華嚴略疏卷第三 3.20

3.20

From “Vajragarbha” onwards, the prose and verses respond respectfully to the request above. According to the treatise’s explanation, the following six verses take the prose of the larger recension as the initial verse, not the six verses of the sūtra text. “Wishing to make the assembly joyful” generally introduces the response. Among the six verses of the sūtra text, the first explains the difficulty [of the Dharma], and the next verse explains the difficulty of the meaning. These two verses together constitute the difficulty of preaching, for if preached, they would be bewildered. The third and fourth verses explain the difficulty of hearing; only those who maintain their minds and are free of self can hear it. The fifth verse uses a metaphor to establish the initial difficulty. The sixth verse explains that those who produce faith are few, establishing the previous difficulty of hearing. They can also be divided into two: the first two verses and the fifth directly speak of the difficulty of preaching, while the third and fourth directly speak of the difficulty of hearing. Mokṣacandra requests again, returning to hold to the previous two: from “Sons of the Buddha” onwards, it overturns the difficulty of hearing; from “relying on the Buddha’s supernormal power” onwards, it overturns the difficulty of preaching; from “in this profound Dharma” onwards, it concludes and establishes. In Mokṣacandra’s second request, he also overturns the four above: up to “obstruction” overturns the capability of hearing; the second is difficulty of hearing; from “deep mind” onwards overturns the fourth, fear among those who produce faith; from “shall rely on the Buddha’s supernormal power” onwards overturns the second metaphorical illustration of the difficulty of preaching; from “in this profound Dharma” onwards overturns the first bewilderment and difficulty of preaching. The verses have two stanzas: the first verse directly requests with capability of preaching, overturning the difficulty of preaching; the lower verse establishes the above capability of hearing. The treatise text only has prose and lacks verse recitation. As for the subsequent repeated request, it was said above that those who realize faith are difficult to find, but it is demonstrated that this assembly has capability. As for “well purifying the deep mind”, in general, the deep mind has two kinds: first, purity of scriptural transmission (āgama) through metaphor; second, purity of realization. Purity of āgama has five kinds; purity of realization has four kinds. The five kinds are: 1. purity of desire; 2. purity of seeking; 3. purity of receiving and upholding; 4. purity born of origin; [5.] [...]. The four kinds are: 1. purity of attainment; 2. purity of non-practice; 3. purity of insatiability; 4. purity of not following the teachings of others. These nine kinds in the āgama do not correspond to the present larger recension of the sūtra; therefore it is not explained according to the āgama. Overturning the four above is provisionally based on these two meanings.