新華嚴經論 24

English (machine translation) 24

Language: English

Sixth, from "Again making the great vow" down to "without resting" comprises five and a half lines of sūtra text, clarifying the division of vowing to transform all sentient beings of the three realms and four forms of birth so that they all abide stably in the vast all-knowledge of wisdom without resting. This part clarifies the method of teaching and transforming the three realms and four forms of birth. For those whose desire-realm minds predominate, they are exhorted to contemplate dharmas as suffering, empty, and impermanent to counter desire and evil, cultivate good dharmas, take joy in pure concentration, cleanse the stains of the mind to leave behind greed, anger, delusion, and pride, and break through the karma of the desire realm to attain quiescent, pure joy. For those whose form-realm minds predominate, who abide in dhyāna of cessation of conceptions and are born into the realm of defiled goodness, they are expediently exhorted to cultivate the ten pāramitās and kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity, so that they expediently accomplish their own essence's gateway of non-active, great quiescent concentration, leave behind cessation and subduing of conceptions, manifest all-knowledge, and accomplish boundless, skillful, expedient wisdom to teach and transform sentient beings. If formless-realm minds predominate, they are expediently taught and transformed to cultivate broad wisdom through extensive hearing, and to distinguish all worldly affairs so that there is no delusion or stagnation, without a substantial entity of concentration and distraction; they are led to give rise to the power of great vows, accomplish supernatural penetrations to make offerings to the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha, cultivate the all-knowledge of wisdom in all its aspects, and teach and transform all inexhaustible sentient beings so that they all become Buddhas. In this way, initiating subdual in accordance with faculties so that all are brought to the all-knowledge of wisdom means cultivating discriminating wisdom within fundamental wisdom. Just as fundamental wisdom manifests relying on non-active concentration, so discriminating wisdom is accomplished only by initiating contemplative observation through preparatory practice relying on fundamental wisdom. Or, where one's own power is insufficient, it is attained only by learning from those Buddhas and bodhisattvas who have realized it before.

24.3

Seventh, from "Again making the great vow" down to "without resting" comprises about four lines of sūtra text, clarifying the division of vowing to clearly understand through wisdom coarse and subtle worlds in their vast and boundless numbers. Worlds with form are called coarse; worlds without form are called subtle. Those abiding in disorder are where multiple kinds live mixed together, such as the various worlds of mixed habitation like this Jambudvīpa. Those abiding obliquely are like the dwelling places of the Four Heavenly Kings. Those abiding inverted are like hornets' nests and the like. Those abiding upright can be understood. As for those that enter, they are like earth-dwelling sentient beings, who just enter and do not wish to come out. As for those that move, they are like the eighty-four thousand families of parasites dwelling in the bodies of humans and the like, where humans may walk, stand, sit, or recline. As for those that go away, they are like sentient beings living in flowing water, which just flow away in one direction. As for the distinctions of Indra's net, it is like the multi-layered reflections of light mutually containing one another in the net of the king of devas. Worlds abiding together in such multi-layered fashion are the worlds of the Lotus Treasury Adornment. Abiding together with the oceans of sentient beings' worlds, their karmas do not obstruct one another, just as Indra's net mutually contains and abides, each seen according to their own karma. As the sūtra says, "all-knowledge of wisdom in all its aspects": this clarifies that the seed of the bodhisattva's great compassion, aided and accomplished by the power of great vows, is all-knowledge, which only manifests by means of concentration; while discriminating wisdom is aided and accomplished by contemplation—all is known by this. All boundless gates of wisdom arising based on fundamental wisdom are entirely due to this.

24.4

Eighth, from "Again making the great vow" down to "without resting" comprises six lines of sūtra text, clarifying the division of vowing that Buddha-lands mutually enter and interpenetrate in adornment. This part clarifies entering the realm of wisdom, where Buddha-lands mutually interpenetrate and appear like light and reflections.

24.5

Ninth, from "Again making the great vow" down to "without resting" comprises seven lines of sūtra text, clarifying the division of vowing that bodhisattvas of common aspiration practice without resentment or jealousy.

24.6

Tenth, from "Again making the great vow" down to "without resting" comprises five and a half lines of sūtra text, clarifying the division of vowing to ride the non-retrogressing wheel, cultivate bodhisattva practices, and have bodily, verbal, and mental karmas not be in vain for those who see or hear them.

24.7

Eleventh, from "Again making the great vow" down to "without resting" comprises about ten lines of sūtra text, clarifying the division of vowing to manifest attaining Buddhahood and entering nirvāṇa in all worlds in accordance with the inclinations of sentient beings.

24.8

Twelfth, from "Disciples of the Buddha" onward comprises about two lines of sūtra text, clarifying the division of collectively concluding that the ten kinds of great vows fulfill the inexhaustible vows.

24.9

Fifth, from "Disciples of the Buddha" onward comprises seven and a half lines of sūtra text. In this section, it is divided into two parts: first, from "Disciples of the Buddha" down to "only when the realm of sentient beings is exhausted will my vows be exhausted" comprises five and a half lines of sūtra text, clarifying the division of the ten phrases of exhaustion. Second, from "Yet the realm of sentient beings cannot be exhausted" down to "without any end" comprises about two lines of sūtra text, clarifying the division of the vows not being exhausted. Speaking of the realms of the world's revolving, dharmas' revolving, and wisdom's revolving, this clarifies that only if the dharmas of transmigration, the wisdom of transmigration, and the realms of transmigrating sentient beings in the three realms were exhausted would the bodhisattva's vows and practices be exhausted; since these are not exhausted, the vows and practices are not exhausted.

