華嚴經 品二十五 十迴向品 · 第二不壞迴向Avataṃsaka Sūtra · The Ten Dedications · The Second, the Indestructible Dedication

The second dedication is named not from ‘the goodness that is dedicated’ but from ‘the faith that dedicates’ — the ten indestructible faiths are the opening passage of this dedication, and Chengguan determines it as 「於諦寶等十種勝境，深信堅固，得不壞名」 tr. “toward the ten surpassing objects, the truths, the jewels, and the rest, his deep faith is firm, and hence it gains the name indestructible” . And the sense of 「不壞」 tr. “indestructible” has two layers: on the side of phenomenon it is that faith is firm and cannot be shifted; on the side of principle it is as in the Benye jing which Chengguan cites, 「念念不住，故名不壞」 tr. “in thought after thought it does not abide, and therefore it is called indestructible” — that it does not abide in thought after thought is of itself the sense of destruction, and only because there is nothing that abides is it truly indestructible. From this Chengguan concludes with a sentence that is the eye of the Huayan school: 「是知善根迴向皆通事事無礙，方真不壞耳。」 tr. “Know then that the dedication of roots of goodness reaches throughout the unobstructedness of phenomenon with phenomenon, and only so is it truly indestructible.” The bone of this section lies in Chengguan's twofold division into ‘the practice of the station · the fruit of the station’, with the practice of the station divided in three into ‘restating · glossing · concluding’, and the glossing divided again in three: raising the roots of goodness that are dedicated, distinguishing the practice of the dedication, and making clear the purpose of the dedication. That the sixty-seven clauses of offering, the eleven clauses of the intent of offering, the eleven clauses of the aspects of dedication, and the ten clauses of the accomplishment of the practice in accordance with marks together with the eleven clauses of the accomplishment of the practice free of marks are 「如次配上」 tr. “matched in order with what is above” is the most orderly correspondence in this passage. The repeated verses are twenty-five; the sixty-fascicle text has twenty-one.

I. Doctrinal Outline and Placement

Chengguan's outline of the practice of the station and the fruit of the station — the whole text of this section enters by way of 「不壞信」 tr. “indestructible faith”, and opens into the practice of the station and the fruit of the station:

「第二不壞迴向。長行中二：先位行、後位果。位行中三，謂牒、釋、結。今初，牒名徵起。謂於諦寶等十種勝境，深信堅固，得不壞名。」 tr. “The second, the indestructible dedication. In the prose there are two: first the practice of the station, then the fruit of the station. Within the practice of the station there are three, namely restating, glossing, and concluding. Now the first: restating the name and raising the question. That is to say, toward the ten surpassing objects, the truths, the jewels, and the rest, his deep faith is firm, and hence it gains the name indestructible.” 〔T35n1735 0701a11–a14〕

The 「釋」 tr. “glossing” of the practice of the station opens further into three parts — and the bone of the prose of this section lies precisely in these three:

「第二「佛子」下，依徵廣釋中三：初舉所迴善根、二辨迴向之行、三明迴向所為。」 tr. “Second, from ‘Son of the Buddha’ onward, within the extensive gloss that follows upon the question there are three: first, raising the roots of goodness that are dedicated; second, distinguishing the practice of the dedication; third, making clear the purpose of the dedication.” 〔T35n1735 0701a17–a18〕

The fruit of the station and the repeated verses — Chengguan determines the fruit of the station by likening it to the fruits of pliancy and the rest in the ten grounds:

「第二位果，亦如十地調柔等果。文中初牒得時、次「得見」下正辨果相、後「菩薩」下總結所屬。」 tr. “Second, the fruit of the station, which is likewise as the fruits of pliancy and the rest in the ten grounds. Within the text, first it restates the time of gaining; next, from ‘he gains the sight’ onward, it properly distinguishes the aspects of the fruit; last, from ‘the bodhisattva’ onward, it concludes in general what it belongs to.” 〔T35n1735 0702a04–a05〕

「第二偈頌。二十五偈分三：初二頌所迴善根，及第一節迴向；次十八偈頌所成供行，復將迴向；後五偈頌迴向所為。」 tr. “Second, the verses. The twenty-five verses divide into three: the first two put into verse the roots of goodness that are dedicated, together with the dedication of the first section; the next eighteen verses put into verse the practice of offering that is accomplished, and the dedicating of it again; the last five verses put into verse the purpose of the dedication.” 〔T35n1735 0702a06–a08〕

Fazang's outline (upon the sixty-fascicle text):

「第二不壞迴向中二：先長行、後偈頌。前中亦二：先位行、後位果。前中三，謂標、釋、結。」 tr. “Within the second, the indestructible dedication, there are two: first the prose, then the verses. Within the former there are likewise two: first the practice of the station, then the fruit of the station. Within the former there are three, namely indicating, glossing, and concluding.” 〔T35n1733 0248a08–a09〕

II. Terminology

III. Similes and Rhetoric

(1) The five similes of likeness (a conjuring · an image · a transformation · an echo · a shadow) — 「知業如幻，業報如像，諸行如化；因緣生法，悉皆如響；菩薩諸行，一切如影」 tr. “he knows that karma is like a conjuring, that the retribution of karma is like an image, that the several activities are like transformations; that the dharmas born of causes and conditions are all like an echo; that the several practices of a bodhisattva are all like a shadow” 〔T10n0279 0128b20–b22〕:

• What the similes rest upon: a conjured thing, an image in a mirror, a conjured person, an echo in a valley, and a shadow cast by light — all five appear and yet are not real.
• What the similes are of: the five matters of karma, the retribution of karma, the several activities, the dharmas born of causes and conditions, and the several practices of a bodhisattva.
• The sense displayed: Chengguan determines this passage to be 「離相行成」 tr. “the accomplishment of the practice free of marks”, and attaches its sequence, saying 「初唯心觀成、次「知業」下緣生無性觀成」 tr. “first the contemplation of mind-only is accomplished; next, from ‘he knows that karma’ onward, the contemplation of the naturelessness of what is born of conditions is accomplished” 〔T35n1735 0701c17–c19〕 — the five similes do not urge one to make light of karma and practice; they are a contemplation of naturelessness within practice itself.

