新華嚴經論 17.25

17.25

一釋品名目者，此品〈初發心功德品〉者，創始發心，見無古今，名之為初。無心智應，名之為發。身邊見盡，名之為心。不為而成大果，名之為功。但化利一切，不欣來報，自獲無邊妙相莊嚴故，名之為德。又福智遍周，名之為功。事無不達，名之為德。品者，均分義。二釋品來意者，前品說有淨行之功，此品所明淨行之中無邊功德，是故此品須來。三隨文釋義者，復分二門：第一長科經意、第二隨文解說。第一長科經意者，從初「爾時」已下至品末已來，長科為四十段。一「爾時」已下至「其量幾何」有一行半經，是天帝請說發心功德分。二「法慧菩薩言」已下至「而為汝說」可三行半經，明初發心功德甚深十種難知許說分。三「佛子」已下至「無能量者」可有五行經，明一人所供十方各一阿僧祇世界眾生，并令淨持五戒，且舉功德廣大難量分。四「法慧菩薩」已下至「亦不及一」有五行經，明將前所有廣多供養功德，不可比對初發心功德，無比喻分。五「佛子」已下至「唯佛能知」有十行經，且舉如上功德廣大分。六「法慧菩薩言」已下至「亦不及一」可兩行半經，明前功德不可比對初發心功德喻分。七「何以故」已下至「無上菩提之心」，於中有十五行經，明初心菩薩為起無限心教化一切眾生不斷佛種性分。八「佛子復置此喻」已下至「可知邊際」可有七行經，且舉速行邊際可知分。九「菩薩初發心」已下至「三藐三菩提心」可有十五行經，明初心菩薩所知世界境界無限難知分。十「佛子復置此喻」已下至「可知邊際」可有六行半經，且舉速知劫數成壞廣多可知分。十一「菩薩初發心」已下至「了知一切劫神通智」可有十六行經，明初發心菩薩了劫成壞難知分。十二「復置此喻」已下至「可知邊際」可有六行經，且舉所解廣大猶可能知分。十三「菩薩初發心至三藐三菩提心」可有二十二行經，明初發心菩薩知解廣大難知分。十四「佛子復置此喻」已下至「可知邊際」可有六行經，且舉知眾生根廣多猶能可知分。十五「菩薩初發心」已下至「三藐三菩提心」可有五行半經，明初發心菩薩善知眾生根性廣大難量分。十六「佛子復置此喻」已下至「可知邊際」可有四行經，且舉所欲樂廣大猶能可知分。十七「菩薩初發心」已下至「三藐三菩提心」可有六行經，明初心菩薩所知一切眾生欲樂廣大難知分。十八「佛子復置此喻」已下至「可知邊際」可有四行經，明且舉所知眾生方便廣大猶可知分。十九「菩薩初發心」已下至「菩提心」可有六行經，明初心菩薩善知一切眾生種種方便廣大難知分。二十「佛子復置此喻」已下至「可知邊際」可有三行經，且舉所有一切眾生心廣大猶可知分。二十一「菩薩初發心」已下有五行半經，明初發心菩薩知一切眾生差別心廣大難知分。二十二「佛子復置此喻」已下至「不可得知」有四行經，且舉所有眾生業廣大猶可知分。二十三「何以故」已下至「三藐三菩提心」可有三行經，明初心菩薩知眾生差別業廣大難知分。二十四「佛子復置此喻」已下至「可知邊際」有七行經，且舉知眾生煩惱廣大猶可能知分。二十五「菩薩初發心」已下至「三藐三菩提心」有十六行經，明初心菩薩所行一切眾生煩惱廣大難知分。二十六「佛子復置此喻」已下至「亦復如是」可有九行半經，且明供養廣大難知猶知分。二十七「佛子於汝意云何」已下至「亦不及一」可有三行經，明初發心功德廣大難知分。二十八「佛子復置是喻至亦復如是」有十行半經，明且舉供養及起塔高廣猶知分。二十九「佛子此前功德」已下至「發是心已」有六行半經，明初心菩薩供養廣大難量分，次直就法說分。三十「能知前際一切諸佛」已下至「能與諸佛平等一性」可有四行經，是明初發心已能知三世諸佛成佛及涅槃智慧平等分、攝功德分。三十一「何以故」已下至「知一切眾生三世智故發心」可有九行經，明菩薩初發心志意所求甚深深廣分。三十二「以發心故」已下至「得法界一切諸佛說法智慧」可有六行經，明菩薩發心，已得三世一切諸佛憶念與法，及自力昇進分，得果佛因佛。三十三「何以故」已下至「即得一切佛智慧光明」有十行半經。明纔初發心菩薩成佛利生同三世諸佛分、化用分。三十四「此初發心菩薩」已下至「於諸法界心無所著」有四行半經，明初發心菩薩志樂所知世間出世間法無著分。三十五「爾時佛神力故」已下有三行半經，明大地動分。三十六「天雨眾華」已下有兩行經，明諸天興供分。三十七「是時」已下有四行半經，明十方同號佛來現其前，歎譽許可法同分。三十八「汝說此法時」已下有五行經，明說此法時十方各過萬佛剎微塵數菩薩發心受記分。三十九「如此世界」已下有九行半經，明十方所說法人及法一時同說分。四十「爾時法慧菩薩」已下有六行半經，明法慧菩薩觀欲所緣之法說頌稱歎分。已下頌文有二百四十二行，四行一頌。其頌有六十段頌，都計有二百四十行。末後兩行頌，總結頌意，歎勸發心。有一百六十八行，是總都歎佛果以來五位及信等諸法。明初發心者志樂智德，總含一切諸佛智德體用，始成一念初發心菩薩位也，方明初發心境與心不二。若志樂毫氂，不似如來所修法身悲智願行者，不名初發心菩薩故。以此初頌有一百六十八行，且總歎信等六位因果及如來智德，總歎令初發心者法之相似然。後七十四行頌，始重頌前四十段中校量發心功德廣大之量。

First, explaining the chapter's title: As for this chapter, the 'Chapter on the Merit of the Initial Aspiration to Bodhi,' initiating the generation of the mind [of bodhi] while seeing that there is neither past nor present is called 'initial' (chu). Non-deliberate wisdom responding [to things] is called 'generating' (fa). The exhaustion of the view of a personal self and extreme views is called 'mind' (xin). Achieving the great fruit without contrivance is called 'efficacy' (gong). Transforming and benefiting everything while seeking no future retribution, naturally attaining boundless adornments of wondrous characteristics, is called 'virtue' (de). Moreover, when merit and wisdom are fully pervasive, that is called 'efficacy'; when affairs are universally penetrated, that is called 'virtue'. 'Chapter' (pin) has the meaning of an equal division. Second, explaining the occasion for the chapter's advent: The preceding chapter explained the efficacy of pure practice; this chapter illuminates the boundless merit within pure practice. Therefore, this chapter must follow. Third, explaining the meaning following the text: This again divides into two headings: first, a general outline of the sūtra's meaning; second, commenting according to the text. Regarding the first, the general outline of the sūtra's meaning: From the opening 'At that time' down to the end of the chapter, it is outlined into forty sections. (1) From 'At that time' down to 'how great is its measure?', consisting of about one and a half lines of the sūtra, is the section where the Lord of the Devas requests the exposition of the merit of generating the mind [of bodhi]. (2) From 'Dharmamati Bodhisattva said' down to 'and explain it for you', consisting of about three and a half lines of the sūtra, is the section revealing the ten kinds of profound, difficult-to-know aspects of the merit of the initial aspiration, and assenting to