本業瓔珞經疏 1.16

1.16

From here below, Jingshou Bodhisattva raises questions about the method of cultivating true practice; below that, the Tathāgata praises the principle asked by Jingshou as profound, lofty, and identical to that of all buddhas. Within the questioning of this chapter, four questions are posed in total: The first asks about the meaning of learning contemplation, explaining in the gate of reality the two kinds of dharmakāya of the forty-two worthy and noble stages. The second asks what the names are. The third asks about the meaning of the essence. The fourth asks about the dharmas practiced by the mind. In this chapter, only three questions are answered; the one question on the meaning of the essence is answered later in the 'Chapter on Explaining the Meaning'. From 'Listen attentively' onward, as he is about to answer the first question, he first enjoins them to listen. As for 'six lineages', this explains the origin of the preceding forty-two stages; their existence is all engendered due to the nature. Yet the principle of the nature has no distinctions; why then are there six? It is precisely because their inner illumination differs that there are six distinctions. 'Lineage of practice': when this person begins cultivating, their wisdom that enters the principle is subtle and slight; they must rely on following a master and learning before they can come to know that their own body possesses the nature; hence it is called the 'lineage of practice'. 'Lineage of nature': when 'nature' is said first, it means that through practice, this person's understanding becomes clear and sharp, and by their nature they are able to understand the nature within their own body; when 'seed-lineage' is said later, it means this principle of the primary cause serves as the seed for the buddhahood fruit, not being produced from causes and not destroyed by objects; hence it is called 'lineage of nature'. 'Lineage of the path': the preceding lineage of practice attained the emptiness of provisional designations, and the lineage of nature attained the emptiness of the five aggregates; now the lineage of the path contemplates both the provisional and the real together, and is able to serve as the path toward the first ground; hence it is called the 'lineage of the path'. 'Noble lineage': taking grasping and attachment as ordinary and non-attachment as noble, from the first ground up to the Dharma Cloud [Ground], the meaning of eliminating attachment is the same, so it is collectively termed the 'noble lineage'. 'Lineage of equal enlightenment': because understanding is identical with the Buddha, it is called the 'lineage of equal enlightenment'. 'Lineage of wondrous enlightenment': because the enlightenment beyond encumbrances illuminates the essence with exquisite subtlety, it is called the 'lineage of wondrous enlightenment'. Also, 'firm faith' means that in the lineage of practice, faith and understanding are firm. 'Firm dharma' means that in the lineage of nature, understanding of dharmas is firm. 'Firm cultivation' means that in the lineage of the path, cultivation and practice are firm. 'Firm virtue' means that from the first ground upward, virtuous conduct is firm. 'Firm summit' means that the essence of practice in equal enlightenment is firm, and being the highest among causes, it is called 'summit'. 'Firm awakening' means that the Buddha's wisdom awakens to the ten thousand dharmas and the principle is complete. 'Faith forbearance': 'forbearance' means understanding; in the lineage of practice, faith and understanding correspond. 'Dharma forbearance': in the lineage of nature, understanding of dharmas is accomplished. 'Cultivation forbearance': in the lineage of the path, wisdom and understanding are increasingly cultivated. 'Correct forbearance': from the first ground upward, penetrating true emptiness without error is 'correct'. 'Immaculate forbearance': on the stage of equal enlightenment, the obstacle of boundary-defilement is definitively cut off. 'Sarvajñatā forbearance' refers to the Tathāgata. 'Wisdom from hearing': the lineage of practice generates wisdom from hearing. 'Wisdom from reflection': the lineage of nature generates wisdom from reflection. 'Wisdom from cultivation': the lineage of the path generates wisdom from cultivation. 'Wisdom of signlessness': from the first ground upward, the essence is free from all signs. 'Illuminating quiescence': equal enlightenment, along with the Buddha, illuminates the principle of true quiescence. 'Quiescent illumination': the Tathāgata, in his very essence, perfectly illuminates and exhausts the dharmadhātu. 'Abiding contemplation': entering the wisdom (prajñā) of the principle in the lineage of practice is called 'abiding'. 'Practice contemplation': in the lineage of nature, mental practice is accomplished. 'Dedication contemplation': in the lineage of the path, worldly practices are fulfilled and dedicated toward the first ground. 'Ground contemplation': the bodhisattvas on the grounds generating, abiding, and sustaining are called 'ground contemplation'. 'Signless contemplation': on the stage of equal enlightenment, all signs are severed and eliminated. 'Sarvajñatā contemplation': the buddhas know each and every category distinctly. 