(2) The simile of the great bright lamp (in the repeated verses) — 「專心想念於諸佛，一切世間大明燈」 tr. “with a single mind he calls the buddhas to mind, the great bright lamps of every world” 〔T10n0279 0128c25〕: the Buddha is likened to a lamp, making clear that his appearing in the world is what breaks the darkness for the world; the sixty-fascicle text at the same place has 「專心觀察諸最勝，一切世間大明燈」 tr. “with a single mind he contemplates the most surpassing ones, the great bright lamps of every world” 〔T09n0278 0492c20〕.

(3) The simile of the king of mountains (in the repeated verses) — 「造立無等最勝形，寶藏淨金為莊嚴，巍巍高大如山王，其數無量百千億」 tr. “he sets up the surpassing form that has no equal, with treasuries of jewels and pure gold for its adornment; towering and lofty like the king of mountains, their number measureless, hundreds of thousands of koṭis” 〔T10n0279 0129a02–a03〕: the height and greatness of the king of mountains is the simile for the measure of the honored forms that are set up.

(4) The simile of the prison of birth and death (in the repeated verses) — 「以是淨眼而迴向，開彼世間生死獄」 tr. “dedicating with an eye pure as this, he opens up that prison of birth and death of the world” 〔T10n0279 0129a19〕: birth and death are likened to a prison, and the use of the dedication is attached to the graph 「開」 tr. “opens” — dedication is not guarding one's merit for oneself; it is opening the prison of another.

(5) The rhetoric of the array of offerings — the sixty-seven clauses of asaṃkhyeya run on one after another, and the six gates (the mixed gate of twenty clauses · seats · walking places · palaces · adornment by trees · adorning the palaces) enter into one another layer upon layer, closing at the end with the three positions of above, midst, and below in 「阿僧祇金網彌覆其上，阿僧祇香周匝普熏，阿僧祇衣敷布其地」 tr. “asaṃkhyeya golden nets spread over them, asaṃkhyeya incenses perfuming them all around, asaṃkhyeya robes spread upon their ground” 〔T10n0279 0128a17–a18〕. Chengguan determines of these six gates that 「亦純雜無礙」 tr. “the pure and the mixed are likewise unobstructed” 〔T35n1735 0701b21〕.

IV. Collation with Parallel Translations

The Chinese witnesses for the principal sentences of this section: Śikṣānanda T279 (the base text · fascicle twenty-four) · Buddhabhadra T278 (the Jin translation, the sixty-fascicle Avataṃsaka · “The Ten Dedications of the Bodhisattva Vajra Banner, chapter twenty-one” · fascicle fourteen). Of the forty-fascicle Avataṃsaka T293 only chapter thirty-nine survives, and there is no counterpart to this chapter; in the separately circulating parallel translation, the Pusa benye jing T10n0281, a search for 「迴向」 tr. “dedication” yields zero hits 〔not found〕.

Clause One　Restating the Name and Raising the Question

What the variants bear upon: (a) The interrogative differs in form — the 80 has 「云何為」 tr. “what is”, the 60 has 「何等為」 tr. “which is”. (b) The question-sentence of the 60 marks 「第二」 tr. “the second” itself, while the question-sentence of the 80 does not mark it and instead marks it in the concluding sentence, 「是為菩薩摩訶薩第二不壞迴向」 tr. “this is the second, the indestructible dedication, of a bodhisattva-mahāsattva” 〔T10n0279 0128c07〕.

Clause Two　The Ten Indestructible Faiths

What the variants bear upon: (a) Both witnesses have ten occurrences of 「得不壞信」 tr. “gains an indestructible faith” in this passage, and the items of sense can be matched one to one. (b) In the clause on the dharmas of the buddhas the 60 does not use the wording 「得不壞信」 tr. “gains an indestructible faith” but has 「一向直心，而不可壞」 tr. “wholly of a straightforward mind, and it cannot be destroyed”; in the clause on the teachings of the buddhas the 60 opens it into the two clauses 「於諸佛教」 tr. “toward the teachings of the buddhas” and 「守護一切諸如來法」 tr. “guarding all the dharmas of the tathāgatas”, while the 80 joins them into a single clause and takes 「守護住持故」 tr. “because he guards them and upholds them” as its gloss. (c) In the clause on the pure and immaculate dharmas the 60 separately makes it a body of question and gloss (「何以故？修集一切諸善根故」 tr. “Why is this? Because he cultivates and amasses all the several roots of goodness”), while the 80 closes directly with a clause ending in 「故」 tr. “because”. (d) The 80's 「慈眼等觀」 tr. “he looks upon them equally with kindly eyes” 〔0127b24–b25〕 ↔ the 60's 「常以愛眼，等觀一切」 tr. “always with loving eyes he looks upon all equally” 〔0491b12〕. Recorded without adjudication.

