華嚴略疏卷第三 3.2

3.2

The purpose of this chapter's occurrence is threefold: first, answering sequentially the earlier questions; second, [setting forth] the causes corresponding to the fruition; third, the mutual support among the manifold practices. Just as in Chapter Thirty-Six of the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra, where each is fully answered under 'how…', up to forming the overarching tenet of the entire work, so too is this chapter. From the preceding parts through to what follows, all are answered in sequential order, and it is also the root of the entire work. As in the forty-two great questions above, the questions on cause and fruition, practice and teaching, naturally follow an orderly sequence in the text. In the initial question within the causal portal, it says: the ten abodes, the ten practices, the ten dedications, the ten treasuries, the ten grounds, the ten vows, the ten samādhis, the ten masteries, and the ten crowns—all are answered in the sequence of the text. On the summit of Mount Sumeru the ten abodes were spoken; in the Yāma Heaven the ten practices were spoken; in Tuṣita the ten dedications were spoken; in Paranirmitavaśavartin the ten grounds are spoken. The Brahmajāla-sūtra says: 'In the five heavens the ten dhyāna-concentrations were spoken.' The Yingluo jing also says: 'I, within the third dhyāna, gathered the eight dhyānas; for the assembly I spoke the samādhi of one more birth until succession [to Buddhahood] in a hundred myriad kotis of verses; now I will speak briefly just one verse.' Furthermore, the fourth chapter, on Explaining the Meaning, says: 'I, within the fourth dhyāna, spoke for eight hundred million Brahma-heavens the quiescently illuminating Tathāgata, without mind and without form yet quiescently illuminating all.' If one relies on this meaning, the places are many, the assemblies vast, and the text contains one hundred and eight thousand verses. Furthermore, the Brahmajāla-sūtra says: 'In the Hall of Wonderful Light the ten worlds were spoken; in the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven the ten abodes were spoken; in the Yāma Heaven the ten practices were spoken; in the Tuṣita Heaven the dedications were spoken; in the Nirmāṇarati Heaven the ten kṣāntis were spoken; and in the fourth dhyāna the ten dhyānas, the ten vows, and the Chapter on the Mind-Ground Dharma-Door of Rocana were spoken. The remaining thousands and hundreds of Śākyas likewise did the same.' Yet the ten treasuries, the ten masteries, the ten crowns of the four heavens, as well as the ascending to heaven to speak verses, emitting light, and propagation, are not given in this sūtra, so they do not fully appear. What was previously called the chapter on the Ten Treasuries was in order to accomplish the meaning of practice; as with the fifth dedication, where the ten treasuries were clarified afterward, this was precisely the treasury accomplishing dedication, thereby answering the earlier question. Hence we know it was not answering the earlier question on the ten clarities—namely, the ten vajras. If one explains the two chapters on clarity and kṣānti in this way, they too have locations of exposition. In the three chapters from Asaṃkhyeya downward, with the Mind King as the requester, the numbers, dwelling places, lands, and human realm are not like those in the heavens; they should be spoken in the human realm. Now, as for these ten grounds, they are made into the number ten in terms of dharmas without delimitation. Detailed explanations are in the fundamental section below, along with the meanings of the eight restraints, the sixteen divisions, and the five kṣāntis, and so forth. However, as for its meaning, there are indeed immeasurable major essentials; yet in speech they do not go beyond two wisdoms—namely, fundamental wisdom and expedient wisdom. They are also called realization wisdom and conditional illumination; they are also called the two paths of realization and teaching; they are also called realization-assisting non-abiding; they are also called the four measure-wisdoms and the three merits and wisdoms. Such are the immeasurable and boundless virtuous practices, names, and stages; and if viewed in terms of the delusions eliminated, they are likewise immeasurable. As for 'fundamental wisdom': true realization without duality, where objective realm and wisdom are mutually fused, is fundamental wisdom. The distinct stages of the six pāramitās and the four means of embrace across myriad categories are expedient wisdom. And across these two meanings, no practice is ungathered, no virtue unaccumulated; substance and function differ, yet they are totaled as the number ten: starting from Pramuditā and terminating at Dharmameghā—such are the names of the ten. Yet because the meanings of substance and function differ, they are again divided into eight kinds: first, distinguishing by