本業瓔珞經疏 1.3

1.3

大會菩薩盡一生補處者。明伏忍胎中三十賢人聖地已上十一正士。內德圓備。外揚純風。以化於物也　問曰。言一生補處者。乃是第十一地菩薩。三十一生已盡。唯有一生。轉即為佛。可為一生補處。今此大會。豈無十四億人上下差別。云何噵言盡一生補處也　答曰。雖位有差別。各得成補處。初習種性人。信窮後察亦得成佛。此是法惠佛。性種性人。解窮後察成功德林佛。道種性人。行窮後察成金剛幢佛。初地已上證窮後察成金剛藏佛。位雖有別。各自一徹。窮於後際。與法界相應。故名盡一生補處也。亦可。遺勝而歎。唯歎金剛後心也。神通妙達周遍十方者。明廣現五通乘幾赴化。應身化處以為周遍。故言周遍十方也。法身無極者。大士無形。以真如為體。故言法身無極。道利眾生者。常在涅槃。而不捨世間行也聞佛法藏者。聞其甚深大乘十二部經。名聞佛法藏示。現佛性者。既聞大乘十二部經中顯其真常當我之性。名為示現。又解。始從伏忍至寂滅忍。下品因深微妙故。言示現佛性。妙果寂滅者。涅槃虛玄。幽微無相。名為妙果寂滅。故經云。定滅佛所行。言說不能及。地行亦如是。難說復難聞。此是成證。無為要教者。除其生死有為名無為。辨理周極故稱要教。知其眾生根欲事無不達故。言都入人根也。以宿命智訓化以漸者。以宿命通智。明察物幾。識病輕重。隨法藥淺深。為眾生說法。故經言。應病與藥。令得服行。此即成證也。心入無際者。以真實智觀理幽極。故言心入無際。解內外要者。順理為內要。違理以外要。始終無極者。因微果妙俱為無極。故言始終無極。等諸佛土者。真俗理齊。故言等諸佛土。無所分別者。無相可得。故言無分別也　以大悲口讚揚佛名者。第三次歎口業。以大悲口讚揚佛名者。以同體大悲。常口說法。故言以大悲口讚佛名也。不可勝極者。理高玄遠。故不可勝極也。六道之事靡不觀達者。明照諸趣群生幾根。故言六道之事靡不觀達。所化之處者。道其化物處所也。至皆歎言佛念吾等建立大志者。歎佛為我等一切眾生。現入六道中教化我等。使我滅惡生善也。建立大志者。發心欲與法界所化眾生同趣菩提。故言至皆歎言佛念吾等建立大志也。乃悉現我至闡隆道化。明此菩薩以大悲口讚說如來真淨佛土也。光明神足教誨我等。乃至及諸疑罔。明諸菩薩讚歎如來般若神光。能訓化我等。開示我意。真行莊嚴。三十賢人十地無垢至妙覺地。生善滅惡。成我等輩欣背觀行也。斷我瑕疵者。無明細惑障真法身為瑕。麁惑障淺為疵也。疑妄者。習氣也。悉為我現佛土者。現國土身也。廣狹垢淨等身也。佛身者。身無不身。於無身處悉能現身。故言佛身。佛神佛力者。以威被物。故言佛神。廣現六通變化。稱為佛力。佛定者。至靜湛然。無定亂相異。故言佛定。無量變化者。不可思議現化無變。故言無量變化。四等者。慈悲喜捨。慈能與樂。悲能拔苦。喜能慶物。捨能忘懷。各緣無量眾生。故云四等也。無畏者。四無畏也。正是內智於四境不懼。為四無畏。云何為四。一我是一切智人。說已所知訓匠於佛。外人執事來難。如來於弟子有問。似若不知。如來答言。我順俗時宜非為不達。於此難中無有畏相。安住聖處。名一切智無畏。第二漏盡無畏。外人難言。如來罵提婆達多。似若是嗔。摩羅睺羅頭似若有愛。佛言。應見剛強難化者。罵提婆達多。應見慈養生善者。摩羅睺羅。非謂有嗔愛也。於此難時無有畏相。第二無畏。第三煩惱障道無畏者。外人難言。須陀洹人得初果道。猶有煩惱。故知煩惱不障道。如來答言。障處有別。但八十八結障須陀洹。思惟四結障後三果。非謂不障。於此言中無有畏相。是第三無畏。第四無畏出要者。外人難言。無漏不出要。何以得知。須陀洹雖得無漏。猶有七生七死。如來答言。非為不出。但凡夫生死無量。須陀洹斷之至七。故言出。於此言中無有畏相。名第四無畏。於此四種無微畏相。故言四無畏也。無罪三業者。正以罪盡為無。三業任運不起惡。故名無罪三業也。三六不共者。十八不共法也。初六者。身無失。口無失。念無失。無畏相。無不定心。無不知以捨心。此初六明自行。中六者。念無減。欲無減。精進無減。智惠無減。解脫無減。解脫知見無減。此六障滿足。故皆言無減。後六者。身業隨智惠行。意業隨智惠行。口業隨智惠行。智知過去未來現在無障無礙。此後六障其外化。此十八法不與下人共。故名不共。一切功德無上道法者。諸佛功德無量無邊說不可盡。故總結也。從悉為我現既至於此。偏顯佛地功德也。眾事敷教流入十方已下。明諸菩薩。讚歎如來般若神光。流入十方。遍諸佛土。靡不周遍也。

"The great assembly of bodhisattvas all bound to one last birth" explains that the thirty worthies in the womb of subduing forbearance and the eleven noble beings of the holy stages and above are endowed with complete internal virtue and outwardly manifest a pure demeanour to transform living beings.
