新華嚴經論 1.22

1.22

Tenth, the difference in the entrustment and dissemination of the Dharma treasury: In the 'Chapter on Entrustment' of this Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra it says: 'The Buddha addressed Bodhisattva Maitreya, saying: "Maitreya! I now entrust to you this Dharma of anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi, accumulated over immeasurable koṭis of asaṃkhyeya kalpas."' Thus that sūtra was entrusted to those who were already accomplished bodhisattvas and already born into the Buddha's family. In the 'Chapter on the Manifestation of the Tathāgata' of the Avataṃsaka Sūtra, the entrustment and dissemination is such that that sūtra is entrusted to ordinary beings of the initial mind who are just able to see the path and be born into the Buddha's family. Why is this so? Because this sūtra is difficult to enter, it allows people to realize it; and only through one's own realization is one capable of expounding it. It illustrates that the Three Vehicles are provisional, merely using holy ones to encourage practice and realization with attainments, so the Dharma has not yet become actual; thus all those who expound the Dharma are also not yet actual. The Avataṃsaka Sūtra says: 'This sūtra jewel does not enter into the hands of any other sentient beings, except for the true sons of the Dharma King, the Tathāgata, who are born into the Tathāgata's family and have planted the various roots of goodness of the Tathāgata's characteristics. O sons of the Buddha! If there were no such true sons of the Buddha, such a Dharma gate would soon be scattered and lost.'