新華嚴經論 38

English (machine translation) 38

Language: English

The stages of the ten grounds of the youth Sudhana's spiritual friends: From this point forward, cultivation within the ten grounds entirely relies upon the practice of wisdom and compassion at the abode of the earth spirit Sthāvarā. Because within the stages of the ten abodes and ten practices the practice of world-transcending wisdom and compassion still largely stagnated in purity, through the great vows of the ten dedications the two wisdoms—world-transcending ultimate and conventional—are harmonized, causing one to constantly dwell in the world and practice great compassion while wisdom is devoid of both purity and defilement. Although dwelling in the world, just as a pure lotus flower dwelling in water is undefiled, blossoming with petals of supreme color and fragrance, so too the flower of the bodhisattva's practice of great compassion blooming in the world possesses supreme merit. The following nine celestial spirits and one Gopā are all female, and all belong to the lay stream without any monastic category, indicating that previously having transcended the world, one now enters into the world; like the Dharma of dedication nurturing great compassion, this is symbolized by females. "Night spirits": this indicates entering into the great night of worldly ignorance, illuminating ordinary beings with the Dharma, causing them to blossom with clear understanding. Entering the conventional to receive living beings with wondrous wisdom freed from entanglements is called "spirit." Furthermore, with the practice of compassion, dwelling within heaven, earth, day, and night constitutes the status of a spirit; maintaining worldly regulations so as to nurture sentient beings, they transform beginners whose wisdom is not yet complete through domestic rules. When wisdom is fulfilled, one becomes identical to laymen, manifesting identically with externalists in technical skills and crafts; when wisdom increases and compassion becomes subtle, one enters into the positions of numinous spirits of heaven and earth, maintaining worldly dharmas and protecting sentient beings. Because their numinous wisdom manifests in response to the ten directions in diverse ways, yet their original body does not depart from the assemblies of all Buddhas, nor does it disrupt the Buddha-bodies manifested in the ten directions. One should know that one cultivates and learns in such a sequence without stagnating in one's effort.

38.3

Second, within attributing virtues and advancing, from "Like all bodhisattva-mahāsattvas" down to "bid farewell and departed" there are seven and a half lines of sūtra text, which approximately establish five gates: first, attributing virtues and advancing; second, pointing out the location of the spiritual friend, saying that it is in the country of Magadha in this Jambudvīpa; third, adducing the name of the city, called Kapilā; fourth, adducing the spiritual friend, the night spirit named Vāsanavanti; fifth, paying homage and bidding farewell. In explaining the meaning according to the text: The city named Kapilā means "yellow colour"; in antiquity, a yellow-headed rishi cultivated the way of immortals here, hence the name was established. In symbolizing the Dharma, because the night spirit's wisdom accords with the middle way, it corresponds to the yellow color of the central palace; yellow is the color of blessing and celebration. The bodhisattva who accords with the real inwardly cherishes white dharmas and outwardly manifests yellow, which is the color of blessed virtue, so the city is named "Yellow Colour." The country of Magadha is the place where the Tathāgata manifested the attainment of the way of bodhi, indicating that advancement in this stage accords with the original stage. Just as the initial stage of the summit of Mount Sugopita in the ten abodes accords with the essence of the Buddha's wondrous principle of entanglement-free wisdom through the power of expedient samādhi, so too the stage of the bodhisattva of the first ground among these ten grounds accords with the bodhi fruit within the Tathāgata's wisdom and entangled great compassion. The subsequent ones follow this example. The spirit named Vāsanavanti means "presiding over spring growth," because this spirit presides over sentient beings' spring sprouting of various crops. In symbolizing the Dharma, she presides over the first-ground bodhisattva's advancement and spring sprouting of the crops of all practices. Because she can constantly destroy the darkness of ignorance for all sentient beings in the ocean of birth and death, she is called a night deva. Furthermore, because her wisdom possesses mastery, she is called a deva.