Question: "Bound to one last birth" refers to a bodhisattva of the eleventh ground whose thirty-one births are exhausted, with only one birth remaining, transitioning immediately to buddhahood, and thus may be termed "bound to one last birth." Now in this great assembly, could there not be higher and lower distinctions among the 1.4 billion people? Why is it said that they are all bound to one last birth?
Answer: Although their stages have distinctions, each attains becoming bound to the next stage. A person of the initial lineage of practice, when their faith is exhausted and later scrutinized, also attains buddhahood; this is Dharmamati Buddha. A person of the lineage of nature, when their understanding is exhausted and later scrutinized, becomes Guṇaprabha Buddha. A person of the lineage of the path, when their practice is exhausted and later scrutinized, becomes Vajradhvaja Buddha. Those of the first ground and above, when their realization is exhausted and later scrutinized, become Vajragarbha Buddha. Although the stages differ, each penetrates to the singular [truth], exhausts the final limit, and accords with the dharmadhātu; therefore they are said to be all bound to one last birth. Alternatively, it may be that [the text] omits the lesser to praise the supreme, exclusively praising the final adamantine mind.
"Whose supernatural penetration wondrously reaches and pervades the ten directions" explains that they extensively manifest the five supernatural powers, seizing every occasion to respond and transform; the places where their response bodies manifest transformation are considered pervasive, hence it is said "pervades the ten directions."
"Whose dharmakāya is boundless": the great beings have no physical form, taking suchness as their substance; hence it is said "their dharmakāya is boundless."
"Who guide and benefit sentient beings": they always abide in nirvāṇa yet do not abandon worldly deeds.
"Hearing the treasury of the Buddha's teachings": hearing the profound Mahāyāna twelvefold scriptures is called hearing the treasury of the Buddha's teachings.
"Manifesting buddha-nature": having heard the true, eternal, and intrinsically self-nature revealed in the Mahāyāna twelvefold scriptures, it is called manifesting [buddha-nature]. Another explanation is: beginning from subduing forbearance up to cessation forbearance, because the lower causal stage is profound and wondrous, it is said to manifest buddha-nature.