24.10

The sixth [section], consisting of eight lines of sūtra text from "Son of the Buddha" onward, is divided into three sections: first, explaining that having made the ten inexhaustible great vows, one attains the ten kinds of pliant mind; second, attaining the ten kinds of faith; third, the concluding summation in the one line following "To state the essence," which can be understood from the text.

24.11

The seventh section, consisting of seventeen and a half lines of sūtra text, is divided into five sections. This section corresponds to the seventh characteristic of the Ground within the Joyous Ground: the gate of contemplating suffering to engender compassion. First, the three lines of sūtra text from "Son of the Buddha" down to "vast like this" first put forward the division of the supreme vastness of the Buddha's true Dharma. Second, the six lines of sūtra text from "Yet the minds of ordinary beings fall into wrong views" down to "again produce sprouts of suffering in the field of the three realms" explain the division in which ordinary beings' minds fall into wrong views and continuously generate the destinations of suffering without interruption. Third, the four lines of sūtra text from "Namely" down to "sentient beings like this generate and increase masses of suffering" explain the division of the existence-links of the twelve causes and conditions as the causes of arising. Fourth, the two or so lines of sūtra text from "Herein, all is empty" down to "neither perceiving nor knowing" explain the division of sentient beings not knowing the emptiness of the body and selflessness. Fifth, the three or so lines of sūtra text from "The Bodhisattva" down to "wisdom of the radiance of great compassion" explain the division of seeing sentient beings' suffering and engendering pity and compassion. These seventeen lines of sūtra text are differentiated with reference to four established gates: 1. the gate of putting forward the essence to reveal delusion; 2. the gate of ordinary beings being deluded about the essence and thereby becoming suffering; 3. the gate of failing to understand that dependent arising has no essence and thus transmigrating; 4. the gate of the bodhisattva realizing the real, pitying suffering, and receiving sentient beings.

24.12

First, as for the gate of putting forward the essence to reveal delusion: this refers to the initial three lines, which put forward the true Dharma of the Buddhas as being thus profound, thus tranquil, thus extinguished, thus signless, and so forth, pitying ordinary beings who are not awakened and whom wrong views and ignorance have covered and shrouded through the long night, turning on the wheel in the stream of suffering.

24.13

Question: Since the essence of all sentient beings is of itself true principle and wisdom, equal to the Tathāgata, why do they generate various karmas of suffering from delusion?

24.14

Answer: It is because the essence of true thusness, principle, and wisdom is completely without self-nature, and principle and wisdom that lack self-nature cannot know themselves. If they knew themselves, they would not be called devoid of self-nature. It is merely that when sentient beings' conditions follow external objects and transmigrate, they do not accord with good and evil; because they transform in accordance with objects, their karmas differ. Either because a Buddha or bodhisattva explains the cause of suffering to them, or because they themselves generate revulsion due to suffering, only then do they seek the right view, the path free from suffering. If they have not yet grown revulsed with the fruit of suffering, they will ultimately not believe the words of the sages. They cannot yet know of themselves what is true and what is false, what is suffering and what is happiness; merely receiving their births, they have no revulsion or affliction at all, and do not perceive or know terrifying and burning torments. If they do not deeply and diligently cultivate themselves, reproaching themselves without slackening, and cultivate various meditative concentrations to enter the true gate of the dharmadhātu, they can never ultimately exhaust the source of their suffering.

