新華嚴經論 20

English (machine translation) 20

Language: English

First, from 'At that time, in the palace adorned with all jewels' down to 'all surpassed the offerings of the devas' comprises eight lines of text, showing the Tathāgata accepting the request and entering the palace, where through the circumstantial fruitions of the Buddha's own roots of goodness he surpasses the devas beyond comparison. This shows applied practice joining the supreme stage, its virtues being like the Buddha's. Second, from 'At that time, in the Tuṣita heavenly palace' down to 'and spoke verses, saying' comprises five and a half lines of text, showing the part where the music and entertainment of the devas blazes unceasingly, and the devas rejoice and speak verses; this shows the joyful delight of entering the Dharma.

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Ninth, there are twenty lines of verse, showing the part praising the past Tathāgatas who came and entered this palace. Saying 'propitious' (jíxiáng): the gathering of all goods is called propitious (jí); the blessing of all merits is called auspicious (xiáng). Saying 'golden palace': the palace has a golden radiance; it also signifies the undefiled dharmakāya. Saying 'lotus palace': the palace is adorned with multi-colored lotuses; it also symbolizes that dharmas are unstained, which is the meaning of the lotus. 'Mountain king palace' shows that accumulated virtue is like a mountain king; it does not mean the palace has a mountain. As the sūtra mentions 'jewel', it is honoring virtue as a jewel, not referring to a jewel king; the other meanings may be known by analogy. The reason it is necessary to praise the past Tathāgatas has three meanings: first, the Tuṣita heavenly king recalls that the power of his own past roots of goodness accords with antiquity; second, to show that the path-traces of the ancient and present Buddhas are universally pervasive; third, to show that the Tathāgata's path-traces conform to antiquity without difference, not being altered by devas, Māras, or Brahmās, now causing sentient beings to generate faith and enter. These ten Buddhas also take their names according to applied practice and congruent practice.

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Tenth, two lines of text showing the Tuṣita heavenly king praising the Buddha, and concluding that the ten directions are all identical in this.

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At the end of the eleventh chapter, there are thirteen and a half lines of sūtra text, which are briefly divided into two sections: First, the six and a half lines from "At that time, the World-Honoured One" down to "expounded the Dharma for the assembly" explain the section on the Tathāgata occupying the seat to expound the Dharma for the assembly. Second, the seven lines of text from "ineffable assemblies of bodhisattvas" onwards explain the section where bodhisattvas of the ten directions assemble and occupy their seats, the wondrous adornments within the palace surpassing all the heavens, and all the Tuṣita heavens of the ten directions being completely identical in this cloud-like gathering and adornment. The essence of the seat has already been explained previously. Sitting cross-legged upon the lion seat has two meanings: first, worldly deportment; second, realising the mutual interpenetration of principle and phenomena within these ten dedications of merit. As for the essence of the Tathāgata's seat, it takes the inconceivable wisdom of the dharmadhātu's pratītyasamutpāda without any dwelling or support, together with great kindness and great compassion, as the essence of the seat. Because the nature of this unsupported wisdom is intrinsically all-pervasive and equal to empty space, without going or coming it manifests physical forms, with bodies equal in number to sentient beings; according to the differences of their capacities and following what is appropriate to tame and transform them, it liberates them without any purposeful contrivance. This is what the sūtra means when it says, "The dharmakāya is pure, and its wondrous functions are unimpeded." As for "dwelling in all-knowledge together in the same realm as the Buddhas of the three periods of time": because the essence of wisdom has no interior, exterior, centre, or periphery, the realm in which all Buddhas jointly dwell is also like this. As for "entering together with all Buddhas into a single nature": it is because the nature of naturelessness has neither going out nor entering in, and all Buddhas are identical in this. As for "the Buddha-eye being clearly illumined": it awakens to all phenomena as neither existent nor non-existent, and is able through wisdom to know all phenomena everywhere. As for "possessing great awe-inspiring virtue, roaming universally throughout the dharmadhātu without ever resting": through the principle and wisdom of non-action and non-reliance, it breaks all attachments so that they are utterly extinguished—this is called "awe-inspiring virtue". Because wisdom has no outside or inside and its nature is pervasive like empty space, responding to receptivity and manifesting forms without coming or going—this is called "roaming"; that there is no mundane that is not real—this is called the "dharmadhātu". In a single thought the feelings regarding the three periods of time, past and present, are exhausted, teaching and transforming sentient beings without beginning or end—this is called "without ever resting", which explains that time does not move. As for "possessing great supernormal powers": great wisdom is unsupported and formless, its nature without arising or ceasing—this is called "supernormal" (shen). Because there is nothing wisdom does not penetrate, it is called "power" (tong). As for "wherever there are those who can be transformed, being able to go universally": this explains that wisdom has no going, coming, centre, periphery, exterior, or interior; responding to receptivity, sentient beings of the ten directions all see it, yet each differently—this is called "going universally". As for "adorning his body with the unimpeded adornments of all Buddhas": these unimpeded adornments have two meanings: first, the adornment of the four unimpeded knowledges; second, the adornment of the two types of blessings of the Buddha's circumstantial and primary fruitions, which are all the major marks and secondary signs. The Tathāgata's body is the primary fruition, and the land of the Lotus Treasury World is the circumstantial fruition. Wisdom naturally through good karma adorns its own body and realm, because by the nature of phenomena wisdom intrinsically possesses boundless meritorious virtues, such as the ninety-seven marks of a great person. Merely because [sentient beings] are covered by ignorance, it benefits them with kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. That which is obtained as circumstantial fruition through retribution is none other than the merits of the light of the secondary signs. For instance, in the major marks of the Buddha as a great person, there are infinite secondary signs, numerous as the dust motes of ten Lotus Treasury Worlds; the sūtra temporarily raises one kind of secondary sign's merit called the Sovereign of Completeness, and all its benefits are fully explained in the sūtra. Furthermore, just like the essence of unsupported wisdom which has no grasping at self, other, internal, or external, all the primary and circumstantial adornments of bodies and lands, and all realms, mutually contain and enter one another, just like the reflections in hundreds of thousands of clear mirrors mutually containing and entering one another, layer upon layer without end, layer upon layer without end. The mutual entry of the multitude of realms of bodies and lands is inexhaustible, just like the jewel net where Indra dwells: the retinues of all the devas inside the jewels mutually enter each other layer upon layer in multitude of images, body and realm without obstruction; the body emits lands, and the lands emit clouds of bodies, together performing Buddha-work. In this single sovereignty, all phenomena are universally so. In the realm of wisdom, one does not speak of sentient or insentient phenomena. When the sūtra says, "Well knowing the proper time, he expounded the Dharma for the assembly", this refers to clearly discerning whether their capacities are ripe or unripe, transforming and liberating them according to what is appropriate.

