勝鬘寶窟 2.16

2.16

From “Just as when an eon is first formed” onward is the second section, which explains the four themes. It clearly sets forth four distinct divisions, which are explained following the earlier sequence. First, from the beginning up to “namely, the acceptance of the saddharma,” it explains the first meaning above, which is “vast and great.” Second, from “is no different from the pāramitās” to the final “namely, the pāramitās,” it explains the second heading of the theme, “namely, the boundless practices of the cause.” Third, from “World-Honoured One, relying now on the Tathāgata's awe-inspiring spiritual power” down to the end of “gazed up to by [all],” it explains the third heading of the theme, “obtaining all the fruits and virtues of the Buddha-dharma.” From “World-Honoured One, furthermore, good sons…” onward, it explains the fourth heading of the theme, “the eighty-four thousand teachings of the Dharma.”

Under the first division, there are again two parts: first, explaining that the saddharma is vast and great; second, from “World-Honoured One, the acceptance of the saddharma…” onward, explaining the meaning of “acceptance.” Queen Śrīmālā previously set forth two approaches, namely, the meanings of the saddharma and vastness; therefore, both of these two approaches are now explained together. The first approach contains four similes and four applications: first, the simile of clouds rising and rain falling; second, the simile of the great waters producing the world; third, the simile of the great earth sustaining heavy burdens; and fourth, the simile of the great earth containing treasure stores.

Question: What is the difference among these four similes? Answer: Some say that the first simile illustrates that acceptance of the saddharma can generate manifold practices; the second simile illustrates that acceptance of the saddharma can accomplish manifold virtues; the third simile illustrates that acceptance of the saddharma can benefit manifold beings; and the fourth simile illustrates that acceptance of the saddharma fully contains manifold dharmas. Endowed with these four manifolds, the preceding text therefore said: “namely, boundless.”

Now I explain that this is not so, and explain it through three approaches: first, the approach of sequence; second, the approach of differences; third, the approach of explaining “vast and great.” Regarding the approach of sequence: clouds are the source of water, so the cloud simile is explained first. Water arises from clouds, so the water simile is explained next. The formation of the earth is due to water, so there is the earth simile. Treasures arise from the earth, so there is the treasure simile. Regarding the sequence in applying the similes: through the principle of true reality, the teaching is produced, just as water is produced from clouds. The teaching is accomplished due to the principle, just as water is due to clouds. Receiving the teaching perfects the person, so there is the earth simile. Due to the person, there are treasures, so there is the treasure simile. Furthermore, first clouds are used as a simile for the saddharma as true reality; next, water is used as a simile for the saddharma as true reality; third, the saddharma perfects the person; fourth, the person who attains the saddharma as true reality can produce the great supramundane treasures. Thus, all four similes are based on the saddharma of principle, and have not yet discussed the teaching; only when explaining the eighty thousand dharma treasuries later is the teaching clarified.

Second, regarding the approach of differences: although there are four similes, they combine into two sections. The first two similes clarify the dharma that perfects the person; the latter two similes distinguish the person who is perfected by the dharma. Furthermore, the first two similes clarify one's own practice; the latter two similes distinguish the transformation of others. Furthermore, the first two similes clarify the root production; the latter two similes clarify the branch benefits.

Third, regarding the approach of explaining “vast and great”: this section is titled the explanation of the heading “vast and great” above. That which is called “vast and great” is formed by the four similes as four greats, namely the great cloud, great rain, great earth, and great treasure. Next, the four greats are combined into two greats: the first two distinguish the greatness of the dharma; the latter two clarify the greatness of the person. Next, the two are combined into one: although there are person and dharma, they together illustrate the single saddharma. Furthermore, according to another meaning, the person is precisely the dharma, and the dharma is precisely the person, as explained in the subsequent section. Next, eliminating the one returns to nothingness: the person is the person of the dharma, and the person is not definitively a person; the dharma is the dharma of the person, and the dharma is not definitively a dharma. Thus, neither person nor dharma, where thoughts are cut off and words are forgotten. For now, according to person and dharma, each constitutes two dharmas. Among the two for the dharma: first brief, then extensive. Furthermore, first clarifying the human-and-heavenly vehicle, and then clarifying the four vehicles. The two for the person will be explained later. Furthermore, first clarifying the bestowal of the causal benefits of the four vehicles, and then clarifying the bestowal of the fruition benefits of the four vehicles, which will become clear in due course in the text.

