新華嚴經論 11

English (machine translation) 11

Language: English

Third, from the crop-ruling spirits down to the day-ruling spirits, these ten assemblies of spirits clarify the cause and effect of the Dharma gate of the ten practices for benefiting sentient beings. This is because the crop-ruling spirits symbolize practice as provisions (saṃbhāra). Just as the mundane world uses crops as provisions to nourish conditioned bodies, the Buddhadharma uses the practices of the ten pāramitās as provisions to nourish the dharmakāya, causing mundane habitual tendencies to gradually diminish and supramundane habitual tendencies—great kindness, great compassion, and great wisdom—to be accomplished. As for the stage of provisions, according to the explanations of the Three Vehicles, the ten faiths, ten abodes, ten practices, and ten dedications are the four kinds of provisions prior to the path; the first ground and above are the path of seeing and the preparatory stage (prayoga). For bodhisattvas prior to the grounds in the Three Vehicles, they cultivate conditioned and defiled practices over one great asaṃkhyeya kalpa, and on the first ground they see the path. In this sūtra, however, within the ten faiths one has total faith that one's own mind and the nature, characteristics, and great wisdom of the Buddhas of the ten directions are an undifferentiated essence. In the initial mind of the ten abodes, by the power of cultivating the samādhi of expedient means, one sees the path. From the abode of initial aspiration and all the abodes above it, these together constitute the stage of seeing the path. The ten practices, ten dedications, and ten grounds together constitute the preparatory stage, together constituting the preparation of provisions. Because they advance together with the Buddha's cause and effect, they are the preparatory stage; they are equal to the Buddha-fruit, are provided with Samantabhadra's functional practices, and are provided with the fulfillment of compassionate vows. By using the natural fruition of the principle-wisdom of the dharmakāya seen in the initial mind of the ten abodes as provisions for Samantabhadra's practice, they do not belong to conditioned and impermanent human and celestial realms. From the abode of initial aspiration, as one advances through the five stages in cultivating the natural fruition of the principle-wisdom of the Tathāgata's dharmakāya and the fruition of Samantabhadra's practice, they serve as provisions for one another within the one true dharmadhātu. If one is discarded, neither is accomplished, and a mind of either defilement or purity arises. Therefore, one adorns practice with the fruit of the Buddha's principle and wisdom, and adorns the fruit with practice; hence it is called the Buddha's Avataṃsaka. For this reason, in the stages of the ten abodes, ten practices, and ten dedications below, the Buddhas of the ten directions all share the same name with the bodhisattvas who enter the stages, bestow wisdom upon them, and rub their crowns, joining them in the wisdom of identical essence. Bodhisattvas of the Three Vehicles, on the other hand, are mostly born in other pure lands, and above the fourth dhyāna there is a separate bodhisattva pure land; or, if they remain in the desire realm, it is said that by the power of their compassionate vows they retain afflictions to moisten rebirth. This is not like the Dharma gate of this sūtra, where one mounts the vehicle of the Tathāgata's dharmadhātu, and from the abode of initial aspiration, using the natural fruition of the Tathāgata's great wisdom and dharmakāya and the fruition of Samantabhadra's practice, one universally pervades saṃsāra, making movement and quiescence equal, advancing universally in principle and phenomena, and curing remaining habitual tendencies through the essence and function of the dharmadhātu. In this Dharma there is no before or after, no old or new retributions. It is not like the separate teaching of the Three Vehicles, which speaks of other regions having separate pure lands while retaining afflictions in the Sahā world, where the preparatory stage is placed at the first ground, and the provisions at the beginning of the stages are placed in the ten faiths, ten abodes, and ten dedications. Since their five stages lack the Buddha-fruit, we clearly know that their seeing of the path on the tenth ground is not genuine. In this sūtra, within the mind of the ten faiths, one has faith that one's own mind possesses ten kinds of worlds—such as the Golden World, the Wondrous Color World, and the Lotus Color World; having ten such color worlds is because the ten minds of faith are conditioned, and therefore the realm of the Buddha in which they believe is form (rūpa). The Buddhas originally served—the Buddha of Immovable Wisdom, the Buddha of Unobstructed Wisdom, the Buddha of Liberation Wisdom—such ten Buddhas of wisdom are none other than one's own mind. This is because the ten kinds of fruits of wisdom of one's own mind in which one believes are taken as the names of the ten kinds of Buddha-fruits. When one ultimately realizes and cultivates to the fullness of all Buddhas, the wisdom accomplished is not different from this wisdom. Aside from this stage of the ten faiths where, with a mind of arising and ceasing, one has faith in the ten form worlds and the ten Tathāgatas of wisdom, when reaching the eleven grounds of the ten abodes, ten practices, ten dedications, ten grounds, and equal awakening, there are altogether fifty causes and effects, all of which take Samantabhadra's practice as cause and the natural principle-wisdom of the Tathāgata's dharmakāya as fruit, or they mutually interpenetrate so as to support and stimulate each other. Through these two kinds of cause and effect, within the five stages there are altogether one hundred layers of the Buddha's cause and effect; taking broadly the five layers of cause and five layers of fruit on each of the five stages, there are altogether one hundred and ten layers of cause and effect. As for the Buddha's cause and effect in the stage of the ten abodes, they are the Indra Flower World, the Padma Flower World, and the Jewel Flower World, and the Buddhas are named Distinctive Moon Buddha, Inexhaustible Moon Buddha, and Immovable Moon Buddha. In this way, ten flower worlds and ten Buddhas identically named 'Moon' constitute the Buddha-fruit. The ten bodhisattvas of wisdom, such as Bodhisattva Dharmamati, constitute the cause of cultivating Samantabhadra's practice. For these ten abodes, through the power of entering the samādhi of expedient means, truly realize the wondrous wisdom of the dharmakāya; thus the worlds are named 'flower,' because flowers blossom to reveal the fruit. That the manifested Buddha-fruits are all named 'Moon' is to clarify that in the ten abodes, when the wondrous wisdom of the dharmakāya is newly seen and appears before one, there is no fever of affliction; one attains the Buddha's dharmakāya, which is refreshing and cool like the moon. Therefore, the place where the path seen eliminates afflictions is taken as the world. 