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Question: Why do all Buddhas know the proper time and improper time regarding the minds of sentient beings?

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Answer: Because the mind of the Tathāgata and the minds of all sentient beings are fundamentally not different, being one mind and one wisdom; by this, they know the proper time and improper time. All Buddhas awaken to it and share it with sentient beings, while sentient beings in their confusion consider themselves separated from it. All Buddhas achieve correct awakening through the wisdom of the minds of all sentient beings, while all sentient beings are confused about the wisdom of all Buddhas and thus become sentient beings. When it comes to attaining Buddhahood, they still become the Buddha that sentient beings were confused about in principle; the Dharma gates expounded also still liberate the sentient beings who are confused about the Buddha within the minds of sentient beings. Being non-different in this way, they know the minds of sentient beings. When the sūtra says, "Ineffable assemblies of bodhisattvas each came and gathered together from various lands of other directions": in terms of the differences among the myriad practices, this is called "other directions". Because the Dharma follows capacities and responds to beings to tame them, this is called "various lands". Not going beyond the Tathāgata's great, round, luminous wisdom is called "coming and gathering together". As for "the assemblies being pure": they are devoid of emotional consciousness. As for "the dharmakāya being non-dual": they are of the same essence as the Buddha, equally natureless. As for "having nothing to rely upon": there is nothing attained and nothing realised. As for "being able to sovereignly manifest the bodily actions of a Buddha": unconditioned wisdom is identical to the Buddha's function. As for "having sat upon this seat": they accord with the origin of the dharmadhātu of these ten dedications of merit. As for "the palace displaying extraordinary beauty": it is evoked by wisdom. As for "surpassing all the heavens": it is retribution evoked by wisdom, not made by sentient beings. To explain: the retribution marks possessed by bodhisattvas are generated in terms of practice. The treatise master's verse says:

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Bodhisattvas take forbearance as a hanging garland,
Conscience and shame are ever the adornment of their robes,
The precepts are their paste incense and powdered incense,
Kindness and compassion universally covering them are their canopy,
The upright, unmoving mind is the banner of dhyāna,
The pennant of wisdom destroys all wrong views,
With expedient means they constantly abide in the ocean of saṃsāra,
Benefiting sentient beings as musical entertainment,
Dhāraṇīs proclaim and spread the wondrous Dharma sound,
Causing those who hear to be liberated as singing and music.