Clause Three　The Person of the Narration in Dedicating the Surpassing Retribution

What the variants bear upon: this is the largest structural difference of form in this section. The 80 narrates the whole passage of offering directly in the third person; the 60 first sets up 「作如是念」 tr. “he makes this reflection”, and everything below it — the articles of offering, the adorned palaces, and on to the offering to the buddhas — is taken into an inner quotation of the bodhisattva's own reflection (running from 〔0491c06〕 to 〔0492a13〕 at 「出過諸天。」 tr. “beyond the heavens.”), and therefore the 60 has first-person sentences such as 「令我修行菩薩行時」 tr. “that when I cultivate the bodhisattva practice” and 「我常供養彼諸如來」 tr. “I always make offerings to those tathāgatas” 〔0492a24〕, which the 80 does not have. Recorded without adjudication.

Clause Four　The Articles of Offering and the Intent of the Offering

What the variants bear upon: (a) The sequence of the items of offering and their vocabulary differ between the two witnesses — the 60 has in addition the items 「香」 tr. “incense”, 「塗香」 tr. “unguents”, 「莊嚴」 tr. “adornment”, 「供給」 tr. “provision”, 「信樂」 tr. “faith and delight”, 「敬念」 tr. “reverent mindfulness”, 「淨信」 tr. “pure faith”, 「堅固香」 tr. “firm incense”, 「上味飯食」 tr. “food of the finest flavor”, 「恭敬」 tr. “respect”, and 「禮拜」 tr. “obeisance”, and it uses 「輪」 tr. “wheels” in place of part of the 80's 「經行處」 tr. “walking places” (as in the 60's 「阿僧祇一切寶輪」 tr. “asaṃkhyeya wheels of all jewels” 〔T09n0278 0491c20〕). (b) The 80 has sixty-seven clauses of offering (by the verbatim count of the base text; Chengguan determines that 「有六十七句，為六」 tr. “there are sixty-seven clauses, forming six” 〔T35n1735 0701b19〕), while the 60 sets up no outline upon this number. (c) In the first clause of the intent of the offering, the 80 has 「生淨信」 tr. “give rise to pure faith” and the 60 has 「皆悉歡喜」 tr. “all of them rejoice”. Recorded without adjudication.

Clause Five　The Aspects of the Dedication

What the variants bear upon: the 80 has twelve clauses, the 60 six; the sequence of sense in the six clauses (the pure · the nature of the dharmas · the skillful means without practice · measureless skillful means · leaving the states of existence · the skillful means free of marks) corresponds in the main to the first six clauses of the 80, while the 80's last six clauses (universally taking in roots of goodness · universally purifying the several practices · giving rise to the mind of awakening · dwelling together with roots of goodness · fulfilling the mind of faith and understanding) are not separately brought out here in the 60. Recorded without adjudication.

Clause Six　The Concluding Sentence and the Repeated Verses

What the variants bear upon: (a) The concluding sentence differs by one graph, 「是為」 tr. “this is” against 「是名」 tr. “this is called”. (b) In the manner of entering the verses, the 80 has 「觀察十方，承佛神力」 tr. “surveyed the ten directions and, sustained by the spiritual power of the Buddha” and the 60 has 「承佛神力，普觀十方」 tr. “sustained by the spiritual power of the Buddha, surveyed the ten directions universally” — the order of the two matters is reversed, and the 60 has in addition the two graphs 「乃至」 tr. “and so on up to”. (c) The number of verses differs: the 80 has twenty-five verses (by the verbatim count of the base text, fifty lines; Chengguan determines that 「二十五偈分三」 tr. “the twenty-five verses divide into three” 〔T35n1735 0702a06〕), the 60 twenty-one verses 〔T09n0278 0492c12–0493b03〕. (d) The sense set up in the first verse likewise differs: the 80 sets it up upon 「不壞意」 tr. “the indestructible intent” 〔T10n0279 0128c17〕, the 60 upon 「所乘堅固不可壞」 tr. “what he rides upon is firm and cannot be destroyed”. Recorded without adjudication.

V. Scriptural Grounds of Sectarian Doctrine (the doctrinal eye)

(1) The two layers of the sense of 「不壞」 tr. “indestructible” — on the side of phenomenon faith is firm, on the side of principle it does not abide in thought after thought. All ten clauses of the scriptural text close their objects with 「得不壞信」 tr. “gains an indestructible faith”, which is firmness on the side of phenomenon. And Chengguan, immediately after explaining the name, cites the Benye jing and turns to the side of principle:

「然十表無盡，信通事理。故《本業》云「觀一切法但有用、但有名，念念不住，故名不壞。」是知善根迴向皆通事事無礙，方真不壞耳。」 tr. “Yet the ten betoken the endless, and faith reaches through both phenomenon and principle. Therefore the Benye jing says: ‘Contemplating that all dharmas have only function and only name, in thought after thought they do not abide, and therefore it is called indestructible.’ Know then that the dedication of roots of goodness reaches throughout the unobstructedness of phenomenon with phenomenon, and only so is it truly indestructible.” 〔T35n1735 0701a14–a17〕

The Yanyi chao states this sense again, and breaks open what seems to contradict in it:

「單取不住即是剎那無常，合是壞義。以無所住，故名不壞，則是理不壞義耳。」 tr. “If one takes only the not abiding, that is momentary impermanence, which properly is the sense of destruction. It is because there is nothing that abides that it is called indestructible — this then is the sense of being indestructible on the side of principle.” 〔T36n1736 0370c05–c06〕

Not abiding is of itself the mark of destruction, and it is precisely because there is nothing that abides that there is nothing that can be destroyed — this is the ground of reason for the naming of this dedication, and it is also what Chengguan's determination that this dedication 「通事事無礙」 tr. “reaches throughout the unobstructedness of phenomenon with phenomenon” rests upon.

