新華嚴經論 22

English (machine translation) 22

Language: English

The above concludes the direct explanation of the ten gates of dedication. Within the thirteenth section of the extended outline, from "Through the spiritual power of the Buddha" onwards, it is further divided into five sections: first, the section on the Buddha's majesty shaking the earth; second, the section on the devas raising offerings, where the devas raising offerings has two senses: first, offerings of incense, flowers, banners, and canopies; second, offerings such as the devas singing praises, paying homage, and emitting light; third, from "Just as in this Tuṣita heaven" onwards down to "all were likewise", which is the section concluding that all the ten directions are identical; fourth, the section where the Bodhisattvas Vajradhvaja, sharing the same name throughout the ten directions, all come to witness the Dharma; fifth, explaining the section where the Bodhisattva Vajradhvaja contemplates the assembly and speaks verses.

22.3

Second, concerning interpreting according to the text: What is the dedication [of merit] that equals the dharmadhātu and is immeasurable? The commentary says: Just as the dharmadhātu has neither middle nor perimeter, the mind of dedication likewise has neither middle nor perimeter. Just as the dharmadhātu has no agent, the mind of dedication has no agent. The dharmadhātu has no coming, going, distance, or proximity; the mind of dedication has no coming, going, distance, or proximity. The dharmadhātu is like empty space; the wisdom of dedication is like empty space. The dharmadhātu is inconceivable; the wisdom of dedication is inconceivable. The dharmadhātu has nothing upon which it relies; the wisdom of dedication has nothing upon which it relies. The dharmadhātu is that wherein all Buddhas jointly abide; the wisdom of dedication is that wherein all Buddhas jointly abide. The dharmadhātu is not subsumed under the three times or any time divisions of arising and ceasing; the wisdom of dedication is not subsumed under the time divisions of the three times. In the dharmadhātu, the activities of the three times are fully present before one; in the wisdom of dedication, the activities of the three times are fully present before one. In the dharmadhātu, existence and nonexistence are unhindered; in the wisdom of dedication, existence and nonexistence are unhindered. Because it causes oneself and others to be unobstructed like the dharmadhātu and sovereign like all Buddhas, it is therefore called the dedication that equals the dharmadhātu and is immeasurable. The general idea is to cause all who generate the bodhimind to be completely identical with the virtues of the dharmadhātu, their functioning sovereign, perfect, vast and limitless, free from the nature of large or small, not belonging to limited measures such as one, two, three, a hundred, a thousand, or ten thousand, thus equalling the limitless Dharma, the mundane and supramundane, great wisdom, great compassion, joy, and equanimity, equalling the dharmadhātu and the realm of sentient beings. If one does not dedicate [merits] in this way, even if one seeks bodhi, one will only attain the quiescent bodhi of the two vehicles, or bodhisattvas rejoicing in rebirth in a pure land, all dwelling in the three carts outside the gate, where the white ox in the open ground is not their lot. These ten dedications cause all practitioners of the three vehicles who have attained the supramundane mind to comprehend the nature of mundane saṃsāra and their own-nature dharmadhātu, giving rise to great compassion and enabling all sentient beings to attain it, because it causes them to see that the nature of sentient beings is dharmadhātu wisdom. It enables them to attain the gate of equal compassion and enter the abode of the universal light of perfect wisdom, so that they are not caused to abide long in the thatched hut or the conjured city. Thus, the single period of Dharma gates spoken by the lay devotee Vimalakīrti is a small portion that causes the three vehicles to dedicate [merits], and the vehicle of the white ox in the open ground in the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Sūtra briefly sets forth one part of the place of jewels; but the general raising of the dharmadhātu gate, the universal light of great wisdom, the Buddha fruition, and the ocean of Samantabhadra's practices is the universally final culmination. Thus, in this sūtra, the gates of the ten dedications turn back the adornments of the merits of the myriad practices of the dharmakāya of great compassion and great wisdom in the ten abodes and ten practices: wherever self and other are obstructed or hindered, where compassion and reverence are not genuine, where knowledge and vision are not vast, where the mind of compassion is not universal, where the mind is not expansive, and where they do not accord with the limitless dharmadhātu, one uses this dedication to equalize and rectify them, making them equal so that they accord with the unobstructed, limitless, sovereign abiding of the dharmadhātu. If one does not, by means of such limitless dedication, make vows universally for the sentient beings of the limitless dharmadhātu, one will abide personally in the gate of truth and be born one-sidedly in a pure land, and failing to rely on the unobstructed dharmadhātu, the equality of defilement and purity, and the limitless great compassion of the identical body, one will not accomplish the Buddha fruition. Such ten dedications equalize the practice gates of the ten faiths, ten abodes, ten practices, ten grounds, and the eleventh ground, all being contained within them. In this meaning, within the stages of the ten grounds there is no separate allocation of Buddha fruitions; one merely takes the ten upper names of the Buddha fruition in this stage as entirely identical, all having the title of 'wondrous' bodhisattvas. The upper names of the bodhisattvas in the stages of the ten grounds and the bodhisattvas of these ten dedication stages are all called 'Vajra'; they differ only as 'Banner' (dhvaja) versus 'Treasury' (garbha), clarifying that the Buddha fruition of wondrous functioning and the Dharma practiced are no different from this; it is only that the accumulation of merit reaching its conclusion and the merit of great compassion being fulfilled is named 'Treasury', not that it is a separate dharma outside this dedication stage. Therefore, among the kalyāṇamitras of Sudhana's ten dedications, who are householders, devas, and earth spirits, those that represent the kalyāṇamitras of the ten grounds are nine night-goddesses who are all female, and one who was the Tathāgata's wife when he was the crown prince, in order to represent the stage of purely cultivating great compassion. To clarify that in the wisdom stages of the ten abodes and ten practices, the ten dedications harmonize and blend them through the power of vows, causing wisdom and compassion to advance equally to the accumulation and cultivation of the ten grounds so that great wisdom and great compassion become profound, vast, and fully equipped, they are represented by ten females. In the eleventh ground, where compassion and wisdom are fulfilled to accomplish the gate of Samantabhadra's practices, this clarifies using compassion to give rise to wisdom; thus the Buddha's mother Māyā is taken as the first kalyāṇamitra of the eleventh ground, representing the ability to give birth to all Buddhas. The mother is the stage of compassion and the Buddha is wisdom; because compassion gives birth to wisdom, it is said that Māyā gives birth to the Buddha, and thus she attains the Dharma gate of illusory birth. This clarifies that the virtues of compassion and wisdom are accomplished and Samantabhadra's practices are fulfilled; hence the sequence of gradual cultivation is established in this way. If one considers cultivation as advancing simultaneously at one time, this is just like the bhikṣu Sāgaramegha of the country of Sāgaramukha in the second of Sudhana's ten abodes, who accomplishes the gate of compassion and wisdom of the abode of first generating the