新華嚴經論 9.6

9.6

夫說一部之經，始終徒眾形相總有二百二十八眾，形類部從莊嚴道場形類各異。當會事意皆有所表，至位方明，不可云摸。且初一品有四十五眾，表意如下，至文方釋。教文廣博，預陳難解，對事方指、目視道存。如前長科經意六段門中，第一會中始成正覺，總有六品經，經有十一卷。其中品名者，一〈世主妙嚴品〉、二〈如來現相品〉、三〈普賢三昧品〉、四〈世界成就品〉、五〈華藏世界品〉、六〈毘盧遮那品〉。此六品經，於初會中有六種意。此初會中，從「如是我聞」已下，是序分、正說分、流通分，自餘會皆然。從「如是我聞一時」六字至「始成正覺」，是序分。「其地堅固金剛所成」已下，是正說分。至「動地雨華」是流通分，從正說分中，說如來成佛因果，菩薩神天五十眾，表佛自行利生之眾，令諸來菩薩見知因果，及示現得道入法入，即同佛所知見法，與後學者以為樣式。從其凡夫入法，即同佛知見故。初發心時便成正覺，從此義生。以後諸會悉自有序分，至文方明。大都付囑流通分，〈如來出現品〉是，前已敘竟，如輪王大子喻是。

In expounding this entire sūtra from beginning to end, the forms and appearances of the assemblies total two hundred and twenty-eight groups; the bodily types of the retinues adorning the bodhimaṇḍa each differ in kind. The events and intentions in each assembly all signify something, which will become clear when reaching each stage, and cannot be captured in a mere outline. For now, the first chapter contains forty-five assemblies, whose symbolic meanings are given below and will be explained upon reaching the text. The scriptural text is vast, and explaining it in advance is difficult to understand; it can only be pointed out in relation to the specific matter, so that the Dao is preserved where the eyes see. As in the previous six-section division of the sūtra's meaning: in the first assembly on first attaining right awakening, there are six chapters in total, comprising eleven fascicles. Among them, the chapter titles are: first, Chapter on the Wondrous Adornments of the Rulers of the World; second, Chapter on the Manifestation of the Tathāgata's Marks; third, Chapter on Samantabhadra's Samādhi; fourth, Chapter on the Formation of the World; fifth, Chapter on the Floral Treasury World; sixth, Chapter on Vairocana. These six chapters have six purposes in the initial assembly. In this initial assembly, from 'Thus have I heard' onward, there are the introductory section, the main exposition section, and the dissemination section; it is the same for the remaining assemblies. From the six characters 'Thus have I heard: At one time' up to 'first attained right awakening' is the introductory section. From 'The ground was solid, made of diamond' onward is the main exposition section. Up to 'the earth shook and flowers rained down' is the dissemination section. From within the main exposition section, the cause and effect of the Tathāgata's attainment of Buddhahood are expounded, and the fifty assemblies of bodhisattvas, spirits, and devas represent the assemblies of the Buddha's own practice and benefit to sentient beings, enabling the assembled bodhisattvas to see and know cause and effect, and displaying the attainment of the path and entry into the Dharma, which is identical to the Dharma known and seen by the Buddha, serving as a model for later practitioners. This is because from the ordinary person's entry into the Dharma, it is identical to the Buddha's knowledge and vision. The meaning of 'at the moment of initial aspiration, one immediately attains right awakening' arises from this. The subsequent assemblies each have their own introductory sections, which will be clarified when reaching the text. The general section on entrustment and dissemination is in the Chapter on the Manifestation of the Tathāgata, which was already described earlier, like the simile of the wheel-turning king's eldest son.