勝鬘寶窟 1.32

1.32

「我聞佛音聲」者，依七分明義，三分已竟，今是第三方便顯德起信分。所言方便顯德起信者，父母送書，勝鬘悟解，感佛臨降，即欲承佛威神為眾說法，但恐物未肯信受，故前歎佛德、次明佛為授記，物方生信，然後始得為物說法，故言顯德起信分。今明遠亦有斯意也。但如前分文，今是五中第二，上半述書歎佛、下半審書許供。「我聞佛音聲」者，我聞父母歎佛音聲，故云我聞佛音聲也。問：勝鬘用眼讀書，不曾耳聽，何故言聞？答：父母作書，以身表口；勝鬘覽讀，以目代耳，故名為聞。又解：書本詮聲，勝鬘尋書，如從父母面聞也。又解：傳道聲於書上故言聞。又解：父母作書讚歎於佛，此是身造口業；勝鬘讀書，目作耳業也。「世所未曾有」者，述書所讚也。如書所歎，乃是出世功德，故云世所未曾有也。「所言真實者」，審定書言也。問：前云勝鬘利根易悟，今既得書，何故疑惑不即領受？答：事有難信易信，世事易信、出世難信。今書所傳，世間未有，故須審定。又勝鬘是聰慧人，凡所得事審而詳之，不同愚人遇便信受。故《毘婆沙》云「聰明之人有二種相：一善說法、二善思量」也。「應當修供養」者，一解云：佛必如書中讚歎真實不虛者，則是無上福田，理合供養也。又解：必如書所歎真實不虛者，則傳書之人有大恩德，我須報其人恩供養之也。故梵本文云「是言若真實，我當與汝衣」也。修謂營修，修飾供具。又修是修行，欲令行供養。「仰惟佛世尊」者，此第三勝鬘仰請。所以仰請者，既書所歎，必能利益於我，是故仰請令我得見。半行以下須上，明佛有普慈之惠；半行明上哀於下，請令得見。書云「慕上曰仰」。勝鬘在生死內，復受女形，是極凡下。如來居生死之外，為大丈夫，高遠之極。故以下情慕上，所以稱仰。惟者思惟。將欲請感，而下情測度，意地思惟也。仰惟如伏度，伏度之例也。佛世尊者，出所測度之人。佛者覺也，世間有一夕之眠，則有一朝之覺；既有生死長夜，則有朗然大覺也。既能自覺，復能覺悟世間，為世崇重，故云世尊。「普為世間出」者，釋上思惟測度之意。我思惟測度，如來大慈無偏，如日月之照世，故云普為世間出。如《華嚴》云「無盡平等妙法界，悉皆充滿如來身，無取無起永寂滅。」為一切歸，故出世也。「亦應垂哀愍」者，夫如來出世，正為救苦眾生；然我是世間一數，亦應哀愍於我。言亦應者，以上世間之言，以類於己，故亦應也。又慈在於佛，未敢自專，故言亦應。上心慈下，目之為垂。我則有苦無樂，故請佛哀愍。請心決定，故言必令我得見。「即生此念時」下，第四明如來赴應。但釋應，凡有三家。第一解云：無應法起。如《涅槃》云「五指實無師子，但以慈善根力令見師子。」今亦如是，佛實不從空而應，但勝鬘默念，自於空中見佛。此解似同《攝論》心外無境之義也。第二釋云：有應法起。勝鬘默念，如來應起，故有應法起。第三釋云：經具二文，宜應雙用。隨心所見，心外無法，是故無起；而境宛然，故言有起。須知無起而起、起無所起也。就文有三：一明應時、二辨應處、三出應儀。「即生此念時」者，謂應時也。一釋云：佛應與心念同時，若聲響之相應，故云念也。又釋：要須念力成就，如來應念現身但起，示起速無差，故云即念時而現耳。空中現者，第二明應處也。今就事理釋之。就事而言，男女有隔，既應後宮，不宜到地。