新華嚴經論 16.32

16.32

In the third [division], 'Explaining the Meaning Following the Text', the meaning is divided into three parts: first, a general outline of the whole chapter; second, clarifying that the Tathāgata's bodily actions pervade everywhere as a seal of equality—just as the sūtra text below states, 'In all Buddha-worlds throughout the ten directions, it was also entirely like this,' which clarifies that in all the Mount Sugopitas of the ten directions, [beings] universally saw the Tathāgata ascending to the peak of Mount Sugopita; third, explaining the meaning following the text. As for the first, 'a general outline of the whole chapter,' in this chapter there is a general outline into ten sections: 1. From 'At that time' downwards, three lines of the sūtra clarify the Buddha's divine power appearing universally throughout the ten directions. 2. From 'At that time' downwards, a line and a half of the sūtra clarifies that the Buddha ascended to Śakra's heavenly palace without leaving the foot of the Bodhi tree. 3. From 'Then the Heavenly Lord' downwards, about seven lines of the sūtra clarify that Śakra saw the Buddha coming from afar, adorned the palace, and arranged the seat. 4. From 'Bowing and joining palms' downwards, two lines of the sūtra clarify that Śakra invited the Buddha into the palace. 5. From 'At that time, the World-Honoured One' downwards, three phrases of the sūtra are the Tathāgata accepting the invitation and entering the palace. 6. From 'All worlds of the ten directions' downwards, three phrases of the sūtra conclude that the universal assemblies in the ten directions were identical to this. 7. From 'At that time, Śakra' downwards, about a line and a half of the sūtra clarifies that through the Buddha's divine power, the musical sounds ceased of themselves. 8. From 'Then he recollected himself' downwards, four phrases clarify that Śakra recollected his past roots of goodness and uttered verses praising the Buddha's arrival here. 9. From 'In this world' downwards, two and a half lines of the sūtra conclude in general that praising the Buddha with verses here was also the same throughout the ten directions. 10. From 'At that time' downwards, about two lines of the sūtra clarify that the Tathāgata occupied the seat and sat, that the palace was expansive and accommodating, and concludes that the ten directions were identical to this. As for the third, 'explaining the meaning following the text': 'Not leaving the Bodhi tree' clarifies that the essence of bodhi has no going or coming, distance or nearness, place to be departed from or reached; furthermore, the Tathāgata's wisdom-body has neither exterior nor interior, its essence pervasively encompassing everywhere; furthermore, the dharmadhātu is neither large nor small, with fine hairs and world-realms accommodating one another; furthermore, mind and objects have no duality of appearance, lacking middle, boundary, or locality; furthermore, all phenomena lack own-nature, the one and the many being eternally complete. Śakra's 'seeing the Buddha coming from afar' has two meanings: first, phenomenal; second, symbolic of the Dharma. As for the first, phenomenal: because the Tathāgata, within the nature devoid of going and coming, manifested the appearance of going and coming, it says 'saw from afar'. As for the second, symbolic of the Dharma: this clarifies that Śakra manifested similarity to the unawakened, not seeing that the Tathāgata's wisdom-body pervades everywhere as one substance with the mind; hence it says 'saw the Buddha coming from afar'. Furthermore, faith and understanding constitute 'afar', and seeing one's own mind enter the stages constitutes 'the Buddha coming'. Śakra's 'then using his divine power to adorn this palace' also has two meanings: first, phenomenal; second, symbolic of the Dharma. The phenomenal aspect can be understood. As for the second, symbolic of the Dharma: this is one's own preparatory practice. 'Arranging the Lion Seat of Universal Radiance' also has two meanings: first, in terms of setting up the seat according to the stage; second, in terms of Śakra's own capacity based on his virtues and roots. As for the first, setting up the seat according to the stage: this is in terms of the Dharma-stage within these ten abodes. Because within the ten abodes one attains the treasury of wisdom-radiance of all Buddhas and possesses sovereign fearlessness with respect to all phenomena, this seat is set up. Just as in the stage of the ten practices, in the Yāma palace he emanated a jewelled lotus lion seat: this is in terms of the stage of practice, possessing the great compassionate activity of the ten thousand practices in the midst of all saṃsāra, attaining freedom from defilement through the substance of principle and wisdom. For this reason, the lotus is taken as the substance of the seat. Here in the stage of the ten abodes, because one attains the wisdom-radiance of all Buddhas that universally illuminates the myriad phenomena, he arranges the Lion Seat of the Universal Radiance Treasury. In these ten abodes, this seat is arranged with ten thousand tiers; in the ten practices, an emanated lion seat has one million tiers. Because in the stage of the ten abodes one initially enters the stages, this clarifies that above Mount Sumeru it is still connected with terrestrial dwellings, clarifying that the mind has an attainment, the attachment of freshly meeting and seeing the Dharma from faith. For this reason, the lion seat must be 'arranged'. Furthermore, the samādhi of expedient means is 'arranging'. Based on the accomplishment of the wondrous wisdom of principle and wisdom in the stage of the ten abodes, in the stage of the ten practices one then emanates that seat through wondrous function. Furthermore, based on practice, it is established from emptiness; again, based on stage, it is in the heavenly abode of Yāma in empty space. The seat having ten thousand tiers, and then a million tiers, as well as Śakra's heavenly palace and the Yāma heavenly palace, collectively clarify the characteristics of ascending and progressing according to the stage. If one truly enters the flow of the wisdom of the Dharma, without leaving a single speck of dust one pervades all ocean-like realms. As