華嚴經 品三十九 入法界品 · 嵐毘尼林神（寄善慧地）Avataṃsaka Sūtra · Entering the Dharma Realm · The Goddess of the Lumbinī Grove (Assigned to the Ground of Excellent Wisdom)
善財問的是「菩薩云何修菩薩行、生如來家、為世大明」。
答他的人，住在佛誕生的那座園子裡。
她給了十扇門，門門叫「受生藏」。而她自己得法的地方，不在十扇門裡——在很久很久以前的一個古世，她是一位乳母，諸天把剛出生的太子交到她手上，她「敬受，生大歡喜，即得菩薩普眼三昧」。
一抱之間，就是全部。
從那以後，她見佛在這座園子裡誕生，同時也見一切世界的一切微塵之中，都有如來示現受生——「如是念念，常無間斷」。
而這位知道無量劫受生之事的人，末後把善財指去哪裡？指去迦毘羅城，問一位釋種女：「菩薩云何於生死中教化眾生？」
生佛家，原來不是換一個投胎的去處。
且看到此地。
What Sudhana asked was 「菩薩云何修菩薩行、生如來家、為世大明」 tr. “how a bodhisattva is to cultivate the bodhisattva practices, to be born into the house of the Tathāgata, and to be a great light for the world.”
The one who answered him dwells in that garden where the Buddha was born.
She gave ten gates, and gate after gate is named 「受生藏」 tr. “a treasury of taking birth.” Yet the place where she herself gained the Dharma is not among those ten gates — it lies in an ancient age long, long ago: she was a wet-nurse, the devas laid the newborn prince into her hands, and she 「敬受，生大歡喜，即得菩薩普眼三昧」 tr. “received him with reverence, great gladness arose in her, and at once she gained the bodhisattva samādhi of the universal eye.”
In the space of one embrace, the whole of it.
From that time on she has seen the Buddha take birth in this garden, and has seen at the same moment, within every dust mote of every world, a Tathāgata displaying the taking of birth — 「如是念念，常無間斷」 tr. “thus in thought after thought, ever without a break.”
And this one who knows the taking of birth through measureless kalpas — where does she point Sudhana at the last? To the city of Jiapiluo, to ask a woman of the Śākya clan: 「菩薩云何於生死中教化眾生？」 tr. “how is a bodhisattva to teach and convert beings within birth and death?”
To be born into the house of the buddhas, it turns out, is not to change the place one goes to be reborn.
Let it stand here for now.
〔T10 0401〕
爾時，善財童子於大願精進力救護一切眾生夜神所，得菩薩解脫已，憶念修習，了達增長。
漸次遊行，至嵐毘尼林，周遍尋覓彼妙德神，見在一切寶樹莊嚴樓閣中，坐寶蓮華師子之座，二十億那由他諸天恭敬圍遶，為說菩薩受生海經，令其皆得生如來家，增長菩薩大功德海。善財見已，頂禮其足，合掌前立，白言：「大聖！我已先發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心，而未能知菩薩云何修菩薩行、生如來家、為世大明？」
彼神答言：
「善男子！菩薩有十種受生藏，若菩薩成就此法，則生如來家，念念增長菩薩善根，不疲不懈，不厭不退，無斷無失，離諸迷惑，不生怯劣、惱悔之心，趣一切智，入法界門，發廣大心，增長諸度，成就諸佛無上菩提，捨世間趣，入如來地，獲勝神通，諸佛之法常現在前，順一切智真實義境。
〔T10 0402〕
「何等為十？一者，願常供養一切諸佛受生藏；二者，發菩提心受生藏；三者，觀諸法門勤修行受生藏；四者，以深淨心普照三世受生藏；五者，平等光明受生藏；六者，生如來家受生藏；七者，佛力光明受生藏；八者，觀普智門受生藏；九者，普現莊嚴受生藏；十者，入如來地受生藏。
「善男子！云何名：願常供養一切佛受生藏？善男子！菩薩初發心時，作如是願：『我當尊重、恭敬、供養一切諸佛，見佛無厭，於諸佛所，常生愛樂，常起深信，修諸功德，恒無休息。』是為菩薩為一切智始集善根受生藏。
「云何名：發菩提心受生藏？善男子！此菩薩發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心。所謂：起大悲心，救護一切眾生故；起供養佛心，究竟承事故；起普求正法心，一切無吝故；起廣大趣向心，求一切智故；起慈無量心，普攝眾生故；起不捨一切眾生心，被求一切智堅誓甲故；起無諂誑心，得如實智故；起如說行心，修菩薩道故；起不誑諸佛心，守護一切佛大誓願故；起一切智願心，盡未來化眾生不休息故。菩薩以如是等佛剎微塵數菩提心功德故，得生如來家。是為菩薩第二受生藏。
「云何名：觀諸法門勤修行受生藏？善男子！此菩薩摩訶薩，起觀一切法門海心，起迴向一切智圓滿道心，起正念無過失業心，起一切菩薩三昧海清淨心，起修成一切菩薩功德心，起莊嚴一切菩薩道心，起求一切智大精進行、修諸功德如劫火熾然無休息心，起修普賢行教化一切眾生心，起善學一切威儀、修菩薩功德、捨離一切所有、住無所有真實心。是為菩薩第三受生藏。
「云何名：以深淨心普照三世受生藏？善男子！此菩薩具清淨增上心，得如來菩提光，入菩薩方便海，其心堅固猶若金剛，背捨一切諸有趣生，成就一切佛自在力，修殊勝行，具菩薩根，其心明潔，願力不動，常為諸佛之所護念，破壞一切諸障礙山，普為眾生作所依處。是為菩薩第四受生藏。
「云何名：平等光明受生藏？善男子！此菩薩具足眾行，普化眾生；一切所有，悉皆能捨；住佛究竟淨戒境界；具足忍法，成就諸佛法忍光明；以大精進，趣一切智，到於彼岸；修習諸禪，得普門定；淨智圓滿，以智慧日，明照諸法；得無礙眼，見諸佛海，悟入一切真實法性；一切世間，見者歡喜，善能修習如實法門。是為菩薩第五受生藏。
「云何名：生如來家受生藏？善男子！此菩薩生如來家，隨諸佛住，成就一切甚深法門，具三世佛清淨大願，得一切佛同一善根，與諸如來共一體性，具出世行白淨善法，安住廣大功德法門；入諸三昧，見佛神力；隨所應化，淨諸眾生；如問而對，辯才無盡。是為菩薩第六受生藏。
「云何名：佛力光明受生藏？善男子！此菩薩深入佛力，遊諸佛剎心無退轉，供養承事菩薩眾會無有疲厭，了一切法皆如幻起，知諸世間如夢所見，一切色相猶如光影，神通所作皆如變化，一切受生悉皆如影，諸佛說法皆如谷響，開示法界咸令究竟。是為菩薩第七受生藏。
「云何名：觀普智門受生藏？善男子！此菩薩住童真位，觀一切智一一智門，盡無量劫開演一切菩薩所行，於諸菩薩甚深三昧心得自在，念念生於十方世界諸如來所，於有差別境入無差別定，於無差別法現有差別智，於無量境知無境界，於少境界入無量境，通達法性廣大無際，知諸世間悉假施設，一切皆是識心所起。是為菩薩第八受生藏。
「云何名：普現莊嚴受生藏？善男子！此菩薩能種種莊嚴無量佛剎，普能化現一切眾生及諸佛身，得無所畏，演清淨法，周流法界，無所障礙；隨其心樂，普使知見，示現種種成菩提行，令生無礙一切智道；如是所作不失其時，而常在三昧毘盧遮那智慧之藏。是為菩薩第九受生藏。
「云何名：入如來地受生藏？善男子！此菩薩悉於三世諸如來所受灌頂法，普知一切境界次第。所謂：知一切眾生前際後際沒生次第、一切菩薩修行次第、一切眾生心念次第、三世如來成佛次第、善巧方便說法次第，亦知一切初、中、後際所有諸劫若成若壞名號次第。隨諸眾生所應化度，為現成道功德莊嚴，神通說法，方便調伏。是為菩薩第十受生藏。
「佛子！若菩薩摩訶薩，於此十法修習增長圓滿成就，則能於一莊嚴中，現種種莊嚴；如是莊嚴一切國土，開導示悟一切眾生，盡未來劫無有休息；演說一切諸佛法海種種境界、種種成熟，展轉傳來無量諸法；現不思議佛自在力，充滿一切虛空法界；於諸眾生心行海中而轉法輪，於一切世界示現成佛，恒無間斷；以不可說清淨言音說一切法，住無量處通達無礙；以一切法莊嚴道場，隨諸眾生欲解差別而現成佛，開示無量甚深法藏，教化成就一切世間。」
〔T10 0403〕
爾時，嵐毘尼林神，欲重明其義，以佛神力，普觀十方而說頌言：
「最上離垢清淨心，見一切佛無厭足，
願盡未來常供養，此明慧者受生藏。
一切三世國土中，所有眾生及諸佛，
悉願度脫恒瞻奉，此難思者受生藏。
聞法無厭樂觀察，普於三世無所礙，
身心清淨如虛空，此名稱者受生藏。
其心恒住大悲海，堅如金剛及寶山，
了達一切種智門，此最勝者受生藏。
大慈普覆於一切，妙行常增諸度海，
以法光明照群品，此雄猛者受生藏。
了達法性心無礙，生於三世諸佛家，
普入十方法界海，此明智者受生藏。
法身清淨心無礙，普詣十方諸國土，
一切佛力靡不成，此不思議受生藏。
入深智慧已自在，於諸三昧亦究竟，
觀一切智如實門，此真身者受生藏。
淨治一切諸佛土，勤修普化眾生法，
顯現如來自在力，此大名者受生藏。
久已修行薩婆若，疾能趣入如來位，
了知法界皆無礙，此諸佛子受生藏。
「善男子！菩薩具此十法，生如來家，為一切世間清淨光明。善男子！我從無量劫來，得是自在受生解脫門。」
善財白言：「聖者！此解脫門境界云何？」
答言：
「善男子！我先發願：『願一切菩薩示受生時皆得親近；願入毘盧遮那如來無量受生海。』以昔願力，生此世界閻浮提中嵐毘尼園，專念菩薩何時下生；經於百年，世尊果從兜率陀天而來生此。
「時，此林中現十種相。何等為十？一者，此園中地忽自平坦，坑坎、堆阜悉皆不現。二者，金剛為地，眾寶莊嚴，無有瓦礫、荊棘、株杌。三者，寶多羅樹周匝行列，其根深植至於水際。四者，生眾香芽，現眾香藏，寶香為樹，扶踈蔭映，其諸香氣皆逾天香。五者，諸妙華鬘寶莊嚴具，行列分布，處處充滿。六者，園中所有一切諸樹，皆自然開摩尼寶華。七者，諸池沼中，皆自生華，從地涌出，周布水上。八者，時此林中，娑婆世界欲色所住天、龍、夜叉、乾闥婆、阿脩羅、迦樓羅、緊那羅、摩睺羅伽，一切諸王，莫不來集，合掌而住。九者，此世界中所有天女，乃至摩睺羅伽女皆生歡喜，各各捧持諸供養具，向畢洛叉樹前，恭敬而立。十者，十方一切諸佛𪗇中，皆放光明，名：菩薩受生自在燈，普照此林；一一光中，悉現諸佛受生，誕生所有神變，及一切菩薩受生功德，又出諸佛種種言音。是為林中十種瑞相。此相現時，諸天王等即知當有菩薩下生；我見此瑞，歡喜無量。
「善男子！摩耶夫人出迦毘羅城，入此林時，復現十種光明瑞相，令諸眾生得法光明。何等為十？所謂：一切寶華藏光、寶香藏光、寶蓮華開演出真實妙音聲光、十方菩薩初發心光、一切菩薩得入諸地現神變光、一切菩薩修波羅蜜圓滿智光、一切菩薩大願智光、一切菩薩教化眾生方便智光、一切菩薩證於法界真實智光、一切菩薩得佛自在受生出家成正覺光。此十光明，普照無量諸眾生心。
「善男子！摩耶夫人於畢洛叉樹下坐時，復現菩薩將欲誕生十種神變。何等為十？
「善男子！菩薩將欲誕生之時，欲界諸天天子、天女，及以色界一切諸天、諸龍、夜叉、乾闥婆、阿脩羅、迦樓羅、緊那羅、摩睺羅伽并其眷屬，為供養故，悉皆雲集。摩耶夫人威德殊勝，身諸毛孔咸放光明，普照三千大千世界無所障礙，一切光明悉皆不現，除滅一切眾生煩惱及惡道苦。是為菩薩將欲誕生第一神變。
「又，善男子！當爾之時，摩耶夫人腹中悉現三千世界一切形像，其百億閻浮提內，各有都邑，各有園林，名號不同，皆有摩耶夫人於中止住、天眾圍遶，悉為顯現菩薩將生不可思議神變之相。是為菩薩將欲誕生第二神變。
「又，善男子！摩耶夫人一切毛孔，皆現如來往昔修行菩薩道時，恭敬供養一切諸佛，及聞諸佛說法音聲。譬如明鏡及以水中，能現虛空日月、星宿、雲雷等像；摩耶夫人身諸毛孔亦復如是，能現如來往昔因緣。是為菩薩將欲誕生第三神變。
「又，善男子！摩耶夫人身諸毛孔，一一皆現如來往修菩薩行時，所住世界，城邑聚落，山林河海，眾生劫數，值佛出世，入淨國土，隨所受生，壽命長短，依善知識修行善法，於一切剎在在生處，摩耶夫人常為其母；如是一切，於毛孔中靡不皆現。是為菩薩將欲誕生第四神變。
〔T10 0404〕
「又，善男子！摩耶夫人一一毛孔，顯現如來往昔修行菩薩行時，隨所生處，色相形貌，衣服飲食，苦樂等事，一一普現，分明辯了。是為菩薩將欲誕生第五神變。
「又，善男子！摩耶夫人身諸毛孔，一一皆現世尊往昔修施行時，捨所難捨——頭目耳鼻，脣舌牙齒，身體手足，血肉筋骨，男女妻妾，城邑宮殿，衣服瓔珞，金銀寶貨。——如是一切內外諸物，亦見受者形貌、音聲及其處所。是為菩薩將欲誕生第六神變。
「又，善男子！摩耶夫人入此園時，其林普現過去所有一切諸佛入母胎時國土、園林、衣服、華鬘、塗香、末香、幡繒、幢蓋——一切眾寶莊嚴之事，妓樂歌詠上妙音聲，令諸眾生普得見聞。是為菩薩將誕生時第七神變。
「又，善男子！摩耶夫人入此園時，從其身出菩薩所住摩尼寶王宮殿、樓閣，超過一切天、龍、夜叉、乾闥婆、阿脩羅、迦樓羅、緊那羅、摩睺羅伽及諸人王之所住者，寶網覆上，妙香普熏，眾寶莊嚴，內外清淨，各各差別，不相雜亂，周匝遍滿嵐毘尼園。是為菩薩將誕生時第八神變。
「又，善男子！摩耶夫人入此園時，從其身出十不可說百千億那由他佛剎微塵數菩薩，其諸菩薩身形容貌、相好光明、進止威儀、神通眷屬，皆與毘盧遮那菩薩等無有異，悉共同時讚歎如來。是為菩薩將誕生時第九神變。
「又，善男子！摩耶夫人將欲誕生菩薩之時，忽於其前，從金剛際出大蓮華，名為：一切寶莊嚴藏。金剛為莖，眾寶為鬚，如意寶王以為其臺，有十佛剎微塵數葉，一切皆以摩尼所成，寶網、寶蓋以覆其上。一切天王所共執持；一切龍王降注香雨；一切夜叉王恭敬圍遶，散諸天華；一切乾闥婆王出微妙音，歌讚菩薩往昔供養諸佛功德；一切阿脩羅王捨憍慢心，稽首敬禮；一切迦樓羅王垂寶繒幡，遍滿虛空；一切緊那羅王歡喜瞻仰，歌詠讚歎菩薩功德；一切摩睺羅伽王皆生歡喜，歌詠讚歎，普雨一切寶莊嚴雲。是為菩薩將誕生時第十神變。
「善男子！嵐毘尼園示現如是十種相已，然後菩薩其身誕生。如虛空中現淨日輪，如高山頂出於慶雲，如密雲中而耀電光，如夜闇中而然大炬；爾時，菩薩從母脇生，身相光明亦復如是。善男子！菩薩爾時，雖現初生，悉已了達一切諸法，如夢如幻，如影如像，無來無去，不生不滅。
「善男子！當我見佛於此四天下閻浮提內嵐毘尼園示現初生種種神變時，亦見如來於三千大千世界百億四天下閻浮提內嵐毘尼園中示現初生種種神變；亦見三千大千世界一一塵中無量佛剎，亦見百佛世界、千佛世界乃至十方一切世界一一塵中無量佛剎，如是一切諸佛剎中，皆有如來示現受生種種神變。如是念念，常無間斷。」
時，善財童子白彼神言：「大天得此解脫，其已久如？」
答言：
「善男子！乃往古世，過億佛剎微塵數劫，復過是數。時，有世界名為：普寶，劫名：悅樂，八十那由他佛於中出現；其第一佛，名：自在功德幢，十號具足。彼世界中，有四天下，名：妙光莊嚴；其四天下閻浮提中，有一王都，名：須彌莊嚴幢；其中有王，名：寶焰眼；其王夫人，名曰：喜光。善男子！如此世界摩耶夫人，為毘盧遮那如來之母；彼世界中喜光夫人，為初佛母，亦復如是。
「善男子！其喜光夫人將欲誕生菩薩之時，與二十億那由他采女詣金華園；園中有樓，名：妙寶峯；其邊有樹，名：一切施。喜光夫人攀彼樹枝而生菩薩，諸天王眾各持香水共以洗沐。時，有乳母名為：淨光，侍立其側。既洗沐已，諸天王眾授與乳母。乳母敬受，生大歡喜，即得菩薩普眼三昧；得此三昧已，普見十方無量諸佛，復得菩薩於一切處示現受生自在解脫。如初受胎識，速疾無礙；得此解脫故，見一切佛乘本願力受生自在，亦復如是。善男子！於汝意云何？彼乳母者，豈異人乎？我身是也。我從是來，念念常見毘盧遮那佛示現菩薩受生海調伏眾生自在神力。如見毘盧遮那佛乘本願力，念念於此三千大千，乃至十方一切世界微塵之內，皆現菩薩受生神變；見一切佛悉亦如是，我皆恭敬承事供養，聽所說法，如說修行。」
時，嵐毘尼林神，欲重宣此解脫義，承佛神力，普觀十方而說頌言：
「佛子汝所問，諸佛甚深境；
汝今應聽受，我說其因緣。
過億剎塵劫，有劫名悅樂；
八十那由他，如來出興世。
最初如來號，自在功德幢；
我在金華園，見彼初生日。
我時為乳母，智慧極聰利；
諸天授與我，菩薩金色身。
我時疾捧持，諦觀不見頂，
身相皆圓滿，一一無邊際。
離垢清淨身，相好以莊嚴，
譬如妙寶像，見已自欣慶。
思惟彼功德，疾增眾福海；
見此神通事，發大菩提心。
專求佛功德，增廣諸大願，
嚴淨一切剎，滅除三惡道。
普於十方土，供養無數佛，
修行本誓願，救脫眾生苦。
我於彼佛所，聞法得解脫，
億剎微塵數，無量劫修行。
劫中所有佛，我悉曾供養，
護持其正法，淨此解脫海。
億剎微塵數，過去十力尊，
盡持其法輪，增明此解脫。
我於一念頃，見此剎塵中，
一一有如來，所淨諸剎海。
剎內悉有佛，園中示誕生，
各現不思議，廣大神通力。
或見不思議，億剎諸菩薩，
住於天宮上，將證佛菩提。
無量剎海中，諸佛現受生，
說法眾圍遶，於此我皆見。
一念見億剎，微塵數菩薩，
出家趣道場，示現佛境界。
我見剎塵內，無量佛成道，
各現諸方便，度脫苦眾生。
一一微塵中，諸佛轉法輪，
悉以無盡音，普雨甘露法。
億剎微塵數，一一剎塵內，
悉見於如來，示現般涅槃。
如是無量剎，如來示誕生；
而我悉分身，現前興供養。
不思議剎海，無量趣差別；
我悉現其前，雨於大法雨。
佛子我知此，難思解脫門，
無量億劫中，稱揚不可盡。
〔T10 0405〕
「善男子！我唯知此菩薩於無量劫遍一切處示現受生自在解脫。如諸菩薩摩訶薩，能以一念為諸劫藏，觀一切法，以善方便而現受生；周遍供養一切諸佛，究竟通達一切佛法；於一切趣皆現受生，一切佛前坐蓮華座；知諸眾生應可度時，為現受生方便調伏；於一切剎現諸神變，猶如影像悉現其前。我當云何能知能說彼功德行？
「善男子！此迦毘羅城，有釋種女，名曰：瞿波。汝詣彼問：菩薩云何於生死中教化眾生？」
時，善財童子頂禮其足，遶無數匝，慇懃瞻仰，辭退而去。
〔卷75〕
The canonical text stands in Chinese only. This edition renders the essence, the plain reading, the exposition and the apparatus into English — never the sūtra itself. Switch to 漢讀本 or 並行雙語 above to read it.