就理釋者，法身無為而無所不為，即寂而動，故云空中現。又示赴感無方，來無處所，卓爾現空。又示普應十方，常是四絕。又示如來覺諸法如幻如虛空，以示常行於空，故於空現。又云：佛真法身，猶若虛空，應物現形，如水中月。此明法身如空，以本垂迹，如從空而現。又會勝鬘上歎云「我聞佛音聲，世所未曾有」，世間之人不知感逝空即應，今既知感逝空即應，故是世間所無也。問：前云男女事隔於空現者，《觀經》何故於宮現耶。答？彼言宮中現者，在虛空之宮現耳，未必在地。又聖迹無方，不可一類。或處空現形、或入宮應物也。「普放淨光明，顯示無比身」者，第三明應儀。凡有二句：一者普放光明、二者現無比身。有四面大光，及項後圓光，此並常光；今更現非常之光，謂於支節毛孔舉體放光，故名為普。亦可一光遍滿虛空、通徹宮內，故稱為普。又欲明感者便見、無感者不覩，非是光有偏私，故名為普。所言淨者，一光體皎潔、二能除眾生垢闇。顯示無比身者，佛常身丈六，已自端嚴，今復為光所照，相好明了，故云顯示。天下無類，故云無比。如常歎佛偈云「天上天下無如佛，十方世界亦無比。世間所有我悉見，一切無有如佛者。」又本有常光，今更普放光；本是丈六身，今更示奇特之身，故云無比身也。所以顯示無比身者，欲起勝鬘願求之心，復欲發其不虛之歎故也。「勝鬘及眷屬頭面接足禮」者，此第五勝鬘敬歎。初半偈敘敬，下半偈明歎。自有見佛歎而不敬，今具足也。頭是一身之尊、足是一身之卑，以尊捉卑，顯敬誠之至。問：勝鬘在地、如來處空，云何得接？答：此舉內心運想言接耳。「咸以清淨心」者，又上是身業敬，今是意業敬。「歎佛實功德」，口業敬。此是總標歎。「如來妙色身」下，別出歎辭。咸者同也。勝鬘之與眷屬，同運淨心，以歎於佛。又淨者信也，起淨信之心，又不雜煩惱心歎，名淨心。實功德者，書內歎佛，但是聞聲，有言無事；今覩佛形，則事稱於言，故稱為實。又眾德依實理而成。又妙出妄情，故名為實。「如來妙色身」下，經有三分。自上已來序說已竟，今是第二正說。依經下文，凡有十六名字：一歎如來第一義真實功德、二不思議大受、三一切願攝大願、四說不思議攝受正法、五說入一乘、六說無邊聖諦、七說如來藏、八說法身、九說空義隱覆真實、十說一諦、十一說常住安隱一依、十二說顛倒真實、十三說自性清淨心隱覆、十四說如來真子、十五說勝鬘夫人師子吼，此十五並有別章解釋。第十六云「復次憍尸迦！此經所說，斷一切疑，決定了義，入一乘道。」今謂前十五有別章解釋，後章之一章總貫前之十五，故章雖十六，不出總別二也。有人言：唯有十四章，第十五無別體。今用十五也。就前十五章，古今南北開合不同，隨心所見種種異說。今前以六門總釋十五章經，宜留意觀之，則略見一部之大意，勿咎其煩也。一鉤鎖相生、二章段次第、三適機前後、四互相攝、五以言無言、六如行說。鉤鎖相生者，書傳盛德、面覩妙身，故前歎佛發心願求也。歎佛既發菩提心，次明修菩薩行。菩薩之行以止惡為本，故次明受十大受。十受辨其止善，故次明行善，是以興於大願。十受之終云不忘失正法，三願之末明攝受護持正法，今欲廣釋攝受正法成前願行，故次明攝受正法。攝受正法雖是一乘，但欲轉名示義，明攝受從一生多，一乘則攝多歸一，故次明一乘。一乘所以究竟，由究竟諦成，故次明無邊聖諦。