華嚴法界玄鏡 2.51

2.51

Commentary: First, stating the name. It is called “mutual presence” because one’s own taking in of phenomena enters into other phenomena, and the other also takes in phenomena within oneself; hence it is called mutual presence. This will be seen in the propositions below. The explanation also has three parts: stating, explaining, and concluding. In stating, it says “looking from all to the one”; having all at the beginning directly reverses the eighth [gate]. Second, under “likewise there are four propositions...”, it explains. In explaining the four propositions: since the statement above said “looking from all to the one, there are four propositions”, the head of each of the four propositions ought to contain the word “all” as that which is capable of taking in; now they are all omitted, and only that which is taken in and that which is entered are taken to form the four propositions. However, these four propositions are entirely different from the previous ones. For instance, the previous “the one takes in one phenomenon and the one enters one phenomenon” merely clarified that the one itself, facing another one, in taking in the other one also enters that other one. Here it is not so. That the first proposition says “taking in the one and entering the one” means that all, as they take in one phenomenon, bring it into one phenomenon. Explaining this in terms of the ten mirrors, the nine mirrors collectively are capable of taking in. As for the first proposition: the nine mirrors take in the first one mirror and enter into the second one mirror. Second, “taking in all and entering the one” means that the nine mirrors all take in the nine mirrors and enter into one mirror. Third, “taking in the one and entering all” means that the nine mirrors each take in one mirror and pervadingly enter into the nine mirrors. Fourth, “taking in all and entering all” means that the nine mirrors all take in the nine mirrors and each enter into the nine mirrors: taking in and bringing any one into that one, and again taking in that one within this many, etc.; hence it is named mutual presence. Explaining this one by one in terms of phenomena: to speak briefly in terms of the Buddhas looking to sentient beings, the Buddhas collectively are “all” and are capable of taking in, while sentient beings are that which is taken in and entered. As for the first proposition: the Buddhas take in one sentient being and enter into one sentient being. Second: the Buddhas take in all sentient beings and enter into one sentient being. Third: the Buddhas’ bodies take in one sentient being and enter into all sentient beings’ bodily pores. Fourth: the Buddhas each take in all sentient beings and enter into all sentient beings. With respect to other phenomena facing each other, one and many are all like this. Third, under “Simultaneously...”, it concludes: because they mutually take in and are mutually present, there is the meaning of Indra’s net layer upon layer.