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The above is understandable from the text. In this section there are ineffable assemblies of bodhisattvas from other directions. In this section, the devas dwelling in the Tuṣita palace and the assemblies of bodhisattvas together total one hundred and fifty times a hundred million myriads. As for the bodhisattvas who come from other directions, they are ineffable. The types of colors of the tall seats and palaces adorned by the devas have one hundred and eighty kinds of differences, each category numbering a hundred million myriads. The adornments of the personal blessings of the Tathāgata and the bodhisattvas are boundless in number. That this assembly brings forth such great compassion, such wisdom, and such myriad practices is solely to nurture the wisdom and great compassion of the abode of initial aspiration when first born into the Buddha's house, making them practiced and sovereign. Time does not change, the Dharma is not different, and wisdom does not alter—just as bamboo shoots grow by relying on their original nature, from their initial sprouting to their end there is no coarse or fine. It is also like a small child growing: born as a child, he becomes an adult, with no difference in adulthood. This straightforwardly takes the ten practices, the ten dedications of merit, the ten grounds, and the eleventh ground as expedient means for nurturing the Path; the Buddha fruit lies in the initial aspiration. Furthermore, within the ten abodes, because a single abode possesses the function of all ten abodes, and because the ten abodes, ten practices, ten dedications of merit, and ten grounds are completely and totally contained within the ten abodes—just like a foal born to a divine dragon or a sovereign steed, when that divine foal is born on that ground, its speed is similar to its sire's, only its strength and function are not yet equal to its dam's. It is like a bodhisattva of initial aspiration: having mounted the Tathāgata's vehicle of all-knowledge and being newly born into the Buddha's house, their wisdom is identical to the Buddha's; only their supernormal powers and path strength are not yet equal, because they await the nurturing of great compassion and myriad practices. Although the nurturing work is completed, the Dharma is not different and time does not alter; in the end it does not go beyond the completion of strength and function at the time of initial aspiration. It is like the dragon girl attaining Buddhahood across three lives without leaving the moment of a single kṣaṇa; it is also like Sudhana attaining the Buddha fruit in a single lifetime. The meaning of "a single lifetime" is attaining non-arising. Now, briefly establishing non-arising, there are ten kinds: first, the non-arising of the intrinsic essence of the skandhas; second, the non-arising of the intrinsic essence of views; third, the non-arising of emptiness; fourth, the non-arising of nature; fifth, the non-arising of the unchanging of time and kalpas; sixth, the non-arising of nirvāṇa and saṃsāra; seventh, the non-arising of the silence of the sounds of expounding the Dharma; eighth, the non-arising of wisdom's discrimination; ninth, the non-arising of the intrinsic pervasiveness of supernormal powers; tenth, the non-arising of the body manifesting before all sentient beings throughout the past, present, future, and all kalpas ancient and modern without leaving the moment of a single kṣaṇa. Because of these ten kinds of meanings of non-arising, it is named "attaining bodhi in a single lifetime", which is the intent of this sūtra. Because the expedient practices of the ten practices, ten dedications of merit, ten grounds, and eleventh ground are used to nourish the Buddha fruit of initial aspiration, cutting off expectations of before and after, and because provisions and the Buddha fruit are simultaneous and mutually serve as essence and function to nourish each other, it is called "awakening and practice mutually adorning each other". This sūtra uses the fruit to nourish practice, causing practice to be free from attachment, and uses practice to nourish the fruit, so that the great function can be accomplished. As when the three vehicles speak of bodhisattvas of mind-made bodies who have not yet mounted the Buddha's vehicle of all-knowledge, they relegate the Buddha fruit to after the eleventh ground, at the end of three asaṃkhyeya kalpas. That is, the three stages of worthies before the grounds serve as the provisions, the ten grounds serve as the path of seeing, and the Buddha fruit is after the eleventh ground at the end of three asaṃkhyeya kalpas. How this teaching and the characteristics of practice in the five stages of the three vehicles are entirely reversed and different in their practice characteristics will be explained further below.

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Chapter 24: Verses of Praise in the Tuṣita Heavenly Palace

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In about to explain this chapter, there are three approaches as before.

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First, explaining the title of the chapter: this explains that ten bodhisattvas, such as Vajradhvaja and others, each coming from different Buddha-lands, dwelled in the Tuṣita heavenly palace and went to the place of the Tathāgata; each having magically created a lion seat of wondrous jewel treasuries, each praised him in verses using the cause and effect of the Dharma gate of the ten dedications of merit; hence it is named "Chapter on Verses of Praise". "From different Buddha-lands" means coming from the ten practices and entering into the ten dedications of merit.

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Second, explaining the purpose of the chapter: this chapter must come because it wishes to bring to completion the Dharma gate of cause and effect within the ten dedications of merit.

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Third, in explaining according to the text, the meaning is divided into two: first, an outline of the sūtra's purport; second, explaining the meaning following the text.