'Indra flower' is translated here as 'flower capable of being sovereign,' clarifying that in the abode of initial aspiration, one is born into the Buddha's household and is capable of acting as the lord of the Dharma for sentient beings. 'Padma flower' is the red lotus flower, clarifying that in the abode of preparing the ground, one advances in cultivation with increasing excellence, brightly blooming in an admirable manner. In all cases, the cause and effect of the place where one enters the path according to the stage constitutes the names of the Buddhas, lands, worlds, and bodhisattvas; none are external, but all clarify one's own practice and what is practiced. Likewise, in the stage of the ten practices, the ten worlds of wisdom and the ten Buddha names are all called 'Eye,' which constitutes their Buddha-fruit. The ten Forest Bodhisattvas, such as Guṇavanna (Merit Forest), constitute the cause of their practice. The subsequent ten dedications and ten grounds can be known from the sūtra and will be clarified when reaching those stages. In general, the ten Buddhas of the corresponding stage are taken as the fruit of that basic stage, and the ten bodhisattvas of the corresponding stage are taken as the cause of cultivation for that stage. Thus in this initial assembly, the Tathāgata corresponds to the fruit of the five stages, and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva together with the various spirits, devas, and so forth, correspond to the cause of cultivating the five stages. Furthermore, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, the various spirits, devas, and so forth take Vairocana's fundamental wisdom as the fundamental cause for initiating cultivation, and take their own bodies of cultivation as the fruit of the Buddha's discriminating wisdom. Because they take the fruit of the Buddha's natural wisdom as the cause, and their currently cultivated bodies are precisely the natural fruit of principle and wisdom, they are mutually cause and effect, essence and function. Therefore, in the spirits' and devas' praises of virtue, they first praise the Buddha's virtue, and next praise their own possessing the same wisdom and virtue as the Buddha. This is the model for entering the dharmadhātu, causing all learners to realize that when deluded they are ordinary beings and when awakened they are Buddhas; hence wisdom and compassion advance together. For instance, the land where the kalyāṇamitra of the stage of joyful practice—the initial stage of the ten practices—resides, whom the youth Sudhana visits, is named Three Eyes; this is identical to the worlds where the bodhisattvas of the ten practices reside, named the World of Loving Wisdom, the World of Jewel Wisdom, and so forth, comprising the ten worlds of wisdom. As for the 'three eyes': first, mahāprajñā; second, liberation; third, dharmakāya. They are also taken as the three eyes of the wisdom eye, the insight eye, and the Dharma eye. They are like the character pin (品) in the mundane world, or like the three eyes on the face of the king of the Maheśvara heaven; for all Buddhadharmas do not depart from this great wisdom, great insight, and dharmakāya. The meaning of these ten worlds of wisdom applies to these three eyes. Therefore, the country of Sudhana's first kalyāṇamitra in the ten practices is named Three Eyes, and the monk is named Sudarśana (Good Sight), which corresponds to the stage of the ten practices. The Buddhas are named Permanently Abiding Eye Buddha and Invincible Eye Buddha. Being named 'Sudarśana' (Good Sight) means possessing the three eyes, because within the ten practices, one knows sentient beings' capacities with the wisdom eye and practices together with them. The Buddha is named 'Eye,' and the kalyāṇamitra is named 'Sudarśana' (Good Sight). Having dark blue eyes and hair, golden skin, a round halo of one fathom, and physical marks like a Buddha clarifies that the cause of the practice of the three eyes cultivated in the ten practices has the Buddha as its fruit. Walking in the forest clarifies that the dense forest of myriad practices provides protective shade for sentient beings, just as in the stage of the ten practices the bodhisattvas are named Merit Forest, Wisdom Forest, Superior Forest, and so on, the ten Forest Bodhisattvas. Sudhana's kalyāṇamitra in the ten practices uses the monk walking in the forest as the place of practice for the stage of the ten practices, just as below in the text the ten Forest Bodhisattvas such as Merit Forest constitute what is practiced. Now, in this initial assembly, the crop-ruling spirits serve as the provisions for the ten practices of the Buddha-fruit, so that sentient beings may enter the Buddha's stage and so that the provisions may nurture the bodhisattvas who have seen the path to expand their great compassion. In this way, the five stages of the Buddha-fruit in this assembly, the five stages progressively cultivated by the bodhisattvas in the second and third assemblies and thereafter, and the five stages demonstratively practiced by the youth Sudhana correspond to one another before and after with similar structures, collectively clarifying that the essence and function of the Buddha-fruit and the fruition of Samantabhadra's practice mutually support each other and are non-different from beginning to end. For this reason, the fifty kinds of provisions and the fifty kinds of Buddha-fruits across the five stages are mutually primary and companion, mutually cause and effect, and mutually essence and function. Because the Tathāgata's nature of principle and wisdom constantly supports Samantabhadra's practice to keep it undefiled, and Samantabhadra's practice constantly supports the Tathāgata's natural fruition so as to perfect compassion and wisdom, if either side is discarded, nothing is accomplished. Any practice gate [apart from this] is merely the cause and effect of humans and devas; or if it transcends the world, it is merely the two vehicles of śrāvakas, or supramundane pure land bodhisattvas, or retaining afflictions to moisten rebirth, and so forth. Therefore, they are not natural principle-wisdom, nor do they possess the sovereign, perfect interpenetration of mundane and supramundane, great compassion, motion and stillness, defilement and purity. These ten practices and the provisions of the Buddha-fruit are like a cucumber: the fruit and flower emerge together, and the flower and fruit support each other, acting with sovereignty through unconditioned merit; this is because natural principle and wisdom are fully present in practice.

