大乘法界無差別論疏 1.60

1.60

Seventh, the explanation of the gate of non-defilement also has three parts: the interrogation, the verse, and the explanation. In the verse, the first half is an analogy, and the second half is the doctrine. The first half concerns being amidst bonds, and the second half concerns being non-defiled. Question: Since here you intend to explain being non-defiled amidst bonds, why does it say, "If the clouds of affliction are removed, the sun of the dharmakāya will clearly appear"? Answer: Because when it is amidst bonds, it is precisely sentient beings yet truly non-defiled. Because this is difficult to discern, it is spoken of in terms of its superior manifestation. That is to say, if it were not intrinsically non-defiled while amidst bonds, then later when the hindrances are exhausted, it should not be called "originally non-defiled"; hence it says this. Third, in the explanation there are two parts. First, the question means: Since the preceding gate stated that the dharmakāya is sentient beings, and sentient beings are defiled, I wonder whether this dharmakāya is defiled or non-defiled. If it is non-defiled, how can one say that it is identical to the realm of sentient beings? If it is defiled, then the dharmakāya would be lost, and when defilement is separated from later, what would be revealed? Hence it asks: "What does this mean again?" and so forth. Second, from "Just as..." onward is the answer. Within it are two parts: first the analogy, then the application. The meaning of the answer is: through the dharmakāya's meaning of conforming to conditions, it is identical to the realm of sentient beings; furthermore, because at the very time it conforms to conditions it contains the meaning of being unchanging, its nature is constantly pure and originally non-defiled. Therefore, although its entire substance is defiled, its nature is perpetually pure; this is its meaning. Furthermore, the dharmakāya has two meanings: first, in terms of the meaning of conforming to conditions, the ocean waves are cited as an analogy; second, in terms of the meaning of being unchanging, it is like the analogy of the clouds and the sun. Regarding the afflictions being "guests": "guest" also has two meanings: first, the meaning of having no substance of their own and relying on the host; second, the meaning of not being non-existent as guests. In this present text, in terms of the dharmakāya's meaning of being unchanging and the afflictions' meaning of not being non-existent as guests, because these two meanings originally do not reach each other, it is said to be originally pure. Furthermore, this meaning of not being non-existent as guests is precisely the dharmakāya's meaning of conforming to conditions; therefore the afflictions are the dharmakāya, yet they do not defile the dharmakāya. The unchanging meaning in the dharmakāya is precisely the afflictions' meaning of having no substance; therefore the dharmakāya is the afflictions, yet it is perpetually pure. Moreover, remaining permanent and unfailing is the meaning of the "host"; being unable to stay long and necessarily departing is the meaning of the "guest". Therefore, one should know that among all afflictions, there are none that cannot be severed. If it were not so, they would not be guests. Furthermore, precisely because they rely on the host and lack intrinsic substance, they have the meaning of not being non-existent as guests; therefore, though they constantly veil tathatā, it remains perpetually pure. The explanation of the gate of non-defilement is finished.