無邊聖諦說如來藏，故次明如來藏。藏顯成身，故次明法身。法身不離如來藏，佛知所藏是其真實、能藏是空，以空義隱覆真實，故次明其義。所覆即是一諦，故次明一諦。此之一諦可以依憑，故明一依。接此一依，即明依藏有生死故是真實、不依藏有生死名為顛倒，故有顛倒真實章。生死依藏所依是深，今欲明此義，故有自性清淨煩惱隱覆。始從歎佛、終竟自性清淨，能信此法，堪紹佛業，為佛真子，故有真子章。若不信此法，則是外道種子非法惡人，宜須降伏，故有勝鬘師子吼章也。次明章段次第。此欲示經起盡，明義之大節也。然章雖十五，大開二門：初十三章正明說法、次有二章明勸信護法。所以有此二者，勝鬘當今教主，機緣屬在其人，於前明說法。說法既竟，則信之大益、毀之大損，故次明勸信守護。就此兩章，各分為二。初門二者，前有三章明起說方便、次十章經正明說法。所以然者，夫妙道難弘、憙生疑謗，要須三行三成，止謗息疑、尊人受道，方得演說也。三行三成者，一歎佛發心，佛即授記；二受大受，佛為現證，空出聲華；三發大願，則如來印成。以此三門為說法由漸，故是方便。方便既成，然後開宗授道，故有第二次明正說。後章二者，勝鬘說法既竟，佛欲令人信，故第一前明勸信。如來既明信法有益，勝鬘則明不信為損、宜須摧伏，故第二次明護法也。就前說法方便及與正說，各開為二。初門二者，歎佛明菩提心、十受三願明修菩薩行。正說二者，一明乘行、二明乘境。然由境成行、應前明境，但欲接上願行之因，故明攝受一乘之果，故前明乘行。行不孤生，起必託境，故次明境。就乘行乘境，各開為二：乘行二者，攝受辨廣大出生、一乘明無二收入。乘境二者，初有四章總明量無量諦，顯佛與二乘究竟非究竟；次有四章，就無量諦中自明三諦非究竟，一諦為究竟。此之兩章，各開為二。初章二者，第一聖諦一章，明二乘依有量諦，無有三法，所謂無究竟智、無究竟諦、無究竟聖。佛依無量諦，則有此三也。次之三章，依無量諦中說藏、說法身及空義隱覆，即顯有量諦中不說此三法。後章二者，一依、一諦。此二約顯時之境顛倒真實，及自性清淨煩惱隱覆，此二隱時之藏。至此已來，敘章段次第意竟。第三適機前後門者，夫根性不同、法無定相，如來善巧非一，故教門無定前後。若應聞四諦以得悟，則前明四諦；若宜聽一乘以受，則後演一乘。餘章類爾。其猶六度，自有從檀至智、自從智至檀，次第相生，無方演說。今亦爾也。第四明相攝門者，若作一乘明義，則一切無非一乘，故十五章經皆一乘也。若四諦明義，則十五章經無非四諦。故《華嚴》云「一中解無量，無量中解一。展轉生非實，智者無所畏。」但諸佛菩薩約義不同，轉勢說法，故有十五章經之差別也。第五言無言者，無言而言，故言有十五；言而無言，故不吐一字。此如空中種樹、華菓宛然，虛裏織羅、文綵不失。肇公云：「釋迦掩室於摩竭，淨名杜口於毘耶。須菩提無言而顯道，釋梵絕聽以雨華。」若留意此言，則小參聖旨；其守著文字，則是堅執妄談。第六行說門者，夫留古訓今，則使今學古。勝鬘如行而說，亦令末俗如說而行。勝鬘歎佛，末俗亦須用之而歎，十受三願乃至信正降邪，並須如說行也。若不爾者，聖有徒勞之弊、貧人有數寶之失。第一歎如來真實第一義功德章，略以三門釋之：一來意門、二釋名門、三分齊門。