mind. For this reason, the ten kings within it, such as the asura king, represent the practice of entering saṃsāra. Furthermore, Sāgaramegha is within this dedication stage able to enter the great ocean of saṃsāra, and because the ocean of saṃsāra is itself the ocean of the Buddha, it is therefore said that a Buddha appeared and spoke the Samantamukha Sūtra. Setting forth the ten kings and so forth represents sovereignty in the myriad practices. The same applies through the laywoman Acala of the seventh of the ten abodes, but this is discussed merely in terms of the increase and decrease of maturity and habituation. Moreover, the Dharma gates of these five stages entirely do not depart from a single kṣaṇa; because beginning and end are accomplished [simultaneously], there is strictly speaking no sequential before and after. As in the twentieth section, where the dedication of the roots of good from the gift of Dharma adorns the Buddha lands: this is adornment through the power of vows. Where the meaning is obscure, I will explain it; what is readily understood is as in the text. For example, 'breadth and length' (yanmao) means that the towers and pavilions are interconnected, extending limitlessly. As for 'jewelled windows and small windows', the large are called chuang and the small are called you. As for 'jewelled tāla trees shaped like a half-moon', this is the name of a tree from the Western Regions, like the palm tree here; having jewels as their substance, the trees are adorned with half-moon gems, but one cannot say the tree itself is shaped like a half-moon. As for 'none that were not produced from the Tathāgata's roots of good', it means that through the power of vows, one uses adornments produced like the Buddha's roots of good to adorn the Buddha lands. As for 'asṃkhyeyas of jewelled oceans filled with Dharma-water', it means that the water expounds the Dharma. As for 'asaṃkhyeyas of jewelled puṇḍarīka flowers constantly emitting the sound of the wondrous Dharma puṇḍarīka', these are hundred-petalled white lotus flowers, which can also emit a hundred kinds of sounds expounding a hundred kinds of Dharmas. As for 'asaṃkhyeyas of jewelled Mount Sumerus, kings of wisdom mountains, towering forth pure', this clarifies that through vows and the karma of wisdom, retribution is obtained as being uniquely superior and surpassing other dharmas, which is called 'towering forth', and being able to purify all karma is called 'pure'. Sumeru means 'wondrously high'; a mountain is called 'cessation' (zhi), using the hexagram Gen as mountain to represent cessation. 'King' means sovereign. This clarifies that by stilling one's mind, the mind becomes pure; and if the mind is pure, the wondrous functioning of wisdom is sovereign. Therefore, the mountain obtained as retribution is also like this, because cause and effect correspond. As for 'asaṃkhyeyas of eight-faceted wondrous gems strung through with jewelled cords, adorned and pure beyond compare', this clarifies retribution obtained from the eightfold noble path. The 'jewelled cords' are the teaching: stringing them together with words, bamboo, and silk prevents the Dharma from being scattered and lost, thereby fulfilling the karmic retribution. 'Bodhisattva-gems' are obtained as retribution based on practice, resembling the form of a bodhisattva. 'Asaṃkhyeyas of jewelled spirals manifesting the bodhisattva's eye of wisdom' are obtained as retribution based on unobstructed wisdom; because within a single wisdom there are inexhaustible Dharma gates of wisdom, being profound and limitless, they are called 'spirals'. 'Asaṃkhyeyas of palaces and halls' are the retribution marks of the palace of compassion and the hall of wisdom adorning [the land]. 'Reflecting' means illuminating through and through. 'Jewelled mountains as enclosing walls' is obtained as retribution by using stillness for protection. 'Asaṃkhyeyas of jewelled transformative activities' means these jewels can transform into various matters and dharmas; this is obtained as retribution based on performing myriad practices with a single wisdom. 'Jewelled treasuries manifesting all true Dharmas' is obtained as retribution from the treasury of all diverse wisdoms. 'The Tathāgata's banner-marks standing distinctly lofty' means the jewels stand resembling the Buddha's physical image to adorn the land, clarifying retribution obtained from the unshakeable banner of the wisdom of tathatā. 'Asaṃkhyeyas of jewelled worthies possessing the forms of worthies of great wisdom' means the jewels resemble the forms of worthy persons, their appearances having the marks of worthy persons, born as retribution based on one's own worthiness. 'Jewelled parks producing the samādhi-bliss of bodhisattvas' clarifies retribution obtained by taking samādhi as park and grove. 'Jewelled sounds' means taking sound as jewels, not that they have physical form. 'Jewelled forms' means using various jewels to make various forms. 'Jewelled marks' means using jewels as the major marks and minor characteristics. 'Jewelled deportment' means using jewels to create the dignified and composed deportment of bodhisattvas. 'Jewelled clusters' means those who see them all give rise to clusters of wisdom, clarifying retribution obtained through clusters of wisdom. 'Jewelled abodes' means using the realm of wisdom to manifest the stages of the bodhisattvas' ten abodes. 'Jewelled cultivation' means using jewels for the sequence of cultivating Dharma gates; those who see them know that all jewels are karma, which is the retribution of consciousness-karma. 'Jewelled unobstructed knowledge and vision' means taking jewels as unobstructed knowledge and vision, so that those who see them attain the pure Dharma-eye, produced based on the unobstructed nature of pure wisdom. As for 'jewelled tāla trees', these trees resemble palm trees, are hard as iron, and their leaves are long and dense; even during long periods of heavy rain, beneath them is as dry as a house. As spoken in this sūtra, they are considered to take jewels as their substance, not like the wooden trees of the human world in the Western Regions. The part of the tree without branches is the trunk; what goes straight up from the trunk is the stem; what grows laterally from the stem are branches; and the slender parts upon the branches are twigs. 'Royal capitals and villages' are entirely transformed through great vows and practices to adorn the Buddha lands. As for 'bhadra trees', this means 'worthy', because worthy persons dwell beneath the trees; furthermore, the trees produce worthy talents, and above them are the adorning jewelled nets of Śakra. 'Jewelled horns' are jewels able to emit sound, in the shape of conch trumpets. 'Their sound clear and bright' means clear and resonant. 'Jewelled drums of wondrous tones harmonizing across exhausted kalpas': ke means able, and xie means harmonize; it means the musical tones are harmonious and elegant, their melodies incomparable. As for 'asaṃkhyeyas of jewel-births', it is because jewels can give birth to various Dharma-jewels, and it also means sentient beings being able to generate the mind is a jewel. 'Jewelled bodies' clarifies taking jewels as various bodies. 'Jewelled mouths' means having the form of a mouth made of jewels, able to expound Dharma sounds. 'Jewelled minds' means having the form of a mind made of jewels, endowed with mental karma and the jewel of great wisdom-vows. From this general idea onward, explain them as above according to the correspondence of cause and effect. The intelligible matters among them are fully clear as in the text. As a general guideline, know the cause by the fruit: the adornments above are all accomplished through the practices aroused by great vows. Just as the worlds of the Lotus Treasury all arise from the vow-power of Samantabhadra, this clarifies that practice is aroused based on vows. 'Jewelled bodily karma, verbal karma, and mental karma' means taking jewels as the three karmas: from one's own three karmas one arouses practice, establishes doctrine, and contemplates what to adopt and reject, doing so with the mind-jewel.