24.15

Second, as for the gate of ordinary beings being deluded about the essence and thereby becoming suffering: this refers to the six lines of sūtra text from "Yet the minds of ordinary beings fall into wrong views" onward down to "again produce sprouts of suffering in the field of the three realms." Within this section, the suffering births undergone involve eighteen kinds of afflictions, because they all arise based upon two kinds of afflictions. What are the two? First, fundamental ignorance, being shrouded by the long night; second, wrong views, which constantly transmigrate unceasingly by pursuing objects. These two kinds of ignorance cannot be severed by the three vehicles' contemplation of emptiness, but only when one realizes them so that they become fundamental wisdom do they then become the functioning of wisdom. Therefore, the Śrīmālā Sūtra says: "Śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and pure-land bodhisattvas can only subdue active afflictions; this is not called severing afflictions. Because of subduing them, they attain transformational saṃsāra." Bodhisattvas attain embodiment born in accord with their wishes, yet all have yearning and revulsion toward their own and others' Buddha-lands; none have yet attained the universal luminous wisdom of the dharmadhātu, nor have they attained being of the same single ocean of wisdom as the Buddhas of the ten directions, eternally cutting off the entire stream of views consisting of wrong views and grasping or rejecting self and other. Because they are deluded about the preceding two kinds of ignorance, they falsely generate revulsion and rejection, separately realizing true thusness and signless emptiness, thus being deluded about great wisdom. Therefore, the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra says: "All the gates of afflictions and dust-like defilements are taken as the Buddha-seeds." With these ignorances and wrong views, the bodhisattva of the One Vehicle penetrates them so that they become wisdom; the three vehicles subdue their active functioning and also speak of "retaining defilements to moisten rebirth"—these are not spoken in accord with wisdom. They are not like the One Vehicle, wherein upon the immovable wisdom there spontaneously exists the gate of boundless great sovereign function. Just as in the stage of the ten faiths, among the ten wisdom-Buddhas, the Immovable Wisdom Buddha is placed first. Thus ignorance and wrong views serve as the root for all afflictions. All the other afflictions below arise from these and are collectively called secondary afflictions, because they exist in reliance on the root. Just as ignorance is collectively designated wrong view, taking consciousness arising dependent on objects as the cause, and perceiving name-and-form and so on among the six sense faculties—because name-and-form serves as the object of the six faculties, and seeds of consciousness grasp and attach based on the object, this is termed wrong view. Because one is deluded about the true principle and wisdom, it is called ignorance. Because wrong views are generated through name-and-form and seeds of consciousness, these three correspond to the six faculties, and each faculty possesses all three. For example, when the ear faculty hears a sound and knows such a sound, it always has the three kinds: name-and-form, consciousness, and the arising of wrong views. The same applies to the eye, nose, tongue, body, and mental faculties: they all possess these three—name-and-form, consciousness, and the six faculties—with name-and-form as the object, the faculty as the master, and consciousness as grasping; this can be seen if one reflects upon it. Therefore, this sūtra says: "Not apart from the growth of this name-and-form, the village of the six sense spheres arises." Within them, mutual encounter produces contact, contact produces feeling, feeling produces craving, craving produces grasping, grasping produces becoming, and becoming produces aging, death, and so forth. Arrogance and conceit are the ignorance of growth, which can accomplish and increase the seeds of suffering, keeping them from destruction. Therefore, the sūtra says: "Setting up the banner of arrogance, they enter the net of craving." Craving is moisture; ignorance can moisten saṃsāra so that it constantly transmigrates. For without craving, one would not receive a body. Flattery and deceit are the ignorance of the dense forest, because its self-delusion and covering are broad and manifold. Because it is what ordinary beings constantly practice without momentary interruption, unless one cultivates meditative karma it cannot be restrained. Avarice and jealousy are the ignorance of constant calculation, which adds superior causes to saṃsāra in the evil destinies. Therefore, the sūtra says: "With minds associated with avarice and jealousy without relinquishing them, they constantly create the causes and conditions for taking birth in various destinies." Greed, hostility, and delusion are the ignorance of accumulating karma; therefore, the sūtra says: "Greed, hostility, and delusion amass various karmas, increasing day and night." Indignation and resentment are the ignorance that acts as the cause for anger. Therefore, the sūtra says: "The wind of indignation and resentment blows upon the fire of the mind and consciousness, blazing without cease." The flow of desire, the flow of existence, the flow of ignorance, and the flow of views—these are the ignorance of constant flow, constantly transmigrating without cease. This explains that the great rivers of the four flows, running constantly without cease, form a great ocean of suffering. If the mind is without thought, the flows are suddenly exhausted; if wisdom appears, it then becomes the flow of Dharma. In this way, the twelve links of existence serve mutually as host and companion; thus upon each single link there are twelve links, making a total of one hundred and forty-four links of existence, thereby forming boundless saṃsāra. The above eighteen kinds of afflictions and ignorance all rely upon the twelve links of existence as their root, and the twelve links of existence rely upon name-and-form and wrong views as their root. If one seals them with the gate of non-active concentration, the eighty-four thousand dust-like defilements collectively become the flow of Dharma and the ocean of wisdom. In this way, ignorance and name-and-form, corresponding to the five faculties, have contact, feeling, conception, and volition, all taking the mind-generated intention to grasp as primary. When these nine conditions arise together, discerning objects is called consciousness. These ten matters are collectively termed ignorance and collectively termed wrong views; acting as the deluded mind and objects of all afflictions, they are called ignorance. As for objects, this refers to name-and-form. When the six faculties encounter objects, wrong views arise accordingly.

24.16

Third, as for the gate of failing to understand that dependent arising has no essence and thus transmigrating: this section explains the cause for what arises from being deluded about the real and pursuing the false. This refers to the four lines of sūtra text from "Namely" down to "generate and increase masses of suffering." Namely, relying on name-and-form, contact arises in correspondence to the objects of the six faculties. Due to contact, the six faculties grasp feelings. Based on feeling, craving arises; based on craving, grasping arises; based on grasping, becoming arises; because becoming arises, there are aging, death, grief, lamentation, suffering, and distress. Because form is contained within name and name is contained within form, both name and form existing, sound, odor, taste, and touch are completely within them, because there are informative form and uninformative form. Whenever that which is conditioned and stimulated by the mind, thought, eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mental faculties turns into delusion, all of it is contact. Only the Tathāgata is unconditioned, purely together with wisdom, having no contact with dharmas. Sentient beings' contact and feeling become the afflictions of the three realms; śrāvakas have the contact and feeling of being revulsed by saṃsāra and realizing nirvāṇa; pure-land bodhisattvas have two kinds of contact, pure and defiled; One Vehicle bodhisattvas have the contact of consummated, harmonious wisdom and compassion not yet being sovereign. With such contacts, one contemplates them clearly with wisdom so that they become the function of wisdom. Therefore, the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra says: "Undergoing various contacts is like the realization of wisdom." Furthermore, "Dharmas originally do not arise, and now do not cease" explains that the essence of dependent arising is of its own nature devoid of self-nature, not a dharma of arising and ceasing. Ordinary beings fail to understand this, which is called ignorance. If one only knows that mind and objects are originally non-existent, then when anything arises, it is merely Dharma arising; it is always the sphere of wisdom, not the condition of arising and ceasing. If one contemplates and illumines this with concentration and wisdom, then one will naturally open up into awakening.