(2) The ten indestructible faiths do not go beyond the three jewels and the four faiths. Chengguan divides what the ten clauses belong to:

「今初。十句不出三寶四信，初句佛寶、次句僧寶、餘皆法寶。於中，初句是總，兼含理法；餘七句別。別中，初一教法。次四行法：一大悲行；二惡止善行，行亦攝於戒；三迴向行；四近友行。次一果法。後一重舉行法，意欲總包其中理法，即信真如。」 tr. “Now the first. The ten clauses do not go beyond the three jewels and the four faiths: the first clause is the jewel of the Buddha, the next clause the jewel of the Saṅgha, and the rest are all the jewel of the Dharma. Within these, the first clause is the general one, and it also contains the dharma of principle; the remaining seven clauses are particular. Among the particular, the first one is the dharma of the teaching. The next four are dharmas of practice: first, the practice of great compassion; second, the practice of stopping evil and doing good, a practice that also takes in the precepts; third, the practice of dedication; fourth, the practice of drawing near to friends. The next one is the dharma of the fruit. The last one raises again the dharma of practice, the intent being to gather in altogether the dharma of principle within it, that is, to have faith in suchness.” 〔T35n1735 0701a20–a25〕

The objects of faith in the ten clauses run downward from the Buddha, the Saṅgha, and the dharma of the buddhas, and the last clause, 「於一切菩薩善巧方便行得不壞信」 tr. “toward the practice of skillful means of all bodhisattvas he gains an indestructible faith” 〔T10n0279 0127b29–c02〕, raises again the dharma of practice, which Chengguan determines to be intended to gather in altogether the dharma of principle, that is, faith in suchness — and so the end of the ten clauses still returns to principle.

(3) The dedication is directed through to three places. Chengguan says it outright at the place where the surpassing retribution is dedicated: 「謂依迴向得報，復將迴向通向三處。」 tr. “That is to say, in dependence on the dedication he gains retribution, and takes it again to dedicate, directing it through to the three places.” 〔T35n1735 0701b10–b11〕 And at the place where the roots of goodness are dedicated he determines that 「即雙向眾生、菩提」 tr. “it is directed toward both beings and awakening” 〔0701a29–b01〕. The names of the three places (beings · awakening · the true limit) come from Chengguan's general explanation of the chapter, and Zhiyan's Souxuan ji likewise sets up these three:

「迴向有三：一迴向眾生與物同成故、二迴向菩提捨諸世有故、三迴向實際用歸極體故。」 tr. “Dedication is of three kinds: first, dedicating to beings, because one accomplishes together with other things; second, dedicating to awakening, because one casts off the several worldly states of existence; third, dedicating to the true limit, because its use returns to the ultimate substance.” 〔T35n1732 0043a12–a14〕

(4) Freedom from marks and according with marks are practiced together. Chengguan determines of the eleven clauses of the aspects of dedication that 「前六離相、後五隨相」 tr. “the first six are free of marks, the last five accord with marks” 〔T35n1735 0701c02〕, and at the place of the accomplishment of the practice of dedication he sets up three parts — the accomplishment of the practice in accordance with marks, the accomplishment of the practice free of marks, and the twofold conclusion that the two practices are unobstructed 〔0701c03–c05〕. His determination of how the according with marks can be accomplished is precisely by the freedom from marks:

「今初，有三：初牒前，由前離相，非唯不礙隨相，亦能成此隨相。」 tr. “Now the first, which has three: first, restating what precedes — because of the foregoing freedom from marks, not only is there no obstruction to according with marks, but this according with marks is thereby accomplished.” 〔T35n1735 0701c05–c06〕

That the accomplishment of the practice free of marks can be accomplished is in turn by the phenomenon not obstructing the principle: 「二明離相行成，由前事不礙理，故觸境了如。」 tr. “Second, making clear the accomplishment of the practice free of marks: because in the foregoing the phenomenon does not obstruct the principle, therefore upon touching an object he understands it as suchness.” 〔T35n1735 0701c16–c17〕 The two practices being established, he closes them twofold at the end with 「善巧思惟」 tr. “reflects with skill”: 「三雙結二行無礙以成迴向中，初總，明不迷理惑事、故名善巧思惟」 tr. “Third, within the twofold conclusion that the two practices are unobstructed and thereby accomplish the dedication: first, in general, making clear that he is not deluded about principle nor confused about phenomena, and therefore it is called reflecting with skill” 〔T35n1735 0701c26–c27〕 — and the scriptural text 「菩薩如是善巧思惟，無有迷惑，不違諸法，不壞業因」 tr. “In this way the bodhisattva reflects with skill: he has no confusion, he does not go against the dharmas, he does not destroy the causes of karma” 〔T10n0279 0128b26–b27〕 is just this.

(5) The eleven clauses of the aspects of dedication and the ten clauses of the accomplishment of the practice are matched in order. Chengguan, upon the ten clauses of the accomplishment of the practice in accordance with marks, restates and matches them one by one with the foregoing eleven clauses of dedication, concluding at the end 「如次配上」 tr. “matched in order with what is above” 〔T35n1735 0701c14〕; and for the accomplishment of the practice free of marks he matches the eleven clauses and says 「亦如次配前」 tr. “likewise matched in order with what precedes” 〔0701c19–c20〕. This correspondence internal to the scriptural text is the pivot for reading this section.

