大毘盧遮那成佛經疏 6.161

6.161

The sūtra says: 'Master of Mysteries! In the samādhi path of an eighth-bhūmi bodhisattva, one does not apprehend any phenomena, is free from conditioned arising, and knows everything to be like an illusion; therefore, the world calls him the Sovereign Observer.' As the path of the tenth bhūmi was explained above, if advancing in sequence, the Buddha-bhūmi should have been explained; or if descending gradually, the ninth bhūmi should have been explained. Why is the eighth bhūmi explained? Because when all bodhisattvas first cross the seventh bhūmi, looking up they see no Buddhas to seek, and looking down they see no sentient beings to deliver; considering this to be abiding in great nirvāṇa, they cease all practices. At that time, the Buddhas of the ten directions inspire their minds through this samādhi path, enabling them to cross the difficult ground of bodhicitta; hence it is specifically explained. Since from here onward, entering the ninth bhūmi involves no distinct difficulties, having already crossed this peril and adversity, there is no need to explain the seal of the realm of practice separately. From the initial generation of the intention, one deeply contemplates the ten phrases of conditioned arising; upon entering this bhūmi, one succeeds in crossing to the other shore of essential emptiness; hence it is said, 'one does not apprehend any phenomena, and is free from conditioned arising.' Furthermore, through skillful means, amid the unmoving suchness, one activates the boundless great function of the ten conditionally arisen [analogies], visiting the Buddha lands of the ten directions via the illusion-like samādhi to draw near to various spiritual friends, universally studying immeasurable gateways for delivering people, and manifesting whatever physical forms, categories, and vocal sounds are appropriate to deliver sentient beings in order to expound the Dharma for them. Therefore, when the world sees such deeds, they call him the 'Sovereign Observer of the World' (Avalokiteśvara); this is another name for initial entry into the lotus samādhi. Here, 'sovereign' (īśvara) in correct Sanskrit translation means affluent and noble, like a person who attains great status and is replete with wealth and jewels, naturally accomplishing whatever the mind desires. This bodhisattva is also like this: even if all sentient beings in the worlds of the ten directions seek various worldly and transworldly requisites according to their diverse dispositions and desires, he can grant them all simultaneously through the illusion-like samādhi, fulfilling each of their wishes. Yet because he has not eradicated the traces of activating function to make all that he does like a vajra, [these] are divided into two seals. Furthermore, here the samādhi path of the initial gateway of the illumination of phenomena should have been explained, but since it was already explained in the previous chapter, it is not repeated. Moreover, the samādhis of the bodhisattva bound to one more birth and of the eighth bhūmi explained above are stated in this way according to the teaching path and Dharma gateways. However, for practitioners of the Secret Vehicle who can penetrate the ultimate truth directly within conventional truth, they fully practice the samādhi of great emptiness from the moment of their initial resolve; were it not so, one could not suddenly fulfill the bhūmis within a single lifetime.