大毘盧遮那成佛經疏 16.32

16.32

"At that time the Bhagavat Mahāvairocana, equanimously attaining the state of samādhi at that time, manifested [it], and future sentient beings contemplate and abide through concentration:" The meaning of Vairocana was already explained above, and is now explained again: the one called Vairocana is the sun. Just as the worldly sun can dispel all darkness, cause all myriad things to grow, and accomplish the activities of all sentient beings, so too is the dharmakāya Tathāgata; hence it is used as an analogy. However, the worldly sun has spatial divisions: it shines on the outside but cannot shine on the inside; where light is on one side, it does not reach the other side; and it can only shine during the daytime, while its light does not reach the night. Now the Tathāgata-sun is not like this: it shines everywhere inside and outside, without spatial division or the distinction between day and night, being perfectly luminous and permanently abiding. If all sentient beings encounter the rising of this sun, they are able to nurture all the good roots of the Tathāgata and carry out the Tathāgata's deeds. The worldly sun cannot serve as a complete analogy, having only a fraction [of its qualities], and therefore the designation "mahā" is added to it. The reason the Buddha entered this samādhi is that the Buddha abides in the dharma of ultimate signlessness and quiescence; out of mahākaruṇā he abides in samādhi to enable the entire great assembly and immeasurable sentient beings to behold this wondrous dharma of the sublime great assembly of the mahākaruṇāgarbha-maṇḍala, which means manifesting signs within the signless. Although there are signs, being born of causes and conditions they are inherently unborn, identical with the dharma of pure nature; and this causes sentient beings, each according to their own conditions, to see diverse forms, hear diverse sounds, and obtain diverse dharmas, practicing in accordance with the Dharma each according to the capacity of their own mind. It is due to such great causes and conditions. Furthermore, in order to fulfill the dharmas inquired about by Vajrapāṇi and make them clear without remainder, he entered samādhi. "Equanimous attainment" (samāpatti) is the name of a samādhi. Above it says "At that time," and here it again says "at that time the Tathāgata entered samādhi"; this follows the preceding causes and conditions, and next there is this event, so it is distinguished as "at that time" (inquire further). "Equanimous attainment" means that just as all the tathāgatas of the past all rode this path to attain true awakening, so too are all the tathāgatas of the future and present: all ride this path and mount this upāya to attain true awakening; hence it is called "equanimous attainment." Just as the buddhas of the three periods of time attained true awakening, so do I; just as I now ride this path to arrive at the bodhimaṇḍa, so do all buddhas. Buddha and buddha are all equal; beginning, middle, and end are all utterly equal; hence it is called "equanimous attainment." Furthermore, like the spatial marks of the great maṇḍala shown before, as manifested by the Buddha entering samādhi, if an ācārya abides in meditative concentration to deliver disciples, they should also lay out these spatial marks without any difference, each being the universal gateway practice of the venerable ones and spiritual friends entering the dharmadhātu. If one performs this visualization to empower the disciple, it also enables them to behold such a great assembly. Making what is visualized in the inner mind and what is laid out in external matters equal and without distinction between internal and external—this is called the samādhi of equanimous attainment. Because the Buddha entered this samādhi, he enabled the great bodhisattvas such as Vajrapāṇi to have all the doubts they inquired about satisfied. The matters manifested by the Buddha within samādhi are precisely the display of their spatial arrangements and ritual applications; therefore he entered this samādhi. When that Buddha entered samādhi, those Buddha-activities were equal as follows. "Equal" means uniform, level like the palm of a hand. The so-called "level ground," speaking in terms of samādhi, means that one sees the adorned ground of the pure land to be level and uniform, free of tiles, stones, mountains, pebbles, and the like. Yet this is precisely the meaning of the pure bodhicitta: by the power of faith, the ground of the mind is leveled, removing all pebbles, stumps, and trees stored within the place of the ālaya[vijñāna], leaving only the ground of the essential nature of the ultimately equal and pure bodhicitta. If one can level and purify this ground, one can then accomplish the sublime adornment of the mahākaruṇāgarbha assembly of the Buddha. "Interspersed with the five jewels" means the ground is interspersed with the five jewels, such as gold and silver, gems of five colors. The "five courses" are the five jewels of white and yellow, meaning five colors; red, green, and black follow in sequence. White interspersed is discipline; yellow is faith; red is vigor; green is samādhi; black is wisdom. The previous explanation said first white, next red, next yellow; now this explanation is definitive, and the previous explanation is incorrect. From this point onward, every single adornment has its doctrinal interpretation; they are not explained here, but are matched to their respective Dharma-gateways in separate passages. However, in that place it is not only that the ground is interspersed with the five jewels to adorn the gateposts; there are also gateposts, which are the gateposts of the mahākaruṇāgarbha, making known the spatial marks of the gates to be entered. As for the "posts," these posts are precisely as depicted above. However, there are painted ones and erected ones: the painted ones are as drawn in the diagrams, while those erected as posts are also made according to these marks. The gates have pillars with crossbeams atop the pillars, marking them to be known as gates. The gates of the four directions are the four foundations of mindfulness (smṛtyupasthāna), and the posts are the four brahma-abidings (brahmavihāra). *Niryūha* is gate, and *toraṇa* is banner, which is to say, post. "Variegated colors" means not only the colors of the five directions, but further various variegated colors. These variegated banners are broad and long in form, and are atop the gateposts. A great jewel canopy covers them completely from above, as in the altar rituals. As for this canopy, the size of this canopy completely covers all buddha realms, hence it is called "great." Suspended on these posts are also white flywhisks and precious bells for adornment. Preceding were the colorful banners; the banners have precious bells, banner-whisks, and the like, and precious banners are hung together and interspersed. Also bundled with various fine colored ribbons, that is, tied in bundles, which are the variegated ribbons; robes of variegated colors are suspended and spread all around. In my personal view, this corresponds to the text's meaning of wearing garments of variegated colors. From the supreme signless dharma, such forms of the mahākaruṇāgarbha are produced, universally manifesting physical bodies, with various upāyas preaching immeasurable dharmas—this is the meaning of variegated colors. From the variegated banners onward, all are on the gateposts. "Erected" means setting up banners upon the posts. At the eight directions and corners great maṇi pillars are erected, the pillars being made of maṇi. "Pillars" refers to erecting wish-fulfilling pillars of wondrous maṇi jewels in each of the four cardinal directions and four corners. Beyond this there are also pure, wondrous bathing ponds of the eight-virtue water, serene and clear. Furthermore, in the ponds are immeasurable aquatic birds sporting freely, producing various wondrous sounds that delight everyone. Also growing are various seasonal flowers, "seasonal" meaning flowers of the six seasons manifesting each in its proper time. Not only famous flowers, but also rows of various jewel trees are arranged. "Distributed in the eight directions": "portions" means directions. Five-jewel garlands and ropes connect them. Above these eight pillars, precious ropes encircle and connect them. What is called a "garland" here is a Sanskrit term (hāra), having a different form from the garlands mentioned before: it hangs down in the shape of an upward-facing crescent moon, with precious garlands joined all around. The ground is delicate and smooth like clothing of raw silk; regarding "pleasurable tactile sensations," it is like garments of pure cotton in the Western region. Within this earth-mandala it is of such kind: extremely soft and smooth, sinking when pressed and returning to its original smoothness when the body is lifted. Being extremely delicate, it produces the highest pleasurable sensation. There are also immeasurable musical instruments filling the sky, which sound naturally without being struck in midair; their sounds are profound and wondrous, causing people to listen with delight and experience joy and happiness. Upon this laid-out and adorned ground, there further arise immeasurable mind-made seats and palaces produced in accordance with the merit of the bodhisattvas, born from the Tathāgata's resolute faith. The seats are also arranged in three tiers, according to the sequence of layout of the Mahākaruṇāgarbha-maṇḍala above. However, each arises with various differences in accordance with the pure and wondrous merits of the bodhisattvas and the five sense-pleasure instruments. To state the essence, their ranks are laid out differently, in numbers equal to the dust motes of ten worlds. These are all within the eight jewel-banner pillars, and all arise from the power of the Tathāgata's resolute faith. By the power of the Tathāgata's original vow, they are universally manifested through the samādhi of equanimous attainment. "Dharmadhātu post": the post is born from the dharmadhātu, which is the banner-mark of the dharmadhātu altar. "Post" here contains the meaning of nature (prakṛti); the Sanskrit word is polysemous, and post means nature. The essential nature of the dharmadhātu is originally and constantly pure, supremely signless, and is again adorned with the dharmadhātu. In the center is a great lotus king; this flower is identical to the dharmadhātu, universally pervasive and pure by its intrinsic nature. One should know that the Tathāgata abides therein: since the flower is equal in measure to the dharmadhātu, one should know the Buddha's body is also like this; this is the central eight-petaled flower. When the great lotus is born, the Tathāgata abides in that supreme dharmadhātu, bringing delight to sentient beings according to their inclinations and understanding. This "supreme" is the supreme dharmadhātu-body, bringing joy to sentient beings according to their resolute faith. It is of extremely subtle meaning, an essential nature most difficult to perceive, hence extremely subtle. This "supreme" means, doctrinally, what should be called nature. "According to inclination": by the power of the Buddha's original vow, for the sake of delivering all sentient beings, he manifests universally, appearing in bodies according to what each delights to see, guiding and benefiting them according to their capacities so as to bring them joy. As for "the unhindered power of that Tathāgata's limbs and parts, producing an