"I have heard the sound of the Buddha": according to the explanation of the meaning in seven sections, three sections have already been completed; this is now the third, the section on the expedient means of revealing virtues to evoke faith. In speaking of the expedient means of revealing virtues to evoke faith: her parents sent the letter, Śrīmālā came to an awakening, and evoking the Buddha to descend, she immediately wished to rely on the Buddha's spiritual power to preach the Dharma for the assembly. Yet fearing that living beings might not yet be willing to accept it with faith, she first praised the Buddha's virtues, and next the text explains that the Buddha bestowed a prophecy upon her; only then would beings give rise to faith, and only after that could she begin to preach the Dharma for beings. Thus it is called the section on revealing virtues to evoke faith. Now Faxian of Mingyuan also held this view. However, dividing the text according to the previous scheme, this is now the second of the five [parts], where the first half recounts the letter to praise the Buddha, and the second half scrutinises the letter and pledges offerings.

"I have heard the sound of the Buddha": I heard the sound of my parents praising the Buddha, hence it says, "I have heard the sound of the Buddha." Question: Śrīmālā read the letter with her eyes and had never listened with her ears; why does it say "heard"? Answer: Her parents composed the letter, expressing speech by means of the body; Śrīmālā read it, using her eyes instead of her ears, hence it is called "hearing." Another explanation: A letter originally articulates sounds; Śrīmālā perusing the letter was like hearing it directly from her parents' presence. Another explanation: Transmitting the sound of the way upon the letter is why it says "heard." Another explanation: Her parents composed the letter to praise the Buddha, which was the body performing vocal karma; Śrīmālā reading the letter was the eyes performing the karma of the ears.

"Unprecedented in the world": this recounts what was praised in the letter. As praised in the letter, these are supramundane merits, hence it says, "unprecedented in the world."

"If these words are true": this scrutinises and ascertains the words of the letter. Question: It was previously said that Śrīmālā was of sharp faculties and easily awakened; now that she has received the letter, why does she harbor doubt and not immediately accept it? Answer: Matters are either difficult or easy to believe; mundane matters are easy to believe, but supramundane matters are difficult to believe. What is conveyed in this letter does not exist in the world, hence it must be scrutinised and ascertained. Furthermore, Śrīmālā was a wise person; in all matters she obtained, she scrutinised and examined them in detail, unlike foolish people who immediately believe and accept upon encounter. Thus the Vibhāṣā says: "A wise person has two marks: first, being skilled in explaining the Dharma; second, being skilled in deliberation."

"I should cultivate offerings": one explanation says: If the Buddha is truly as praised in the letter, real and not false, then he is the supreme field of merit, and it is right and proper to make offerings to him. Another explanation: If he is truly as praised in the letter, real and not false, then the person who delivered the letter has great kindness and virtue, and I must repay that person's kindness by making offerings to him. Therefore, the Sanskrit text says: "If these words are true, I shall give you clothing." "Cultivate" means to prepare and cultivate, decorating and preparing the articles of offering. Furthermore, "cultivate" means practice, wishing to cause the practice of offerings.

"Looking up in thought to the Buddha, the World-Honoured One": this is the third [part], Śrīmālā looking up in supplication. Why she looked up in supplication: since what was praised in the letter would certainly benefit me, therefore I look up in supplication so that I may see him. From the half-line downwards, the lower looks up to the higher, clarifying that the Buddha possesses the beneficence of universal compassion; the half-line clarifies that the higher pities the lower, supplicating that she be allowed to see him. The classic says: "Longing for what is above is called looking up (yang)." Śrīmālā was within saṃsāra and had moreover received a female form, which is exceedingly low among ordinary beings. The Tathāgata resides beyond saṃsāra and is a great man (mahāpuruṣa), supreme in height and distance. Therefore, with the feelings of one below longing for what is above, it is called "looking up." "In thought" means contemplating. Being about to offer supplication, the feelings of one below deliberate, contemplating within the ground of the mind. "Looking up in thought" is like bowing in calculation—an instance of respectful estimation. "The Buddha, the World-Honoured One" designates the person being contemplated. "Buddha" means awakened; if the mundane world has a night of sleep, it then has a morning of awakening; since there is the long night of saṃsāra, there is then the bright, great awakening. Having awakened oneself, one can furthermore awaken the mundane world, being venerated and respected by the world, hence called the "World-Honoured One."

"Who has appeared universally for the sake of the world": this explains the intention of the aforementioned contemplation and deliberation. I contemplate and deliberate that the Tathāgata's great compassion is without partiality, like the sun and the moon illuminating the world, hence it says, "who has appeared universally for the sake of the world." As the Avataṃsaka says: "The inexhaustible, equal, and wondrous dharmadhātu is completely filled by the Tathāgata's body; without grasping and without arising, it is eternally quiescent." Being the refuge for all, he therefore appears in the world.

"He should also bestow his pity and compassion": now, the Tathāgata's appearance in the world is precisely for the sake of rescuing suffering sentient beings; moreover, I am one among those in the world, so he should also bestow pity and compassion upon me. Saying "also should" draws an analogy to oneself based on the aforementioned words about the world, hence "also should." Furthermore, compassion resides with the Buddha, and she does not presume to decide on her own, hence saying "also should." The mind above being compassionate to those below is designated as "bestowing." I, on the other hand, have suffering and no joy, and therefore entreat the Buddha to bestow pity and compassion. The entreating mind is resolute, hence saying that he must cause me to see him.

