華嚴一乘成佛妙義 1.25.2

1.25.2

" Various masters explain [this] differently. One master says: In terms of the three trainings distinguishing the stages, the third stage is concentration. If in terms of the six perfections, the fifth stage is concentration. Therefore it is said that the third, fourth, and fifth [stages] are called the mind-made body enjoying the bliss of samādhi. In the sixth stage prajñā manifests directly, and therefore the sixth, seventh, and eighth stages are called the mind-made body of the wisdom that knows all activities as they truly are. As for mentioning the eighth [stage], it names its conclusion. From the ninth stage upward it is called the mind-made body of unconditioned action according to kind. The second master says: The first [description] omits the first two stages, and therefore speaks of the third, fourth, and fifth. The second [description] also omits the first two [of its set], and therefore speaks of the eighth stage. Strictly speaking, the first applies across the first five stages, the second applies across the three stages of the sixth, seventh, and eighth, and the third applies to the ninth through twelfth stages. The third master says: Since the second [set] follows up to the eighth stage, one knows that the first [reaches] back down through the seventh stage; yet it only mentions the third, fourth, and fifth because it omits those before and after. Speaking in terms of reality, the first applies across the first seven stages, the second is solely the eighth stage, and the third is the ninth through twelfth stages. Furthermore, the four-fascicle Laṅkāvatāra says, "The first is called the mind-born body enjoying the bliss of samādhi"; here we rely on the Fo xing lun. Master Paramārtha explains: The three kinds of mind-made bodies in the Śrīmālādevī Sūtra refer to the noble ones of the lineages of the Three Vehicles. Entering from the first stage upward, they receive mind-made bodies, hence they are called three kinds; they are not the three kinds of mind-made bodies such as [the one enjoying] the bliss of samādhi in the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra. Thus the Fo di jing lun states: "Existence-possessing saṃsāra is the mind-made body of the three kinds of noble ones; non-existence-possessing saṃsāra is the final basis-born body produced from the mind of the three kinds of noble ones." In the Liang Treatise, from the eighth stage upward is existence-possessing saṃsāra, and the adamantine bodhisattva is non-existence-possessing saṃsāra. Since for both of these [kinds of] saṃsāra the Fo xing lun speaks of the three kinds of noble ones, one knows that when the lineages of the Three Vehicles reach the eighth stage and upward, they receive existence-possessing saṃsāra; named after their original lineages, they are called arhats, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas of great power. Therefore the seventh fascicle of the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra states: "'Mahāmati! Śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas among bodhisattvas of the eighth stage delight in and are attached to the gate of the bliss of tranquil samādhi; because they are intoxicated, they cannot know [it] properly. Solely due to the cessation of views and the obstructions of perfuming that follow their own characteristics and common characteristics, following the error of the view of personal selflessness, they call it nirvāṇa with a conceptual mind, yet cannot know the quiescence of all dharmas.' Bodhisattva Mahāmati said to the Buddha: 'The World-Honoured One says that śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas enter the gate of tranquil bliss of the eighth stage. The Tathāgata later says that śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas do not know that it is merely the discrimination of their own minds. Later he says that śrāvakas attain personal selflessness but do not attain the emptiness of phenomenal selflessness. If it is spoken of in this way, śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas are not yet able to realize the dharma of the first stage, how much less the gate of tranquil bliss of the eighth stage?' The Buddha told Mahāmati: 'There are two kinds of śrāvakas. In speaking of the gate of quiescence of the eighth stage, these are those who previously cultivated the bodhisattva practices: conforming to the śrāvaka stage, they again rely on their original aspiration to cultivate the bodhisattva practices and together enter the gate of quiescence of the eighth stage. They are not the excessively proud, quiescent śrāvakas, because the latter cannot enter the bodhisattva practices, have never awakened to the fact that the three realms are mind-only, have never cultivated the bodhisattva dharmas, and have never cultivated the practices of the perfections and the ten stages. For this reason, definitively quiescent śrāvakas cannot realize that gate of tranquil