"The wondrous fruit is quiescence and cessation": nirvāṇa is hollow, profound, subtle, and without characteristics; this is called the wondrous fruit of quiescence and cessation. Thus a sūtra says: "The cessation that is the Buddha's domain of action cannot be reached by speech; the practices of the grounds are also like this: difficult to speak of and difficult to hear." This is the textual proof.
"The essential teaching of the unconditioned": removing the conditioned nature of saṃsāra is called the unconditioned; discerning the principle thoroughly and comprehensively is termed the essential teaching.
"Knowing sentient beings' roots and desires, understanding everything": hence it is said "completely penetrating human faculties."
"Gradually instructing and transforming them with the knowledge of past lives": using the knowledge of the supernatural power of past lives, they clearly observe the inclinations of beings, discern the severity of their sicknesses, and adapt the medicine of the Dharma to preach to sentient beings according to depth. Thus a sūtra says: "Dispensing medicine according to the sickness to enable them to ingest and practice it." This is the textual proof.
"Their minds enter the limitless": using true wisdom, they contemplate the profundity of the principle; hence it is said "their minds enter the limitless."
"Understanding the essentials of internal and external": according with the principle is the internal essential; running contrary to the principle is the external essential.
"Boundless from beginning to end": the subtle cause and the wondrous fruit are both boundless; hence it is said "boundless from beginning to end."
"Equal to all buddha-lands": the principles of the ultimate and conventional are equal; hence it is said "equal to all buddha-lands."
"Without any discrimination": no characteristics can be apprehended; hence it is said "without discrimination."
"Praising the Buddha's name with a mouth of great compassion": this third part praises vocal karma. "Praising the Buddha's name with a mouth of great compassion" means that with great compassion of the same substance, their mouths constantly preach the Dharma; hence it is said "praising the Buddha's name with a mouth of great compassion."
"Insurmountable and boundless": the principle is lofty, profound, and distant; hence it is insurmountable and boundless.
"Perceiving and penetrating every matter of the six realms": clearly illuminating the inclinations and faculties of all beings in the various destinies; hence it is said "perceiving and penetrating every matter of the six realms."
"The places where they transform": stating the places where they transform living beings.
"Up to all praising, saying: 'The Buddha is mindful of us and establishes our great resolve'": praising the Buddha, who, for the sake of all of us sentient beings, manifests entry into the six realms to teach and transform us, causing us to eliminate evil and give rise to good. "Establishes our great resolve": generating the resolve wishing to proceed toward bodhi together with all sentient beings to be transformed in the dharmadhātu; hence it is said "up to all praising, saying: 'The Buddha is mindful of us and establishes our great resolve.'"
From "even manifesting everything to me" up to "broadly expanding the transformation of the path": explaining that these bodhisattvas use mouths of great compassion to praise and expound the Tathāgata's truly pure buddha-land.
"Whose radiant light and supernatural feet instruct us" down to "and all doubts and delusions": explains that all the bodhisattvas praise the radiant light of the Tathāgata's prajñā, which can instruct and transform us and open up our minds. True practice adorns: from the thirty worthies and the stainless ten grounds up to the stage of wondrous enlightenment, producing good and destroying evil, this completes the contemplative practice of seeking [the pure] and turning away [from the defiled] for those of our kind.
"Severing my flaws and blemishes": subtle ignorance and delusion obscuring the true dharmakāya is a flaw; coarse delusion obscuring the shallow [faculties] is a blemish.
"Doubts and delusions": karmic predispositions (vāsanā).
"Manifesting all buddha-lands for me": manifesting the body of the lands; bodies of broad or narrow, defiled or pure, and so forth.
"The buddha-body": there is no body that is not the body, and in places without a body, [the Buddha] can manifest a body everywhere; hence it is said "the buddha-body."
"Buddha's divine powers and buddha's strengths": covering beings with majesty is called the buddha's divine powers; extensively manifesting the six supernatural powers and transformations is called the buddha's strengths.
