新華嚴經論 31.6

31.6

Third, regarding 'explaining the meaning according to the text': this chapter of the sūtra is broadly divided into ninety-nine sections. First, from 'At that time, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva...' onward down to 'all the oceans of marks' consists of one and a half lines of the sūtra, which is the initial general presentation of the Tathāgata's bodily marks being as vast and manifold as an ocean. Second, briefly explaining the ninety-seven kinds of marks of a great person, it is divided into ninety-seven sections. At the very end, it generally speaks of the various marks as numerous as the dust motes in ten lotus-treasury worlds, which serves as the general concluding synthesis. From the initial 'At that time' onward, there are ninety-nine sections of sūtra text in all; taking the adornments of the oceans of marks as numerous as the dust motes in ten lotus-treasury worlds, it is entitled the 'Chapter on the Ocean of Marks of the Tenfold Body'. The overarching meaning of this single chapter explains that the three kinds of active functions—body, speech, and wisdom—which are vast, boundless, and benefit all sentient beings, are the retributive marks of blessedness arising upon wholesome marks and practices. For example, it first brings up the thirty-two marks of a great person adorned with jewels upon the crown of the head, among which there is a mark of a great person named 'Light Shining in All Directions Emitting an Immeasurable Net of Great Light'. Regarding 'being adorned with all wondrous jewels': it first explains thirty-two kinds of jewels, clarifying that the three kinds of active functions are the universal mark of the myriad virtues. The two kinds of jewels are the two wisdoms, clarifying that because the Tathāgata's three karmas and two wisdoms are the root of cultivating manifold blessings, and because none of the oceans of myriad wholesome roots fail to take these three karmas and two wisdoms as their essence, the fruitions first induced are therefore placed at the very head. Moreover, it is because they serve to adorn the Tathāgata's head. The sūtra says, 'Among them there is a mark of a great person named Light Shining in All Directions'; 'directions' means 'dharmas', because it is the dharma of fundamental wisdom accomplishing discriminating wisdom. As for 'emitting an immeasurable net of great light': this is retributively generated from establishing teachings according to capacities within discriminating wisdom to rescue and strain all sentient beings; in terms of cause, it is named the net of light. As for 'being adorned with all wondrous jewels': because all retributively attained karmic fruitions and blessed marks are adorned by these two wisdoms. As for 'jeweled hair being pervasive': it clarifies that ordering life through wisdom, turning all around, and universally covering are retributively generated by this. As for 'jeweled hair being soft, dense, and delicate': it is because compassion is soft and gentle, rescuing the multitudes according to their capacities, and thus retributively accomplished. As for 'each and every one emitting maṇi jewel-light filling all boundless worlds, fully manifesting the Buddha's bodily form in complete perfection': it clarifies that the various discriminating wisdoms generated from fundamental wisdom, when giving rise to discriminating practices, are utterly pure and without defilement, so they retributively attain pure maṇi light fully manifesting the Buddha's body. Because these two wisdoms are pure and unimpeded, and all retributive spheres completely become functions of wisdom, they are all identical with the body. Above these three karmas, one retributively responds with ten, so above the three karmas there are thirty. Above the two wisdoms there are twenty; in all, it speaks of thirty-two kinds of jewels used to adorn the crown hair, extending throughout this crown and the body. In briefly presenting the ninety-seven kinds of marks of a great person: it clarifies that, temporarily in terms of purifying the three karmas in accord with the two wisdoms of truth and conventionality, practicing the seven factors of awakening and the ten pāramitās can purify all nine grades of afflictions of the three realms, which then become functions of wisdom. Because wisdom is pure, all retributive fruitions are also pure; because wisdom is unimpeded and sovereign, all retributive fruitions are also sovereign. As for the nine grades of afflictions: one in the desire realm; the four dhyānas of the form realm and the four dhyānas of the formless realm—these two upper realms have eight—which, together with the one of the desire realm, make nine grades. Those who can awaken to them will use the two wisdoms, the seven factors of awakening, and the ten pāramitās as skillful means to benefit themselves and benefit sentient beings; fully consummating the practice of Samantabhadra, they then retributively accomplish these ninety-seven marks. Because the ten pāramitās act as skillful means giving rise to sovereign practices and functions within the three realms, upon each of the nine grades of afflictions the practice-gates of the ten pāramitās are accomplished, making ninety kinds of marks of a great person. Because the seven factors of awakening assist in revealing the skillful means clearly and distinctly, they make seven kinds of superknowledges. By using these seven factors of awakening and ten pāramitās as auxiliary skillful practices to assist in revealing the nine grades of afflictions to become the two wisdoms of truth and conventionality, they bring great compassion to completion. Upon each single grade of affliction, ten kinds of practice-gates are accomplished, retributively generating ten kinds of marks. The ninety correspond to the ten pāramitās, and the seven kinds correspond to the seven factors of awakening. The marks as numerous as the dust motes in ten lotus-treasury worlds correspond to the two wisdoms of truth and conventionality, the three karmas, and the practice of Samantabhadra pervading everywhere universally.