bliss practiced by bodhisattvas.'" Question: Why do they receive the name of saṃsāra? Answer: It is universally called transformative saṃsāra because of transformation and alteration. Both birth and death are named in terms of characteristics; their distinct names are expedient-means and cause-and-condition. These two are in terms of function; existence-possessing and non-existence-possessing are named in contrast to what follows. Thus the Fo xing lun states: "Existence-possessing saṃsāra is like the higher-flowing anāgāmin who attains parinirvāṇa in a second birth; because there remains one birth, it is called existence-possessing. Non-existence-possessing saṃsāra is because it is the final body of transformative saṃsāra; there is no further saṃsāra, hence it is called non-existence-possessing." Question: How is it determined in terms of stage? Answer: In terms of sudden awakening, from the eighth stage upward they receive transformative birth, because from here upward afflictions do not arise, and they can no longer receive delimited birth. For gradual awakeners, from the seventh stage downward they also receive transformative [birth]. In terms of the four kinds, generally speaking, every single stage has them. If in terms of distinctions of stages, we rely solely on the Liang Treatise. Among the twenty-two [kinds of] ignorance that induce the eleven coarse retributions, the first eight kinds of ignorance induce four coarse-heavinesses, which is expedient-means saṃsāra; hence we know that expedient-means is in the first four stages. The next six kinds of ignorance induce three coarse-heavinesses, which is cause-and-condition saṃsāra; hence we know that cause-and-condition is in the fifth, sixth, and seventh stages. The next six kinds of ignorance induce three coarse-heavinesses, which is existence-possessing saṃsāra; hence we know that existence-possessing is in the eighth, ninth, and tenth stages. The next two kinds of ignorance induce one coarse-heaviness, which is non-existence-possessing saṃsāra; hence we know that non-existence-possessing is the adamantine stage. As for expedient-means and cause-and-condition together with existence-possessing saṃsāra, they arise in their own stages and are severed in their own stages. Non-existence-possessing saṃsāra obstructs the Buddha stage and is severed by the adamantine [concentration]. Why is this? The ten stages are stages of learning; hence they obstruct their own stages and are severed in their own stages. The Buddha stage is the stage beyond learning; hence it is an obstruction to the Buddha stage and is severed by the adamantine [concentration]. Question: If as stated before, expedient-means and cause-and-condition are merely the expedient-means and causes-and-conditions of transformation and not primary saṃsāra, why is it in all cases said that the coarse-heavy retributions induced are transformative? Answer: In the stages of expedient-means and cause-and-condition for gradual awakeners, they are delimited [saṃsāra] and are called coarse-heavy retributions. If viewed with respect to what follows: the initial four stages are similar to ordinary persons, where ignorance is strong, distantly serving as expedient-means for the transformative saṃsāra from the eighth stage upward. The fifth, sixth, and seventh stages are similar to the two vehicles and newly cultivating bodhisattvas, cultivating the undefiled path, which also serves as a supporting cause for the transformation induced from the eighth stage upward. As for the latter two kinds, they are the primary substance of transformation. Master Huiyuan says: It is said that the two kinds of saṃsāra each have six levels. That which is called the six levels of delimited [saṃsāra] consists of three levels of evil destinies and three levels of good destinies. Question: What are the three levels of evil destinies? Answer: First, the delimited [saṃsāra] received by ordinary persons has evil karma as its cause and the four dwelling stages as its condition; second, the delimited [saṃsāra] received in the ten faiths has evil karma as its cause, the four dwelling stages as its condition, and compassionate vows as an accompanying aid; third, from the lineage upward up to the first stage, the delimited [saṃsāra] received has evil karma as its cause, compassionate vows as its primary condition, and the four dwelling stages as an accompanying aid. In terms of these three levels, they are the delimited [saṃsāra] of evil destinies. Question: What are the three levels of delimited [saṃsāra] of good destinies? Answer: First, the delimited [saṃsāra] received by ordinary persons, the two vehicles, and the Mahāyāna ten faiths has good karma as its cause and the four dwelling stages as its condition; second, [that received in the stages of] lineage and understanding-practice has good karma as its cause, the four dwelling stages as its primary condition, and compassionate vows as an accompanying aid;