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First, the broad division of the sutra's meaning: concerning the overarching meaning of this single chapter, it is broadly divided into eleven sections from beginning to end. First, from "At that time, through the Buddha's spiritual power..." down to "and spoke verses, saying:" there are fifty-two lines of the sutra text, clarifying that the assemblies of the ten bodhisattvas, such as Vajradhvaja, gather from the ten directions, which is the section revealing cause and demonstrating the non-duality of fruit. Second, from "The Tathāgata does not appear in the world..." downward there are ten lines of verse, which is the section clarifying the Buddha demonstrating the provisional by means of the ultimate. Third, from "At that time, the bodhisattva Dṛḍhadhvaja..." downward there are ten lines of verse, which is the section clarifying praise of the peerless nature and characteristics of the Buddha's body, and that one must constantly draw near and make offerings without weariness, fulfilling the great vows only after which one can tread the path walked by the Buddha. Fourth, from "At that time, the bodhisattva Vikrāntadhvaja..." downward there are ten lines of verse, which is the section clarifying that the Buddha and the Dharma can only be comprehended with a pure mind and pure practice, and that seeing the Buddha as conditioned is untenable. Fifth, from "The bodhisattva Prabhādhvaja..." downward there are ten lines of verse, which is the section clarifying that from a single Buddha body many Buddha bodies arise, arising like an illusion. Sixth, from "At that time, the bodhisattva Jñānadhvaja..." downward there are ten lines of verse, which is the section clarifying that the Buddha's wisdom is without reliance, without making yet leaving nothing uncreated, neither internal nor external, yet able to manifest forms universally. Seventh, from "At that time, the bodhisattva Ratnadhvaja..." downward there are ten lines of verse, which is the section clarifying that all responsive manifestations of the Tathāgata are not done out of sentiment but rely effortlessly on wisdom, appearing in response to sentient beings' own karma. (This passage is established in terms of the correspondence between the practice and wisdom of one's own cultivation, not established by temporal wisdom. Temporal divisions are based on sentiment; long duration and short duration are both sentiment.) Eighth, from "At that time, the bodhisattva Vīryadhvaja..." downward there are ten lines of verse, which is the section clarifying that the Buddha's body is neither internal nor external, that the Buddhas of the ten directions are identical and equal, that there is no internal or external body, and that it manifests in response to the karma of sentient beings. Ninth, from "At that time, the bodhisattva Vimaladhvaja..." downward there are ten lines of verse, which is the section clarifying that the Tathāgata, by means of wisdom that is without mind, without thought, and without reliance, its nature having neither exterior nor interior, manifests in response across the ten directions, universally responding according to capacities. Tenth, from "At that time, the bodhisattva Nakṣatradhvaja..." downward there are ten lines of verse, which is the section clarifying that the Tathāgata has no mind, consciousness, or mentation and thus can be called Buddha, whereas sentient beings who have mind, consciousness, and mentation, as well as those who abide in a mind of cessation, are entirely unable to see the Buddha. Eleventh, from "At that time, the bodhisattva Dharmadhvaja..." downward there are ten lines of verse, which is the section clarifying that one would rather endure all sufferings than abandon the Tathāgata. Each of the above explains one dharma, together fulfilling the mind of the ten dedications of merit. If one only speaks of existence, sentient beings cling to existence; if one only speaks of nonexistence, sentient beings cling to nonexistence. As the sutra's verse by the bodhisattva Nakṣatradhvaja says: "Sentient beings make distinctions / of what is the Buddha and what is the world. / Those who thoroughly comprehend the nature of dharmas / have no Buddha and no world." And as the verse below by Dharmadhvaja says: "I would rather constantly and fully endure / all the sufferings of the world, / than ever stay far from the Tathāgata / without beholding his sovereign power." These two verses mutually establish existence and nonexistence lest one fall into extreme views; the rest should be understood accordingly. As for why one contemplates the ten directions, the intent is to contemplate the sameness and difference of the minds of the multitude, and also to contemplate that the Buddhas' teachings across the worlds of the ten directions are identical and non-dual.

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Second, in explaining the meaning according to the text: from the initial fifty-two lines of the sutra, the meaning is divided into ten passages. First, from "At that time, through the Buddha's spiritual power..." down to "came to the Buddha's place," this is the passage where the various assemblies gather. Second, from "Their names were..." down to "the bodhisattva Dharmadhvaja," this is the passage enumerating the names of the ten bodhisattvas who came. Third, from "The lands from which they came..." down to "the Wondrous Fragrance World," this is the passage on the lands from which the bodhisattvas came. Fourth, from "Each had purely cultivated brahmacarya under a Buddha..." down to "the Buddha Vipaśyicittadhvaja," this is the passage enumerating the names of the Buddhas they originally served. Fifth, from "Those bodhisattvas..." down to "immeasurable merit," there are eight lines of the sutra, clarifying that the bodhisattvas who came sat on magically manifested seats, emitting light to reveal their virtues and bring abundant benefit. Sixth, from "Namely..." down to "resembling empty space," there are seven lines of the sutra, clarifying that the bodhisattvas who came saw the pure dharmakāya wisdom of non-reliance, universally roaming the ten directions to serve the Buddhas with sovereign unhinderedness. Seventh, from "Just as in this world..." down to "without any distinction," this clarifies the summary conclusion that the ten directions gathered in the same way as this assembly. Eighth, from "At that time, the World-Honoured One..." down to "the marks of spiritual transformations," this clarifies that where the Tathāgata emitted light, it illuminated the ten directions universally, and the great assemblies here and there saw one another. Ninth, from "Such bodhisattvas..." down to "all came and gathered," there are sixteen lines of the sutra, clarifying that the past causes of the bodhisattvas who came were identical with the Buddha's roots of goodness, culminating in sovereign unhinderedness in the ultimate Dharma. Tenth, from "Being at the Buddha's place, seen by means of the light..." down to the verses, there are two lines of the sutra, clarifying the summary conclusion that the ten directions were identical to the gathering of bodhisattvas in this world.

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Second, as for explaining the meaning according to the text, ten sections are established for these fifty lines of the sutra: first, clarifying the principle of where the bodhisattvas of the ten directions come from; second, explaining the meanings of the bodhisattvas' names; third, explaining what the ten worlds signify; fourth, explaining the cause and effect of the names of the ten Buddhas; fifth, explaining the nature of the seats magically manifested by the ten bodhisattvas upon arriving at the Buddha's place; sixth, explaining the cause of the bodily light of the bodhisattvas; seventh, clarifying what dharma the bodhisattvas attained to be able to sovereignly transform throughout the ten directions; eighth, explaining what dharma is signified by the locations where the Tathāgata emitted light; ninth, clarifying from whom the vast assemblies of bodhisattvas who arrived brought forth their bodhicitta; tenth, clarifying the cause and effect of progressive cultivation according to the stages.

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First, clarifying the principle of where the bodhisattvas come from: when the sutra says, "Each accompanied by [a retinue] numbered in the dust motes of ten thousand Buddha lands," this clarifies the principle of progressive ascent, for the knowledge and vision of their wisdom surpasses that of the preceding stage. In the ten abodes it says a hundred, in the ten practices it says a thousand, and in the ten dedications it says ten thousand. That they all came to the Buddha's place from worlds beyond lands numbering in the dust motes of ten thousand Buddha lands clarifies that delusion regarding phenomena is called "external worlds," while when wisdom penetrates, it is called "coming to the Buddha's place." Calling them "dust motes of ten thousand Buddha lands" represents the count of delusion and awakening.