依教趣求（澄觀科）：從前一位夜神那裡，走到嵐毘尼林
那時候，善財童子在大願精進力救護一切眾生夜神那裡，得到了菩薩的解脫以後，一路憶念、一路修習，通達了，也增長了。
他就漸漸地遊行過去，到了嵐毘尼林，四處尋找那位妙德神。這才見到她在一座一切寶樹莊嚴的樓閣之中，坐在寶蓮華的師子座上，有二十億那由他（極大之數）那麼多的諸天恭恭敬敬地圍繞著，正在為他們宣說菩薩受生海經，使他們都能夠生在如來之家，增長菩薩的大功德海。
見敬諮問（澄觀科）：三件還不知道的事
善財見了以後，向她的腳下頂禮，合起掌來站在她面前，稟白說：「大聖！我先前已經發了阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心（無上正等正覺之心），可是還不能知道：菩薩要怎樣修菩薩行、怎樣生在如來之家、怎樣做世間的大光明？」
那位神回答說：
標數歎勝（澄觀科）：十種受生藏，成就了就生如來家
「善男子！菩薩有十種受生藏。如果菩薩成就了這個法，就生在如來之家，念念之間增長菩薩的善根，不疲倦、不懈怠，不厭離、不退轉，沒有間斷、沒有遺失，離開種種迷惑，不生怯弱與懊惱後悔的心，趣向一切智，進入法界之門，發起廣大的心，增長諸波羅蜜，成就諸佛的無上菩提，捨離世間的諸趣，進入如來之地，獲得殊勝的神通，諸佛的法常常現在眼前，隨順一切智的真實義境。
徵數列名（澄觀科）：十個名字
「哪十種呢？第一，願常供養一切諸佛受生藏；第二，發菩提心受生藏；第三，觀諸法門勤修行受生藏；第四，以深淨心普照三世受生藏；第五，平等光明受生藏；第六，生如來家受生藏；第七，佛力光明受生藏；第八，觀普智門受生藏；第九，普現莊嚴受生藏；第十，入如來地受生藏。
第一受生藏：願常供養一切佛
「善男子！什麼叫作『願常供養一切佛受生藏』呢？善男子！菩薩最初發心的時候，作這樣的願：『我應當尊重、恭敬、供養一切諸佛，見佛而沒有厭足，在諸佛之處，常常生起愛樂，常常起深深的信心，修種種功德，永遠沒有休息。』這就是菩薩為了一切智而最初積集善根的受生藏。
第二受生藏：發菩提心
「什麼叫作『發菩提心受生藏』呢？善男子！這位菩薩發起阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心。就是說：起大悲心，因為要救護一切眾生的緣故；起供養佛的心，因為要究竟地承事的緣故；起普遍求正法的心，因為對一切都不吝惜的緣故；起廣大趣向的心，因為要求一切智的緣故；起無量慈心，因為要普遍攝受眾生的緣故；起不捨棄一切眾生的心，因為披上了求一切智的堅固誓願之甲的緣故；起沒有諂曲欺誑的心，因為要得到如實之智的緣故；起如自己所說而行的心，因為要修菩薩道的緣故；起不欺誑諸佛的心，因為要守護一切佛的大誓願的緣故；起一切智願的心，因為要盡未來際教化眾生而不休息的緣故。菩薩由於像這樣多如佛剎微塵數的菩提心功德的緣故，得以生在如來之家。這就是菩薩的第二受生藏。
第三受生藏：觀諸法門勤修行
「什麼叫作『觀諸法門勤修行受生藏』呢？善男子！這位菩薩摩訶薩（大菩薩），起觀察一切法門海的心，起迴向一切智圓滿之道的心，起正念而沒有過失之業的心，起一切菩薩三昧海清淨的心，起修成一切菩薩功德的心，起莊嚴一切菩薩道的心，起求一切智的大精進行、修種種功德如同劫火熾然而沒有休息的心，起修普賢行、教化一切眾生的心，起善於學習一切威儀、修菩薩功德、捨離一切所有、安住在無所有的真實之心。這就是菩薩的第三受生藏。
第四受生藏：以深淨心普照三世
「什麼叫作『以深淨心普照三世受生藏』呢？善男子！這位菩薩具備清淨的增上心，得到如來菩提的光明，進入菩薩的方便海，他的心堅固得猶如金剛，背捨一切諸有之趣的受生，成就一切佛的自在之力，修殊勝之行，具備菩薩的諸根，他的心明淨潔白，願力不動搖，常常為諸佛所護念，破壞一切諸障礙之山，普遍為眾生作所依止之處。這就是菩薩的第四受生藏。
第五受生藏：平等光明
「什麼叫作『平等光明受生藏』呢？善男子！這位菩薩具足眾行，普遍教化眾生；一切所有，全都能捨；安住在佛的究竟淨戒境界；具足忍法，成就諸佛的法忍光明；用大精進，趣向一切智，到達彼岸；修習諸禪定，得到普門之定；淨智圓滿，用智慧之日，明明白白照見諸法；得到無礙之眼，見到諸佛之海，悟入一切真實的法性；一切世間，見到他的人都歡喜，善於能夠修習如實的法門。這就是菩薩的第五受生藏。
第六受生藏：生如來家
「什麼叫作『生如來家受生藏』呢？善男子！這位菩薩生在如來之家，隨著諸佛而住，成就一切甚深法門，具備三世佛的清淨大願，得到一切佛的同一善根，與諸如來共同一個體性，具備出世之行與白淨的善法，安住在廣大的功德法門；進入諸三昧，見到佛的神力；隨著所應教化的，清淨諸眾生；隨著所問而應對，辯才沒有窮盡。這就是菩薩的第六受生藏。
第七受生藏：佛力光明
「什麼叫作『佛力光明受生藏』呢？善男子！這位菩薩深深進入佛力，遊歷諸佛剎而心不退轉，供養承事菩薩的眾會而沒有疲厭，了知一切法都如同幻術所起，知道諸世間如同夢中所見，一切色相猶如光影，神通所作的都如同變化，一切受生全都如同影子，諸佛說法都如同山谷的回響，開示法界而全都使之究竟。這就是菩薩的第七受生藏。
第八受生藏：觀普智門
「什麼叫作『觀普智門受生藏』呢？善男子！這位菩薩安住在童真之位，觀察一切智的一一智門，盡無量劫開演一切菩薩所行之事，對於諸菩薩的甚深三昧，心得自在，念念之間生在十方世界諸如來之處，在有差別的境上進入無差別的定，在無差別的法上顯現有差別的智，在無量的境上知道沒有境界，在很少的境界上進入無量的境界，通達法性廣大而無邊際，知道諸世間全都是假名施設，一切都是識心所生起的。這就是菩薩的第八受生藏。
第九受生藏：普現莊嚴
「什麼叫作『普現莊嚴受生藏』呢？善男子！這位菩薩能夠種種莊嚴無量的佛剎，普遍能夠化現一切眾生以及諸佛之身，得到無所畏懼，演說清淨之法，周流於法界，沒有障礙；隨著眾生心中所樂，普遍使他們知道見到，示現種種成就菩提之行，令他們生起無礙的一切智之道；像這樣所作的事不失時機，而常常在三昧毘盧遮那智慧之藏中。這就是菩薩的第九受生藏。
第十受生藏：入如來地
「什麼叫作『入如來地受生藏』呢？善男子！這位菩薩全都在三世諸如來之處領受灌頂之法，普遍知道一切境界的次第。就是說：知道一切眾生前際後際死沒與受生的次第、一切菩薩修行的次第、一切眾生心念的次第、三世如來成佛的次第、善巧方便說法的次第，也知道一切初際、中際、後際所有諸劫或成或壞的名號次第。隨著諸眾生所應該教化度脫的，為他們示現成道的功德莊嚴，用神通說法，用方便調伏。這就是菩薩的第十受生藏。
結歎勝益（澄觀科）：十法圓滿了會怎樣
「佛子！如果菩薩摩訶薩，對於這十法修習、增長、圓滿、成就，那麼就能夠在一種莊嚴之中，顯現種種莊嚴；像這樣莊嚴一切國土，開導、示悟一切眾生，盡未來劫沒有休息；演說一切諸佛法海的種種境界、種種成熟，輾轉傳來無量的諸法；顯現不可思議的佛自在力，充滿一切虛空法界；在諸眾生的心行海之中而轉法輪，在一切世界示現成佛，恆常沒有間斷；用不可說的清淨言音演說一切法，住在無量之處而通達無礙；用一切法莊嚴道場，隨著諸眾生欲樂理解的差別而示現成佛，開示無量甚深的法藏，教化成就一切世間。」
重頌起句與第一至第三偈
那時候，嵐毘尼林神，想要再一次說明這個義理，憑著佛的神力，普遍觀察十方而說偈頌道：
「最上而離垢的清淨之心，見一切佛而沒有厭足， 願盡未來際常常供養——這是明慧者的受生藏。
一切三世的國土之中，所有的眾生以及諸佛， 都願度脫、恆常瞻仰奉事——這是難思者的受生藏。
聽法沒有厭足而樂於觀察，普遍於三世而沒有障礙， 身心清淨如同虛空——這是名稱者的受生藏。
第四至第七偈
其心恆常安住在大悲海，堅固如同金剛以及寶山， 了達一切種智之門——這是最勝者的受生藏。
大慈普遍覆蓋在一切之上，妙行常常增長諸度之海， 用法的光明照耀群品——這是雄猛者的受生藏。
了達法性而心無障礙，生在三世諸佛之家， 普遍進入十方法界海——這是明智者的受生藏。
法身清淨而心無障礙，普遍前往十方諸國土， 一切佛力沒有不成就的——這是不思議的受生藏。
第八至第十偈
進入深智慧而已經自在，對於諸三昧也已究竟， 觀察一切智的如實之門——這是真身者的受生藏。
淨治一切諸佛的國土，勤修普遍教化眾生之法， 顯現如來的自在之力——這是大名者的受生藏。
早已修行薩婆若（一切智），迅速能夠趣入如來之位， 了知法界全都無礙——這是諸佛子的受生藏。
立法名（澄觀科）：這個法門叫什麼
「善男子！菩薩具備這十法，生在如來之家，為一切世間作清淨的光明。善男子！我從無量劫以來，得到這個自在受生解脫門。」
善財第二問：這個解脫門的境界是怎樣的
善財稟白說：「聖者！這個解脫門的境界是怎樣的呢？」
回答說：
依願受生（澄觀科）：因為往昔的願，才生在這座園子裡
「善男子！我先前發過願：『願一切菩薩示現受生的時候我都能夠親近；願進入毘盧遮那如來無量的受生海。』因為往昔的願力，我生在這個世界的閻浮提中嵐毘尼園，專心繫念菩薩什麼時候下生；經過了一百年，世尊果然從兜率陀天而來，生在這裡。
林中十種瑞相（一至三）：地平·金剛為地·多羅樹
「當時，這座林中顯現十種相。哪十種呢？第一，這園中的地忽然自己平坦了，坑洞、土堆全都不見了。
「第二，用金剛作地，眾寶莊嚴，沒有瓦礫、荊棘、樹樁。
「第三，寶多羅樹周匝排成行列，它們的根深深地扎到水際。
林中十種瑞相（四至七）：香芽·華鬘·樹開寶華·池中生華
「第四，生出種種香芽，顯現種種香藏，用寶香作樹，枝條扶疏而蔭映，那些香氣都勝過天上的香。
「第五，種種妙華鬘與寶莊嚴具，成行排列而分布，處處都充滿了。
「第六，園中所有的一切樹，都自然開出摩尼寶華。
「第七，諸池沼之中，都自然生出華來，從地涌出，周遍分布在水面上。
林中十種瑞相（八至十）：八部來集·天女捧供·諸佛放光
「第八，當時這座林中，娑婆世界欲界色界所住的天、龍、夜叉、乾闥婆、阿脩羅、迦樓羅、緊那羅、摩睺羅伽，一切諸王，沒有不來集會的，都合掌而住。
「第九，這個世界之中所有的天女，乃至摩睺羅伽女都生歡喜，各各捧持著種種供養之具，向著畢洛叉樹前面，恭敬地站立。
「第十，十方一切諸佛𪗇中，都放出光明，名叫『菩薩受生自在燈』，普遍照耀這座林子；一一光明之中，全都顯現諸佛受生、誕生時所有的神變，以及一切菩薩受生的功德，又發出諸佛種種的言音。
十瑞之結：見了這個瑞相，我歡喜無量
「這就是林中的十種瑞相。這個瑞相出現的時候，諸天王等就知道將有菩薩下生了；我見到這個瑞相，歡喜得沒有限量。
十種光明瑞相（澄觀科：見出城現光）
「善男子！摩耶夫人走出迦毘羅城，進入這座林子的時候，又顯現十種光明瑞相，使諸眾生得到法的光明。哪十種呢？就是說：一切寶華藏光、寶香藏光、寶蓮華開演出真實妙音聲光、十方菩薩初發心光、一切菩薩得入諸地現神變光、一切菩薩修波羅蜜圓滿智光、一切菩薩大願智光、一切菩薩教化眾生方便智光、一切菩薩證於法界真實智光、一切菩薩得佛自在受生出家成正覺光。
「這十種光明，普遍照耀無量諸眾生的心。
將欲誕生十種神變（澄觀科）：總徵
「善男子！摩耶夫人在畢洛叉樹下坐著的時候，又顯現菩薩將要誕生的十種神變。哪十種呢？
第一神變：八部雲集，毛孔放光息苦
「善男子！菩薩將要誕生的時候，欲界的諸天天子、天女，以及色界的一切諸天、諸龍、夜叉、乾闥婆、阿脩羅、迦樓羅、緊那羅、摩睺羅伽連同他們的眷屬，為了供養的緣故，全都如雲一般聚集。摩耶夫人的威德殊勝，身上的諸毛孔都放出光明，普遍照耀三千大千世界而沒有障礙，一切別的光明全都隱沒不現，除滅一切眾生的煩惱以及惡道之苦。這就是菩薩將要誕生的第一神變。
第二神變：腹中現三千世界一切形像
「又，善男子！正當那個時候，摩耶夫人的腹中全都顯現三千世界一切的形像，那百億閻浮提之內，各有都邑，各有園林，名號各不相同，都有摩耶夫人在其中止住、天眾圍繞著，全都為之顯現菩薩將要出生的不可思議的神變之相。這就是菩薩將要誕生的第二神變。
第三神變：毛孔現如來往昔供佛聞法
「又，善男子！摩耶夫人的一切毛孔，都顯現如來往昔修行菩薩道的時候，恭敬供養一切諸佛，以及聽聞諸佛說法的音聲。譬如明鏡以及水中，能夠顯現虛空的日月、星宿、雲雷等形像；摩耶夫人身上的諸毛孔也是這樣，能夠顯現如來往昔的因緣。這就是菩薩將要誕生的第三神變。
第四神變：毛孔現往昔修行之所依
「又，善男子！摩耶夫人身上的諸毛孔，一一都顯現如來往昔修菩薩行的時候，所住的世界，城邑聚落，山林河海，眾生的劫數，遇值佛出世，進入清淨的國土，隨著所受之生，壽命的長短，依止善知識修行善法，在一切剎土的所在生處，摩耶夫人常常作他的母親；像這樣的一切，在毛孔之中沒有不全都顯現的。這就是菩薩將要誕生的第四神變。
第五神變：毛孔現往昔色相衣食苦樂
「又，善男子！摩耶夫人的一一毛孔，顯現如來往昔修行菩薩行的時候，隨著所生之處，色相形貌，衣服飲食，苦樂等事，一一普遍顯現，分明而清楚。這就是菩薩將要誕生的第五神變。
第六神變：毛孔遍現往昔難捨能捨
「又，善男子！摩耶夫人身上的諸毛孔，一一都顯現世尊往昔修布施行的時候，捨去所難捨的——頭目耳鼻，脣舌牙齒，身體手足，血肉筋骨，男女妻妾，城邑宮殿，衣服瓔珞，金銀寶貨。——像這樣一切內外的諸物，也見到受者的形貌、音聲以及他們的處所。這就是菩薩將要誕生的第六神變。
第七神變：林中現古佛入胎之事
「又，善男子！摩耶夫人進入這座園子的時候，這座林子普遍顯現過去所有一切諸佛入母胎時的國土、園林、衣服、華鬘、塗香、末香、幡繒、幢蓋——一切眾寶莊嚴的事，妓樂歌詠上妙的音聲，使諸眾生普遍得以見到聽到。這就是菩薩將要誕生時的第七神變。
第八神變：身出摩尼寶王宮殿樓閣
「又，善男子！摩耶夫人進入這座園子的時候，從她的身上出現菩薩所住的摩尼寶王宮殿、樓閣，超過一切天、龍、夜叉、乾闥婆、阿脩羅、迦樓羅、緊那羅、摩睺羅伽以及諸人王所住的，寶網覆蓋在上面，妙香普遍熏染，眾寶莊嚴，內外清淨，各各有差別，不相雜亂，周匝遍滿嵐毘尼園。這就是菩薩將要誕生時的第八神變。
第九神變：身出等同毘盧遮那之菩薩眾
「又，善男子！摩耶夫人進入這座園子的時候，從她的身上出現十不可說百千億那由他佛剎微塵數的菩薩，那些菩薩的身形容貌、相好光明、進止威儀、神通眷屬，都與毘盧遮那菩薩相等而沒有差異，全都同時讚歎如來。這就是菩薩將要誕生時的第九神變。
第十神變：金剛際出一切寶莊嚴藏大蓮華
「又，善男子！摩耶夫人將要誕生菩薩的時候，忽然在她面前，從金剛際出現一朵大蓮華，名叫『一切寶莊嚴藏』。用金剛作莖，用眾寶作鬚，用如意寶王作它的臺，有十佛剎微塵數的葉子，一切都是用摩尼寶所成，寶網、寶蓋覆蓋在它上面。一切天王共同執持著它；一切龍王降注香雨；一切夜叉王恭敬圍繞，散下諸天華；一切乾闥婆王發出微妙的音聲，歌詠讚歎菩薩往昔供養諸佛的功德；一切阿脩羅王捨去憍慢之心，稽首敬禮；一切迦樓羅王垂下寶繒與寶幡，遍滿虛空；一切緊那羅王歡喜地瞻仰，歌詠讚歎菩薩的功德；一切摩睺羅伽王都生歡喜，歌詠讚歎，普遍雨下一切寶莊嚴之雲。這就是菩薩將要誕生時的第十神變。
正覩誕生（澄觀科）：四個譬喻
「善男子！嵐毘尼園示現了像這樣的十種相以後，然後菩薩的身體才誕生。如同虛空之中顯現清淨的日輪，如同高山之頂出現慶雲，如同密雲之中而耀動電光，如同黑夜之中而燃起大火炬；那時候，菩薩從母親的脇下出生，身相的光明也是這樣。
內德（澄觀科）：雖現初生，早已了達諸法
「善男子！菩薩那時候，雖然示現最初出生，卻早已了達一切諸法，如同夢、如同幻，如同影、如同像，沒有來、沒有去，不生、不滅。
結其周遍（澄觀科）：一處所見，即是一切處所見
「善男子！當我見到佛在這個四天下的閻浮提之內嵐毘尼園示現最初出生種種神變的時候，也見到如來在三千大千世界百億四天下的閻浮提之內嵐毘尼園中示現最初出生的種種神變；也見到三千大千世界一一微塵之中的無量佛剎，也見到百佛世界、千佛世界乃至十方一切世界一一微塵之中的無量佛剎，像這樣一切諸佛剎之中，都有如來示現受生的種種神變。像這樣念念之間，常常沒有間斷。」
善財第三問：得這個解脫，已經多久了
當時，善財童子向那位神稟白說：「大天得到這個解脫，已經有多久了呢？」
回答說：
本生（一）：古世佛興與昔日父母（澄觀科）
「善男子！在往古之世，經過了億佛剎微塵數劫，又超過這個數目。當時，有一個世界名叫『普寶』，劫名叫作『悅樂』，有八十那由他的佛在其中出現；其中第一位佛，名叫『自在功德幢』，十種名號具足。那個世界之中，有一個四天下，名叫『妙光莊嚴』；那四天下的閻浮提之中，有一座王都，名叫『須彌莊嚴幢』；其中有一位王，名叫『寶焰眼』；那位王的夫人，名叫『喜光』。善男子！就像這個世界的摩耶夫人，作毘盧遮那如來的母親一樣；那個世界之中的喜光夫人，作第一位佛的母親，也是這樣。
本生（二）：攀樹誕生與乳母得法（澄觀科）
「善男子！那位喜光夫人將要誕生菩薩的時候，與二十億那由他的采女一同前往金華園；園中有一座樓，名叫『妙寶峯』；它的旁邊有一棵樹，名叫『一切施』。喜光夫人攀著那棵樹的樹枝而生下菩薩，諸天王眾各自捧著香水共同為他洗沐。當時，有一位乳母名叫『淨光』，侍立在她的旁邊。洗沐完了以後，諸天王眾把菩薩交給乳母。乳母恭敬地接受，生起大歡喜，當下就得到菩薩普眼三昧；得到這個三昧以後，普遍見到十方無量諸佛，又得到菩薩在一切處示現受生的自在解脫。就如同最初受胎之識，迅速而沒有障礙；由於得到這個解脫的緣故，見到一切佛乘著本願之力受生自在，也是這樣。
本生（三）：結會古今與顯用周遍（澄觀科）
「善男子！在你的意思怎麼樣呢？那位乳母，難道是別人嗎？就是我這個身。我從那時以來，念念之間常常見到毘盧遮那佛示現菩薩受生海調伏眾生的自在神力。就像見到毘盧遮那佛乘著本願之力，念念之間在這三千大千，乃至十方一切世界的微塵之內，都示現菩薩受生的神變；見到一切佛也全都是這樣，我都恭敬承事供養，聽他們所說的法，照著所說的去修行。」
重頌起句與第一至第三偈（澄觀科：誡聽許說·古世佛興）
當時，嵐毘尼林神，想要重新宣說這個解脫的義理，承著佛的神力，普遍觀察十方而說偈頌道：
「佛子你所問的，是諸佛甚深的境界； 你現在應當聽受，我來說它的因緣。
經過億剎塵數的劫，有一個劫名叫悅樂； 八十那由他的如來，在那時出興於世。
最初的如來名號，叫作自在功德幢； 我在金華園中，見到他初生的那一日。
第四至第七偈（我時為乳母·捧持諦觀）
我那時候作乳母，智慧極為聰利； 諸天把菩薩交給我，那是菩薩的金色之身。
我當時迅速地捧持著，仔細諦觀而看不見他的頂， 身相都圓滿，一一沒有邊際。
離垢清淨的身，用相好來莊嚴， 譬如美妙的寶像，見了以後自己欣慶。
思惟他的功德，迅速增長眾多的福海； 見到這個神通之事，就發起了大菩提心。
第八至第十一偈（發願修行·聞法得解脫）
專一求佛的功德，增廣諸大願， 嚴淨一切剎土，滅除三惡道。
普遍在十方國土，供養無數的佛， 修行本來的誓願，救脫眾生的苦。
我在那位佛的處所，聞法而得到解脫， 億剎微塵數那麼多、無量劫地修行。
那劫中所有的佛，我全都曾經供養， 護持他們的正法，淨治這個解脫之海。
第十二至第十五偈（澄觀科：歷事增修·一念遍見）
億剎微塵數那麼多、過去的十力之尊， 我全都受持他們的法輪，增明這個解脫。
我在一念之頃，見到這剎塵之中， 一一都有如來，所清淨的諸剎海。
剎土之內全都有佛，在園中示現誕生， 各各顯現不可思議的、廣大的神通之力。
有時見到不可思議的、億剎中的諸菩薩， 住在天宮之上，將要證得佛的菩提。
第十六至第十九偈（受生·出家·成道·轉法輪）
無量剎海之中，諸佛示現受生， 說法而大眾圍繞，這一切我都見到。
一念之間見到億剎、微塵數那麼多的菩薩， 出家而趣向道場，示現佛的境界。
我見到剎塵之內，無量的佛成道， 各各顯現諸方便，度脫受苦的眾生。
一一微塵之中，諸佛轉法輪， 全都用無盡的音聲，普遍雨下甘露之法。
第二十至第二十三偈（示涅槃·分身供養·結歎無盡）
億剎微塵數那麼多、一一剎塵之內， 全都見到如來，示現般涅槃。
像這樣無量的剎土，如來示現誕生； 而我全都分身，在他們面前興起供養。
不可思議的剎海，無量趣類的差別； 我全都示現在他們面前，雨下大法之雨。
佛子啊我知道這個難以思議的解脫門， 在無量億劫之中，稱揚也不可窮盡。
謙己推勝（澄觀科）：我只知道這一個
「善男子！我只知道這個『菩薩於無量劫遍一切處示現受生自在解脫』。至於諸菩薩摩訶薩，能夠用一念作為諸劫之藏，觀察一切法，用善巧方便而示現受生；周遍供養一切諸佛，究竟通達一切佛法；在一切趣中都示現受生，在一切佛之前坐蓮華座；知道諸眾生應當可度的時機，為他們示現受生、方便調伏；在一切剎土示現諸神變，猶如影像全都顯現在他們面前。我怎麼能夠知道、能夠說出他們的功德之行呢？
指示後友（澄觀科）：迦毘羅城的釋種女瞿波
「善男子！這座迦毘羅城，有一位釋種之女，名叫『瞿波』。你前往她那裡問：菩薩要怎樣在生死之中教化眾生？」
戀德禮辭（澄觀科）
當時，善財童子向她的腳下頂禮，繞了無數匝，慇懃地瞻仰，辭別而去。
Seeking in Accord with the Teaching (Chengguan’s Outline): From the Night Goddess Before, He Walks On to the Lumbinī Grove
At that time, Sudhana the youth, having gained the bodhisattva liberation at the place of the night goddess Great Vow, Vigor, and Power Who Rescues All Beings, called it to mind all along his way and cultivated it all along his way, and he penetrated it and made it grow.
Then step by step he journeyed on until he came to the Lumbinī Grove, and searched all through it for that goddess Wondrous Virtue. Only then did he see her within a storeyed pavilion adorned with every kind of jewelled tree, seated upon a lion seat of jewelled lotus blossoms, with twenty koṭis of nayutas (a number exceedingly great) of devas reverently circling her, and she was expounding for them the Scripture of the Sea of the Bodhisattva’s Taking of Birth, so that they might all be born into the house of the Tathāgata and make the great sea of the bodhisattva’s merit and virtue grow.
Seeing, Paying Respect, and Inquiring (Chengguan’s Outline): Three Things He Does Not Yet Know
When Sudhana had seen her, he bowed to her feet, joined his palms and stood before her, and said: “Great Holy One! I have already raised, before this, the mind of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi (the mind of unsurpassed, right, and universal awakening); yet I am still unable to know how a bodhisattva is to cultivate the bodhisattva practices, how he is to be born into the house of the Tathāgata, and how he is to be a great light for the world.”
That goddess answered, saying:
Setting Forth the Number and Praising Its Excellence (Chengguan’s Outline): Ten Treasuries of Taking Birth — Accomplish This Dharma and One Is Born into the House of the Tathāgata
“Son of good family! A bodhisattva has ten treasuries of taking birth. If a bodhisattva accomplishes this Dharma, then he is born into the house of the Tathāgata; in thought after thought he makes the bodhisattva’s roots of good grow; he is not wearied and not slack, not disgusted and not turned back; he is without break and without loss; he leaves behind the many delusions; there arises in him no mind that is timid and weak, or vexed and regretful; he tends toward all-knowledge; he enters the gate of the Dharma realm; he raises up a vast mind; he makes the perfections grow; he accomplishes the unsurpassed awakening of the buddhas; he casts off the many destinies of the world; he enters the ground of the Tathāgata; he obtains surpassing spiritual power; the dharmas of the buddhas are ever present before his eyes; and he accords with the objective realm of the real meaning of all-knowledge.
Calling for the Number and Listing the Names (Chengguan’s Outline): The Ten Names
“Which ten? First, the treasury of taking birth of vowing ever to make offerings to all the buddhas; second, the treasury of taking birth of raising the mind of awakening; third, the treasury of taking birth of contemplating the gates of the Dharma and cultivating them with diligence; fourth, the treasury of taking birth of illumining the three times universally with a deep and pure mind; fifth, the treasury of taking birth of even light; sixth, the treasury of taking birth of being born into the house of the Tathāgata; seventh, the treasury of taking birth of the light of the buddhas’ power; eighth, the treasury of taking birth of contemplating the gate of universal knowledge; ninth, the treasury of taking birth of universally displaying adornment; tenth, the treasury of taking birth of entering the ground of the Tathāgata.
The First Treasury of Taking Birth: Vowing Ever to Make Offerings to All the Buddhas
“Son of good family! What is called ‘the treasury of taking birth of vowing ever to make offerings to all the buddhas’? Son of good family! When a bodhisattva first raises the mind, he makes a vow such as this: ‘I shall honor, revere, and make offerings to all the buddhas; I shall see the buddhas and never have my fill; in the presence of the buddhas I shall ever give rise to love and delight, ever raise up deep faith, cultivate every kind of merit and virtue, and never rest.’ This is the bodhisattva’s treasury of taking birth of the first gathering of the roots of good for the sake of all-knowledge.
The Second Treasury of Taking Birth: Raising the Mind of Awakening
“What is called ‘the treasury of taking birth of raising the mind of awakening’? Son of good family! This bodhisattva raises the mind of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi. That is to say: he raises the mind of great compassion, because he would rescue and protect all beings; he raises the mind of making offerings to the buddhas, because he would serve them to the very end; he raises the mind of seeking the right Dharma everywhere, because he grudges nothing at all; he raises the mind of vast tending-toward, because he seeks all-knowledge; he raises the mind of measureless kindness, because he would gather in beings universally; he raises the mind of not forsaking any being, because he has put on the armor of the firm vow that seeks all-knowledge; he raises the mind that is without flattery or deceit, because he would gain the knowledge that is in accord with the real; he raises the mind that acts as he has said, because he would cultivate the bodhisattva path; he raises the mind that does not deceive the buddhas, because he would guard the great vows of all the buddhas; he raises the mind of the vow of all-knowledge, because he would teach and convert beings to the very end of the future and never rest. It is because of the merit and virtue of a mind of awakening such as this, as many as the dust motes of buddha-lands, that the bodhisattva comes to be born into the house of the Tathāgata. This is the bodhisattva’s second treasury of taking birth.
The Third Treasury of Taking Birth: Contemplating the Gates of the Dharma and Cultivating Them with Diligence
“What is called ‘the treasury of taking birth of contemplating the gates of the Dharma and cultivating them with diligence’? Son of good family! This bodhisattva-mahāsattva (great bodhisattva) raises the mind that contemplates the sea of all the gates of the Dharma; raises the mind that dedicates and directs toward the fully rounded path of all-knowledge; raises the mind of right mindfulness that is without faulty deeds; raises the mind of the purity of the sea of all the bodhisattva samādhis; raises the mind that cultivates to completion all the merit and virtue of a bodhisattva; raises the mind that adorns all the bodhisattva paths; raises the mind of the great and vigorous practice that seeks all-knowledge, cultivating every kind of merit and virtue as a kalpa-fire blazes and never resting; raises the mind that cultivates the practice of Samantabhadra and teaches and converts all beings; raises the mind that is well trained in every deportment, that cultivates the merit and virtue of a bodhisattva, that casts off all that it possesses, and that abides in the real mind of having nothing at all. This is the bodhisattva’s third treasury of taking birth.
The Fourth Treasury of Taking Birth: Illumining the Three Times Universally with a Deep and Pure Mind
“What is called ‘the treasury of taking birth of illumining the three times universally with a deep and pure mind’? Son of good family! This bodhisattva is furnished with a pure and superior mind; he gains the light of the Tathāgata’s awakening; he enters the sea of the bodhisattva’s skillful means; his mind is firm as a diamond; he turns his back upon and casts off the taking of birth in all the destinies of existence; he accomplishes the sovereign power of all the buddhas; he cultivates surpassing practice; he is furnished with the bodhisattva’s faculties; his mind is bright, pure, and white; the power of his vows does not waver; he is ever kept in mind and guarded by the buddhas; he shatters all the mountains of hindrance and obstruction; and he becomes universally a place of reliance for beings. This is the bodhisattva’s fourth treasury of taking birth.
The Fifth Treasury of Taking Birth: Even Light
“What is called ‘the treasury of taking birth of even light’? Son of good family! This bodhisattva is complete in the many practices and teaches and converts beings universally; all that he possesses he is able to give away entirely; he abides in the objective realm of the buddhas’ ultimate pure discipline; he is complete in the dharma of patience and accomplishes the light of the buddhas’ patience with the dharmas; with great vigor he tends toward all-knowledge and reaches the further shore; he cultivates the meditative concentrations and gains the concentration of the universal gate; his pure knowledge is fully rounded, and with the sun of wisdom he clearly and distinctly illumines all dharmas; he gains the unobstructed eye, sees the sea of the buddhas, and awakens into the real nature of all dharmas; in all the worlds, those who see him rejoice, and he is well able to cultivate the gate of the Dharma that is in accord with the real. This is the bodhisattva’s fifth treasury of taking birth.
The Sixth Treasury of Taking Birth: Being Born into the House of the Tathāgata
“What is called ‘the treasury of taking birth of being born into the house of the Tathāgata’? Son of good family! This bodhisattva is born into the house of the Tathāgata and abides in the company of the buddhas; he accomplishes all the profound gates of the Dharma; he is furnished with the pure great vows of the buddhas of the three times; he gains the one same root of good of all the buddhas; he shares one substance and nature with the Tathāgatas; he is furnished with world-transcending practice and with white and pure good dharmas; he abides in the vast gate of the Dharma of merit and virtue; he enters the samādhis and sees the spiritual power of the buddhas; according to what should be taught and converted, he purifies beings; he answers according to what is asked, and his eloquence has no end. This is the bodhisattva’s sixth treasury of taking birth.