(6) The eye of the Huayan school, and Tongxuan's reading by the substance of the precepts. Chengguan's 「善根迴向皆通事事無礙」 tr. “the dedication of roots of goodness reaches throughout the unobstructedness of phenomenon with phenomenon” 〔T35n1735 0701a16–a17〕 is the eye by which the Huayan line reads this dedication; Li Tongxuan sets up another track, taking the precepts as the substance of this station:

「第二不壞迴向，以戒波羅蜜為體，餘九為伴。」 tr. “The second, the indestructible dedication, takes the perfection of the precepts as its substance, the remaining nine being its companions.” 〔T36n1739 0859a29〕

He also explains the indestructible by the true nature flowing along with others: 「真性無虧，同流入俗，名為不壞。」 tr. “The true nature suffers no loss; flowing along together with others it enters into the common world — this is called indestructible.” 〔T36n1739 0791a20〕 「體恒自白淨，是故名為不壞迴向。」 tr. “The substance is of itself constantly pure and immaculate, and it is therefore called the indestructible dedication.” 〔T36n1739 0859c03〕

VI. Divergent Interpretations of the Commentators (the ancient masters · with their tenets indicated)

Chengguan, Huayan jing shu T35n1735 · Yanyi chao T36n1736 (glossing the eighty-fascicle text clause by clause · principal)

The explanation of the name: 「謂於諦寶等十種勝境，深信堅固，得不壞名。」 tr. “That is to say, toward the ten surpassing objects, the truths, the jewels, and the rest, his deep faith is firm, and hence it gains the name indestructible.” 〔T35n1735 0701a13–a14〕

Planting goodness in dependence on faith: 「第二依信種善根中二：先種善根、後「令菩提」下長菩薩道，有十句，初總、餘別，可知。」 tr. “Second, within the planting of roots of goodness in dependence on faith there are two: first, planting roots of goodness; then, from ‘causing the mind of awakening’ onward, lengthening the bodhisattva path, which has ten clauses, the first general and the rest particular — it can be known.” 〔T35n1735 0701a25–a27〕

The ten clauses of dedicating the roots of goodness and the nine clauses of the concluding accomplishment:

「今初，先總明迴向菩提之果、「願常」下別明迴向成得果之因。文有十句：初三行緣、次二行因、後五所成之行。初成利他行，即迴向眾生意；次三自利；後一通二利。二結成中九句：前三通顯收攝，亦是聞慧，一積一至多、二令至究竟、三隨一使增；次四皆思慧；後二修慧起行為修習，相應為安住。」 tr. “Now the first: at the outset it makes clear in general the dedicating to the fruit of awakening; from ‘may I always’ onward it makes clear in particular the causes by which the dedication accomplishes and gains that fruit. The text has ten clauses: the first three are the conditions of practice; the next two the causes of practice; the last five the practice that is accomplished. The first accomplishes the practice of benefiting others, which is the sense of dedicating to beings; the next three are for one's own benefit; the last one runs through both benefits. Second, within the concluding accomplishment there are nine clauses: the first three display in common the gathering in, and are also the wisdom born of hearing — first, amassing one and reaching to many; second, causing it to reach the ultimate; third, following upon one and causing increase; the next four are all the wisdom born of reflection; the last two are the wisdom born of cultivation, the raising of practice being cultivating, and being in accord being dwelling.” 〔T35n1735 0701b02–b09〕

The six gates of the offerings and the intent of the offering:

「二廣顯中四：一廣列供事、二明供佛、三顯供意、四結分齊。今初，廣列供事，有六十七句，為六：初二十句雜門，明內外之供；下皆純門，二座、三經行處、四宮殿、五樹嚴、六嚴宮殿，亦純雜無礙，可知。」 tr. “Second, within the extensive display there are four: first, listing the offerings extensively; second, making clear the offering to the buddhas; third, displaying the intent of the offering; fourth, concluding its extent. Now the first, the extensive listing of the offerings, has sixty-seven clauses, forming six: the first twenty clauses are the mixed gate, making clear the offering of what is inner and of what is outer; those below are all pure gates — second, seats; third, walking places; fourth, palaces; fifth, adornment by trees; sixth, adorning the palaces — and the pure and the mixed are likewise unobstructed; it can be known.” 〔T35n1735 0701b17–b22〕

「三「為令一切」下明供意，有十一句，可知。」 tr. “Third, from ‘in order that all’ onward it makes clear the intent of the offering, which has eleven clauses; it can be known.” 〔T35n1735 0701b23–b24〕

The two senses in glossing 「如其所應」 tr. “according with what is fitting”:

「言如其所應者，有二義：一隨何所要，如應即供；二稱佛境界所應之供，謂不以稱法界之供，不能供稱法界之佛故。」 tr. “As for what is said, ‘according with what is fitting’: there are two senses. First, whatever is required, he offers as is fitting; second, the offering that is fitting to the object-realm of a buddha — that is to say, because without an offering that matches the Dharma realm one cannot make offerings to a buddha who matches the Dharma realm.” 〔T35n1735 0701b15–b17〕

The purpose of the dedication, and the works of Māra:

「初句總明、後「不斷」下別顯。於中，前離魔業，通一切惡。後魔事業，通一切相，但違法印皆魔事故。」 tr. “The first clause makes it clear in general; then, from ‘he does not cut off’ onward, it displays it in particular. Within this, the earlier ‘leaving the deeds of Māra’ runs through all evil; the later ‘the works and deeds of Māra’ runs through all marks, because whatever goes against the seal of the dharma is a work of Māra.” 〔T35n1735 0701c29–0702a02〕