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Second, explaining the meanings of the bodhisattvas' names: as for "his name was the bodhisattva Vajradhvaja," "bodhisattva" has already been explained above. "Vajradhvaja" (Diamond Banner) clarifies the meaning of being firm and unshakeable. The bodhisattvas of the preceding stage of the ten practices were named "Forest" (Vana) to signify that their practices provide broad and abundant shelter. The bodhisattvas of this stage are designated by "Banner" (Dhvaja) to clarify that their practice of great compassion abides in the great ocean of saṃsāra and is able to destroy all defilements of sentient beings, while their own wisdom is without wavering. The ten practices clarify using practice to humble oneself and reconcile hostility, whereas the ten dedications clarify great wisdom being firm and strong, sovereignly destroying hostility in accordance with compassion. This is in terms of the practice of the perfection of giving (dānapāramitā). The bodhisattva Dṛḍhadhvaja (Firm Banner) has this great compassion as the essence of morality (śīla). The bodhisattva Vikrāntadhvaja (Heroic Banner) takes great compassion as patience (kṣānti), which is the meaning of heroism. The bodhisattva Prabhādhvaja (Radiant Banner) takes great compassion as the essence of vigor (vīrya), abiding long in the night of saṃsāra and illuminating it with wisdom. As for the bodhisattva Jñānadhvaja (Wisdom Banner), the great wisdom of this stage constantly shines and perpetually dispels darkness within saṃsāra, thus serving as the essence of meditative concentration (dhyāna). As for the bodhisattva Ratnadhvaja (Jewel Banner), it clarifies that spreading the net of teachings through great compassion and great wisdom is called a jewel banner; this clarifies that the teaching is precious, not that it is a worldly jewel. As for the bodhisattva Vīryadhvaja (Vigor Banner), this stage is the seventh, the practice of skillful means (upāya); being skilled in knowing capacities and working with others (samānārthatā), abiding in the mundane without delusion and sharing the dust without defilement, this is the meaning of the vigor banner. As for the bodhisattva Vimaladhvaja (Stainless Banner), this is the eighth, the vow perfection (praṇidhānapāramitā); being inherently free from saṃsāra, one uses wisdom to benefit sentient beings according to vows, and hence is always stainless. As for the bodhisattva Nakṣatradhvaja (Constellation Banner), this is the power perfection (balapāramitā), the stage of the Dharma King fulfilling discriminating wisdom, clarifying that one understands sentient beings' capacities well, just as the constellations, whether large or small, are all bright. As for the bodhisattva Dharmadhvaja (Dharma Banner), this stage is the wisdom perfection (jñānapāramitā), skillfully establishing all dharmas such that none can destroy them, which is the meaning of the Dharma banner. Those above are the persons capable of performing the practices.

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Third, explaining the names of the worlds: the land from which one came is called the Wondrous Jewel World, which clarifies that universally bestowing the wondrous Dharma upon living beings is precious. The world named Wondrous Joy clarifies that great compassion is morality, abiding in saṃsāra to benefit sentient beings and cause them to attain great joy. The Wondrous Silver World clarifies using the principle and wisdom of the dharmakāya to form the essence of patience, pliable, bright, and pure like white silver. The Wondrous Gold World clarifies that vigor benefits the world without weariness, not deviating from the true principle, balanced within and bringing forth blessings, all being of golden color. The Wondrous Maṇi World clarifies that the nature of dharmas is white and pure, functionally applied without defilement and sovereign, thus serving as the essence of meditative concentration. The Wondrous Vajra World clarifies that wondrous wisdom devoid of inherent nature can shatter falsehood without destroying itself. The Wondrous Padmatantra World refers to the red lotus flower, clarifying that only through great compassion can one share color and fragrance without defilement. The Wondrous Utpala Flower World has the color of the blue lotus, clarifying that the eighth's practice of wisdom following compassion is clean and undefiled, symbolized by the color of the blue lotus abiding in mud without being soiled. The Wondrous Candana World clarifies that through this stage of Dharma master, one fulfills the fragrance of expounding the Dharma. The Wondrous Fragrance World clarifies that in this stage, great wisdom and great compassion fulfill their virtues according to the stage, filling the ten directions with the subtle wisdom of non-reliance and non-action, a wisdom without coming or going; because the sound of Dharma pervades everywhere without having physical form, it only says "wondrous fragrance" without speaking of physical shapes, signifying that it surpasses what precedes it and leaves no trace. The above names of these ten worlds are the teachings within the practice of the stage of the ten dedications. Calling it the Wondrous Fragrance World refers to the wondrous function of principle and wisdom in teaching and transforming sentient beings in accordance with saṃsāra. The mundane world takes soil, lands, mountains, and rivers as its world; the wise person takes the wondrous function of wisdom and virtue as their world.

