新華嚴經論 4

English (machine translation) 4

Language: English

Fourth, regarding clearly demonstrating the distinction between the roundness of the cause and the fullness of the fruit: this reveals that the Buddha-fruit has three different kinds: first, the unconditioned fruit of exclusively clarifying the dharmakāya where speech is discarded and action is eliminated; second, the fruit that is only accomplished after many kalpas when cultivation is accumulated from practices, practices are fulfilled, and merit is completed; third, the fruit accomplished in accordance with conditions by essence and function at the initial stage of the ten abodes when the mind is first generated.

4.3

First, the unconditioned fruit of exclusively clarifying the dharmakāya where speech is discarded and action is eliminated: this refers to sūtras such as the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra and the *Apracaritasamādhi Sūtra*, where the body is concealed and does not appear, and the myriad activities cease. Furthermore, it is said that the rākṣasa spoke to the Himalayan Youth: 'All conditioned phenomena are impermanent, they are the dharma of arising and ceasing; when arising and ceasing have ceased, tranquil extinction is bliss.' This is the unconditioned fruit, because it is not endowed with practice.

4.4

Second, the fruit clarified only after many kalpas when cultivation is accumulated from practices and practices are fulfilled: this refers to the provisional teachings where practice is said to be cultivated to completion, which is the Buddha-fruit accomplished when practice is fulfilled over three asaṃkhyeya kalpas. Because they do not understand that ignorance and the twelve branches of existence are fundamentally the wisdom of the dharmakāya, they revile them, subdue manifest afflictions with the contemplation of emptiness, and seek a separate pure gate.

