新華嚴經論 37.2

37.2

Regarding the kalyāṇamitras of the stage of the ten dedications of merit for the youth Sudhana: from the commendation of virtue and advancement, starting with "Just as all bodhisattva-mahāsattvas..." down to "taking his leave and departing," all are arranged into five divisions; all subsequent stages follow this pattern. 1. Commending virtue to cause Sudhana to advance; 2. indicating the location of the kalyāṇamitra and the country's name, Vast; 3. presenting the kalyāṇamitra's name, the incense-selling elder named Utpalabhūti; 4. encouraging Sudhana to go and ask; 5. paying respects and departing. Explaining the meaning according to the text: In praising his virtue, that "by unhindered vows he dwells in all kalpas and attains all peerless practices like Indra's net" refers to the expedients of vows and practices within the ten dedications of merit. Furthermore, that he expertly understands the Dharma-gate of various incenses and compounds fragrant medicines to sell them represents that dedication of merit harmonizes wisdom and compassion, saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, and thoughts and discriminations of defilement and purity, wholly forming a single pill of the incense of concentration, wisdom, liberation, and liberated knowledge and vision, so that saṃsāra and nirvāṇa are completely sovereign. Such compound incense: because its various incenses are combined into a single pill, they mutually benefit each other, are all devoid of own-nature yet do not lose their own virtues, with identity and difference sovereign. Here, using the incense-selling elder Utpalabhūti represents that the ten dedications of merit harmonize principle and wisdom, great compassion, great vows, and the sovereignty of the universal and particular of the myriad practices into a single pill, because their meaning is unattached. The meaning of the south is as explained at the beginning of the previous ten abodes. That the country is named Vast means that he broadly arouses great vows and raises boundless practices, universally gathering in all kinds of beings. These vows are the wind of the myriad practices, causing practice to be boundless. Furthermore, vows are the wind of wisdom, causing all thoughts to become the sovereign function of great wisdom and supernatural powers. Vows are the wind of concentration that unfolds all samādhis, inspiring sentient beings who cling to defilement and purity to have nothing to rely on, attaining wisdom without reliance, serene and functional with sovereignty, pervading all sentient beings. Just as the head of the ten abodes uses Mount Sugopita to represent formless wisdom, and the head of the ten practices uses the monk of the Country of Three Eyes to represent bright practice emerging from entanglements, the head of the ten dedications of merit uses the incense-compounding elder to represent that dedication of merit harmonizes wisdom and compassion, the myriad practices, and nirvāṇa and saṃsāra. This is the purport according to the stage; reflecting on it, one can understand its meaning in detail. These fifty-three kalyāṇamitras are all purports of advancing in cultivation; one must understand them well and not study them in vain. This selling of incense represents that the ten dedications of merit, through great vows, harmonize the principle, wisdom, compassion, and kindness of the ten abodes and ten practices, entering the gate of the dharmadhātu wherein all within saṃsāra is unhindered; his name is Utpalabhūti (Blue Lotus). This represents that his practice is untainted by saṃsāra and untainted by nirvāṇa, being non-dual with respect to the two and undefiled in the middle—just as a blue lotus must grow from muddy silt and turbid water, yet is untainted by the nature of mud and water, its color and fragrance being foremost. This illustrates that because of the power of this great vow and dedication of merit, the bodhisattva dwells in the silt of saṃsāra, and only then accomplishes the retribution of the merits of Samantabhadra's myriad practices and the Buddha-fruit of the dharmadhātu, with its color and fragrance foremost, unsurpassed by any other. Among all flowers, the blue lotus is superior in color and fragrance; just as among all practices, using the ten dedications of merit to harmonize saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, wisdom, compassion, and the myriad practices into one dharmadhātu, teaching and transforming all sentient beings so that all are without suffering and manifesting the incense of great wisdom, is superior, and all others who separately seek the supramundane are inferior to it. Therefore, it is represented by the blue-lotus incense-compounding elder, in order to make it easy to understand.