• Supplementary record of the verbatim Chengguan citations used in the exposition (per fascicle twenty-six of the Shu): 「謂非唯如上所列，故云不可盡」 tr. “that is, it is not only what is listed above, and therefore it says ‘cannot be exhausted’” 〔T35n1735 0701b25〕 · 「初不離大悲，兼迴向眾生之意；「無有執著」下離妄契真，即離相之意；後「諸佛」下結前生後。」 tr. “First, not departing from great compassion, and including the sense of dedicating to sentient beings; from ‘without any attachment’ onward, leaving the false and tallying with the true, which is the sense of being free of marks; last, from ‘the buddhas’ onward, concluding what precedes and giving rise to what follows.” 〔0701b28〕 · 「於中有十一句，前六離相、後五隨相。」 tr. “Within it there are eleven clauses: the first six are free of marks, the last five accord with marks.” 〔0701c02〕 · 「一由前法性相應故，隨生死而不變；二以入無作成所作故，求一切智未曾退轉」 tr. “first, because of the foregoing accord with the nature of dharmas, he follows birth and death without changing; second, because he enters the unmade and accomplishes what is to be done, he seeks omniscience without ever turning back” 〔0701c07〕 · 「十由善根同住故，具足十力」 tr. “tenth, because he dwells together with the roots of goodness, he is complete in the ten powers” 〔0701c14〕 · 「故下釋云：以平等印普印諸業則離魔也。」 tr. “Therefore the explanation below says: sealing all deeds everywhere with the seal of equality is to be free of Māra.” 〔0702a02〕 · 「前八頌所迴善根；後十頌迴向之行」 tr. “the first eight verses are the roots of goodness that are dedicated; the last ten verses are the practice of dedication” 〔0702a08〕 · 「初四頌迴向之心、次二頌迴向之相、後四頌迴向行成」 tr. “the first four verses are the mind of dedication, the next two verses the mark of dedication, and the last four verses the accomplishment of the practice of dedication” 〔0702a09〕.

Fazang, Tanxuan ji T35n1733 (the commentary on the sixty-fascicle text)

The three parts within the gloss (differing in name from Chengguan's ‘raising the roots of goodness that are dedicated · distinguishing the practice of the dedication · making clear the purpose of the dedication’, but corresponding in sequence):

「釋中三：先舉所迴行體；二「菩薩如是等善根」下正辨迴向；三「菩薩如是善根迴向欲度一切」下明迴向益相。」 tr. “Within the gloss there are three: first, raising the substance of the practice that is dedicated; second, from ‘the bodhisattva, with roots of goodness such as these’ onward, properly distinguishing the dedication; third, from ‘the bodhisattva, dedicating roots of goodness in this way, wishing to deliver all’ onward, making clear the aspects of the benefit of the dedication.” 〔T35n1733 0248a09–a12〕

The ten clauses of indestructible faith divided in three (differing from Chengguan's outline of the three jewels and the four faiths):

「前中十句，分三：初三於三寶境得不壞信，先佛、次僧、後法。二有四句，於所修行得不壞信，於中一信護持正法決定成行；二信迴向眾生決定令益；三信所修善根順理白淨，文有標、釋；四信所行迴向之行，直心等釋成。三有三句，於難知境得不壞信。」 tr. “Within the former, the ten clauses divide into three: the first three gain indestructible faith toward the objects that are the three jewels — first the Buddha, next the Saṅgha, last the Dharma. The second has four clauses, gaining indestructible faith toward what is practiced: within these, first, faith that guarding and upholding the true dharma will decidedly accomplish practice; second, faith that dedicating to beings will decidedly benefit them; third, faith that the roots of goodness cultivated accord with principle and are pure and immaculate, the text having an indication and a gloss; fourth, faith in the practice of dedication that is practiced, the straightforward mind and the rest glossing and completing it. The third has three clauses, gaining indestructible faith toward objects that are hard to know.” 〔T35n1733 0248a13–a19〕

The difficulty of having faith in the dharma master: 「一信說法師，如夜叉說法亦起佛想」 tr. “first, faith in the master who expounds the dharma — even when a yakṣa expounds the dharma one gives rise to the thought that he is a buddha” 〔T35n1733 0248a19–a20〕

Li Tongxuan, Xin Huayan jing lun T36n1739 (another track, by the betokening of dharmas)

「第二不壞迴向，為明以真理智而同纏利生」 tr. “The second, the indestructible dedication, is to make clear that with the wisdom of true principle he shares in the bonds and benefits the living” 〔T36n1739 0791a13〕 「第二不壞迴向，以戒波羅蜜為體，餘九為伴。」 tr. “The second, the indestructible dedication, takes the perfection of the precepts as its substance, the remaining nine being its companions.” 〔T36n1739 0859a29〕 「第二隨文解說者」 tr. “Second, explaining following the text” 〔T36n1739 0859b27〕 「體恒自白淨，是故名為不壞迴向。」 tr. “The substance is of itself constantly pure and immaculate, and it is therefore called the indestructible dedication.” 〔T36n1739 0859c03〕 「此是不壞迴向之大體」 tr. “this is the great substance of the indestructible dedication” 〔T36n1739 0859c20〕

Zhiyan, Souxuan ji T35n1732

「二不壞者，自行堅固也。」 tr. “The second, the indestructible, means that his own practice is firm.” 〔T35n1732 0043a16–a17〕