11.3

In this passage of the text on the crop-ruling spirits, the meaning is divided into four parts: first, stating their assembly's number; second, lodging the stage to express the Dharma; third, explaining the names and matching them to practices; fourth, concluding the number and praising their virtues.

11.4

As for the first, 'stating their assembly's number,' it is the single sentence in the first line.

11.5

As for the second, 'lodging the stage to express the Dharma,' the crop-ruling spirits represent the stage of the ten practices within the stage of provisions.

11.6

Third, explaining the names and correlating them with practices: The first, the crop-governing spirit Soft and Wondrous Flavor, presides over the dāna-pāramitā within the Practice of Joy. In this dāna, there are two meanings: first, dāna of the Dharma; second, dāna of material phenomena. Regarding the first, dāna of the Dharma: seeing those who come seeking the Dharma, [this spirit] rejoices without weariness; hence the name Soft and Wondrous Flavor. This is because it nurtures people with the flavor of the Dharma, causing their minds to be tamed. Regarding the second, dāna of material phenomena: this crop-governing spirit belongs to the class of spirits such as Houji; because this spirit protects the five grains, causing them to produce wondrous flavors that nourish and benefit living beings, it has different names in various places throughout the worlds of the ten directions. The second, the crop-governing spirit Seasonal Blossoms and Pure Radiance, is śīla-pāramitā within the dāna-pāramitā of the Practice of Joy. Knowing faculties and practicing accordingly, it is named Seasonal Blossoms. Causing them to attain the blooming of the nature precepts, it is named Pure Radiance. It also refers to the blossoms of worldly five grains: by blessing them according to their season, it causes them to blossom radiantly and purely. The third, the crop-governing spirit Vigorous with Color and Strength, elucidates kṣānti-pāramitā within dāna-pāramitā. It explains that when success in Dharma-forbearance is achieved, it is called 'vigorous'. Because the fruit is achieved according to forbearance, one attains color and strength to adorn the body. Among all powers, the power of wind is supreme; among all practices, the power of forbearance is supreme, because the eight winds cannot move it. Because one can achieve forbearance in accordance with practice, it is named 'vigorous'. As in Sudhana's [journey through] the ten practices, the third practice's kalyāṇamitra, the upāsikā Samantagambhīraśrīvallā (Juzu), is this practice; because it illustrates that forbearance is the fruition among all practices, she is named Juzu ('Fully Endowed'). The fourth, the crop-governing spirit Increasing Vital Energy, presides over vīrya-pāramitā within dāna-pāramitā. Because the power of vigor provides the provisions for the power of the Dharma and the power of great kindness and great compassion, dwelling in the sea of saṃsāra to teach and transform sentient beings without fatigue—since of itself it seeks nothing—it is named the crop-governing spirit Increasing Vital Energy, indicating that without the power of vigor, none of the practices can be established. The fifth, the crop-governing spirit Universally Producing Roots and Fruits, presides over dhyāna-pāramitā within dāna-pāramitā. Taking the dharmatā as dhyāna, giving rise to the wondrous wisdom of principle and cognition in the myriad practices, it is named Universally Producing Roots and Fruits. Because it takes the principle of the dharmatā as dhyāna and gives rise to wisdom and the myriad practices, the roots are themselves the fruits; since the roots arise from the fruits, the fundamental and the derivative are without difference. Just as the fruit of buddhahood and the fruit of Samantabhadra's practice mutually support each other, this illustrates producing roots from fruits and using roots to support fruits. The sixth, the crop-governing spirit Wondrous Adornment of the Ring Coiffure, presides over prajñā-pāramitā within dāna-pāramitā. It illustrates that one adorns practice with wondrous wisdom, and practice in turn adorns wisdom; practice and wisdom mutually adorn each other, being employed to benefit beings so as to bring about the circumstantial fruitions. Adorning the head with a ring-shaped coiffure—this refers to hanging hair coiled like a ring, illustrating the perfection of understanding and practice. The seventh, the crop-governing spirit Moistened Pure Blossoms, presides over upāya-pāramitā within dāna-pāramitā. This stage illustrates the accomplishment of great compassion; it is named Moistened Pure Blossoms for the practice of benefiting others, because it causes the Dharma of their understanding and practice to blossom. This is the gateway of expedient means within dāna-pāramitā, because it brings about great kindness and compassion. The eighth, the crop-governing spirit Accomplishing Wondrous Fragrance, presides over praṇidhāna-pāramitā within dāna-pāramitā. Within the eighth stage of the ten practices, it is identical to the effortless wisdom of the eighth ground, because the fragrance of the fivefold dharmakāya is entirely accomplished. Furthermore, because it knows faculties with pure wisdom and establishes teachings according to those faculties, it brings about the wondrous fragrance of morality, concentration, and wisdom. The ninth, the crop-governing spirit Delightful to Behold, presides over bala-pāramitā within dāna-pāramitā. The Dharma master achieves success, and the power of the Dharma benefits beings, so that all who see and hear the Dharma find joy in it. The tenth, the crop-governing spirit Spotless Pure Radiance, presides over jñāna-pāramitā within dāna-pāramitā. Because with wisdom one can remove the defilements of self and others, it is the consecration of all dharmas, identical to the consecration stage in the ten abodes and the ten grounds.