38.4

First, within properly entering the teaching of the stage itself, from 'At that time, the youth Sudhana' down to 'I know only this light-of-truth liberation gate of destroying the darkness of ignorance in all sentient beings', five sections are briefly established: first, recollecting the kalyāṇamitra's teaching and contemplating advancement; second, traveling gradually to that city, entering through the east gate and standing briefly before seeing the sun set; third, recollecting the superior virtues of the kalyāṇamitra through four [aspects]; fourth, seeing the night goddess in empty space within a precious pavilion, seated on a fragrant lotus-womb lion throne, her body like gold, eyes and hair dark blue, and her appearance dignified and austere; fifth, Sudhana, upon seeing the night goddess, throws himself to the ground, bows to the night goddess, and makes his request. From seeing the night goddess onward, six further sections are established: first, seeing the night goddess's bodily form upright and stately, skin golden, eyes and hair dark blue; second, seeing the night goddess dressed in crimson robes with a Brahma-crown and necklaces; third, seeing the forms of stars shining brightly upon her body; fourth, seeing every pore of the night goddess transforming and delivering limitless sentient beings, imparting the Dharma according to their faculties, [causing them] to be reborn in the heavens or human realm, as śrāvakas or pratyekabuddhas, with differing attainments; fifth, seeing the night goddess manifesting various sovereignties of bodhisattva samādhi; sixth, Sudhana throws himself to the ground, bows at the night goddess's feet, and joins his palms to request the teaching he seeks. Such bodily dimensions and pores are of the body of the dharmadhātu, a realm reaching the very bounds of the dharmadhātu; practitioners are made to model themselves on it and learn it, which culminates only at the ten grounds. Presenting the ultimate model to make them learn allows them to attain a mere share of it, because it is a share within the whole. Because the realm of wisdom does not shift with time, this constitutes the whole; in terms of ascending through the stages, it constitutes a share. Within requesting what is sought, seventeen further sections are established: 1. Sudhana hopes to obtain the Buddha's treasury of virtuous Dharma relying on the kalyāṇamitra. 2. The night goddess praises Sudhana and confers upon him the practice she herself undertakes. 3. Specifying the title of the teaching gate as the bodhisattva's 'liberation of the light of truth that destroys the darkness of ignorance in all sentient beings'. 4. From 'Good man, toward sentient beings of evil wisdom' onward, setting forth her own practice of great compassion. 5. The night goddess speaks twenty-one lines of verse, encouraging Sudhana to cultivate, learn, and enter through the Dharma she herself knows. 6. Sudhana asks the night goddess how long ago she produced the bodhicitta. 7. He also asks the night goddess how long it has been since she attained this teaching gate. 8. From 'in the past, across kalpas as numerous as the dust motes of Mount Sumeru', setting forth the number of kalpas since her initial resolve. 9. Specifying the kalpa's name as Tranquil Radiance. 10. Specifying the world's name as Producing Wondrous Jewels. 11. Specifying the four continents named Lamp Radiance of the Precious Moon. 12. Specifying the city's name as Lotus Radiance, and the king's name as Good Dharma Salvation. 13. Specifying that east of the city, beneath a great bodhi tree, there was a buddha named King of the Thunder Voice of All Dharmas, who attained enlightenment. 14. Specifying that there was a night goddess named Pure Moon, who announced that a buddha had appeared. 15. Specifying that she herself was the king's consort named Dharma Wisdom Moon, who, through making offerings to that buddha, resolved on bodhi; throughout kalpas as numerous as the dust motes of Mount Sumeru she was never reborn in evil destinies and planted wholesome roots; throughout eighty kalpas as numerous as the dust motes of Mount Sumeru she constantly enjoyed peace and happiness, constantly cultivating wholesome roots in the presence of that buddha and bodhisattvas, yet had not fulfilled the bodhisattva's wholesome roots. 16. After another myriad kalpas, in a kalpa before the Bhadrakalpa named Sorrowless, in a world named Taintless Radiance, five hundred buddhas appeared within it; she was a householder's daughter named Wondrous Wisdom Radiance. The original night goddess was reborn in the city of King Wondrous Banner as a night goddess, and again came to shake her house, emit light, display omens, praise all the virtues of the Tathāgata Wondrous Eye, and guide her to the Buddha's presence. As soon as she saw the Buddha, she attained a samādhi called 'the wisdom-light wheel of the three times that brings forth the vision of buddhas and tames sentient beings'. 17. Through the power of this samādhi, she was able to recollect the buddhas who appeared throughout kalpas as numerous as the dust motes of Mount Sumeru and listen to the sublime Dharma in their presence; by hearing the sublime Dharma, she directly attained this liberation gate of the light of truth destroying the darkness of ignorance in all sentient beings. Having attained this liberation, she immediately saw her body go everywhere to worlds as numerous as the dust motes of buddha lands. The above explains how long ago she made her resolve: eighty-one kalpas as numerous as the dust motes of Mount Sumeru have passed, and yet another myriad kalpas. Among these, throughout one kalpa as numerous as the dust motes of Mount Sumeru plus another myriad kalpas, cultivating wholesome roots before buddhas and bodhisattvas, she finally attained the samādhi called 'the wisdom-light wheel of the three times that sees buddhas and tames sentient beings'. Furthermore, through recollecting kalpas, she was able to see all buddhas as numerous as the dust motes of Mount Sumeru, and by practicing and hearing the sublime Dharma before all buddhas, she only then attained this liberation gate of the light of truth that destroys the darkness of ignorance in all sentient beings; it was within recollecting kalpas that she finally attained this light-of-truth gate of destroying the darkness of ignorance in all sentient beings. This explains how long ago she attained the Dharma: altogether eighty-two kalpas as numerous as the dust motes of Mount Sumeru plus another myriad kalpas. Throughout all those kalpas, she constantly practiced the bodhisattva path in a female body; this reveals that her cultivation of the mind of great compassion was profound and solid, and illustrates the vast duration of the kalpas. With the final recollecting of kalpas, it embraces the three times and extends universally in a single thought-moment; all these are multiple kalpas within a single thought-moment. For example, it first states that she went everywhere to worlds as numerous as the dust motes of a buddha land, and in each and every world she made offerings to and served the buddhas; next it states worlds as numerous as the dust motes of a hundred buddha lands, then a thousand, then a hundred thousand, then inexpressible numbers of dust motes of buddha lands, to all of which she went everywhere to serve them and fully received the teachings they expounded, gradually increasing to fill the dharmadhātus of the ten directions, making offerings to the buddhas and teaching, transforming, and bringing peace and happiness to all sentient beings. This means that the first ground takes one hundred as the head and forthwith fills inexhaustible buddha lands throughout all dharmadhātus of the ten directions. This is unlike the three vehicles, which only speak of one hundred buddhas and do not speak of things like the dust motes of one hundred buddha lands or inexpressible dust motes of buddha lands. The rest is fully explained in the sūtra. The intent is to show that dwelling in the world and practicing compassion is profound and solid, and the mind that does not seek to leave the world exhausts all kalpas. This is the kalyāṇamitra of the first ground of joy, taking the dānapāramitā as primary and the other nine as companions. This reveals the gate of entering the mundane, sharing in entanglement, and nurturing great compassion, fulfilling the dānapāramitā to bring it to completion. Because of cultivating compassion, over many lifetimes she does not abandon the female body, thereby signifying having no worldly-renouncing mark and always dwelling in the mundane current. In these ten grounds, it broadly explains the gate of dwelling in the world and nurturing great compassion. The ten kalyāṇamitras have no marks of monastic renunciation; all are female devas. When explaining the causes of their resolve on bodhi in many lifetimes, they were also in female bodies, to signify that the ten grounds are practices of entering the realm of sentient beings and nurturing great compassion; it signifies that a woman possesses compassion and can nurture children and grandchildren without weariness, which is used to illustrate the bodhisattva's nurturing of sentient beings.

38.5

Second, within deferring virtue and advancing, from 'Like all bodhisattva-mahāsattvas' down to 'took his leave and departed', there are fifteen and a half lines of prose in the sūtra and ten lines of gāthā verses; within this, five sections are briefly established: first, deferring virtue and advancing; second, pointing out the abode where the kalyāṇamitra resides, stating that within the bodhimaṇḍa of Magadha in this Jambudvīpa, there is a presiding night goddess named Samantaguṇaviśuddhaprabhā; third, Sudhana utters verses praising the divine virtues of the night goddess Vasantavayantī; fourth, having spoken the verses, Sudhana bows his head to the night goddess's feet; fifth, taking his leave and departing. This night goddess Samantaguṇaviśuddhaprabhā was the master who awakened Vasantavayantī at night in a past kalpa when she was a king's consort. Across eighty-two kalpas as numerous as the dust motes of Mount Sumeru plus another myriad kalpas, she constantly served as her master, guiding and directing her, as explained previously. Not saying 'the south', but directly saying 'within the bodhimaṇḍa of Magadha', signifies that the cultivation of compassion while dwelling in saṃsāra does not leave the essence of bodhi to have a separate, mundane compassionate practice. Therefore, that Jambudvīpa and Magadha are worldly realms within the bodhimaṇḍa signifies that this world is within the bodhimaṇḍa, clarifying that realizing worldly compassionate practice is a practice carried out within the bodhicitta, not something separate; it signifies that the practice of great mercy and great compassion while dwelling in entanglement is one with the body of awakening. It clarifies that fruition becomes the cause, and cause and effect are one. As Sudhana's verse praising the night goddess states below: 'Even if dwelling in evil realms for many kalpas / To finally hear and see you, / One should also joyfully accept it / Because it extinguishes defilements.' This clarifies that to cultivate the practice of great compassion, one must pass through many kalpas dwelling in the bitter sea of saṃsāra without weariness, so that the compassionate practice may be accomplished. It clarifies that cultivating the supramundane path manifests in a single thought-moment, whereas practicing great mercy and great compassion is not limited by numbers of kalpas. The rest is fully explained in the text itself. Multiple kalpas pertains to the conventional; a single thought-moment pertains to the ultimate. The two matters harmonize and their essences are unobstructed; this is precisely multiple kalpas within a single thought-moment and a single thought-moment within multiple kalpas, because the ultimate and conventional essences do not obstruct each other.

