天台八教大意 1.41

1.41

次明聖位。四十二品並破界外微細無明，初入十住，破十品無明，證圓佛性，開佛知見。故《華嚴》云：「初發心時便成正覺，真實之性不由他悟。」即此意也。證初一位即能分身百佛世界，為十界像普現色身，隨機設化。二住已去，十位加前，乃至妙覺不可說界，本高迹下，普現三昧。次入十行，更破十品，示佛知見。次入十迴向，更破十品，悟佛知見。次入十地，進破十品，入佛知見。竪論雖爾，橫論一一皆具開示悟入佛知見也。次破一品入等覺，後破一品入妙覺。妙覺無上，無所復論。始終理等，故名為圓；約事仍殊，乃分諸位。譬如濕性，氷水無殊，融氷成水，初後宛然。

Next, to clarify the sagely stages: the forty-two grades universally dismantle the subtle ignorance outside the realms. First entering the ten abodes, one dismantles ten grades of ignorance, realizes the perfect buddha-nature, and opens the buddha's knowledge and vision. Hence the Avataṃsaka says: 'At the time of first arousing the mind, one immediately accomplishes right awakening; the true and real nature is not awakened through another.' This is precisely this meaning. Realizing the first single stage, one can already replicate bodies in a hundred buddha worlds, manifesting physical bodies everywhere in the forms of the ten realms to establish conversions according to capacity. From the second abode onward, ten stages are added to the preceding, up to wondrous enlightenment in ineffable realms, where the origin is high and the traces are low, manifesting samādhis everywhere. Next, entering the ten practices, one dismantles ten more grades, demonstrating the buddha's knowledge and vision. Next, entering the ten dedications, one dismantles ten more grades, awakening to the buddha's knowledge and vision. Next, entering the ten stages, one advances to dismantle ten grades, entering the buddha's knowledge and vision. Although it is like this when discussed vertically, when discussed horizontally, each and every one fully possesses the opening, demonstrating, awakening, and entering into the buddha's knowledge and vision. Next, dismantling one grade, one enters virtual enlightenment; thereafter dismantling one grade, one enters wondrous enlightenment. Mondrous enlightenment is unsurpassed, leaving nothing further to discuss. The principle is equal from beginning to end, hence it is called 'perfect'; yet in terms of phenomena there are still distinctions, hence various stages are divided. It is like the nature of wetness: ice and water are no different, yet when melting ice into water, beginning and end are distinctly present.