新華嚴經論 8.58

8.58

答曰：為明從十迴向均融理智，大悲大願成滿增勝，不依次第而超化樂，不同下位次第而修。如世興易，初以十錢得利一倍，後以二十便成四十，即便超初及第二利故。又明十地果終居欲界之際，而得自在，同而不染、出而不離。又明十地菩薩功超欲縛故，此天同其魔梵教化波旬故，同魔王位攝魔眷屬教化自在，故居此天。又明菩薩進修行相，十地之位道力功行階降合然。以無明住地未純熟故、未明淨故。其無明住地果極方終，設至十一地，二愚猶在。是故此經〈阿僧祇品〉、〈如來隨好功德品〉此二品之法，佛果已前十一地普賢行滿未能達盡，以是義故如來自說，明果終始知算數之極，如來隨好功德佛果方終。已前諸位法門，當位菩薩自說，最下〈入法界〉一品如來神力說，表法界中明一切法總神總真總不思議，明法界體凡聖一性故，於人中說。至文方明。以此二愚佛果方悉，是故十地之位隨力所堪，堪至此天故。雖進修階降位位差殊，然法界體一時一念、一得一切得，為明法界無始終法故。不可即作始終長短，存情思想違理之見故，以定慧照之可見。

The answer is: in order to clarify that from the ten dedications of merit, where principle and wisdom are harmoniously blended, great compassion and great vows are perfected, fulfilled, and increasingly superior, so he skips Nirmāṇarati without following a sequential order, unlike the sequential cultivation of the lower stages. It is like doing business in the world: initially one doubles one's profit with ten coins, and later with twenty coins it becomes forty, instantly skipping the initial and second profits. Furthermore, it clarifies that the ultimate fruition of the ten grounds resides on the verge of the desire realm yet attains mastery, being identical with it yet unstained, transcending it yet not detached from it. Furthermore, it clarifies that the merit of the bodhisattvas of the ten grounds transcends the fetters of desire; thus, in this heaven they are equal to the Māras and Brahmās in order to teach and transform Pāpīyas, and by being equal to the status of Māra kings they gather Māra's retinue and teach them with mastery; hence they abide in this heaven. Furthermore, it clarifies the bodhisattva's advancing practice: in the stages of the ten grounds, the power of the Way and the cultivation of merit naturally have hierarchical steps, because the ground of ignorance has not yet matured and has not yet become bright and pure. That ground of ignorance terminates only at the ultimate culmination of fruition; even if one reaches the eleventh ground, the two kinds of ignorance are still present. Therefore, regarding the teachings of these two chapters in this sūtra, the "Chapter on Incalculables" and the "Chapter on the Merits of the Tathāgata's Secondary Marks," prior to the Buddha fruition, even when the Samantabhadra practice of the eleventh ground is perfected, one is still unable to master them completely. For this reason, the Tathāgata explains them himself, clarifying that only when fruition reaches its culmination does one know the limit of reckoning, and only at the Buddha fruition do the merits of the Tathāgata's secondary marks terminate. The gateways of the Dharma for the preceding stages are spoken by the bodhisattvas of those respective stages; the lowest one, the "Entry into the Dharmadhātu" chapter, is spoken through the supernatural power of the Tathāgata, symbolizing that within the dharmadhātu, all phenomena are entirely spiritual, entirely real, and entirely inconceivable, clarifying that the substance of the dharmadhātu is of one single nature in ordinary beings and sages; therefore, it is spoken among humans. This will be made clear when we come to the text. Because these two kinds of ignorance are only exhausted at the Buddha fruition, the stages of the ten grounds reach this heaven in accordance with what their capacity can bear. Although the gradations of progressive cultivation differ stage by stage, nevertheless the substance of the dharmadhātu is [realized] at one time, in a single thought: when one is attained, all are attained. This is to clarify that the dharmadhātu has no dharma of beginning or end. One must not conceptualize beginnings and ends, long or short, entertaining sentimental thoughts that contravene principle. This can be seen by illuminating it with concentration and wisdom.