新華嚴經論 13.8

13.8

2. Explaining the chapter's purpose: In main import there are five: First, to answer the world rulers' previous thirty-seven questions concerning the ocean of Buddhas, the ocean of sentient beings, the ocean of pāramitās, and so forth. This chapter reveals karmic retribution and reveals Dharma retribution to answer what was asked before. Previously it was answered by the Buddha's light and spiritual power; this chapter reveals the ocean of the Buddha's practices, the ocean of the pāramitās of eyes, ears, nose, and tongue, the ocean that pervades the dharmadhātu, and the ocean of sentient beings' karmic practices. The thirty-seven questions are all answered simultaneously at once, causing the ocean-like great assembly to awaken to what the Buddha practices and enter what Samantabhadra Bodhisattva practices; hence it is titled the Buddhāvataṃsaka Sūtra. Second, to cause all those who initially generate the bodhicitta in the present and future to recognize the ocean of the Buddha's practices and bodhisattva practices, and the ocean of great compassion of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, which can universally benefit the ocean of the dharmadhātu and the ocean of sentient beings' karmic practices, causing them to reach the ultimate shore. Having seen this, they imitate it to learn the Buddha's practice, causing beginners who generate the mind to have complete compassion and wisdom, so that their practice and understanding are free of error. Third, to cause bodhisattvas who initially generate the mind to know that the similarities, differences, and distinctions in sentient beings' karmic retributions are created by the mind. Fourth, to cause beginners who generate the mind to know that the realm of sentient beings is vast and great, equal to the dharmadhātu and space, mutually entering like shadows layer upon layer inexhaustibly, distinct in their bases and abodes, and fully pervaded by the practices of Buddhas and bodhisattvas. Fifth, to cause bodhisattvas who initially generate the mind to know that the oceans of realms of all Buddhas and bodhisattvas and the oceans of realms of sentient beings cannot be grasped as one or different; because land-oceans transform in accordance with sentient beings' own karma, and land-oceans form and decay in accordance with their own karma. Through these various causes and conditions, this chapter must follow, in order to instruct beginners. If this chapter were absent, how could initial-mind bodhisattvas know the approaches of the Tathāgata's practice and embracing of sentient beings, as well as the broad and narrow aspects of the worlds of sentient beings' karmic practices? If they did not know them, on what basis would they generate the mind and rely on the Buddha's vows and practices of great compassion and universal salvation to broadly rescue [beings]? For this reason, as the verse below says: "Those free from all deceit, whose minds are pure, / who constantly delight in compassion, joyful by nature, / whose aspirations are vast, persons of deep faith— / hearing this Dharma, they rejoice. / Abiding in the ground of Samantabhadra's vows, / cultivating the bodhisattva's pure path, / contemplating the dharmadhātu and the realm of space, / these alone can know the spheres of the Buddha's practice." If one does not explain that the realm of sentient beings, the dharmadhātu, the realm of the Buddhas, and the realm of bodhisattvas are non-dual and inexhaustible like space, abiding layer upon layer like shadows, then even if all those who generate the mind do not enter the path of the two vehicles, in cultivating bodhisattva practice they will only become bodhisattvas of the provisional teachings; their minds will constantly distinguish defilement and purity and will have limitations and obstructions, failing to enter the Buddha's realm, having demarcations of one's own Buddha, other Buddhas, and country-lands, and having bases to which they come and go. It is like what is taught in the three vehicles, where pure lands exist in other directions and bodhisattvas vow to be born therein. This chapter is spoken with the intention of causing those who initially generate the bodhicitta to know the vast and great aspects of the realm of sentient beings and the realm of Buddhas, their mutually unhindered and inexhaustible aspects layer upon layer, and that the vows and practices of Buddhas and bodhisattvas envelop and benefit them without omitting a single speck of dust; therefore this chapter must follow.