4.5

Third, the fruition achieved by ordinary beings who, at the initial mind of the ten abodes, first realize [the truth] and employ it in accord with conditions: this is the *Avataṃsaka Sūtra*. At the concluding mind of the ten faiths, one uses the samādhi of expedient means to penetrate the twelve links of existence of ignorance, turning them into the principle, wisdom, and great compassion, thereby possessing the dharmadhātu dharma-gate of the essence and function of Mañjuśrī and Samantabhadra. Furthermore, regarding the practice of teaching cause and effect taught by the nirmāṇakāya Buddha, it definitely takes three asaṃkhyeya kalpas; all the Buddha's merits are produced through cultivation: for a hundred kalpas cultivating the karma for the marks and signs—offering lamps to obtain radiance, non-killing to obtain longevity, giving to obtain wealth, patience to obtain a handsome appearance—each cause and effect corresponds proportionally and fully; one must still apply various remedial dharma-gates before finally seeing the nature and becoming a Buddha. But in the *Avataṃsaka Sūtra*, it is not like this. In a single thought, one suddenly realizes the dharmadhātu dharma-gate: the nature and characteristics of body and mind are originally nothing but the essence of the Dharma; action, function, movement, and stillness accord with reality, and exercising wisdom of non-action is itself the Buddha. For all Buddhas it must be thus; without long or short, from beginning to end it is ultimate, and all dharmas are thus. Operating naturally within the one true dharmadhātu according to the Dharma, one is fully endowed with virtues and functions as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, cause being identical with effect. Through this universal gate of the dharmadhātu of principle and wisdom, all hindrances naturally cease to exist; there are no separate remedies, separate cultivation, or separate severance; one does not see transformation, because transformation and non-transformation have no different nature or characteristics. Looking universally at everything, there is nothing that is not a dharma-gate, nothing that is not liberation. It is merely because one's own mind forcibly gives rise to attachment and is submerged in the flow of suffering through many affairs, that the Holy One is wearied into speaking of various distinctions, whereupon beings again generate attachments to what was taught. For this reason, the Holy One's teachings differ: some are gradual and some are round, responding to various capacities. As for this sūtra teaching, it suddenly reveals the perfect vehicle, which only people of the highest vehicle are capable of receiving; if someone is incapable of receiving it, they should delight in cultivating it, and ultimately they will flow into and reside in this ocean. Therefore, other teachings place cause first and effect later, unlike this teaching where cause and effect are simultaneous, because within the ocean of wisdom of the Dharma-nature, cause and effect cannot be grasped. Because they cannot be grasped, cause and effect are simultaneous without obstruction. Graspable cause and effect entails before and after; whatever can be grasped is impermanent and not the ultimate teaching. If cause comes first and effect later, then the cause is also not established, and therefore the effect is also destroyed. Because dharmas born of conditions are not continuous, they are immediately extinguished, and neither self nor other is established. Just as in counting one coin without counting subsequent coins, if there are no subsequent two, the first is also not established; because a kṣaṇa is non-continuous, the cause of that kṣaṇa is not established and the effect is also destroyed; across many kalpas there is no continuity, and across many kalpas cause and effect are destroyed—one must wait until the time of counting the subsequent coin for the previous one to be established. Cause and effect are also like this: they are only established when awaiting a single unbroken moment. If so, it is like counting two coins simultaneously: without before or after, which is one and which is two? Like holding up two fingers, which is cause and which is effect? Just like the two fingers, wherever one's mind counts first is the cause, and what is counted later is the effect. If there is a before and an after, then there is an interval between them, and there is still discontinuity from kṣaṇa to kṣaṇa; where there is discontinuity, cause and effect are not established. If they are simultaneous, like holding up two fingers without before or after, which is cause and which is effect? Neither would be established either. In the *Avataṃsaka Sūtra*, where cause and effect are simultaneous, both are free from such attachments and conceptual discriminations of before and after or simultaneity, and free from attached cause and effect regarding existence and non-existence, both or neither, permanence and impermanence, and so forth; simply understanding that the essence of the Dharma is not something constructed, and is not bound by cause and effect, is called cause and effect—not the conceptual discrimination of simultaneity and before and after established by sentiment. If this is so, how does it differ from the gradual teaching in the *Laṅkāvatāra*? It is not like that. Earlier I explained that the teacher of the doctrine is different, the principals in questions and answers are different, and so forth, precisely to clarify that the essence, function, host, and companion of the three virtues of Mañjuśrī, Samantabhadra, and the Buddha are unobstructed. In the *Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra*, the nirmāṇakāya Buddha and the Bodhisattva Mahāmati engage in questions and answers to refute characteristics, only aiming to reveal the principle without attachment, and do not discuss the dharmadhātu of pratītyasamutpāda. In the dharmadhātu of pratītyasamutpāda, the dharmadhātu is neither established nor destroyed; it merely recognizes that dharmas are just as they are. Therefore the *Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra* says: 'First show a resemblance, and later impart the real.' It also says: 'Grasping characteristics is consciousness; not grasping characteristics is wisdom.' This explains establishment and destruction. In this sūtra's meaning, the true has no unreal dharmas; all dharmas are entirely true, purely true without unreality, and there is no longer any preserving the true and preserving the unreal as resemblances. The sūtra says: 'The realm of sentient beings is itself the realm of Buddhas.' In this sūtra, Mañjuśrī integrates practice with principle, and Samantabhadra integrates principle with practice; the essence and function of both thoroughly penetrate each other to form the one true dharmadhātu, mutually encompassing before and after. The forty chapters of the sūtra mutually subsume one another, thoroughly penetrating from beginning to end, their texts and meanings mutually embracing; within one dharma-gate, many dharmas are contained. Therefore the sūtra says: 'Within many dharmas, it is one dharma; within one dharma, it is many.' In the gradual teaching, even if a small fraction of the meaning is the same, the majority does not resemble this. Just as the ten bodhisattvas headed by Bodhisattva Bodhiśīrṣa each expound one dharma to establish the ten faiths, within the ten faiths together they establish one faith; because the ten stages of faith mutually establish each other's essence and are not established in isolation, through the ten faiths one faith is established, and through one faith the ten faiths are established; one who understands must not lean exclusively on a single gate. The ten bodhisattvas of wisdom, the ten of forest, the ten of banners, and the ten of treasures, as well as the expositions of the ten samādhis, ten superknowledges, and ten acceptances—all these individual stages and dharma-gates are mutually established in this way, like Indra's net thoroughly interpenetrating: the immeasurable within the one, and the one within the immeasurable. The essence and function of all Buddhas and bodhisattvas mutually establish each other, and cause and effect interpenetrate, simultaneously non-dual. As the sūtra says: when Bodhisattva Dharmamati enters samādhi, then Buddhas across the worlds of the ten directions with the same name Dharmamati come; when Bodhisattva Guṇavana enters samādhi, then Buddhas across the worlds of the ten directions with the same name Guṇavana come; when Bodhisattva Vajradhvaja enters samādhi, then Buddhas across the worlds of the ten directions with the same name Vajradhvaja come; when Bodhisattva Vajragarbha enters samādhi, then Buddhas across the worlds of the ten directions with the same name Vajragarbha come to rub his crown. In this manner, within each stage and upon each ground, the Buddha and the bodhisattva mutually establish cause and effect, and their essence and function thoroughly penetrate each other. The Buddhas who arrive clearly represent the fruition; the bodhisattvas who enter samādhi clearly represent the cause; this is because cause and effect are non-dual. Upon the essence of wisdom of the Buddha's dharmakāya, the behavioral marks of the ten abodes, ten practices, ten dedications of merit, ten grounds, eleventh ground, and so forth are established as the gate to guide and transform ordinary mortals: all stages are the Buddha, and the Buddha is all stages. If people of the highest faculties generate faith in this teaching, they will, relying on this Dharma, at the initial mind of the ten abodes directly realize the Dharma of the wisdom of the Tathāgata's Buddha-fruition, and only then perform all the myriad bodhisattva practices, because the head of the initial realization is knowing the nature of the essence of wisdom of the Dharma. Even if they engage in activities like ordinary beings and pass through kalpas of practice, their fundamental self-view never shifts; at the time of the initial generation of the mind, they realize equal and correct awakening simultaneously with the Buddhas of the three periods of time, because there are no boundaries of before and after and because the Dharma is thus—one should know it in this way. This is not like the provisional teaching, where one achieves the Buddha fruition only after passing through three asaṃkhyeya kalpas; therefore it is said here that obtaining the fruition is different from the Three Vehicles. Furthermore, because in this sūtra one attains the Buddha fruition by boarding the Tathāgata's vehicle of all-knowledge, there are no people of the two vehicles obtaining the four fruits of asceticism, nor are there the behavioral marks of the grounds of provisional-teaching bodhisattvas where the cause precedes the effect.