24.17

The fourth is the gate of the bodhisattva realizing the true, taking pity on suffering, and receiving and saving beings, which spans five lines of the sūtra from "therein all is empty, free from 'I' and 'mine'" to "great compassion's luminous wisdom." From these twelve links of existence, all sentient beings give rise to the aforementioned eighteen kinds of afflictions and transmigrate through birth and death, undergoing no suffering that they do not experience. Śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas of the Pure Lands detest and subdue them, so that their active manifestations do not arise. Bodhisattvas of the One Vehicle use these twelve links of existence to achieve fundamental wisdom, generate discriminating wisdom, teach and transform sentient beings, maintain wholesome dharmas, and accomplish the bodhicitta. The intention is to clarify that delusion and awakening differ, not that the twelve links of existence are different from wisdom; the *Śrīmālādevī Sūtra* also states this. As for the eighteen kinds of afflictions mentioned above, such as wrong views and ignorance: when one first gives birth into the Tathāgata's household of wisdom at the Abode of Initial Aspiration, the first of the ten abodes, because the primary entanglements capable of causing rebirth in the evil destinies and wrong views have been eliminated, their residual habituations are faint and slight. Because the eighteen kinds such as arrogance and pride have not yet been exhausted, there are altogether ten kinds [of stages]. In the dharmas of the ten practices and ten dedications of merit, there are ten expedient practices to counter them, making them gradually fainter and slighter. Arriving at the ten grounds, because correct wisdom increases in brightness, there is only the attachment to phenomena that accompanies the path of seeing, but no active manifestations that conform to the three realms. As for karmas of unwholesome residual habituations, such as the five kinds of stinginess, jealousy, anger, resentment, and hatred, upon entering the ten grounds their residual habituations are already gone. As for the remainder, up to the seventh ground where compassion concludes and wisdom is perfected, only then does the function of wisdom in accordance with vows become fully accomplished. One can only call this penetrating afflictions to achieve the function of wisdom; one cannot call it severing afflictions. Because the active manifestation of attachment to phenomena continues up to the seventh ground, the residual habituations of attachment to phenomena are eliminated only upon the tenth ground. As for the ignorance of the vastness of calculation and the ignorance of the merits of the secondary marks, these two kinds of ignorance are seen to be exhausted only at the completion of practice in the fruit of Buddhahood, as shown in the "Chapter on Asaṃkhyeyas" and the "Chapter on the Merits of the Radiance of the Secondary Marks." Therefore, the Tathāgata himself spoke these two chapters to clarify the two kinds of ignorance in the fruit of Buddhahood; thus it is explained that the faint residual habituations of the twelve links of existence are exhausted only upon reaching the fruit of Buddhahood. By this means the five stages and ten perfections are established, countering them tenfold by tenfold; the principles of the ten abodes, ten practices, ten dedications of merit, ten grounds, and eleventh ground are all similar in essence, in order to clarify the different gradations in eliminating residual habituations. Among these five stages and ten pāramitās, the first three pāramitās are all to remedy the path of emerging from worldly entanglements. For instance, the first, second, and third spiritual friends Sudhana visits in the ten abodes are represented by three bhikṣus. Next, the subsequent three pāramitās are to remedy the delusion of the supramundane regarding the worldly; these are represented by the elder Megha, the elder Muktaka, and the bhikṣu Sāgaradhvaja. Next, the three gates of pāramitā from the pāramitā of expedient means onwards—including the vow and power pāramitās—are to remedy entering into the world while remaining supramundane, enabling compassion and wisdom to be unobstructed; these are represented by the upāsikā Āśā, the ṛṣi, and the ascetic brāhmaṇa. Next, because wisdom and compassion are unhindered both worldly and supramundane, through the wisdom pāramitā, generating compassion through wisdom attains unhindered mastery; this is represented by the daughter of King Siṃhadhvaja named Maitrāyaṇī, since mastery of wisdom is like a king. Because one cultivates compassion to generate wisdom in the seventh abode, and here in the tenth abode one generates compassion through wisdom, she is therefore a king's daughter. This clarifies that through the wisdom pāramitā, one accomplishes compassion through wisdom and is thus unhindered. This clarifies advancement in practice across the five stages: stage by stage there are these four kinds of difference and sameness in power and momentum. Reaching Sudhana's spiritual friends, each difference and sameness is