The Seventh Treasury of Taking Birth: The Light of the Buddhas’ Power
“What is called ‘the treasury of taking birth of the light of the buddhas’ power’? Son of good family! This bodhisattva enters deeply into the power of the buddhas; he journeys through the buddha-lands and his mind does not turn back; he makes offerings to and serves the assemblies of bodhisattvas without weariness; he understands that all dharmas arise as a conjuring does; he knows that the worlds are as things seen in a dream; that all forms and marks are like light and shadow; that what spiritual power does is like a transformation; that all takings of birth are like reflections; that the buddhas’ expounding of the Dharma is like the echo in a valley; and he reveals the Dharma realm and brings all of it to its end. This is the bodhisattva’s seventh treasury of taking birth.
The Eighth Treasury of Taking Birth: Contemplating the Gate of Universal Knowledge
“What is called ‘the treasury of taking birth of contemplating the gate of universal knowledge’? Son of good family! This bodhisattva abides in the station of youthful purity; he contemplates each single gate of knowledge of all-knowledge; through measureless kalpas he sets forth all that bodhisattvas practice; with regard to the profound samādhis of the bodhisattvas his mind gains mastery; in thought after thought he is born in the presence of the Tathāgatas of the worlds of the ten directions; within objective realms that have distinctions he enters the concentration that is without distinction; within dharmas that are without distinction he displays the knowledge that has distinctions; within measureless objective realms he knows that there is no objective realm; within the very least of objective realms he enters measureless objective realms; he penetrates the nature of dharmas as vast and boundless; he knows that the worlds are all set up as mere designations, and that all of them are what the discerning mind raises up. This is the bodhisattva’s eighth treasury of taking birth.
The Ninth Treasury of Taking Birth: Universally Displaying Adornment
“What is called ‘the treasury of taking birth of universally displaying adornment’? Son of good family! This bodhisattva is able to adorn measureless buddha-lands in every kind of way; he is able universally to conjure forth all beings and the bodies of the buddhas; he gains fearlessness and expounds the pure Dharma; he flows throughout the Dharma realm without obstruction; according to what the minds of beings delight in, he causes them all to know and to see; he displays every kind of practice that accomplishes awakening, and causes them to raise up the unobstructed path of all-knowledge; and what he does in this way never misses its time, while he is ever within the samādhi that is the treasury of Vairocana’s wisdom. This is the bodhisattva’s ninth treasury of taking birth.
The Tenth Treasury of Taking Birth: Entering the Ground of the Tathāgata
“What is called ‘the treasury of taking birth of entering the ground of the Tathāgata’? Son of good family! This bodhisattva receives the Dharma of consecration in the presence of all the Tathāgatas of the three times, and knows universally the sequence of all objective realms. That is to say: he knows the sequence of the dying away and the taking of birth of all beings in their earlier and later limits; the sequence of the practice of all bodhisattvas; the sequence of the thoughts in the minds of all beings; the sequence of the becoming buddhas of the Tathāgatas of the three times; the sequence of expounding the Dharma by skillful means; and he knows too the sequence of the names of all the kalpas of the first, the middle, and the last limits, whether they are forming or falling apart. According to what beings ought to be taught and delivered, he displays for them the merit and virtue and the adornment of accomplishing the path; with spiritual power he expounds the Dharma, and with skillful means he tames them. This is the bodhisattva’s tenth treasury of taking birth.
Concluding Praise of the Excellent Benefit (Chengguan’s Outline): What Follows When the Ten Dharmas Are Complete
“Son of the Buddha! If a bodhisattva-mahāsattva cultivates these ten dharmas, makes them grow, brings them to fullness, and accomplishes them, then within one adornment he can display every kind of adornment; and adorning all lands in this way, he opens the way for and awakens all beings, to the end of the kalpas of the future without rest; he expounds every kind of objective realm and every kind of ripening within the sea of the Dharma of all the buddhas, and hands on in turn measureless dharmas; he displays the inconceivable sovereign power of a buddha, filling the whole of empty space and the Dharma realm; within the sea of the mind-and-conduct of beings he turns the wheel of the Dharma; in all worlds he displays the accomplishing of buddhahood, constantly and without break; with pure speech and sound beyond telling he expounds all dharmas, dwelling in measureless places and penetrating them without obstruction; with all dharmas he adorns the place of the Way, and according to the differences in what beings desire, delight in, and understand, he displays the accomplishing of buddhahood; he reveals measureless and profound treasuries of the Dharma, and teaches and brings to accomplishment all the worlds.”
The Opening Clause of the Verses in Repetition, and the First through the Third Verses
At that time, the goddess of the Lumbinī Grove, wishing to make this meaning plain once more, by the spiritual power of the Buddha contemplated the ten directions universally and spoke in verse, saying:
“The highest and stainless pure mind, seeing all buddhas and never having its fill, vowing to make offerings ever to the end of the future — this is the treasury of taking birth of the one of bright wisdom.
Within the lands of all the three times, all the beings and all the buddhas — vowing to deliver them, ever gazing upon and serving them — this is the treasury of taking birth of the one hard to conceive.
Hearing the Dharma and never having one’s fill, delighting to contemplate, throughout the three times without obstruction, body and mind pure as empty space — this is the treasury of taking birth of the one of renown.
The Fourth through the Seventh Verses
His mind ever abides in the sea of great compassion, firm as a diamond and as a mountain of jewels, penetrating the gate of the knowledge of all modes — this is the treasury of taking birth of the most surpassing one.
Great kindness covers all things universally, wondrous practice ever makes the sea of the perfections grow, and with the light of the Dharma he shines upon the multitudes — this is the treasury of taking birth of the heroic and mighty one.
Penetrating the nature of dharmas, his mind without obstruction, born into the house of the buddhas of the three times, entering universally the sea of the Dharma realm of the ten directions — this is the treasury of taking birth of the one of bright knowledge.
The dharma-body pure, the mind without obstruction, going universally to the lands of the ten directions, with none of the powers of the buddhas unaccomplished — this is the inconceivable treasury of taking birth.
The Eighth through the Tenth Verses
Entering deep wisdom and already at ease, brought to the end in the samādhis as well, contemplating the gate of all-knowledge that is in accord with the real — this is the treasury of taking birth of the one of the true body.
Cleansing and ordering all the lands of the buddhas, diligently cultivating the dharma that teaches and converts beings universally, displaying the sovereign power of the Tathāgata — this is the treasury of taking birth of the one of great name.
Long since he has cultivated sarvajña (all-knowledge), swiftly he can tend toward and enter the station of the Tathāgata, knowing that the Dharma realm is wholly without obstruction — this is the treasury of taking birth of the sons of the buddhas.
Setting Up the Name of the Dharma (Chengguan’s Outline): What This Dharma Gate Is Called
“Son of good family! A bodhisattva furnished with these ten dharmas is born into the house of the Tathāgata and becomes a pure light for all the worlds. Son of good family! I, from measureless kalpas onward, have gained this liberation gate of taking birth at ease.”
Sudhana’s Second Question: What Is the Objective Realm of This Liberation Gate
Sudhana said: “Holy one! What is the objective realm of this liberation gate?”
She answered, saying:
Taking Birth in Accord with a Vow (Chengguan’s Outline): It Was Because of a Vow of Old That I Was Born in This Garden
“Son of good family! I made a vow before this: ‘May I be able to draw near whenever all bodhisattvas display the taking of birth; may I enter the measureless sea of the taking of birth of the Tathāgata Vairocana.’ By the power of that vow of old, I was born in the Lumbinī Park within Jambudvīpa of this world, and single-mindedly I kept in mind when the bodhisattva would come down and be born; and when a hundred years had passed, the World-Honored One did indeed come from the Tuṣita heaven and take birth here.
The Ten Auspicious Signs in the Grove (One through Three): The Ground Levelled · Diamond for Ground · The Tāla Trees
“At that time, within this grove there appeared ten signs. Which ten? First, the ground within this park of itself became level all at once, and the pits and the mounds all vanished away.
“Second, diamond was made the ground, and it was adorned with the many jewels, and there were no shards or tiles, no thorns or brambles, no stumps or stubs.
“Third, jewelled tāla trees stood ranged in rows all around, and their roots were planted deep, down to the water’s verge.
The Ten Auspicious Signs in the Grove (Four through Seven): Fragrant Shoots · Blossom Garlands · The Trees Opening Jewelled Blossoms · Blossoms Born in the Pools
“Fourth, there grew forth every kind of fragrant shoot, and there appeared every kind of treasury of fragrance; jewelled fragrance was made into trees, whose boughs spread out and gave their shade, and the fragrance of them all surpassed the fragrances of the heavens.
“Fifth, every kind of wondrous garland of blossoms and jewelled implement of adornment stood ranged in rows and spread abroad, filling every place.
“Sixth, all the trees within the park of themselves opened blossoms of maṇi jewels.
“Seventh, within all the ponds and pools blossoms were born of themselves, welling up out of the ground and spread all around upon the face of the water.
The Ten Auspicious Signs in the Grove (Eight through Ten): The Eight Classes Gather · The Goddesses Bear Up Offerings · The Buddhas Send Forth Light
“Eighth, at that time within this grove, of the devas who dwell in the desire realm and the form realm of the Sahā world, and of the dragons, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, and mahoragas, all the kings — there was not one who did not come and gather, and all of them stood with palms joined.
“Ninth, all the goddesses within this world, down to the mahoraga women, gave rise to gladness, and each of them bore up every kind of implement of offering, and stood in reverence before the Biluocha tree.
“Tenth, from within all the buddhas 『𪗇』 of the ten directions there was sent forth a light named ‘the Lamp of the Bodhisattva’s Taking of Birth at Ease,’ which shone universally upon this grove; and within each single light there appeared, in full, all the spiritual transformations at the buddhas’ taking of birth and at their being born, and the merit and virtue of the taking of birth of all bodhisattvas, and there came forth from it every kind of speech and sound of the buddhas.
The Conclusion of the Ten Signs: Having Seen These Signs, My Gladness Was Measureless
“These are the ten auspicious signs within the grove. When these signs appeared, the deva kings and the rest knew that a bodhisattva was about to come down and be born; and when I saw these auspicious signs, my gladness was without measure.
The Ten Auspicious Signs of Light (Chengguan’s Outline: Seeing the Light Displayed as She Came Forth from the City)
“Son of good family! When Lady Māyā came forth from the city of Jiapiluo and entered this grove, there appeared again ten auspicious signs of light, causing beings to gain the light of the Dharma. Which ten? That is to say: the light of the treasury of all jewelled blossoms; the light of the treasury of jewelled fragrance; the light of the jewelled lotus opening and setting forth real and wondrous sound; the light of the first raising of the mind by the bodhisattvas of the ten directions; the light of the spiritual transformations displayed by all bodhisattvas who have gained entry into the grounds; the light of the knowledge of all bodhisattvas who have cultivated the perfections to fullness; the light of the knowledge of the great vows of all bodhisattvas; the light of the knowledge of the skillful means by which all bodhisattvas teach and convert beings; the light of the real knowledge by which all bodhisattvas realize the Dharma realm; the light of all bodhisattvas gaining the sovereign taking of birth, the going forth from the household, and the accomplishing of right awakening of a buddha.
“These ten lights shone universally upon the minds of measureless beings.
The Ten Spiritual Transformations about to Precede the Birth (Chengguan’s Outline): The General Calling
“Son of good family! When Lady Māyā was seated beneath the Biluocha tree, there appeared again the ten spiritual transformations that precede a bodhisattva’s being born. Which ten?
The First Transformation: The Eight Classes Gather like Clouds, and the Pores Send Forth Light That Stills Suffering
“Son of good family! When the bodhisattva was about to be born, the deva sons and the goddesses of the desire realm, and all the devas of the form realm, and the dragons, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, and mahoragas together with their retinues, gathered like clouds, one and all, for the sake of making offerings. The majesty and virtue of Lady Māyā were surpassing, and from all the pores of her body there was sent forth a light that shone universally upon the three-thousandfold great-thousand world-system without obstruction, so that every other light was hidden away and did not appear; and it put an end to the afflictions of all beings and to the sufferings of the evil destinies. This is the first spiritual transformation preceding the bodhisattva’s being born.
The Second Transformation: Within Her Womb There Appear All the Forms of the Three-Thousandfold World
“Again, son of good family! At just that time, within the womb of Lady Māyā there appeared in full all the forms and images of the three-thousandfold world; and within those hundred koṭis of Jambudvīpas, each had its cities and each had its parks and groves, their names differing one from another, and in each there was a Lady Māyā dwelling within it with the host of devas circling her, and for each of them there was displayed the inconceivable marks of the spiritual transformations that precede the bodhisattva’s coming to birth. This is the second spiritual transformation preceding the bodhisattva’s being born.
The Third Transformation: Her Pores Display the Tathāgata’s Offerings to the Buddhas and Hearing of the Dharma in Ages Past
“Again, son of good family! All the pores of Lady Māyā displayed how the Tathāgata, when in ages past he cultivated the bodhisattva path, reverently made offerings to all the buddhas and heard the sound of the buddhas expounding the Dharma. It is just as a bright mirror, or as water, can display the forms of the sun and moon, the stars and constellations, the clouds and thunder that are in empty space; the pores of Lady Māyā’s body were just so, able to display the causes and conditions of the Tathāgata in ages past. This is the third spiritual transformation preceding the bodhisattva’s being born.
The Fourth Transformation: Her Pores Display What Was Relied Upon in Cultivation in Ages Past
“Again, son of good family! The pores of Lady Māyā’s body, each single one of them, displayed how the Tathāgata, when in ages past he cultivated the bodhisattva practices, dwelt in such worlds, such cities and hamlets, such mountains, groves, rivers, and seas, such kalpa-numbers of beings; how he met with the arising of a buddha in the world, and entered pure lands; how, according to the birth he received, his life-span was long or short; how he relied upon good friends and cultivated good dharmas; and how, in every place of his birth in every land, Lady Māyā was ever his mother. All of these things there was not one that was not displayed in full within her pores. This is the fourth spiritual transformation preceding the bodhisattva’s being born.
The Fifth Transformation: Her Pores Display the Form, Clothing, Food, Suffering, and Ease of Ages Past
“Again, son of good family! Each single pore of Lady Māyā displayed how the Tathāgata, when in ages past he cultivated the bodhisattva practices, according to the place where he was born, had such form and marks and figure, such clothing and food and drink, such suffering and ease — each of them displayed universally, plain and distinct. This is the fifth spiritual transformation preceding the bodhisattva’s being born.
The Sixth Transformation: Her Pores Display Universally the Giving in Ages Past of What Is Hard to Give
“Again, son of good family! The pores of Lady Māyā’s body, each single one of them, displayed how the World-Honored One, when in ages past he cultivated the practice of giving, gave away what is hard to give — his head, his eyes, his ears, and his nose; his lips, his tongue, and his teeth; his body, his hands, and his feet; his blood, his flesh, his sinews, and his bones; his sons, his daughters, his wife and his consorts; his cities and his palaces; his clothing and his necklaces; his gold, his silver, and his jewelled goods. — All such inward and outward things as these, and one also saw the figures of those who received them, their voices, and the places where they were. This is the sixth spiritual transformation preceding the bodhisattva’s being born.
The Seventh Transformation: The Grove Displays the Entering of the Womb by the Buddhas of Old
“Again, son of good family! When Lady Māyā entered this park, this grove universally displayed the lands, the parks and groves, the clothing, the blossom garlands, the paste-incense and powdered incense, the banners and silks, the pennons and canopies — all the things adorned with the many jewels — that were there when all the buddhas of the past entered their mothers’ wombs, and the finest and most wondrous sounds of music and of chanting, causing beings universally to see them and to hear them. This is the seventh spiritual transformation at the time preceding the bodhisattva’s being born.
The Eighth Transformation: From Her Body Come Forth Palaces and Pavilions of the Maṇi Jewel King
“Again, son of good family! When Lady Māyā entered this park, there came forth from her body the palaces and storeyed pavilions of the maṇi jewel king in which bodhisattvas dwell, surpassing what is dwelt in by all devas, dragons, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, and mahoragas and by the human kings; jewelled nets covered them above, wondrous fragrance perfumed them universally, the many jewels adorned them, within and without they were pure, each of them had its distinctions and they were not confused with one another, and they filled the whole of the Lumbinī Park all around. This is the eighth spiritual transformation at the time preceding the bodhisattva’s being born.
The Ninth Transformation: From Her Body Comes Forth a Host of Bodhisattvas Equal to Vairocana
“Again, son of good family! When Lady Māyā entered this park, there came forth from her body bodhisattvas as many as the dust motes of ten unspeakable hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of buddha-lands, and the bodily figures and features of those bodhisattvas, their marks and signs and their light, their bearing in going and in staying, their spiritual power and their retinues, were all equal to those of the bodhisattva Vairocana and without difference from them, and all of them at one and the same time praised the Tathāgata. This is the ninth spiritual transformation at the time preceding the bodhisattva’s being born.
The Tenth Transformation: From the Diamond Verge Comes Forth the Great Lotus, the Treasury Adorned with All Jewels
“Again, son of good family! When Lady Māyā was about to give birth to the bodhisattva, all at once, before her, there came forth from the diamond verge a great lotus blossom named ‘the Treasury Adorned with All Jewels.’ Diamond was made its stalk, the many jewels its filaments, and the wish-fulfilling jewel king its calyx; it had leaves as many as the dust motes of ten buddha-lands, all of them made of maṇi jewels, with jewelled nets and jewelled canopies covering it above. All the deva kings together held it up; all the dragon kings sent down a rain of fragrance; all the yakṣa kings reverently circled it and scattered the blossoms of the heavens; all the gandharva kings sent forth subtle and wondrous sounds, chanting in praise of the merit and virtue of the bodhisattva’s offerings to the buddhas in ages past; all the asura kings cast off the mind of arrogance and bowed their heads in reverence; all the garuḍa kings let down jewelled silks and jewelled pennons that filled the whole of empty space; all the kiṃnara kings gazed up in gladness and chanted in praise of the merit and virtue of the bodhisattva; all the mahoraga kings gave rise to gladness, chanted in praise, and rained down universally clouds of every kind of jewelled adornment. This is the tenth spiritual transformation at the time preceding the bodhisattva’s being born.
Rightly Beholding the Birth (Chengguan’s Outline): Four Similes
“Son of good family! When the Lumbinī Park had displayed ten signs such as these, only then was the body of the bodhisattva born. It was as when a pure sun-disc appears in empty space; as when an auspicious cloud comes forth on the crest of a high mountain; as when lightning flashes out from within thick cloud; as when a great torch is kindled within the dark of night. At that time the bodhisattva was born from his mother’s side, and the light of his bodily marks was just so.
Inward Virtue (Chengguan’s Outline): Though He Displayed a First Birth, He Had Long Since Penetrated All Dharmas
“Son of good family! The bodhisattva at that time, though he displayed a first coming to birth, had long since penetrated all dharmas as like a dream and like a conjuring, like a shadow and like an image, without coming and without going, unarisen and unceasing.
Concluding Its All-Pervadingness (Chengguan’s Outline): What Is Seen in One Place Is What Is Seen in All Places
“Son of good family! When I saw the Buddha display his first coming to birth with every kind of spiritual transformation in the Lumbinī Park within Jambudvīpa of this set of four continents, I saw also the Tathāgata displaying his first coming to birth with every kind of spiritual transformation in the Lumbinī Park within the Jambudvīpas of the hundred koṭis of sets of four continents of the three-thousandfold great-thousand world-system; and I saw also the measureless buddha-lands within each single dust mote of the three-thousandfold great-thousand world-system; and I saw also the measureless buddha-lands within each single dust mote of a hundred buddha-worlds, of a thousand buddha-worlds, and on to all the worlds of the ten directions; and within all such buddha-lands as these there was in every one a Tathāgata displaying the taking of birth with every kind of spiritual transformation. Thus in thought after thought, ever without a break.”
Sudhana’s Third Question: How Long Has It Been Since You Gained This Liberation
At that time Sudhana the youth said to that goddess: “Great deva, how long has it been now since you gained this liberation?”
She answered, saying:
The Former Life (One): The Arising of a Buddha in an Ancient Age, and the Parents of Old (Chengguan’s Outline)
“Son of good family! In an age long past, beyond kalpas as many as the dust motes of a koṭi of buddha-lands, and beyond that number again — at that time there was a world named ‘Universal Jewel,’ and the kalpa was named ‘Joyful Delight,’ and eighty nayutas of buddhas appeared within it; and the first of them among the buddhas was named ‘Banner of Sovereign Merit and Virtue,’ complete in all ten titles. Within that world there was a set of four continents named ‘Adorned with Wondrous Light’; and within the Jambudvīpa of those four continents there was a royal capital named ‘Banner Adorned with Sumeru’; and there was a king within it named ‘Jewel-Flame Eyes’; and the consort of that king was named ‘Joyful Light.’ Son of good family! Just as in this world Lady Māyā is the mother of the Tathāgata Vairocana, so too, within that world, was the consort Joyful Light the mother of the first of those buddhas.
The Former Life (Two): Grasping the Tree and Giving Birth, and the Wet-Nurse Gaining the Dharma (Chengguan’s Outline)
“Son of good family! When that consort Joyful Light was about to give birth to the bodhisattva, she went together with twenty koṭis of nayutas of attendant women to the Golden Blossom Park; and within the park there was a tower named ‘Wondrous Jewel Peak,’ and beside it there was a tree named ‘All-Giving.’ The consort Joyful Light grasped a branch of that tree and gave birth to the bodhisattva, and the hosts of deva kings each bore up scented water and together bathed him. At that time there was a wet-nurse named ‘Pure Light’ who stood in attendance at her side. When the bathing was finished, the hosts of deva kings handed the bodhisattva to the wet-nurse. The wet-nurse received him with reverence, and great gladness arose in her, and at once she gained the bodhisattva samādhi of the universal eye; and having gained this samādhi, she saw universally the measureless buddhas of the ten directions, and she gained further the bodhisattva liberation at ease of displaying the taking of birth in all places. It is just as the consciousness that first receives conception is swift and unobstructed; because she had gained this liberation, so too was her seeing that all buddhas, riding upon the power of their original vows, take birth at ease.
The Former Life (Three): Joining the Ancient and the Present, and Displaying the All-Pervadingness of the Working (Chengguan’s Outline)
“Son of good family! What do you think? That wet-nurse — was she some other person? It is this very body of mine. From that time onward, in thought after thought I have ever seen the Buddha Vairocana displaying the sovereign spiritual power of the sea of the bodhisattva’s taking of birth and taming beings. Just as I see the Buddha Vairocana, riding upon the power of his original vows, displaying in thought after thought the spiritual transformations of the bodhisattva’s taking of birth within the dust motes of this three-thousandfold great-thousand world-system and on to all the worlds of the ten directions, so I see all the buddhas doing wholly the same; and I revere, serve, and make offerings to them all, and hear the Dharma they expound, and cultivate according to what they expound.”
The Opening Clause of the Verses in Repetition, and the First through the Third Verses (Chengguan’s Outline: Enjoining Attention and Granting the Telling · The Arising of a Buddha in an Ancient Age)
At that time the goddess of the Lumbinī Grove, wishing to set forth once more the meaning of this liberation, sustained by the spiritual power of the Buddha, contemplated the ten directions universally and spoke in verse, saying:
“What you have asked, son of the Buddha, is the profound objective realm of the buddhas; now you should listen and receive it, and I shall tell its causes and conditions.
Beyond kalpas as many as the dust motes of a koṭi of lands there was a kalpa named Joyful Delight; eighty nayutas of Tathāgatas arose in the world at that time.
The title of the first Tathāgata was Banner of Sovereign Merit and Virtue; in the Golden Blossom Park I saw the day when he was first born.
The Fourth through the Seventh Verses (At That Time I Was the Wet-Nurse · Bearing Him Up and Beholding Him Closely)
At that time I was the wet-nurse, and my wisdom was exceedingly keen and sharp; the gods handed the bodhisattva to me, and that was the golden-hued body of the bodhisattva.
At that time I swiftly bore him up, and beheld him closely, yet could not see the crown of his head; his bodily marks were all fully rounded, each single one of them without bound.
The stainless and pure body, adorned with the marks and signs — it was as with a wondrous jewelled image, and having seen it, of myself I was glad.
Pondering upon his merit and virtue, swiftly I made the many seas of merit grow; and seeing this matter of spiritual power, I raised up the great mind of awakening.
The Eighth through the Eleventh Verses (Making Vows and Cultivating · Hearing the Dharma and Gaining Liberation)
Single-mindedly seeking the merit and virtue of a buddha, I broadened the great vows, adorning and purifying all lands, putting an end to the three evil destinies.
Universally, within the lands of the ten directions, I made offerings to numberless buddhas, cultivating my original vows, rescuing and freeing beings from suffering.
In the presence of that buddha I heard the Dharma and gained liberation, and for kalpas measureless, as many as the dust motes of a koṭi of lands, I cultivated.
All the buddhas within that kalpa I had once made offerings to, every one; I guarded and upheld their right Dharma, and cleansed and ordered this sea of liberation.
The Twelfth through the Fifteenth Verses (Chengguan’s Outline: Passing through Matters and Increasing Cultivation · Seeing All in One Thought)
The honored ones of the ten powers of the past, as many as the dust motes of a koṭi of lands, their Dharma wheels I upheld, every one, and made this liberation the brighter.
In the space of a single thought I saw, within the dust motes of these lands, that within each single one there was a Tathāgata and the seas of lands that he had purified.
Within the lands there were buddhas one and all, displaying their being born within a park, each of them displaying inconceivable and vast powers of spiritual might.
At times I saw inconceivably many bodhisattvas within koṭis of lands, dwelling above in heavenly palaces, about to realize the awakening of a buddha.
The Sixteenth through the Nineteenth Verses (Taking Birth · Going Forth · Accomplishing the Path · Turning the Dharma Wheel)
Within measureless seas of lands the buddhas display their taking of birth, expounding the Dharma with the great assembly circling them — all of this I have seen.
In a single thought I see, within koṭis of lands, bodhisattvas as many as the dust motes, going forth from the household and tending toward the place of the Way, displaying the objective realm of a buddha.
I see within the dust motes of the lands measureless buddhas accomplishing the path, each of them displaying every kind of skillful means, delivering the beings who suffer.
Within each single dust mote the buddhas turn the wheel of the Dharma, all of them with inexhaustible sound raining down universally the Dharma of sweet dew.
The Twentieth through the Twenty-Third Verses (Displaying Nirvāṇa · Dividing the Body and Making Offerings · Concluding Praise That It Cannot Be Exhausted)
Within each single dust mote of the lands, as many as the dust motes of a koṭi of lands, I see the Tathāgata one and all displaying his entering of parinirvāṇa.
Within measureless lands such as these the Tathāgata displays his being born; and I, dividing my body among them all, raise up offerings before them.
Inconceivable seas of lands, the measureless differences of the destinies — before them all I display myself and rain down the great rain of the Dharma.
Son of the Buddha, I know this liberation gate hard to conceive; through measureless koṭis of kalpas to extol it could not be exhausted.
Humbling Herself and Pointing to the Superior (Chengguan’s Outline): I Know Only This One
“Son of good family! I know only this ‘bodhisattva liberation at ease of displaying the taking of birth in all places through measureless kalpas.’ As for the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, they can make a single thought the treasury of all the kalpas, contemplate all dharmas, and display the taking of birth by skillful means; they make offerings universally to all the buddhas and penetrate all the dharmas of the buddhas to the very end; within all the destinies they display the taking of birth, and before all the buddhas they sit upon lotus seats; they know the time when beings ought to be delivered, and display for them the taking of birth and tame them by skillful means; within all lands they display spiritual transformations, and like reflected images they appear in full before them. How am I able to know or to tell of their merit and virtue and their practice?