22.4

In the twenty-third section, it clarifies the vow to use bodhisattva bodies to adorn the Buddha lands, filling them completely. The subsequent text concludes in general that the adornments above are multiplied a hundredfold, and with these roots of good, one dedicates [merit].

22.5

In the twenty-fourth section, from "O sons of the Buddha" onwards, all ten kinds of dedications of merit are set forth, fully explained as in the text. In the section on the quaking of the earth, quaking has three meanings: first, quaking moved by the awe-inspiring authority of expounding the teaching; second, quaking from the joy and delight of the great assembly upon hearing the Dharma; third, quaking caused by attributing it to the spiritual power of the Buddha. The devas offering worship has two meanings: first, an offering elicited by each gate of the Buddha's teaching; second, an offering made by the devas rejoicing upon hearing the Dharma. As for the variety and number of the offerings, they are understood from the sūtra, just as all Buddha realms display the immeasurable, asaṃkhyeya states of all Buddhas. That the Tathāgata's nirmāṇakāya surpasses all devas is the manifestation of virtue in expounding the Dharma; it appears because the Dharma and its sphere correspond, not due to the devas' offerings. In all worlds, the palaces of the Tuṣita heaven are also all like this, concluding collectively that the ten directions are identical to this. At that time, due to the Buddha's spiritual power, that each of the ten directions is said to exceed the atoms of a million Buddha realms signifies: a hundred for the ten abodes, a hundred thousand for the ten practices, and a million in this stage, illuminating the advancing of knowledge and vision, and the measure of knowledge's expansive increase being like this. Coming from beyond the atoms of a million worlds: being in delusion and unable to reach is called "beyond"; advancing in awakening and understanding to enter the stage is called "coming". That bodhisattvas as numerous as the atoms of a million Buddha realms, all named Vajradhvaja, come and praise, saying "Well done!", praising Vajradhvaja Bodhisattva, explains that because their wisdom converges and their Path is identical, their names are also identical, and also explains that the wisdom of the present moment converges with past and present alike. It is also that having realized such realms of world-atoms, all is adamantine wisdom without delusion. The world is named Vajra, and its light is also like this. From "at that time" onwards, there are six lines of the sūtra text explaining the virtue of praising Vajradhvaja Bodhisattva speaking the verses, as can be known from the text. Below that are ninety-four lines of verse, with two lines making one verse, fully present in the text itself. Among these, the conferral of prophecies of attaining Buddhahood according to each stage, gradually spanning vast kalpas, clarifies that it is because wisdom and great compassion expand according to the advancement through the stages, not that there is an extension or shortening of kalpa-measures of days, months, and years; these are all established as names of the Buddha-fruit in accordance with the stages of cultivation.

