新華嚴經論 18.13

18.13

一釋品名目者，何故名夜摩天宮？明以處表法。此天名為時分天，為此天無日月晦明，以蓮華開為晝、合為夜故，名時分天故。為表十行法門知時而應，總化不可不知時故，故以時分天以表知根而對行，不可一向為也。知是人天種、二乘三乘一乘種，可以何善根而接引之故。以時分天以表所行之行，須以知時故。須彌山以表十住之法門，明從信昇進，離凡夫地故。又表十住之位，初登法頂至相盡處故。又表須彌處大海中，高八萬四千由旬，非手足所攀緣而昇上故。明初十住之位，非以有心思求觀行攀緣所及；以無思不為蕩然智應，萬法無依，方可昇也。此十行之位處夜摩之中，明依空而住，不與人連。十行亦然，依法空而行，行知時而益俗也，故處此天而表之也。於兜率天說〈十迴向〉，為明其處居欲界天之中，又明此天樂知足也，以表十迴向以迴正智處俗利生，處大悲門饒益一切，於諸境界無所貪求故，處此天以為所表。昇他化天說十地法門者，超過化樂明至欲界際，表十地自在超昇化樂，至欲界之頂，化心魔王至欲盡際故。昇第三禪說佛華法門，明普賢行滿，表以行法悅無盡眾生故。又彰第四禪是佛位故。此約進修昇降表法，且如是安立，然其理智一一遍周，無去來也，以此皆云「不離菩提道場普光明殿而昇忉利夜摩兜率」等。如第三禪超初禪二禪者，明位位倍勝故。此一會未有來文。是《瓔珞本業經》，如來領聲聞菩薩眾，向菩提樹下，說往昔於菩提樹下初成正覺時說《法界經》，一一排次至第三禪故，是故於此夜摩天以表十行。

First, as for explaining the chapter title: Why is it called "the Yama Deva Palace"? It shows that the place signifies the Dharma. This heaven is called "the Heaven of Time Divisions" (Suyāma) because this heaven has no sun or moon for dark and bright; it takes the opening of lotus blossoms as day and their closing as night, hence it is called "the Heaven of Time Divisions." To symbolize that the teaching of the ten practices accords with the times, universal transformation cannot fail to know the times; therefore, the Heaven of Time Divisions is used to symbolize knowing faculties and matching practices accordingly, which must not be done inflexibly. One knows whether they are of the seeds of humans and devas, of the two vehicles, of the three vehicles, or of the One Vehicle, and by what wholesome roots they may be guided. Thus, the Heaven of Time Divisions is used to symbolize that the practice one performs must know the times. Mount Sumeru symbolizes the teaching of the ten abodes, showing advance from faith and leaving the ground of ordinary beings. It also symbolizes that in the stage of the ten abodes, one first ascends to the peak of Dharma, reaching the point where characteristics are exhausted. It also symbolizes that Sumeru stands in the midst of the great ocean, eighty-four thousand yojanas high, and is not to be ascended by climbing with hands and feet. This shows that the stage of the initial ten abodes is not reached by intentional seeking, contemplation, and grasping; it can only be ascended through non-intentional, non-active, vast and open wise response, where the myriad phenomena have nothing to rely upon. This stage of the ten practices is set in Yama, showing that it dwells relying on emptiness and is not connected to humans. The ten practices are likewise: they proceed relying on the emptiness of phenomena, and their practice knows the times so as to benefit the worldly; therefore, dwelling in this heaven symbolizes this. Preaching the "Ten Dedications of Merit" in Tuṣita heaven shows that its location resides in the middle of the desire-realm heavens, and also shows that this heaven is joyful and content, symbolizing that the ten dedications turn correct wisdom toward the worldly to benefit sentient beings, dwelling in the gate of great compassion to bring welfare to all, without greed or seeking regarding any realm; hence dwelling in this heaven serves as its symbol. Ascending to the Heaven of Controlling Others' Emanations (Paranirmitavaśavartin) to preach the teaching of the ten grounds goes beyond the Heaven of Delighting in Emanations (Nirmāṇarati), showing the reach to the limit of the desire realm, symbolizing that the ten grounds have sovereign transcendence over delighting in emanations, reaching the peak of the desire realm, transforming the mind of the Māra king up to the limit where desire is exhausted. Ascending to the Third Dhyāna to preach the teaching of the Buddha's flowers shows the completion of Samantabhadra's practices, symbolizing the delighting of inexhaustible sentient beings through the practice of the Dharma. It also clarifies that the Fourth Dhyāna is the Buddha stage. These symbolize the Dharma in terms of the ascent and descent of progressive cultivation, temporarily established in this way; yet in principle and wisdom, each and every one is universally pervasive, without coming or going. Therefore it is always said: "Without leaving the bodhimaṇḍa and the Universal Light Hall, [the Tathāgata] ascends to Trāyastriṃśa, Yama, Tuṣita," and so forth. Just as the Third Dhyāna surpasses the First and Second Dhyānas, this shows that stage by stage they are progressively superior. This one assembly has no incoming text [here]. In the Yingluo benye jing, the Tathāgata leads the assembly of śrāvakas and bodhisattvas to the bodhi tree and relates how, long ago, beneath the bodhi tree when he first attained correct awakening, he preached the Fajie jing, arraying them one by one up to the Third Dhyāna; therefore, the ten practices are symbolized here in this Yama heaven.