Recorded Without Adjudication

As to where the explanation of the name comes down: Chengguan attaches it to ‘firm deep faith toward the ten surpassing objects’ and returns it to the sense of indestructibility on the side of principle in the Benye jing; Fazang, upon the sixty-fascicle text, sets up the three parts of the practice of the station as 「標、釋、結」 tr. “indicating, glossing, concluding” and does not separately state the principle of indestructibility; Li Tongxuan takes the perfection of the precepts as the substance and explains the indestructible by the true nature flowing along with others; and Zhiyan sets up the sense in the single phrase 「自行堅固」 tr. “his own practice is firm”. As to the outline of the ten clauses of indestructible faith, Chengguan makes it the three jewels and the four faiths (one for the Buddha · one for the Saṅgha · eight for the Dharma), Fazang makes it three parts (three for the objects that are the three jewels · four for what is practiced · three for objects hard to know) — the numbers obtained by the two outlines and what they are assigned to both differ. As to the three parts of the practice of the station, Chengguan names them 「牒、釋、結」 tr. “restating, glossing, concluding” and Fazang names them 「標、釋、結」 tr. “indicating, glossing, concluding”. As to the outline of the repeated verses, Chengguan, upon the eighty-fascicle text, determines twenty-five verses divided in three, while the sixty-fascicle text has twenty-one verses. All these divergent interpretations are settled accounts of the ancient masters; they are recorded, without adjudicating which is higher.

VII. Cross-Reading and Lineage

The text of this section: its lineage links all return directly by way of cross-readings already made by the ancient masters, with zero new investigation:

• The Pusa yingluo benye jing T24n1485: in the list of the names of the ten minds of dedication, the second is 「不壞迴向心」 tr. “the mind of the indestructible dedication” — 「佛子！十迴向心者，一、救護一切眾生離相迴向心；二、不壞迴向心；三、等一切佛迴向心」 tr. “Sons of the Buddha! As for the ten minds of dedication: first, the mind of the dedication of rescuing and guarding all beings while free of marks; second, the mind of the indestructible dedication; third, the mind of the dedication equal to all buddhas” 〔T24n1485 1014a09–a10〕. The Benye jing passage that Chengguan cites in glossing this dedication, 「念念不住，故名不壞」 tr. “in thought after thought it does not abide, and therefore it is called indestructible” 〔T35n1735 0701a15–a16〕, is a text of this same line.
• Zhiyan's Huayan jing kongmu zhang T45n1870: the general list of the names of the ten dedications — 「明十迴向章十迴向者。一救護一切眾生離眾生相迴向。二不壞迴向。三等一切佛迴向。四至一切處」 tr. “Making clear the chapter of the ten dedications. As for the ten dedications: first, the dedication of rescuing and guarding all beings while free of the marks of beings. Second, the indestructible dedication. Third, the dedication equal to all buddhas. Fourth, reaching every place” 〔T45n1870 0555b08–b09〕; the names are wholly the same as in the eighty-fascicle and the sixty-fascicle texts.
• The ten senses of Chengguan's general explanation of the chapter: this dedication is the seventh among the ten senses, 「迴事向理」 tr. “turning from phenomena and directing toward principle” — 「七迴事向理故不壞迴向。云與諸法性相應，迴向入無作法，成所作迴向。」 tr. “Seventh, turning from phenomena and directing toward principle, hence the indestructible dedication. It says: dedicating in accord with the nature of the dharmas, dedicating by entering the dharma that is without making, dedicating by accomplishing what is done.” 〔T35n1735 0694c27〕 The scriptural sentence Chengguan there restates is precisely this section's 〔T10n0279 0128b06–b07〕 「與諸法性相應迴向，入無作法成就所作方便迴向」 tr. “he dedicates in accord with the nature of the dharmas; he dedicates by entering the dharma that is without making and by the skillful means that accomplishes what is done” — that is, Chengguan proves his own determination by the scriptural text of this very passage.
• The Yogācāra axis: in the four works, the Cheng weishi lun T31n1585 · the She dasheng lun T31n1594 · the Yuqie shidi lun T30n1579 · the Jie shenmi jing T16n0676, a search for 「不壞迴向」 tr. “the indestructible dedication” yields zero hits in all of them 〔not found〕. Chengguan in the general explanation of the chapter speaks only in a broad way of the common sense of turning the cause and directing it to the fruit, and does not point to the proper name of this dedication; therefore no Yogācāra link is separately set up for this section.
• The treatises of the Huayan school: in the three works, the Huayan jing zhigui T45n1871 · the Huayan yisheng shixuan men T45n1868 · the Huayan yisheng jiaoyi fenqi zhang T45n1866, a search for ‘the indestructible dedication’ yields zero hits in all of them 〔not found〕. The Huayan-school lineage face of this section lies solely in Chengguan's one sentence 「善根迴向皆通事事無礙」 tr. “the dedication of roots of goodness reaches throughout the unobstructedness of phenomenon with phenomenon” 〔T35n1735 0701a16–a17〕 and in Tongxuan's reading by the substance of the precepts 〔T36n1739 0859a29〕.