11.7

Fourth, concluding the count and praising their virtues, as is clear from the text. The ten crop-governing spirits above are entirely the provisions of the ten pāramitās within the dāna-pāramitā of the Practice of Joy, their titles established based on their practices. Below, the same applies by analogy, according to the principle above.

11.8

The second group, the ten river-governing spirits, represents the Practice of Benefiting, practicing the ten pāramitās within śīla-pāramitā. The first, the river-governing spirit Universally Emitting Swift Currents, illustrates the provisions of dāna-pāramitā within śīla-pāramitā of the ten practices, its title established based on its practice. Below, the same applies by analogy, according to the principle above. If considered in terms of worldly phenomena, it is like the Mother of Mencius. As in the kalyāṇamitra for the Practice of Benefiting visited by the youth Sudhana, on an islet in a river ten thousand youths with Śakra-devānām-indra at their head were gathering sand at play, taking the river as practice, because it presides over the essence of precepts to elucidate benefiting. The river spirits in this initial assembly have an essence of precepts that is uniform from beginning to end; 'universally emitting swift currents' illustrates responding to the seed of the One Vehicle. The second, the river-governing spirit Universally Cleansing Springs and Torrents, illustrates responding to the wholesome dharmas of the Three Vehicles, humans, devas, and the like, presiding over the śīla-pāramitā within śīla-pāramitā of the ten practices. The hosts of spirits below have their names and titles established according to practice; by the meaning under each name, they may be correlated as before and understood. As for the essence of precepts in the ten practices: it is like the youth Śakra using the arts of mathematics, the art of physiognomy from birthmarks, the five phases, and yinyang—using skillful arts to benefit people as the essence of precepts in the ten practices; hence the meaning of 'universally cleansing springs and torrents'. If it were not like this, practice would not be complete. It illustrates transforming both humans and devas and the Three Vehicles universally, benefiting beings through skillful arts; this is the meaning of 'universally cleansing'.

11.9

Third, the sea-governing spirits illustrate the Practice of Non-Opposition. This illustrates kṣānti-pāramitā: just as the ocean can contain all streams, it is 'non-opposition'. Presiding over kṣānti-pāramitā are ten sea spirits, which illustrate the ten pāramitās within kṣānti-pāramitā. Each should be correlated as before according to the meaning under its name. The general meaning is that forbearance in these ten practices takes dharmatā and great compassion as its essence of forbearance; therefore, like the sea containing moisture, dwelling at the lower reaches, it can hold everything. The currents of ignorance, haughtiness, and saṃsāra all become streams of Dharma without obstruction; hence it is named the Practice of Non-Opposition. As with the kalyāṇamitra for the Practice of Non-Opposition visited by the youth Sudhana: to the south there was a city named Samudrapratiṣṭhāna (Haizhu), where there was an upāsikā named Samantagambhīraśrīvallā (Juzu), dressed in plain white robes with hanging hair, an appearance of compassionate forbearance, fully accomplishing forbearance. There is no practice that is not complete; hence she is named Juzu ('Fully Endowed'). Sea spirits are female deities, illustrating kindness, compassion, and softness; dwelling in practice, they can bear [hardships], their minds like the ocean, fully endowed with merit and wisdom to benefit sentient beings. For this reason, forbearance is the fruition among the myriad practices; it can contain all streams.

11.10

Fourth, the water-governing spirits illustrate the Practice of Indomitability, presiding over vīrya-pāramitā. To illustrate that the essence of water can cleanse all defilements, this illustrates that the bodhisattvas of this stage, with the water of the dharmatā, constantly and diligently exert vigor to teach and transform sentient beings, knowing each individual's faculties and benefiting them without bending or yielding. Their minds, like water, nourish living beings and benefit them according to their nature, so that each finds its proper place without bending or yielding. Among them, the ten water spirits are precisely the ten pāramitās within vīrya-pāramitā. This illustrates that their myriad practices are like water, acting in cooperation to nourish life; each is correlated according to the meaning under its name. They constantly take vigor within the ten practices as their essence. Just as the gateway of vigor in the ten abodes takes delighting in the diligent contemplation of the dharmatā as its essence, this gateway of vigor in the ten practices takes dwelling in the world to benefit beings and using practice to nourish things as its essence. In each and every stage, the primary practice of that corresponding stage serves as the essence, while the other nine form distinctions upon that primary practice's essence; one must not interpret them in only one way, for then the meaning of the essence would be inappropriate. Just as the vīrya-pāramitā in the ten dedications of merit harmoniously integrates principle, cognition, and great compassion, causing them to be even, balanced, and unhindered—if one attains one among the five stages like this, then all five stages possess it equally. Because the unfamiliar and the familiar must have an order through habituation, although an order is established, the cognitive essence of the dharmadhātu has neither preceding nor succeeding; it is an order within what has neither before nor after, an identity and difference within the single nature without distinctions; one must not use ordinary sentiments to conceive of it as before and after. If discussed in truth, in the Abode of the Initial Aspiration, like a drop of water entering the great ocean, it becomes completely identical with the ocean's essence, with all dragons, fish, and treasures contained within it. For the sake of teaching and transforming sentient beings, the fish traps and rabbit snares, the methods of the net of teachings, cannot be lacking. When recorded and inscribed on bamboo and silk using names and words, it appears as though the meaning of 'before' and 'after' arises; but those who embody the Way see clearly, as if holding a precious mirror universally facing all images. The ten grounds illustrate bringing the efficacy of habituation to completion; the stage of equal enlightenment illustrates sovereign practice pervading the dharmadhātu. If one were to establish only the single stage of the ten abodes, it would merely illustrate the initial achievement of seeing the Way. If one additionally sets up the practice of the ten practices, it merely shows the superiority of the world-transcending mind. Adding the ten dedications of merit raises the cloud of great vows, causing the myriad practices of compassion and wisdom to be perfected. The ten grounds merely store up perfected virtues, requiring habituation to be accomplished. Entering the mundane with sovereignty and pervading the dharmadhātu in the eleventh ground, freely benefiting beings according to the Dharma, illustrates spreading the net of teachings so that learners have something to take refuge in. If it were not like this, where would those who generate the mind [for bodhi] find their footing?