38.6

First, within properly entering the Dharma door of the current stage, from "At that time the youth Sudhana" below down to "I only know this liberation door of the bodhisattva's tranquil dhyāna bliss of universal roving," approximately five gates are established: first, mindful of the kalyāṇamitra's teaching, he reflects and advances; second, gradually traveling, he reaches the presence of the night goddess Samantaguṇaviśuddhiprabhā, pays homage, and makes his request; third, the night goddess explains various Dharmas for Sudhana; fourth, the night goddess explains her own practiced Dharma door, named the liberation door of the bodhisattva's tranquil dhyāna bliss of universal roving, and imparts it to Sudhana; fifth, the night goddess directly explains that by means of this Dharma door she universally sees all Buddhas of the three periods of time, as well as their lands, bodhimaṇḍas, and assemblies, and rescues and protects all sentient beings. Explaining the meaning following the text: The Dharma door is named "the bodhisattva's tranquil dhyāna bliss of universal roving." This is the pāramitā of moral discipline, taking the dharmakāya as the essence of the precepts, for all spheres of experience are in their intrinsic nature tranquil dhyāna. Because the intrinsic dhyāna of the dharmadhātu is itself the pervasive ubiquity of wisdom, because wisdom is pervasive and ubiquitous, it is called "universal roving." Constantly dwelling in saṃsāra, she practices great compassion, nurturing the intrinsic great compassionate mind; within the Dharma-nature, she fully possesses bodhisattva practices pervasively across the dharmadhātu. "The bodhisattva's tranquil dhyāna bliss of universal roving liberation door" clarifies that dwelling within saṃsāra brings the Dharma bliss of bodhi, and can also fully master the bodhisattva's great compassion, further being able to universally practice the way of Samantabhadra. This clarifies the bodhisattva's practice of great compassion within the bodhimaṇḍa of one's own mind. As for the name "night goddess Samantaguṇaviśuddhiprabhā": because wisdom and compassion pervade and illuminate the long night of sentient beings, she is called Viśuddhiprabhā (Pure Light). Possessing compassion that nurtures worldly beings is called Guṇa (Virtue). Her wisdom is non-contrived, its nature intrinsically having great function that pervasively encompasses all; hence she is called a goddess (spirit). Regarding such an essence of dhyāna: because the bodhisattva's practice of the unhindered great compassionate mind of the great tranquil dharmadhātu has tranquil function pervasively ubiquitous, the names of the four dhyānas are assigned based on its function. The sūtra says: "Clearly understanding and accomplishing, increasing reflection and contemplation, firmly adorned, not giving rise to any false conceptualization, rescuing with great compassion and protecting all sentient beings, with one mind unmoving, one cultivates the first dhyāna." This is because properly bringing to mind the deliverance of all sentient beings with the fundamental wisdom of the dharmakāya is not called false conceptualization, as it does not dwell on unwholesome phenomena. Because within the principle of the Dharma-nature, all discriminating and objectifying to benefit beings rely upon wisdom, establishing the door of great compassion without worldly defiling habituation, it is not called false conceptualization. It also says: "Ceasing all mental actions, gathering in all sentient beings with vigorous wisdom-power, with a joyful and delighted mind, one cultivates the second dhyāna." "Ceasing all mental actions" means a partial, non-universal compassion. "With a joyful and delighted mind": because this second-ground bodhisattva practice delights in the Dharma that gathers and transforms all sentient beings with the compassion of Dharma-nature bodhi, it is named the second dhyāna. "Reflecting that all sentient beings are intrinsically free from saṃsāra, one cultivates the third dhyāna": this clarifies that universally seeing that all sentient beings are identical with the liberation of the intrinsic essence of the bodhi Dharma-nature is taken as the essence of dhyāna; it is not seeing solely that one's own single body possesses the essence of dhyāna. Because of the total liberation of all sentient beings, one cultivates the third dhyāna. Where the sūtra says "all sentient beings intrinsically feel aversion to and leave saṃsāra, cultivating the third dhyāna," "intrinsically feeling aversion to and leaving saṃsāra" is an error of the translators; it should say "because all sentient beings are in their nature intrinsically free from saṃsāra, one cultivates the third dhyāna." "Able to completely extinguish the manifold suffering and feverish distress of all sentient beings, cultivating the fourth dhyāna": this One Vehicle bodhisattva, from first generating the mind, mounts the vehicle of the fundamental wisdom of the Tathāgata's bodhicitta, cultivates great compassionate practice, and dwells in the ocean of saṃsāra; contemplating and penetrating to the fundamental source of sentient beings as being identical to the wisdom-ocean of the Tathāgata's bodhi essence and function, he then constantly uses the wisdom-sun of the dharmadhātu, constantly in the night of unawareness and delusion, to resolve all delusions for all sentient beings. This is not like the former three vehicles, who separately seek their own pure, blissful fruit, while in truth never attaining the ultimate fruit of all bliss. Therefore, the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Sūtra was spoken to integrate the three and return them to the one, returning to this Dharma. All the subsequent practice-doors for benefiting sentient beings are fully clarified as in the sūtra. This is upholding the highest ten wholesome precepts, taking the bodhi essence as the essence of the precepts, which is symbolized by the night goddess residing inside the bodhimaṇḍa. Taking the bodhi mind perfected in great compassion as the essence of the precepts: the ten dedications take the helmsman as the essence of the precepts; in the ten practices, Śakro Devānāmindraḥ takes artisanal crafts and various technical skills as the essence of the precepts; in the ten abodes, the bhikṣu Sāgaramegha takes the contemplation of the twelve links of dependent origination as being intrinsically pure as the essence of the precepts; in this second ground, one takes the night goddess Samantaguṇaviśuddhiprabhā inside the bodhimaṇḍa as the essence of the precepts. This clarifies that wisdom within bodhi, dwelling in the world and cultivating the door of compassion, is taken as the essence of the precepts. This is the kalyāṇamitra in the second ground, the Ground of Freedom from Defilement (Vimalā), with the pāramitā of moral discipline as primary and the other nine as companions. She remedies the obstacle of non-ease when the bodhicitta dwells in the ocean of saṃsāra practicing compassion, bringing about sovereign ease. Thus, this clarifies harmonizing bodhi and saṃsāra as one, transforming non-ease into sovereign ease. In this stage, contemplating the three realms with the bodhi essence as having no nature of arising or ceasing is the contemplation of general characteristics.