22.6

Chapter Twenty-Six: The Ten Grounds
The First: The Joyous Ground

22.7

In explaining this chapter, it is distinguished into four sections: first, explaining the chapter title; second, explaining the reason for this chapter's occurrence; third, describing the sequence of advancement; fourth, explaining according to the text.

22.8

First, explaining the chapter title: Why is it called the "Chapter on the Ten Grounds"? Explanation: It illuminates the Tathāgata's universal radiant wisdom as forming the substance of the grounds. As the sūtra says: "Such a bodhisattva has already stepped upon the Tathāgata's ground of universal radiance," which is precisely the great mirror-like wisdom. The distinctions among the four wisdoms, the wisdom of all modes, and the all-knowledge that are taught take this wisdom as their substance. Because although the bodhisattvas have mounted the ten abodes, ten practices, and ten dedications of merit, they have not departed from this substance, yet their power of the Path is not yet sufficient; through the ten pāramitās they further cultivate progressively in ten tiers to bring their power of the Path to perfection, hence they are called the ten grounds. Furthermore, because each single pāramitā intrinsically possesses ten dharmas, they are called the ten grounds. Within ten times ten there are a hundred, and the hundred does not depart from the ten; hence they are called the ten grounds. Extending to ten hundreds, ten thousands, ten hundred-thousands, ten kotis, up to ten ineffable numbers, it encompasses the inexhaustible unity and multiplicity; hence it is called the ten grounds. The teaching of these ten grounds pervades the causes of ten, which means it pervades the ten Buddha-fruits believed in the ten faiths. That is, taking the Akṣobhyajñāna (Immovable Wisdom) Buddha among the ten Buddha-fruits taught in the Universal Light Hall of the Dharma as the initial faith, up to the Asangajñāna (Unobstructed Wisdom) Buddha, the Vimuktijñāna (Liberated Wisdom) Buddha, and extending through the ten wisdom Buddhas as the fruits believed. In progressive cultivation, passing through the ten abodes, ten practices, and ten dedications of merit, one again uses the ten wisdom-fruits within the ten faiths to constitute the substance of these ten grounds. The ten wisdom Buddhas take Akṣobhyajñāna Buddha as their root; Akṣobhyajñāna Buddha takes universal radiant wisdom as its root; universal radiant wisdom takes non-abiding wisdom as its root; and non-abiding wisdom takes all sentient beings as its root. It is like Sudhana meeting Maitreya Bodhisattva, and Maitreya Bodhisattva having Sudhana turn back to see his first kalyāṇamitra, Mañjuśrī; such is the meaning. Extending to the final completion of the five stages, it does not depart from the Buddha-fruit of the initial faith. Because the teaching of these ten grounds is a Dharma-gate of a single continuity penetrating from beginning to end, the reason it is named the "Chapter on the Ten Grounds" is to signify the equal division of unity and multiplicity, the progressive advancement, and the identical and distinct tiers. This is advancement within non-advancement, and stages within stageless cultivation. To put it briefly: if the substance of the ten grounds lacked the initial Buddha-fruit that the ten faiths can believe in within one's own mind, the ten grounds would also not be established. If the initial mind of the ten faiths lacked the Buddha-fruit of the ten grounds and eleventh ground, the mind of faith would also not be achieved. From beginning to end, all is entirely the fruit of immovable wisdom. Because the mind capable of faith is also the Buddha-fruit, the Buddha-fruit that is believed is also the Buddha-fruit, and the person who practices is also the Buddha-fruit; only with such a mind of faith can faith be accomplished. From beginning to end, the cause and effect that are cultivated are not different from Akṣobhyajñāna Buddha. For this reason, in this sūtra the ten abodes, ten practices, and ten dedications of merit all have ten Buddha-names of cause and effect cultivated according to their stages. The ten grounds and eleventh ground adopt the common name of the Buddha-fruit in the ten dedications of merit, without separately establishing Buddha names. Because for these latter ten grounds and eleventh ground, one merely takes the wondrous function of principle, wisdom, and great compassion accumulated in the ten dedications of merit to make the virtuous conduct mature in efficacy, with no other separate dharma. Due to this meaning, the ten Buddha-fruits in the ten dedications of merit are collectively given the common designations of "wondrous" and "bright". Because in the ten dedications of merit the wondrous function uniting principle and phenomena, compassion and wisdom, has already been accomplished, on this account the Tathāgata is also not said to ascend to the heavens, nor does the king of the Paranirmitavaśavartin heaven look on from afar, nor is there any welcoming of the Buddha or making of offerings. The ancients said: "In the ten grounds there is no welcoming of the Buddha or arranging of seats because the text of the sūtra had not arrived in full." This does not capture the intention of the sūtra. It is simply that the rules and models, like the great vows, wisdom, and compassion in the ten dedications of merit, are cultivated to perfection; since they are like that, there are no matters such as arranging seats, in order to clarify the rules and models. Relying on the old rules prior to the grounds, there is no further separate applied cultivation (prayoga); because the Dharma-gate of the ten grounds merely relies on the ten faiths. As for the rules and models within the ten abodes, they take immovable wisdom as their substance; taking the ten Moon Buddhas in the ten abodes, the ten Eye Buddhas in the ten practices, and the ten Wondrous Buddhas in the ten dedications of merit as the Akṣobhyajñāna Buddha in the ten faiths. The names of applied progressive cultivation above are identical for the ten grounds; by this standard, one knows that it does not depart from the primary Dharma.