explain them. (3) From 'Children of the Buddha' down to 'none is able to measure it', consisting of about five lines of the sūtra, is the section provisionally citing the vast, immeasurable merit of a single person making offerings to sentient beings in an asaṃkhyeya of worlds in each of the ten directions and causing them to purely uphold the five precepts. (4) From 'Dharmamati Bodhisattva' down to 'does not equal even a single fraction', consisting of five lines of the sūtra, is the section of incomparable metaphor, clarifying that all the extensive merit of offering mentioned before cannot compare to the merit of the initial aspiration. (5) From 'Children of the Buddha' down to 'only the Buddhas can know', consisting of ten lines of the sūtra, is the section provisionally citing the vastness of the aforementioned merit. (6) From 'Dharmamati Bodhisattva said' down to 'does not equal even a single fraction', consisting of about two and a half lines of the sūtra, is the metaphorical section clarifying that the aforementioned merit cannot compare to the merit of the initial aspiration. (7) From 'Why is this?' down to 'the mind of unsurpassed bodhi', within which there are fifteen lines of the sūtra, is the section clarifying that the bodhisattva of the initial aspiration gives rise to an infinite mind to teach and transform all sentient beings without severing the Buddha-gotra. (8) From 'Children of the Buddha, set aside this metaphor again' down to 'its limit can be known', consisting of about seven lines of the sūtra, is the section provisionally citing that the limit of swift walking can still be known. (9) From 'When the bodhisattva first generates the mind' down to 'the mind of [samyak-]saṃbodhi', consisting of about fifteen lines of the sūtra, is the section clarifying that the realms of the world known by the bodhisattva of the initial aspiration are limitless and difficult to know. (10) From 'Children of the Buddha, set aside this metaphor again' down to 'its limit can be known', consisting of about six and a half lines of the sūtra, is the section provisionally citing that swiftly knowing the vast number of kalpas of formation and disintegration can still be known. (11) From 'When the bodhisattva first generates the mind' down to 'the supernormal wisdom that completely knows all kalpas', consisting of about sixteen lines of the sūtra, is the section clarifying that the initial-aspiration bodhisattva's complete understanding of the formation and disintegration of kalpas is difficult to know. (12) From 'Set aside this metaphor again' down to 'its limit can be known', consisting of about six lines of the sūtra, is the section provisionally citing that extensive understanding can still be known. (13) From 'When the bodhisattva first generates the mind to the mind of [samyak-]saṃbodhi', consisting of about twenty-two lines of the sūtra, is the section clarifying that the initial-aspiration bodhisattva's extensive knowledge and understanding is difficult to know. (14) From 'Children of the Buddha, set aside this metaphor again' down to 'its limit can be known', consisting of about six lines of the sūtra, is the section provisionally citing that knowing the vast faculties of sentient beings can still be known. (15) From 'When the bodhisattva first generates the mind' down to 'the mind of [samyak-]saṃbodhi', consisting of about five and a half lines of the sūtra, is the section clarifying that the initial-aspiration bodhisattva's skillful knowledge of the vast faculties of sentient beings is difficult to measure. (16) From 'Children of the Buddha, set aside this metaphor again' down to 'its limit can be known', consisting of about four lines of the sūtra, is the section provisionally citing that extensive desires and inclinations can still be known. (17) From 'When the bodhisattva first generates the mind' down to 'the mind of [samyak-]saṃbodhi', consisting of about six lines of the sūtra, is the section clarifying that the