38.7

Second, within deferring virtue and advancing, from "As all bodhisattva-mahāsattvas" below down to "he took his leave and departed," the prose and verses comprise twenty-five lines of scripture, in which approximately five gates are established: first, deferring virtue to have Sudhana advance; second, showing the kalyāṇamitra's location, saying: "Not far from here, on the right side of the bodhimaṇḍa, there is a night goddess named Pramuditanayanajagadvirocanā"; third, the goddess Samantaguṇaviśuddhiprabhā repeats verses for Sudhana; fourth, Sudhana pays homage at the feet of the goddess Samantaguṇaviśuddhiprabhā; fifth, he takes his leave and departs. To explain: "Not far from here" clarifies that, with bodhi being the second, the pāramitā of moral discipline within the bodhimaṇḍa, this third, the pāramitā of forbearance, likewise takes bodhi as the practice of forbearance; hence, "not far from here." "On the right side of the bodhimaṇḍa": taking the right as the position of wisdom and the left as the door of compassion clarifies that practice arises from bodhi to accomplish its forbearing compassion, for without forbearance there is no compassion; this clarifies that because of forbearance, one can practice compassion. "There is a night goddess named Pramuditanayanajagadvirocanā": joy within forbearance is called Joyful Eyes (Pramuditanayanā). Not abandoning sentient beings is called Contemplating (Jagadvirocanā); furthermore, it contemplates faculties to embrace and transform them. As for being named a night goddess (deva-spirit) who contemplates sentient beings: the preceding stage took bodhi as the essence of the precepts, entirely purifying the mind of desire in the three realms—the scattered, active mind-desire of the lower realm, and the mind-desire rejoicing in dhyāna and delighting in purity of the upper two realms. This third ground, the Ground of Luminous Radiance (Prabhākarī), through cultivating the eight dhyānas, can identify with those dhyānas without being defiled by the nature of dhyāna, and can identify with the desire realm without being defiled by the nature of desire; hence it is named the Ground of Luminous Radiance, and is called a night deva. Because her wisdom accords with truth, she is styled a spirit (god). Because she teaches and transforms sentient beings in the three realms with sovereign ease, she is called a deva (heavenly being). It also clarifies that this stage individually remedies desire-habits in the three realms to make them pure, attaining the common and distinct aspects within the three realms; hence she is named the night deva-spirit who contemplates sentient beings. In the fourth ground, one is born into the families of all Buddhas; in the fifth ground, one learns worldly arts and skills; in the sixth ground, the concentration of the tranquil extinction of the three emptinesses and spiritual penetrations manifests, attaining tranquil and active spiritual penetrations with sovereign ease, pervasively gathering and transforming sentient beings across the ten directions. This above attains worldly ease within the supramundane. From the seventh ground onward, one enters into worldly ease. Just as in the ten dedications there is also this dynamic disposition, it is likewise so in the ten abodes and ten practices. Furthermore, there are different dynamic dispositions: for example, in the ten dedications, one turns the liberation within the ten abodes and ten practices into the worldly sphere; arriving at the stage of the seventh dedication, one advances and communicates with the sagely, seeing the bodhisattvas Avalokiteśvara and Ananyagāmin; arriving at the ninth and tenth dedications, one returns instead to the worldly, where wisdom connects to spirits upholding the realm of sentient beings; up to the ninth ground, these are all spirit-stages; on the tenth ground, the Śākya woman Gopā was the Tathāgata's wife when he was a prince in the past, symbolizing that on the tenth ground the compassionate mind and Dharma-joy are fulfilled. From after the previous ten dedications onward, one cultivates the stages of worldly compassion; arriving at the goddess Samantaguṇaviśuddhiprabhā within the bodhimaṇḍa of the second ground, it is the culmination of one portion of integrating with the bodhi essence. From this second ground onward up to the third ground, function arises within the bodhimaṇḍa, cultivating the common and distinct in each dhyāna realm; only in the sixth ground does function arise from within the bodhi essence, beginning sovereign ease in tranquil function; the seventh ground is purely dwelling in entanglements to cultivate compassion and wisdom within bodhi, bringing them to fullness; only upon reaching the eighth ground do wisdom and compassion act spontaneously and become accomplished of themselves without effort, yet one must still be mindful of the original vows and the Buddha's empowerment before becoming fully clear; only in the ninth and tenth grounds does one begin to train in the Buddha's ten powers and four fearlessnesses. Previously, after the stages of the ten faiths were explained from the Hall of Universal Light, he ascended to heaven to clarify the advancement through the five stages, still fearing that following the spoken teachings, one might not be able to fully realize the meaning of advancement, identity, and difference within the five stages. In this "Chapter on the Dharmadhātu," using the names, dwellings, lands, city names, ages, gardens, groves, karmic fruits, directions (north, south, east, west), distances, genders, sagely and ordinary, devas, humans, nāgas, and spirits of Sudhana's sought kalyāṇamitras, it symbolizes them through Dharma and imagery, causing one to realize the sequential practices of advancement of that sagely intention, so that practitioners properly obtain what is appropriate, preventing error and not impeding their achievement. In this, there are thirteen lines of verse praising the Tathāgata's sphere of experience which the night goddess Pramuditanayanā is able to know, as fully clarified in the text.