22.9

Second, explaining the reason for this chapter's occurrence: It clarifies that the thirty minds prior to the grounds have already been expounded, and through the method of the ten dedications of merit, principle and wisdom, great compassion, and the vast raising of great vows have already been integrated. These ten grounds merely rely on the previous rules to accumulate practices and amass cultivation, bringing their efficacy to completion and fulfilling the previous wisdom and vows, and bringing their great compassion to profound maturity and consummation; for this reason, this chapter must follow. Therefore, Sudhana meets nine night goddesses who are all female divinities to symbolize loving-kindness and compassion, and one who was the Buddha's wife when he was crown prince, named Gopā, to symbolize the joy of the Dharma of loving-kindness and compassion in the ten grounds that gladdens all sentient beings. Because these ten grounds accumulate loving-kindness and compassion to fulfill the previous wisdom and vows, at the beginning of these ten grounds, the Joyous Ground, one attains the mind that aspires to and seeks all Buddha-dharmas, as is taught in the subsequent grounds. Furthermore, that thirty-seven bodhisattvas are all named "Garbha" (Treasury) also symbolizes that these ten grounds all rely on the teaching prior to the grounds, using the thirty-seven factors conducive to awakening to assist and fulfill the aspiration, wisdom, compassion, and great vows prior to the grounds so that practice is consummated, and because containing all virtues to accomplish and fulfill the effortless virtue-gates of all Buddhas is called "Treasury". One bodhisattva alone is named Vimukticandra (Liberation Moon), representing the fruit of attaining the coolness of the Dharma among the thirty-seven practices conducive to awakening. Each has its symbolic representation, which can be understood by contemplation. Therefore, because this Chapter on the Ten Grounds brings to completion and consummates the aspiration, wisdom, compassion, and great vows prior to the grounds, this chapter must follow.