From "at the very moment this thought arose" onwards: fourth, this clarifies the Tathāgata's responding to the summons. Yet in explaining the response, there are generally three interpretations. The first explanation says: No responsive dharma arises. As the Nirvāṇa[-sūtra] says: "The five fingers are not truly a lion, but through the power of compassionate roots of goodness, one is made to see a lion." Here it is also like this: the Buddha did not truly respond from space, but Śrīmālā silently thought of him, and of herself saw the Buddha in space. This explanation seems identical to the meaning in the Mahāyānasaṃgraha that there are no objects outside the mind. The second explanation says: A responsive dharma does arise. Śrīmālā silently thought of him, and the Tathāgata's response arose, therefore a responsive dharma arises. The third explanation says: The sūtra contains both statements, and one should properly apply both. In accordance with what the mind sees, there is no phenomenon outside the mind, therefore there is no arising; yet the object is distinctly present, therefore it is said there is arising. One must know that there is arising without arising, and that arising is without that which arises. In the text there are three [parts]: first, clarifying the time of the response; second, discerning the place of the response; third, setting forth the demeanor of the response.

"At the very moment this thought arose": this refers to the time of the response. One explanation says: The Buddha's response was simultaneous with the thought in her mind, like the resonance of an echo to a sound, hence it says "thought." Another explanation: It was necessary for the power of thought to be fulfilled; the Tathāgata's responsive body simply arose in response to the thought, showing that the arising was swift and without deviation, hence it says that he appeared at the very moment of the thought.

"Appeared in the sky": second, clarifying the place of the response. Now this is explained in terms of phenomenon (shi) and principle (li). Speaking in terms of phenomenon: men and women are segregated; since he was responding to the inner palace, it was not suitable to descend to the ground. Speaking in terms of principle: the dharmakāya is non-action (wuwei) yet there is nothing it does not do; it is quiescent yet active, hence it is said to appear in the sky. Furthermore, it shows that responding to evocative resonance has no fixed direction, and coming has no fixed location, towering aloft as he appeared in the sky. Furthermore, it shows that universally responding to the ten directions is eternally beyond the four extremes. Furthermore, it shows that the Tathāgata awakens to all phenomena as being like an illusion and like empty space; to show that he constantly moves in emptiness, he therefore appeared in the sky. It is also said: the Buddha's true dharmakāya is just like empty space; responding to beings, it manifests a form, like the moon in the water. This clarifies that the dharmakāya is like empty space, projecting traces from the fundamental, as if appearing from space. Furthermore, it corresponds to Śrīmālā's praise above, "I have heard the sound of the Buddha, unprecedented in the world"; worldly people do not know that when evocative resonance passes into emptiness, a response immediately occurs; now that it is known that when evocative resonance passes into emptiness a response immediately occurs, this is indeed something non-existent in the world. Question: It was previously said that men and women are segregated by convention so he appeared in the sky; why, in the Guan jing (Contemplation Sūtra), did he appear in the palace? Answer: That statement that he appeared in the palace means he appeared in a palace in the sky; it was not necessarily on the ground. Furthermore, holy traces have no fixed location and cannot be treated uniformly. In some cases, he manifests his form residing in the sky; in other cases, he enters a palace to respond to beings.

"Universally radiating pure light, revealing his incomparable body": third, clarifying the demeanor of the response. There are two phrases: first, universally radiating light; second, manifesting the incomparable body. There was the great light on four sides and the circular halo behind his neck; these are all his constant light. Now he further manifested an extraordinary light, meaning that from his limbs, joints, and pores, his entire body radiated light, hence called "universal." It may also be that a single light filled empty space and penetrated into the inner palace, hence called "universal." Furthermore, it aims to clarify that those with resonant affinity saw it, while those without resonant affinity did not behold it; it was not that the light was partial, hence called "universal." In saying "pure": first, the substance of the light was pristine; second, it could eliminate the defilement and darkness of sentient beings. "Revealing his incomparable body": the Buddha's constant body is sixteen feet tall and was already dignified in itself; now, being further illuminated by the light, the major marks and secondary signs were clearly apparent, hence called "revealing." In all the world there is nothing of its kind, hence called "incomparable." As the verse of constant praise of the Buddha says: "In heaven above and the earth below there is none like the Buddha; / in the worlds of the ten directions he is also without match. / Of all that exists in the world, I have seen it all; / in all things there is none like the Buddha." Furthermore, originally there was constant light, and now he additionally radiated light universally; originally it was a sixteen-foot body, and now he additionally showed an extraordinary body, hence called an "incomparable body." Why he revealed his incomparable body was that he wished to arouse Śrīmālā's mind of aspiration and vow, and furthermore wished to give rise to her praise that it was not in vain.