In the first passage, there is first the simile and next the application. The reason the simile is presented is that the principle of the dharma is profound, and without a simile one cannot awaken to it; therefore, it relies on proximate matters to clarify distant principles. Regarding “when an eon is first formed”: now I first narrate the destruction, and next distinguish the formation. When the calamity of fire arises, it destroys from the desire realm up to the first dhyāna. When the calamity of water arises, it destroys from the desire realm up to the second dhyāna. When the calamity of wind arises, it destroys from the desire realm up to the third dhyāna. Since there are three destructions, there are three formations. If it destroys from the desire realm up to the first dhyāna, when the world is formed, clouds rise and rain falls from the border of the second dhyāna, so that the desire realm up to the first dhyāna is formed. If it destroys from the desire realm up to the second dhyāna, rain then falls from the border of the third dhyāna, so that the desire realm up to the second dhyāna can be formed. If it destroys from the desire realm up to the third dhyāna, rain falls from the border of the fourth dhyāna, so that the desire realm up to the third dhyāna can then be formed. This is explained extensively in the meaning of the three realms. Now, taking the formation of an eon: among all formations in all worldly realms, the formation of an eon is the greatest; this is a simile for attaining the first stage up to attaining Buddhahood, which is also the greatest among all attainments.

Question: On what formation precisely does the metaphor rely? Answer: It relies precisely on the Buddha-stage. If the Buddha were not consummately accomplished, there would be no way to produce dharmas such as the five vehicles; therefore, the beginning of an eon is a metaphor for the person who accepts the saddharma. “The time of formation” is a simile for acceptance. When the saddharma clearly manifests in the mind, it is called acceptance, which is precisely the time of formation. Question: The initial formation of an eon is a metaphor for the person who accepts the saddharma, and the universal rising of the great cloud is a metaphor for accepting the saddharma. This is having the dharma arise from the person, which directly clarifies the production of the person; how can it be the production of the dharma? Answer: The intent of the simile does not rest primarily on the person, but clarifies the time of the formation of an eon. The great clouds rising universally and raining manifold-coloured rain directly clarifies the production of the dharma, not the production of the person. The simile of the body of water is also like this. Therefore, the texts of both places do not apply the formation of the eon. Question: How is it produced from principle? Answer: Due to encountering the principle of true reality, there can be the Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and the two vehicles; and due to the Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and the two vehicles, there are humans and devas.

Regarding “universally raising a great cloud”: the reason for presenting the great cloud and great rain of the beginning of the eon is that the greatness of clouds and rain cannot surpass the beginning of an eon; therefore, this great cloud and great rain are borrowed to illustrate the vastness of the acceptance of the saddharma. Regarding the great cloud: relying on the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra, four meanings are used as similes for the cloud: first, the Tathāgata’s great form responds everywhere, just like a great cloud; second, the Tathāgata’s great voice is omnipresent, just like a great cloud; third, the Tathāgata’s great title is omnipresent, just like a great cloud; fourth, the Tathāgata’s great virtues are fully pervasive, just like a great cloud. These [four]—form, voice, virtue, and title—completely encompass all Buddha-activities. Now the great cloud is used as a simile for the acceptance of the saddharma; when the saddharma is accepted, there is no dharma that is not embraced, just like the great cloud. Regarding “raining down rain of manifold colours”: the acceptance of the saddharma is the essence, which is the producer; producing the causes from the acceptance of the saddharma is like raining down great rain. “And various treasures”: producing the fruits is like the various treasures. Because cause and fruit are the great source of manifold meanings and the root of establishing faith, the first simile only clarifies these two, which is why it is brief. Furthermore, here it only clarifies the causes for humans and devas and the fruits for humans and devas produced by the saddharma, which is why it is brief. Therefore, the sūtra says: “raining down boundless karmic retribution of blessings,” which is the fruit of humans and devas; “boundless roots of goodness” is the cause of devas and humans.

From “Likewise, the acceptance of the saddharma…” onward is the second part, which applies the simile. It briefly omits an application for the time when an eon is first formed. Although it presents the time of the beginning of an eon, the intent lies precisely in the rising of clouds and falling of rain, which is why it is not applied. Accepting the saddharma applies to the rising of clouds above. Raining down boundless karmic retribution of blessings applies to the raining down of various treasures above, the fruit being called karmic retribution of blessings. And the rain of boundless roots of goodness applies to the causes.