22.10

Third, in setting forth the stages of ascent and progress, three gates are established: first, explaining the similarities and differences between the ten grounds of the Three Vehicles and those of the One Vehicle; second, explaining the stages of practice and progression according to rank; third, reiterating the place where the Dharma was spoken and the substance of the seat. First, in explaining the similarities and differences between the ten grounds of the Three Vehicles and those of the One Vehicle, there are two meanings: first, the ten grounds of the Three Vehicles; second, the ten grounds of the One Vehicle. First, regarding the ten grounds of the Three Vehicles: as in the Renwang jing, although it establishes inner and outer ordinary bodhisattvas practicing the six pāramitās to become six kinds of human kings—if practicing dāna-pāramitā, one may become the king of a small state; practicing together with śīla-pāramitā, one becomes a 'millet-scattered' king; practicing together with kṣānti-pāramitā, one becomes an iron wheel-turning king, ruling over Jambudvīpa; practicing together with vīrya-pāramitā, one becomes a copper wheel-turning king, ruling over two continents; practicing together with dhyāna-pāramitā, one becomes a silver wheel-turning king, ruling over three continents; and practicing together with prajñā-pāramitā, one may become a gold wheel-turning king, ruling over four continents, endowed with a thousand sons. The three perfections from giving, morality, to patience are the stages of faith for outer ordinary bodhisattvas; the three perfections of vigor, concentration, and wisdom are the inner ordinary stages, which are the ranks among the ten abodes, ten practices, and ten dedications of merit. Within the ten grounds, they are called the ranks of the ten noble ones; by practicing the ten pāramitās, one becomes ten kinds of heavenly kings, governing the higher heavenly ranks starting from Trāyastriṃśa. If considered in terms of severing afflictions and the path of seeing: before the grounds in the Three Vehicles, one practices the six pāramitās, using the contemplation of emptiness to subdue active manifestations, the five views, and the five dull afflictions, causing all defilements temporarily to be stilled, like a charmed poisonous snake unable to harm creatures, quelled and not rising. When the mind of contemplating emptiness is perfected, one penetrates to the fact that mind and objects are fundamentally unborn in their nature, which is called the path of seeing. If considered in terms of the path of cultivation: the Small Vehicle uses the contemplation of emptiness to extinguish sentiments and enter quiescence, both body and wisdom being totally annihilated. Bodhisattvas on the grounds attain three kinds of mind-made bodies, because they do not extinguish wisdom along with emptiness. Because they do not yet realize that the ground of fundamental ignorance is itself the Tathāgata's fundamental wisdom, they undergo changeful saṃsāra beyond the three realms, having already abandoned fragmented saṃsāra. Regarding the three kinds of mind-made bodies: on the first, second, and third grounds, they attain the mind-made body delighting in samāpatti, which signifies the functioning of correct mindfulness of wisdom arising from concentration; on the fourth, fifth, and sixth grounds, they attain the mind-made body awakening to the self-nature of phenomena, which signifies being born naturally by awakening to the self-nature of phenomena; on the seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth grounds, they attain the mind-made body that is of the same category, spontaneously born without actions or undertakings, which signifies spontaneous arising without exertion or intentional activity. As for the five views: first, view of individuality; second, extreme views; third, view of grasping attachments; fourth, view of attachment to precepts; fifth, wrong views. The above five views are called acute afflictions; they can obstruct the path of seeing and create defilements. The Small Vehicle practices emptiness and extinguishes wisdom. Bodhisattvas penetrate that phenomena are empty; endowed with the practice of wisdom and compassion, they are either born in pure lands or dwell in the world through causal births, delighting at will in self-mastery. The five dull afflictions are: first, greed; second, anger; third, ignorance; fourth, arrogance; fifth, doubt. Combined with the former, they make ten afflictions; these can obstruct phenomenal practices on the path of cultivation so that they cannot accord with principle. As for these ten afflictive bondages: the Small Vehicle first severs the defilements of the path of seeing, and later severs the defilements within the path of cultivation. Bodhisattvas of the Great Vehicle, with respect to all defilements, use the pāramitās to harmonize with principle, with neither severing nor realization. The above generally explains the attainment of fruits through classifying the stages of severing delusions for bodhisattvas in the provisional Mahāyāna teachings. Bodhisattvas of such ten grounds cultivate the bodhi of the unborn emptiness of phenomena, attain ten kinds of mind-made bodies, and undergo changeful saṃsāra outside the karmic bounds of the three realms, yet are unable to comprehend that this saṃsāra is the ground of ignorance. Such bodhisattvas have not yet heard the Avataṃsaka Sūtra of the One Vehicle Buddha-fruit; even if they hear it, they do not believe, do not accord, do not realize, and do not enter it. They still have much aversion to suffering, exclusively seeking an otherworldly pure land, still rejoicing in a pure land located elsewhere, and looking toward the Buddha-fruit after three asaṃkhyeya kalpas. The Avataṃsaka Sūtra says: 'Even if a bodhisattva through immeasurable kalpas practices the six pāramitās, attains the six supernormal powers, and cultivates various factors of bodhi, because he does not hear this Mahāvaipulya Buddhāvataṃsaka Sūtra, he is still called a nominal bodhisattva, not a true bodhisattva. Even when he hears it, he does not believe, does not accord, does not realize, and does not enter.' Just as in the Lotus Sūtra, where the non-retrogressing bodhisattvas likewise could not comprehend it, this exemplifies the whole case. It also says: 'If one were to uphold the eighty-four thousand Dharma treasuries and the twelve divisions of scriptures and expound them to others, enabling all listeners to attain the six supernormal powers, this would not yet be difficult; to hear and receive this sūtra is what is difficult.' Or, for the sake of sentient beings with inferior understanding who generate the bodhi-mind, it takes three asaṃkhyeya kalpas before they attain buddhahood. Non-retrogressing bodhisattvas of the Three Vehicles practice the contemplation of the ten suchnesses, or do not retrogress through contemplating emptiness; they do not generate non-retrogressing resolve by taking ignorance as fundamental wisdom. All the foregoing explains the establishment of the various grounds by those who cling to fixed durations of kalpas, and who view pure lands and defiled lands as entirely separated elsewhere, being caught up in seeking and revulsion. Second, regarding the ten grounds of the One Vehicle: from the mind of the ten faiths, one directly believes that the fundamental ignorance of one's own mind, endowed with discriminating views, is none other than the Buddha of Immovable Wisdom; this is the rank of bodhisattvas such as Mañjuśrī, Jñānaśrī, and Netraśrī. Because one self-confidently believes that the beginningless ignorance of one's own mind is the Buddha of Immovable Wisdom, Mañjuśrī is just the marvelous function of wisdom belonging to one's own mind's principle and wisdom, and the sea of Samantabhadra's practices—the gate of great wisdom and great compassion of the dharmadhātu—is just the practice performed by oneself. Believing thus in oneself constitutes the mind of faith. Therefore, from the beginning of the sūtra, it lists the fruit of the Tathāgata's attainment of enlightenment, the ten Samantabhādras, the bodhisattva Sāgaracandraprabha, and the fifty assemblies of gods and deities to serve as the gateway of establishing faith through manifested fruits. The assemblies of bodhisattvas, gods, and spirits manifest their entry into the Dharma and their attainment of benefit; all their entries into the Dharma are identical to what the Buddha attained, clearly showing that faith sees the Buddha of Immovable Wisdom upon the ignorance of one's own mind. Faith is also the Buddha, awakening is also the Buddha, since progress in practice is based on not being separate from the essence and function of the Buddha's wisdom. When one produces this faith, one universally sees that all the mental capacities of sentient beings arise from the great wisdom of the Tathāgata; ordinary beings and sages are of one essence, sharing the identical wisdom without dual natures. As when the goddess in the Suvarṇaprabhāsa Sūtra made the vow: 'If these words are not false, may sentient beings of the trichiliocosm all turn golden in color and possess the marks of a great person.' At that time, in accordance with the vow, all sentient beings turned golden in color and possessed the marks of a great person, as fully explained in that sūtra. Moreover, as the 'Chapter on the Tathāgata's Manifestation' in this sūtra says: 'The various pleasures and expedient wisdoms of sentient beings all arise relying on the Buddha's wisdom.' It also says: 'One should believe that within one's own mind there are always Buddhas appearing in the world, turning the wheel of the True Dharma.' Having attained such faith, through expedient samādhis one gives rise to awakening and entry into the manifestation of fundamental wisdom, tallying with the Buddha; this is called being born into the Tathāgata's house of wisdom, becoming a true child of the Buddha. From this first abode onward, one abides where the Buddha abides, planting the Tathāgata nature, which is called pure wisdom. From this wisdom onward, traversing the ten abodes, ten practices, and ten dedications of merit, each rank is matched with ten practitioners, ten practices, ten methods of cultivation, and the Buddha-fruits beneath the practices, as explained previously. Those matched in the ranks of the ten faiths, ten abodes, ten practices, and ten dedications of merit are the practitioners in these present ten grounds, namely the thirty-eight bodhisattvas such as Vajragarbha. Thirty-seven of them are the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment, assisting the completion of the marvelous function of compassion and wisdom in the preceding ten dedications of merit; they do not establish Buddha-fruits of their own ranks, to show that in the ten dedications of merit, through the power of great vows, all is already perfected, and the work of principle, wisdom, and great compassion is accomplished; the ten grounds merely ripen them through the power of auxiliary practices, and the Buddha-fruit of the eleventh ground is likewise entirely like the ranks of the ten dedications of merit. Bodhisattva Mukticandra alone represents the person able to request the Dharma, and also represents the Dharma joy of liberation and coolness among the thirty-seven auxiliary factors; hence there are these thirty-eight bodhisattvas. Thirty-seven share the name 'Garbha', and only one is named Mukticandra, precisely representing the fruit free from afflictions among the thirty-seven auxiliary factors. Within these forty minds, in rank after rank, the Buddha-fruit and Samantabhadra's practices are fulfilled. This does not refer to the ranks of human kings or Brahmā kings; it only refers to the fact that in rank after rank, one takes the Tathāgata's wisdom to manifest bodies, equal to the dharmadhātu and the realm of sentient beings, appearing directly before all sentient beings, not speaking of mind-made bodies going wherever one wishes. Merely by fundamental ignorance becoming the ocean of all-knowledge, one manifests forms in all worlds and all places according to categories, not to speak of separately receiving changeful saṃsāra outside these three realms. Furthermore, this same golden color is entirely the blessing of the stage of faith; because the mind of faith is vast and the vows and practices are vast, believing that oneself is equal to the fruit and wisdom of the Buddha, one gives rise to vows and cultivates practice. This blessing is obtained without difficulty, like the method of repentance expounded by the heavenly drum in the 'Chapter on the Merits of the Radiance of the Minor Marks': with good physical, verbal, and mental karmas equal to the number of sentient beings in the entire dharmadhātu, one repents and eliminates all karmic hindrances. The gods asked: 'How should one repent and eliminate them?' The heavenly drum said: 'Contemplate that karma does not come from east, west, south, north, the four intermediate directions, above, or below to accumulate in body and mind; seeking it throughout the ten directions, it is completely unobtainable,' and so on, as extensively expounded in the sūtra. When the heavenly drum preached the Dharma for the gods in this manner, Tuṣita devaputras numbering as many as the dust motes in hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of nayutas of Buddha-lands attained the tolerance of the non-arising of dharmas and achieved the ranks of the ten grounds. The above devaputras had all cultivated the karma of the ten superior understandings within the ten faiths in the past; because some among them had committed evil karma and fallen into hell, they were illuminated by Vairocana's light, were born into Tuṣita heaven, heard the heavenly drum preach the Dharma, and in an instant attained the undefiled samādhi of the ten grounds. This is attaining the fruit of the ten grounds in three lifetimes. If one has faith and understanding and does not commit evil karma, one attains buddhahood in a single lifetime, as did Sudhana. When it is said 'a single lifetime', it refers to seeing that the nature of the path is unborn, which is entirely a birth free of temporal limits upon entering the dharmadhātu. If one can believe in and practice the teachings of the Three Vehicles, which are reductive, tortuous, stagnant in principle, and difficult to accomplish, how much more so this One Vehicle Dharma, where principle and wisdom are upright, neither shaved down nor carved away! Penetrating one's fundamental ignorance to be directly the Buddha of Immovable Wisdom, myriad affairs naturally cease; using wisdom to benefit beings is itself the Buddha. Furthermore, harmonizing the vast, limitless compassionate vows of the ten dedications of merit makes practice vast; tallying with the functioning of wisdom in the dharmadhātu without an agent, and fully possessing practices without reliance, is the perfection of Samantabhadra's conduct. People of the world are deeply deluded: when something is easy to accomplish and vast in merit, they do not believe it; when it requires tortuous cultivation through many kalpas, reductive, difficult to accomplish, and inferior in merit, they stubbornly cling to it. Ultimately, after many lifetimes, they will still have to return to this teaching. Giving rise to even slight faith and joy in this sūtra brings boundless and vast benefit. As explained in the 'Chapter on the Merits of the Radiance of the Minor Marks', there are roughly six gates.