Pointing Out the Friend Who Comes Next (Chengguan’s Outline): Gopā, the Woman of the Śākya Clan in the City of Jiapiluo
“Son of good family! In this city of Jiapiluo there is a woman of the Śākya clan named ‘Gopā.’ Go to her and ask: how is a bodhisattva to teach and convert beings within birth and death?”
Cherishing Her Virtue and Taking Leave (Chengguan’s Outline)
At that time Sudhana the youth bowed to her feet, circled her numberless times, gazed up at her with earnest care, took his leave, and departed.
善財為什麼要走到佛誕生的那座園子
善財從大願精進力救護一切眾生夜神那裡出來，得法之後「憶念修習，了達增長」，然後才「漸次遊行，至嵐毘尼林」。嵐毘尼是什麼地方？就是釋迦太子誕生之處。法藏指出這座園子的位置，說它在迦毘羅城東二十餘里，是摩耶生太子的地方。李通玄則析其名，說「嵐毘」此云樂勝、「尼」此云園，並就本節之義說「處生死如園萬行如林」。
要排一個誤解：以為經文安排善財到誕生地，只是在補一段佛傳。若如此，這一節大可只講太子降生的故事。實際上善財在這裡問的是「生如來家」，而這位善知識所授的十門，門門名為「受生藏」——地點與法門是同一件事的兩面。
落到地上：讀這一節，要一直記著「受生」二字是雙關的。一邊是釋迦從兜率降神而生於此園，一邊是菩薩念念生在如來之家。
先看見的不是人，是一場正在進行的說法
善財找到這位神時，經文寫的不是她在打坐，而是她在說法——「坐寶蓮華師子之座，二十億那由他諸天恭敬圍遶，為說菩薩受生海經」，而所說之經的效驗，經文當場說明：「令其皆得生如來家，增長菩薩大功德海」。
為什麼要先寫這一幕？因為善財接著要問的正是「生如來家」，而答案在他到場之前就已經在講了。善知識不是為善財臨時說一個法，是善財走進了一個一直在進行的法會。
排一個誤解：以為參學是善知識為你單獨開一堂課。經文此處的次第相反——先有法，後有問；問只是把已經在說的接到自己身上。落到地上：能不能得法，往往看你走進去的時候，那裡本來在做什麼。
善財問的三件事，答的卻只有一件
善財頂禮之後所問，逐字是三事：「菩薩云何修菩薩行、生如來家、為世大明」。而下文所答，唯是十種受生藏。三問一答，這是本節第一個要留意的結構。
澄觀就此點過一句：標數歎勝一段中，「生如來家，即正酬其問」——也就是說，十受生藏是直接回答三問中的第二問。那另外兩問呢？經文自己給了答案：十門之末的結歎說「則能於一莊嚴中，現種種莊嚴」以下一大段，正是「修菩薩行」之相；而立法名一段的「為一切世間清淨光明」，正是「為世大明」之酬。
排一個誤解：以為所問三事是三個題目。三事其實是一事之三面——生在佛家是體，修菩薩行是用，為世大明是效。落到地上：問題若問得零碎，答案未必零碎；看答案怎麼收，才知道問題本來是一個。
十門的總標：成就這個法，就生如來家
答文起手是一句總標——「菩薩有十種受生藏，若菩薩成就此法，則生如來家」，其下連下十餘句功德之相：念念增長善根、不疲不懈、不厭不退、無斷無失、離諸迷惑、不生怯劣惱悔之心，乃至「順一切智真實義境」。澄觀科這一段為「標數歎勝」，並指出其中「生如來家」一句即是正面回答善財之問。
要看清這一段的句法：它不是說『修滿十門然後生佛家』，而是說「成就此法，則生如來家」。這個「則」字，下文澄觀要反覆用到。
排一個誤解：以為這一長串功德是形容詞的堆疊。其實它們是一組否定與肯定的交替——先說不疲、不厭、無斷、無失、不生怯劣，再說發廣大心、增長諸度、獲勝神通。前半是說什麼不會發生，後半是說什麼會發生。落到地上：生佛家之相，先在『不退掉』上看得出來，再才在「增上」上看得出來。
十個名字，與澄觀的六位之配
徵數列名一段，十名逐一標出：願常供養一切諸佛、發菩提心、觀諸法門勤修行、以深淨心普照三世、平等光明、生如來家、佛力光明、觀普智門、普現莊嚴、入如來地——十門皆以「受生藏」為名。
澄觀就此十名作了一個配位表，說「此十通於六位」，並逐一配去：第一當十信，第二即十住，第三通行向，第四是初地，第五從二地至七地，第六第七皆八地而第六是自分、第七是勝進，第八即九地，第九當十地，第十即等覺入如來地。這是澄觀之判，不是經文自標——經文只有十個名字，沒有一個位名。
排一個誤解：以為有了這張表，讀十門就是對號入座。澄觀自己緊接著就把這張表鬆開了，這是下一節的事。落到地上：先把十個名字讀熟，配位表當作一把可用可放的尺。
澄觀為什麼不許把配位表讀死
配完位之後，澄觀立刻自設難問。他說「然依行布，豎配定然」——若依次第安立之門，這樣豎著配是決定的；「若約圓融，初後通用」——若依圓融之門，初與後可以互相通用。理由就出在經文那個「則」字上：經說「成就此法則生如來家」。
接著他用經文自身作反證，說：若一定要具足十門才算生佛家，為什麼文中第二門與第六門都已說「生如來家」，第十門又說已在三世佛所受灌頂？可見須豎著看，是就證位分其淺深。但若一定只許豎看，那就違背了「具十則生」這句話。所以他的結論是「是知須橫約圓融修觀」。《鈔》把這一段疏文分作五重來讀：一是約位竪配（亦名行布釋），二是「然依行布」以下結前生後而生起圓融，三是「若約圓融」以下通諸位釋（亦名圓融釋），四是「若定須具十」以下結成上竪，五是「若定竪」以下結成須橫；而其意在「橫竪無礙」，故二釋並存。
排一個誤解：以為澄觀在兩說之間搖擺。他不是搖擺，是指出經文同時容納兩種讀法，而各有其所以然——豎看得其次第，橫看得其圓融。落到地上：讀華嚴的位次，凡遇到「一位即攝一切位」之文，先別急著判它自相矛盾。
第一藏：把「見佛無厭」當作最初的善根
第一門是「願常供養一切諸佛受生藏」。經文寫的是初發心時所立之願：尊重、恭敬、供養一切諸佛，「見佛無厭」，於諸佛所常生愛樂、常起深信、修諸功德、恆無休息。結句是「是為菩薩為一切智始集善根受生藏」。
澄觀釋此門云「一中即信發心故」，並引本經〈賢首品〉之偈「常欲利樂諸群生，莊嚴國土供養佛」為證，說「故文云始集善根」。也就是說，這一門所以配在信位，是因為它的內容是願、是信、是初集。
排一個誤解：以為供養是給佛東西。經文此門所列八事之中，除所論之供養外，只有「修諸功德」勉強關乎作為，其餘全是心——尊重、恭敬、無厭、愛樂、深信、無休息。落到地上：供養的實質是「見佛無厭」四個字；一個人對佛法還會膩，最初的善根就還沒集起來。
第二藏：發菩提心是十個「起」
第二門是「發菩提心受生藏」。經文以十句寫此心，句句以「起」字領起、以「故」字結：起大悲心救護眾生故、起供養佛心究竟承事故、起普求正法心一切無吝故、起廣大趣向心求一切智故、起慈無量心普攝眾生故、起不捨一切眾生心被求一切智堅誓甲故、起無諂誑心得如實智故、起如說行心修菩薩道故、起不誑諸佛心守護一切佛大誓願故、起一切智願心盡未來化眾生不休息故。末以「得生如來家」收。
澄觀就此門說「二中初住發心，文具三心生如來家，亦初住生家」——配之於初住，並指出經文自身已具生佛家之文。《鈔》恐人把這個「初住生家」誤讀成初地生家，特出生家之六位——初住生菩提心家、四住生聖教家、初地生真如家、四地約寄位生出世家、八地生無生法忍家、如來地究竟生家——而定此門「今是初住，即第一生菩提心家」。
排一個誤解：以為菩提心是一個念頭。經文寫的是十個「起」，且每一個都有一個「故」——有所為而起。落到地上：檢驗菩提心真假，不看有沒有發過願，看那十件事裡自己能對上幾條。
第三藏：十句心，前二標行與向
第三門是「觀諸法門勤修行受生藏」。經文列九個以「起」字領起之心：觀一切法門海心、迴向一切智圓滿道心、正念無過失業心、一切菩薩三昧海清淨心、修成一切菩薩功德心、莊嚴一切菩薩道心、求一切智大精進行如劫火熾然無休息心、修普賢行教化一切眾生心、善學一切威儀修菩薩功德捨離一切所有住無所有真實心。
澄觀讀此段的方式很細，他說「三中十句，一觀法門海標十行；二向一切智標迴向，以行願相資故合為一；餘八通行向」——第一句標十行位，第二句標十迴向位，因為行與願互相資助所以合為一門，其餘八句則通於行位與向位。此處有一個口徑之別要分清：經文以「起」字領起者九句，而澄觀所稱者「十句」；疏文未出其如何分為十，故不以自造之第十心補數，二數並錄不判。法藏另設一問：第三門之九心與第二門之十心何別？他答「前是行本心，此是現行心，故生佛家也」——第二門十心是諸行之本，第三門九心是本上現起之行；行既現起，所以生於佛家。這一問答與澄觀之計數、配位各自成家，不相代。
排一個誤解：以為十句是十件事並列。澄觀的讀法是前二句各標一位、後八句通貫二位，這是一種『標與通』的結構。落到地上：末一句最要緊——「捨離一切所有、住無所有真實心」；前面八句都在做，末一句說做到哪裡才算真。
第四藏：深淨心即是初地
第四門是「以深淨心普照三世受生藏」。經文說此菩薩具清淨增上心，得如來菩提光，入菩薩方便海，「其心堅固猶若金剛」，背捨一切諸有趣生，成就一切佛自在力，乃至「破壞一切諸障礙山，普為眾生作所依處」。
澄觀逐句繫之，說「四中契理斷障，名深淨心，即淨心地」，並就三句各出所以：「已證理故，堅如金剛；已得離生道故，捨諸有趣；已破二障礙山故，為物依處」。三句三事——證理、離生、破障，各有其果。《鈔》又就此門逐句補釋：得如來菩提光是明心菩提，入菩薩方便海是證真了俗故捨諸有趣，成就自在是分身百剎，修菩薩殊勝行是淨治地法十行常修，具菩薩根是由證信故餘皆成根而以大悲為首，心明潔是已斷所知，願不動是十願成熟，得佛護是同佛證如，壞諸障是分別頓盡。
排一個誤解：以為「深淨心」是心情清淨。澄觀給的定義是「契理斷障」，是證與斷兩件事。落到地上：這一門末句是「普為眾生作所依處」；能不能作別人的依止，看的是自己有沒有先把那座障礙之山破掉。
第五藏：六度一路寫下來，末後轉出無礙眼
第五門是「平等光明受生藏」。經文的寫法是把六度依次寫過：具足眾行普化眾生（施）、一切所有悉皆能捨（施）、住佛究竟淨戒境界（戒）、具足忍法成就諸佛法忍光明（忍）、以大精進趣一切智到於彼岸（進）、修習諸禪得普門定（禪）、淨智圓滿以智慧日明照諸法（智），然後轉出「得無礙眼，見諸佛海，悟入一切真實法性」。
澄觀就此分兩截，說「五中證如起行為平等光明，戒忍進等為次五地」，又特別指出「得無礙」以下即是七地，理由是「七地得無生忍光明故，入一切真實法」。《鈔》釋澄觀「戒忍進等」之「等」字，說是等取禪、慧各一增；又就此門末後二句分之：上句是三業善巧而見者必欣，下句是功用行滿而又以無功得諸行。
排一個誤解：以為這一門只是六度的清單。澄觀讀出的是一條上升線——由證真如而起行，行滿而得無礙眼。落到地上：六度修到哪裡才算轉關？經文給的訊號是「得無礙眼」，不是『捨了多少』。
第六藏：與如來共一體性，才叫生在佛家
第六門是「生如來家受生藏」，與總標的用語重複。經文說此菩薩生如來家、隨諸佛住，成就一切甚深法門，「具三世佛清淨大願，得一切佛同一善根，與諸如來共一體性」，具出世行白淨善法，「安住廣大功德法門」，「入諸三昧，見佛神力」，「隨所應化，淨諸眾生」，末以「如問而對，辯才無盡」收。這末後幾句不是泛說功德：安住之所安者有限定，是廣大功德之法門；所淨之眾生亦有限定，是「隨所應化」者，應化得了的才淨得了。《鈔》就此下科為三節——「安住」以下是正行廣大，「入諸三昧」以下是離障寂滅，其後三句是三輪化益；此為鈔科，非經文自標。
澄觀釋此門云「六中以得無生忍、契同法性，為生佛家。願度增上善根一體，惑等不動，為白淨法」，並將此門配在第八地之自分。
排一個誤解：以為「生如來家」是一個果位的稱號。經文給的內涵是三件事——同願、同善根、同體性。三個「同」字，才是家的意思。落到地上：家人之所以是家人，不在住在一起，在願一樣。此門末句忽然說到辯才，正因為同體性者，問答之際自然相應。
第七藏：六個譬喻，把神通說成無自性
第七門是「佛力光明受生藏」。經文說此菩薩深入佛力，遊諸佛剎心無退轉，供養承事菩薩眾會無有疲厭，接著連下六喻：了一切法皆如幻起、知諸世間如夢所見、一切色相猶如光影、神通所作皆如變化、一切受生悉皆如影、諸佛說法皆如谷響。
澄觀就此門說「七中因佛勸起能頓修行，名佛力光明」，又說「無功用修，故無疲厭等」——所以無疲厭，是因為已入無功用之修。《鈔》又就此門所自在者判為三世間：初二句是器界自在，次二句是正覺，後三句是眾生，說法度生故。
排一個誤解：以為六喻是在說一切都是假的、不必當真。要看它擺的位置：六喻之中有一句是「一切受生悉皆如影」——而本門所在的整組法門正名為「受生藏」。經文一邊教受生，一邊說受生如影。落到地上：知道受生如影，才受得起無量劫的受生；當真了的人反而受不起。
第八藏：住童真位，在差別與無差別之間
第八門是「觀普智門受生藏」。經文說此菩薩「住童真位」，觀一切智一一智門，盡無量劫開演一切菩薩所行，「於諸菩薩甚深三昧心得自在」，「念念生於十方世界諸如來所」，然後連下四對相反相成之句：於有差別境入無差別定、於無差別法現有差別智、於無量境知無境界、於少境界入無量境。末以「知諸世間悉假施設，一切皆是識心所起」收。
三昧之自在與受生之處，此門各下一句限定：自在者在「甚深三昧」之心，受生者在「十方世界諸如來所」而且是「念念」——不是泛言得定，也不是泛言受生。《鈔》就此判為三種自在——三昧自在（隨心頓演）、受生自在、「於有差別」以下之於法自在；此為鈔科，非經文自標。澄觀就「童真位」一語指出其所在，說「八中從第八地入第九地，故云住童真位」；又逐句釋那兩句相反之文，說「即事知理之如實故，於有差別境入無差別定；即理窮事之如實故，於無差別法現有差別智」，而其總持之句是「觀一切智智門，即法師之德故」。《鈔》又就「於三性等」與「一一門」二句說法師之所以成就：三性即是化法，為智成就；「等」字等取入行成就之智與十一稠林；經文「一一門」以下，即口業成就，具四十無礙，故能長演——三種自在之外，法師之德本在此。
排一個誤解：以為「入無差別定」高於「現有差別智」。澄觀給的是一對——一個是即事知理，一個是即理窮事，兩邊都是「如實」。落到地上：定中無差別而智上有差別，這正是說法者所以能說法之處；本節寄善慧地，善慧地正是說法之地。
第九藏：常在三昧，而莊嚴不失時
第九門是「普現莊嚴受生藏」。經文說此菩薩能種種莊嚴無量佛剎，普能化現一切眾生及諸佛身，得無所畏，演清淨法，周流法界無所障礙，隨其心樂普使知見，示現種種成菩提行，末句是「如是所作不失其時，而常在三昧毘盧遮那智慧之藏」。
澄觀釋此門之名與其末句云「九中以佛莊嚴而莊嚴，故名普莊嚴，已得離垢等諸三昧故，雖復常用而常在三昧」。莊嚴之所以稱「普」，是因為所用以莊嚴者即是佛之莊嚴。《鈔》就此門分依與正：初句是嚴依，其餘皆是嚴正；而正中並是祕密智——初三句身祕密、「演清淨」以下口祕密、「隨其心」以下皆意祕密。
排一個誤解：以為「常在三昧」與「不失其時」是兩段時間——先入定，出定再做事。經文把兩句連寫在一起，正是要遮這個誤解。落到地上：所作不失時機，靠的不是算準時間，是沒有從那個藏裡出來過。
第十藏：受灌頂，知一切次第
第十門是「入如來地受生藏」。經文說此菩薩悉於三世諸如來所受灌頂法，普知一切境界次第，並列六種次第：一切眾生前際後際沒生次第、一切菩薩修行次第、一切眾生心念次第、三世如來成佛次第、善巧方便說法次第，及一切初中後際諸劫若成若壞名號次第。末以「隨諸眾生所應化度，為現成道功德莊嚴」收。
澄觀就此門作兩重之判，說「十中約其自分為此菩薩，約其勝進名入佛地，已受職位云受灌頂，智齊佛境云知一切」，並指出「知一切」之義詳見本經〈十定品〉。《鈔》於此門則說經文顯然，皆與本位之義理相符，「不為此釋實抑經文」——是說疏之此釋不壓過經文自身，並非鈔於此無釋。
排一個誤解：以為第十門講的是神通廣大。它講的其實是「次第」二字——所知六事，事事是次第。落到地上：入如來地的相貌，是把一切先後看清楚；而看清楚的用處在末句——為眾生示現成道。
結歎勝益：一莊嚴中現種種莊嚴
第十門之後是結歎，澄觀科為「結歎勝益」。經文說若於此十法「修習增長圓滿成就」，則能於一莊嚴中現種種莊嚴，如是莊嚴一切國土，開導示悟一切眾生，盡未來劫無有休息；乃至於諸眾生心行海中而轉法輪，於一切世界示現成佛恆無間斷，末句是「開示無量甚深法藏，教化成就一切世間」。
澄觀於此段只下六字——「結歎勝益，可知」。所謂可知，是說經文自身已足，無煩更釋。
排一個誤解：以為這段是十門之外另加的功德。它是十門之「則」——回應總標那句「成就此法則生如來家」。落到地上：本段的眼在第一句「於一莊嚴中，現種種莊嚴」。一即多之義，在此不是玄談，是十門修成之後自然的用。
十偈重頌：如次頌前十法，而稱名各異
長行之後是重頌。經文的起句是「爾時，嵐毘尼林神，欲重明其義，以佛神力，普觀十方而說頌言」，其下二十行，四句一偈共十偈。澄觀對此只下一句判語——「二重頌中十偈，如次頌前十法」，即偈與門一一對應，不錯位。
值得看的是每偈的末句。十偈末句同一句式而所稱之名十皆不同：明慧者、難思者、名稱者、最勝者、雄猛者、明智者、不思議、真身者、大名者、諸佛子。第一偈頌初門而稱「明慧者」，其上二句正是「見一切佛無厭足，願盡未來常供養」；第三偈頌第三門而稱「名稱者」，其句是「聞法無厭樂觀察」；第四偈頌第四門而稱「最勝者」，其句是「堅如金剛及寶山」，與長行「其心堅固猶若金剛」相應；第十偈頌第十門而稱「諸佛子」，其句是「疾能趣入如來位」。
排一個誤解：以為重頌是把長行縮短再說一遍。此處長行說的是門之相，頌說的是持門之人的稱號——同一法，一從法立名，一從人立名。落到地上：讀這十偈，可以按著末句倒查是第幾門，這是經文自己給的檢查法。
立法名：自在受生，通能所現
頌後，這位善知識才自報法門之名。經文先牒前所明——「菩薩具此十法，生如來家，為一切世間清淨光明」，後乃立名——「我從無量劫來，得是自在受生解脫門」。澄觀科此段為「立法名」，並分為牒前與指前立目二節。
「自在」二字何解？澄觀釋云「機感便現，無所擁礙，名自在受生，通能所現」——機一有感，即時而現，中間沒有擁塞障礙，這叫自在受生；而這個名字通於能現與所現兩邊。
排一個誤解：以為自在是『想生哪裡就生哪裡』。澄觀給的定義沒有一個字提到意願，只說機感便現、無所擁礙——是應機而不是隨意。落到地上：受生之所以能自在，不在於能選，在於中間沒有東西擋著。
善財第二問：問的是境界，答的卻是所見
善財接著問：「聖者！此解脫門境界云何？」這一問把本節帶入第二大段。澄觀科此為「明法門業用」，先問後答，並下一句要緊的判語——「答中，知見此境即是業用」。
這句話值得停一下。善財問的是「境界」，若照常情，該答一段境界之描述。而下文所答，是這位神自己所見的一切——十瑞相、十光明、十神變、誕生之相。也就是說，這個法門的用，就在於『見得到』。
排一個誤解：以為神通之用在能變現。此門之用在能見——見佛受生於此園，也見一切佛受生於一切園。落到地上：問一個法門有什麼用，答案有時不是『能做什麼』，是『能看見什麼』。
依願受生：先發願，然後生在那座園子裡
答文起手不是瑞相，是願。經文說「我先發願」，所願二事：「願一切菩薩示受生時皆得親近」「願入毘盧遮那如來無量受生海」。因為這個願，「以昔願力，生此世界閻浮提中嵐毘尼園」；生在那裡以後，「專念菩薩何時下生」；然後是「經於百年，世尊果從兜率陀天而來生此」。
澄觀就此分二，說先明依願受生、後從「經於百年」以下是如昔願覩——依願而受生是因，如願而見到是果。
排一個誤解：以為這位神恰好住在那座園子裡，運氣好碰上了。經文把因果寫得很清楚：先有願，才生在那裡；生在那裡之後，還等了一百年。落到地上：這一段是本節談「願」最實的一處——願不是求得到什麼，是決定自己會站在哪裡、等多久。
林中十瑞：從地開始變
菩薩下生之前，林中先現十相。前七相皆是器世界之變，其序自地而上：地忽自平坦而坑坎堆阜不現、金剛為地而無瓦礫荊棘株杌、寶多羅樹周匝行列而根深至水際、生眾香芽現眾香藏而香逾天香、諸妙華鬘寶莊嚴具行列分布、園中諸樹皆自然開摩尼寶華、諸池沼中皆自生華從地涌出。
七相之中，前二是地之平與淨，中二是樹與香，後三是華——由粗而細，由堅而柔。第三相「其根深植至於水際」一句尤可注意：所寫的不是樹之高，是根之深。
排一個誤解：以為瑞相是裝飾。經文所變的第一件事是把坑坎堆阜去掉——先把不平的地方弄平，然後才談莊嚴。落到地上：迎接一件大事的次第，經文給的是先平後嚴；地不平時，華開了也是歪的。
後三瑞與結：從器世界轉到有情與佛光
後三相轉入有情與佛。第八，娑婆世界欲界色界所住之天龍八部一切諸王「莫不來集，合掌而住」；第九，此世界所有天女乃至摩睺羅伽女皆生歡喜，各各捧持供養之具「向畢洛叉樹前，恭敬而立」；第十，十方一切諸佛𪗇中皆放光明，名為「菩薩受生自在燈」，普照此林，一一光中悉現諸佛受生誕生所有神變。
畢洛叉樹在此第一次出現。澄觀釋此名云「畢洛叉者，此云高顯」——後文摩耶夫人正是於此樹下坐而誕生。十相之後，經文以一句作結：「此相現時，諸天王等即知當有菩薩下生；我見此瑞，歡喜無量。」
排一個誤解：以為第十相只是又一道光。第十相的內容是『光中現受生』——在菩薩尚未誕生之前，十方諸佛的受生已先現於光中。落到地上：一佛之降生，從來不是一件孤立的事；這一句是後文「結其周遍」的先聲。
十種光明：摩耶出城時所現
摩耶夫人出迦毘羅城而入此林，又現十種光明瑞相，其效是「令諸眾生得法光明」。十名逐一是：一切寶華藏光、寶香藏光、寶蓮華開演出真實妙音聲光、十方菩薩初發心光、一切菩薩得入諸地現神變光、一切菩薩修波羅蜜圓滿智光、一切菩薩大願智光、一切菩薩教化眾生方便智光、一切菩薩證於法界真實智光、一切菩薩得佛自在受生出家成正覺光。末句是「此十光明，普照無量諸眾生心」。澄觀科此段為「見出城現光」。
十名之序自有其理：前三光屬華香音聲，是相；後七光自「初發心」起，歷諸地、波羅蜜、大願、方便、證法界，至「受生出家成正覺」——是一條完整的菩薩道。
排一個誤解：以為光明是祥瑞的裝點。經文說它「普照無量諸眾生心」，所照的是心不是境。落到地上：後七光排起來就是一部道次第；一位菩薩要降生，先把整條路以光的形式演一遍給眾生看。
十種神變之總徵與第一變：眾集而苦息
摩耶夫人於畢洛叉樹下坐時，復現十種神變。第一變是八部雲集與毛孔放光：欲界諸天天子天女及色界一切諸天，並諸龍、夜叉、乾闥婆、阿脩羅、迦樓羅、緊那羅、摩睺羅伽及其眷屬，為供養故悉皆雲集；摩耶夫人「身諸毛孔咸放光明」，普照三千大千世界無所障礙，「一切光明悉皆不現」，除滅一切眾生煩惱及惡道苦。
澄觀為十變各立一目，第一目作「集眾息苦」——上半是集眾，下半是息苦，一目而兩事。
排一個誤解：以為「一切光明悉皆不現」是說別的光被遮住了。此句與「普照三千大千世界無所障礙」連讀，寫的是此光一現而餘光失色。落到地上：這一變的重點在末句——所除的是煩惱與惡道之苦，不是黑暗。
第二變：腹中現三千世界
第二變寫摩耶夫人腹中「悉現三千世界一切形像」，其百億閻浮提內各有都邑、各有園林、名號不同，而「皆有摩耶夫人於中止住、天眾圍遶」，悉為顯現菩薩將生不可思議神變之相。澄觀為此變立目作「卷舒無礙」。
「卷舒」二字下得極準：一身之腹是卷，三千世界之相是舒；而百億閻浮提中各有一位摩耶夫人，是舒中之卷。
排一個誤解：以為這是說腹中裝得下世界，只是形容大。經文所現的不是山河，是「各有都邑，各有園林，名號不同」——是有名有目的差別世界。落到地上：一與多之無礙，在此不是抽象命題，是母親之身與百億世界之間的一件事實。
第三至第六變：毛孔所現的四重往昔
第三至第六變，皆就毛孔而說，而所現之事逐重深入。第三變現如來往昔修行菩薩道時恭敬供養一切諸佛及聞佛說法音聲，並以喻明之——「譬如明鏡及以水中，能現虛空日月、星宿、雲雷等像」，澄觀立目作「毛現佛因」。第四變現往修菩薩行時所住世界、城邑聚落、山林河海、眾生劫數、值佛出世、隨所受生、壽命長短，末句是「於一切剎在在生處，摩耶夫人常為其母」，澄觀立目作「現佛本事」。第五變現隨所生處之色相形貌、衣服飲食、苦樂等事，「一一普現，分明辯了」，澄觀立目作「現行所依身」。第六變現往昔修施行時捨所難捨——頭目耳鼻、脣舌牙齒、身體手足、血肉筋骨、男女妻妾、城邑宮殿、衣服瓔珞、金銀寶貨——並見受者形貌音聲及其處所，澄觀立目作「遍現捨行」。
排一個誤解：以為四變是同一件事說四遍。四目分得很清楚：一現因、二現事、三現身、四現捨。第四變末句尤重——「常為其母」，這才是摩耶之身能現此四重的所以然。落到地上：第六變之所以連受者都現，是因為布施之為布施，本來就要兩邊才成立。
第七至第九變：林現古佛·身出宮殿·身出菩薩
第七變寫摩耶入園時，「其林普現過去所有一切諸佛入母胎時」之國土園林、衣服華鬘、塗香末香、幡繒幢蓋，及妓樂歌詠上妙音聲，令諸眾生普得見聞；澄觀立目作「現古佛受生園林」。第八變寫從其身出菩薩所住摩尼寶王宮殿樓閣，超過天龍八部及諸人王之所住者，「內外清淨，各各差別，不相雜亂，周匝遍滿嵐毘尼園」；澄觀立目作「現今佛所處宮殿」。第九變寫從其身出十不可說百千億那由他佛剎微塵數菩薩，其身形容貌相好光明進止威儀神通眷屬「皆與毘盧遮那菩薩等無有異，悉共同時讚歎如來」；澄觀立目作「出菩薩同類」。
排一個誤解：以為三變只是愈說愈大。三變其實各有所對——第七對過去諸佛，第八對今佛之所處，第九對同類之菩薩；古、今、同輩三邊都齊了，這一生才不是孤起的。落到地上：第八變「各各差別，不相雜亂」一句，是華嚴談重重無盡時最要記住的分寸。
第十變：金剛際出大蓮華
第十變是十變之極。經文寫忽於其前「從金剛際出大蓮華」，名為「一切寶莊嚴藏」，金剛為莖、眾寶為鬚、如意寶王為臺，有十佛剎微塵數葉，一切皆以摩尼所成，寶網寶蓋以覆其上。其下八部之王各作一事：天王共執持、龍王降香雨、夜叉王散天華、乾闥婆王歌讚往昔供佛功德、阿脩羅王捨憍慢而稽首、迦樓羅王垂寶繒幡遍滿虛空、緊那羅王歡喜瞻仰歌詠讚歎、摩睺羅伽王普雨寶莊嚴雲。澄觀立目作「地現蓮華將承至聖」。
排一個誤解：以為蓮華只是座具。澄觀之目點出其用——「將承至聖」，是要來承接的。而它從「金剛際」出，即從大地最下之際直上；一朵要承佛的華，根子下到最底。落到地上：阿脩羅王在此捨的是憍慢——八部之中唯此一王要先捨掉什麼，才進得了這一幕。
誕生：四個譬喻與一句了達
十相既現，然後菩薩誕生。經文以四喻寫其身相光明——如虛空中現淨日輪、如高山頂出於慶雲、如密雲中而耀電光、如夜闇中而然大炬，並記其事：「菩薩從母脇生，身相光明亦復如是。」
澄觀就這四相說「釋通事理」，事理各出四義。約事，是迴耀挺特、高顯邕容、威光赫奕、分明可覩；約理，是依性空無住而現、依涅槃山無心而出、大慈雲中現無住之化身、為破眾生生死無明之大闇。四喻各得一事一理。其下經文轉入內德——「雖現初生，悉已了達一切諸法，如夢如幻，如影如像，無來無去，不生不滅」，澄觀科為「了其內德」。智儼就六十本則把這一段分作三層：「因行智光以相顯體」、「大用自在攝德無礙」、「顯清淨無染」；清淨無染一層又分三——初為益現身、二順法成似、三成而無作。四喻在他讀來各有所表：如空中日是朗曜挺特，如電光是即現群機，如山起雲是布慈漸益，如闇中燈是像現除迷。澄觀之事理與智儼之三層，同讀四喻而所重各異。
排一個誤解：以為誕生一段是本節最像佛傳的地方。經文緊接著就說「雖現初生」——一個「雖」字把整段翻過來。落到地上：日輪、慶雲、電光、大炬四喻愈說愈亮，而末後一句說「不生不滅」；看得見的與真實的，經文一次給你兩層。
結其周遍：見一處生，即見一切處生
答文之末，是這位神自陳所見之廣。經文說：當我見佛於此四天下閻浮提內嵐毘尼園示現初生種種神變時，「亦見如來於三千大千世界百億四天下閻浮提內嵐毘尼園中示現初生種種神變」；亦見三千大千世界一一塵中無量佛剎，亦見百佛世界、千佛世界乃至十方一切世界一一塵中無量佛剎，「如是一切諸佛剎中，皆有如來示現受生種種神變」，末句是「如是念念，常無間斷」。
澄觀科此段為「結其周遍」，並下一語——「則橫竪無窮」。橫者遍一切處，竪者念念無間。
排一個誤解：以為這是說她看見了很多。經文的句法是「當我見佛……亦見」——不是看完一處再看一處，是見此一處之時即見一切處。落到地上：這正回答了善財所問之「境界」；此門之境界，就在「一處即一切處」這一件事上。
善財第三問與本生：古世佛興
善財再問：「大天得此解脫，其已久如？」澄觀科此為「顯法根源」，先問後答，答中長行分六段。第一段是古世佛興：往古之世過億佛剎微塵數劫又復過是數，有世界名「普寶」，劫名「悅樂」，八十那由他佛於中出現，其第一佛名「自在功德幢」，十號具足。第二段顯昔父母：其四天下名「妙光莊嚴」，王都名「須彌莊嚴幢」，王名「寶焰眼」，夫人名「喜光」；經文並自作比對——「如此世界摩耶夫人，為毘盧遮那如來之母；彼世界中喜光夫人，為初佛母，亦復如是」。
排一個誤解：以為列這一串名號是敘事的鋪陳。它是在建立一個對位：彼世界的第一佛之母與此世界的佛母同格。落到地上：本生之所以能作「法根源」，靠的正是這一組對位——不是講一個古老的故事，是把此刻的場景推到最初的那一次。
本生之心：乳母敬受之一念
第三段攀樹誕生：喜光夫人與二十億那由他采女詣金華園，園中有樓名「妙寶峯」，其邊有樹名「一切施」，夫人「攀彼樹枝而生菩薩」，諸天王眾各持香水共以洗沐。第四段觀佛得法：時有乳母名為「淨光」侍立其側，洗沐已，諸天王眾授與乳母，「乳母敬受，生大歡喜，即得菩薩普眼三昧」；得此三昧已，普見十方無量諸佛，「復得菩薩於一切處示現受生自在解脫」，並以「如初受胎識，速疾無礙」喻其疾。第五段結會古今：「彼乳母者，豈異人乎？我身是也。」第六段顯用周遍：從是以來念念常見毘盧遮那佛示現菩薩受生海調伏眾生自在神力。
澄觀於第五段特別點出一事：經文結會古今而不結父母，其故是「意明即淨飯、摩耶，佛即今佛故」——不必結，因為本來就是。
排一個誤解：以為得法要靠久修。經文寫她得法之處，是接過嬰兒的那一刻——「敬受，生大歡喜」，然後「即得」。落到地上：一念之敬與喜，是這整個法門的根源；後面無量劫的修行，都是從這一抱開始的。
重頌四十六行：澄觀分為四段
本生長行之後是重頌。起句是「時，嵐毘尼林神，欲重宣此解脫義，承佛神力，普觀十方而說頌言」，其下四十六行。澄觀就此判為二十三頌，並分四段——「初一誡聽許說、次九最初修證、次十二偈歷事增修、末偈結歎無盡」。
依此分法讀去，四段各有其面目。初一偈是「佛子汝所問，諸佛甚深境；汝今應聽受，我說其因緣」，是誡聽與許說。次九偈是最初修證，自「過億剎塵劫」起，歷「我時為乳母，智慧極聰利」「我時疾捧持，諦觀不見頂」「離垢清淨身，相好以莊嚴」，至「見此神通事，發大菩提心」，再至「專求佛功德」「普於十方土」「我於彼佛所，聞法得解脫」——由見佛而發心，由發心而發願，由發願而得法。次十二偈是歷事增修，自「劫中所有佛，我悉曾供養」起，歷「我於一念頃，見此剎塵中」「剎內悉有佛，園中示誕生」「無量剎海中，諸佛現受生」「一念見億剎，微塵數菩薩，出家趣道場」「我見剎塵內，無量佛成道」「一一微塵中，諸佛轉法輪」「悉見於如來，示現般涅槃」，至「如是無量剎，如來示誕生；而我悉分身，現前興供養」與「不思議剎海，無量趣差別」——所歷者正是佛之受生、出家、成道、轉法輪、般涅槃五事，一一於剎塵之內普見。末偈是「佛子我知此，難思解脫門，無量億劫中，稱揚不可盡」，結歎無盡。
排一個誤解：以為頌只是把長行複述。長行之本生止於乳母得法與見佛周遍，而頌之第三段把所見鋪成佛之一代五事，這是長行所無的。落到地上：讀這四十六行，可依澄觀四段之界分開來讀——一誡聽、九修證、十二歷事、一結歎，界既分明，句句便有著落。
謙己推勝：我只知道這一個
頌後是謙己推勝。經文說「我唯知此菩薩於無量劫遍一切處示現受生自在解脫」，其下推向諸菩薩摩訶薩之所能：能以一念為諸劫藏，觀一切法而以善方便現受生；周遍供養一切諸佛，究竟通達一切佛法；於一切趣皆現受生，一切佛前坐蓮華座；知諸眾生應可度時，為現受生方便調伏；於一切剎現諸神變，猶如影像悉現其前。末以一問收——「我當云何能知能說彼功德行？」李通玄科此段為推德昇進。
排一個誤解：以為謙己是客套。細看所推之事，第一句就是「能以一念為諸劫藏」——而這位神自己所得的是「於無量劫遍一切處」；一個是以劫入念，一個是遍歷諸劫，方向恰好相反。落到地上：真正的謙己，是說得出自己所知與所不知之間，界線畫在哪一句上。
指示後友：迦毘羅城的釋種女
末後指示後友。經文說「此迦毘羅城，有釋種女，名曰：瞿波。汝詣彼問：菩薩云何於生死中教化眾生？」
澄觀於此釋其名與其表，說「言瞿波者，此云守護大地」，並說其所以——在家為父母，守護太子儲備、守護國地；既為其妃，依主得名；而其表義是「表十地既圓，故無地不護」。他又記一事：太子有三夫人，一名瞿波、次名耶輸陀羅、三名摩奴舍，而此處取其第一，「今因位之極故，取其第一，法喜已滿故，寄之昔妃」。
排一個誤解：以為所問之題是隨口出的。前一友所授是受生自在，而此處所問是「於生死中教化眾生」——受生既得自在，接著要問的自然是在生死中做什麼。落到地上：善知識指路時所擬的問題，往往就是他自己法門的下一步。
戀德禮辭
末段是善財之辭。經文只有一句：「時，善財童子頂禮其足，遶無數匝，慇懃瞻仰，辭退而去。」四事——頂禮、遶匝、瞻仰、辭退，皆極簡。
比之於前後諸子，此處無所得之列、無所持之目。澄觀於本節之科止於指示後友，此段未別立科目。
排一個誤解：以為簡略即是省筆。本節之所得已於謙己段中自陳，故辭退無煩再列。落到地上：「慇懃瞻仰」四字是本段唯一帶情的一筆——已經要走了還在回頭看，這就是戀德。
承衍
本節之文，向下所開之流有三條線。
其一是寄位之線。本節經文無一字地名，「寄善慧地」之判出於澄觀之科；而澄觀於本品前總論五相時，已自明此配所從來——他先錄二家，意法師及臺山論但隨文散釋更無別配，光統等師皆配地位，然後說「二皆有理，謂隨一一位具多法門，豈容凡心不得習求善友之法，故不配有理。然無次位中不礙次位，顯位是常規，配亦無失。橫竪無礙，且依古德配為五相」。李通玄亦以善慧地釋此友之名，說「明善慧地妙慧圓滿故」；法藏就六十本則科為「第九善惠地知識」。三家皆於善慧地上立說，而澄觀自標其為承古德之配，非經文自判。
其二是十門配位之線。十受生藏之判，法藏記有一軌云諸德將配十地一一別釋，而他自己取通釋十目——供佛願、覺心支、觀寂滅、淨直心、智普照、生佛家、佛光力、達佛智、嚴法界、懃至佛；澄觀則逐門配六位，並立行布圓融二門而判「橫竪無礙」，二釋並存；李通玄不作配位而唯就九地一位釋之，說此菩薩「得無生忍，獲無功智創始現前」；智儼就六十本則唯以一句定其位與其法門，說「第九天名妙德圓滿，即九地菩薩位也，入無量境界受生自在法門」，不另立配位之表。四家所立之骨各異。
其三是名與數之異。園名，法藏就六十本作「流彌尼」，說「無正翻，義翻云花菓等勝妙事具足也」；李通玄就八十本析嵐毘尼三字為二語節，說「嵐毘者，此云樂勝。尼者，此云園也」。友名，八十本作「妙德」，六十本作「妙德圓滿」，四十本作「妙德圓滿愛敬林神」，法藏並別傳天竺本一名。頌之計數，澄觀於本生頌稱二十三頌，李通玄於重頌十偈稱二十行頌、於本生頌稱二十三行頌。乳母之名，八十本長行作「淨光」而頌唯稱乳母不出其名，六十本長行與頌皆作「離垢光」，四十本長行作「無垢光」而頌作「無垢焰」。樹名之訓，澄觀唯出義譯「畢洛叉者，此云高顯」，法藏則兼出音寫與義翻，說「畢利叉者，具云鉢刺叉，義翻云高顯樹也」，並辨其為生處之樹而非菩提樹。園名之訓，李通玄於〈入法界品〉作「尼者，此云園也」，而於〈十地品〉卷二十七又作「尼者，女音」「流彌尼者，樂勝圓光也」；澄觀於前友段末轉介本友時則作「嵐毘尼林，此云樂勝圓光」，並釋友名說「友名妙德圓滿者，善慧無缺故」。智儼《孔目章》又別立第九知識之義，說其「在流彌尼園。遊觀自在。示現法門。利益眾生義」。此諸異釋與異名皆古德成說與古譯成文，誌錄不判。
澄觀明判
二家之錄，澄觀不止於並列。錄畢二說之後，他自下一語：「然無次位中不礙次位，顯位是常規，配亦無失」——不配有其理，配亦無失，二說俱存而各有其所以然。而其收處在「橫竪無礙」四字；《鈔》釋此段而代出其意，說「實則橫竪無礙是此中意，故存二釋，文義昭然」。故澄觀之判不是撤其一而取其一，是二釋並存而不相礙：豎看得其次第，橫看得其圓融，兩看之間無所妨礙。十門配位一段之立行布圓融二門，其歸亦在此。
一節之要，在善財所問與所答之間的那個轉。他問怎樣生在如來家，答他的是十扇門與一座園子；而末後所指出的路，是回到生死裡去教化眾生。生佛家與入生死，在這一節裡是同一條路的兩頭。
Why Sudhana Must Walk to the Very Garden Where the Buddha Was Born
Sudhana comes out from the night goddess Great Vow, Vigor, and Power Who Rescues All Beings, and having gained the Dharma he “calls it to mind and cultivates it, penetrates it and makes it grow,” and only then does he “step by step journey on until he came to the Lumbinī Grove.” What sort of place is Lumbinī? It is the very place where the prince of the Śākyas was born. Fazang points out where this park lies, saying that it is more than twenty li east of the city of Jiapiluo, and is the place where Māyā gave birth to the prince. Li Tongxuan for his part analyzes the name, saying that “Lumbi” means in this tongue surpassing delight and that “nī” means park, and upon the meaning of this section he says that “birth and death are as the park and the manifold practices as the grove.”