"Śrīmālā and her retinue bowed touching their heads to his feet in worship": this is the fifth, Śrīmālā's veneration and praise. The first half of the verse recounts the veneration; the second half clarifies the praise. There are cases where upon seeing the Buddha one praises but does not venerate; here, it is complete. The head is the most noble part of a body, and the feet are the lowliest part of a body; taking the lowliest with the most noble shows the utmost sincerity of respect. Question: Śrīmālā was on the ground and the Tathāgata was in the sky; how could she touch them? Answer: This points to the operation of her mind in visualising it, which is called "touching."

"All with a pure mind": furthermore, the above was veneration of bodily karma; this is veneration of mental karma. "Praised the Buddha's true merits": veneration of vocal karma. This is the general statement of praise. From "The Tathāgata's wondrous physical body" onwards, the words of praise are set forth in detail. "All" means together. Śrīmālā along with her retinue together operated a pure mind to praise the Buddha. Furthermore, "pure" means faith; giving rise to a mind of pure faith, and furthermore praising without being mixed with defiled thoughts, is called a "pure mind." "True merits": in the letter praising the Buddha, it was merely hearing sounds—there were words but no actual reality; now beholding the Buddha's form, the actual reality matched the words, hence called "true." Furthermore, the myriad merits are accomplished relying on true principle. Furthermore, being wondrously transcendent of deluded sentiments, it is called "true."

From "The Tathāgata's wondrous physical body" onwards, the sūtra has three divisions. From the beginning up to this point, the introductory exposition has been completed; this is now the second, the main exposition. According to the subsequent text of the sūtra, there are altogether sixteen titles: 1. Praising the Tathāgata's Ultimate True Merits; 2. The Inconceivable Great Vows; 3. The Great Vows Embracing All Vows; 4. Expounding the Inconceivable Acceptance of the True Dharma; 5. Expounding Entry into the One Vehicle; 6. Expounding the Boundless Noble Truths; 7. Expounding the Tathāgatagarbha; 8. Expounding the Dharmakāya; 9. Expounding the Concealment of the True by the Meaning of Emptiness; 10. Expounding the One Truth; 11. Expounding the Permanently Abiding and Secure Single Refuge; 12. Expounding the Inverted and the True; 13. Expounding the Concealment of the Naturally Pure Mind; 14. Expounding the True Sons of the Tathāgata; 15. Expounding Queen Śrīmālā's Lion's Roar. These fifteen all have separate chapters explaining them. The sixteenth says: "Furthermore, Kauśika, what is expounded in this sūtra severs all doubts, is definitive and of ultimate meaning, and enters the path of the one vehicle." I now hold that the preceding fifteen have separate chapters of explanation, while the latter single chapter generally threads together the preceding fifteen; thus although the chapters are sixteen, they do not exceed the two of general and specific. Some say there are only fourteen chapters, and the fifteenth has no separate substance. We now adopt fifteen.

Regarding the preceding fifteen chapters, ancient and contemporary teachers of the North and South have divided and combined them differently, presenting various divergent explanations according to what their minds perceived. Now, I shall first explain the fifteen chapters of the sūtra generally through six headings. One should examine them with care, and one will then see an outline of the grand purport of the entire text; do not fault it for being tedious. 1. Successive generation like linked chains; 2. The sequence of chapters and sections; 3. Priority according to capacity; 4. Mutual inclusion; 5. The non-verbal through words; 6. Preaching in accordance with practice.