obstructions; second, determining by training; third, dividing by understanding; fourth, marking by practice; fifth, demonstrating by retribution; sixth, citing metaphors and comparisons; seventh, defining by quantity; eighth, viewing them in impartial equality as one contemplation. First, regarding the ten obstructions: 1. the obstruction of ordinary beings' notion of self; 2. the obstruction of errant conduct toward sentient beings' bodies and so on; 3. the obstruction of erroneous notions of darkness regarding dharmas such as hearing, thinking, and cultivating; 4. the obstruction of pride in understanding dharmas; 5. the obstruction of self-pride in the purity of the body; 6. the obstruction of subtle defilement-latencies; 7. the obstruction of subtle-characteristic latencies; 8. the obstruction of activity within signlessness; 9. the obstruction of being unable to skillfully benefit sentient beings; 10. the obstruction of failing to attain mastery within all dharmas. Therefore, cultivating the ten grounds is the practice of counteracting them, or their remedies and so on. Regarding determining by training: the first ground is determined by the first ground's ten great vows; the second ground is the training in ethical discipline; the third ground is the training in concentration; from the fourth ground to the seventh ground is the training in wisdom for self-benefit; from the eighth ground upward is the training in wisdom for benefiting others. Within wisdom for self-benefit, there is contemplation of the limbs of awakening, contemplation of the truths, training in dependent origination, contemplation of true signlessness, and the four kinds of purity of the bodhipakṣas on the fifth ground: purity of aspiration is the first ground; second, adhiśīla is the second ground; third, adhicitta is the third ground; fourth, adhiprajñā purity is subsumed from the fourth ground to the seventh ground. Within benefiting others are the three karmic activities. Within them, further, generosity, ethical discipline, and patience—these three are adhiśīla; training in dhyāna is adhicitta; training in wisdom and training in vigor run through all. There are three wisdoms that subsume the twelve abodes: hearing subsumes the disposition abode; thinking subsumes the understanding-and-practice abode; cultivation subsumes the vast fruits of practice prior to the ten grounds. Regarding dividing by understanding: the first ground is called faith, up to the tenth ground being called the ten kinds of wisdom; broadly, it can also be the five kṣāntis, the fourteen kṣāntis, the path of seeing, and the path of cultivation. Regarding marking by practice: the first ground is called dāna, up to the tenth ground being called jñāna; the four reliances and four fruitions. Regarding demonstrating by retribution: the first ground is a Jambudvīpa king, up to the tenth ground being Maheśvara-devarāja. Regarding metaphors and comparisons: the first ground is refining gold with fire, up to the tenth ground being the ornament crowning the sovereign heaven; it is likewise with the neck, crown, pond, mountain, ocean, and jewel. Regarding defining by quantity: the first ground attains one hundred samādhis, up to the tenth ground attaining samādhis numbering the dust particles of ten ineffable hundreds of thousands of nayutas of koti of buddha-worlds. Regarding viewing them in impartial equality as one contemplation: based on non-conceptual realization wisdom, it is spoken of as functioning yet constantly quiescent; the practices of all grounds are said to be innumerable, and the substance of wisdom is fertile and enriching; thus, the stillness of principle forms one contemplation. Now, regarding 'ground': the bodhisattva arouses the mind and shoulders [sentient beings] like the earth. The Renwang jing says: 'Prajñā entering principle is called abiding; virtues generated from abiding are called grounds.' Nāgārjuna explains: 'A ground is precisely the bodhisattva's graded dwelling place, hence called a ground.' The Yingluo jing says: 'A ground means upholding millions of asaṃkhyeyas of virtues; it also brings forth and completes all causal and fruition virtues.' The practices of a great being are profound and fathomless like the earth's four meanings: first, the holy practices are deep, vast, firm, and hard to destroy; second, it generates and grows the ten thousand things; third, it bears and supports everything like the earth; fourth, it does not harbor personal sentiments while conveying things, like the metaphors of earth, fire, and wind. The bodhisattva's practice is likewise. Within this, relying on the explanation in the treatise, the first ground is divided into eight sections: 1. introductory section; 2. samādhi section; 3. suchness section; 4. arising section; 5. fundamental section; 6. requesting section; 7. comparative excellence section. That the treatise presents eight