initial-aspiration bodhisattva's knowledge of the vast desires and inclinations of all sentient beings is difficult to know. (18) From 'Children of the Buddha, set aside this metaphor again' down to 'its limit can be known', consisting of about four lines of the sūtra, is the section provisionally citing that the known vast expedients of sentient beings can still be known. (19) From 'When the bodhisattva first generates the mind' down to 'the mind of bodhi', consisting of about six lines of the sūtra, is the section clarifying that the initial-aspiration bodhisattva's skillful knowledge of the vast, varied expedients of all sentient beings is difficult to know. (20) From 'Children of the Buddha, set aside this metaphor again' down to 'its limit can be known', consisting of about three lines of the sūtra, is the section provisionally citing that the vast minds of all sentient beings can still be known. (21) From 'When the bodhisattva first generates the mind' onward, consisting of five and a half lines of the sūtra, is the section clarifying that the initial-aspiration bodhisattva's knowledge of the vast, differentiated minds of all sentient beings is difficult to know. (22) From 'Children of the Buddha, set aside this metaphor again' down to 'cannot be known', consisting of four lines of the sūtra, is the section provisionally citing that the vast karma of all sentient beings can still be known. (23) From 'Why is this?' down to 'the mind of [samyak-]saṃbodhi', consisting of about three lines of the sūtra, is the section clarifying that the initial-aspiration bodhisattva's knowledge of the vast, differentiated karma of sentient beings is difficult to know. (24) From 'Children of the Buddha, set aside this metaphor again' down to 'its limit can be known', consisting of seven lines of the sūtra, is the section provisionally citing that knowing the vast afflictions of sentient beings can still be known. (25) From 'When the bodhisattva first generates the mind' down to 'the mind of [samyak-]saṃbodhi', consisting of sixteen lines of the sūtra, is the section clarifying that the initial-aspiration bodhisattva's practice concerning the vast afflictions of all sentient beings is difficult to know. (26) From 'Children of the Buddha, set aside this metaphor again' down to 'is likewise also thus', consisting of about nine and a half lines of the sūtra, is the section provisionally clarifying that vast offerings, though difficult to know, can still be known. (27) From 'Children of the Buddha, what do you think in your mind?' down to 'does not equal even a single fraction', consisting of about three lines of the sūtra, is the section clarifying that the merit of the initial aspiration is vast and difficult to know. (28) From 'Children of the Buddha, set aside this metaphor again to is likewise also thus', consisting of ten and a half lines of the sūtra, is the section provisionally citing that making offerings and erecting lofty, expansive stūpas can still be known. (29) From 'Children of the Buddha, this aforementioned merit' down to 'having generated this mind', consisting of six and a half lines of the sūtra, is the section clarifying that the initial-aspiration bodhisattva's offerings are vast and difficult to measure, followed directly by the section explaining the Dharma as such. (30) From 'Can know all Buddhas of the past limit' down to 'can be of equal, single nature with all Buddhas', consisting of about four lines of the sūtra, is the section clarifying that having initially generated the aspiration, one can already know the wisdom of all Buddhas of the three periods of time regarding their attainment of Buddhahood and nirvāṇa as equal, which is the section on subsuming merit. (31) From 'Why is this?' down to 'generating the aspiration because of the wisdom that knows all sentient beings of the three periods of time', consisting of about nine lines of the sūtra, is the section clarifying that what the bodhisattva's initial aspiration aspires to