A misreading to be set aside: that in setting Sudhana down at the place of the birth the scripture text is only filling in a stretch of the Buddha’s life. Were it so, this section might well have told nothing but the story of the prince’s coming down to be born. In fact what Sudhana asks here is how one is “born into the house of the Tathāgata,” and the ten gates this good friend confers are named, gate after gate, “treasuries of taking birth” — the place and the Dharma gate are two faces of one and the same matter.
Brought down to the ground: in reading this section, keep it in mind throughout that the two graphs for “taking birth” carry a double sense. On the one side, Śākyamuni comes down from Tuṣita and is born in this park; on the other, the bodhisattva is born in thought after thought into the house of the Tathāgata.
What Is First Seen Is Not a Person but an Expounding Already Under Way
When Sudhana finds this goddess, what the scripture text writes is not that she is sitting in meditation but that she is expounding the Dharma — “seated upon a lion seat of jewelled lotus blossoms, with twenty koṭis of nayutas of devas reverently circling her, expounding for them the Scripture of the Sea of the Bodhisattva’s Taking of Birth” — and the effect of the scripture she expounds the text states on the spot: “so that they might all be born into the house of the Tathāgata and make the great sea of the bodhisattva’s merit and virtue grow.”
Why write this scene first? Because what Sudhana is about to ask is precisely how one is “born into the house of the Tathāgata,” and the answer was already being expounded before he arrived. The good friend does not get up a lesson for Sudhana on the spot; Sudhana has walked into a Dharma assembly that has been going on all along.
A misreading to be set aside: that going to study means a good friend opens a private class for you. The order here is the reverse — first there is the Dharma, and after it the question; the question only fastens onto oneself what was already being expounded. Brought down to the ground: whether one gains the Dharma often turns upon what was already going on in that place at the moment one walked in.
Sudhana Asks Three Things, and Only One Is Answered
What Sudhana asks after bowing is, by the graphs, three matters: “how a bodhisattva is to cultivate the bodhisattva practices, to be born into the house of the Tathāgata, and to be a great light for the world.” Yet what is answered below is only the ten treasuries of taking birth. Three questions, one answer: this is the first structural point of this section to be noticed.
Chengguan makes one remark upon it: within the passage of setting forth the number and praising its excellence, “being born into the house of the Tathāgata is just the direct requiting of his question” — that is to say, the ten treasuries of taking birth answer directly the second of the three questions. And the other two? The scripture text gives the answer itself: the long passage of concluding praise at the end of the ten gates, from “then within one adornment he can display every kind of adornment” onward, is precisely the mark of “cultivating the bodhisattva practices”; and in the passage of setting up the name of the Dharma, “a pure light for all the worlds” is precisely the requital of “being a great light for the world.”
A misreading to be set aside: that the three things asked are three topics. The three are in truth three faces of one thing — being born into the house of the buddhas is the substance, cultivating the bodhisattva practices is the function, and being a great light for the world is the effect. Brought down to the ground: if a question is asked in pieces, the answer need not be in pieces; only by watching how an answer closes does one learn that the question was one all along.
The General Setting Forth of the Ten Gates: Accomplish This Dharma and One Is Born into the House of the Tathāgata
The answer opens with a general setting forth — “a bodhisattva has ten treasuries of taking birth; if a bodhisattva accomplishes this Dharma, then he is born into the house of the Tathāgata” — and beneath it there follow more than ten clauses upon the marks of merit and virtue: making the roots of good grow in thought after thought, not wearied and not slack, not disgusted and not turned back, without break and without loss, leaving behind the many delusions, no mind arising that is timid and weak or vexed and regretful, and on to “according with the objective realm of the real meaning of all-knowledge.” Chengguan outlines this passage as “setting forth the number and praising its excellence,” and points out that the clause within it upon being born into the house of the Tathāgata is the direct answer to Sudhana’s question.
The syntax of this passage must be seen clearly: it does not say ‘cultivate the ten gates to the full and thereafter be born into the house of the buddhas,’ but says “accomplish this Dharma, then he is born into the house of the Tathāgata.” That word “then” is one Chengguan will use again and again below.
A misreading to be set aside: that this long string of merits and virtues is a heaping up of adjectives. In truth they are a set of alternating denials and affirmations — first what will not happen: not wearied, not disgusted, without break, without loss, no timid or weak mind; and then what will happen: raising up a vast mind, making the perfections grow, obtaining surpassing spiritual power. The first half says what will not occur, the second what will. Brought down to the ground: the mark of being born into the house of the buddhas shows first in ‘not falling back,’ and only afterwards in ‘advancing.’
The Ten Names, and Chengguan’s Matching Them to the Six Stations
In the passage of calling for the number and listing the names the ten names are set out one by one: vowing ever to make offerings to all the buddhas; raising the mind of awakening; contemplating the gates of the Dharma and cultivating them with diligence; illumining the three times universally with a deep and pure mind; even light; being born into the house of the Tathāgata; the light of the buddhas’ power; contemplating the gate of universal knowledge; universally displaying adornment; entering the ground of the Tathāgata — and all ten gates are named “treasuries of taking birth.”
Upon these ten names Chengguan draws up a table of matching stations, saying “these ten run through six stations,” and matching them one by one: the first answers to the ten faiths; the second is the ten abodes; the third runs through the practices and the dedications; the fourth is the first ground; the fifth runs from the second ground to the seventh; the sixth and the seventh are both the eighth ground, the sixth being its own portion and the seventh its advancing beyond; the eighth is the ninth ground; the ninth answers to the tenth ground; the tenth is equal awakening entering the ground of the Tathāgata. This is Chengguan’s judgment, not something the scripture text sets forth of itself — the scripture text has only ten names and not one name of a station.
A misreading to be set aside: that once one has this table, reading the ten gates is a matter of fitting each into its slot. Chengguan himself immediately loosens the table again, which is the matter of the next section. Brought down to the ground: first read the ten names until they are familiar, and treat the table of matching as a rule that may be used and may be set down.
Why Chengguan Will Not Let the Table of Matching Be Read as Fixed
Having finished the matching, Chengguan at once raises a difficulty against himself. He says, “now, according to the graded array, matching them vertically is settled” — if one goes by the gate in which the stations are set up in sequence, then matching them vertically in this way is decided; “if taken by perfect interfusion, the first and the last are used interchangeably” — if one goes by the gate of perfect interfusion, then first and last may be used of one another. His reason lies in that word “then” in the scripture text: the scripture says “accomplish this Dharma, then he is born into the house of the Tathāgata.”
Then he uses the scripture text itself as counter-evidence, saying: if one must be complete in all ten gates before it counts as being born into the house of the buddhas, why is it that in the text both the second gate and the sixth already say “born into the house of the Tathāgata,” and the tenth says further that one has already received consecration in the presence of the buddhas of the three times? From this it is known that a vertical reading is needed, taking the shallow and the deep by the stations of realization. But if only a vertical reading were allowed, that would go against the words “be complete in the ten and one is born.” So his conclusion is, “from this it is known that a horizontal reading is needed, cultivating contemplation by way of perfect interfusion.” The Chao reads this passage of the commentary in five layers: first, the vertical matching by station (also named the gloss of the graded array); second, from “now, according to the graded array” onward, concluding what precedes and raising perfect interfusion after; third, from “if taken by perfect interfusion” onward, the gloss that runs through all the stations (also named the gloss of perfect interfusion); fourth, from “if one must be complete in the ten” onward, the concluding that establishes the vertical above; fifth, from “if one settles upon the vertical” onward, the concluding that the horizontal is needed — and the intent of it lies in “the horizontal and the vertical being unobstructed,” so that both glosses stand.
A misreading to be set aside: that Chengguan is wavering between two positions. He is not wavering; he is pointing out that the scripture text holds both readings at once, each with its own reason — read vertically one gets its sequence, read horizontally one gets its perfect interfusion. Brought down to the ground: in reading the stations of the Avataṃsaka, whenever one meets a text saying ‘one station gathers in all stations,’ do not be quick to judge it self-contradictory.
The First Treasury: Taking “Seeing Buddhas and Never Having One’s Fill” as the First Root of Good
The first gate is “the treasury of taking birth of vowing ever to make offerings to all the buddhas.” What the scripture text writes is the vow set up when the mind is first raised: to honor, revere, and make offerings to all the buddhas, “seeing the buddhas and never having one’s fill,” ever giving rise to love and delight in the presence of the buddhas, ever raising up deep faith, cultivating every kind of merit and virtue, and never resting. The closing clause is “this is the bodhisattva’s treasury of taking birth of the first gathering of the roots of good for the sake of all-knowledge.”
Chengguan glosses this gate, saying “the first is the raising of the mind in faith,” and cites in evidence the verse of 〈賢首品〉 within this very scripture, “ever wishing to benefit and gladden the many multitudes, adorning lands and making offerings to the buddhas,” saying “and so the text speaks of the first gathering of the roots of good.” That is to say, this gate is matched to the station of faith because its content is vow, is faith, is a first gathering.
A misreading to be set aside: that making offerings means giving the Buddha things. Of the eight matters listed in this gate of the scripture text, apart from the making of offerings itself, only “cultivating every kind of merit and virtue” bears at all upon doing; all the rest are mind — honoring, revering, never having one’s fill, loving and delighting, deep faith, never resting. Brought down to the ground: the substance of making offerings lies in the four graphs “seeing buddhas and never having one’s fill”; if a person can still weary of the Buddha-Dharma, the first root of good has not yet been gathered.
The Second Treasury: Raising the Mind of Awakening Is Ten “Raisings”
The second gate is “the treasury of taking birth of raising the mind of awakening.” The scripture text writes this mind in ten clauses, clause after clause led by the graph for “raising” and closed by the graph for “because”: raising the mind of great compassion because he would rescue and protect beings; raising the mind of making offerings to the buddhas because he would serve them to the very end; raising the mind of seeking the right Dharma everywhere because he grudges nothing at all; raising the mind of vast tending-toward because he seeks all-knowledge; raising the mind of measureless kindness because he would gather in beings universally; raising the mind of not forsaking any being because he has put on the armor of the firm vow that seeks all-knowledge; raising the mind without flattery or deceit because he would gain the knowledge in accord with the real; raising the mind that acts as he has said because he would cultivate the bodhisattva path; raising the mind that does not deceive the buddhas because he would guard the great vows of all the buddhas; raising the mind of the vow of all-knowledge because he would convert beings to the end of the future and never rest. It closes with “comes to be born into the house of the Tathāgata.”
Upon this gate Chengguan says, “the second is the raising of the mind at the first abode; the text is complete in the three minds and in being born into the house of the Tathāgata, and the first abode too is a being born into the house” — matching it to the first abode, and pointing out that the scripture text itself already has the words upon being born into the house of the buddhas. Lest anyone misread this “first abode being born into the house” as a being born into the house at the first ground, the Chao sets forth the six stations of being born into the house — at the first abode, the house of the mind of awakening; at the fourth abode, the house of the holy teaching; at the first ground, the house of suchness; at the fourth ground, taken by the assignment of station, the house that transcends the world; at the eighth ground, the house of the forbearance of non-arising; at the ground of the Tathāgata, the house ultimately — and settles this gate as “here it is the first abode, that is, the first of them, being born into the house of the mind of awakening.”
A misreading to be set aside: that the mind of awakening is a single thought. What the scripture text writes is ten “raisings,” and every one of them has a “because” — it is raised for the sake of something. Brought down to the ground: to test whether a mind of awakening is genuine, do not look at whether a vow has ever been made; look at how many of those ten matters one can answer to.
The Third Treasury: Ten Clauses of Mind, the First Two Marking the Practices and the Dedications
The third gate is “the treasury of taking birth of contemplating the gates of the Dharma and cultivating them with diligence.” The scripture text lists nine minds, each clause led by the graph for “raising”: the mind that contemplates the sea of all the gates of the Dharma; the mind that dedicates and directs toward the fully rounded path of all-knowledge; the mind of right mindfulness without faulty deeds; the mind of the purity of the sea of all the bodhisattva samādhis; the mind that cultivates to completion all the merit and virtue of a bodhisattva; the mind that adorns all the bodhisattva paths; the mind of the great and vigorous practice that seeks all-knowledge, blazing as a kalpa-fire and never resting; the mind that cultivates the practice of Samantabhadra and converts all beings; the mind that is well trained in every deportment, that cultivates the merit and virtue of a bodhisattva, that casts off all it possesses, and that abides in the real mind of having nothing at all.