reiterated and clarified, and only then can one fully comprehend the sameness and difference of understanding and practice in the five stages. The dharmas of the ten grounds following this also have these four kinds of differences and sameness in remedying delusions as above. First, from the first ground to the third ground is remedying defilement in the worldly realm to accomplish the habit of the supramundane; the fourth, fifth, and sixth grounds are remedying the habit of non-mastery in worldly wisdom within the supramundane; the seventh, eighth, and ninth grounds are remedying the habit of non-mastery in compassion and wisdom upon entering the worldly. Therefore, the Buddhas at the stage of the eighth ground bestow the three empowerments and seven kinds of exhortation to guard against this. As at the stage of the eighth ground, where the wisdom pāramitās of the ninth and tenth grounds are fully elucidated, remedying the worldly so that compassion and wisdom attain unhindered mastery; this is therefore represented by Gopā, the third wife of the Tathāgata when he was a prince, clarifying that great kindness and great compassion are fully perfected, which represents the meaning of the joy of the Dharma of kindness and compassion. As for Sudhana's representation of the Dharma in the ten grounds by nine devīs and one Buddha's wife: to clarify that these teachings of the ten grounds nurture the gate of great kindness and compassion to make it fully perfected and unobstructed, they are therefore represented by devīs, which will be fully clarified when reaching that stage. Yet, because Samantabhadra's practice of benefiting others is not yet completely unhindered, this roughly summarizes the progression of the five stages. There are six main themes: First, the ten abodes clarify newly being born into the Buddha's household and temporarily eliminating the primary afflictions. Second, the ten practices clarify remedying the active habit-delusions that conform to the worldly. Third, the ten dedications of merit clarify giving rise to great vow-power to harmoniously blend wisdom and compassion, enabling one to benefit beings without obstruction both worldly and supramundane. Fourth, the ten grounds clarify nurturing accumulated habituations so that the work of compassion and wisdom becomes roundly complete. Fifth, the eleventh ground clarifies the fulfillment of Samantabhadra's practice, which is the "Chapter on Samantabhadra's Practice" and from the "Chapter on the Ten Samādhis" onwards. Sixth, the accomplishment of Buddhahood marks the conclusion of the stages, which is the "Chapter on the Tathāgata's Manifestation." As in the chapter "Transcending the World," it clarifies the perpetual practice of Samantabhadra after advancing to and cultivating the fruit of Buddhahood. In the "Chapter on the Dharmadhātu," the entire sūtra from beginning to end takes the dharmadhātu as its essence. In this way, with the perfect penetration of the great wisdom of the dharmadhātu, there is entirely no phenomenon and no time that has sequential differentiation before and after; this can be seen by illuminating it with wisdom. The differentiated stages of practice among these five stages are all entirely contained within the Abode of Initial Aspiration, because they are universally sealed and perfected through vows, practices, wisdom, and compassion. Although the teachings have before and after, the dharmas of vows, practices, compassion, and wisdom are simultaneous; time is not different, nor are the dharmas disparate. Therefore, those who have set their minds [on bodhi] should cultivate in this way and attain perfection in this way: because it is perfected not separate from the essence of the Tathāgata's immovable wisdom; because one thoroughly penetrates the wisdom and compassion of the single fruit of Buddhahood from beginning to end; because one universally sees that all sentient beings are the Buddha land without entering or exiting; because one teaches and transforms beings who are deluded regarding the Tathāgata's wisdom, causing them to rely on the source; because one causes all sentient beings universally to see within their own wisdom that all Buddhas share the same wisdom; because one does not give rise to the notion of a separate Buddha apart from one's own wisdom; because one causes all sentient beings not to give rise to notions of inner and outer, or far and near, with respect to their own bodies; because one seals them with the single seal of wisdom, breaking the emotional measures of large, small, long, and short. Cultivating practice in this way is precisely causing the lineage of the Buddhas not to be severed for all sentient beings. Expounding such a Dharma for all sentient beings is therefore able to keep the lineage of the Dharma unsevered. Universally causing all sentient beings to universally see that their own bodies are identical with the ocean of Buddha-wisdom and to enter the Buddha's knowledge and vision is therefore able to keep the lineage of the Saṃgha unsevered. Contemplating each and every [aspect] in this way causes mind and objects to correspond like this.