11.11

Fifth, the fire-governing spirits illustrate the Practice of Freedom from Delusion and Confusion, presiding over dhyāna-pāramitā. Among them, the ten spirits illustrate the ten pāramitās within dhyāna-pāramitā, all taking the dhyāna of the ten practices' stage as their essence. This illustrates that universal wisdom illuminates while remaining constantly tranquil; hence the fire spirits serve as the essence of concentration: being tranquil yet constantly illuminating, being in phenomena yet constantly in principle, and the illumination and functioning of compassion and wisdom being unimpeded; hence the fire spirits serve as the essence of concentration. If in terms of worldly phenomena, it is the spirit of Li in the south. If in terms of the human person, it is the mind, because the mind is of the nature of Li. If in terms of the Dharma, it is the wisdom of empty non-being. If external phenomena, it is the sun. If in the body, it is the eyes. If a method, it is the Middle Way, it is correct brightness; brightness means empty non-being, the wisdom illuminating all existence, and the Universal Light Hall, because these are female deities. When the youth Sudhana journeyed to the south, the meaning was just like this. Illustrating the Practice of Freedom from Delusion and Confusion, it is because fire spirits can destroy darkness, do not fall into delusion, and have no dark obstructions. This passage defines concentration in terms of function.

11.12

Sixth, the wind-governing spirits illuminate the practice of good manifestation, taking the perfection of wisdom (prajñāpāramitā) as their essence. The ten wind spirits illuminate the ten perfections within the perfection of wisdom. In worldly terms, it is the spirit of Xun between the chén and sì [directions], and is therefore a female spirit. As a model, it is speech and instructional commands, just like the fifth-generation hexagram of Qian in the Zhouyi, Xun above and Kun below, which is called Guan (Contemplation). The Yijing says: 'Wind moves above the earth: [this is] the image of Contemplation. The noble person establishes teachings, and the multitude follows and takes them as a model; [thus] contemplation is possible.' For this reason, Xun represents the teaching of wind. It illuminates that when the sixth perfection—wisdom—is accomplished in its function, it skillfully manifests verbal teachings to instruct and transform sentient beings; hence it is called the 'practice of good manifestation.' Furthermore, the time between chén and sì is what the Tathāgata adopted as the standard for fasting and precepts, clarifying the threshold between auspicious and inauspicious or the completion of manifestations; when noon arrives, all phenomena are perfected. Above, it aligns with the Horn mansion (Jiǎo); the Horn is the heavenly gate, presiding over monks, nuns, and Daoists within it, clarifying that this is the establishment of teachings to become the gateway through which all goods are accomplished. All transformations of wind arise from this; metaphorically, the mouth is the heavenly gate, inhaling and exhaling the breath of wind to accomplish the correct teaching; hence wisdom is considered the spirit. Moreover, it unfolds flowers and brings forth fruits, generating all things, able to uphold the world and able to create and destroy it; hence it is called the practice of good manifestation. In the text below of this sūtra, it is like the four kinds of wind in the ocean: the first is called 'able to gather,' which can gather all jewels, illustrating the great mirror-like wisdom; the second is called 'able to accomplish,' which can accomplish all jewels, illustrating the wisdom of accomplishing actions; the third is called 'able to select,' which can select all jewels, illustrating the wisdom of wondrous observation; the fourth is called 'able to disperse,' which can disperse all jewels, illustrating the wisdom of essential equality. Therefore, the four wisdoms are taken as the wind spirits, because they are able to manifest phenomena with mastery. Because the wind spirits symbolize the practice of good manifestation, for this sixth Dharma of wisdom, through the wind spirits of wisdom, all dharmic practices are skillfully manifested, all being completely unhindered. Just as in the stage of the ten faiths, the Buddha-fruit of the sixth faith is correlated with the southeast, where the Buddha is named Utmost Wisdom. Because the southeast is Xun, Xun is taken as the wind spirit. Moreover, the Yijing states: 'Xun is speech.' Borrowing things to symbolize the Dharma, the wind spirits are used to illuminate wisdom, because it skillfully manifests all dharmas. 'Direction' (fāng) means model or method (fǎ), drawing upon the fact that the great image of Dharma has no fixed direction.