'Six kinds of clear contemplation': the mind of understanding severs and eliminates dark obstructions. From 'O son of the Buddha, as you said earlier, "what are the names?"' down to 'emanating transformed beings', the names of the forty-two persons are listed in return, answering the second question above. Question: 'The previous Chapter on Names already established the names and designations; now it should directly elucidate the origin of contemplative study. Why does it list the names once again?' Answer: 'Although names were established above, each of these individuals' names has its reason and is not necessarily a single name: some establish names based on fundamental practice, some receive appellations based on functional efficacy, some obtain names through metaphors, and some take what is eliminated as their designation; therefore, they obtain names in various ways and are not necessarily single.' Thus, from 'Taking...' onward, metaphors are borrowed to illustrate, explaining the fruition of taking rebirth, compliance and gentleness, vows and wisdom, adorning the bodily form and embellishing the true [nature], causing beings to revere the form, generate faith and compliance, and cultivate practice. From 'O son of the Buddha' to 'Anointment [Abode]', it answers the names of the first ten persons. The second 'O son of the Buddha' to 'True Bodhisattva' answers the names of the middle ten practicing persons. The third, from 'O son of the Buddha' to 'Measureless Dedication of the Dharmadhātu', answers the names of the ten dedicating persons. The fourth, down to 'Dharma Cloud', answers the names of the ten ground persons. The fifth, from 'O son of the Buddha' to 'Eternally Abiding in the Original Realm', answers the one person of the immaculate [stage]. 'His name is Vajramati Bodhisattva': the name is obtained based on a metaphor. 'Abiding in the supreme quiescent concentration': the 'summit' is the adamantine mind; 'quiescent' is the single-truth samādhi. 'By the power of great vows, abiding in life for kalpas': within the adamantine mind, it is divided into three grades: superior, middling, and inferior. Therefore, in the adamantine mind of inferior forbearance, by the power of great vows, he abides in life for a hundred kalpas cultivating a thousand samādhis, all in a unitary composite sign. 'Again abiding in life for a thousand kalpas' is the middling forbearance of the adamantine mind. 'Learning the Buddha's deportment' means learning the deportment of the Buddha's thirty-two signs and eighty secondary marks. 'Looking with an elephant-king's gaze' means the king of the dharmakāya reveals the transformation that illuminates the ten thousand realms. 'Lion's stride' means the dharmakāya lion roams in all bodies of responsive manifestation in the great six [realms]. 'Cultivating the Buddha's inconceivabilities' refers to the so-called eight inconceivabilities and the four principles of conditioned [dharmas]. 'The dharma of transformation and guidance through supernormal powers' means directing the mind to ride upon the ways of various regions to reveal the impulses of beings. 'The Buddha-dharma appears before him': because he enters the Buddha's dhyāna-concentration, it therefore appears before him. 'Entering the domain of the Buddha's practice': the understanding of the middle way serves as the domain of practice. 'Sitting on the Buddha's bodhimaṇḍa': manifesting the attainment of buddhahood, the responsive body magically sits upon the dharmakāya. The coagulated profundity of dharma-nature serves as the Buddha's bodhimaṇḍa. 'Transcending the three māras': exhausting the profound and fulfilling the nature transcends the defilement-māra; the perfect brilliance of the dharmakāya transcends the aggregate-māra; the six heavens taking refuge and transforming transcends the deva-māra. 'Again abiding in life for ten thousand kalpas': in the adamantine mind of superior forbearance, cultivating all meritorious practices and allowing the spirit to roam beyond the unconditioned realm in the field of emptiness and profundity; hence it is said, 'beyond the realm of the two truths of the equal enlightenment buddhas'. 'Neither existent nor non-existent': because he does not receive retribution in the three realms, he is not existent; because he has not yet shed the three characteristics, he is not non-existent. From 'without mind and without form' onward, it broadly praises all practices of the adamantine mind of superior forbearance. 'Yet in reality not a buddha': because his supernormal practices have not yet exhausted the source, he is not a buddha. 'Manifesting a buddha's supernormal powers': because of inconceivable function, it is said that he manifests a buddha's supernormal powers. 'Eternally abiding in the original realm': abiding in the bodhisattva's stage of reality, empty and identical with profound quiescence, wonderfully persisting in signlessness. From 'O son of the Buddha, crystal necklaces...' down to 'for the sake of transforming those with karmic affinity', it refers to the one person in the lineage of wondrous enlightenment. Below, it loftily praises the virtue of the dharmakāya. From 'Therefore, O sons of the Buddha' onward, it brings up the worthy and noble ones above to admonish the assembly at that time to accept and uphold [it].