4.6

Fifth, explaining the differences in the behavioral marks practiced in the stages: all who generate the Mahāyāna mind, in accordance with their faculties and capacities, have different behavioral marks among six vehicles and three kinds of five stages and ten grounds. What are their names and numbers? First, the gate of aspiring to be born in a pure land through mindfulness of the Buddha; second, the gate of being born in a pure land through the practice of pure land visualization; third, the gate of the vehicle of cultivating the contemplation of emptiness and selflessness; fourth, the gate of the wisdom of contemplation harmonizing existence and non-existence; fifth, the gate of progressive practice by gradually seeing the Buddha-nature; sixth, the gate of the round fusion of suddenly realizing the Buddha-nature. Those who cultivate the Mahāyāna do not go beyond these six kinds of vehicle practices. What are the three kinds of five stages and ten grounds? First, establishing the five stages and ten grounds through the cultivation of provisional descriptions, provisional suchness, and the like; second, establishing the five stages and ten grounds through partial cultivation, partial reality, and partial realization of a fraction of suchness; third, establishing the behavioral marks of the ten grounds and five stages through sudden cultivation, sudden reality, and sudden realization of the complete suchness of the Buddha's realm—in this Buddha Vehicle there are no provisional dharmas, and verbal terms and marks are entirely true. Within these three kinds of behavioral marks of the ten grounds and five stages, those aspiring toward bodhi, those practicing the bodhisattva path, and those fulfilling the Buddha fruition are without exception all included. Now, setting them forth in general, their provisional and ultimate statuses are distinguished according to the tenets of their respective vehicles, so that practitioners may leave behind obstacles, progress with merit in their cultivation without disparaging one another, and clearly see the distinctions without doubts or regrets, so that those who advance in cultivation may clearly know the provisional and the ultimate, and those who achieve Buddhahood will not have their efforts delayed.

4.7

First, those who rely on the power of mindfulness of the Buddha, cultivate precepts, and generate the power of vows to be born in a pure land are born into a transformed pure land, not a true pure land; because it is not seeing the nature and does not realize that ignorance is the fundamental wisdom of all Tathāgatas, and because it is conditioned, as in the *Amitābha Sūtra*.

4.8

Second, the pure land born of practicing pure land visualization is a transformed pure land, because it arises from mental imagery, because it is conditioned, and because one does not see the original wisdom of the Buddha-nature; this is the *Contemplation of Amitāyus Sūtra*.

4.9

Third, the gate of the vehicle of cultivating the contemplation of emptiness and selflessness: because prajñā was initially taught to refute the reified existence held by ordinary people and the self-grasping of the emptiness of persons held by the two vehicles, it extensively cultivates the dharma of emptiness. It is the gate where existence and non-existence are both empty, because the contemplation of emptiness is predominant. Although they practice the six pāramitās, cultivate various factors of bodhi, and obtain the six superknowledges, and although their practice of the bodhisattva path yields merit superior to humans and gods, they are not born into the Buddha's household and do not see the Buddha-nature, because they analyze dharmas to understand emptiness and do not realize that ignorance is the wisdom of the Tathāgata. The *Avataṃsaka Sūtra* likewise rebukes this, as described previously. As the *Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Sūtra* says: 'If one were to uphold eighty-four thousand treasuries of Dharma and the twelve divisions of scripture and expound them for people, enabling all listeners to attain the six superknowledges, that would still not be difficult; but to listen to and accept this sūtra is indeed difficult.' This is because the *Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Sūtra* accomplishes the Buddha Vehicle, not the Bodhisattva Vehicle. For this reason, the Tathāgata stated in the *Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra*: 'All sentient beings have the Buddha-nature, which is permanent, joyful, self, and pure.' Some bodhisattvas repented of their errors, saying: 'That we have transmigrated in birth and death for immeasurable kalpas was merely because we were deluded and confused by selflessness.' Because of such errors, only by turning their minds can they come to see the nature and realize that the self is wisdom. Wherever Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī engages in questions and answers in the various *Prajñā* scriptures, they always discuss the principle of a fraction of the dharmakāya Buddha-nature, as in the *Mañjuśrī-prajñā*. When the questions and answers are with śrāvakas, they mostly refute the self-grasping of the emptiness of persons of the two vehicles and explain the emptiness of dharmas. When the questions and answers are with Samantabhadra, they mostly pertain to the gate of practice. Whenever the Dharma is expounded, it accords with faculties; one can know the outer and inner simply by observing the principal masters in question and answer, which can be inferred accordingly.

