新華嚴經論 22.8

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.