22.11

The first explains the power of cultivating the ten superior understandings within the ten faiths. Among them, there were those who committed evil karma and fell into hell; because they had the seeds of faith and understanding, when Bodhisattva Vairocana dwelt in the Tuṣita heaven, he emitted a light named the Radiance of the Banner King, illuminating the sentient beings in hell so that they were freed from suffering and born into heaven. Hearing the heavenly drum preach the Dharma, they attained the stage of the ten grounds and entered the undefiled samādhi. This is attaining the fruit in three lifetimes. As for 'three lifetimes': first, cultivating the ten superior understandings is the first lifetime; second, committing evil and entering hell is the second lifetime; third, being illuminated by the light, being born into Tuṣita heaven, and attaining the fruit of the ten grounds is the third lifetime. This is the first gate: gaining immense benefit from little effort.

22.12

Second, the gate of the devas attaining fruition: clouds of flowers rise from their pores to make offerings to the Buddha; if any sentient being is touched by that fragrance, all their karmic obstructions are completely extinguished, and they attain and accomplish the pure roots of goodness of the unimpeded radiant clouds of fragrant banners. This is the second gate, of little effort yielding vast benefit.

22.13

Third, if any sentient being sees that canopy, they plant the seeds for the status of a wheel-turning king of the pure net of gold, and attain roots of goodness equal [in number] to the sands of a Ganges. This status of a wheel-turning king teaches and transforms sentient beings in worlds as numerous as the dust motes in hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of Buddha-lands. This is the third gate, of little effort yielding vast benefit.