Chengguan’s way of reading this passage is very fine. He says, “in the third there are ten clauses: the first, contemplating the sea of the gates of the Dharma, marks the ten practices; the second, directing toward all-knowledge, marks the dedications, and because practice and vow support one another they are joined into one; the remaining eight run through both the practices and the dedications” — the first clause marks the station of the ten practices, the second marks the station of the ten dedications, and because practice and vow support one another they are made one gate, while the remaining eight clauses run through both the station of the practices and that of the dedications. One difference of reckoning must be kept clear here: the clauses the scripture text leads with the graph for “raising” are nine, while what Chengguan calls them is “ten clauses”; his commentary does not set forth how he divides them into ten, and so no tenth mind is invented to fill out the number, and the two reckonings are recorded together without judgment. Fazang sets a further question: how do the nine minds of the third gate differ from the ten minds of the second? He answers, “the former are the minds that are the root of practice, these are the minds of practice now arising, and therefore one is born into the family of the buddhas” — the ten minds of the second gate are the root of all the practices, the nine minds of the third are the practices that arise upon that root; the practices having arisen, one is born into the family of the buddhas. This question and answer stands as its own house beside Chengguan’s reckoning and matching, and neither replaces the other.
A misreading to be set aside: that the ten clauses are ten matters set side by side. Chengguan’s reading is that the first two each mark a station and the latter eight run through both — a structure of ‘marking and running through.’ Brought down to the ground: the last clause matters most — “casting off all that it possesses and abiding in the real mind of having nothing at all”; the first eight clauses are all doing, and the last says how far the doing must reach before it counts as real.
The Fourth Treasury: The Deep and Pure Mind Is the First Ground
The fourth gate is “the treasury of taking birth of illumining the three times universally with a deep and pure mind.” The scripture text says that this bodhisattva is furnished with a pure and superior mind, gains the light of the Tathāgata’s awakening, enters the sea of the bodhisattva’s skillful means, that “his mind is firm as a diamond,” that he turns his back upon and casts off the taking of birth in all the destinies of existence, accomplishes the sovereign power of all the buddhas, and on to “he shatters all the mountains of hindrance and obstruction, and becomes universally a place of reliance for beings.”
Chengguan fastens the clauses one by one, saying “in the fourth, according with principle and cutting off the obstructions is named the deep and pure mind, that is, the ground of the purified mind,” and setting out the reason for each of three clauses: “because he has already realized principle, he is firm as a diamond; because he has already gained the path that departs from birth, he casts off the destinies of existence; because he has already broken the two mountains of obstruction, he is a place of reliance for creatures.” Three clauses, three matters — realizing principle, departing from birth, breaking the obstructions — each with its own fruit. The Chao glosses this gate further, clause by clause: gaining the light of the Tathāgata’s awakening is the awakening of the mind; entering the sea of the bodhisattva’s skillful means is realizing the real and penetrating the conventional, and so casting off the destinies of existence; accomplishing sovereignty is dividing the body into a hundred lands; cultivating the bodhisattva’s surpassing practice is the constant cultivating of the ten practices that purify and order the dharma of the ground; being furnished with the bodhisattva’s faculties is that by realizing faith all the rest are made into faculties, great compassion being foremost; the mind being bright and clean is that the obstruction of the knowable has been cut off; the vows being unmoved is that the ten vows are ripened; gaining the buddhas’ protection is realizing suchness as the buddhas do; and the breaking of the obstructions is that discrimination is exhausted all at once.
A misreading to be set aside: that “deep and pure mind” means a mood of purity. The definition Chengguan gives is “according with principle and cutting off the obstructions” — two matters, realization and severance. Brought down to the ground: the last clause of this gate is “becomes universally a place of reliance for beings”; whether one can be another’s support turns on whether one has first broken down that mountain of obstruction in oneself.
The Fifth Treasury: The Six Perfections Written Straight Through, and at the End the Unobstructed Eye Turns Out
The fifth gate is “the treasury of taking birth of even light.” The way the scripture text writes it is to run through the six perfections in order: complete in the many practices and converting beings universally (giving); all that he possesses he can give away (giving); abiding in the objective realm of the buddhas’ ultimate pure discipline (discipline); complete in the dharma of patience and accomplishing the light of the buddhas’ patience with the dharmas (patience); with great vigor tending toward all-knowledge and reaching the further shore (vigor); cultivating the meditative concentrations and gaining the concentration of the universal gate (meditation); pure knowledge fully rounded, and with the sun of wisdom clearly illumining all dharmas (knowledge) — and then it turns out into “he gains the unobstructed eye, sees the sea of the buddhas, and awakens into the real nature of all dharmas.”
Chengguan divides it into two lengths, saying “in the fifth, realizing suchness and setting practice in motion is the even light, and discipline, patience, vigor and the rest are the five grounds that follow,” and pointing out especially that from “he gains the unobstructed” onward is the seventh ground, the reason being that “upon the seventh ground one gains the light of the forbearance of non-arising, and so enters all real dharmas.” The Chao, glossing the words “and the rest” in Chengguan’s “discipline, patience, vigor and the rest,” says that they take in meditation and wisdom, each with its own increase; and it divides the last two clauses of this gate: the upper clause is the skillfulness of the three kinds of action, so that whoever sees is gladdened, and the lower is the fullness of the practice of contrivance, the practices being gained by non-contrivance.
A misreading to be set aside: that this gate is only a list of the six perfections. What Chengguan reads out of it is an ascending line — from realizing suchness one sets practice in motion, and when the practice is full one gains the unobstructed eye. Brought down to the ground: at what point do the six perfections turn the corner? The signal the scripture text gives is “gaining the unobstructed eye,” not ‘how much one has given away.’
The Sixth Treasury: Sharing One Substance and Nature with the Tathāgata — That Is What Being Born into the House of the Buddhas Means
The sixth gate is “the treasury of taking birth of being born into the house of the Tathāgata,” whose wording repeats that of the general setting forth. The scripture text says that this bodhisattva is born into the house of the Tathāgata and abides in the company of the buddhas, accomplishes all the profound gates of the Dharma, “is furnished with the pure great vows of the buddhas of the three times, gains the one same root of good of all the buddhas, and shares one substance and nature with the Tathāgatas,” is furnished with world-transcending practice and white and pure good dharmas, “abides in the gate of the Dharma of vast merit and virtue,” “enters the samādhis and sees the spiritual power of the buddhas,” “purifies beings according to what may be converted,” and closes with “he answers according to what is asked, and his eloquence has no end.” These last clauses are not a loose praise of merit: what he abides in is bounded — it is the gate of the Dharma of vast merit and virtue; and the beings he purifies are bounded too — they are those “according to what may be converted,” for only what can be converted can be purified. The Chao outlines what follows here in three: from “abides in” onward is practice proper, vast; from “enters the samādhis” onward is the departure from obstruction and quiescence; and the three clauses after that are the benefit of conversion by the three wheels. This is the Chao’s outline and not something the scripture text marks of itself.
Chengguan glosses this gate, saying “in the sixth, by gaining the forbearance of non-arising and according with the same nature of dharmas, one is born into the house of the buddhas; the pāramitā of vow being superior, and the root of good being one in substance; and, not being moved by delusion and the rest — these are the white and pure dharmas,” and he matches this gate to the own portion of the eighth ground.
A misreading to be set aside: that “born into the house of the Tathāgata” is the title of a fruition. The content the scripture text gives is three matters — the same vow, the same root of good, the same substance and nature. Those three graphs for “same” are what the house means. Brought down to the ground: what makes people family is not living under one roof but having one and the same vow. That this gate closes suddenly upon eloquence is just because those who share one substance and nature answer to one another of themselves in question and reply.
The Seventh Treasury: Six Similes, Which Say That Spiritual Power Has No Intrinsic Nature
The seventh gate is “the treasury of taking birth of the light of the buddhas’ power.” The scripture text says that this bodhisattva enters deeply into the power of the buddhas, journeys through the buddha-lands without his mind turning back, and makes offerings to and serves the assemblies of bodhisattvas without weariness; and then it runs off six similes: he understands that all dharmas arise as a conjuring does; knows that the worlds are as things seen in a dream; that all forms and marks are like light and shadow; that what spiritual power does is like a transformation; that all takings of birth are like reflections; that the buddhas’ expounding of the Dharma is like the echo in a valley.
Upon this gate Chengguan says, “in the seventh, because the Buddha exhorts him he is able to rouse himself and cultivate all at once, and this is named the light of the buddhas’ power,” and says further, “his cultivation is without contrivance, and so he is without weariness and the rest” — the reason there is no weariness is that he has already entered a cultivation without contrivance. The Chao further judges what he is at ease within in this gate to be the three worlds: the first two clauses are ease within the vessel-world, the next two the perfectly awakened, and the last three beings, because he expounds the Dharma and delivers them.
A misreading to be set aside: that the six similes say all things are false and need not be taken in earnest. Look at where they are placed: among the six similes one clause is “all takings of birth are like reflections” — while the whole set of Dharma gates in which this gate stands is named “treasuries of taking birth.” The scripture text on the one hand teaches taking birth, and on the other says taking birth is like a reflection. Brought down to the ground: only one who knows that taking birth is like a reflection can bear the taking of birth through measureless kalpas; the one who takes it in earnest cannot bear it.
The Eighth Treasury: Abiding in the Station of Youthful Purity, between the Distinguished and the Undistinguished
The eighth gate is “the treasury of taking birth of contemplating the gate of universal knowledge.” The scripture text says that this bodhisattva “abides in the station of youthful purity,” contemplates each single gate of knowledge of all-knowledge, and through measureless kalpas sets forth all that bodhisattvas practice, “gains ease of mind in the profound samādhis of the bodhisattvas,” “is born thought after thought in the presence of the Tathāgatas of the worlds of the ten directions”; and then it runs off four clauses that oppose and complete one another: within objective realms that have distinctions he enters the concentration without distinction; within dharmas without distinction he displays the knowledge that has distinctions; within measureless objective realms he knows that there is no objective realm; within the very least of objective realms he enters measureless objective realms. It closes with “he knows that the worlds are all set up as mere designations, and that all of them are what the discerning mind raises up.”
The ease of the samādhi and the place of the taking of birth each carry their own bound in this gate: what is at ease is the mind within the “profound samādhis,” and where birth is taken is “in the presence of the Tathāgatas of the worlds of the ten directions,” and that “thought after thought” — this is neither a loose talk of gaining concentration nor a loose talk of taking birth. The Chao judges these to be three kinds of ease — ease in samādhi (setting forth all at once as the mind wills), ease in taking birth, and, from “within objective realms that have distinctions” onward, ease in the Dharma. This is the Chao’s outline and not something the scripture text marks of itself. Upon the words “station of youthful purity” Chengguan points out where it stands, saying “in the eighth, from the eighth ground one enters the ninth, and so it says abiding in the station of youthful purity”; and he glosses those two opposing clauses one by one, saying “because knowing principle in the very matter is in accord with the real, within objective realms that have distinctions he enters the concentration without distinction; because exhausting matter in the very principle is in accord with the real, within dharmas without distinction he displays the knowledge that has distinctions,” while the clause that holds them together is “contemplating the gate of the knowledge of all-knowledge is the virtue of a master of the Dharma.” The Chao further explains, upon the two clauses “the three natures and the rest” and “each single gate,” how the master of the Dharma comes to be accomplished: the three natures are the dharmas by which he transforms, and this is the accomplishment of knowledge; the word “and the rest” takes in the knowledge that accomplishes entry into practice and the eleven thickets; from “each single gate” onward is the accomplishment of speech, furnished with the forty kinds of unobstructedness, and so he is able to expound at length — beyond the three kinds of ease, the virtue of a master of the Dharma has its root here.
A misreading to be set aside: that “entering the concentration without distinction” is higher than “displaying the knowledge that has distinctions.” What Chengguan gives is a pair — the one is knowing principle in the very matter, the other exhausting matter in the very principle, and both are “in accord with the real.” Brought down to the ground: without distinction in concentration and with distinction in knowledge — this is just where one who expounds the Dharma is able to expound it; this section is assigned to the Ground of Excellent Wisdom, and the Ground of Excellent Wisdom is the ground of expounding the Dharma.
The Ninth Treasury: Ever within Samādhi, and Yet the Adorning Never Misses Its Time
The ninth gate is “the treasury of taking birth of universally displaying adornment.” The scripture text says that this bodhisattva is able to adorn measureless buddha-lands in every kind of way, is able universally to conjure forth all beings and the bodies of the buddhas, gains fearlessness, expounds the pure Dharma, flows throughout the Dharma realm without obstruction, causes them all to know and to see according to what their minds delight in, and displays every kind of practice that accomplishes awakening; and the closing clause is “what he does in this way never misses its time, while he is ever within the samādhi that is the treasury of Vairocana’s wisdom.”
Chengguan glosses this gate’s name together with its closing clause, saying “in the ninth, he adorns with the adornment of a buddha, and so it is named universal adornment; because he has already gained the samādhis of freedom from defilement and the rest, though he is ever functioning he is ever within samādhi.” The reason the adorning is called “universal” is that what he adorns with is the very adornment of a buddha. The Chao divides this gate into the supported and the supporting: the first clause adorns the environment that supports (the buddha-lands) and the rest all adorn the supported (beings and the bodies of the buddhas); and within the supporting there is throughout the secret knowledge — the first three clauses the secret of the body, from “he sets forth the pure” onward the secret of speech, and from “according to their minds” onward all the secret of mind.
A misreading to be set aside: that “ever within samādhi” and “never missing its time” are two stretches of time — first entering concentration, then coming out of it to do things. The scripture text writes the two clauses joined together precisely in order to bar this misreading. Brought down to the ground: what he does never misses its moment, and this rests not upon reckoning the times rightly but upon never having come out of that treasury at all.
The Tenth Treasury: Receiving Consecration, Knowing Every Sequence
The tenth gate is “the treasury of taking birth of entering the ground of the Tathāgata.” The scripture text says that this bodhisattva receives the Dharma of consecration in the presence of all the Tathāgatas of the three times and knows universally the sequence of all objective realms, and it lists six kinds of sequence: the sequence of the dying away and taking of birth of all beings in their earlier and later limits; the sequence of the practice of all bodhisattvas; the sequence of the thoughts in the minds of all beings; the sequence of the becoming buddhas of the Tathāgatas of the three times; the sequence of expounding the Dharma by skillful means; and the sequence of the names of all the kalpas of the first, middle, and last limits, whether forming or falling apart. It closes with “according to what beings ought to be taught and delivered, he displays for them the merit and virtue and the adornment of accomplishing the path.”
Upon this gate Chengguan makes a twofold judgment, saying “in the tenth, taken by his own portion it says this bodhisattva; taken by his advancing beyond it is named entering the ground of the buddhas; having received the position of office it says receiving consecration; his knowledge being level with the buddhas’ objective realm it says knowing all,” and he points out that the sense of “knowing all” is set out at length in 〈十定品〉 of this scripture. Upon this gate the Chao says that the scripture text is plain and all of it accords with the doctrinal meaning of the station itself, and that “this gloss is not made so as to press down upon the scripture text” — that is, the Shu’s gloss here does not override the scripture itself; it is not that the Chao has no gloss here.
A misreading to be set aside: that the tenth gate speaks of vast spiritual power. What it speaks of is in truth the two graphs for “sequence” — of the six things known, every one is a sequence. Brought down to the ground: the look of entering the ground of the Tathāgata is that one sees clearly what comes before and what after; and the use of seeing clearly lies in the closing clause — displaying for beings the accomplishing of the path.
Concluding Praise of the Excellent Benefit: Within One Adornment Every Kind of Adornment Appears
After the tenth gate comes the concluding praise, which Chengguan outlines as “concluding praise of the excellent benefit.” The scripture text says that if one “cultivates, makes grow, brings to fullness, and accomplishes” these ten dharmas, then within one adornment one can display every kind of adornment, and adorning all lands in this way, one opens the way for and awakens all beings to the end of the kalpas of the future without rest; and on to turning the wheel of the Dharma within the sea of the mind-and-conduct of beings, displaying the accomplishing of buddhahood in all worlds constantly and without break; and the closing clause is “he reveals measureless and profound treasuries of the Dharma, and teaches and brings to accomplishment all the worlds.”
Upon this passage Chengguan sets down only six graphs — “the concluding praise of the excellent benefit may be understood.” That it may be understood means that the scripture text is sufficient of itself and there is no need of further gloss.
A misreading to be set aside: that this passage is a merit added on outside the ten gates. It is the “then” of the ten gates — the answering of that clause of the general setting forth, “accomplish this Dharma, then he is born into the house of the Tathāgata.” Brought down to the ground: the eye of this passage is in its first clause, “within one adornment he can display every kind of adornment.” The sense of one being many is here no lofty talk but the natural function that follows when the ten gates are cultivated to completion.
The Ten Verses in Repetition: Putting the Ten Dharmas into Verse in Order, with a Different Appellation in Each
After the prose come the verses in repetition. The opening clause of the scripture text is “at that time, the goddess of the Lumbinī Grove, wishing to make this meaning plain once more, by the spiritual power of the Buddha contemplated the ten directions universally and spoke in verse, saying,” and below it there are twenty lines, each of two clauses — forty clauses, four clauses to a verse, ten verses in all. Upon these Chengguan sets down only one judgment — “in the second, the verses in repetition, there are ten verses, putting the foregoing ten dharmas into verse in order” — that is, verse and gate answer one to one, without displacement.
What is worth looking at is the closing line of each verse. The closing lines of the ten verses are of one and the same form, while the appellation named in them differs in all ten: the one of bright wisdom, the one hard to conceive, the one of renown, the most surpassing one, the heroic and mighty one, the one of bright knowledge, the inconceivable, the one of the true body, the one of great name, the sons of the buddhas. The first verse puts the first gate into verse and names “the one of bright wisdom,” its two lines above being “seeing all buddhas and never having its fill, vowing to make offerings ever to the end of the future”; the third verse puts the third gate into verse and names “the one of renown,” its line being “hearing the Dharma and never having one’s fill, delighting to contemplate”; the fourth verse puts the fourth gate into verse and names “the most surpassing one,” its line being “firm as a diamond and as a mountain of jewels,” answering to the prose “his mind is firm as a diamond”; the tenth verse puts the tenth gate into verse and names “the sons of the buddhas,” its line being “swiftly he can tend toward and enter the station of the Tathāgata.”
A misreading to be set aside: that the verses in repetition shorten the prose and say it once again. Here the prose speaks of the marks of the gates, and the verses speak of the appellations of the person who holds the gates — one and the same Dharma, named once from the Dharma and once from the person. Brought down to the ground: in reading these ten verses one may work backward from the closing line to find which gate is meant; this is a way of checking that the scripture text gives of itself.
Setting Up the Name of the Dharma: Taking Birth at Ease, Running through Both the Displaying and the Displayed
After the verses this good friend at last states the name of her Dharma gate herself. The scripture text first takes up what was made clear before — “a bodhisattva furnished with these ten dharmas is born into the house of the Tathāgata and becomes a pure light for all the worlds” — and after that sets up the name: “I, from measureless kalpas onward, have gained this liberation gate of taking birth at ease.” Chengguan outlines this passage as “setting up the name of the Dharma,” and divides it into two: taking up what was said before, and pointing to what was set up before as its heading.
How are the two graphs for “at ease” to be understood? Chengguan glosses them, saying “when the capacity feels, it at once appears, with nothing to block or hinder, and this is named taking birth at ease, which runs through both the displaying and the displayed” — as soon as the capacity feels, at that instant it appears, with no blocking or hindering in between: this is called taking birth at ease; and this name runs through both the side that displays and the side that is displayed.
A misreading to be set aside: that being at ease means ‘being born wherever one wishes to be born.’ In the definition Chengguan gives there is not one graph about wishing — only that when the capacity feels it at once appears, with nothing to block or hinder: it is answering to capacities, not following one’s own will. Brought down to the ground: what makes taking birth able to be at ease is not the power to choose but that there is nothing in between standing in the way.
Sudhana’s Second Question: He Asks after the Objective Realm, and Is Answered with What Is Seen
Sudhana then asks, “Holy one! What is the objective realm of this liberation gate?” This one question brings this section into its second great passage. Chengguan outlines it as “making clear the working of the Dharma gate,” with the question first and the answer after, and sets down one judgment that matters — “within the answer, the knowing and seeing of this objective realm is just the working.”
That sentence deserves a pause. What Sudhana asks after is the “objective realm,” and by ordinary expectation the answer should be a description of an objective realm. Yet what is answered below is all that this goddess herself has seen — the ten auspicious signs, the ten lights, the ten spiritual transformations, and the marks of the birth. That is to say, the working of this Dharma gate lies in ‘being able to see.’
A misreading to be set aside: that the working of spiritual power lies in being able to transform and display. The working of this gate lies in being able to see — to see the Buddha take birth in this park, and to see all buddhas take birth in all parks. Brought down to the ground: when one asks what use a Dharma gate has, the answer is sometimes not ‘what it can do’ but ‘what it can see.’
Taking Birth in Accord with a Vow: First the Vow Is Made, and Then She Is Born in That Garden
The answer does not open with the auspicious signs but with a vow. The scripture text says “I made a vow before this,” and the two things vowed are “may I be able to draw near whenever all bodhisattvas display the taking of birth” and “may I enter the measureless sea of the taking of birth of the Tathāgata Vairocana.” Because of this vow, “by the power of that vow of old, I was born in the Lumbinī Park within Jambudvīpa of this world”; and having been born there, “single-mindedly I kept in mind when the bodhisattva would come down and be born”; and then, “when a hundred years had passed, the World-Honored One did indeed come from the Tuṣita heaven and take birth here.”
Chengguan divides this in two, saying that first it makes clear the taking of birth in accord with a vow, and that from “when a hundred years had passed” onward is the beholding according to the vow of old — taking birth in accord with the vow is the cause, and beholding as was vowed is the fruit.
A misreading to be set aside: that this goddess happened to live in that park and had the good luck to be there. The scripture text writes the cause and the fruit very plainly: first there was the vow, and only then was she born there; and having been born there, she waited a hundred years more. Brought down to the ground: this passage is the most solid place in this section for speaking of “vow” — a vow is not asking to obtain something; it is deciding where one will be standing, and for how long one will wait.
The Ten Auspicious Signs in the Grove: The Changing Begins from the Ground
Before the bodhisattva comes down to be born, ten signs first appear in the grove. The first seven are all changes in the vessel-world, and their order runs upward from the ground: the ground of itself became level all at once and the pits and mounds vanished; diamond was made the ground and there were no shards, thorns, or stumps; jewelled tāla trees stood ranged in rows all around with their roots planted deep down to the water’s verge; there grew forth fragrant shoots and there appeared treasuries of fragrance whose fragrance surpassed the fragrances of the heavens; wondrous garlands of blossoms and jewelled implements of adornment stood ranged and spread abroad; all the trees within the park of themselves opened blossoms of maṇi jewels; within all the ponds and pools blossoms were born of themselves, welling up out of the ground.
Among these seven, the first two are the levelling and the cleansing of the ground, the middle two are the trees and the fragrance, and the last three are the blossoms — from the coarse to the fine, from the hard to the soft. The clause of the third sign, “their roots were planted deep, down to the water’s verge,” is especially to be noticed: what is written is not the height of the trees but the depth of their roots.
A misreading to be set aside: that the auspicious signs are decoration. The first thing the scripture text changes is the taking away of the pits and mounds — first the uneven places are made level, and only then is there talk of adornment. Brought down to the ground: the sequence the scripture text gives for receiving a great matter is levelling first and adorning after; when the ground is not level, the blossoms open crooked.
The Last Three Signs and the Conclusion: From the Vessel-World over to Sentient Beings and the Light of the Buddhas
The last three signs turn to sentient beings and to the buddhas. Eighth, of the devas and the eight classes and all the kings who dwell in the desire and form realms of the Sahā world, “there was not one who did not come and gather, and all of them stood with palms joined”; ninth, all the goddesses of this world down to the mahoraga women gave rise to gladness and each bore up implements of offering and “stood in reverence before the Biluocha tree”; tenth, from within all the buddhas 『𪗇』 of the ten directions there was sent forth a light named “the Lamp of the Bodhisattva’s Taking of Birth at Ease,” which shone universally upon this grove, and within each single light there appeared in full all the spiritual transformations at the buddhas’ taking of birth and at their being born.
The Biluocha tree here appears for the first time. Chengguan glosses this name, saying “Biluocha means, in this tongue, lofty and manifest” — and it is beneath this very tree that Lady Māyā will be seated when she gives birth. After the ten signs the scripture text closes with one clause: “when these signs appeared, the deva kings and the rest knew that a bodhisattva was about to come down and be born; and when I saw these auspicious signs, my gladness was without measure.”
A misreading to be set aside: that the tenth sign is only one more beam of light. The content of the tenth sign is ‘within the light the taking of birth appears’ — before the bodhisattva has been born at all, the taking of birth of the buddhas of the ten directions has already appeared within the light. Brought down to the ground: the coming down to birth of one buddha has never been an isolated matter; this clause is the forerunner of the “concluding its all-pervadingness” below.
The Ten Lights: What Appeared When Māyā Came Forth from the City
When Lady Māyā came forth from the city of Jiapiluo and entered this grove, ten auspicious signs of light appeared again, whose effect is “causing beings to gain the light of the Dharma.” The ten names one by one are: the light of the treasury of all jewelled blossoms; the light of the treasury of jewelled fragrance; the light of the jewelled lotus opening and setting forth real and wondrous sound; the light of the first raising of the mind by the bodhisattvas of the ten directions; the light of the spiritual transformations displayed by all bodhisattvas who have gained entry into the grounds; the light of the knowledge of all bodhisattvas who have cultivated the perfections to fullness; the light of the knowledge of the great vows of all bodhisattvas; the light of the knowledge of the skillful means by which all bodhisattvas convert beings; the light of the real knowledge by which all bodhisattvas realize the Dharma realm; the light of all bodhisattvas gaining the sovereign taking of birth, the going forth from the household, and the accomplishing of right awakening of a buddha. The closing clause is “these ten lights shone universally upon the minds of measureless beings.” Chengguan outlines this passage as “seeing the light displayed as she came forth from the city.”
The order of the ten names has a reason of its own: the first three lights belong to blossoms, fragrance, and sound, and are marks; the latter seven run from “first raising the mind” through the grounds, the perfections, the great vows, the skillful means, and the realizing of the Dharma realm, to “taking birth, going forth, and accomplishing right awakening” — a complete bodhisattva path.
A misreading to be set aside: that the lights are the ornament of an auspicious omen. The scripture text says that they “shone universally upon the minds of measureless beings” — what is shone upon is minds, not objects. Brought down to the ground: the latter seven lights ranged in order are a course of the path; before a bodhisattva may come down to be born, the whole road is first played through once for beings in the form of light.
The General Calling of the Ten Spiritual Transformations, and the First: The Host Gathers and Suffering Is Stilled
When Lady Māyā was seated beneath the Biluocha tree, ten spiritual transformations appeared again. The first is the gathering of the eight classes like clouds and the sending forth of light from her pores: the deva sons and the goddesses of the desire realm and all the devas of the form realm, together with the dragons, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, and mahoragas and their retinues, gathered like clouds one and all for the sake of making offerings; and from Lady Māyā “all the pores of her body sent forth a light” that shone universally upon the three-thousandfold great-thousand world-system without obstruction, so that “every other light was hidden away and did not appear,” and it put an end to the afflictions of all beings and to the sufferings of the evil destinies.