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Fourth, explaining the causes and effects in the names of the ten Buddhas: As the sūtra says, "Each purified and practiced brahmacarya in the presence of a Buddha," this clarifies that according to one's stage, one advances in practice and adds effort toward the Buddha-fruit, which is none other than the ten Buddhas listed below. The one called Buddha Inexhaustible Banner indicates that in this stage of the great compassion of the ten dedications of merit, what is bestowed is inexhaustible, thus forming the title of his Buddha-fruit. His giving will be clarified in the "Dedication Chapter" below. The Buddha Wind Banner indicates that xùn represents wind, pure white, speech, red, the sun, clarity, and pure whiteness; just as wind has neither form nor color yet blows upon both the fragrant and the foul, making them all pure. Furthermore, xùn represents the rooster, which crows knowing the time; this symbolizes knowing people's capacities and handing down teachings accordingly. Ascending, it meets the gate of heaven, opening up all goods. Xùn is the beginning of flourishing yang, the time when right and wrong are determined. It is the time for rules of fasting and precepts. Xùn represents speech, the mouth, and the face gate, discussing all goods. It can govern xǐn-chǒu; chǒu is the youngest son, transforming the immature through manifold speech. Expressed in this way, Buddha Wind Banner is the fruit-title of the wind-like transforming influence of this precept pāramitā. The Buddha Liberation Banner is the fruit within the stage of patience. Once the power of patience is perfected, there is nothing from which one is not liberated. It is duì in the west, signifying lowering oneself. The Buddha Dignified Demeanour Banner governs the Buddha-fruit of the north; it shares the same title with the Buddha Dignified Demeanour Wisdom of the north in the stages of faith. It governs the north, the stage of the teacher and exemplar, because he receives the immature with dignified demeanour and proper composure; thus it is named as a fruit-title in reference to practice. The Buddha Sign of Light Banner shares its title with the Buddha Wisdom of the Sign of Light of the northeast in the stage of the ten faiths; this indicates that kǎn is what is governed, chǒu is faith, and yín is accord with principle, first clarifying the borrowing of directions to symbolize dharmas. Chǒu primarily represents the mountain, and the mountain is immovable; immovability is purity, and purity can give rise to illumination—the beginning of dhyāna. At the beginning of entering samādhi, correct wisdom unfolds and blossoms; because the stage of the ten dedications does not depart from the dharmas believed in during the ten faiths, it is established upon those very dharmas. This clarifies that the essence of concentration in the ten dedications can give rise to the luminous wisdom of great compassion that benefits worldly beings. The Buddha Constant Banner is also similar to the sixth, Buddha Ultimate Wisdom, in the ten faiths; in general, it establishes the names of Buddha-fruit titles based on the pāramitās as one ascends through the stages, throughout never departing from the fruits believed in during the ten faiths. This is just as Sudhana goes up to the Buddha-fruit of Maitreya, yet is pointed back to see Mañjuśrī. This clarifies that Mañjuśrī is the stage of the fruit of faith that initiates the immature; when giving rise to practice and advancing in cultivation, one does not depart from the former traces. Now Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī dwells on Mount Qingliang, which is in the northeast of this region of Jambudvīpa, presiding over the gèn position, symbolizing the very head that initiates the immature and brings forth illumination; thus he is a youth bodhisattva. Speaking of the truth, it is originally the wondrous wisdom of the natureless principle of all Buddhas of the ten directions; none attain buddhahood without it. This gate is fully possessed by all sentient beings, but delusion concerning principle confuses them so they do not see it. If one awakens to principle, it is present active discrimination itself, which only becomes clear when illuminated by samādhi. Gèn means stopping. The rest can be known by following this pattern, matching the names to their stages.

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Fifth, explaining the essence of the seats upon which the bodhisattvas manifest their transformation: The sūtra says, "manifesting lion seats of wondrous jewel treasuries," because of the net of teaching and practice using Dharma jewels to benefit sentient beings. With jewel nets covering the seats from above: in the stage of the ten faiths, the essence of the seat receives its name from the fruit, taking the treasure lotus treasury as its essence. In the stage of the ten abodes, its essence is formed from obtaining the Tathāgata's wisdom and great compassion; that is, it takes the Vairocana treasury as its essence, so the lion seat is named the Vairocana Treasury. In the stage of the ten practices, the lion seat is one of pure practice free from defilement, taking the lotus treasury as its essence. In the stage of the ten dedications, it clarifies that great compassion abides in birth and death, setting forth teachings and practices that universally encompass the myriad dharmas without being restricted to any single dharma; therefore, the essence of the seat is simply named "jewel," without restriction to color or kind, and because the teachings and practices pervade everywhere to fish out sentient beings, the seat has a jewel net covering it from above.

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Sixth, explaining the light from the bodhisattvas' bodies: This clarifies that the bodhisattvas of this stage dwell in the world and benefit beings with practices of great compassion, letting wisdom shine upon sentient beings naturally; thus pure light constantly illuminates.

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Seventh, clarifying what dharma the bodhisattvas attain that makes them unhindered: The sūtra says, "seeing the unconditioned, pure dharmakāya," because their wisdom-body manifests boundlessly. This clarifies that by seeing the unconditioned nature of dharmas, all fundamental ignorance immediately becomes the wondrous functioning of wisdom, enabling unobstructed transformation in all directions.