sections applies only to the first ground and does not extend across the ten grounds. If one verifies by what precedes and follows, there are three sections: first, from the beginning up to extending the right hand to rub the crown of the head clarifies the introductory exposition; second, from arising from samādhi up to the metaphor of the mani jewel is the second, the main exposition; third, from the shaking of the earth and raining of flowers downward clarifies the propagation and manifest realization. Within this, the introduction, based on the previous three assemblies, should have six passages; but this chapter has three clauses: namely, dwelling, listing the assembly, and entering samādhi, briefly omitting setting out offerings, verse praises, emitting light, and so forth to make three. Corresponding to the preceding assemblies' introduction, entering, empowerment, arising, and fundamental sections, all generally set forth the ten numbers of persons and dharmas, serving as the general basis alongside the abodes, practices, and dedications; here, the assembly generally requests, directly distinguishing the ten names as the ten grounds; and only from the gathering of the general introduction downward are the ten meanings individually revealed. Yet the treatise says that for the first ground's eight [sections], the names blur the beginning and end, and the stages confound the general and specific: the first three are the introduction, the next three are the general exposition, the preceding relates to the main exposition, and the last two expositions relate to the teaching and comparative measurement; only then is the meaning distinguished within the first ground. Moreover, in this regard, across the nine grounds below, there is both consistency and divergence; the individual requests before each of the grounds below are not of this kind. Based on the sections, looking back from the present to the past, it is called 'at that time'. Complete with the nine virtues above, the host of sages added their veneration, calling him 'the Bhagavat'. The meaning of 'bhagavat' is explained broadly in the treatise. The treatise says: 'Because the comparative measurement of time, place, and so forth displays excellence, it was spoken at the initial time and in an excellent place; that this place, the palace, and so forth are excellent is called excellence of place.' Why was it not spoken in the form realm, but spoken in this place? Because it was evoked by the fruit. Why was it not spoken during the initial seven days? It was reflection on the practices and the causes and conditions. Originally, the practice of realizing the path was for benefiting others; for seven days he reflected and did not speak, demonstrating that the cause enjoys great Dharma-bliss. Why demonstrate his own Dharma-bliss? To cause sentient beings to increase minds of love and respect toward the Tathāgata. Reflecting on the practices and causes and conditions demonstrates the unshared qualities; the distinction between the learner and non-learner is called unshared qualities. Having demonstrated the place, the treatise listing the time is not unique to this single assembly. The previous five assemblies all had time and place; without rising from the Bodhi tree, yet in the six heavens at the same time, and even throughout the ten directions—this time is the same while the places differ. It can also be same time and same place; same place and different times; different times and different places—the four permutations. Saying here that for seven days he did not speak—these words refer precisely to when he first accomplished correct awakening. The ground of vajra prior to this should be evaluated; it is so for all assemblies. This excellence of time and place demonstrates the excellence of the Dharma; could the Dharma of the previous assemblies not be excellent? The seven days of non-speaking were previously likewise. Or it is said that the teaching measurement is only for the Hīnayāna; in the root text of the sūtra there is no text mentioning this time. Within the second [part], listing the assembly, there are two: first, praising virtues; second, listing the assembly. Within praising virtues there are two: first, four rounds generally praising the virtues of self-practice and external transformation; second, generally concluding the virtues of the two practices. Among the four, the first generally praising virtues: it first praises the self-practice virtues of the resident assembly of this realm. 'These bodhisattvas' indicates this realm; 'all bodhisattvas' indicates other realms. They can also be called the assembly born alike and the assembly born differently. Both assemblies are raised together, praising the virtues of their two practices of self-part and other-part. The word 'entering' means understanding and realization; that is, exhausting reflection and illuminating equally.