Chengguan sets up one heading for each of the ten transformations, the first being “gathering the host and stilling suffering” — the upper half is the gathering of the host and the lower half the stilling of suffering, one heading holding two matters.
A misreading to be set aside: that “every other light was hidden away and did not appear” means the other lights were blocked from view. Read together with “shone universally upon the three-thousandfold great-thousand world-system without obstruction,” what is written is that when this light appears the rest lose their color. Brought down to the ground: the weight of this transformation lies in its closing clause — what is put an end to is the afflictions and the suffering of the evil destinies, not darkness.
The Second Transformation: Within Her Womb the Three-Thousandfold World Appears
The second transformation writes that within Lady Māyā’s womb “there appeared in full all the forms and images of the three-thousandfold world,” that within its hundred koṭis of Jambudvīpas each had its cities and each its parks and groves, their names differing, and that “in each there was a Lady Māyā dwelling within it with the host of devas circling her,” and for each of them was displayed the mark of the inconceivable spiritual transformations preceding the bodhisattva’s coming to birth. Chengguan sets up for this transformation the heading “rolling up and spreading out without obstruction.”
Those two graphs, “rolling up and spreading out,” are set down with great exactness: the womb of one body is the rolling up, the forms of the three-thousandfold world are the spreading out; and that within each of the hundred koṭis of Jambudvīpas there is a Lady Māyā is a rolling up within the spreading out.
A misreading to be set aside: that this says a womb can hold a world and is merely a way of speaking of magnitude. What the scripture text displays is not mountains and rivers but “each had its cities and each had its parks and groves, their names differing one from another” — worlds of distinction that have names and headings. Brought down to the ground: the unobstructedness of one and many is here no abstract proposition but a fact obtaining between a mother’s body and a hundred koṭis of worlds.
The Third through the Sixth Transformations: Four Layers of the Past Displayed by the Pores
The third through the sixth transformations are all spoken of by way of the pores, and what is displayed goes deeper layer by layer. The third displays how the Tathāgata in ages past, when cultivating the bodhisattva path, reverently made offerings to all the buddhas and heard the sound of the buddhas expounding the Dharma, and it makes it plain with a simile — “it is just as a bright mirror, or as water, can display the forms of the sun and moon, the stars and constellations, the clouds and thunder that are in empty space” — and Chengguan sets up the heading “the pores display the Buddha’s causes.” The fourth displays the worlds he dwelt in when in ages past he cultivated the bodhisattva practices, the cities and hamlets, mountains, groves, rivers and seas, the kalpa-numbers of beings, the meeting with buddhas arising in the world, the births he received, the length or shortness of his life-span, and its closing clause is “in every place of his birth in every land, Lady Māyā was ever his mother”; Chengguan sets up the heading “displaying the Buddha’s former matters.” The fifth displays, according to the place where he was born, the form and marks and figure, the clothing and food and drink, the suffering and ease, “each of them displayed universally, plain and distinct”; Chengguan sets up the heading “displaying the body relied upon in practice.” The sixth displays how in ages past, when cultivating the practice of giving, he gave away what was hard to give — head, eyes, ears, nose; lips, tongue, teeth; body, hands, feet; blood, flesh, sinews, bones; sons, daughters, wife and consorts; cities and palaces; clothing and necklaces; gold, silver, and jewelled goods — and one saw also the figures and voices of those who received them and the places where they were; Chengguan sets up the heading “displaying the practice of giving universally.”
A misreading to be set aside: that the four transformations say one and the same thing four times over. The four headings divide them clearly: the first displays the causes, the second the matters, the third the body, the fourth the giving. The closing clause of the fourth transformation weighs most — “ever his mother”; this is why the body of Māyā can display these four layers at all. Brought down to the ground: the sixth transformation displays even the receivers because giving, to be giving, requires two sides to stand at all.
The Seventh through the Ninth Transformations: The Grove Displays the Buddhas of Old · From Her Body Come Palaces · From Her Body Come Bodhisattvas
The seventh transformation writes that when Māyā entered the park “this grove universally displayed the entering of their mothers’ wombs by all the buddhas of the past” — their lands and parks and groves, clothing and blossom garlands, paste-incense and powdered incense, banners and silks, pennons and canopies, and the finest and most wondrous sounds of music and chanting, causing beings universally to see and to hear them; Chengguan sets up the heading “displaying the parks and groves of the taking of birth of the buddhas of old.” The eighth writes that from her body came forth the palaces and storeyed pavilions of the maṇi jewel king in which bodhisattvas dwell, surpassing what is dwelt in by the eight classes and by the human kings, “within and without they were pure, each of them had its distinctions and they were not confused with one another, and they filled the whole of the Lumbinī Park all around”; Chengguan sets up the heading “displaying the palaces where the present buddha dwells.” The ninth writes that from her body came forth bodhisattvas as many as the dust motes of ten unspeakable hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of buddha-lands, whose bodily figures and features, marks and signs and light, bearing in going and staying, spiritual power and retinues were “all equal to those of the bodhisattva Vairocana and without difference from them, and all of them at one and the same time praised the Tathāgata”; Chengguan sets up the heading “bringing forth bodhisattvas of the same kind.”
A misreading to be set aside: that the three transformations are only a matter of saying more and more grandly. The three in truth each face something of their own — the seventh faces the buddhas of the past, the eighth faces where the present buddha dwells, the ninth faces bodhisattvas of the same kind; the ancient, the present, and the peers are all made complete, and only so is this one birth not something arising alone. Brought down to the ground: the clause of the eighth transformation, “each of them had its distinctions and they were not confused with one another,” is the measure most to be remembered when the Avataṃsaka speaks of layer upon layer without end.
The Tenth Transformation: From the Diamond Verge Comes Forth the Great Lotus
The tenth transformation is the utmost of the ten. The scripture text writes that all at once before her “there came forth from the diamond verge a great lotus blossom” named “the Treasury Adorned with All Jewels,” with diamond for its stalk, the many jewels for its filaments, the wish-fulfilling jewel king for its calyx, with leaves as many as the dust motes of ten buddha-lands, all made of maṇi, with jewelled nets and jewelled canopies covering it above. Beneath it the kings of the eight classes each do one thing: the deva kings together hold it up; the dragon kings send down a rain of fragrance; the yakṣa kings scatter the blossoms of the heavens; the gandharva kings chant in praise of the merit and virtue of his offerings to the buddhas in ages past; the asura kings cast off arrogance and bow their heads; the garuḍa kings let down jewelled silks and pennons that fill empty space; the kiṃnara kings gaze up in gladness and chant in praise; the mahoraga kings rain down universally clouds of jewelled adornment. Chengguan sets up the heading “the ground displays a lotus about to bear up the utmost holy one.”
A misreading to be set aside: that the lotus is merely a seat. Chengguan’s heading points out its use — “about to bear up the utmost holy one”: it is there to receive him. And it comes forth from the “diamond verge,” that is, straight up from the lowest verge of the great earth; a blossom that is to bear a buddha has its roots down at the very bottom. Brought down to the ground: what the asura kings cast off here is arrogance — of the eight classes this one king alone must first cast something off before he can enter this scene.
The Birth: Four Similes and One Clause of Penetration
The ten signs having appeared, then the bodhisattva is born. The scripture text writes the light of his bodily marks in four similes — as when a pure sun-disc appears in empty space, as when an auspicious cloud comes forth on the crest of a high mountain, as when lightning flashes out from within thick cloud, as when a great torch is kindled within the dark of night — and records the matter: “the bodhisattva was born from his mother’s side, and the light of his bodily marks was just so.”
Upon these four marks Chengguan says “the gloss runs through both matter and principle,” and sets out four meanings of each. Taken by the matter, they are the turning of radiance and standing out alone, the loftiness and manifestness and the ample calm, the awesome light blazing forth, the plainness and visibility. Taken by principle, they are appearing in reliance upon the nature that is empty and without abiding, coming forth without a mind in reliance upon the mountain of nirvāṇa, the transformation-body without abiding appearing within the cloud of great kindness, and the breaking of the great darkness of the ignorance of beings’ birth and death. Each of the four similes gets one matter and one principle. Below this the scripture text turns to the inward virtue — “though he displayed a first coming to birth, he had long since penetrated all dharmas as like a dream and like a conjuring, like a shadow and like an image, without coming and without going, unarisen and unceasing” — which Chengguan outlines as “understanding his inward virtue.” Zhiyan, upon the sixty, divides this passage into three layers: “the light of knowledge of the causal practice displaying the substance through its marks,” “the ease of great working gathering in virtues without obstruction,” and “displaying purity without stain”; and the layer of purity without stain he divides again into three — first, manifesting the body for the benefit of beings; second, conforming to the Dharma and taking on its likeness; third, being accomplished and yet without contrivance. The four similes, as he reads them, each signify something: like the sun in the sky is the brilliance standing out alone; like lightning is the immediate appearing to the assembled capacities; like clouds rising from the mountain is the gradual benefit of kindness spread abroad; like a lamp in the dark is the image appearing to dispel delusion. Chengguan’s matter and principle and Zhiyan’s three layers read the same four similes with different weight.
A misreading to be set aside: that the passage of the birth is where this section most resembles a life of the Buddha. The scripture text says immediately after it, “though he displayed a first coming to birth” — that one graph “though” turns the whole passage over. Brought down to the ground: the sun-disc, the auspicious cloud, the lightning, and the great torch grow brighter simile by simile, and the clause at the end says “unarisen and unceasing”; what can be seen and what is real, the scripture text hands you both at once.
Concluding Its All-Pervadingness: To See One Place of Birth Is to See All Places of Birth
The end of the answer is this goddess’s own account of how wide her seeing is. The scripture text says: when I saw the Buddha display his first coming to birth with every kind of spiritual transformation in the Lumbinī Park within Jambudvīpa of this set of four continents, “I saw also the Tathāgata displaying his first coming to birth with every kind of spiritual transformation in the Lumbinī Park within the Jambudvīpas of the hundred koṭis of sets of four continents of the three-thousandfold great-thousand world-system”; and saw also the measureless buddha-lands within each single dust mote of the three-thousandfold great-thousand world-system; and saw also the measureless buddha-lands within each single dust mote of a hundred buddha-worlds, a thousand buddha-worlds, and on to all the worlds of the ten directions — “and within all such buddha-lands as these there was in every one a Tathāgata displaying the taking of birth with every kind of spiritual transformation”; and the closing clause is “thus in thought after thought, ever without a break.”
Chengguan outlines this passage as “concluding its all-pervadingness,” and sets down one phrase — “then the horizontal and the vertical are without end.” The horizontal is pervading all places; the vertical is thought after thought without break.
A misreading to be set aside: that this says she saw a great many things. The syntax of the scripture text is “when I saw the Buddha … I saw also” — it is not looking at one place and then looking at the next, but that in the moment of seeing this one place all places are seen. Brought down to the ground: this is precisely the answer to the “objective realm” Sudhana asked after; the objective realm of this gate lies in just this one matter, that one place is all places.
Sudhana’s Third Question and the Former Life: The Arising of a Buddha in an Ancient Age
Sudhana asks again, “Great deva, how long has it been now since you gained this liberation?” Chengguan outlines this as “displaying the source and root of the Dharma,” with the question first and the answer after, and the prose of the answer divided into six passages. The first passage is the arising of a buddha in an ancient age: in an age long past, beyond kalpas as many as the dust motes of a koṭi of buddha-lands and beyond that number again, there was a world named “Universal Jewel” and a kalpa named “Joyful Delight,” and eighty nayutas of buddhas appeared within it, the first of them named “Banner of Sovereign Merit and Virtue,” complete in all ten titles. The second passage displays the parents of old: the set of four continents was named “Adorned with Wondrous Light,” the royal capital “Banner Adorned with Sumeru,” the king “Jewel-Flame Eyes,” the consort “Joyful Light”; and the scripture text draws the comparison itself — “just as in this world Lady Māyā is the mother of the Tathāgata Vairocana, so too, within that world, was the consort Joyful Light the mother of the first of those buddhas.”
A misreading to be set aside: that this string of names is narrative furnishing. It is the setting up of a correspondence: the mother of the first buddha of that world and the mother of the buddha of this world stand in the same rank. Brought down to the ground: what allows the former life to serve as “the source and root of the Dharma” is just this pairing — it is not the telling of an old story but the pushing of the present scene back to the very first time.
The Heart of the Former Life: The Wet-Nurse’s One Thought of Receiving with Reverence
The third passage is grasping the tree and giving birth: the consort Joyful Light went with twenty koṭis of nayutas of attendant women to the Golden Blossom Park, where there was a tower named “Wondrous Jewel Peak” and beside it a tree named “All-Giving,” and the consort “grasped a branch of that tree and gave birth to the bodhisattva,” and the hosts of deva kings each bore up scented water and together bathed him. The fourth passage is beholding the Buddha and gaining the Dharma: at that time there was a wet-nurse named “Pure Light” standing in attendance at her side; the bathing finished, the hosts of deva kings handed him to the wet-nurse, and “the wet-nurse received him with reverence, and great gladness arose in her, and at once she gained the bodhisattva samādhi of the universal eye”; having gained this samādhi she saw universally the measureless buddhas of the ten directions, and “gained further the bodhisattva liberation at ease of displaying the taking of birth in all places,” its swiftness likened by “just as the consciousness that first receives conception is swift and unobstructed.” The fifth passage joins the ancient and the present: “that wet-nurse — was she some other person? It is this very body of mine.” The sixth passage displays the all-pervadingness of the working: from that time onward, in thought after thought she has ever seen the Buddha Vairocana displaying the sovereign spiritual power of the sea of the bodhisattva’s taking of birth and taming beings.
Upon the fifth passage Chengguan points out one thing in particular: the scripture text joins the ancient and the present but does not join the parents, and the reason is “the intent is to make clear that they are Śuddhodana and Māyā, and that the buddha is the present buddha” — there is no need to join them, because they are the same from the start.
A misreading to be set aside: that gaining the Dharma must rest upon long cultivation. The place where the scripture text writes her gaining of the Dharma is the very moment she takes the infant into her arms — “received him with reverence, and great gladness arose in her,” and then “at once she gained.” Brought down to the ground: one thought of reverence and gladness is the source and root of this whole Dharma gate; all the measureless kalpas of cultivation that follow begin from that one embrace.
Forty-Six Lines of Verse in Repetition: Chengguan Divides Them into Four Passages
After the prose of the former life come the verses in repetition. The opening clause is “at that time the goddess of the Lumbinī Grove, wishing to set forth once more the meaning of this liberation, sustained by the spiritual power of the Buddha, contemplated the ten directions universally and spoke in verse, saying,” and below it there are forty-six lines. Chengguan judges these as twenty-three verses and divides them into four passages — “the first one, enjoining attention and granting the telling; the next nine, the first cultivation and realization; the next twelve verses, passing through matters and increasing cultivation; the last verse, concluding praise that it cannot be exhausted.”
Read by this division, the four passages each have their own face. The first verse is “what you have asked, son of the Buddha, is the profound objective realm of the buddhas; now you should listen and receive it, and I shall tell its causes and conditions” — the enjoining of attention and the granting of the telling. The next nine verses are the first cultivation and realization, running from “beyond kalpas as many as the dust motes of a koṭi of lands” through “at that time I was the wet-nurse, and my wisdom was exceedingly keen and sharp,” “at that time I swiftly bore him up, and beheld him closely, yet could not see the crown of his head,” “the stainless and pure body, adorned with the marks and signs,” to “and seeing this matter of spiritual power, I raised up the great mind of awakening,” and on to “single-mindedly seeking the merit and virtue of a buddha,” “universally, within the lands of the ten directions,” “in the presence of that buddha I heard the Dharma and gained liberation” — from seeing the Buddha to raising the mind, from raising the mind to making vows, from making vows to gaining the Dharma. The next twelve verses are the passing through matters and the increasing of cultivation, running from “all the buddhas within that kalpa I had once made offerings to, every one” through “in the space of a single thought I saw, within the dust motes of these lands,” “within the lands there were buddhas one and all, displaying their being born within a park,” “within measureless seas of lands the buddhas display their taking of birth,” “in a single thought I see, within koṭis of lands, bodhisattvas as many as the dust motes, going forth from the household and tending toward the place of the Way,” “I see within the dust motes of the lands measureless buddhas accomplishing the path,” “within each single dust mote the buddhas turn the wheel of the Dharma,” “I see the Tathāgata one and all displaying his entering of parinirvāṇa,” to “within measureless lands such as these the Tathāgata displays his being born; and I, dividing my body among them all, raise up offerings before them” and “inconceivable seas of lands, the measureless differences of the destinies” — and what is passed through is precisely the five matters of a buddha’s taking birth, going forth, accomplishing the path, turning the Dharma wheel, and entering parinirvāṇa, each of them seen universally within the dust motes of the lands. The last verse is “son of the Buddha, I know this liberation gate hard to conceive; through measureless koṭis of kalpas to extol it could not be exhausted” — the concluding praise that it cannot be exhausted.
A misreading to be set aside: that the verses merely restate the prose. The prose of the former life stops at the wet-nurse’s gaining of the Dharma and her all-pervading seeing of the buddhas, while the third passage of the verses spreads out what is seen into the five matters of a buddha’s whole career, which the prose does not have. Brought down to the ground: in reading these forty-six lines one may keep them apart by Chengguan’s four divisions — one of enjoining attention, nine of cultivation and realization, twelve of passing through matters, one of concluding praise; the boundaries being clear, every line finds its place.
Humbling Herself and Pointing to the Superior: I Know Only This One
After the verses comes the humbling of herself and the pointing to the superior. The scripture text says “I know only this bodhisattva liberation at ease of displaying the taking of birth in all places through measureless kalpas,” and below it pushes on to what the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas can do: they can make a single thought the treasury of all the kalpas, contemplating all dharmas and displaying the taking of birth by good skillful means; they make offerings universally to all the buddhas and penetrate all the dharmas of the buddhas to the very end; within all the destinies they display the taking of birth, and before all the buddhas they sit upon lotus seats; they know the time when beings ought to be delivered and display for them the taking of birth and tame them by skillful means; within all lands they display spiritual transformations, appearing in full before them like reflected images. It closes with a question — “how am I able to know or to tell of their merit and virtue and their practice?” Li Tongxuan outlines this passage as pointing to virtue and advancing upward.
A misreading to be set aside: that humbling oneself is mere courtesy. Look closely at what is pointed to: the very first clause is “they can make a single thought the treasury of all the kalpas” — whereas what this goddess herself has gained is “through measureless kalpas, in all places”; the one takes kalpas into a thought, the other passes through the kalpas, and their directions are exactly opposite. Brought down to the ground: true humbling of oneself is being able to say at which clause the line between what one knows and what one does not know is drawn.
Pointing Out the Friend Who Comes Next: The Woman of the Śākya Clan in the City of Jiapiluo
At the last is the pointing out of the friend who comes next. The scripture text says, “in this city of Jiapiluo there is a woman of the Śākya clan named Gopā. Go to her and ask: how is a bodhisattva to teach and convert beings within birth and death?”
Chengguan here glosses her name and what it signifies, saying “Gopā means, in this tongue, guarding the great earth,” and gives the reason — in her father’s house she guarded the prince’s store and guarded the ground of the realm; and being his consort, she takes her name from the master she belongs to; and the meaning it signifies is that “it signifies that the ten grounds being complete, there is no ground she does not guard.” He records a further matter: the prince had three consorts, the first named Gopā, the next Yaśodharā, and the third Manuṣā, and here the first is taken, since “now, because the station of cause is at its utmost, the first of them is taken; and because the joy of the Dharma is already full, the former consort is what it is assigned to.”
A misreading to be set aside: that the question set here is asked at random. What the friend before conferred was taking birth at ease, and what is asked here is “teaching and converting beings within birth and death” — the taking of birth having gained its ease, what naturally comes next to be asked is what one does within birth and death. Brought down to the ground: the question a good friend frames when pointing out the road is often the very next step of his or her own Dharma gate.
Cherishing Her Virtue and Taking Leave
The last passage is Sudhana’s leave-taking. The scripture text has only one clause: “at that time Sudhana the youth bowed to her feet, circled her numberless times, gazed up at her with earnest care, took his leave, and departed.” Four matters — bowing, circling, gazing up, taking leave — all of them of the utmost brevity.
Compared with the units before and after, there is here no listing of what was gained and no heading of what is upheld. Chengguan’s outline of this section stops at the pointing out of the friend who comes next, and he sets up no separate heading for this passage.
A misreading to be set aside: that brevity is an economy of the brush. What is gained in this section has already been stated by the goddess herself in the passage of humbling herself, and so at the leave-taking there is no need to list it again. Brought down to the ground: the four graphs “gazed up at her with earnest care” are the one stroke in this passage that carries feeling — already about to go, and still looking back: this is what cherishing her virtue is.
Lineage
From the text of this section three threads open onward.
The first is the thread of the assignment of station. The scripture text of this section has not one graph of a name of a ground; the judgment “assigned to the Ground of Excellent Wisdom” comes out of Chengguan’s outline. And Chengguan, in the general discussion of the five aspects before this chapter, has himself stated plainly where this matching comes from — he first records two houses, that Dharma Master Yi and the Taishan lun only gloss as the text runs and make no separate matching, while Preceptor Guangtong and the rest all match the stations of the grounds, and then says, “both have their reason; that is, since each single station is complete in many gates of the Dharma, how should the mind of a common man be forbidden to practice and seek the dharma of good friends? — and so not to match them has its reason. Yet within what has no sequence of stations the sequence of stations is not hindered, and to display the stations is the constant rule, so that to match them is likewise no fault. The horizontal and the vertical being unobstructed, we shall for now follow the ancient worthies in matching them as five aspects.” Li Tongxuan likewise glosses this friend’s name by the Ground of Excellent Wisdom, saying that “it makes clear that upon the Ground of Excellent Wisdom the wondrous wisdom is complete”; and Fazang, upon the sixty-fascicle witness, outlines it as “within the ninth, the friend of the Ground of Excellent Wisdom.” All three houses set up their teaching upon the Ground of Excellent Wisdom, while Chengguan himself marks it as a matching handed down from the ancient worthies and not a judgment made by the scripture text.
The second is the thread of the matching of the stations of the ten gates. Upon the judgment of the ten treasuries of taking birth, Fazang records one track, that various worthies were to match them to the ten grounds and gloss each separately, while he himself takes a general gloss of ten headings — the vow to make offerings to the buddhas; the branch of the mind of awakening; contemplating quiescence; the pure and straightforward mind; knowledge shining universally; being born into the house of the buddhas; the power of the buddhas’ light; reaching the buddhas’ knowledge; adorning the Dharma realm; diligence in reaching buddhahood. Chengguan for his part matches the gates one by one to six stations and sets up the two gates of the graded array and of perfect interfusion, judging that “the horizontal and the vertical are unobstructed” and letting the two glosses stand together. Li Tongxuan makes no matching of stations at all but glosses it only by the one station of the ninth ground, saying that this bodhisattva “gains the forbearance of non-arising, and the knowledge without contrivance first comes forth before him”; and Zhiyan, upon the sixty-fascicle witness, settles the station and the Dharma gate in a single clause, saying “ninth, the deva named Wondrous Virtue Complete, that is, the station of the bodhisattva of the ninth ground: the Dharma gate of entering measureless objective realms and taking birth at ease,” and sets up no table of matchings. The bone each of the four houses sets up differs.
The third is the thread of the divergences of names and of numbers. As to the name of the park, Fazang upon the sixty-fascicle witness has “Lumini,” saying that “it has no proper rendering, and rendered by sense means being complete in surpassing and wondrous things such as blossoms and fruits”; Li Tongxuan upon the eighty-fascicle witness analyzes its three graphs into two segments, saying “Lumbi means in this tongue surpassing delight, and nī means park.” As to the friend’s name, the eighty-fascicle witness has “Wondrous Virtue,” the sixty-fascicle “Wondrous Virtue Complete,” and the forty-fascicle “the grove goddess Wondrous Virtue Complete, Loved and Revered,” while Fazang further hands down a separate name from the Indic witness. As to the reckoning of the verses, Chengguan calls the verses of the former life twenty-three verses, and Li Tongxuan calls the ten verses in repetition twenty lines of verse and the verses of the former life twenty-three lines of verse. As to the name of the wet-nurse, the eighty-fascicle witness has “Pure Light” in its prose while its verses set forth no name and call her only a wet-nurse; the sixty-fascicle witness has “Light Free of Defilement” in both prose and verses; and the forty-fascicle witness has “Undefiled Light” in its prose and “Undefiled Flame” in its verses. As to the glossing of the tree’s name, Chengguan sets forth only the rendering by sense, “Biluocha means, in this tongue, lofty and manifest,” while Fazang sets forth both the transcription and the rendering by sense, saying “as to Biliyicha, in full it is Bolacha; rendered by sense it is the lofty and manifest tree,” and distinguishes it as the tree of the birthplace and not the tree of awakening. As to the glossing of the park’s name, Li Tongxuan in 〈入法界品〉 has “nī means, in this tongue, park,” while in 〈十地品〉, fascicle twenty-seven, he has “as to nī, it is a feminine sound” and “Lumini means surpassing delight, complete radiance”; and Chengguan, handing this friend on at the end of the preceding friend’s passage, has “the Lumbinī Grove means, in this tongue, Surpassing Delight, Complete Radiance,” and glosses the friend’s name, saying “that the friend is named Wondrous Virtue Complete is because the excellent wisdom lacks nothing.” Zhiyan in the Kongmu zhang sets up separately the meaning of the ninth good friend, saying that she is “in the Lumini Park, roaming and beholding at ease, displaying the gate of the Dharma, benefiting beings.” All these divergent glosses and divergent names are the established teachings of the ancient worthies and the established wording of the ancient translations, and are recorded without judgment.
Chengguan’s Explicit Judgment
Having recorded the two houses, Chengguan does not stop at setting them side by side. When the recording is done he sets down a word of his own: “yet within what has no sequence of stations the sequence of stations is not hindered, and to display the stations is the constant rule, so that to match them is likewise no fault” — not to match them has its reason, and to match them is no fault either; both readings stand, and each has its ground. And where he comes to rest is in the words “the horizontal and the vertical are unobstructed”; the Chao, glossing this passage, sets forth their intent, saying “in truth, the horizontal and the vertical being unobstructed is the intent here, and therefore both glosses are kept, the wording and the meaning being plain.” So Chengguan’s judgment is not to withdraw the one and take the other, but that the two glosses stand together without hindering each other: read vertically one gets the sequence, read horizontally one gets the perfect interfusion, and between the two readings there is no obstruction. The setting up of the two gates of the graded array and of perfect interfusion in the matching of the ten gates to the stations comes to rest here as well.
What is essential to this section lies in that turn between what Sudhana asks and what he is answered. He asks how one is born into the house of the Tathāgata, and what answers him is ten gates and a garden; and the road pointed out to him at the last is to go back into birth and death to teach and convert beings. To be born into the house of the buddhas and to enter birth and death are, in this section, the two ends of one and the same road.