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Eighth, explaining the locations from which the Tathāgata emits light to symbolize dharmas: Light is emitted from the wheels under the soles of the feet in the ten faiths, taking faith as the beginning. As at the tips of the toes in the ten abodes, it marks the beginning of entering the noble stages. From the insteps in the ten practices, it marks giving rise to practice based on the dharmakāya of the noble nature. In the ten dedications, light is emitted from the knees, which symbolizes the illumination of the Dharma, for the knees are that by which a person sits, rises, turns around, bends, and stretches at will. This clarifies that the Dharma-gate of this stage of dedication is the great wisdom that turns worldly existence into true liberation free of defilement; benefiting beings through compassion and vows, it abides in birth and death while constantly in nirvāṇa, and abides in nirvāṇa without obstruction from birth and death, possessing complete ease; this is symbolized by the location of the light's emission. Between the eyebrows in the ten grounds symbolizes the light of the fruit of the Middle Way.

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Ninth, clarifying from whom the bodhisattvas arouse the thought [of awakening]: They all take the beginningless discrimination and ignorance of their own minds as the beginning of arousing the thought [of awakening]; because they realize that this beginningless ignorance is itself the great mirror-like wisdom, they share the same roots of goodness with Vairocana Tathāgata of the ten directions. Apart from this wisdom, there is no time of attaining buddhahood, no day of seeing the Buddha. Therefore, the sūtra says: "Such bodhisattvas have all shared roots of goodness with Vairocana in the past," clarifying that realizing one's own ignorance forms the essence of great wisdom, and all Buddhas share this wisdom.

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Tenth, clarifying the causes and effects in advancing practice according to the stages: This clarifies that Bodhisattva Vajradhvaja is the person who cultivates the practice, the Wondrous Jewel World is the practice cultivated, and the Buddha Inexhaustible Banner is the fruit of that practice. The remaining nine are to be understood by analogy with this. Below there are ten sets of verses: one verse for each of the ten practices, one practice per verse. The dharmas praised in verse are the overarching principles of regulation and discipline within this very stage of the ten dedications, which are fully detailed in the text itself. If further written commentary were added, the text would become cumbersome and the meaning obscured; only where the symbolized dharmas are difficult to understand will a concise explanation be given. The rest is detailed in the text itself.

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Chapter Twenty-Five: The Ten Dedications

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About to explain this chapter, there are three sections as before.

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First, explaining the title of the chapter: Why is this chapter called "The Ten Dedications"? Answer: In the ten abodes, one is newly born into the house of the wisdom of all Buddhas; although there is the seventh, the pāramitā of skillful means, which accomplishes the practice of great compassion, yet because one is at the beginning of conforming to truth and cultivating the principle-wisdom, the mind aspiring to transcend the world is strong while the practice of compassion is weak. Hence, in the abode of initial resolve, atop Mount Sugopita one sees the monk named Meghaśrī and attains the gate of the wisdom-light of mindfulness of the Buddhas. Although one knows that subsequent to this the ten kalyāṇamitras, through the mutual interpenetration of the ten pāramitās, harmonize all practices so they are already complete, yet according to the practice-gates of their respective stages, superiority and inferiority differ entirely; this shows the distinct advancement within what is shared. Thus, at the head of the practices in the stage of the ten practices, there is the monk named Sudarśana in the land of Three Eyes, whose walking meditation in the forest symbolizes the ten practices. Because he observes capacities and benefits beings with the wisdom eye, the insight eye, and the Dharma eye, transforming them and causing them to transcend the world, the monk symbolizes the ten practices. Being vast and sheltering many, this is symbolized by the forest. Here in the stage of the ten dedications, it clarifies that in the preceding two stages, the mind aspiring to leave the world was strong while the practice of great compassion was weak; so by taking the wisdom of all Buddhas attained at the initial thought of the ten abodes and the world-transcending practices of the ten practices to abide in the mundane world and benefit beings, it is called "dedication." Turning from the true into the mundane to benefit beings is therefore called "dedication." For this reason, the kalyāṇamitra who symbolizes the Dharma in this stage is represented by the incense merchant named Utpalabhūti. This clarifies that the Dharma-gate of the ten dedications is like the art of blending incense: taking various blended incenses and forming them into a single pellet, they mutually enrich one another to produce an all-pervading fragrance. The ten dedications are also like this: taking the incense of the fivefold dharmakāya of morality, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and the knowledge and vision of liberation, and blending it with great loving-kindness, great compassion, the pāramitās, the four means of embracing, the four immeasurables, and the gates of defilements of nirvāṇa and birth-and-death, together they form a single true incense of the dharmadhātu, all led by great vows; therefore this stage is called "dedication." The elder is named Utpalabhūti (Blue Lotus) to symbolize that the practice of this stage is unstained by defilement or purity, birth-and-death or nirvāṇa. Moreover, an elder signifies one who dwells in mundane society whose wisdom surpasses worldly people; hence he is called an elder. A blue lotus signifies that among flowers of all colors, this flower's color and fragrance are foremost; this symbolizes that among the practice-gates of the five stages, this Dharma-gate of the ten dedications is foremost. Why is this so? Because this Dharma-gate of the ten dedications, through the power of great vows, fuses compassion and wisdom, birth-and-death and nirvāṇa, into the true unhindered Dharma of the single dharmadhātu; therefore, it can enrich the Buddha-fruit of the preceding stages and make the practice-gates of Samantabhadra completely fulfilled. It also brings to fruition the practice-gates of the subsequent stages of the ten grounds and the eleventh ground, making them practiced with ease. It clarifies that the preceding and succeeding ten abodes, ten practices, ten grounds, and eleventh ground are all completely harmonized by the principle-wisdom, great vows, great wisdom, and great compassion within this stage of the ten dedications. Therefore, because this stage of the ten dedications connects with the preceding and penetrates through to the succeeding, fully embracing them all, it is symbolized by the blue lotus, whose color and fragrance are the most supreme among all flowers, surpassing other blossoms. It also symbolizes the Tuṣita heaven palace, which among the three realms is supreme. Why? Because the Buddhas of the three periods of the world all dwell in this heaven, nurturing the bodhicitta to fulfill the transformation of the world. The heavens above, Nirmāṇarati and Paranirmitavaśavartin, are given over to pleasure and negligence. Further up, the form realm and formless realm have a strong desire for purity. Below, Yāma and Trāyastriṃśa are heavens of attachment to pleasure, not of knowing contentment. The Cāturmahārājakāyika heaven occupies the four quarters and is not in the central position. Therefore, this heaven is located in the middle between the upper and lower heavens of the desire realm. Furthermore, this heaven is the common place of rebirth for those who must cultivate the three merits. What are the three? First, cultivating giving; second, upholding precepts; third, cultivating meditation. The other heavens do not cultivate the three merits to make them balanced, being biased toward one or another. Cultivating the two merits of precepts and giving, the other heavens are either more prone to negligence or more prone to attachment to purity. Therefore, the Shangsheng Jing says: "Those who wish to nurture bodhicitta should be reborn in this heaven." Therefore, this gate of the ten dedications is spoken in this heaven, symbolizing the supremacy of the Dharma here. Furthermore, between Trāyastriṃśa and Yāma below, and Paranirmitavaśavartin and Nirmāṇarati above, this heaven is in the middle of these five heavens; therefore, the ten dedications are spoken to harmonize wisdom and compassion so that they are balanced and centered; hence the ten dedications are spoken in this heaven, using this location to symbolize the Dharma-gate taught. Furthermore, the incense merchant named Utpalabhūti symbolizes the Dharma-stage, which can be understood through this meaning. Therefore they are named the ten dedications, symbolizing the gate of the practices of the ten pāramitās combining the one and the many, identity and difference; they are ten dedications to symbolize inexhaustibility, using the wind of great vows to blow the cloud of wisdom and compassion, causing universal rain to fall.