for that seat, up to the ten dedications of merit and the ten grounds, their heights, adornments, and decorations differ according to each stage, which can be known by following this analogy. That the adornments upon the seat are all ten thousand clarifies that they are attained through the retribution of the ten thousand practices. As for the 'ten thousand golden nets', this refers to the retribution of being able to dredge up sentient beings with the net of teaching and practice. The 'ten thousand kinds of canopies' clarifies the meaning of nurturing: because in all places one acts as a Buddha, deva, or mighty spirit, protecting and nurturing sentient beings, it is attained as the fruit of practice. The 'ten thousand kinds of parasols' signifies great compassion: it is the retribution attained through the mind of great compassion sheltering and nurturing all sentient beings. The 'ten thousand patterned silks' are the manifestly visible fruit of performing inexhaustible distinctive practices within a single practice and possessing distinctive teachings within a single spoken sound. The 'ten thousand pearl necklaces' clarify the fruit attained from the ten thousand practices universally adorning the realm of wisdom and converting and benefiting sentient beings without rest: this is where within every single speck of dust there are inexhaustible bodies of Samantabhadra. The 'ten thousand garments' are the fruit of gentle and skilful patience sheltering and nurturing living beings in all the oceans of saṃsāra. The 'ten thousand devaputras' clarify those persons capable of practising the ten thousand practices. The 'ten thousand Brahmā kings' clarify sovereign wisdom in practice. The 'ten thousand illuminating lights' clarify that the radiance of wisdom can destroy the long night of confusion and darkness of oneself and others, bringing about great clarity. All the above cite the fruition-virtues and functions of this stage to form the adornments, so that bodhisattvas who generate the resolve and enter the stages will know the fruit and cultivate the cause without doubt. From 'bowing' downwards, it clarifies that Śakra paid homage to the Tathāgata and invited the Buddha into the palace, which clarifies the practice of humility. The Tathāgata accepting the invitation clarifies proceeding from faith to enter the abodes, as can be known from the text. At the very end, it clarifies that Śakra attained the power of recollecting past lives, so before the past Buddhas he planted roots of goodness and uttered verses praising the Buddha; this clarifies that through the power of samādhi he saw for himself that the essence of his body and mind was identical to the wisdom and roots of goodness of the Buddhas of past and present. The ten Buddhas below are the functions of this stage in the present and past. In uttering the verses, there are twenty lines of verses, two lines per verse. The first two lines praise Kāśyapa Buddha. Fully called Kāśyapa, here translated as 'Light Drinker', this being his clan name; also because his bodily radiance was extraordinary, able to 'drink' the light of the devaputras, sun, and moon so that they all became invisible. The next two lines praise Kanakamuni Buddha, correctly called Kanakamuni. 'Kanaka' is here translated as 'gold'; 'muni' is 'Buddha'; he took golden color as his title. The next two lines praise Krakucchanda, fully called Krakucchanda Buddha, here translated as 'What Should Be Severed Has Been Severed'. The next two lines praise Viśvabhū Buddha, here translated as 'Sovereign Pervading All'. The next two lines praise Śikhin Buddha, correctly called Śikhin, here translated as 'Holding a Topknot' or 'Having Hair'. The next two lines praise Vipaśyin Buddha, here translated as 'Pure Contemplation', 'Superior Contemplation', or 'Diverse Contemplation'. The next two lines praise Puṣya Buddha, correctly called Puṣya, here translated as 'Thriving and Flourishing'. The next two lines praise Tiṣya Buddha, correctly called Tiṣya, here translated as 'Expounding the Dharma to Deliver People'. The next two lines praise Padmapuṣpa Buddha, correctly called Padma, here translated as 'Red Lotus'. The next two lines praise Dīpaṃkara Tathāgata. The former three Buddhas are Buddhas of the present Bhadrakalpa; the latter seven Buddhas are Buddhas of past kalpas. This clarifies that at the initial entry into the gate of the ten abodes, past and present principles converge, clarifying that the Dharma of ancient Buddhas and present Buddhas does not differ, and those who enter this stage converge identically without distinction. The word 'auspicious' praises this mountain peak as a place of blessings and goodness. Clarifying 'ascending and progressing': through the power of samādhi, body and mind are immovable like the king of mountains, collectively convening the identical wisdom of all Buddhas of past and present. In the ninth, from 'In the Trāyastriṃśa heaven of this world' downwards, there are four lines of the sūtra, in which the meaning is divided into four: 1. citing this world to praise the Buddha's virtues; 2. collectively citing that the ten directions were identical; 3. from 'At that time' downwards, clarifying that the Tathāgata entered the palace, ascended the seat, and sat; 4. clarifying that the palace suddenly became vast and broad, universally accommodating the dwelling places of all devas. This clarifies that according to the Tathāgata's virtue devoid of self and other, it was naturally fitting that the great assembly was enabled to see it, in order to clarify enabling the great assembly to enter the stage identically. The above concludes the explanation of the 'Chapter on Ascending to the Peak of Mount Sumeru'. Broadly speaking, it clarifies that when one truly enters concentration through the power of samādhi, body and mind are open and clear, according with the nature of the dharmadhātu, without exterior or interior, its radiance clear and penetrating; this is the meaning of 'suddenly vast and broad', and is also the meaning of the 'Lion Seat of the Universal Radiance Treasury'. Wisdom appearing before one is the meaning of 'the Buddha coming'. One must cultivate by converging with principle in this manner in each case; one must not merely chase after names.