22.14

Fourth, this wheel-turning king of the pure net of gold emits the pure light of the maṇi topknot; if any sentient being encounters this light, they all attain the bodhisattva's tenth ground, accomplish immeasurable radiant wisdom, and attain the ten kinds of pure eyes up to the ten kinds of pure minds, and so forth. This is the fourth gate, of little effort yielding vast benefit.

22.15

Fifth, the sūtra says: 'Child of the Buddha! Suppose someone were to crush koṭis of nayutas of Buddha-lands into dust motes, with each dust mote becoming a Buddha-land, and were to crush such dust-mote-numbered Buddha-lands into dust motes again; and placing all these dust motes in his right hand, were to travel eastward, depositing one dust mote only after passing through as many worlds as there are such dust motes. Traveling eastward in this way until all these dust motes were exhausted, and doing likewise in the south, west, north, the four intermediate directions, above, and below: could all the worlds in the ten directions, whether touched by a dust mote or not, be conceived?' Samantahasta answered, saying: 'No. If there are sentient beings who hear this analogy and are able to give rise to faith and understanding, one should know that this is even more rare and wondrous.' The Buddha said: 'Ratnahasta! It is so. It is just as you have said. If there are good men or good women who hear this analogy and give rise to faith, I predict that they will definitely attain anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi and will obtain the Tathāgata's unsurpassed wisdom.' This is the fifth gate, of little effort yielding vast benefit.

22.16

Sixth, the sūtra says: 'Ratnahasta! Suppose someone were to pulverize into dust motes as many vast Buddha-lands as mentioned above as there are dust motes in a thousand koṭis of Buddha-lands, and with these dust motes, following the previous analogy, deposit them one by one until exhausted, up to gathering them into one Buddha-land and pulverizing it into dust again, proceeding successively back and forth in this way for eighty rounds. All the bodhisattvas, as numerous as the dust motes in all these vast Buddha-lands, can, with the pure fleshy eye of karmic fruition, clearly see [all of this] within a single thought-moment; they also see Buddhas as numerous as the dust motes in a hundred koṭis of vast Buddha-lands, just like the pure radiance of a crystal mirror illuminating worlds as numerous as the dust motes in ten Buddha-lands. Ratnahasta! All of this is accomplished by the profound samādhi, merit, and roots of goodness of the wheel-turning king of the pure net of gold.' This is the sixth gate, of little effort yielding vast benefit. In this way, the Dharma-gates of this sūtra are vast and limitless: a single thought-moment of faith and understanding is limitless; the purity of the mind is limitless; the mind of making offerings to the Buddhas and benefiting all sentient beings is limitless; and corresponding in a single thought-moment yields immeasurably vast benefits. This clarifies that fundamental ignorance is itself fundamental wisdom; the roots of goodness aroused are all vast and limitless, because wisdom is without reliance and equal to the dharmadhātu, and the roots of goodness created are equal to the dharmadhātu. That one obtains such vast benefits upon hearing the Dharma in a single thought-moment is entirely because one generates seeds of joyful faith in this teaching. In general outline, seeing the Tathāgata dwelling in the womb and appearing to be born in the defiled Sahā world, a Buddha who is born and passes into extinction, is the teaching expediently presented to guide sentient beings of inferior understanding—that is to say, the teaching of the three vehicles. As this sūtra says: 'For sentient beings of inferior understanding, he appears from a mother's womb; for sentient beings of superior capacities, he is born by transformation upon a lotus.' The teaching of this Avataṃsaka Sūtra is preached by the reward Buddha of great wisdom and universal light of the dharmadhātu, not by the body born and passing into extinction in a defiled land; hence it is preached for those of the highest capacities. Those who study the three vehicles' teachings, though they cite this teaching to harmonize the three vehicles' Dharma-characteristics, practices, and stages, yet their mental conceptions are not broad, and failing to measure up to the knowledge of the teaching, they equate this teaching with the three vehicles' teaching of three asaṃkhyeya kalpas. One should only turn provisionality toward the ultimate, for that accords with the sage's intent; how could one turn the ultimate toward the provisional, conversely undermining the sage's exposition? Perversely deluded about progress, when could one ever attain Buddhahood? Even if one spent millions of koṭis of three great asaṃkhyeyas, in the end one would go against the sage's intention. Just as this teaching is present in part within the three vehicles' teachings, it is only because learners cannot comprehend that the Buddha has opened the unsurpassed correct exposition that those who are deluded conversely generate obstructions. As the Diamond Prajñā says: 'This sūtra is spoken for those of the Great Vehicle, spoken for those of the Supreme Vehicle.' That is, the provisional teaching of the three vehicles is the Great Vehicle, while the Supreme Vehicle is the One Vehicle teaching. Just as the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Sūtra is the teaching that turns the three vehicles toward the One Vehicle, adducing the dragon girl to make manifest the timelessness of the dharmadhātu's true principle and wisdom—demonstrating the three lifetimes and attaining Buddhahood in a single kṣaṇa. In order to shatter the three vehicles' conceptual grasping onto kalpas, it conversely calls it a transformation. Taking the three vehicles' kalpas of three asaṃkhyeyas as real is only because emotional delusions have persisted over many lifetimes; it is like turning away from a wondrous crystal jewel mirror and returning to the dull brightness of copper and iron, or equating the clear, pure true gold of the Jambu River with the price of tiles and gravel. This is not the fault of the treasure; it is only because the appraiser of treasures lacks skill. This concludes the above section explaining the ten grounds of the One Vehicle and three vehicles. Practitioners should simply select the teaching according to the speed of cultivation, discard worldly sentiments and discourse of great and small, self and other, and simply apply it in accord with capacity.

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新華嚴經論 — Classical Chinese