華嚴經疏 1.13

1.13

From here on, a stanza and a half explains the benefit at the time of future rebirth. The first stanza directly explains that there is benefit; the latter half excludes others as lacking benefit. "If a person is capable of hearing": that is, one who has the bodhisattva gotra and has previously planted the roots of goodness of this One Vehicle is capable of hearing this Dharma and able to accept it with right faith. Therefore, even if born in the ocean dragon world or having long life, one can still hear this sūtra. These are difficult conditions in bad rebirths. As for "long life", as it is said, in the span during which the right side of the body touches the ground without moving, a thousand Buddhas have already appeared in the world in the Auspicious Kalpa; when it turns once more, another such period passes; if merely taking a brief rest lasts so long, how can one calculate an entire lifespan? Remaining within it without hearing the Buddha Dharma is therefore called a difficult state. If one is a vessel for this Dharma, even if born there, one can still hear it; this reveals that the Dharma accords with faculties without abandoning or excluding difficult states. Question: If one is capable of hearing this, why is one born there? Answer: Due to other past karma, like the dragon girl hearing the Dharma and so forth; furthermore, because there are sūtras in the dragon palace. Question: If one can hear it upon being born there, why is it called a difficult state? Answer: Because those who do not hear are many and those who can hear are few, it is called difficult after the majority. Therefore the sūtra text of the treatise states that "those with resolute faith without doubt can hear it"; this sūtra states that "the foolish and doubtful cannot hear it". "And in the fire at the end of the kalpa": this phrasing conforms to the language of the Western realm; if conforming to this [Chinese] language, it should say "in the fire that ends the kalpa". These words are incomplete; if complete, it should say "at the time when the kalpa fire ends, in the Ābhāsvara [Heaven]", which was abbreviated due to the constraints of verse. Because the Ābhāsvara is the second dhyāna, it is free from the calamity of fire. The treatise says "and so forth", which includes the third dhyāna being free from water and the fourth dhyāna being free from wind; all these are good destinies of long life that are non-difficult states. Question: Speaking generally, the form realm entirely consists of difficult states; why does it not mention the first dhyāna, but directly brings up the second dhyāna and so forth? Answer: Because that first dhyāna possesses vitarka and vicāra, its difficulty is light and therefore not brought up. Question: If this form realm entirely consists of difficult states, why do sūtras like the Brahmajāla mention preaching in those places? Answer: This is based on the noble sphere, where the Dharma is preached so that sentient beings who are vessels of the Dharma can also hear the sūtra, as expounded here; if considered in terms of actual retributive existence, it falls into the category of difficult states. Furthermore, it is categorized as difficult after the majority. Question: The formless realm is also difficult; why does it not speak of that? Answer: Because bodhisattvas are not born in formless heavens. Another explanation is that in principle and fact they do hear it, but according to characteristics, there is no shape or form there and hearing and receiving are cut off; hence hearing is not made manifest. The following two lines exclude those who lack benefit: although born among humans in a non-difficult state, yet lacking wisdom and faith, they can never hear it. Question: When humans do not hear it, why are they not categorized under the difficult states? Answer: It is also taken after the majority. Due to doubt, they do not believe; because they do not believe, they do not receive it. Due to delusion, they do not understand; because they do not understand, they disparage and abandon it. There are those who receive but do not understand, and those who understand but do not receive. Therefore, wisdom and faith are necessary; reversing this delusion and doubt, one is able to hear it.