果報、示法果報，答前所問故。明向前是佛光明神力答，此品示其佛行海、眼耳鼻舌波羅蜜海、遍法界海、眾生業行海故。三十七問一時總答，令大眾海悟佛所行，入普賢菩薩所行也，故號佛華嚴經。二令諸現在未來始發菩提心者，識佛所行及菩薩行海，佛菩薩大慈悲海，能普遍法界海、眾生行業海而利益之，令到究竟岸故。既見是已，而倣斆之，學佛行故，令始發心者悲智圓滿，行解不錯謬故。三令始發心菩薩，知眾生業報同異差別，由心造故。四令始發心者，知眾生界廣大，等法界虛空界，如影相入重重無盡，依住各別，佛菩薩行悉充滿故。五令始發心菩薩，知諸佛菩薩境界海、眾生境界海一異不可得故，隨眾生自業轉變剎海轉變故，隨自業成壞剎海成壞故。以此眾因緣故，此品須來，發初蒙故。若無此品，初心菩薩云何知其如來攝生如來行門，及以眾生行業世界廣狹之相。若不知者，依何發心，乘佛大悲普濟願行廣度？以是義故，如下頌云「離諸諂誑心清淨，常樂慈悲性歡喜，志欲廣大深信人，彼聞此法生欣悅。安住普賢諸願地，修行菩薩清淨道，觀察法界虛空界，此乃能知佛行處。」若不說眾生界、法界、佛界、菩薩境界，虛空無二無盡，如影重重依住者，所有發心者設不入二乘道，修菩薩行但得權教菩薩，心常染淨而有限礙，不入佛境界故，有自佛他佛及以國剎分劑，有往來所依處故。如三乘中所說淨土在於他方，菩薩願生其中是也。說此品者，意欲令初發菩提心者，知眾生境界、諸佛境界廣大之相，重重無礙無盡之相，佛及菩薩願行含覆利益纖塵無遺故，此品須來。

2. Explaining the chapter's purpose: In main import there are five: First, to answer the world rulers' previous thirty-seven questions concerning the ocean of Buddhas, the ocean of sentient beings, the ocean of pāramitās, and so forth. This chapter reveals karmic retribution and reveals Dharma retribution to answer what was asked before. Previously it was answered by the Buddha's light and spiritual power; this chapter reveals the ocean of the Buddha's practices, the ocean of the pāramitās of eyes, ears, nose, and tongue, the ocean that pervades the dharmadhātu, and the ocean of sentient beings' karmic practices. The thirty-seven questions are all answered simultaneously at once, causing the ocean-like great assembly to awaken to what the Buddha practices and enter what Samantabhadra Bodhisattva practices; hence it is titled the Buddhāvataṃsaka Sūtra. Second, to cause all those who initially generate the bodhicitta in the present and future to recognize the ocean of the Buddha's practices and bodhisattva practices, and the ocean of great compassion of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, which can universally benefit the ocean of the dharmadhātu and the ocean of sentient beings' karmic practices, causing them to reach the ultimate shore. Having seen this, they imitate it to learn the Buddha's practice, causing beginners who generate the mind to have complete compassion and wisdom, so that their practice and understanding are free of error. Third, to cause bodhisattvas who initially generate the mind to know that the similarities, differences, and distinctions in sentient beings' karmic retributions are created by the mind. Fourth, to cause beginners who generate the mind to know that the realm of sentient beings is vast and great, equal to the dharmadhātu and space, mutually entering like shadows layer upon layer inexhaustibly, distinct in their bases and abodes, and fully pervaded by the practices of Buddhas and bodhisattvas. Fifth, to cause bodhisattvas who initially generate the mind to know that the oceans of realms of all Buddhas and bodhisattvas and the oceans of realms of sentient beings cannot be grasped as one or different; because land-oceans transform in accordance with sentient beings' own karma, and land-oceans form and decay in accordance with their own karma. Through these various causes and conditions, this chapter must follow, in order to instruct beginners. If this chapter were absent, how could initial-mind bodhisattvas know the approaches of the Tathāgata's practice and embracing of sentient beings, as well as the broad and narrow aspects of the worlds of sentient beings' karmic practices? If they did not know them, on what basis would they generate the mind and rely on the Buddha's vows and practices of great compassion and universal salvation to broadly rescue [beings]? For this reason, as the verse below says: "Those free from all deceit, whose minds are pure, / who constantly delight in compassion, joyful by nature, / whose aspirations are vast, persons of deep faith— / hearing this Dharma, they rejoice. / Abiding in the ground of Samantabhadra's vows, / cultivating the bodhisattva's pure path, / contemplating the dharmadhātu and the realm of space, / these alone can know the spheres of the Buddha's practice." If one does not explain that the realm of sentient beings, the dharmadhātu, the realm of the Buddhas, and the realm of bodhisattvas are non-dual and inexhaustible like space, abiding layer upon layer like shadows, then even if all those who generate the mind do not enter the path of the two vehicles, in cultivating bodhisattva practice they will only become bodhisattvas of the provisional teachings; their minds will constantly distinguish defilement and purity and will have limitations and obstructions, failing to enter the Buddha's realm, having demarcations of one's own Buddha, other Buddhas, and country-lands, and having bases to which they come and go. It is like what is taught in the three vehicles, where pure lands exist in other directions and bodhisattvas vow to be born therein. This chapter is spoken with the intention of causing those who initially generate the bodhicitta to know the vast and great aspects of the realm of sentient beings and the realm of Buddhas, their mutually unhindered and inexhaustible aspects layer upon layer, and that the vows and practices of Buddhas and bodhisattvas envelop and benefit them without omitting a single speck of dust; therefore this chapter must follow.