38.8

Part one: Directly entering the Dharma-gate of the current stage, from "At that time the youth Sudhana..." down to "I only know this liberation-gate of the banner of universal joy," within this section is generally divided into five gates: First, reflecting on the kalyāṇamitra's teaching to contemplate progress; second, Sudhana intending to go to the night goddess Pramuditanayanajagadvirocanā; third, the night goddess's supernormal power blessing Sudhana to cause him to realize that drawing near to a kalyāṇamitra brings abundant benefit; fourth, Sudhana, having received the blessing, quickly giving rise to this thought, knowing by himself that through drawing near to a kalyāṇamitra he can vigorously and diligently cultivate the path of omniscience; fifth, Sudhana going to the night goddess Pramuditanayanā to observe the realm of the night goddess's embraced transformation of sentient beings for their abundant benefit. From here, "Seeing the night goddess sitting on a lion throne of the lotus-womb in the Tathāgata's assembly-bodhimaṇḍa..." down is broadly divided into twelve sections: First, from "At that time the youth Sudhana, having formed this thought..." down to "causing them all to rejoice and attain benefit," comprising five and a half lines of scripture, illuminates the initial observation of the realm of embraced transformation of the night goddess Pramuditanayanā. Second, from "namely, emanating clouds of countless transformation-bodies that fill all the worlds of the ten directions..." down to "expounding in this manner the various practices of all bodhisattvas to benefit them," wherein there are eighty-three and a half lines of scripture, illuminates the division of embracing and transforming sentient beings with the ten pāramitās. Third, from "Furthermore, from each and every pore, she emanated clouds of countless bodies of various sentient beings..." down to "clouds of similar bodies of direction-guardian spirits and so forth pervading the ten directions and filling the dharmadhātu," comprising seventeen and a half lines of scripture, illuminates the Bodhisattva-night-goddess Pramuditanayanā's pores transforming bodies to embrace sentient beings through conformity with their types throughout the ten directions. Fourth, from "Manifesting various sounds before all those sentient beings..." down to "the merits accumulated from the initial generation of the thought [of awakening]," comprising eight lines of scripture, illuminates the night goddess Pramuditanayanā manifesting voices that pervade the ten directions, expounding the night goddess Pramuditanayanā's merits from her initial generation of the thought onward, her drawing near to the Buddhas, and the ocean of pāramitās she practiced. Fifth, from "namely, serving all kalyāṇamitras..." down to "causing countless sentient beings to abide on the Tathāgata-ground," comprising forty-six and a half lines of scripture, illuminates the previously manifested voices expounding the realms of the practices cultivated by the goddess Pramuditanayanā, her offerings to the Buddhas, and her teaching and transforming of sentient beings. Sixth, from "At that time the youth Sudhana, seeing and hearing all the supreme, rare events manifested above..." down to "being capable of cultivating the bodhisattva-practices of Samantabhadra," comprising eight and a half lines of scripture, illuminates the youth Sudhana seeing the realms of transformation as above and gaining entry into the practice cultivated by this night goddess Pramuditanayanā, titled the liberation Dharma-gate of the sovereign power of the inconceivable, great mighty universal-joy banner. Seventh, from "At that time the youth Sudhana..." down, comprising one and a half lines of scripture, illuminates Sudhana uttering verses in praise of the virtues of the goddess Pramuditanayanā. Eighth, the verses contain ten lines of gāthā, illuminating the direct expression of the intent of the verses praising the night goddess's spiritual power and virtue. Ninth, from "At that time the youth Sudhana..." down, comprising three lines of scripture, illuminates Sudhana asking the night goddess how long ago she attained liberation. Tenth, from "I recall in past ages..." down to "that mind was never forgotten or lost," comprising twenty-six lines of verse, illuminates the night goddess answering Sudhana regarding how many kalpas she has dwelt. Eleventh, from "After this, I made offerings to ten nayutas of Buddhas..." down to "fully realizing that the ten dharmadhātus are entirely without distinction," comprising sixty-five lines of verse, answers Sudhana regarding the length and number of kalpas she dwelt making offerings to the Buddhas. Within this section of offerings, there are eleven parts; the first ten parts each have the names of ten Buddhas, and the latter one part has the name of one Buddha, all matching the advancement through the eleven grounds according to stage: one ground matches ten Buddha-names, the ten grounds match one hundred Buddha-names, and the eleventh ground matches one Buddha-name, illuminating that the latter one subsumes the former many, and that one ground possesses the practices of the ten grounds because the ten pāramitās mutually interpenetrate and accomplish [each other]. First, from 'After this, making offerings to ten billion nayutas of Buddhas,' this corresponds to the initial Ground of Joy, illuminating that the beginning comprehensively subsumes the end, that the beginning contains the many, and that the vows are vast and great. The first ground illuminates the generation of the mind with supreme vows; because the initial already contains the many, it is the meaning of the universal characteristic. This first ground is the first ground within the third ground, and so on up to the tenth ground being the tenth ground within the third ground. The first Buddha, Guṇasāgara ('Ocean of Merit'), represents the first ground within the third ground, where the gate of dāna-pāramitā serves as the principal, and the remaining nine serve as companions. Because this stage is within the third ground, the ten pāramitās of the earlier and later grounds are entirely collected within this stage; the remaining stages also collect each other modeled on this, entering one and entering many like Indra's net; this illuminates that the essence of forbearance comprehensively collects cause and effect universally. Within the five stages, every single stage is like this. Second, [the verse states,] 'A kalpa named Supreme Heaven in the realm of All Jeweled Light'—this corresponds to the second ground, the Ground of Freedom from Defilement, because the śīla-pāramitā serves as the essence of precepts. 'Heaven' represents pure precepts being sovereign and supreme over afflictions, hence named 'Supreme Heaven.' 'Five hundred Buddhas appeared in the world'—this has śīla-pāramitā as the principal. Across the five stages, the five hundred pāramitās are comprehensively subsumed by the pure essence of precepts, hence called 'five hundred Buddhas appearing in the world.' If one is without defilement in the intrinsic essence of one's own mind-realm, yet externally sees other Buddhas separately, this person has not yet departed from māra's deeds. The first Buddha is named Moonlight Wheel (Candraprabhāmaṇḍala), representing the fullness of the light of precepts; the remaining nine Buddha-names are the principal and companions within precepts. The names of the causes and fruits of the pāramitās are as below. 'Such Buddhas as these I all served and made offerings to, yet still, within phenomena, conceptually grasping what is non-existent as existent'—this is because the wisdom-pāramitā is not yet complete, illuminating that progress is not yet mature and grasping at precepts still remains; this is discussed in terms of the maturity or immaturity of progress. Reaching the tenth ground, the wisdom-pāramitā is round and luminous, with five hundred layers of progress, and habit-energies differ in maturity and immaturity; this illuminates the particular within the universal characteristic, and difference within sameness. Because once one generates the bodhicitta, one already experiences immeasurable peace and joy; yet the maturity and immaturity of cultivating the ten grounds still remain, and only upon the eleventh ground are the two types of ignorance exhausted to reach the Buddha-stage. Countering habit-energies, the offices and stages of the grounds are established to remedy them. Calculating according to principle and wisdom, the distinctions among the ten grounds are like the tracks of birds in the sky. However, based on the sameness and difference of their habit-energies, their marks of practice are not non-existent. Next, 'From this, there was again a kalpa named Brahmā Radiance'—this represents cultivating the eight absorptions at the stage of the third Ground of Luminance (Prabhākarī), completely curing the obstacles of habit in the three realms: the obstacle of desiring pleasure in the desire realm, and the obstacle of desiring absorption in the two higher realms; manifesting the pure, unimpeded radiance of the heaven of paramount truth, the kalpa is named Brahmā Radiance. Brahmā means pure. Remedying the defiled and pure habit-energies of the heavenly realms, a portion of purity is named 'Pure Radiance.' The world is named Lotus Lamp; this is the name of the unpolluted practice of the stage itself. 'Adornments extremely exquisite and marvelous'—because the kṣānti-pāramitā serves as the adornment, it is called extremely exquisite and marvelous, as forbearance is the head of practices. 'There were immeasurable Buddhas therein'—this is because the essence of forbearance comprehensively subsumes all practices. When it says, 'There were immeasurable Buddhas therein, all of whom I served and made offerings to,' it is because forbearance, humiliation, and reverence serve as making offerings to all Buddhas. The first Buddha, Jewel Meru (Ratnameru)—because in the third ground forbearance and humble reverence are lofty and supreme among practices, they are lofty and supreme like Mount Meru. This Buddha is the principal, and the other Buddhas are companions within this forbearance; below, each is assigned to the principals and companions of the ten pāramitās and myriad practices according to the ten grounds and the eleventh ground, for all Buddhas attain buddhahood based on the principle, wisdom, and vows within these five stages of practice. Seeing a Buddha apart from this Dharma has no basis in reality. Explained in terms of the scope of wisdom and its locus, they are called the span of kalpas, the realm of great wisdom, totally without days, months, or years. All must be discussed based on one's own real Buddha, real wisdom, and real Dharma; one must not follow the false views of self and other. If wisdom is fulfilled and practice complete, everything is comprehensively the Buddha. The fourth ground corresponds to the vīrya-pāramitā. 'Eighty nayutas of Buddhas' represents the eight limbs of the path of right awakening serving as the essence of vigorous practice, for other practices of the eightfold wrongness are not the Buddha. 'Nayuta' is the comprehensive number of the myriad practices. Next, in the dhyāna-pāramitā of the fifth ground, the kalpa is named Serene Wisdom, the realm is named Vajra Jewel; this represents the dharmatā-kāya serving as the essence of absorption, illuminating that both speech and silence are serenely quiet. 'Vajra' generally illuminates the indestructible nature of the absorption's essence. 'Therein one thousand Buddhas successively arose' represents absorption subsuming function back into the origin; because within the ten grounds one ground has a hundred pāramitās as principal and companions, in this stage of absorption it subsumes the stages of the ten grounds as a thousand successions. In the sixth ground, prajñā is the principal; there is a kalpa named Well Manifested, which represents wisdom being well able to manifest all realms of phenomena. 'Named Cloud of Fragrant Lamps' represents wisdom as incense, dispelling darkness as a lamp, and expounding the Dharma universally covering as a cloud. 'One hundred million Buddhas appeared therein'—because prajñā follows function, the number is given in hundreds of millions. The previous stage was a thousand, while this stage is one hundred million. In the seventh ground, 'There were five hundred Buddhas who arose therein' represents upāya-pāramitā comprehensively collecting the supramundane wisdom of the five stages, fully entering worldly common endeavors to accomplish great compassion; hence five hundred Buddhas are cited as the count of practice. The kalpa named Solid King—only when residing amid entanglements without being defiled is it called solid. 'King' carries the meaning of sovereignty. In the eighth ground, 'There were eighty nayutas of Buddhas' represents the great effortless function having completed the comprehensive preparation of the eightfold right [path]. In the ninth ground, 'Sixty billion nayutas of Buddhas'—one nayuta corresponds to this number here. This twentieth number represents the stage of the Dharma Master, where the Dharma clouds universally rain down and transformation throughout the six paths is complete. It also represents the supreme prajñā, comprehensively pervading the stages of the ten grounds and raining the Dharma to fullness. In the tenth ground, 'There were thirty-six nayutas of Buddhas' represents wisdom fulfilling the three times, the six stages equally illuminated, cause and effect fully penetrated. Because wisdom grows brighter, the three times and six stages have no beginning or end, being a single complete wisdom. In the eleventh ground, 'There is one Buddha' represents subsuming the three times and six stages into the unimpeded great function of the single dharmadhātu. This subsumes the particular into the same origin, relying on fundamental wisdom, accomplishing the complete Buddha-fruit of the Samantabhadra gate, where the one and the many interpenetrate. Just as in the sūtra, examining the text and meaning closely, these intents are naturally present, not forced establishments by human sentiment. Within the twelfth section, from 'Good son...' down to 'I only know this liberation-gate of the great mighty universal-joy banner,' comprising nine and a half lines of scripture, illuminates the comprehensive conclusion of the span of kalpas regarding the causes and effects of the beginning and end of generating the mind. In this section, could that wheel-turning sage king named Sovereign of the Ten Directions, who was able to continue and magnify the Buddha-seed, be another person? It is none other than Mañjuśrī. The night goddess who awakened me at that time was transformed by Samantabhadra Bodhisattva. The king's precious daughter transformed by that night goddess is none other than this goddess Pramuditanayanā. This symbolizes relying on the principle of the fundamental-wisdom dharmakāya to give rise to the practices of discriminating wisdom, representing great compassion not being limited by time or kalpas, compared using the dust motes of Buddha-lands. When the scripture says cultivating through such spans of kalpas as these to attain this liberation of the great mighty universal-joy banner, it illuminates that in the third ground one cultivates the three realms, separately remedying the four dhyānas and eight samāpattis to attain sovereignty, dwelling in the world to practice compassion, bringing a portion of forbearance to completion, and for the first time always rejoicing without aversion toward all good and bad sentient beings. Using these kalpa-numbers of cultivation, it answers Sudhana's earlier inquiry about how long ago she generated the mind. This illuminates that the nature of forbearance is all-pervading, answering comprehensively at once, and also illuminates that wisdom has no before and after. When the scripture mentions 'all the requisites of dhyāna-pāramitā,' it illuminates that giving, morality, forbearance, vigor, the four applications of mindfulness, the thirty-seven aids to awakening, and so forth are the requisites of dhyāna; also that the five contemplations for stilling the mind, the eighteen items, and tranquil seclusion are the requisites of dhyāna; also that the correct teachings of Dharma-wisdom between master and disciple are the requisites of dhyāna; and also that the ten pāramitās together with the four means of embracing and four immeasurables aiding in revealing the sovereign essence and function of the dharmadhātu are the requisites of dhyāna. This is the kalyāṇamitra of the third Ground of Luminance, taking kṣānti-pāramitā as principal and the remaining nine as companions. Remedying a portion of the two obstacles of defilement and purity in abiding in absorption in the three realms, she practices great compassion to render it unimpeded. As such two habit-energies of defilement and purity become slightly diminished, one for the first time does not give rise to aversion or abandonment toward good and bad sentient beings, attaining the liberation-gate of the great mighty universal-joy banner. Fearing that in the previous explanations of the five stages and ten grounds the meaning could not be understood through verbal expression, reaching this stage, through Sudhana seeking the names, places, men, women, elders, bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsikās, bodhisattvas, night goddesses, and their names, practices, and physical marks, they are expressed by relying on doctrine and phenomena to make them easily understood.