and seeks is extremely profound and expansive. (32) From 'Because of generating the aspiration' down to 'obtains the wisdom of all Buddhas of the dharmadhātu in expounding the Dharma', consisting of about six lines of the sūtra, is the section clarifying that by generating the aspiration, the bodhisattva already attains the mindfulness of all Buddhas of the three periods of time and their bestowal of Dharma, as well as advancing by one's own power, obtaining the fruitional Buddha and the causal Buddha. (33) From 'Why is this?' down to 'immediately attains the radiance of the wisdom of all Buddhas', consisting of ten and a half lines of the sūtra, is the section clarifying that the bodhisattva who has merely first generated the aspiration attains Buddhahood and benefits sentient beings equally with all Buddhas of the three periods of time, which is the section on transformative function. (34) From 'This initial-aspiration bodhisattva' down to 'in all dharmadhātus the mind is unattached', consisting of about four and a half lines of the sūtra, is the section clarifying that the initial-aspiration bodhisattva's aspiration, inclination, and knowledge of mundane and supramundane dharmas are free from attachment. (35) From 'At that time, due to the Buddha's spiritual power' onward, consisting of three and a half lines of the sūtra, is the section clarifying the shaking of the great earth. (36) From 'The heavens rained down many flowers' onward, consisting of two lines of the sūtra, is the section clarifying the devas presenting offerings. (37) From 'At that time' onward, consisting of about four and a half lines of the sūtra, is the section clarifying that Buddhas of the ten directions with the same name appear before him, praising, endorsing, and verifying that the Dharma is identical. (38) From 'When you expounded this Dharma' onward, consisting of five lines of the sūtra, is the section clarifying that when this Dharma was expounded, bodhisattvas in each of the ten directions numbering as many as the dust motes of ten thousand Buddha-lands generated the aspiration and received prediction. (39) From 'Just as in this world' onward, consisting of about nine and a half lines of the sūtra, is the section clarifying that the expounding persons and the Dharmas expounded across the ten directions simultaneously expounded it identically. (40) From 'At that time Dharmamati Bodhisattva' onward, consisting of about six and a half lines of the sūtra, is the section clarifying Dharmamati Bodhisattva observing the Dharma that was the object of inclination and speaking verses of praise. The verse text below has 242 lines, four lines per gāthā. The verses comprise sixty sections of gāthās, totaling 240 lines. The final two lines of verse summarize the verses' intent, praising and exhorting the generation of the aspiration. There are 168 lines that generally praise the five stages and the dharmas of faith and the rest up to the Buddha fruit. They clarify that the initial aspirant's aspiration, inclination, wisdom, and virtue encompass all the essence and function of the wisdom and virtues of all Buddhas, only then constituting the stage of the single-thought initial-aspiration bodhisattva; only then is it clarified that the object of initial aspiration and the mind are non-dual. For if the aspiration and inclination diverge by even a hair's breadth from the dharmakāya, compassion, wisdom, vows, and practices cultivated by the Tathāgata, one is not called an initial-aspiration bodhisattva. Because of this, the opening verses consist of 168 lines, provisionally praising altogether the cause and effect of the six stages such as faith, as well as the Tathāgata's wisdom and virtue, praising them in full so as to cause the initial aspirant to conform with and resemble them. Only after that do the seventy-four lines of verse repeat in verse the comparative measuring of the vast scale of the merit of generating the aspiration found in the previous forty sections.