本業瓔珞經疏 1.4

1.4

爾時釋迦牟尼佛已下訖道場樹會。第二明起宗分。就此分中凡有二文。第一從初已下至瓔珞法門。明釋迦如來歎十方諸菩薩等眾中㯹最勘能發問分。第二從釋迦牟尼佛初至樹下已下。訖道場樹會。明釋迦能人捋欲為說賢聖根本瞻察法界眾生根緣擬宜說法分　就初分中復有四文。一嘆土清淨。二嘆佛德戒。三嘆四十二賢聖之因。四嘆能演說法。隨清濁剎敬首發問瓔珞法門。彼國第一者。皆一生補處因中究竟也。無數上人俱者。明十方菩薩數乃無量。上列名中。何故十方各列一人者。若當廣列。竹帛所不容。故上一方之中唯略列上首一人也。頂禮佛足者。明該敬之儀。菩薩是因中之人。如來是果中之者。是我師位。理須致敬。頂是一身之上。足是一形之卑。以上接卑。表敬重情至也。坐于寶蓮華坐者。功德萬行能感佛果為華。安身之處名座。亦可。真空為坐也。第一菩薩名敬首者。東方菩薩也。於此會有緣。故為第一也。歎言決集此會者。歎合時多益也。觀其所止佛國清淨者。歎住處清淨。如維摩經。是指案地。世界清淨等。如來意戒者。以佛神力故。威儀嚴總。無有奢墮。稱聽法之狼。故十地論云。嚴者對威儀濁。四十二賢聖因者。歎大眾久積修行也。得佛變通隨剎清濁度人無極者。能隨淨穢二土廣化眾生也。於是他方佛國亦說瓔珞至所說無異者。明大乘理融法輪處一也。入十方剎諸佛神力師子孔者。舉佛神力無畏之問也。大寶藏海金剛瓔珞法門者。蘊積功意名為寶藏。深而至曠為海。行體堅固名為金剛。莊嚴法身為瓔珞也。

From "At that time Śākyamuni Buddha" down to the assembly at the bodhimaṇḍa tree is the second part, which explains the presentation of the main theme. Within this section there are altogether two passages. The first, from the beginning down to "the dharma gate of the jeweled necklace," clarifies the Tathāgata Śākyamuni praising the most capable among the multitude of bodhisattvas of the ten directions who can formulate questions. The second, from "Śākyamuni Buddha first arrived beneath the tree" down to the assembly at the bodhimaṇḍa tree, clarifies the Able Sage Śākyamuni wishing to expound the roots of the worthy and noble, examining the faculties and conditions of sentient beings in the dharmadhātu, and preparing to expound the Dharma appropriately.
Within the first passage there are again four parts: first, praising the purity of the land; second, praising the Buddha's virtue and precepts; third, praising the causes of the forty-two worthy and noble stages; fourth, praising the ability to expound the Dharma, adapting to pure and defiled lands, where Jingshou raises questions on the dharma gate of the jeweled necklace.
"The foremost of that land": all are at the culmination of the causal stage of being bound to one last birth.
"Together with countless superior beings": clarifies that the bodhisattvas of the ten directions are immeasurable in number. As for listing the names above, why is only one person listed for each of the ten directions? If they were to be listed extensively, the bamboo and silk would not accommodate them; therefore, for each single direction above, only the single leader is briefly listed.
"Bowed their heads to the Buddha's feet": clarifies the etiquette of comprehensive respect. Bodhisattvas are people in the causal stage, while the Tathāgata is one in the fruit stage, holding the status of our master; in principle, respect must be paid. The head is the highest part of a body, and the feet are the lowest part of a form; using the highest to touch the lowest expresses that the feeling of respect is supreme.
"Seated upon precious lotus seats": the myriad practices of merit that can evoke the buddha fruit are the flowers; the place where the body is settled is called the seat. Alternatively, true emptiness is the seat.
"The foremost bodhisattva was named Jingshou": he is the bodhisattva from the eastern direction. Because he has a karmic connection with this assembly, he is the foremost.
"Praised, saying: 'Decisively assembling in this gathering'": praising the great benefit at the time of gathering.
"Observing that the buddha-land where he dwelt was pure": praising the purity of the dwelling place, as in the Vimalakīrti Sūtra, pressing the earth with the toe, the world becomes pure, and so forth.
"The Tathāgata's mental precepts": by the Buddha's divine power, deportment is strict and comprehensive, without extravagance or negligence, matching the eagerness of listening to the Dharma. Therefore the Daśabhūmika-śāstra says: "Strictness contrasts with the defilement of deportment."
"The causes of the forty-two worthy and noble stages": praising the assembly's long-accumulated cultivation.
"Attaining the Buddha's transformations and supernatural penetrations, adapting to the purity and defilement of lands to liberate people boundlessly": being able to broadly transform sentient beings in accordance with both pure and defiled lands.
"From 'in other buddha-lands they also expounded the jeweled necklace' down to 'what was spoken was no different'": explains that the principle of the Mahāyāna is harmonious and the turning of the Dharma wheel is unified.
"Entering the lion's roar of the divine powers of all buddhas of the lands of the ten directions": citing the fearless questions raised through the Buddha's divine power.
"The great precious treasury-ocean adamantine jeweled necklace dharma gate": storing up merit and meaning is called a precious treasury; being deep and vast is an ocean; the substance of practice being firm is called adamantine; and adorning the dharmakāya is the jeweled necklace.