"Successive generation like linked chains": the letter conveyed his magnificent virtues and she beheld his wondrous body face to face, so first she praised the Buddha, giving rise to the mind of aspiration. Having praised the Buddha and given rise to the bodhicitta, next it clarifies the cultivation of bodhisattva practice. Bodhisattva practice takes stopping evil as its basis, hence next it clarifies taking the ten great vows. The ten vows distinguish good through cessation, hence next it clarifies practicing good, which is why she aroused the great vows. The conclusion of the ten vows says "not forgetting the saddharma," and the conclusion of the three vows clarifies "accepting, protecting, and upholding the saddharma"; now, wishing to explain extensively the acceptance of the saddharma to complete the preceding vows and practices, next it clarifies the acceptance of the saddharma. Although the acceptance of the saddharma is the ekayāna, yet wishing to change the name to demonstrate the meaning, it shows that acceptance generates the many from the one, while the ekayāna integrates the many back to the one, hence next it clarifies the ekayāna. The reason the ekayāna is ultimate is that it is accomplished by the ultimate truth, hence next it clarifies the boundless noble truths. The boundless noble truths expound the tathāgatagarbha, hence next it clarifies the tathāgatagarbha. When the garbha is revealed it accomplishes the body, hence next it clarifies the dharmakāya. The dharmakāya is not separate from the tathāgatagarbha; the Buddha knows that what is concealed is real, and that which conceals is empty; with the meaning of emptiness concealing the true, next it clarifies this meaning. What is concealed is precisely the single truth, hence next it clarifies the single truth. This single truth can be relied upon, hence it clarifies the single refuge. Following upon this single refuge, it immediately clarifies that relying on the garbha there is saṃsāra and therefore it is true, while not relying on the garbha there is saṃsāra and it is called inverted, hence there is the chapter on the Inverted and the True. Saṃsāra relying on the garbha—that which is relied upon is profound; now wishing to clarify this meaning, there is therefore the Concealment of the Naturally Pure [Mind] by Afflictions. Beginning from praising the Buddha down through the naturally pure mind, those who can believe this dharma are competent to inherit the Buddha's lineage and become the true sons of the Buddha, hence there is the chapter on the True Sons. If one does not believe this dharma, one is a seed of the non-Buddhists and an evil person opposed to the Dharma, who should be subdued, hence there is the chapter on Queen Śrīmālā's Lion's Roar.

Next, clarifying "the sequence of chapters and sections": this aims to show the beginning and end of the sūtra and explain the major articulations of its meaning. Although the chapters are fifteen, they broadly open into two gateways: the first thirteen chapters properly explain the preaching of the Dharma; the subsequent two chapters clarify encouraging faith and protecting the Dharma. Why there are these two: Śrīmālā was the present teacher and the conditions of capacity pertained to her person, so earlier it clarifies the preaching of the Dharma. When the preaching of the Dharma was completed, believing it brings great benefit while disparaging it brings great harm, hence next it clarifies encouraging faith and protecting [the Dharma]. Regarding these two gateways, each is divided into two. The two in the first gateway: earlier there are three chapters clarifying the expedient means that initiate the preaching; next are ten chapters of the sūtra that properly clarify the preaching of the Dharma. Why this is so: the wondrous Way is difficult to propagate and easily gives rise to doubt and slander; it requires three practices and three fulfillments to halt slander, quell doubts, and venerate the person to receive the Way before it can be expounded. The three practices and three fulfillments are: first, praising the Buddha and giving rise to aspiration, whereupon the Buddha immediately bestows a prophecy; second, taking the great vows, where the Buddha acts as present witness with voices and flowers issuing from the sky; third, arousing the great vows, which the Tathāgata then confirms. Taking these three gateways as the gradual progression toward preaching the Dharma, they are therefore expedient means. When the expedient means are accomplished, only then does she open the lineage and bestow the Way, hence secondly it clarifies the main exposition. The two in the latter gateway: Śrīmālā having finished preaching the Dharma, the Buddha wished to cause people to believe, hence first he clarifies encouraging faith. The Tathāgata having clarified that believing the Dharma is beneficial, Śrīmālā then clarifies that non-belief is harmful and must be crushed, hence secondly it clarifies protecting the Dharma.