adorned body of immeasurable bodily forms from the resolute faith of the ten powers": the Tathāgata's limbs and parts have unhindered power and indestructible power. Because the powers of all worldly gods, ṛṣis, two-vehicle śrāvakas, bodhisattvas, and others still have obstructions, because of having obstructions, whoever has superior power can destroy them. Now the Buddha's power is unhindered and indestructible, like a vajra, hence called "unhindered power." From where is this unhindered power born? One should know it is born from the Tathāgata's ten powers of knowledge. Divided into three portions—upper, middle, and lower—from the limbs and parts of the Buddha's body, diverse types of forms flow forth; even from each and every pore all types emerge, varying in diverse shapes and colors: square, round, triangular, or semicircular; blue, yellow, red, white, or black; peaceful, joyful, or wrathful forms, their numbers being immeasurable. These are precisely the various principal deities, who all sit upon seats produced by mind-made karmic resonance. From where do these ten powers arise again? They are said to arise from the Tathāgata's cultivation of the six pāramitās, ten pāramitās, and up to hundreds of thousands of millions of ineffable asaṃkhyeya pāramitās and myriad practices since immeasurable asaṃkhyeya kalpas, being nurtured by the merits of these practices. Being nurtured by merits, the body appears; it appears from the dharmakāya. Having appeared, within the great assemblies of the various worlds—"various" meaning the ten directions—not only does he manifest forms, but he also emits diverse wondrous voices, proclaiming and spreading the unfathomable, eternally quiescent, secret dharma of mantra practice, universally causing all to hear and know it. The bodhisattvas produced here each utter various vocal signs, speaking thus—that is, in verses—praising the Buddha with wondrous verses, like the praises of the assembly surging up from below. The Mahāvairocana Tathāgata still abides in samādhi; this is the Bhagavat Vairocana in the central lotus platform manifested by samādhi, displaying this from within his bodily parts. When the Buddha emits diverse forms from this lotus born of the dharmadhātu, he also emits diverse sounds from the Buddha's body to expound the wondrous Dharma. When the sūtra says "sounds," it refers to vocal signs. These sounds expound verses, which are briefly two verses. The first verse says: 'Wondrous are all the buddhas, / whose upāyas are unfathomable! / Within the nature devoid of a storehouse, / by wisdom they make it a storehouse.' The intention of this verse in praising the Buddha is: seeing the unfathomable events manifested above, it praises the Buddha's merit as exceedingly wondrous. Praising the single Vairocana is praising all tathāgatas; hence it says 'all buddhas.' Therefore one should know that the wondrous marks manifested by the Tathāgata are precisely this unfathomable activity born from the Tathāgata's great wisdom and upāya. How is it unfathomable? It means abiding in the nature devoid of a storehouse, yet being able to create what has a storehouse. 'Storehouse' in Sanskrit is *ālaya*, translated here as 'storehouse.' Some also say it has the meaning of mansion or dwelling: like worldly houses, all sentient beings abide therein according to their own lot; having this lair and dwelling, good and bad are stored away, and they cannot emerge on their own. The Tathāgata has already transcended such an ālaya lair, hence it is called 'nature devoid of a storehouse.' Although the Buddha is free from all storehouses, through wisdom and upāya a storehouse is produced: that is, manifesting various marks within markless dharmas, and emitting various vocal discourses within dharmas free of conceptualization, thereby using this storehouse to bring everyone to the state of having no storehouse. The second verse says: 'If one understands that which is unobtainable, / the marks of all dharmas among dharmas, / obtaining the unobtainable, one obtains it; / one attains the buddhas, the teachers.' This means that dharmatā is unobtainable and cannot be cognized; if there is a so-called 'unobtainable,' it is the meaning of emptiness; if one attains this, that is a buddha. That would be having conceptualization without a storehouse, not the Tathāgata's uninstructed wisdom. If it could be cognized, it would be a sphere of mental activity, not the ultimate paramārtha. The reason the Buddha is praised as unfathomable is that he is able to obtain that which is unobtainable and impossible to obtain. What was described above as signless yet with signs enables all sentient beings to obtain through having nothing obtained. Who obtains this dharma? The buddhas, the teachers. Furthermore, the previous verse says 'Wondrous' (*āścarya*); the Sanskrit word for 'wondrous' has the sound *A* at the very beginning. This verse has already signified the dharma. This is precisely the meaning of originally unborn (*anutpāda*), capable of giving birth to all dharmas, meaning that the various forms and sounds shown by the Tathāgata's body are all born from the syllable *A*. When he has finished emitting diverse forms, they return into the Tathāgata's limbs and parts, and again return into the Tathāgata's unfathomable dharmakāya, each entering according to the place from which it was born. Therefore the sūtra says: 'And again enters the secret, unfathomable dharmakāya of the Tathāgata.' This 'unfathomable' in Sanskrit is *acintya*, which also has the sound *A*, meaning that it emerges from *A* and again enters into *A*. These two ends, above and below, point to the two *A* syllables, clarifying that the arising and entering of all dharmas is identical to the substance of the dharmadhātu."