38.9

In the second section, "Praising Virtues and Promoting Advancement," from "Just as all bodhisattva-mahāsattvas..." down to "taking his leave and departing," there are fourteen lines of the sūtra text, which are divided into five heads: first, praising virtues and promoting advancement; second, indicating the location of the kalyāṇamitra; third, adducing the name of the kalyāṇamitra night-goddess, Samantamukhasarvasattvatrājāṇavicirapramuditakīrti; fourth, encouraging Sudhana to go to her; and fifth, paying homage and taking his leave. In explaining the meaning following the text: "In this assembly there is a night-goddess" shows that bodhi as well as wisdom and compassion are fully perfected, which is called "being in this assembly." "Night-goddess" is as explained before. This is the fourth of the ten grounds, the Radiant Ground (Arciṣmatī), where one is born into the family of the Buddhas, abides in the stage of bodhi, and expands the approach of great compassion. Because the night-goddess of the second ground, named Sarvanagararakṣāsaṃbhavatejaḥśrī, was within the bodhimaṇḍa, it shows meeting with the bodhicitta. This is because the first ground is the generation of the aspiration through supreme vows, and only on the second ground does one accord with the true essence and attain the Middle Way. From this point forward, straight through to the tenth ground, the nurturing of the mind of great compassion is only then brought to completion. The eleventh ground is purely Samantabhadra's wondrous conduct of dwelling in the world. On the preceding three grounds, the curing of the karmas of the three realms is once completed, which is called the Luminous Ground (Prabhākarī); on this ground, being born into the Tathāgata's family, pure wisdom manifests before one, which is called the Radiant Ground. The rest is as fully provided in the text itself.