4.10

Fourth, as for the gate of contemplative wisdom that harmonizes existence and non-existence: this is the teaching of the third period in the Saṃdhinirmocana Sūtra, which explains the ninth consciousness as the pure consciousness that serves as the basis for karmic seeds, and also speaks of the three natures and three non-natures—namely, the parikalpita (imagined) nature, the paratantra (other-dependent) nature, and the pariniṣpanna (consummated) nature. Mutually establishing and destroying each other, they are free from all graspings and hindrances; neither established nor destroyed, their nature is inherently nirvāṇa. As a verse in the Saṃdhinirmocana Sūtra states: 'All dharmas lack intrinsic nature; / Unborn and unceasing, they are originally tranquil. / The inherent nature of all dharmas is ever nirvāṇa: / Who possessing wisdom has no hidden intent?' This sūtra was preached to refute those who, through an overemphasis on cultivating emptiness according to the Prajñā[pāramitā], destroyed the dharmas of conditioned origination, so that their views of emptiness manifested and contradicted the true principle. In this sūtra, it is established that the conditioned dharmas are themselves inherently nirvāṇa, and one need not repudiate them. To speak of emptiness and to speak of existence mutually refute each other; one must not cling to existence, nor must one cling to non-existence. Furthermore, although this sūtra establishes the names of the ten grounds in common with the Avataṃsaka, their doctrinal import and regulations are quite different. Moreover, it lacks the stages prior to the grounds, such as the three grades of worthies and the ten faiths; it only establishes the behavioral aspects of severing delusions throughout the ten grounds, and speaks of the Buddha Ground as the eleventh ground. Within these eleven ground stages, it further speaks of eleven kinds of coarseness (dauṣṭhulya) and twenty-two kinds of ignorance. Why this sūtra does not establish the practice-gates of the three grades of worthies and the ten faiths prior to the grounds is because, in this sūtra, prior to the grounds is not yet the Path of Seeing. Furthermore, it is because within the teaching of the third period it only harmonizes existence and non-existence, and does not yet represent the fulfillment of practices embracing principle and phenomena by Mañjuśrī and Samantabhadra. Therefore, in the Avataṃsaka Sūtra, when the Dharma gates of the ten faiths, ten abodes, ten practices, ten dedications of merit, and ten grounds are spoken, all the Buddhas of the ten directions come together to seal and approve them; all Buddha-lands universally speak this gate; and thirteen kinds of mutual augments signify reality. In the sūtras of the three vehicles, only eleven grounds are spoken, because they do not fully embrace all sentient beings; these are the practices of the ten grounds of provisional designation, provisional wisdom, and provisional suchness among the three types of ten grounds. Why is this so? Because this eleventh ground is the Buddha stage, yet within this Buddha stage there are still hindrances, demonstrating that prior to the eleventh ground there was not yet the true principle and fundamental wisdom. If there were complete wisdom of the true principle, why would the eleventh ground have the eleven coarsenesses? Since coarseness exists, it follows that there is not the Buddha's wisdom as cause and effect in ground after ground. This sūtra merely harmonizes existence and non-existence gradually so that there is no stagnation; it is not yet like Samantabhadra and Mañjuśrī expounding the exhaustive great function of the wisdom of principle and phenomena. Just as the Benevolent Kings Sūtra (Renwang jing) speaks of establishing the practice-gates of the five stages and ten grounds, wherein one gradually trains from the ordinary level, accumulating practice across many lives and cultivating provisional suchness. There are also teachings that say one suppresses delusions prior to the grounds and attains the Path of Seeing on the grounds; or that say one retains delusions without severing them, requiring the passage of three asaṃkhyeya kalpas before Buddhahood can be achieved. Teachings such as these are all provisionally established for those of provisional capacities; they are not ultimate expositions. Whatever is spoken by transformation Buddhas serves merely to guide people of middling and lower capacities, not being an exhaustive, ultimate exposition. The rest can be understood by analogy. Furthermore, when people of the two vehicles turn their minds and aspire to the Buddha fruition described in the provisional teachings, and when bodhisattvas of the provisional teachings aspire to the Buddha fruition, upon completing their [three] asaṃkhyeyas, they merely delight in seeking the reward-fruition of a Buddha of a trichiliocosm; they do not delight in the reward-fruition of the realm of the ten Buddhas, Vairocana's inexhaustible realm of the ten directions. This is unlike the Buddha fruition aspired to by the bodhisattvas of the ten faiths in the Avataṃsaka Sūtra, where, based on the mind of resolute faith, an ordinary person fully equipped directly delights in cultivating the realm of the ten-bodied Vairocana, a wondrous realm whose profound mind is vast, reaching the ultimate, profoundest mystery. This is not like the Buddha realms of the provisional teachings, all of which establish demarcations and limits; this is merely because their capacities were narrow and not yet vast, so [these stages] were provisionally established for the time being. For example, regarding the limits of severing delusions across the ten grounds in the Saṃdhinirmocana Sūtra: in the first ground, the initial ground, one counteracts the hindrance of defilements of bad rebirths, karma, and rebirth; in the second ground, one counteracts the hindrance of subtle accidental transgressions manifesting in action; in the third ground, one counteracts the hindrance of craving for desires; in the fourth ground, one counteracts the hindrance of attachment to concentration and attachment to dharmas; in the fifth ground, one counteracts the hindrance of exclusively turning one's back on saṃsāra and inclining toward nirvāṇa; in the sixth ground, one counteracts the hindrance of coarse characteristics manifesting in action; in the seventh ground, one counteracts the hindrance of subtle characteristics manifesting in action; in the eighth ground, one counteracts the hindrance of lack of mastery over effortless exertion in signlessness and unconditioned action, and regarding signs; in the ninth ground, one counteracts the hindrance of lack of mastery over skillful eloquence of all kinds; in the tenth ground, one counteracts the hindrance of failing to realize and attain the complete dharmakāya. 'Good sons! This śamatha and vipaśyanā, on the Tathāgata Ground, counteracts extremely subtle, the most extremely subtle hindrances and the cognitive hindrances.' In the Avataṃsaka Sūtra, by contrast, merely at the initial abode of the first aspiration among the three grades of worthies prior to the grounds, one is immediately able to suddenly realize the Dharma gate of the Buddha fruition, universally sealing all the stages: the ten abodes, ten practices, ten dedications of merit, ten grounds, equal enlightenment, and the other stages, just like when an impression is stamped with a seal, the written pattern is completely formed without before or after. That is, at the very moment of the initial aspiration, one suddenly seals the ignorance of the three realms, and it immediately becomes an ocean of Buddha wisdom. By means of the seal of the Tathāgata's dharmakāya, wisdom-body, and great compassion, one suddenly seals the world all at once to make it the great function of the dharmadhātu, because there is no before and after, because the Dharma is naturally so. This is unlike the provisional teachings which establish provisions outside the Dharma, merely guiding those of the three capacities to return to the One Real.