11.13

Seventh, the space-governing spirits illuminate the practice of non-attachment, presiding over the perfection of expedient means (upāyapāramitā) to accomplish the gate of great compassion. Arising into practice through the emptiness of dharmas, they instruct and gather in all sentient beings; hence it is called 'expedient means,' and therefore called the 'practice of non-attachment.' The spirits among them illuminate the ten perfections within the perfection of expedient means. They take the emptiness of all dharmas as their essence and wisdom as their spirit, and therefore have no attachment. Because the emptiness of all dharmas can generate compassion and wisdom, the myriad practices are free from attachment.

11.14

Eighth, the direction-governing spirits illuminate the practice of difficult attainment; because the application of wisdom is non-effortful and its merit is difficult to achieve, they preside over the perfection of vows (praṇidhānapāramitā). Because the essence of wisdom is intrinsically pure, one guards it with vows, bearing in mind one's fundamental vows, drawing forth wisdom to initiate practice and making practice all-pervading, so that one abides neither in saṃsāra nor in nirvāṇa. The ten spirits among them illuminate the ten perfections within the perfection of vows. 'Direction' (fāng) means method (fǎ). Through the eighth practice, great wisdom is accomplished, and through wisdom, methods are established to benefit sentient beings. This takes great wisdom as the spirit; and taking the spirits of the cardinal directions of Zhen, Kan, Dui, and Li, together with the intermediate corners, above, and below, they are all cited to illuminate that effortless wisdom encompasses all completely.

11.15

Ninth, the night-governing spirits illuminate the practice of good dharmas, presiding over the perfection of power (balapāramitā). The power of the Dharma having been achieved and the work of the Dharma King having been completed, they constantly dwell in the long night of saṃsāra to illuminate the world with the Dharma; hence it is called the 'practice of good dharmas.' The ten spirits among them illuminate the ten perfections within the perfection of power. They are female spirits, and because they serve as the kalyāṇamitras for the youth Sudhana in the ten grounds, this illuminates that the essence of practice in this stage penetrates the dharmas of the ten grounds.

11.16

Tenth, the day-governing spirits illuminate the practice of true actuality, presiding over the perfection of gnosis (jñānapāramitā). The ten spirits among them illuminate the ten perfections within the perfection of gnosis. Because the sun of wisdom shines constantly, they are called 'day-governing.' Wisdom is unconditioned yet responds to the myriad beings, and is thus called 'spirit.' In the praise of their virtues, 'constantly striving together to adorn the palaces' means that with wisdom being all-pervading, they instruct and transform sentient beings, accomplishing the palaces of Dharma. Compassion is the palace, and wisdom is the hall. Accomplishing sentient beings, the palaces of compassion and wisdom mutually benefit one another. The explanation of the stage of the ten practices above is completed. The gate of the ten dedications of merit follows below.

11.17

Fourth, from the asura kings to the sun devaputras, there are ten assemblies among them, which are used to symbolize the ten dedications of merit. Why is this so? Because asuras dwell in the great ocean without their bodies submerging, symbolizing that the ten dedications of merit harmonize the ultimate and conventional, constantly dwelling in the great ocean of saṃsāra without their bodies submerging. The preceding ten abodes and ten practices merely cultivated an increase in the mind of world-transcending compassion and wisdom. Adding dedication of merit, one turns from the ultimate to enter the conventional, thereby perfecting compassion and wisdom while abiding in the world. The ten assemblies, beginning with the asuras, are used to symbolize the ten dedications of merit dwelling in the great ocean without drowning. This symbolizes that the bodhisattvas of this stage, through the mind of great compassion, attain the ultimate without realizing it [as an end], knowing that the ultimate is identical to the conventional, abiding in the conventional without defilement, and benefiting sentient beings with mastery. First, for the initial assembly of asura kings, the meaning is divided into four: first, citing the assembly's number; second, lodging the stage to symbolize the Dharma; third, explaining the names and matching them to practices; fourth, concluding the numbers and praising virtues.

11.18

First, 'citing the assembly's number' refers to the first line.

