大毘盧遮那成佛經疏 4.29

4.29

From "At that time the Bhagavat" onward is the Bhagavat's verse reply. First, stating "Listen well to the marks of dharmas" is because the meaning of the dharmatā of all dharmas is extremely profound and difficult to see, and therefore he admonishes him to listen well. Now, dharmas are eternally devoid of intrinsic nature and arise from a multitude of conditions; this is the mark of the eight minds, transcending all prapañca. Where else would you seek the unconditioned dharma that is free of marks? Thus the next line says: "Dharmas are free from conceptual differentiation and all false discrimination," and so forth. If one understands that all dharmas are fundamentally devoid of marks in this way, one clearly sees the dharmatā of the mind, which from the beginningless origin has always been unborn of itself; at that time all karmas of body, speech, and mind are like space, inexhaustible, and so it says: "I have attained the most perfect awakening, which is ultimate like space." However, all foolish common persons, because they do not know in accordance with reality, harbor perverse, deluded attachments to various realms, namely "times, directions, and various marks," and so forth. "Overcome by desire and ignorance," they are constantly moistened by the water of craving and covered by ignorance. If I were to abandon upāya and directly explain such a dharma of self-realization for the sake of sentient beings, how could they awaken and understand so as to be able to make progress? Therefore the verses next clarify the intention in establishing the teachings, stating that for the sake of saving them, he speaks in accordance with upāya. The Buddha's meaning is: Because the extremely profound marks of dharmas cannot be directly proclaimed, by the power of upāya I entrust them to this maṇḍala with its requisite components, so that beginners have a ground on which to place their minds and their actions are not in vain. By means of this, receiving the Buddha's adhiṣṭhāna and concurrently coming to contemplate the phrases of the ten conditioned arisings, they can playfully manifest supernormal faculties without moving from dharmatā, universally contemplate all spiritual friends, and adorn all buddha fields. He does not wish practitioners to discard all practices and dwell in the signless, nor does he wish them to cling to all practices and dwell in signs. Therefore it says that although he speaks of the deeds performed according to time and direction, "Yet in reality there are no times or directions, nor any maker or creator; all those dharmas abide solely in dharmatā." If all conditioned dharmas abide entirely in dharmatā, how could one be like that foolish person who either wants to flee from space or wants to greedily cling to space? Furthermore, in this context the ācārya extensively explains the parable of the three carts from the Lotus Sūtra. Just as the elder's sons were young and ignorant, and though he admonished them with various good words wanting them to escape the peril of the fire, it was utterly impossible; at that time, the elder saw that in their deep minds their attachment was solely on playing, and so through an upāya he told them: "Now outside this gate there are three kinds of wonderful carts. You should go take them, and you can amuse yourselves." At that time, because those sons heard the name of play, it suited their wishes, so with eager enthusiasm they vied with one another in rushing out. When they all obtained the precious vehicle, supremely adorned, it was something their past minds had never imagined. This maṇḍala dharma gateway is also like this: the Tathāgata uses worldly conditioned phenomena to delineate and illustrate the inconceivable dharmadhātu, in order to reach down to the capacities of the multitudes. If it is accessible to them, they can then universally believe, understand, and vigorously practice; and when, blessed by the adhiṣṭhāna of the three mysteries, they see the luminous path of their own mind, they then know that the various names and words are all the secret designations of the Tathāgata, something that ordinary sentiments could never have imagined either. For example, when it says reciting for three months, this is the upāya of the three turnings within the naturally pure, fully luminous nature; how could one interpret it merely as ninety days? Again, for example, the Buddha Ratnaketu in the east means the initial arising of the pure bodhicitta; how could one interpret it merely as the eastern direction? Reasoning by this analogy, all the remaining dharma gateways can be grasped by the mind; hence it says: "Yet in reality there are no times or directions [...] they abide solely in dharmatā." Furthermore, the Bhagavat's mahākaruṇā is limitless; pitying the sentient beings of future eras whose obstacles are heavy and faculties dull, unable to suddenly enter the dharmadhātu, he therefore within this profound, secret treasury provides shallow and brief upāya alongside the revolving dhāraṇī, so that if they contemplate and practice among these phenomenal matters, their worldly siddhis will also be achieved and their efforts not in vain, and with the secret aid of the three mysteries they will ultimately achieve buddhahood. Therefore the next verse says: "Furthermore, Lord of Secrets! In future times, sentient beings of inferior wisdom, self-shrouded by folly and craving, rely solely on signs, constantly delighting in annihilation and permanence. The deeds performed according to time and direction, the various marks of good and unwholesome, they blindly and dimly delight in seeking the fruits thereof, not knowing or understanding this path. For the sake of saving them, I speak in accordance with upāya." Therefore, one who transmits the Dharma should skillfully recognize the capacities and conditions, know the bounds of the dharma gateways, and prescribe medicine according to the illness so as not to misjudge the capacity. If one hastily speaks the profound meaning of emptiness to someone attached to signs, it will cause fear, doubt, and an increase in their lack of faith. If one hastily confers shallow and brief dharma gateways upon those of sharp faculties and deep wisdom, they will consider them not in accord with the unconditioned correct path and give rise to disdain. Since this brings no benefit to others and also breaches samaya oneself, one should first abide in yoga and contemplate their root-and-branch causes and conditions. Having thoroughly understood them, one should contemplate the intention of presenting the provisional to reveal the real in this dialogue, disperse into all gates of upāya, and instruct them; then it can bring great benefit, so that no obstacles or difficulties will arise.