4.11

Fifth, as for the gate of progressive cultivation by gradually seeing the Buddha-nature: as the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra says, "Bodhisattvas of the ten abodes see the nature to a slight degree, and up to the tenth ground they are not yet able to see it clearly." The Awakening of Faith says, "Bodhisattvas of the ten abodes obtain a slight vision of the dharmakāya, and by transformation [manifest] the eight aspects of accomplishing the Way." As that treatise explains, this is effected through the power of vows. Since it is through the power of vows, it is not the actual reward [body]. In general, gradually seeing the Buddha-nature belongs entirely to the doctrine of gradual guidance within distinct stages in the provisional teaching; it is not the perfect [teaching]. In cases such as these, from the initial generating of the mind to the realization of the Buddha fruit, the asaṃkhyeya kalpas are not fixed. Why is this? As the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra predicts, the butcher Broad Forehead (Guang'e) will achieve Buddhahood in the Bhadrakalpa. When an icchantika first generates the mind, he possesses the efficacy of leaping over kalpas; how much more so for those endowed with faculties of faith who can also see the nature to a slight degree—how could there be [a fixed limit of] asaṃkhyeya kalpas? There are venerable teachers in the world who interpret the butcher Broad Forehead as a magical apparition. This is merely bending to human sentiments and failing to comprehend the Buddha's intention. When gradually guiding the provisional toward the ultimate, how could one cause [practitioners] to perceive kalpas and retain sentiment, making them go against the fundamental? Only when gradually leading up to the dragon maiden and Sudhana attaining Buddhahood in a single thought-moment does it become the ultimate exposition. The inferior view of the three vehicles only contemplates lengthy spans of time; with their wisdom-nature originally absent, they vainly lament while longing and looking upward, binding themselves without ropes—when could there ever be an end? Above, three kinds of ten grounds were briefly explained. Moreover, when deliberating according to scriptural principles, there are six kinds of ten grounds: as within the teachings of the three vehicles there are three kinds of ten grounds, within the ultimate teaching there are [also] three kinds of ten grounds. As in the Renwang jing, the Saṃdhinirmocana Sūtra, and the Pañcaviṃśati (Dapin jing): the ten grounds expounded in these three scriptures mostly establish the gate of nominal suchness to form the practices and characteristics of the ten grounds; these are the three kinds of ten grounds within the provisional teaching. Fourth, as in the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, bodhisattvas of the ten abodes see the nature to a slight degree, and bodhisattvas of the tenth ground have not yet seen the nature clearly: this clarifies taking the Buddha-nature as the vehicle to be mounted, cultivating and realizing the ten grounds part by part. Fifth, further in the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, just as when cows eat the rich and unctuous grass of the Snow Mountains they obtain purely clarified butter (sarpirmaṇḍa), right upon initially generating the mind one is identical to the Buddha's correct awakening. Sixth, the ten grounds of the One Vehicle: as in the Avataṃsaka Sūtra, by expounding the gate of the dharmadhātu, its profound upon profound, immeasurable and inexhaustible dharmas, the ten grounds are formed. These are the six kinds of ten grounds. The butcher and the dragon maiden in the Mahāparinirvāṇa and Saddharmapuṇḍarīka attaining Buddhahood in a kṣaṇa both serve to guide the provisional toward the ultimate teaching. However, the realm of the Buddha fruit aspired to by bodhisattvas of the ten grounds in the three vehicles is merely aspiring to the three-thousandfold great-thousandfold world as the fruit of the reward Buddha; this is just the third nirmāṇakāya within the ultimate teaching, not the actual saṃbhogakāya. As for the three kinds of nirmāṇakāya: the first nirmāṇakāya transforms and creates the bodies of various sentient beings; the second nirmāṇakāya transforms and creates the Buddha who transforms a single four-continent world and the twenty-eight heavens; the third nirmāṇakāya transforms and creates the Buddha of a three-thousandfold great-thousandfold world. The actual saṃbhogakāya is the realm of profound upon profound in which the ten-body Vairocana mutually fuses and penetrates, its measure being equal to the dharmadhātu and penetrating into fine motes of dust, where within every single dust mote it is equal to the dharmadhātu, fully as expounded in the Avataṃsaka Sūtra. Since the teaching of the three vehicles is provisional, the Dharma gates and the realm of the Buddha's reward that it expounds are altogether not yet the ultimate exposition. Therefore, in the Pañcaviṃśati it is called the common teaching of the three vehicles, where the three vehicles commonly practice the ten grounds. Second, as for the ten grounds expounded in the Saṃdhinirmocana Sūtra: it is directly for the sake of explaining the profound and hidden meaning that Bodhisattva Viśālamati, Bodhisattva Vipulamati, Bodhisattva Viśuddhamati, and others together serve as the principal and companions in question and answer to expound the gate of the ten grounds; they do not have Śrāvakas as the principal and companions in question and answer, because the Saṃdhinirmocana Sūtra redirects those of the Prajñā[pāramitā] who are overly attached to emptiness. These sūtras, such as the Pañcaviṃśati and the Saṃdhinirmocana, merely speak of the names of the ten grounds, lacking the stages of the ten faiths, the three grades of worthies, and the four requisites prior to the grounds. Third, as in the Renwang jing, the practices, characteristics, and Dharma gates of the five stages are fully present. In this way, the three grades of worthies and ten grades of sages expounded in the provisional teaching for the most part speak of nominal suchness; only after progressively becoming finer do they clarify the Buddha-nature, and only then can one be said to mount the Tathāgata vehicle straight to the bodhimaṇḍa. One should know that the provisional teaching is not the true, and the sequence of stages it expounds is not ultimate. Fourth, within the Tathāgata vehicle: as expounded in the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra that the ten abodes see the nature to a slight degree and bodhisattvas of the tenth ground have not fully clarified it; and as in the Awakening of Faith that bodhisattvas of the ten abodes see the nature to a slight degree and through the power of vows are able to manifest Buddhahood in eight aspects—this is of that stream. Although not yet complete, because of the power of seeing the nature to a slight degree, their capacity is like this. It is just like a crown prince whose father the king, due to certain circumstances, orders him to assume control of the governance of the realm: because he is the king's true son, his capacity is sufficient for this. Because of seeing the nature to