Regarding the aforementioned expedient means of preaching the Dharma and the main exposition, each opens into two. The two in the first gateway: praising the Buddha clarifies the bodhicitta; the ten vows and three vows clarify the cultivation of bodhisattva practice. The two in the main exposition: first, clarifying the practice of the vehicle; second, clarifying the object of the vehicle. However, because practice is accomplished from the object, the object should properly be clarified first; but wishing to connect with the causes of the vows and practices above, it therefore clarifies the fruits of acceptance and the ekayāna, hence clarifying the practice of the vehicle first. Practice does not arise in isolation—its arising must depend on an object, hence next it clarifies the object. Regarding the practice of the vehicle and the object of the vehicle, each opens into two: the two in the practice of the vehicle are that acceptance distinguishes vast generation, while the ekayāna clarifies non-dual inclusion. The two in the object of the vehicle are that first there are four chapters generally clarifying the measured and immeasurable truths, revealing what is ultimate and non-ultimate between the Buddha and the two vehicles; next there are four chapters clarifying within the immeasurable truths themselves that the three truths are non-ultimate and the one truth is ultimate. These two sections each open into two. The two in the first section: first, the single chapter on the Noble Truths clarifies that the two vehicles, relying on the measured truths, lack three dharmas, namely lacking ultimate wisdom, lacking ultimate truths, and lacking ultimate noble ones; the Buddha, relying on the immeasurable truths, possesses these three. The subsequent three chapters expound the garbha, expound the dharmakāya, and expound the concealment by the meaning of emptiness within the immeasurable truths, thereby revealing that these three dharmas are not expounded within the measured truths. The two in the latter section: the single refuge and the single truth. These two concern the object at the time of revelation: the Inverted and the True, and the Concealment of the Naturally Pure [Mind] by Afflictions—these two concern the garbha at the time of concealment. Up to this point, the intention of the sequence of chapters and sections has been narrated.

Third, the heading on "priority according to capacity": capacities and natures being different and phenomena lacking fixed characteristics, the Tathāgata's skillful means are not single, hence the gateways of teaching have no fixed priority. If one should hear the four truths to attain awakening, then the four truths are clarified first; if it is suitable to listen to the ekayāna to receive it, then the ekayāna is expounded later. The other chapters are similar. This is just as with the six pāramitās: some proceed from dāna to prajñā, while some proceed from prajñā to dāna, generating one another in sequence, expounded without fixed pattern. Here it is also like this.

Fourth, clarifying the heading on "mutual inclusion": if one explains the meaning in terms of the ekayāna, then everything is nothing other than the ekayāna, and therefore all fifteen chapters of the sūtra are the ekayāna. If one explains the meaning in terms of the four truths, then the fifteen chapters of the sūtra are nothing other than the four truths. Thus the Avataṃsaka says: "Within the one, understand the immeasurable; / within the immeasurable, understand the one. / That they generate one another is not real; / the wise are free from fear." It is merely that the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, based on different meanings, shift their approaches to preach the Dharma, which is why there are the distinctions of the fifteen chapters of the sūtra.

Fifth, "the non-verbal through words": preaching through non-preaching, hence words exist in fifteen [chapters]; preaching yet non-preaching, hence not uttering a single word. This is like planting a tree in empty space, whose flowers and fruit are clearly distinct, or weaving silk in emptiness, whose patterns and colors are not lost. Master Sengzhao said: "Śākya closed his room in Magadha, and Vimalakīrti shut his mouth in Vaiśālī. Subhūti expounded the Way without words, and Indra and Brahmā rained flowers beyond listening." If one pays heed to these words, one slightly partakes of the holy intent; those who cling to words and letters are stubbornly grasping at deluded discourse.

Sixth, the heading on "preaching in accordance with practice": leaving behind ancient instructions for the present is to cause the present to learn from the ancient. Śrīmālā preached in accordance with her practice, and also caused the mundane people of the latter age to practice in accordance with her preaching. Śrīmālā praised the Buddha, and mundane people of the latter age must also use this to praise him; the ten vows, the three vows, down to believing in the true and subduing the perverse, must all be practiced in accordance with what was preached. If not, the sages will have the flaw of laboring in vain, and the poor will suffer the loss of counting another's treasures.

Chapter 1, Praising the Tathāgata's Ultimate True Merits, is briefly explained through three headings: 1. The heading on the occasion for its coming; 2. The heading on explaining the name; 3. The heading on delimiting the boundaries.