新華嚴經論 30.2

30.2

The sixth section, 'Furthermore, the bodhisattva Universal Eye heard the Tathāgata praise the pure merits of Samantabhadra', contains thirty-two lines of sūtra text; within this section, there are again seven subsections. First, from 'At that time the bodhisattva Universal Eye' down to 'neither did he see anything'—consisting of three lines of sūtra text—clarifies the part where the bodhisattva Universal Eye searches for Samantabhadra by means of ten ineffable samādhis but is still unable to see him. Second, from 'Then the bodhisattva Universal Eye' down to 'did not see at all'—which is about three and a half lines of sūtra text—clarifies the part where the bodhisattva Universal Eye rises from samādhi and reports to the Buddha that he did not see the bodily, verbal, and mental karmas or the seat of the bodhisattva Samantabhadra. Third, from 'The Buddha said: "So it is"' down to 'reaching the ultimate limits of the dharmadhātu'—consisting of twelve lines of sūtra text—clarifies the part where the Buddha praises for Universal Eye the profound three karmas of Samantabhadra, which cannot be seen by means of samādhis that have entering and exiting. Fourth, from 'Good sons' down to 'none is in vain'—consisting of three and a half lines of sūtra text—clarifies the part where the Buddha praises that the benefit of seeing, hearing, drawing near to, and serving the bodhisattva Samantabhadra is never in vain. Fifth, from 'At that time Universal Eye' down to 'bowed with heads to the ground in reverence'—which is about three lines of sūtra text—clarifies the part where Universal Eye and all the bodhisattvas yearn for Samantabhadra, recite 'Namo' three times, and bow with heads to the ground in reverence. Sixth, from 'At that time the Buddha told Universal Eye' down to 'you will then be able to see the bodhisattva Samantabhadra'—consisting of six and a half lines of sūtra text—clarifies the part where the Buddha further urges Universal Eye and the assembly to pay reverence once more and universally visualize the dharmadhātu, searching for the bodhisattva Samantabhadra as if right before their eyes. Seventh, from 'At that time' down to 'all saw the great being Samantabhadra'—consisting of one and a half lines of sūtra text—clarifies the part where Universal Eye and the assembly of bodhisattvas, relying on the Buddha's admonition, pay reverence even more earnestly, and Samantabhadra, knowing the proper time, desires to manifest his body for them. The above seven subsections in thirty-three lines of sūtra text do not see the bodhisattva Samantabhadra; the intention is to clarify that because Universal Eye and the other bodhisattvas use entering and exiting samādhi, they cannot see the three karmas, the seat, or the sphere of Samantabhadra. Bringing up the metaphor of the dwelling place of various illusory forms within illusory arts and letters, it clarifies that the substance of illusory arts and letters is completely without a place—how could one search for it? One cannot search for it through the locus of entering and exiting samādhi; removing their sinking into quiescence and production-and-cessation, he instead directs them to think and reflect, clarifying that thoughts, reflections, and dynamic functions are in their own substance universally pervasive, functioning while constantly tranquil, and not something to be extinguished again. Therefore, Samantabhadra enters the dharmadhātu universally with adamantine wisdom, having nothing to practice and nowhere to abide in all worlds, just as the bodies of all sentient beings are non-bodies, having no coming and no going, attaining inexhaustible, nondiscriminating, and sovereign supernormal powers. This clarifies that allowing things to be inherently genuine is called 'supernormal' (shen). Being neither non-action nor non-thinking, neither samādhi nor distraction, neither coming nor going, letting wisdom pervade everywhere to benefit beings with sovereignty and responding to their capacities by manifesting: this is called 'penetration' (tong). All dharmas being like this, without entering or exiting samādhi or distraction, only then does it match the functions and seat of the three karmas practiced by Samantabhadra. As for the substance of the seat of a tenth-ground bodhisattva, it is only said to have the measure of a trichiliocosm. This seat of Samantabhadra is equal in measure to empty space, the great Lotus Treasury of the entire dharmadhātu. Clearly we know that the capacity of wisdom of a tenth-ground bodhisattva is still separated from it; by ascending to this stage from such a position, through entering and exiting in such discordant ways and through so many ineffable samādhi gates, there are still the obstacles of limited quiescence and function, not yet having attained the great sovereignty of the bodhisattva Samantabhadra subsequent to the fruition stage of the tenth ground. Therefore, having sought Samantabhadra three times and ascended