a slight degree and being born into the Buddha's household as a true son of the Tathāgata, it is unlike other teachings of nominal suchness and nominal wisdom, which wait until the first ground to speak of being born into the Buddha's household; this clarifies that the power of seeing the nature truly excels the other traditions. If a slight degree is like this, how much more so when fully obtained? Fifth, clarifying the ten grounds of the perfect teaching: in a single thought-moment one embodies the Way, wisdom being entirely the Buddha, because by converging ignorance its substance is entirely wisdom. A sūtra says: "When one is accomplished, all are accomplished; when one is ruined, all are ruined." This will be explained in detail below. These are called the five kinds of ten grounds. The sequential practices and characteristics of these four kinds of ten grounds are broadly similar though slightly different within the gates of transforming and receiving beings of lower and middling faculties. As for the fundamental teaching, the three kinds of nominally established suchness as contemplative wisdom within the provisional teaching are entirely different from the two gates, gradual and sudden, established upon the substance of the dharmakāya Buddha-nature. For instance, within the provisional teaching, although it still starts from the first ground, counteracting the defiling obstructions of the evil destinies, afflictions, and karmic rebirth, up to counteracting the active manifestation of subtle marks in the seventh ground, there are still obstructions; they obstruct signless wisdom so that it is not yet fully sovereign. Reaching the signless and effortless exertion of the eighth ground, one is also not yet sovereign with regard to exertions involving signs. Because in this way one lacks sovereignty in ground after ground, obstructions exist in all of them. The above was spoken according to the Dharma gate of the stages and sequence of severing delusions in the Saṃdhinirmocana Sūtra. As in the three vehicles, the ten grounds are invariably like this, descending through stages to sever delusions across three asaṃkhyeyas and cultivating the karma of the marks and characteristics for a hundred kalpas. As for the sequence of the various grounds established within the gate of Buddha-nature in the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra and so forth, it has already been clarified above. As the Benye yingluo jing says: "Bodhisattvas of the ten abodes wear copper-jewel necklaces, become copper wheel-turning kings, have one hundred sons of merit as their retinue, are born in one Buddha land, receive the Buddha's study and practice, and teach two continents. Bodhisattvas of the ten practices wear silver-jewel necklaces, become silver wheel-turning kings, have five hundred sons of merit as their retinue, are born in three Buddha lands to receive the Buddha's teaching, and practice transforming three continents. Bodhisattvas of the ten dedications wear adamantine-jewel necklaces, become gold wheel-turning kings, have one thousand sons of merit as their retinue, enter Buddha lands of the ten directions, transform all sentient beings, and dwell in four continents. From the first ground upward, there are hundred-jewel necklaces; on the second ground, thousand-jewel; on the third ground, ten-thousand-jewel; bodhisattvas of the fourth ground have incalculable jewels as necklaces; up to the tenth ground, the jewel necklaces gradually increase and expand. And on the tenth ground and eleventh ground, they thoroughly become Buddha Dharma Kings." Together with the bodhisattvas of the three grades of worthies, there are in total fifteen ranks of wheel-turning kings, fully as expounded in the Yingluo jing. It also says that the bodhisattvas of the three grades of worthies subdue the coarse paths of karma and coarse continuous fruits of the afflictions of the three realms, and also do not give rise to coarseness, [which is] the path of seeing. Joyous forbearance subdues the three karmic paths; stainless forbearance subdues the karmic paths of the hells, hungry ghosts, animals, and humans; luminous forbearance subdues the karmic paths of the six heavens; flaming forbearance subdues all karmic paths; victorious forbearance subdues the karmic paths of doubt and views; manifesting forbearance subdues the karmic paths of causes and conditions; unproduced forbearance subdues the karmic paths of fruition; immovable forbearance subdues the karmic paths of causes of form; illuminating forbearance subdues the karmic paths of causes of mind; quiescent extinction forbearance subdues the karmic paths of latent habits of both mind and form; immaculate forbearance subdues the karmic paths of fruitions of latent habits, where prior latent habits are eliminated while the fruition is not destroyed. Therefore, O sons of the Buddha, the three grades of worthies are called subduing and severing; from joyous forbearance upward, they both subdue and sever all afflictions; when awakening forbearance manifests, all ignorance in the dharmadhātu is suddenly severed without remainder. As stated above, eleven kinds of forbearance are expounded, because the bodhisattvas of the three grades of worthies use them to eliminate the coarse afflictions of the three realms, and also because they subdue and sever them. It is explained: the three grades of worthies are bodhisattvas—the ten abodes, ten practices, and ten dedications, which are the three stages prior to the grounds. Furthermore, the Yingluo jing says: "O sons of the Buddha! On the first ground, the signless dharmakāya wisdom of a single thought-moment achieves a million asaṃkhyeyas of merits, dual-illuminating the two truths, thought after thought being quiescent and extinguished; within the stream of the Dharma, one cannot measure the two kinds of dharmakāya with the ordinary mind and consciousness." It is explained: as for the two kinds of body, the first is the dharma-nature body, and the second is the reward and transformation body. As for the stream of the Dharma, it means that bodhisattvas of the first ground, directly within the stream of wisdom of the dharma-nature, spontaneously arrive at the Buddha stage without any deliberate cultivation or fabrication; how much more so for the second and third grounds! Therefore the sūtra also says: "Bodhisattvas of the three grades of worthies prior to the grounds enter the rank of the sages; merely within the stream of the dharma-nature, thought after thought being quiescent and extinguished, they naturally flow into the great ocean of marvelous awakening. O sons of the Buddha! Even the names of the three grades of worthies and the ten grounds are also called signless; it is merely due to responsive transformation." In the path and Dharma of ancient Buddhas, there are the names of the ten grounds. This scripture, after the preaching of the Avataṃsaka Sūtra, transforms beings of the three vehicles, and at another time, beneath the bodhi tree where Buddhahood was initially attained, reiterates and briefly recounts the Dharma gates of the Avataṃsaka. In this Yingluo jing it repeatedly states: "I once preached the Dharma gate of the pure land in the Universal Light Hall, and