華嚴略疏卷第三 3.10

3.10

From “entering samādhi” onward is the second, the samādhi section. In accordance with the various assemblies, this is the sixth text of entering concentration within the introduction. Within this are two meanings: first, entering concentration; second, explaining the entry into concentration. Within the explanation are three: first, the reason for entering concentration, which is the characteristic of the opening line; second, from “wishing to proclaim” onward, which clarifies the purpose of the concentration; third, from “discoursing and expounding” onward, which clarifies the empowering of the concentration, namely the third, the empowerment section, which is called the empowerment of the three karmas. If following the Treatise's explanation, the initial entry into concentration is the samādhi section, and from “at that moment” onward is the empowerment section. Within this are three: first, the manifestation of the three karmas displaying the characteristics of empowerment, which is the aforementioned reason for entering concentration; second, why the empowerment is granted, in the phrase “for the sake of benefiting oneself and others,” which is the aforementioned purpose; third, how the empowerment is granted, namely by speech, mind, and body, which refers to the aforementioned. From “discoursing and expounding” onward, the forty lines are the characteristics of empowerment, within which there are five lines: first, from “in each of the ten directions, past ten billion buddha-lands” onward clarifies the characteristics of the three karmas' empowerment—first the bodily karma, next the speech karma, and next the mental karma; second, empowerment through the majestic spiritual power of the buddhas of the ten directions; third, from “fundamental vows” onward clarifies empowerment through the power of the fundamental vows of a single buddha; fourth, from “majestic spiritual power” onward clarifies empowerment through the present spiritual power employed; fifth, from “you possess” onward clarifies the internal cause. The preceding four are conditions, and the fifth is the characteristic of the empowerment through the conjunction of causes and conditions. As for the Treatise's mention of empowerment by many buddhas, it is to cause reverent minds toward the Dharma and the Dharma master to increase; simply put, it means respecting the person and revering the Dharma. Why do they all share the name Vajragarbha? It is because they are empowered by the power of fundamental vows. This samādhi is the substance of the Dharma; when originally practicing as bodhisattvas, they all expounded this Dharma, and now having realized right awakening, they are also named Vajragarbha; thus they empower under no different name. When this bodhisattva heard the Tathāgatas share his own name, his joy increased. The number of ten buddha-lands is in order to expound the ten grounds; therefore this frequent mention of the number ten occurs. From “wishing to proclaim all” onward, the Treatise asks: “Why is empowerment granted?” This is the purpose of entering concentration, within which are twenty lines: the first ten are for self-benefit and the latter ten for benefiting others; hence empowerment is granted. “All bodhisattvas” refers to those dwelling on the ground of faith and practice. “Inconceivable buddhadharmas” are the supramundane factors of the path. “Illuminating” means seeing with wisdom and attaining realization; “entering” means attaining realization through faith and joy. “Ground of wisdom” refers to the wisdom of the ten grounds, as expounded in its own section. This one line is the fundamental entry, the general. If following the root text, “all bodhisattvas” is the general, and from “entering the ground of wisdom” onward, the lines are specific. Based on the fundamental entry, there are nine specific entries: first, the entry of gathering, because wisdom through hearing gathers all roots of goodness; second, the entry of contemplating the meaning, because wisdom through contemplation skillfully discriminates all buddhadharmas among all factors of the path; third, the entry of the characteristics of dharmas, because of extensive knowledge of dharmas; fourth, the entry of teaching and transformation, because of decisively expounding all dharmas; fifth, the entry of realization, which is non-conceptual wisdom; sixth, the entry of non-negligence, because worldly dharmas cannot defile it; seventh, the entry of advancing from ground to ground, because the non-greed root of goodness is pure; eighth, the entry of the bodhisattva's culmination, because of obtaining inconceivable intellectual power; ninth, the entry of the Buddha's culmination, because of obtaining the realm of wisdom of the omniscient one. It is also said that these ten lines correspond to the ten grounds. Since one's own practice is thus, external transformation is also like this. How is this known? Because after the first ten lines it states: “namely, expounding in accordance with reality the distinctions among the ten grounds of the bodhisattva.” If following the Treatise's explanation, it also takes the initial matter as general and correlates the middle with the three wisdoms and ten entries, not seeming to match the grounds. These entries are for comparing the distinctions in the meaning of wisdom, excelling progressively; they are not the fundamental entry. In these ten lines, it should be known that there are six kinds of distinctive characteristics: the six are the general characteristic, the same characteristic, the different characteristic, the formation characteristic, the disintegration characteristic, [and the specific characteristic]. The general is the fundamental entry; the specific is the remaining nine entries. Because they enter, they are the same characteristic; because of increased characteristics, they are the different characteristic; the formation characteristic is the abridged explanation; the disintegration characteristic is the extensive explanation, like the formation and disintegration of a world. This refers to the distinctions in terms of general and specific, entry and increase, abridged and extensive. In the next ten lines, because of obtaining the distinctions of the ten grounds based on practice that benefits others, the larger recension has eleven lines: the first line is general, and the latter ten are specific. The treatise sūtra also has eleven lines: the initial line on the beginning and end of the ten grounds is general, and from the distinctions of the ten grounds onward, the ten lines are specific. Since it does not correspond with the larger recension, this should be understood. Among the ten specific lines, the first five are one's own practice, and the latter five are external transformation. The Treatise explains that the first five are the benefits gathered, and the latter five clarify the benefits capable of gathering. Following the Treatise's explanation, one obtains ten kinds of beginnings and ends. The Treatise states: The beginning is faith, desire, drawing near, and so forth; the end is mindfully holding the grounds. Furthermore, there are āgama (scriptural transmission) and realization: faith being concordant and certain regarding the Buddhadharma is called faith; desire means longing for the higher Dharma based on faith, hence called desire; drawing near means longing to approach the Buddha and listen to the Dharma; the end is mindful holding, which refers to gathering merit. Furthermore, regarding āgama and realization, āgama is the beginning and realization is the end; alternatively, āgama is the teaching, and realization is wisdom, which is general, while the rest are specific. Among the ten kinds of beginnings and ends, the sūtra text has eleven: the first two lines are general, and the nine lines are specific. First, the beginning and end of gathering: the larger recension combines the first two lines as the wisdom of contemplation, because of receiving, holding, and expounding in accordance with the Dharma heard; as the sūtra says, “because of expounding in accordance with reality the expedient means of the distinctions of the bodhisattva's ten grounds,” while the larger recension says, “because the bodhisattva securely abides in the ten grounds.” Second, the beginning and end of desire: smoothly and securely abiding in the ten grounds. Third, the beginning and end of practice: because of expounding the undefiled Dharma. Fourth, the beginning and end of realization: because of being freely adorned by the great light of wisdom of non-self wisdom—light contrasts with initial ignorance. Fifth, the beginning and end of cultivating the path: because of entering the door of complete fulfillment. The Treatise states: Here the bodhisattva has five kinds of obstructions: first, the obstruction of inability to refute heterodox treatises; second, the obstruction of inability to answer difficult questions; third, the obstruction of attachment to the Hīnayāna; fourth, the obstruction of indolence in transforming sentient beings; fifth, the obstruction of lacking expedient wisdom. Countering these obstructions, there are five beginnings and ends: first, the beginning and end that can refute the obstruction of heterodox treatises, as the sūtra says, “because of expounding in proper sequence according to what one should abide in”; second, the beginning and end that can answer difficult questions, because of obtaining the light of unhindered delight in speech, and because of fully possessing the ground of great unhindered wisdom; third, the beginning and end countering attachment to the Hīnayāna, because of not losing the bodhisattva mind; fourth, the beginning and end countering [indolence in] transforming sentient beings, because of teaching, transforming, and accomplishing the entire realm of sentient beings; fifth, the beginning and end countering the lack of expedient wisdom, thoroughly understanding and discriminating the five sciences, because of attaining decisive wisdom that reaches everywhere. How is empowerment granted? Namely, by empowerment of speech, mind, and body. How is speech empowered? Because these ten grounds are expounded by bodily and vocal karma; expressing can reveal the principle, so it comes first. The larger recension says: “You should expound the distinctions of this Dharma gate,” which refers to the distinctions of the ten grounds, meaning the various names and characteristics. Relying on the fundamental eloquence of vocal karma, there are two kinds: first, eloquence through the power of others, meaning not being clouded because of receiving the Buddha's spiritual power; second, eloquence through one's own power, of which there are four: 1. contrived eloquence, because one's own roots of goodness are pure; 2. uncontrived eloquence, because of the purity of the dharmadhātu; 3. eloquence that transforms sentient beings, because of benefiting sentient beings; 4. eloquence of bodily purity. Within this bodily purity, three kinds of culminations are revealed: first, that of bodhisattvas; second, the distinct culmination of the two vehicles; third, that of buddhas. Bodhisattvas have three kinds, the two vehicles have two kinds, and buddhas have one kind, totaling six kinds. Together with the preceding four of self and other, they total ten kinds. The three kinds of bodhisattvas are: 1. the bodhisattva's culmination: the dharmakāya being separated from mind, intellect, and consciousness, relying solely on wisdom—the dharmakāya and jñānakāya; 2. the benefit of present retribution, because of receiving prophecy from all buddhas; 3. the benefit of future retribution, because of obtaining a lofty, immense body throughout all worlds. The two among the two vehicles are: first, transcending all worldly paths of the five destinies; second, purifying supramundane roots of goodness. The one line of the Buddha's culmination is: because of attaining entry into the fulfillment of the wisdom of the omniscient one. Eloquence through one's own power progressively excels in comparative measurement; among these, the one line on the Buddha's culmination is present in the larger recension sūtra but absent in the treatise text sūtra. Eloquence through the power of others has two lines: first, because of the spiritual power of all buddhas; second, because you are able to bear the power of the Tathāgata's wisdom. These two lines are present in the larger recension sūtra and absent in the treatise text sūtra, combined as one line. There is one line for other-power and nine lines for self-power; according to the larger recension, there are two lines for other-power and eight lines for self-power.