three levels, only when they turn back to generate thoughts and reflections does he finally manifest his body. As for speaking of the matters regarding the realms of the ten samādhis, the intention is to reproach that in the tenth ground there is still the habit of seeking world-transcendence, so in the worldly sphere of saṃsāra one has not yet attained equal and sovereign functioning throughout the ten directions. For this reason, the Tathāgata instructs them to turn back and generate thoughts and reflections, so as to remove the pure mind of being habituated to world-transcendence in the tenth ground; this is to cure the delusion of residual habitual tendencies regarding world-transcendence based on the real and the conventional in the tenth ground. The above intention is to cure the bodhisattvas of the tenth ground whose two habitual tendencies of relying on the real and the conventional are not yet eradicated, and whose two habitual tendencies of quiescence and distraction are not yet exhausted, having the habit of entering and exiting various samādhis; hence they have not yet attained tranquil entry into saṃsāra. It is just like the nature of empty space, which is uncreated yet always universal, not contained by any limits or measures, and taken as the substance by all sentient beings and their spheres. Samantabhadra's wisdom is like empty space, taken by all sentient beings as their substance. When sentient beings are themselves deluded about wisdom, it is called ignorance; the bodhisattva Samantabhadra accords with the matters of their delusion, manifesting form bodies face-to-face in the worlds of the ten directions. Because wisdom has no substantial entity and is like empty space—not of a created nature, having no coming or going, neither arising nor ceasing—it merely uses the ocean of wisdom equal to empty space to awaken the deluded in all places. Because wisdom has no substantial marks, it can accord with the great function equal to the dharmadhātu and the space realm. How could bodhisattvas of the tenth ground stage, searching by means of entering and exiting samādhi, be able to see him? Therefore, the Tathāgata said to the bodhisattvas: searching for the substantial marks of illusory arts and letters, can anything be found? When the mind that seeks the illusion cannot even be found, how could there be illusory marks to be sought? Therefore, using entering and exiting samādhi and the seeking mind to seek the unattached, skillful wisdom body of Samantabhadra's great function, completely nothing can be found. Therefore, the Tathāgata taught the bodhisattvas to turn back and generate thoughts and reflections and earnestly pay three homages to the bodhisattva Samantabhadra; only then, by his supernormal power, did he manifest his body in accordance with their capacities, clarifying that the wisdom body cannot be sought in the locus of a samādhi, because the substance of wisdom has nowhere to abide and nothing to depend on. If one thinks, reflects, aspires, and rejoices, he immediately manifests transformation bodies in accordance with capacities, having no location or basis, just as a valley echo only has the sound responding to an object: if one searches for it, there is no place to be found. The Buddha said: 'The bodhisattva Samantabhadra is right now present in this bodhimaṇḍa assembly, abiding close to me, from the beginning without moving or shifting.' This clarifies that because fundamental wisdom is by nature independent, it is called 'right now present in this bodhimaṇḍa'. Because it can remedy the aggregates of views that grasp at attainment, through the unobstructed, universal, particular, identical, and different universal light wisdom that is identical in substance with the great function of all buddhas of the ten directions, it is called the 'assembly'. The boundless sea of discriminating wisdom is functioning equally at once, without shifting from the wisdom that is independent and unattached to the substance of fundamental wisdom; this is called 'abiding close to me, from the beginning without moving or shifting'. Saying 'recite Namo' clarifies taking refuge and following in faith. Interpreting according to Dharma: South corresponds to the hexagram Li, because the center of Li is empty; because it is empty and devoid, Li is clarified as the sun. Li governs the mind; when the mind penetrates the principle of emptiness and nonexistence, the mind-wisdom is brilliant, hence one says 'Namo' to signify taking refuge in and following the wisdom of the principle of emptiness and nonexistence in faith. For this reason, Sudhana inquiring of friends in the south also has this meaning. The dragon girl attaining buddhahood in the south also has this meaning. As long as one penetrates the wisdom of the principle of emptiness and nonexistence, all ten directions are 'Namo'. If one grasps all dharmas as real and existent, all ten directions are 'North'. The rest of the text is clear of itself.