金光明經玄義 2.23

2.23

Regarding explaining the name: 'substance' (tǐ) means essential material (zhì), and 'essential material' means the primary essential material. What is the substance that is the primary essential material? The dharmakāya and dharmatā are the substance and essential material of the sūtra. If based on meaning, the dharmakāya is the substance and essential material. If based on the text, dharmatā is the substance and essential material. Dharmakāya and dharmatā are merely different names, not two separate substances; to facilitate understanding, they are both presented together. The term 'dharmatā' is general; here, the dharmatā that the Buddha roams and enters is taken as the substance and essential material. (The text states:) 'At that time the Tathāgata roamed in the immeasurable, extremely profound dharmatā, surpassing the purities practiced by the bodhisattvas.' Thus we know that this substance is not shared with bodhisattvas of the lower grounds, the two vehicles, and so forth; it is not general dharmatā, but solely the sarvākārajñatā that the Buddha roams and enters. Taking this as the root, immeasurable virtues jointly adorn it, diverse manifold practices return to it, and discourses and question-and-answers jointly explain and discern it, just as the myriad stars encircle the Pole Star, or the ten thousand rivers pay homage to the eastern sea; hence the dharmakāya and dharmatā are taken as the primary essential material of the true substance of this sūtra. Therefore, scholars of the Classics explain: propriety (lǐ) is substance (tǐ). In substance there are noble and lowly, elder and younger: the substance of ruler and father is noble, and the substance of minister and son is lowly. One should know that this explanation of substance as propriety agrees in meaning with the scriptural dharmatā. It is what the Tathāgata roams in and what the buddhas uphold; thus one knows that this substance is an exceedingly noble dharma. Furthermore, substance has the meaning of 'bottom'. Exhausting the source to reach the very bottom, where principle is completely plumbed in its deep storehouse and the true limit is illuminated, is termed 'bottom'. The Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra states: 'The great ocean of the perfection of wisdom can only be plumbed to its bottom by the Buddha.' This agrees in meaning with the extremely profound dharmatā in the present sūtra. One should know that dharmatā is high and deep, vertically plumbing the Buddha-ocean; hence 'substance' is explained by the meaning of 'bottom'. Furthermore, substance has the meaning of 'penetration'. Attaining the meaning of this substance, one penetrates everywhere without blockage, like wind moving through the sky, unhindered and unobstructed; all different names and distinct expositions are never contrary to dharmatā. The Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra states: 'Prajñā is a single dharma, but the Buddha spoke of it under various names; conforming to the kinds of sentient beings, he established different terms for it.' It also states: 'If one contemplates according to the Dharma the Buddha, prajñā, and nirvāṇa, these three are of a single characteristic; in reality there is no difference.' This agrees in meaning with the immeasurable dharmatā in the present sūtra. One should know that dharmatā is vast and boundless, horizontally encompassing the dharmadhātu completely without barrier; hence 'substance' is explained by the meaning of 'penetration'.