新華嚴經論 25.27

25.27

三明善財表法者，云去此地不遠有夜神，名寂靜音海，坐摩尼幢莊嚴蓮華座，善財得菩薩念念出生廣大喜莊嚴解脫門。云不遠者，不離菩提體而有禪波羅蜜行故。號寂靜音海者，明禪是寂靜故。音海，是表定能發慧用故。坐摩尼幢莊嚴蓮華座者，表摩尼名離垢寶，明禪定離垢故。幢者，明法性定體不隨境動，明境界與心當體自定，為無自性故。莊嚴者，以無作性禪用嚴萬行故。蓮華者，表行無染故，明行性不異無作禪，俱無性故。得菩薩念念出生廣大喜莊嚴解脫門者，表無作性禪體同法界，故云廣大。常居生死，常行萬行，禪悅無憂，名之為喜。以定嚴慧，名曰莊嚴。不迷靜亂，名為解脫。此名難勝地者，為明以定體善知世法無定亂性，勝於定亂故，名難勝地。為過三界惑，復不證涅槃，三界及涅槃總不能壞其無依住之智慧，故名難勝地。夜神者，表無依住中智慧，處生死之長夜，破一切眾生迷故。此夜神所將名目及所坐之座，表法大意，明不壞無依無作無性自體之禪，用彰萬行以寂起用故。善財問言：「此解脫門為何事業？行何境界？起何方便？作何觀察。」夜神答言：「我發起清淨平等樂欲心；我發起離一切世間塵垢清淨堅固莊嚴不可壞樂欲心；我發起攀緣不退轉位永不退轉心。」已下如是無量發起心，具如經說。意明住欲界心多者，便令使修寂靜定至。色界無色界禪多者，令入法性禪發起攀緣，於後上上位中智慧方便廣度眾生等空無限大用故，不令守淨住禪樂故。此寂靜音海主夜神坐摩尼幢莊嚴蓮華座，百萬阿僧祇主夜神前後圍繞，表法性無作體遍周無盡，行體亦遍周故。言百萬者，大數之長也。阿僧祇者，不可數也。此明寂用圓滿，以名座及同住之眾，及住處近遠及法門名目，思之可解此地之意。

Third, clarifying Sudhana's representation of the Dharma: It states that not far from this place there was a night deity named Ocean of Serene Sound, seated upon a lotus throne adorned with jewel banners. Sudhana attained the bodhisattva liberation gate of the vast, joyful adornment arising in thought-moment after thought-moment. "Not far" means that without departing from the essence of bodhi, there is the practice of the dhyāna pāramitā. Being called Ocean of Serene Sound illustrates that dhyāna is serene; "ocean of sound" represents meditative concentration's capacity to bring forth the functioning of wisdom. Being seated upon a lotus throne adorned with jewel banners: the jewel represents the "defilement-free jewel," illustrating that dhyāna concentration is free of defilement. The banner illustrates that the concentration essence of the Dharma nature does not move in accordance with sensory objects, showing that sensory objects and the mind are inherently settled in their very substance because they lack intrinsic nature. "Adorned" means adorning the myriad practices with the dhyāna functioning of non-action nature. "Lotus" represents practices being unstained, showing that the nature of practices is not different from non-action dhyāna, both being devoid of intrinsic nature. Attaining the bodhisattva liberation gate of the vast, joyful adornment arising in thought-moment after thought-moment: "vast" represents the non-action nature dhyāna essence being identical to the dharmadhātu. Constantly abiding in birth and death and constantly practicing the myriad practices, the joy of dhyāna is free from sorrow, which is called "joy." Adorning wisdom with concentration is called "adornment." Not being confused by stillness or turmoil is called "liberation." This is called the Ground Difficult to Conquer because, through the essence of concentration, one expertly knows that worldly dharmas lack an inherent nature of stillness or turmoil, thereby surpassing stillness and turmoil; hence it is called the Ground Difficult to Conquer. Because it transcends the delusions of the three realms and yet does not realize nirvāṇa, neither the three realms nor nirvāṇa can undermine its non-abiding wisdom; hence it is called the Ground Difficult to Conquer. The night deity represents wisdom within non-abiding, which resides in the long night of birth and death to shatter the delusions of all sentient beings. The general meaning of what this night deity's name and seated throne represent is to clarify that, without destroying the essence of dhyāna that is without reliance, non-action, and without intrinsic nature, its functioning displays the myriad practices, bringing forth functioning from serenity. Sudhana asked: "What activity does this liberation gate perform? What sphere does it practice? What expedients does it arouse? What contemplation does it undertake?" The night deity replied: "I arouse a pure and equal aspiration of yearning; I arouse a pure, firm, adorned, and indestructible aspiration of yearning that is free from all worldly dust and defilement; I arouse an eternally non-retrogressing mind that reaches toward the non-retrogressing stage." Thus an immeasurable arousal of minds follows, as fully related in the sūtra. The intent is to show that for those whose minds dwell excessively in the desire realm, it causes them to cultivate serene concentration. For those with excessive dhyāna of the form and formless realms, it causes them to enter the dhyāna of the Dharma nature to arouse outreach toward the wisdom and expedients of the subsequent higher stages, broadly delivering sentient beings with an infinite, great functioning as vast as space, so that they are not allowed to cling to purity and abide in the joy of dhyāna. This presiding night deity Ocean of Serene Sound sat upon a lotus throne adorned with jewel banners, surrounded front and back by a million asaṃkhyeyas of presiding night deities, representing that the non-action essence of the Dharma nature is completely pervasive and inexhaustible, and the essence of practice is likewise completely pervasive. "A million" is the chief among great numbers; "asaṃkhyeya" means uncountable. This clarifies the perfection of serenity and functioning. By considering the name, the throne, the accompanying retinue, the proximity of the dwelling place, and the name of the Dharma gate, the meaning of this ground can be understood.