"The buddha's concentration": completely tranquil and clear, without any distinction between concentration and distraction; hence it is said "the buddha's concentration."
"Incalculable transformations": manifesting unfathomable transformations without alteration; hence it is said "incalculable transformations."
"The four immeasurables": loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. Loving-kindness can bestow joy, compassion can eradicate suffering, sympathetic joy can rejoice in beings, and equanimity can let go of attachment. Each relates to incalculable sentient beings, so they are called the four immeasurables.
"Fearlessnesses": the four fearlessnesses. It is precisely internal wisdom having no fear regarding the four situations that constitutes the four fearlessnesses. What are the four? First, 'I am a person of all-knowledge (sarvajña)': expounding what one knows oneself to instruct and train for the Buddha. An outsider clings to an affair and comes to challenge, [saying that] when the Tathāgata has an inquiry toward a disciple, it seems as if he does not know. The Tathāgata answers, saying: 'I accord with conventional appropriateness, not that I fail to understand.' In the face of this challenge there is no sign of fear, and he abides peacefully in the noble state; this is the fearlessness of all-knowledge. Second, the fearlessness regarding the exhaustion of defilements. An outsider challenges, saying: 'The Tathāgata scolded Devadatta as if he had anger, and stroked the head of Rāhula as if he had affection.' The Buddha says: 'Seeing those who are stubborn and hard to transform, one should scold Devadatta; seeing those who should be nourished with compassion to produce good, one should [stroke] Rāhula; it is not to say that there is anger or affection.' In the face of this challenge there is no sign of fear; this is the second fearlessness. Third, the fearlessness regarding the afflictions obstructing the path. An outsider challenges, saying: 'A srotāpanna attains the path of the first fruit, yet still has afflictions; thus we know afflictions do not obstruct the path.' The Tathāgata answers, saying: 'The points of obstruction differ. The eighty-eight fetters obstruct only the srotāpanna; the four fetters of reflection obstruct the latter three fruits; it is not to say that they do not obstruct.' In these words there is no sign of fear; this is the third fearlessness. Fourth, the fearlessness regarding the path of escape. An outsider challenges, saying: 'The uncontaminated is not the path of escape. How is this known? Although a srotāpanna attains the uncontaminated, they still undergo seven births and seven deaths.' The Tathāgata answers, saying: 'It is not that it is not an escape. But worldlings have incalculable births and deaths, whereas the srotāpanna cuts them down to seven; hence it is called an escape.' In these words there is no sign of fear; this is called the fourth fearlessness. Having not the slightest sign of fear in these four situations, they are called the four fearlessnesses.
"The faultless three karmas": precisely because guilt is exhausted, there is nothing; the three karmas spontaneously do not give rise to evil, hence they are called the faultless three karmas.
"The three-times-six unshared": the eighteen unshared dharmas. The first six are: no fault in the body, no fault in speech, no fault in mindfulness, no sign of fear, no scattered mind, and no abandoning mind without awareness. These first six clarify self-practice. The middle six are: no decline in zeal, no decline in intention, no decline in vigor, no decline in wisdom, no decline in liberation, and no decline in the knowledge and vision of liberation. Because these [relate to] the fulfillment of [removing] the six hindrances, they are all said to have no decline. The final six are: bodily karma following the practice of wisdom, mental karma following the practice of wisdom, vocal karma following the practice of wisdom, and wisdom knowing the past, future, and present without hindrance or obstruction. These latter six block outer transformations. These eighteen dharmas are not shared with inferior people; hence they are called unshared.
"All merit and supreme path dharmas": the merits of all buddhas are incalculable and boundless, and cannot be completely spoken of; hence this summarizes them. From "manifesting everything to me" down to this point, it specifically reveals the merits of the buddha-stage.
From "various matters are taught and flow into the ten directions" down: clarifies all the bodhisattvas praising the radiant light of the Tathāgata's prajñā flowing into the ten directions, pervading all buddha-lands without exception.