24.18

The eighth section, consisting of twenty-one and a half lines of the sūtra, is divided into three parts. This is the eighth mark of the ground within the first ground. First, from "sons of the Buddha" down to "gives away whatever one possesses," there are two and a half lines of the sūtra clarifying the part on being able to relinquish everything. From "namely" down to "this is called the bodhisattva abiding on the first ground fulfilling great giving," there are six lines of the sūtra clarifying the part on having no begrudging attachment to body, life, or wealth for the sake of seeking the Buddha's wisdom in this stage. In this part, giving is threefold: first, the giving of wealth and jewels; second, the giving of elephants, horses, wives, and children; third, the giving of head, eyes, ears, body, and flesh. Second, from "sons of the Buddha, the bodhisattva with this kindness and compassion" down to "able to explain and able to practice the Buddha's teachings," there are ten lines of the sūtra clarifying the part where the bodhisattva in this stage, having accomplished the aforementioned giving, attains ten kinds of benefits: 1. clarifying the condition for great kindness, great compassion, and great giving; 2. clarifying that what is given is for seeking the true Dharma and for rescuing sentient beings; 3. seeking supramundane wisdom without weariness of mind; 4. having no faintheartedness toward all sūtras and treatises; 5. well assessing superior, middling, and inferior sentient beings and acting in accordance with their capacity, fulfilling the share of worldly wisdom; 6. being adorned with shame and remorse, cultivating the path of benefiting oneself and others; 7. practicing diligently without regression; 8. achieving steadfast strength; 9. making offerings to all Buddhas; 10. being able to practice the Buddha's teachings as they are expounded. Third, from "sons of the Buddha" down to "cultivating in accordance with the teaching," there are two and a half lines of the sūtra clarifying the part that summarizes the fulfillment of the ten dharmas that purify the grounds, fully as expounded in the sūtra. In this part, as mentioned above, faith, kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity without weariness; knowing the various sūtras and treatises; thoroughly understanding worldly norms; shame, remorse, and steadfast strength; making offerings to all Buddhas; and cultivating in accordance with the teachings serve as the Dharma gates that purify the ground of practice. The perfection of giving (dāna-pāramitā) is the essence, and the remaining nine are its companions.

24.19

In the ninth section, eighteen and a half lines of the sūtra are roughly divided into three parts: First, from "sons of the Buddha" down to "dedicating merit toward unexcelled bodhi," there are seven and a half lines of the sūtra clarifying the part on being able to see many hundreds of thousands of Buddhas through the power of vows, and serving and making offerings to them all. Second, from "sons of the Buddha" down to "serviceable as one pleases," there are seven lines of the sūtra clarifying the part on obtaining superior benefits through making offerings to Buddhas. Third, from "sons of the Buddha" down to "serviceable as one pleases," there are four lines of the sūtra clarifying the part using the goldsmith refining gold by repeatedly placing it in fire as a metaphor for the bodhisattva's practice increasing progressively; this part is complete as in the text itself.

24.20

The tenth section has twenty-eight lines of the sūtra, roughly divided into three parts: First, from "sons of the Buddha" down to "accomplishing the radiant wisdom of the Tathāgata," there are fourteen lines of the sūtra clarifying the part on the causes and effects of the bodhisattva, having entered the first ground, further seeking this ground and the marks of the ten grounds entering the Tathāgata ground. Second, from "sons of the Buddha" down to "completely freed from sorrow and adversity," there are six and a half lines of the sūtra clarifying the part using the caravan leader traveling to a great city as an analogy for the bodhisattva inquiring into the security and perils of the marks of practice across the grounds, and fully equipping all necessary provisions at once. Third, from "sons of the Buddha" down to "hundreds of thousands of asaṃkhyeyas of distinct matters," there are seven and a half lines of the sūtra clarifying the part where the bodhisattva, through practice, thoroughly knows the security and perils of the marks of the grounds, guiding sentient beings so that they attain unobstructed liberation, just like the caravan leader.

24.21

The eleventh section consists of twenty and a half lines of sūtra text, which directly answers the previous question regarding the causes and effects of the Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and kalyāṇamitras of the first ground and the ten grounds. Within this section, it is subdivided into two parts. First, from the initial “Sons of the Buddha” down to “wisdom of all wisdoms,” there are eight lines of sūtra text, whose general import consists of five points: first, it directly adduces the fruit of the first ground; second, it explains being able to protect and uphold the true Dharma; third, it explains the practice of the four means of embracing that is cultivated; fourth, it explains that all deeds are not separated from mindfulness of the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha; fifth, it explains not being separated from mindfulness endowed with the wisdom of all wisdoms. Regarding the seeds of all kinds, this is because the great vows of applied practice aid and accomplish the seeds of great compassion. The wisdom of all wisdoms has already been explained above. Furthermore, one gives rise to great aspiration, delighting in cultivating all-knowledge and discriminating wisdom, and widely practicing the seeds of great compassion, which are produced through permeation and cultivation. As all-knowledge is made apparent through samādhi, discriminating wisdom is accomplished only through learning and practice reliant upon the teachings of a teacher who is an elder of realization; both exist reliant upon fundamental wisdom. Alternatively, it is attained through one's own root power of supreme contemplation and realization, whereas those disciples of clear understanding must necessarily rely upon the teacher's instruction. Second, from “further reflecting thus” down to “and spoke verses saying,” there are twelve lines of sūtra text, explaining that a bodhisattva of this stage can abandon home, wife, and children to cultivate the Dharma of homelessness, obtaining the Dharma-gate of the sphere of seeing a hundred Buddhas. Within these twelve and a half lines of sūtra text, the general import consists of eight points: first, being capable of acting as a leader for sentient beings; second, being capable of serving as a refuge for those seeking all-knowledge and discriminating wisdom; third, explaining being able to give up what is difficult to give up; fourth, explaining leaving home and diligently practicing energetic advancement; fifth, explaining that the samādhis attained number one hundred; sixth, explaining the number of Buddhas seen according to circumstantial fruition; seventh, explaining that through the power of vows the seeing of Buddhas is broadened; eighth, explaining the repetition of the verses as above. Regarding seeing many hundreds of Buddhas, this refers to the many hundreds in which the single Buddha-realm ocean of the Flower-Store wisdom-sphere merges with the Buddha-realm oceans of the ten directions, mutually interpenetrating and comprehensively pervading; it is not the hundred Buddhas restricted to the Buddha-sphere of a trichiliocosm. It even extends to the hundreds that pervade the dharmadhātu and the realm of empty space through the body's dust motes, pores, and so forth, for it cannot be a hundred Buddhas known through emotional consciousness. This is a "many hundreds" within the limitless wisdom-sphere; it merely elucidates their ascent and advancement through the Dharma of ascending advancement according to stage, established by samādhi. However, within each individual Buddha-sphere, views of center and periphery or measurement must not be maintained. Just as when contemplating one's own body's wisdom-sphere, there are no views of center or periphery, how could one speak of the Buddha-sphere having views of boundary and measurement? This first ground, the intermediate ten grounds, and the Tathāgata ground are Dharmically a single ground, because they comprehensively cultivate the Dharmas of the ten grounds and the Buddha ground. The cause and effect here is named "wondrous" based on the Buddha-fruit within the ten dedications of merit, because the ten grounds merely accomplish the great vow-ocean of the ten dedications of merit, causing the practices of those great vows to be fulfilled; nor does it depart from the practices of the Buddha of Immovable Wisdom of the Golden World, Mañjuśrī, Samantabhadra, and others in the initial mind of faith. As the sūtra verse states: “When a son of the Buddha first gives rise / To such a wondrous jewel-mind, / He then transcends the rank of an ordinary person / And enters the sphere of practice of the Buddhas.”