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Second, explaining the purpose of the chapter's emergence: The general meaning is known as described above.

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Third, explaining the meaning following the text: The meaning is divided into two: first, an outline of the sūtra's meaning; second, explaining the meaning following the text.

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First, as for outlining the main sections according to the sūtra's meaning: from "At that time" below through the end of the thirty-third fascicle, there is an overall outline of fifteen sections. First, from "At that time" at the beginning of the chapter below down through "the dedications of merit of all Buddhas of past, future, and present," there are thirty-three lines of scripture; this is the section where the Buddhas of the ten directions empower the bodhisattva Vajradhvaja to expound the ten dedications of merit. Second, from "Sons of the Buddha, bodhisattva-mahāsattvas" below down through "the Buddhas of the past, future, and present have spoken, will speak, and are now speaking," there are nine and a half lines of scripture; this is the section directly listing the titles of the ten dedications of merit. From here below, from "Sons of the Buddha, what is the bodhisattva-mahāsattva's..." down through "all attain purity and arrive at the other shore" within the thirty-third fascicle, there are ten fascicles of scripture in total; this is the section explaining the direct expounding of the ten dedications of merit along with the practices of progressive cultivation of the ten pāramitās. The ten dedications of merit above—each one being the practice of one pāramitā—together constitute ten sections of outline. Thirteenth, from "By the Buddha's spiritual power" below down through "the Tuṣita heavenly palaces in all worlds were also entirely like this," there are sixteen lines of scripture; this is the section on the quaking of the earth and the raising of offerings. Fourteenth, from "At that time, further by the Buddha's spiritual power" below down through "were also like this," there are ten lines of scripture; this is the section explaining the bodhisattvas of the same name assembling to bear witness. Fifteenth, from "At that time" below, there are six and a half lines of scripture; this is the section explaining the bodhisattva Vajradhvaja reciting verses.

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Within the initial first section on the Buddhas' empowerment of Vajradhvaja, it is further divided into four subsections. First, from "At that time, the bodhisattva Vajradhvaja" below down through "expounding the ten dedications of merit of the bodhisattvas," there are eighteen and a half lines of scripture; this is the subsection explaining the bodhisattva Vajradhvaja entering samādhi and the Buddhas of the same name bestowing empowerment. Second, from "Son of the Buddha, you should rely on the majestic spiritual power of the Buddhas" below down through "because of the unimpeded light of the Dharma," there are four and a half lines of scripture; this is the subsection explaining the Buddhas exhorting him to expound the Dharma-gate of the ten dedications of merit. Third, from "At that time" below down through "because of the power of roots of goodness," there are six lines of scripture; this is the subsection explaining the Buddhas bestowing empowerment with ten kinds of Dharma-power upon Vajradhvaja. Fourth, from "At that time" below down through "the dedications of merit of all Buddhas of past, future, and present," there are four lines of scripture; this is the subsection explaining the Buddhas rubbing his crown with their hands, causing the bodhisattva Vajradhvaja to emerge from samādhi and expound the Dharma.

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新華嚴經論 — Classical Chinese