勝鬘寶窟 1.43

1.43

"Among humans and devas" is the second part, explaining the attainment of the fruit. Humans and devas exclude the evil destinies; the independent king excludes the common people. Śrīmālā received a bodily form with the five obstacles and three contaminations; in contrast to these, it speaks of "independence." An ancient commentary says: Residing above to transform beings, she is an independent king. In the future, Śrīmālā's forms will pervade the six destinies and leave nothing undone; speaking in terms of superiority, it therefore says "among humans and devas you will be an independent king." "In all places of birth you will always get to see me": the above explained the fruit of preeminence, while this is the fruit of getting to see the Buddha. Although one attains the fruit of preeminence, if one does not see the Buddha, one's practices and vows will not be accomplished; hence it was necessary to explain seeing the Buddha. Furthermore, the fruit of preeminence receives worldly pleasure, while seeing the Buddha seeks supramundane pleasure. Furthermore, the fruit of preeminence explains receiving the fruit, while seeing the Buddha is practicing the cause. Furthermore, the fruit of preeminence benefits below, while seeing the Buddha propagates above. This precisely clarifies and completes the above meaning of the Buddha's embracing. Furthermore, there are those who have preeminence but do not see the Buddha, and there are those who see the Buddha but lack preeminence; now she has both. Speaking generally, the single cause of praising the Buddha obtains both of these fruits. Speaking specifically, praising the Buddha brings about preeminence, while requesting to be embraced brings about seeing the Buddha, in accordance with their respective similarity of meaning. Because you always get to see me, it is known that I always embrace you. This precisely answers the previous statement requesting that the Buddha always embrace her. "Just as you do now without difference": this preliminarily praises her words of extolling the Buddha; when she awakens and understands at a later time, she will surpass the present. From "Passing two myriad" onward is the second part, attaining the distant fruit. First it distinguishes the time span, and next it explains the attainment of the fruit. Question: When she will become a Buddha after two myriad asaṃkhyeya-kalpas, a person of what stage is this? Answer: Some say that after fulfilling the three minds of entering, abiding in, and consummating the tenth bhūmi, she further generates superior progress; these are the minor kalpas traversed within the adamantine mind as skillful means to enter the Buddha-bhūmi, not mahākalpa-asaṃkhyeyas. We now say that the Yingluo jing states: A bodhisattva of the Immaculate Bhūmi studies the deportment of a Buddha for a thousand kalpas, such as looking like an elephant king, and so forth. The Immaculate Bhūmi is precisely the adamantine-mind bodhisattva of the stage of Equal Enlightenment. It does not say that one studies the deportment of a Buddha for immeasurable asaṃkhyeya-kalpas. Some say: The earlier statement of being an independent king for immeasurable asaṃkhyeya-kalpas refers to being at the first bhūmi, and one must practice for another two myriad asaṃkhyeyas before attaining buddhahood. Traversing two myriad asaṃkhyeya-kalpas refers to the medium kalpas of water, fire, and so forth. The sūtra's statement that practicing for three mahā-asaṃkhyeyas accomplishes buddhahood takes the number of sixty-four as a mahākalpa, completing three asaṃkhyeya-kalpas of such kalpas. We say now that the sūtras mostly explain the kalpas of water, fire, and so forth as the three asaṃkhyeyas, not taking the latter mahākalpas as the three asaṃkhyeyas. If there is definitive textual evidence, it should also be used. Here, saying "passing two myriad asaṃkhyeyas" may perhaps refer to an asaṃkhyeya of kalpas, not an asaṃkhyeya of wholesome practice; or it may refer to minor asaṃkhyeyas.