大毘盧遮那成佛經疏 1.11

1.11

Next, the assembly of bodhisattvas is listed, with four holy beings as the foremost. Those explained previously, the various vajra-holders, are entirely the tathāgata's wisdom-seals; these bodhisattvas here combine both meditative concentration and wisdom, and also combine benevolence and compassion, so they receive distinct names. They are also the innerly realized virtues of Vairocana. Just as the vajra-holders form an assembly numbering as many as the dust motes of ten buddha-lands, one should know that in correspondence with their Dharma-gateways, the bodhisattvas also form an assembly numbering as many as the dust motes of ten buddha-lands. Because of adhiṣṭhāna, each is able to manifest from a single gateway of the dharmadhātu as the body of a good spiritual friend (kalyāṇamitra). Furthermore, the Prajñā Commentary states that when the physical-body buddha attained enlightenment, Ānanda, the Guhyakādhipati-mallar, and others were called the inner retinue; while Śāriputra, Maudgalyāyana, and other holy persons, as well as Maitreya, Mañjuśrī, and the other avaivartika, bodhisattvas bound to only one more birth (eka-jāti-pratibaddha), and the like were called the great retinue. Now I say that the buddha's adhiṣṭhāna-kāya is also like this: the various vajra-holders each holding the tathāgata's secret seals are called the inner retinue, and the various bodhisattvas who, through mahākaruṇā and upāya, universally gather in immeasurable sentient beings through all gates and assist the Dharma King in carrying out the tathāgata's deeds are called the great retinue. Therefore, the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā states: 'Those who wish to become the inner retinue of the buddhas, and wish to obtain the great retinue, should train in the prajñāpāramitā.' Regarding 'Samantabhadra Bodhisattva': samanta ('universal') means pervading all places; bhadra ('worthy') means supreme and marvelous good. That is to say, the vows and practices arising from the bodhicitta, as well as body, speech, and mind, are all entirely equal and pervade all places, purely and marvelously good, fully equipped with all virtues; hence he is named thus. Regarding 'Maitreya (Compassionate One) Bodhisattva': among the buddha's four immeasurable minds, benevolence (maitrī) is here taken as the head. This benevolence is born from the lineage of the tathāgata, and is able to keep the buddha family unbroken in all worlds; hence he is called Maitreya. The preceding mention of Samantabhadra represents the virtue of self-realization; with his original vow already fulfilled, he wishes to convert sentient beings and cause them to attain this path, so Maitreya is explained next. Regarding 'Mañjuśrī (Wondrous Auspiciousness) Bodhisattva': 'wondrous' refers to the buddha's unsurpassed wisdom, like clarified ghee, purest and foremost. Śrī translates as auspiciousness, which means possessing all virtues. He is also called Wondrous Virtue, or Wondrous Voice. That is to say, by the power of great compassion, he expounds the wondrous voice of the Dharma so that all may hear it; therefore, he is explained after Maitreya. Regarding 'Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin (Eliminator of All Obscurations) Bodhisattva': obscurations are the various mental defilements of sentient beings, which can cover the pure eye of the tathāgata so that it cannot open and shine. If one eliminates all prapañca through non-discriminative Dharma, just as clouds and mists disperse and the solar disc shines forth, it is called eliminating obscurations. All that the tathāgata does is entirely for this single cause and condition; therefore, he is explained after Wondrous Voice. Furthermore, even if a practitioner studies the prajñāpāramitā, if they lack meditative concentration, they are like a blind person who, though meeting sunlight, can accomplish nothing; therefore, following Mañjuśrī's wondrous wisdom, the samādhi of Eliminating Obscurations is explained. These four bodhisattvas are precisely the four virtues of the buddha's body: if any is deficient, one cannot achieve unsurpassed saṃbodhi. For this reason, they are listed as foremost, in order to gather together virtues numerous as sands of dust. Regarding 'the great bodhisattvas', giving the Sanskrit in full, it should be mahābodhisattva. The Commentary states: 'Bodhi is called the path of the buddhas; sattva is called a sentient being, or called a valiant mind. This person wishes to attain completely all the virtues of the buddhas, and their mind cannot be severed or broken, like a vajra mountain—this is called sattva. Furthermore, this person's mind can perform great tasks and is non-retrogressing, due to their mind of great courage. Among many sentient beings, they give rise to great compassion, establish the Great Vehicle, can practice the Great Path, and attain the greatest station; therefore, they are surely able to expound the Dharma to smash all the defilements of sentient beings such as great wrong views, great craving, and the great conceit of self; hence they are called mahāsattva.' The ācārya said: 'Relying fully on the correct meaning, it should be bodhi-sottva. This sottva means patiently delighting in practice and holding firmly without relinquishing.' However, in the science of grammar there are such principles: if one considers the words, although the meaning is correct, if the phonetics are not euphonious, one may adopt what is convenient. Therefore, the worldly treatises call it sattva, and those who transmit the tradition follow that phrasing. In the Yoga tradition, there are generally three kinds of sattva: First is the childish sattva, referring to ordinary beings of the six destinies, who do not know the real truths of cause and effect, their minds practicing wrong paths and cultivating the causes of suffering, clinging to the three realms and holding firmly without relinquishing; hence the name. Second is the conscious sattva, which refers to the two vehicles; merely perceiving the faults of birth and death, they seek their own liberation to reach nirvāṇa, clinging securely to the conjured city and giving rise to the thought of extinction, not yet having generated a mind of wishing and delighting in the tathāgata's virtues; hence the name. Third is the bodhisattva; unsurpassed bodhi transcends all faults of speculation and prapañca, is an exclusively pure, white, subtle, and incomparable principle, and is precisely the inconceivable mind of sentient beings' original nature. Being able to endure such matters of attaining the path, wishing and delighting in practice firmly and immovably, they are called bodhi-sottva. Among such people, their deeds are the greatest and they are competent to transmit them to all sentient beings; hence they are called mahāsattva. These assemblies surrounded the Great Sun Bhagavat in front and behind, offering and revering him with immeasurable body, speech, and mind, in order to hear the Dharma.