38.10

In the first section, which is the direct entry into the Dharma gate of the present stage, from "At that time the youth Sudhana" onward, it is structurally divided into fourteen sections: First, from "At that time the youth Sudhana" onward down to "having made this vow," there are six and a half lines of the sūtra text, which clarify his correct mindfulness of the teachings of the night goddess Samantamukharatnavaipulyagandhaprabhā (Ximu), contemplating his entry into them, not deviating from the teaching of that kalyāṇamitra. Second, from "he went to the night goddess Sarvajagadrakṣāpraṇidhānavīryaprabhā (Pujiu Zhongsheng Miaode)" onward down to "she emitted light that entered the crown of Sudhana's head and filled his body," there are five lines of the sūtra text, which clarify that the night goddess Sarvajagadrakṣāpraṇidhānavīryaprabhā emitted a light from between her eyebrows named the "universal illumination of the lamp of wisdom," which entered Sudhana's body. Third, from "Sudhana at that time" onward down to "causing [them] to attain the pure light of omniscience," there are thirty-nine lines of the sūtra text, which clarify that after Sudhana received the light entering his body, he immediately saw the realm illuminated by the Dharma gate of the universal illumination of the lamp of wisdom, as well as the boundless ocean of realms of converting sentient beings traversed by the night goddess Sarvajagadrakṣāpraṇidhānavīryaprabhā. Fourth, from "at that time, the youth Sudhana, seeing this night goddess's supernatural power like this" onward down to "praised her in verse, saying," there are five lines of the sūtra text, which clarify that Sudhana, seeing that night goddess's supernatural power, praised her virtues in verse. Fifth, Sudhana directly recites twenty and a half lines of verses, reiterating the Dharma seen previously. Sixth, from "at that time, the youth Sudhana, having spoken these verses" onward down to "practicing what conduct did you attain purity?" there are three lines of the sūtra text, which are Sudhana's inquiries as to what conduct she practiced to attain purity, and how long ago it was that she attained this liberation. Seventh, from "the night goddess said, 'Good son,'" onward down to "relying on the Buddha's supernatural power, I shall now explain it to you," there are nine and a half lines of the sūtra text, which clarify that the night goddess defers [saying] that the Dharma is difficult to know, not something that devas, humans, or the two vehicles can fathom, and defers by relying on the Buddha's supernatural power to explain it to him. Eighth, from "'Good son, in ancient times'" onward down to "manifesting the inconceivable marks of the Tathāgata's appearance," there are ninety-seven lines of the sūtra text, which clarify that in the jewel-flower light pond in front of the bodhi tree north of the wheel-turning king's city, the lotus ten times emitted light with distinct benefits, and universally raised clouds of adornment throughout all realms. Ninth, from "'Good son, this universal illumination of all Tathāgatas of the three times'" onward down to the verses, there are forty-eight and a half lines of the sūtra text, which clarify that in the lotus north of the city of Jewel-Flower Lamp King, the first Buddha appeared, and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva informed the wheel-turning king to go with his retinue to see the Buddha, and praised the Tathāgata's appearance in verse. The spoken ten lines of verses praising the Tathāgata's virtues are as the sūtra fully explains. Tenth, from "at that time the wheel-turning holy king" onward down to "aroused the aspiration for anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi," there are seventy-two and a half lines of the sūtra text, which clarify that the wheel-turning holy king and his daughter presented offerings, and his daughter, Miaoyan, gained benefit and aroused the aspiration for bodhi. Eleventh, from "'Good son, I recall that in the past, owing to the kalyāṇamitra Samantabhadra Bodhisattva'" onward down to "hearing the Dharma explained and practicing according to the teaching," there are sixteen and a half lines of the sūtra text, which conclude all the above causes and conditions of practice and the names of the retinue, as well as the arousing of wholesome roots on account of Samantabhadra. The Dharma attained from this first Buddha is the bodhisattva's liberation gate of universally manifesting in all worlds to tame sentient beings. Twelfth, from "'Good son, after the eon of Complete Purity in the world of Vairocana's Great Majesty passed, next there was a world named Wondrous Adornment of the Jewel Wheel, whose eon was named Great Light, in which five hundred Buddhas appeared'" onward, regarding the ten Buddhas, this night goddess Sarvajagadrakṣāpraṇidhānavīryaprabhā was born in the presence of each Buddha, making different offerings and listening to various Dharmas, as the text itself contains. Thirteenth, from "'Good son, in this world there were such eons [as numerous as] the atoms of Buddha lands, in which all Tathāgatas appeared; I served, respected, and made offerings to them all, and of the Dharma gates they taught, I did not forget a single word or single phrase'" onward down to the verses, there are ten and a half lines of the sūtra text, which generally conclude the eons traversed, the offerings to the Buddhas, and the attainment of Dharma gates. This section clarifies that wisdom is fulfilled and practice is complete; because one's own Buddha-nature merges into one single dharmadhātu, it takes the atoms of Buddha lands as the measure, broadly and provisionally because one's own Buddha-fruit is all-pervasive. As the verses in the following section generally summarize the number of Buddhas offered to as above into eleven sections: with tens at the head, in total there were Buddhas as numerous as the atoms of Mount Sumeru that she had formerly offered to. This wholly speaks of the eleventh stage's own practice of the Buddha-fruit; because one's own practice corresponds [to it], other Buddhas naturally merge into a single entity, and one must not make a one-sided seeking of self and other. Fourteenth, from "I only know this bodhisattva's liberation of universally manifesting in all worlds to tame sentient beings" onward, is the deferral of virtue to advance higher. Explaining the meaning according to the text: When it states that in ancient times, passing eons as numerous as the atoms of Buddha lands, there was an eon named Complete Purity, this is the essence of omniscience's complete universal illumination. Its world being named Vairocana's Majesty is the sovereign pure and mixed radiance of various discriminating wisdoms; this is the pervasiveness of vigorous practice. Having Buddhas as numerous as the atoms of Mount Sumeru appear within it is the elevation of the stage of vigor: the discriminating wisdom is vast in measure and lofty in height, the fruit of transcendence of the world. The previous stage cited thirty-six nayutas, another immeasurable, another five hundred, and yet another one Buddha, to represent the vast measure of the wisdom of seeing Buddhas in advancing higher. Here, taking the atoms of Mount Sumeru as the measure of Buddhas clarifies the superior progress and lofty ascent. In the eastern region of this world, beside the iron surrounding mountains, there were four continents named Jewel-Lamp Flower Banner; this eastern region and the Jewel-Lamp Flower Banner generally clarify the cultivation of discriminating wisdom. That there were a hundred ten-thousand-kotis of nayutas of lands clarifies the realm of the host-and-companion Dharma gates of omniscience, the retinues, the embracing of sentient beings, and the dwelling of retribution. Within the Jambudvīpa of these four continents there was a land named Jewel-Flower Lamp; this clarifies the meaning of discriminating wisdom's sovereign illumination. The sentient beings within it fully practiced the ten wholesome deeds, and there was a wheel-turning king who appeared within it, named Vairocana's Wondrous Jewel-Lotus Topknot, who was suddenly born through transformation from within a lotus; this represents that all the various discriminating wisdoms born of omniscience are born without anything being born, and though born, are undefiled. The thirty-two marks are the retribution-birth produced by wisdom. Being endowed with the seven jewels represents the seven factors of bodhi. Ruling over the four continents represents the all-pervasiveness of the four wisdoms. Constantly guiding the multitudes of beings with the correct Dharma represents the manifestation of correct wisdom without deviant action. The king having one thousand sons represents the full endowment of the myriad practices. The queen and the jewel-woman both represent Dharma joy and compassion. That there was a daughter named Universal Wisdom-Flame Wondrous Virtue Eye (Puzhiyan Miaodeyan) is this night goddess Sarvajagadrakṣāpraṇidhānavīryaprabhā's practice of unifying wisdom and compassion; this world being an amalgamation of pure and defiled, where the foolish and the wise dwell together, is precisely this stage's harmonizing and blending defilement and purity to accomplish the