24.22

The twelfth section, on the recitation of verses, consists of forty-six and a half lines of verse, explaining the repetition in verse of the preceding Dharma, as is self-contained in the text. Now, examining what the sūtra explains, entering the Dharma of this first ground even extends to ordinary people who are newly complete, being able to give rise to vast vows and practices and able to proceed into it; it is not that they come by way of prior practices and understandings before the causal ground. The intention is to clarify that the establishment of the teaching fully explains the stagnation, obstacles, sequential steps, safety, and danger of cultivation. However, those who generate the mind cultivate all at once and simultaneously, abiding within a single time and a single practice; it is not that they must cultivate by coming through sequential stages, which can be seen through the perfect interfusion of the Dharma of the six characteristics of universality, particularity, identity, difference, integration, and disintegration. Within these six terms and three pairs of Dharmas, a single term contains six; taking human beings as an example, the rest may be inferred by analogy. For example, a single human body is fully endowed with these six characteristics: the head, torso, hands, feet, eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and so on, each having distinct functions, is the characteristic of particularity; the whole being one body of the four great elements is the characteristic of universality; being identically empty without intrinsic essence is called the characteristic of identity; without abolishing this identity devoid of differing natures, the head, torso, hands, feet, eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and so on having distinct functions is the characteristic of difference; the head, torso, hands, feet, eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and so on jointly forming a single body is called the characteristic of integration; merely following effortless conditions to exist, each lacking self-nature, devoid of essence and devoid of form, without arising and without perishing, without integration and without disintegration, is called the characteristic of disintegration. Furthermore, all sentient beings are called the characteristic of universality; the division between foolish and wise is called the characteristic of particularity; all identically existing based on the Buddha-wisdom is called the characteristic of identity; varying according to attachments and karmas is called the characteristic of difference; producing karma through conditions, receiving retribution, and attaining birth is called the characteristic of integration; the mind having nothing on which to rely and the karmic essence being unarisen is called the characteristic of disintegration. Furthermore, the reward-buddhas of the ten directions are called the characteristic of universality; the distinctions of bodies and lands adorned by myriad jewels are called the characteristic of particularity; identically sharing one dharmakāya with principle and wisdom being non-dual is called the characteristic of identity; wisdom varying according to practice is called the characteristic of difference; accomplishing sentient beings is called the characteristic of integration; subject and object both being absent, with nothing attained and nothing realized, is called the characteristic of disintegration. Furthermore, a single wisdom encompassing the five stages is called the characteristic of universality; the advancement of practice and understanding is called the characteristic of particularity; identically sharing the fundamental wisdom of the Buddhas is called the characteristic of identity; cultivating discriminating wisdom is called the characteristic of difference; accomplishing great bodhi and possessing the practice of Samantabhadra is called the characteristic of integration; the essence of wisdom having no reliance, functioning without acting, is called the characteristic of disintegration. Furthermore, the distinctions of the long kalpas of the three times are called the characteristic of particularity; universally contemplating them with wisdom within a single kṣaṇa is called the characteristic of universality; varying in length according to karma is called the characteristic of difference; when sentiments vanish and views are exhausted so that periods of long and short do not exist, this is called the characteristic of identity; wisdom having no abiding is called the characteristic of disintegration; responding to capacities and conferring Dharma is called the characteristic of integration. Drawing briefly upon five turns of the identity and difference of the six characteristics, all remaining Dharmas may be known by this analogy. Furthermore, it explains that within a single term the six characteristics are mutually host and companion, and the ten profound meanings also penetrate here: first, the gate of simultaneous complete correspondence; second, the gate of mutual containment of the one and the many without identity; third, the gate of the sovereign mutual identity of all Dharmas—these are its meaning.