up to the Trāyastriṃśa heaven where I preached the ten abodes; now I shall briefly expound them again," fully as the sūtra says. Based on this sūtra, after sequentially preaching the ten grounds, the Dharma gate of the eleventh ground was preached in the third dhyāna heaven; that scripture remains in the Western regions and has not arrived here. The sūtra says: "O sons of the Buddha! Formerly, in the third dhyāna, I gathered the assemblies of the eight dhyānas and expounded to bodhisattvas in their final rebirth before Buddhahood, entering the Buddha-flower samādhi, expounding one million koṭis of verses. Now, by briefly expounding the meaning of a single verse, I shall open the minds of sentient beings; you should accept and uphold it." Furthermore, relying on the Yingluo jing, the Dharma-characteristic gate of the ten grounds' severing of delusions is established. The sūtra says: "O sons of the Buddha! The former three grades of worthies subdue the ignorance of the three realms and use it to eliminate coarse karma. Why is this? When undergoing rebirth, they skillfully take them as condition-sons." It is explained: when the bodhisattvas of the three grades of worthies initially receive the wisdom of the dharma-nature and are born into the Buddha's household, their compassionate mind increases in strength. Because they view all sentient beings of the three realms entirely as their sons, their vows are without abandonment; for the sake of kindness and compassion, and in order to moisten the karma of the three realms, they undergo rebirth in the three realms. The sūtra further says: "Because of moistening karma, they receive future fruitions; therefore it is called resting the function." It is explained: within the three realms they do not create new karma; hence it is resting the function. The sūtra further says: "Yet they do not sever the function of love." It is explained: although the karma of the three realms is extinguished, undergoing rebirth through the karma of compassion is not extinguished. The sūtra says: "There are eleven persons who also subdue the karmic fruits of the three realms within the dharmadhātu." It is explained: as for the eleven persons, the ten grounds together with the stage of equal awakening constitute the eleven persons. The sūtra further says: "From the first ground up to the seventh ground, the karmic fruits of the three realms are all subdued and exhausted without remainder; they are only fully exhausted on the eighth ground." It is explained: prior to the seventh ground they are subdued and exhausted; on the eighth ground they are exhausted in accordance with the Dharma. "From this upward, they manifest attaining Buddhahood, undergoing rebirth in the royal palace, leaving home and attaining the Way, turning the wheel of the Dharma, and passing into extinction; because they manifest all the realms of transformation Buddhas, they have no retribution of sons in the three realms, and only the latent habits of ignorance remain." It is explained: on this eighth ground, effortless wisdom becomes manifest; although they deliver sentient beings, they have no notion of sentient beings. Prior to the seventh ground, compassion is predominant; from the eighth ground upward, signless wisdom becomes manifest and wisdom is predominant. Although they have no rebirth, they deliver people spontaneously; because they are not devoid of the latent habits of attachment to the Dharma, these are only fully exhausted at the Buddha stage, and through the power of original vows they are born through transformation. "Therefore, formerly in the heavens I expounded the meaning of birth and non-birth: karmic rebirth and transformational rebirth. O sons of the Buddha! Within the stage of the sages there are two kinds of karma: first is wisdom-karma, where wisdom arises without thought, thought after thought conditioning the Dharma while arising without illuminating [an object]—this is called wisdom-karma. Second is merit-karma, where true wisdom emerges in the truth of existence, conditioned yet undefiled, accumulating a million asaṃkhyeyas of merits—therefore it is called merit-karma. From the initial sage upward, they manifest undergoing rebirth; because it is mutable, they do not create new [karma], and through the power of vows they dwell and undergo transformational rebirth for hundreds and thousands of kalpas." The above are all expounded based on the Benye yingluo jing; these are precisely the two gates, both sudden and gradual, within the perfect teaching. As for "also sudden": this scripture says, "Bodhisattvas of the three grades of worthies immediately enter the stage of the sages; entering into the stream of the dharma-nature, they spontaneously arrive at the ocean of Buddhahood, without any further deliberate fabrication." As for "also gradual": the severing of delusions has progressive stages, advancing in cultivation one by one. According to this Yingluo jing, the three grades of worthies and the ten abodes immediately enter the stream of the dharma-nature, unlike the provisional teaching where the first ground is the path of seeing and delusions are subdued prior to the path. If viewed in relation to the "Chapter on the Ten Grounds" in the Avataṃsaka Sūtra, the first ground directs ordinary persons to practice; it does not say that one must be a sage to begin studying it, as that scripture has its own explicit text. Furthermore, clarifying regression: as the Yingluo jing says: "O sons of the Buddha! As for those who regress or advance: prior to the ten abodes, among all ordinary dharmas they generate the bodhicitta; there are sentient beings as numerous as the sands of the Ganges who study and practice the Buddha Dharma, but those who practice within a mind of faith and conceptual thought belong to the wholesome roots of regression. Good sons! For one kalpa, two kalpas, or up to practicing the ten faiths to enter the ten abodes: at that time, from the first abode to the sixth abode, if this person cultivates the sixth prajñāpāramitā and correct contemplation manifests, and they are further protected and recollected by Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and kalyāṇamitras, they emerge and reach the seventh abode, constantly abiding in non-retrogression and sovereignty; prior to the seventh abode it is called the stage of regression. O sons of the Buddha! As for those who do not regress: entering the sixth prajñā, practicing emptiness, selflessness, absence of person, and absence of a master, they ultimately do not take birth and ultimately enter the determined rank. O sons of the Buddha! If they do not encounter a kalyāṇamitra, for one kalpa or two kalpas they will regress from bodhicitta; just as in my first assembly there were eighty thousand people who regressed. Like the Deva Pure Eyes (Jingmu), the Prince of the Dharmakāya, Śāriputra, and others, who wished to enter the seventh abode, but encountering evil conditions therein, regressed into ordinary unwholesomeness and were not called persons of the acquired lineage nature. Regressing into non-Buddhist paths, for one kalpa, or ten kalpas, or up to a thousand kalpas, they adopt great wrong views and commit the five heinous sins, leaving no evil undone."