11.19

Second, 'lodging the stage to symbolize the Dharma' means lodging in the stage of the asuras to symbolize the dedication of merit of rescuing and protecting all sentient beings while being free from the conception of sentient beings. This illuminates that in this first dedication of merit, just as an asura, although dwelling in the great ocean, is not submerged by the ocean water; and although belonging to the deva-destiny, lacks the wondrous bliss of the devas; so too the bodhisattvas of this stage dwell in saṃsāra without the bliss of the five desires of saṃsāra, and although dwelling in nirvāṇa, lack the bliss of the cessation of nirvāṇa; hence it is called the dedication of merit of rescuing and protecting sentient beings while being free from the conception of sentient beings. Furthermore, as the 'Chapter on the Dharmadhātu' says: 'The asura kings who have accomplished the Tathāgata's lofty transcendence of the world.' Moreover, 'king' signifies mastery, illuminating that the bodhisattvas of this stage attain mastery within nirvāṇa and saṃsāra. Furthermore, asura is also called asura; 'a' means non-, 'sura' means traveling, or wondrous; 'ra' means sport. As the *Vibhāṣā* explains, they are 'non-devas.' Although subsumed under the deva destiny, because they are largely deceitful, they lack the wondrous bliss of devas. This symbolizes that the bodhisattvas of this stage practice the myriad practices of great compassion and expedient means, appearing as if deceitful and as if in saṃsāra, without the impermanent pleasures of the five desires of humans and devas or the world-transcending bliss of the cessation of nirvāṇa. It presides over the gate of the perfection of giving (dānapāramitā) among the ten dedications of merit. The old name was 'not-needing' (bùxū), but this old translation is an error. Some say 'mother of Vemacitrin,' because they originally arose from her; hence they are called 'inferior devas.' As the Āgama says: 'When the kalpa first formed, an Ābhāsvara deva came into the ocean to bathe. The water touched his body, and his semen was discharged into the water, turning into a flesh-egg. After eight thousand years, a female was born. Her body was like Sumeru, with nine hundred and ninety heads, a thousand eyes on each head, and nine hundred and ninety mouths. In each mouth were four fangs, from which fire shot forth like thunderbolts. She had twenty-four arms and nine hundred and ninety legs, floating and playing in the ocean. Water essence entered her body and gave birth to a flesh-egg. After eight thousand years, it gave birth to Vemacitrin, whose body had nine heads, a thousand eyes on each head, water flowing from his mouths, nine hundred and ninety arms, and eight legs. His form was four times larger than Mount Sumeru, and he ate purely silt and lotus roots. Moreover, he fought with the devas.' This is explained in detail as in the *Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna Sūtra*. Furthermore, the dwelling places of asuras are five: first, among the mountains of jewels on the earth; second, twenty-one thousand yojanas north beneath Mount Sumeru, entering the great ocean, where there is an asura king named Rāhu, which means 'obstacle,' who can obstruct the light of the sun and moon with his hands, commanding immeasurable assemblies; third, further down twenty-one thousand yojanas from this, where there is an asura king named Courageous, who also commands many assemblies; fourth, again beyond twenty-one thousand yojanas, where there is an asura king named Flower-Garland, who also commands various assemblies; fifth, again beyond this number, named Vemacitrin, which means 'loud sound,' who is the father of Śacī. Śacī is the consort of the heavenly lord Indra. When her father fought with Indra, he raised his voice from the ocean and shouted loudly: 'I am Vemacitrin! I am Vemacitrin!' At that time, the mountains of Jambudvīpa shook all at once. They are also called 'cave-dwellers,' meaning that they have a city of light within where they dwell. Alternatively, they are subsumed under the deva destiny. The above is from the *Buddhabhūmi-śāstra*. According to the Abhidharma, they are subsumed under the ghost destiny. Furthermore, Vemacitrin is translated as 'various affairs.' Moreover, 'Vema' means 'pervading space,' and 'citrin' means 'various adornments and insignia.' This means that when this asura fought with Indra, he arrayed various military weapons and insignia, lining them up pervading space. The old translation of 'loud sound' and 'cave-dweller' is incorrect. This follows the translation of Dharma Master Li and others of the Tang dynasty; they are subsumed under the fourth evil destiny. As in the sūtra where the ten kinds of asura kings symbolize the progress of stages, this illuminates that the bodhisattva's great compassion penetrates to the bottom, reaching the floor of the great ocean. Their bodies emerging from the great ocean illuminates that the bodhisattva does not sink into evil destinies and is able to leave behind self-arrogance. Encompassing the conventional through the ultimate, the ultimate and conventional are harmoniously fused; constantly emerging while abiding in the ocean of suffering, this stage is lodged to symbolize the Dharma-gate of dedication of merit.

11.20

Third, 'explaining the names and matching them to practices': 1. The asura king Rāhula illuminates the gate of the perfection of giving among the ten dedications of merit. For the ten perfections within this dedication of merit, taking the asuras in symbolizing the Dharma through phenomena illuminates that these ten dedications purely take the ten vows of great compassion as the essence of the ten perfections. Free from any thought of seeking self-benefit, because those asuras dwell reaching to the bottom, while their bodies in the ocean reach upward with half their bodies emerging, this comprehensively illustrates lodging the Dharma in phenomena to make it easy to understand. It is used to reveal that this stage purely takes great wisdom, great compassion, and great vows, penetrating the ultimate and conventional, as its essence. As for Rāhula, which means 'able to obstruct,' it illuminates that the bodhisattvas of this stage enter the destinies of saṃsāra with a mind of great compassion, revealing the great emptiness of dharmas to obstruct all evil destinies. 2. The asura king Vemacitrin illuminates the perfection of morality within the perfection of giving. Vemacitrin means 'loud sound,' illuminating that with the sound of great compassion and great vows, one vows to deliver the three realms and six destinies; hence compassion and vows are the essence of the precepts. 'King' signifies mastery; hence one floats and sinks in the ocean of suffering with mastery. 3. The asura king Skillful Illusion illuminates the perfection of patience; although dwelling in the great ocean of saṃsāra, the bodhisattvas of this stage constantly attain illusion-like patience. 4. The asura king Great Retinue presides over the perfection of vigor, illuminating that they encompass sentient beings everywhere through the myriad practices. 5. The asura king Great Power illuminates that through the power of the great meditative absorption of the Dharma-nature, they are in the ocean of suffering without suffering. 6. The asura king Shining Everywhere illuminates that the light of wisdom encompasses and transforms sentient beings everywhere. 7. The asura king Firm Practice and Wondrous Adornment illuminates that great compassion and expedient means serve as the adornment. 8. The asura king Vast Causal Wisdom takes the cause as benefiting sentient beings through fundamental vows as wisdom increases in brightness. Because in the eighth stage wisdom increases in brightness, one must always be mindful of the great vow at the time of initial aspiration as the cause, in order to deliver sentient beings. 9. The asura king Manifesting Superior Virtues illuminates the perfection of power accomplished in the stage of a Dharma master. 10. The asura king Wondrously Fine Sound illuminates the wondrous sound accomplished in the stage of wisdom, skillfully explaining the Dharma.