24.23

The meaning of the six characteristics:

24.24

Within this single term are all terms of the six characteristics.

24.25

All Dharmas possess these six characteristics.

24.26

If one sees them well, one attains the dhāraṇī-gate of unobstructed wisdom, does not stagnate in obstacles such as existence, non-existence, annihilation, or permanence regarding Dharmas, and can see them by illuminating them free of emotional consciousness. If even one of these six terms is missing, then principle and wisdom are not complete. This is the contemplation within the first ground, which penetrates all worldly Dharma-gates.

24.27

Second, the Ground of Leaving Defilement

24.28

In about to explain this ground, it is distinguished into five gates: first, explaining the name of the ground; second, explaining what practice-gates are cultivated on this ground; third, explaining Sudhana's representation of the Dharma; fourth, explaining what realm's liberation among the three realms is attained on this ground; fifth, explaining the meaning according to the text.

24.29

First, regarding the explanation of the name of the ground: Why is it named the Ground of Leaving Defilement? Because this stage manages the supreme ten good precepts. The supreme ten good precepts are the nature precepts of the dharmakāya, and being intrinsically undefiled in their very essence, it is therefore named the Ground of Leaving Defilement.

24.30

Second, regarding what practice-gates are cultivated on this ground: the precept pāramitā is primary, and the remaining nine pāramitās are its companions.

24.31

Third, regarding Sudhana's representation of the Dharma: Sudhana's kalyāṇamitra in this stage is named the night goddess Samantagandhaviśuddhaprabhā. This is a female deva inside the bodhimaṇḍa, and Sudhana attains the bodhisattva liberation-gate of universally wandering in the joy of tranquil dhyāna-concentration. Whenever there are night gods, river gods, ocean gods, or earth gods, they are all female deities, representing the stage of kindness and compassion, clarifying that on these ten grounds the accumulation of great compassion is fulfilled. As for the night goddess Viśuddhaprabhā, it is for the sake of fulfilling the vows and practices of Samantabhadra. As for 'night goddess,' she constantly resides in the great night of saṃsāra to shatter the long-standing, deluded darkness of all sentient beings. As for 'goddess,' her wisdom corresponds to truth, hence she is called a deity. That this female deva is inside the bodhimaṇḍa clarifies that the wondrous principle of the dharmakāya serves as the precept essence. Sudhana attaining the bodhisattva liberation-gate of universally wandering in the joy of tranquil dhyāna-concentration clarifies that with the nature precepts universally and completely practiced on par with the dharmadhātu, functioning without acting, manifesting physical forms in response, and constantly dwelling in the world without being stained by defilement, she is so named. Because essence and function are eternally tranquil, dhyāna-concentration is essence, wandering is function, and joy is the joy of the Dharma. That this deity abides inside the bodhimaṇḍa is because the supreme ten goods are the entire essence of the wondrous principle of the bodhi dharmakāya, and she was also the teacher at the initial generation of the mind for the night goddess Vasanti of the initial Joyous Ground, clarifying that all generation of the mind takes the wondrous principle of bodhi as its essence.

24.32

Fourth, regarding what realm's liberation among the three realms is attained on this ground: If considered from the effortless essence of bodhi, then liberation extends comprehensively across the three realms and six paths; this is the meaning of the characteristic of universality. If discussed in terms of the characteristic of particularity, well understanding the differences among the Dharmas of the three realms, then the precept essence can counteract the afflictions of the desire realm, and with the wondrous principle of bodhi manifesting, one can provisionally contemplate the active characteristics of the desire realm's afflictions. Because of the wondrous principle of bodhi, one provisionally counteracts the habitual defilements of the desire realm. In the two realms of form and formlessness, cultivating the eight dhyāna concentrations in the stage of the third ground clarifies the practice-gates of these realms of form and formlessness. If one does not cultivate distinctively in this way, merely taking bodhi as effortless function without being able to discriminate and know the defiled practices of the three realms, then one will not be able to comprehend the Dharmas of the three realms, thereby becoming identical to the śrāvakas and non-Buddhists, lacking great wisdom. Therefore, on this ground one cultivates precepts to counteract the afflictions of the desire realm; on the third ground one cultivates the eight dhyānas to counteract the afflictions of the form and formless realms. The first ground explains ordinary persons generating the mind, merely possessing great aspiration and delight in seeking the great Dharma. That the third ground cultivates the eight dhyānas clarifies that the dhyānas of the higher realms all cease thoughts, settling the mind and abiding in dhyāna. The bodhisattva does not cease [thoughts], but relies on the intrinsically tranquil dhyāna of the essence, relinquishing that cessation of mind to abide in the intrinsic tranquility of principle, in accord with bodhi. In general, the dhyānas of the upper two realms, according to their depth, all involve subduing mental thoughts through cessation, abiding in accordance with tranquility. In the fourth dhyāna, there is no inhalation or exhalation, and only pure, wondrous form manifests before one; the three disasters of water, fire, and wind do not reach it, because with mindfulness vanished and conceptual thought extinguished, such karma does not exist, and only the karma of the form realm remains.

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新華嚴經論 — Classical Chinese