two practices of wisdom and compassion. North of that city, in front of the bodhi tree, there was a fragrant pool named Jewel-Flower Light; this represents the fragrance of the essence of morality and concentration of the dharmakāya. Within the fragrant pool a great lotus emerged, named Cloud of Adorned Realms Universally Manifesting All Tathāgatas of the Three Times; this is the arising of the practice of the ten pāramitās from within the dharmakāya, because it can manifest the realms of all Buddhas like clouds. That Buddhas as numerous as the atoms of Mount Sumeru appeared within it generally clarifies that all Buddhas appear by giving rise to vigorous practice from within the dharmakāya pool of the ten pāramitās of omniscience and great kindness and great compassion. The lotus in the fragrant pool below emitting light ten times clarifies the sequential benefiting of sentient beings. Ten thousand years prior, this great lotus emitted pure light named Manifesting All Supernatural Powers to Mature Sentient Beings; if there were sentient beings who encountered this light, their minds naturally awakened and there was nothing they did not comprehend; this is correlated with the dāna-pāramitā as the host and the remaining nine as companions. Ten thousand years later the Buddha was to appear: each takes the wisdom pāramitā as the appearance of a Buddha; their mutual substance being ten, and even hundreds, thousands, and myriads, all take wisdom as the ten Buddhas. Again, nine thousand years prior, it emitted pure light named the Lamp Free from Defilement for All Sentient Beings; this is correlated with the śīla-pāramitā as the host and the remaining nine as companions. Nine thousand years later the Buddha was to appear: arriving at the wisdom pāramitā is the Buddha's appearance. Eight thousand years prior, it emitted great light named the Voice of Karmic Retribution of All Sentient Beings; if there were sentient beings who encountered this light, they all came to know their own various karmic retributions; this is correlated with the ten pāramitās within the kṣānti-pāramitā. Eight thousand years later the Buddha was to appear. Below, seven, six, five, four, three, two, and one are all correlated in this manner. When it says at the end that she made offerings to Buddhas as numerous as the atoms of Buddha lands, this is because wisdom is fulfilled and practice is all-pervasive: one's own mind is like a Buddha, one's practices are entirely like a Buddha's, one's views are entirely like a Buddha's, and throughout the worlds of the ten directions there is nothing that is not a Buddha. Below, in the verses, the one hundred and ten Buddha names are correlated with the causes and fruits of the Buddha stages of these ten grounds and the eleventh ground. The verse says, "The first Buddha was named Wisdom Flame," which is precisely the first Joyful Ground, with the dāna-pāramitā as the host and the remaining nine as companions. In the dāna-pāramitā within this first ground, the ten pāramitās are mutually host and companions; if one examines them carefully according to the names of the pāramitā Buddhas, one will naturally see the significance. Next from this, there were again ten Buddhas appearing. The first was named Abode of Empty Space; this is correlated with the second Ground of Freedom from Defilement, the śīla-pāramitā, because the nature of morality is like empty space, taking the body as the essence of morality. The remaining nine Buddha names are the names of the pāramitās with morality as host and companions in this stage. Next after this, there were again ten Buddhas appearing; the first, Light Banner Buddha, is correlated with the kṣānti-pāramitā in the third Ground of Luminosity, named 'Light' because cultivating the eight dhyānas purifies and eliminates the obstacles of the three confusions, and named 'Banner' because when confusions perish, kṣānti is accomplished and becomes immovable. The nine Buddha names below are the fruits within the practices of the host-and-companion pāramitās. Thus below, the mutual blending of the ten pāramitās in each ground all constitutes the names of the fruits of the ten Buddhas; correlating them as above, one will naturally see the meaning. To cite in summary Buddhas as numerous as the atoms of Buddha lands is because wisdom is fulfilled and practice is all-pervasive, so there is nothing that is not a Buddha. To attend upon them all means that the noble and the ordinary are of the same essence: there is not a single dharma that is not a Buddha, empty and uninterrupted. Viewing them with the universal eye, piercing through their mind and objects, there is nothing that is not a Buddha. Wisdom follows reverent practice, so all are Buddhas. Seeing like this, if discussed in terms of phenomena, it is indeed truly so; if discussed in terms of symbolic Dharma, everything is entirely real. Therefore, if one views a single dharma or a single object as not being a Buddha, one should know that this person holds deviant views, not correct views. Then views of subject and object, right and wrong, contend and arise, and one cannot enter this realm of the wisdom eye of Samantabhadra and Mañjuśrī. Seeing in this way, the initial mind and the fulfillment of wisdom do not shift; throughout each ground it is explained by means of the meaning of the general and specific six characteristics. The sūtra says: "As for the wheel-turning king Vairocana-garbha-vimalaprabhāsa-padmagarbha, could he be someone else? He is none other than Maitreya Bodhisattva today." The fulfillment of the storehouse of omniscience is the fulfillment of the Buddha-fruit, and the bodhisattva practices are also complete. As for his queen, Full Face, it is because wisdom is fulfilled and there is Dharma joy. Furthermore, 'face' represents that the dharmas of seeing, hearing, smelling, and tasting are fulfilled, so it represents Dharma joy under the meaning of a wife. The night goddess Samantasvararasarājitā (Jijing Yinhai) of the present day is correlated with the fifth dhyāna gate, representing dhyāna joy, not like a worldly wife where only a partial likeness is taken. The king's daughter, the maiden Miaodeyan, represents practicing compassion through wisdom, without the two habit-energies of defilement and purity. Furthermore, the sūtra says: "'Good son, after the eon of Complete Purity in the world of Vairocana's Great Majesty passed, next there was a world named Adornment of the Jewel Wheel, whose eon was named Great Light, in which five hundred Buddhas appeared, and I served them all.'" In this eleventh ground, all the ten pāramitās in each of the five stages are practiced with mutual identity of substance; one stage has one hundred, together making five hundred. Among them, the bodies serving the Buddha according to each Buddha's appearance—whether as a night goddess, a wheel-turning king, or an asura king—are practices corresponding to the stages within the Buddha-fruit. Finally becoming a courtesan represents Dharma joy and pleasure, clarifying that within the eleventh ground the five hundred practices are fulfilled; it should be understood in this way. Apart from practicing one's own Dharma and one's own Buddha-fruit, to exclusively condition oneself on an external Buddha outside one's body to seek truth: such a person fundamentally does not cultivate the Path or see the Path. If the fruits of one's own practice and stages reach it, all Buddhas will naturally correspond. Because they correspond with one's own Buddha-fruit, even if one forcibly seeks and manages to see them, it is merely a temporary manifestation, not something reached by one's own practice. This clarifies that a single stage is endowed with the dharmas of the ten grounds, and within each and every ground there are the essences of the ten kinds of ten grounds; because they are formed through the mutual interpenetration of the ten pāramitās, identity and difference are fully complete. In this way, they all interpenetrate like the gate of Indra's net, one and many penetrating each other. This is the kalyāṇamitra of the fourth Ground of Radiant Wisdom, with the vīrya-pāramitā as the host and the remaining nine as companions. She cures the obstacles of dwelling in the world and cultivating kindness and compassion with laxity, not delighting in vigor, and abandoning sentient beings, causing one to be exclusively vigorous in teaching and transforming sentient beings. These five stages and ten grounds are identical in stage to the Buddha-fruit; each is posited as a Buddha's name according to what the cultivated wisdom and compassion reach, practice, and arrive at; it cannot be according to sentiment, expecting and resolving to merely temporarily see a Buddha's transformation body. Each must establish one's own wisdom, one's own practice, and one's place as a Buddha's name; correlating each sequentially according to the meaning under the name, one will naturally see its significance; one must not establish another model outside one's own Dharma. 'Good son, I only know this bodhisattva's liberation of universally manifesting in all worlds to tame sentient beings' clarifies the deferral of virtue to advance higher.

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新華嚴經論 — Classical Chinese