11.21

Fourth, the concluding of the number and praising of their virtues can be known from the text. The above ten pāramitās are all [the manifestations of] knowing the true while abiding in the conventional, harmonising within the nature of great compassion. Because these ten pāramitās take great compassion as their essence, expressing the Dharma by relying on concrete matters is set upon the asuras, analogising the bodhisattva dwelling in the ocean of saṃsāra, reaching its bottom, yet never drowning in that ocean of saṃsāra. Therefore, the text below says: "Accomplishing the Tathāgata's [powers], towering high above the world like an asura king." Furthermore, the ten abodes and ten practices merely clarify the penetrating of wisdom to accord with truth, and so they are styled "spirits". The ten dedications and the ten grounds are all represented by ten kings, illustrating their mastery through the increase and growth of habitual practice. The remaining broad meanings will only become clear when reaching the "Chapter on the Ten Dedications of Merit".

11.22

Second, the Dedication that is Indestructible clarifies that by means of the wisdom of true principle, one enters entanglements to benefit sentient beings and accomplishes the precepts of great compassion, because one penetrates the conventional nature as true, and true and conventional are non-dual. What the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Sūtra names the "wondrous Dharma lotus flower" is precisely this meaning. That this sūtra is named the "Mahāvaipulya Buddhāvataṃsaka" is also this meaning: because based on the wisdom of principle and great compassion, the intrinsically pure awakening of the dharmadhātu raises myriad practices, it is called the Buddhāvataṃsaka Sūtra. This clarifies that the bodhisattva, with the great wisdom and great compassion of the Dharma-nature, does not abandon worldly currents and acts of identical work, which is called "water". Possessing the practice of Samantabhadra is called the "lotus". Awakening and practice mutually assisting each other is called the "wondrous Dharma"; hence it is called the "Dedication that is Indestructible". The true nature suffers no detriment even while flowing along into the conventional; this is called "indestructible". It clarifies that natureless bodhi and non-abiding wisdom possess sovereignty. Here, it is manifested by relying on the concrete matter of the Garuḍa King, which is the golden-winged bird. In this section of text, the meaning is divided into four: first, citing the assembly's number; second, lodging the stage to express the Dharma; third, explaining names to match the practices; fourth, concluding the number and praising their virtues.

11.23

First, citing the assembly's number can be known from the initial lines.

11.24

Second, lodging the stage to express the Dharma: relying on concrete matters and lodging in the stage of the Garuḍa King clarifies that above the great ocean, with pure eyes he observes the nāgas whose lifespans are ending, and with both wings seizes and extracts them, illustrating the meaning of rescuing and delivering. As the "Chapter on the Dharmadhātu" says: "Constantly vowing to rescue and deliver sentient beings out of the oceans of existence." Garuḍa King is translated here as "Golden-Winged Bird King", revealing that the bodhisattva of the ten dedications constantly dwells above the great ocean of saṃsāra, and with the pure eye of wisdom that perceives the emptiness of dharmas, observes sentient beings whose faculties have ripened, and with the two wings of śamatha and vipaśyanā seizes them and settles them upon the shore of the naturally pure nirvāṇa. These śamatha and vipaśyanā take the Dharma-nature as the essence of calming (śamatha), and take the wisdom of self-nature's naturelessness as the essence of contemplation (vipaśyanā); it is not that the contemplating subject and the contemplated object are two distinct matters. It presides over the pāramitā of morality, because its morality is pure. Just as the great ocean does not harbour a corpse, this clarifies that the morality of great compassion and great wisdom does not harbour the corpses of the dual views of defilement and purity of gods, humans, and the three vehicles. For this golden-winged bird, the distance between both wings is 360,000 li.

11.25

Third, explaining names to match the practices: Great Swift Power Garuḍa King clarifies the dāna-pāramitā within the śīla-pāramitā. This clarifies that the bodhisattva of this stage, with nature-originated great compassion, enters the ocean of saṃsāra and delivers sentient beings whose faculties have ripened. Through the power of śamatha and vipaśyanā, in the space of a single thought-moment he reaches the shore of the fruit of buddhahood and nirvāṇa. This is to clarify that reaching into the nature of the dharmadhātu in a single thought-moment is not bound by past, present, or future—the three times. Taking the analogy of the golden-winged bird capturing a nāga: like swift power, when the golden-winged bird captures a nāga, in a single thought-moment he plunges his body into the ocean water, and before the waves close, captures the nāga and emerges; hence it is called "swift power". Therefore, in the praising of virtues below: "Skillfully able to rescue and gather all sentient beings and bring them out of the ocean of saṃsāra." The bodhisattva who has attained the Way is also like this: through the power of observation of concentration and wisdom, from the verge of the great ocean of ignorance, tying together long and short minds, in a single thought-moment he accords with truth, and past, present, and the three times are seen through all at once. Seeing the Way thus, cultivating the Way thus, this is called "the initial aspiration and the ultimate [attainment] are not distinct; of these two minds, the prior mind is the difficult one." This merely clarifies that for the initial mind of the ten abodes to accord with truth in a single thought-moment from the stage of an ordinary person is difficult, not that the ultimate fruit of buddhahood is difficult. Since reaching the ultimate is not different from the initial mind, this clarifies that the Dharma does not differ, wisdom does not differ, and time does not shift; thus clarifying the essence and function of the dharmadhātu. Illuminating it with concentration and wisdom, it can be seen; contemplating it with emotional thought, one is immediately deluded. The remaining pāramitās below can be known by matching them according to their names and meanings.

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新華嚴經論 — Classical Chinese