VIII. Edition Location Register

• Śikṣānanda T279 (the base text): the second, the indestructible dedication, begins 〔T10n0279 0127b11〕 (the head of fascicle twenty-four) and ends before 〔0129b09〕. Restating the name and raising the question 0127b18 · the ten indestructible faiths 0127b18–c02 · dwelling in indestructible faith and planting roots of goodness 0127c02–c08 · the ten clauses of dedicating to omniscience 0127c08–c13 · the nine clauses of the concluding accomplishment 0127c13–c16 · the general indication of dedicating the surpassing retribution 0127c16–c18 · the sixty-seven clauses of offerings 0127c18–0128a18 (the mixed gate, twenty clauses, 0127c18–c24 · seats, ten clauses, 0127c24–c28 · walking places, ten clauses, 0127c28–0128a04 · palaces, eight clauses, 0128a04–a08 · adornment by trees, ten clauses, 0128a08–a14 · adorning the palaces, nine clauses, 0128a14–a18) · the offering to the buddhas 0128a18–a22 (offering to the present buddhas 0128a18 · offering to the relics 0128a21) · the eleven clauses of the intent of the offering 0128a22–a28 · concluding the extent 0128a28–b01 · the mind of the dedication 0128b01–b05 · the eleven clauses of the aspects of dedication (Chengguan's outline; the scripture has twelve clauses, the first belonging to the preceding segment) 0128b05–b12 · the accomplishment of the practice in accordance with marks 0128b12–b19 · the accomplishment of the practice free of marks 0128b19–b26 · the twofold conclusion of the two practices 0128b26–c01 · the purpose of the dedication 0128c01–c07 · the fruit of the station 0128c07–c14 · the manner of entering the verses 0128c14–c16 · the twenty-five repeated verses 0128c17–0129b08.
• Buddhabhadra T278 (the Jin translation, the principal collating witness): the second within the list of the names of the ten dedications 〔T09n0278 0488b27–c01〕; the text proper of this dedication begins 〔0491b06〕 and ends before 〔0493b10〕 (the end of fascicle fourteen to the head of fascicle fifteen). The question-sentence 0491b06 · the ten indestructible faiths 0491b06–b20 · dwelling in indestructible faith 0491b20–c05 · ‘he makes this reflection’, where the inner quotation begins, 0491c05 · the offerings 0491c10–0492a12 · the inner quotation ends 0492a13 · the offering to the buddhas and to the relics 0492a13–a22 · the six clauses of dedication 0492a29–b03 · the accomplishment of the practice 0492b03–b18 · the purpose of the dedication 0492b22–b29 · the concluding sentence 0492c01–c02 · the fruit of the station 0492c02–c09 · the manner of entering the verses 0492c10–c11 · the twenty-one repeated verses 0492c12–0493b03.
• Chengguan's Shu T35n1735: the proper gloss of this dedication begins 0701a11 · restating the name and raising the question 0701a12–a17 · the three parts of the extensive gloss following upon the question 0701a17–a18 · the ten clauses as the three jewels and the four faiths 0701a20–a25 · planting goodness in dependence on faith 0701a25–a27 · the two parts making clear the practice of dedication 0701a27–a29 · dedicating the roots of goodness 0701a29–b09 · dedicating the surpassing retribution 0701b09–b25 · the three parts displaying the practice of dedication 0701b26–c27 · the purpose of the dedication 0701c28–0702a03 · the fruit of the station 0702a04–a05 · the outline of the verses 0702a06–a11 · ending at the close of fascicle twenty-six 0702a12. The general explanation of the chapter 0694c06–0695a16 (the passage of the ten senses 0694c15–0695a09 · the text in ten divisions 0695a14–a16).
• Chengguan's Chao T36n1736: the passage glossing the Benye jing on the sense of the indestructible 0370c03–c08. One further occurrence, at 0638c03, belongs to the fifth ground of the chapter The Ten Grounds, where it restates and cites this dedication's clause on 「十種受記」 tr. “the ten kinds of prediction”; it is not a passage explaining the name in this section, and is not taken into the collation.
• Fazang's Tanxuan ji T35n1733: the outline of the second, the indestructible dedication, begins 0248a08 · the three parts of the practice of the station 0248a09–a10 · the three within the gloss 0248a09–a12 · the ten clauses divided in three 0248a13–a19. One further occurrence, at 0469a20, belongs to the passage of the good friends in the chapter Entry into the Dharma Realm, where 「不壞迴向」 tr. “the indestructible dedication” is used as the designation of a station; it is not a passage explaining the name in this section, and is not taken into the collation.
• Li Tongxuan's Lun T36n1739: two occurrences in the general discussion before the chapter, 0791a13 · 0791a20 · the gloss proper to this dedication begins 0859a29 (the division of the sense 0859b08 · explaining following the text 0859b27 · the great substance 0859c20).
• Zhiyan's Souxuan ji T35n1732: the brief gloss of the ten dedications one by one 0043a12–a18 (the second 0043a16–a17). The first occurrence, at 0096a03, of 「不壞迴向」 tr. “the indestructible dedication” belongs to the chapter Entry into the Dharma Realm, where the term is borrowed as the designation of a bodhisattva station; it is not material for this section 〔not recorded〕.
• Variant readings: within the range of T279 covered by this unit, 〔0127b11〕–〔0129b08〕, the Taishō base text carries 1 collation note, recorded one by one without adjudication (base reading 【大】｜variant readings of other witnesses, several witnesses separated by ／): 〔0128c15〕觀察十方，承佛神力【大】｜承佛神力普觀十方【明】.
• A further note upon the variant readings: 1 CBETA emendation (not counted among the Taishō collation notes listed above): 〔0127c12〕侍【CB】｜待【大】／侍【元】【明】【宮】.
• Supplementary note on variant readings: the interlinear notes have been stripped from the source layer and recorded.
• Entries of what is not found: the Huayan jing zhigui T45n1871 · the Huayan yisheng shixuan men T45n1868 · the Huayan yisheng jiaoyi fenqi zhang T45n1866 · the Pusa benye jing T10n0281 · the Cheng weishi lun T31n1585 · the She dasheng lun T31n1594 · the Yuqie shidi lun T30n1579 · the Jie shenmi jing T16n0676 — eight works in all, all with zero hits.