4.12

Question: According to the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, merely hearing the two words 'eternally abiding' prevents one from falling into hell for seven kalpas. And as the Avataṃsaka Sūtra says: 'Even if, upon hearing the name of the Tathāgata and the Dharma he preaches, one does not give rise to faith and understanding, it still forms a seed, and one will certainly attain liberation up to the realization of Buddhahood.' Why, then, is it now said that at the mind of the sixth abode and from the stage of faith of an ordinary person there is still said to be retrogression? How is this meaning to be harmonized?

Explanation: Within the ten faiths, superior understanding has not yet been accomplished; claiming to have attained what one has not yet attained, arrogance immediately arises, so that one does not draw close to good friends and does not venerate the worthy and good. Due to arrogance and negligence, one dwells for a long time among humans and devas, and evil karma readily arises, capable of ripening into the karma of the great hells. If in single-minded faith one is not arrogant and constantly seeks superior friends, then this fault does not occur. In the provisional teaching, at the mind of the sixth abode there can indeed be a retrogression from the stage; in the ultimate teaching, this is spoken to rebuke those who tarry and urge them forward in cultivation. Just as Śāriputra manifested as a śrāvaka and was not an actual śrāvaka, all the expedient means he performed were to deliver sentient beings and spur them onward. In the provisional teaching, at the mind of the sixth abode one can speak of actual retrogression. Why is this? Because in the provisional teaching, the three virtuous stages prior to the grounds have not yet seen the Way at all; the practices they cultivate and the deeds they perform are all conditioned, and all their ignorance is merely suppressed. If their power is not strong, retrogression arises; but if their suppression is powerful, they do not retrogress and fall away. It is like a snake possessing venom: due to the power of an incantation, its venom cannot arise. If one simply plants faithful mind within the Buddhadharma, is humble and devoid of arrogance, reveres and obeys the worthy and good, constantly maintains compassion and patience toward evil people, inquires of and receives what has not yet been heard from those superior to oneself, practices without forgetting the superior Dharma one has heard, eliminates all falsehood according to the teaching, and is constantly diligent without resting upon the path of sambodhi—this is the principle for human life, and the Dharma is rightfully so. As long as one does not live fostering evil, why should one worry about retrogression?

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新華嚴經論 — Classical Chinese