考據Apparatus
善財第四十二節所參，是一位林神——經文自標其名為「妙德」，澄觀科其目作「嵐毘尼林神」。本節五千餘字，骨在三問三答：先問「云何修菩薩行、生如來家」，答以十種受生藏，十偈重頌；次問「此解脫門境界云何」，答以嵐毘尼園中十種瑞相、十種光明、十種神變與誕生之相；後問「大天得此解脫，其已久如」，答以往昔為乳母之本生，四十六行頌重宣。十受生藏之配位，澄觀判「此十通於六位」而立行布圓融二門；誕生外相四事，澄觀「釋通事理」各給四義。本節寄善慧地之判，出澄觀所承古德之配，澄觀於品前自標其為「且依古德配為五相」，並錄光統等師配地位與意法師、臺山論隨文散釋二說而言「二皆有理」。友名於三本各異：八十作「妙德」（澄觀科作「嵐毘尼林神」）、六十作「妙德圓滿」、四十作「妙德圓滿愛敬林神」。本節偈行六十六。
一、科判定位
| 科判系統 | 此節經文 之位 |
|---|---|
| 底本 T279 三十九品 | 品三十九 入法界品（第九會 逝多林）；嵐毘尼林神＝卷七十四〔T10 0401c16〕–〔0405b22〕 |
| 澄觀《華嚴經疏》 | 本節正釋起〔T35n1735 0948b28〕「第九嵐毘尼林神，寄善慧地」，訖於第十釋女瞿波前〔0949b17〕 |
| 澄觀《演義鈔》 | 本友專釋起〔T36n1736 0684b27〕「第九嵐毘尼林神寄善慧地」，訖於次友科前〔0685a26〕；另〔0029c01–0029c10〕引本友見佛受生之文辨一重之遍、〔0663b20〕列名 |
| 法藏《探玄記》（六十華嚴疏） | 「第九善惠地知識內」〔T35n1733 0481b09〕起，訖第十法雲地知識前〔0482b05〕 |
| 李通玄《新華嚴經論》 | 前友段之推德勝進三門中轉介本友〔T36n1739 0997a24–0997b08〕（釋名〔0997b01〕）；本友正入當位法長科十段起〔0997b09〕；另卷二十七〈十地品〉善慧地表法段借本友為喻〔0908b17–b28〕 |
| 智儼《搜玄記》 | 本友專釋起〔T35n1732 0101a17〕「第九天名妙德圓滿」，訖於第十瞿夷科前〔0101b23〕 |
澄觀之科——本節之骨，一級三分而第三分開四：
〔T35n1735 0948b28–0948c01〕「第九嵐毘尼林神，寄善慧地。初二可知。第三「彼神答」〔0948b29〕下授己法界。於中四：一顯法義、二立法名、三明業用、四辨根本。」
顯法義一分復開長行與偈頌，長行更開四：
「初中二：先長行、後偈頌。前中四：一標數歎勝、二徵數列名、三依名釋義、四結歎勝益。初中，生如來家，即正酬其問。」〔T35n1735 0948c01–0948c04〕
重頌與立法名二分：
〔T35n1735 0949a10–0949a14〕「二重頌中十偈，如次頌前十法。第二「善男子菩薩具此」〔0949a11〕下立法名中，先牒前所明、後「我從無量」〔0949a12〕下指前立目。機感便現，無所擁礙，名自在受生，通能所現。」
明業用一分，其內復開二復開四：
〔T35n1735 0949a14–0949a19〕「第三「善財白言」〔0949a14〕下明法門業用，於中先問、後答。答中，知見此境即是業用。於中二：先明依願受生、後「經於百年」〔0949a16〕下如昔願覩。於中四：初覩降神瑞相、二「善男子摩耶」〔0949a17〕下見出城現光、三「摩耶夫人於畢洛叉」〔0949a18〕下。覩將生神變。」
辨根本一分（長行六段·偈頌二十三頌分四）：
〔T35n1735 0949b02–0949b10〕「第四「時善財童子白彼神」〔0949b03〕下顯法根源，先問、後答。答中，先長行中六：一古世佛興。二「其四天」〔0949b04〕下顯昔父母。三「其喜光」〔0949b05〕下攀樹誕生。四「時有」〔0949b06〕下觀佛得法。五「善男子」〔0949b06〕下結會古今。不結父母者，意明即淨飯、摩耶，佛即今佛故。六「我從是」〔0949b08〕下顯用周遍。後偈頌中，二十三頌，分四：初一誡聽許說、次九最初修證、次十二偈歷事增修、末偈結歎無盡。」
李通玄之長科十段（就八十本·分數與所依之骨異於澄觀）：
〔T36n1739 0997b09–0997b13〕「第一正入當位法中，長科為十段。一「爾時善財童子」〔0997b09〕已下至「增長菩薩大功德海」〔0997b10〕有六行經，明善財往見善知識分。二「善財見已」〔0997b11〕已下至「為世大明」〔0997b12〕有三行經，明善財見善知識申請所求分。」
法藏之五門分別（就六十本）：
〔T35n1733 0481b18–0481b22〕「第四「答言」〔0481b18〕下授己法界。於中作五門分別：一顯法義、二立法名、三明業用、四辨法根、五結自分。初中二，長行與頌。長行中有四：初總標歎德、二列十名、三釋十義、四結歎益。」
二、術語
| 漢 | 古德傳梵（羅馬字·發音輔助） | 所徵 | 精義 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 嵐毘尼 | —（古德唯以義釋·不出音寫對音） | 本節「漸次遊行，至嵐毘尼林」〔T10n0279 0401c18〕 | 佛誕生之園；澄觀「嵐毘尼林，此云樂勝圓光」〔T35n1735 0948b15–b16〕；李通玄「嵐毘者，此云樂勝。尼者，此云園也」〔T36n1739 0997b01〕，於〈十地品〉又作「流彌尼者，樂勝圓光也」〔T36n1739 0908b22〕；法藏就六十本作「流彌尼」，云「流彌尼者，無正翻，義翻云花菓等勝妙事具足也」〔T35n1733 0481b11–b12〕 |
| 妙德 | — | 本節「周遍尋覓彼妙德神」〔T10n0279 0401c18–c19〕 | 本節善友之名；六十本作「妙德圓滿」〔T09n0278 0750c26〕，四十本作「妙德圓滿愛敬林神」〔T10n0293 0778a07–a08〕。法藏釋此名云「名妙德圓滿林天者，謂善妙之德內備，發願守護此林，故以為名也」〔T35n1733 0481b12–b14〕 |
| 受生藏 | — | 本節「菩薩有十種受生藏」〔T10n0279 0401c25〕 | 本節所授法門之總名；六十本作「受生法」〔T09n0278 0751a09〕，四十本同八十作「受生藏」〔T10n0293 0778a16〕 |
| 自在受生解脫門 | — | 本節「我從無量劫來，得是自在受生解脫門」〔T10n0279 0403a29–b01〕 | 本友法門之立名；澄觀釋其所以云「機感便現，無所擁礙，名自在受生，通能所現」〔T35n1735 0949a13–a14〕 |
| 童真位 | — | 本節「此菩薩住童真位」〔T10n0279 0402c02〕 | 第八受生藏所標之位；澄觀就此判「八中從第八地入第九地，故云住童真位」〔T35n1735 0948c29–0949a01〕 |
| 畢洛叉 | 鉢刺叉（法藏所傳音寫） | 本節「向畢洛叉樹前，恭敬而立」〔T10n0279 0403b19–b20〕 | 摩耶夫人攀之而生太子之樹；澄觀唯出義譯「畢洛叉者，此云高顯」〔T35n1735 0949a19–a20〕；法藏則兼出音寫與義翻「畢利叉者，具云鉢刺叉，義翻云高顯樹也」〔T35n1733 0482a08–a09〕，並辨其非菩提樹——「此是菩提樹，非是生處樹也」〔T35n1733 0482a11–a12〕 |
| 那由他 | —（「那由他」本即古傳音寫） | 本節「二十億那由他諸天恭敬圍遶」〔T10n0279 0401c20〕 | 大數之名 |
| 薩婆若 | —（「薩婆若」本即古傳音寫） | 本節「久已修行薩婆若」〔T10n0279 0403a26〕 | 一切智；頌第十受生藏所用之名，長行則作「一切智」 |
| 金剛際 | — | 本節「從金剛際出大蓮華」〔T10n0279 0404a28〕 | 大地之最下際；第十神變所自出之處，澄觀科作「十地現蓮華將承至聖」〔T35n1735 0949a23–a24〕 |
| 灌頂 | — | 本節「此菩薩悉於三世諸如來所受灌頂法」〔T10n0279 0402c16〕 | 第十受生藏之相；澄觀「已受職位云受灌頂，智齊佛境云知一切」〔T35n1735 0949a08–a09〕 |
| 瞿波 | —（古德唯出義譯） | 本節「有釋種女，名曰：瞿波」〔T10n0279 0405b20〕 | 後友之名；澄觀「言瞿波者，此云守護大地」〔T35n1735 0949b11〕 |
| 善慧地 | — | 澄觀「第九嵐毘尼林神，寄善慧地」〔T35n1735 0948b28〕 | 十地之第九；本節經文無地名，此為澄觀所承古德之配 |
本友稱代之誌錄：本節經文於此友唯作「彼妙德神」「彼神答言」，無一字性別之標；六十本作「妙德圓滿」〔T09n0278 0750c26〕，四十本作「妙德圓滿愛敬林神」〔T10n0293 0778a07–a08〕，亦皆無標。法藏記天竺本之名云「天竺本云：有留彌尼天女，名妙圓光勝愛樂也」〔T35n1733 0481b14–0481b15〕，是古德所傳作「天女」。讀者面四層之稱代依此傳作『她』，並誌其所據於此；本節經文自身無性別之判，誌錄不判。
三、譬喻·修辭
(一) 「藏」之為喻——本節十門皆以「藏」為名，法門總名亦作「受生藏」。藏者含攝而能出生之義，故十門所列非十種行相之並列，而是十處能生如來家之所自出。六十本此十門通名「受生法」〔T09n0278 0751a09〕，不用藏字；四十本與八十本同用藏字〔T10n0293 0778a16〕。
(二) 幻夢影像六喻——第七受生藏一段連下六喻，逐句取譬而不相重：「了一切法皆如幻起，知諸世間如夢所見，一切色相猶如光影，神通所作皆如變化，一切受生悉皆如影，諸佛說法皆如谷響」〔T10n0279 0402b26–b29〕。所喻者六——法、世間、色相、神通、受生、說法；能喻者六——幻、夢、光影、變化、影、谷響。
(三) 明鏡水中現像喻——第三神變以此喻毛孔之能現如來往昔因緣：「譬如明鏡及以水中，能現虛空日月、星宿、雲雷等像；摩耶夫人身諸毛孔亦復如是，能現如來往昔因緣。」〔T10n0279 0403c22–c24〕本節二「譬如」，此其一，餘一在本生頌之「譬如妙寶像」〔0405a06〕。
(四) 誕生四喻——菩薩誕生時身相光明，經以四喻並列：「如虛空中現淨日輪，如高山頂出於慶雲，如密雲中而耀電光，如夜闇中而然大炬」〔T10n0279 0404b12–b13〕。澄觀就此四相各給事理二釋——約事「一迴耀挺特故、二高顯邕容故、三威光赫奕故、四分明可覩故」，約理「一依性空無住現故、二依涅槃山無心出故、三大慈雲中現無住之化身故、四為破眾生生死無明之大闇故」〔T35n1735 0949a26–0949b01〕。
(五) 誕生後了法四對——「如夢如幻，如影如像，無來無去，不生不滅」〔T10n0279 0404b16–b17〕。前二對取譬，後二對直遮，四對八目。
(六) 頌末句之稱名句式——第一組十偈，偈偈以此句收束，而所稱之名十皆不同：明慧者·難思者·名稱者·最勝者·雄猛者·明智者·不思議·真身者·大名者·諸佛子〔T10n0279 0403a09–a27〕。以稱名之異顯十藏之別，而句式一同。
(七) 十瑞相之地水樹華次第——林中十瑞，其序自地而上：地平坦·金剛為地·多羅樹·香芽香樹·華鬘·樹開寶華·池沼生華·八部來集·天女捧供·諸佛放光〔T10n0279 0403b07–b23〕。前七為器界之變，後三為有情與佛光，末以光中現諸佛受生總收。
四、異譯對勘
本節經文要句之漢譯校本三種：實叉難陀 T279（底本·卷七十四）· 佛馱跋陀羅 T278（晉譯六十華嚴〈入法界品第三十四〉·卷五十五至五十六）· 般若 T293（貞元四十華嚴〈入法界品〉·卷二十六至二十七）。三本此友之場景骨架相同（承前夜神之教而漸遊至林·見友為天眾說受生海經·設敬諮問·標數列名·依名釋義·結歎·重頌·問境界·答瑞相神變·問久近·本生答·重頌·推德指友·禮辭）；於此共同骨架之外，四十本又於誕生神變之後、問久近之前別增一組問答——善財問「菩薩云何住最後身，要生於此大族姓中」〔T10n0293 0781c20〕，林神答以「能利自他有三種法：一者、異熟因果；二者、福德因果；三者、智慧因果」〔T10n0293 0781c24–c26〕，其下逐項開八種異熟、八因、三清淨緣與八果，訖〔0782c28〕；八十本與六十本此段皆無。此為異譯所增之義，錄於本目，不作底本之直說。名相與句數之異亦多，逐條並錄不判。
句一 趣求與見友
| 校本 | 逐字 | 出處 |
|---|---|---|
| 實叉 T279 | 漸次遊行，至嵐毘尼林，周遍尋覓彼妙德神，見在一切寶樹莊嚴樓閣中，坐寶蓮華師子之座，二十億那由他諸天恭敬圍遶，為說菩薩受生海經 | T10n0279 0401c18 |
| 佛馱 T278 | 漸漸遊行，至彼林中，周遍推求妙德圓滿林天，見坐眾寶樓閣之上，二萬那由他諸天圍遶，為說菩薩受生海經 | T09n0278 0751a03 |
| 般若 T293 | 漸次而行，度恒河北，入憍薩羅國，向迦毘羅城，詣嵐毘尼林 | T10n0293 0778a05 |
| 般若 T293 | 求覓妙德圓滿愛敬林神；見在林中大寶樹下，莊嚴圓滿寶樓閣中，坐摩尼藏師子之座，二十億那由他諸林神女前後圍遶，廣為演說一切菩薩受生海經 | T10n0293 0778a07 |
異文所繫：(甲) 友名三本各異——80 本節內作「妙德」（前子指示後友則作「妙德圓滿」〔T10n0279 0401c05〕），60「妙德圓滿」，40「妙德圓滿愛敬林神」。(乙) 眷屬之數與類——80「二十億那由他諸天」，60「二萬那由他諸天」，40「二十億那由他諸林神女」。(丙) 林名，80／40 皆出「嵐毘尼」之名，60 唯作「彼林中」，此友場景於 60 本無「嵐毘尼」三字（全檔 0 命中）。(丁) 40 本獨有行程之敘（度恒河北·入憍薩羅國·向迦毘羅城），80／60 無之。誌錄不判。
句二 善財設問
| 校本 | 逐字 | 出處 |
|---|---|---|
| 實叉 T279 | 大聖！我已先發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心，而未能知菩薩云何修菩薩行、生如來家、為世大明 | T10n0279 0401c23 |
| 佛馱 T278 | 天神！我已先發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心，云何菩薩行菩薩行？生如來家？為世間燈 | T09n0278 0751a06 |
| 般若 T293 | 大聖！我已先發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心，而未知菩薩云何生如來家？云何行菩薩行？云何能作一切眾生種種照世大光明燈 | T10n0293 0778a13 |
異文所繫：(甲) 呼格，80／40 作「大聖」，60 作「天神」。(乙) 所問三事之次第，80 作行·家·明，60 作行·家·燈，40 作家·行·燈——40 以「生如來家」居首。(丙) 第三事之譯語，80「為世大明」，60「為世間燈」，40「一切眾生種種照世大光明燈」。誌錄不判。
句三 十受生藏之總名與列名
| 校本 | 逐字 | 出處 |
|---|---|---|
| 實叉 T279 | 一者，願常供養一切諸佛受生藏；二者，發菩提心受生藏；三者，觀諸法門勤修行受生藏；四者，以深淨心普照三世受生藏；五者，平等光明受生藏；六者，生如來家受生藏；七者，佛力光明受生藏；八者，觀普智門受生藏；九者，普現莊嚴受生藏；十者，入如來地受生藏。 | T10n0279 0402a03 |
| 佛馱 T278 | 所謂：供養一切佛，方便虛空願藏菩薩受生法；滿菩提心枝藏菩薩受生法；現前方便觀察寂滅虛空藏菩薩受生法；以淨直心，普照三世藏菩薩受生法；普照一切藏菩薩受生法；生如來家藏菩薩受生法；佛光明力藏菩薩受生法；具足分別薩婆若門藏菩薩受生法；一切法界化莊嚴藏菩薩受生法；勇猛精進至佛地藏菩薩受生法。 | T09n0278 0751a14 |
| 般若 T293 | 所謂：願常供事一切諸佛菩薩受生藏，普遍成就菩提心菩薩受生藏，觀諸法門方便修行菩薩受生藏，以深淨心普照三世菩薩受生藏，平等光明普照一切菩薩受生藏，生三世一切諸如來家菩薩受生藏，佛力光明普遍莊嚴菩薩受生藏，微細觀察普遍智門菩薩受生藏，法界變化種種莊嚴菩薩受生藏，速疾履踐諸如來地菩薩受生藏。 | T10n0293 0778a24 |
異文所繫：(甲) 總名，80／40 作「受生藏」，60 作「受生法」而於別名之中仍存「藏」字（如「方便虛空願藏菩薩受生法」）。(乙) 徵起之式，80 作「一者……十者」列數，60／40 皆作「所謂」直列。(丙) 十名逐一對照：第一 80「願常供養一切諸佛」／60「供養一切佛，方便虛空願」／40「願常供事一切諸佛」；第三 80「觀諸法門勤修行」／60「現前方便觀察寂滅虛空」／40「觀諸法門方便修行」；第五 80「平等光明」／60「普照一切」／40「平等光明普照一切」；第八 80「觀普智門」／60「具足分別薩婆若門」／40「微細觀察普遍智門」；第九 80「普現莊嚴」／60「一切法界化莊嚴」／40「法界變化種種莊嚴」；第十 80「入如來地」／60「勇猛精進至佛地」／40「速疾履踐諸如來地」。法藏就六十本別出通釋十名之目「一供佛願；二覺心支者，依菩提心出生餘行名支也；三觀寂滅；四淨直心；五智普照；六生佛家；七佛光力；八達佛智；九嚴法界；十懃至佛」〔T35n1733 0481b26–b29〕。誌錄不判。
句四 第一受生藏
| 校本 | 逐字 | 出處 |
|---|---|---|
| 實叉 T279 | 菩薩初發心時，作如是願：『我當尊重、恭敬、供養一切諸佛，見佛無厭，於諸佛所，常生愛樂，常起深信，修諸功德，恒無休息。』是為菩薩為一切智始集善根受生藏。 | T10n0279 0402a10 |
| 佛馱 T278 | 此菩薩摩訶薩發如是願：我當恭敬供養一切諸佛，無量喜心見佛無厭，具不壞信，積集功德，供養諸佛，心無厭足。佛子！是為初受生法，薩婆若初門長養善根故。 | T09n0278 0751a23 |
| 般若 T293 | 此菩薩初發心時，作如是願：『我當親近承事諸佛及諸菩薩，現見諸佛，恒生歡喜；於諸佛所，以尊重心恭敬供養無有厭足；增長淨信，心無退轉；積集功德，恒不斷絕。為欲清淨一切智性，積集善根令增長故。』是為菩薩第一受生藏。 | T10n0293 0778b04 |
異文所繫：(甲) 所供之境，80／60 唯佛，40 作「諸佛及諸菩薩」。(乙) 結句，80「為一切智始集善根受生藏」，60「薩婆若初門長養善根故」——一用意譯「一切智」，一用音寫「薩婆若」。(丙) 40 於此門末別出「為欲清淨一切智性，積集善根令增長故」之結願語。誌錄不判。
句五 第二受生藏之發心十句
| 校本 | 逐字 | 出處 |
|---|---|---|
| 實叉 T279 | 起大悲心，救護一切眾生故；起供養佛心，究竟承事故；起普求正法心，一切無吝故；起廣大趣向心，求一切智故；起慈無量心，普攝眾生故 | T10n0279 0402a15 |
| 佛馱 T278 | 起大悲心救護一切眾生故；值遇佛心常見佛故；求正法心無所惜故；大莊嚴心向薩婆若故；發大慈心，普覆攝取一切眾生故 | T09n0278 0751b01 |
| 般若 T293 | 起深厚大悲心，於諸眾生能救護故；起供養諸佛心，令諸如來增歡喜故；起勤求正法心，於諸所有無吝惜故；起所作廣大心，令一切智悉現前故；起圓滿大慈心，為普攝取一切眾生作饒益故 | T10n0293 0778b11 |
異文所繫：三本此段皆十句，句句以「故」結，而第二句之義互異——80「究竟承事」，60「常見佛」，40「令諸如來增歡喜」。第四句 80「求一切智」，60 作音寫「向薩婆若」，40「令一切智悉現前」。40 於十句之後別出「此十為首，有佛剎極微塵數菩提心大功德聚」之總收語〔T10n0293 0778b21–b22〕，80 作「菩薩以如是等佛剎微塵數菩提心功德故，得生如來家」，60 作「如是等佛剎微塵等菩提心枝滿足，生如來家」。誌錄不判。
句六 誕生四喻
| 校本 | 逐字 | 出處 |
|---|---|---|
| 實叉 T279 | 如虛空中現淨日輪，如高山頂出於慶雲，如密雲中而耀電光，如夜闇中而然大炬 | T10n0279 0404b12 |
| 佛馱 T278 | 如虛空中現明淨日、如雷電光、如山起雲、如闇中燈 | T09n0278 0753b16 |
| 般若 T293 | 空中現淨日輪，如高山頂出於慶雲，如密雲中而耀電光，如夜闇中然大火炬 | T10n0293 0781c01 |
異文所繫：(甲) 40 與 80 此四喻之前三句幾同，唯第四句 80 作「而然大炬」，40 作「然大火炬」。(乙) 60 本此四喻之語與序皆異——作「如虛空中現明淨日、如雷電光、如山起雲、如闇中燈」，其序為日·電·雲·燈，而 80／40 之序為日·雲·電·炬；60 之第二喻作「雷電光」而不出「高山頂」「慶雲」。誌錄不判。
句七 本生之乳母名與初佛名
| 校本 | 逐字 | 出處 |
|---|---|---|
| 實叉 T279 | 時，有乳母名為：淨光，侍立其側。 | T10n0279 0404c10 |
| 實叉 T279 | 其第一佛，名：自在功德幢 | T10n0279 0404b29 |
| 佛馱 T278 | 時，有乳母名離垢光。 | T09n0278 0753c17 |
| 佛馱 T278 | 於意云何？彼乳母者，豈異人乎？我身是也。 | T09n0278 0753c23 |
| 佛馱 T278 | 乳母離垢光，今則我身是。 | T09n0278 0754a11 |
| 實叉 T279 | 我時為乳母，智慧極聰利； | T10n0279 0405a01 |
| 般若 T293 | 彼時我身為乳母，名無垢焰而供侍， | T10n0293 0783b28 |
| 佛馱 T278 | 最初如來名，無壞自在幢。 | T09n0278 0754a09 |
| 般若 T293 | 彼時乳母無垢光者，豈異 | T10n0293 0783b02 |
異文所繫：(甲) 乳母之名三本各異——80 長行「淨光」，60 長行「離垢光」，40 長行「無垢光」；頌中則 60 作「離垢光」、40 作「無垢焰」，而 80 之頌唯作「我時為乳母」而不出其名。(乙) 初佛之名，80 作「自在功德幢」，60 頌作「無壞自在幢」。(丙) 60 之長行與頌皆出乳母之名；80 之長行出名而頌唯稱乳母；40 之長行作「無垢光」而頌作「無垢焰」，一本之內長行與頌亦異。(丁) 結會古今之問語，80 作「彼乳母者，豈異人乎？我身是也」，60 長行亦有「於意云何？彼乳母者，豈異人乎？我身是也」而其頌又作「今則我身是」，40 作「彼時乳母無垢光者，豈異」。誌錄不判。
句八 本生頌之首偈
| 校本 | 逐字 | 出處 |
|---|---|---|
| 實叉 T279 | 佛子汝所問，諸佛甚深境； | T10n0279 0404c24 |
| 佛馱 T278 | 佛子汝所問，最勝寂滅境， | T09n0278 0754a05 |
| 實叉 T279 | 過億剎塵劫，有劫名悅樂； | T10n0279 0404c26 |
| 佛馱 T278 | 過億剎塵劫，劫名可悅樂， | T09n0278 0754a07 |
異文所繫：(甲) 首偈第二句，80「諸佛甚深境」，60「最勝寂滅境」。(乙) 劫名之句，80「有劫名悅樂」，60「劫名可悅樂」〔T09n0278 0754a07〕。(丙) 頌之行數，80 本此組四十六行〔T10n0279 0404c24–0405b11〕，60 本四十七行〔T09n0278 0754a05–b22〕，40 本此組起於〔T10n0293 0783b22〕「善哉佛子汝所問，最勝難知諸佛境」而訖於〔0784a09〕。誌錄不判。
句九 謙己推勝與指示後友
| 校本 | 逐字 | 出處 |
|---|---|---|
| 實叉 T279 | 善男子！我唯知此菩薩於無量劫遍一切處示現受生自在解脫。 | T10n0279 0405b12 |
| 佛馱 T278 | 佛子！我唯知此菩薩受生自在法門 | T09n0278 0754b23 |
| 般若 T293 | 善男子！我唯知此菩薩於無量劫遍一切處示現受生自在神變解脫法門 | T10n0293 0784a10 |
| 實叉 T279 | 善男子！此迦毘羅城，有釋種女，名曰：瞿波。汝詣彼問：菩薩云何於生死中教化眾生？ | T10n0279 0405b19 |
| 佛馱 T278 | 佛子！迦毘羅城有釋迦女，名曰瞿夷。汝詣彼問云何菩薩遊生死中教化眾生？ | T09n0278 0754b29 |
| 般若 T293 | 善男子！從此西南迦毘羅城，有釋種女，名曰瞿波，汝詣彼問菩薩云何於生死中成熟眾生，行菩薩行。 | T10n0293 0784a22 |
| 佛馱 T278 | 時，善財童子頭面敬禮彼林天足，遶畢辭退， | T09n0278 0754c02 |
異文所繫：(甲) 呼格，80／40 作「善男子」，60 作「佛子」。(乙) 法門之名，80「受生自在解脫」，60「受生自在法門」，40「受生自在神變解脫法門」。(丙) 指友之句，40 獨出方位「從此西南」，80 唯作「此迦毘羅城」，60 作「迦毘羅城」；後友之名，80／40 作「瞿波」，60 作「瞿夷」；所問之事，80 作「於生死中教化眾生」一事，60 作「遊生死中教化眾生」一事，40 作「於生死中成熟眾生，行菩薩行」二事。(丁) 辭退之文，60 作「時，善財童子頭面敬禮彼林天足，遶畢辭退，」，80 作「時，善財童子頂禮其足，遶無數匝，慇懃瞻仰，辭退而去。」〔T10n0279 0405b21〕，40 作「爾時，善財童子頂禮右遶嵐毘尼神，經無數匝，慇懃瞻仰，戀慕一心，辭退而去。」〔T10n0293 0784a24〕，40 多「戀慕一心」四字。誌錄不判。
五、宗義之經據〔眼〕
(一) 十受生藏通於六位——行布與圓融二門並立。本節十門之配位，澄觀不作單一之判，先立逐門配位之表，次立行布圓融二門並用之義：
〔T35n1735 0948c04–0948c09〕「第二「何等為十」〔0948c04〕下徵數列名。此十通於六位：一當十信；二即十住；三通行向；四是初地；五從二至七，以是功用邊故；六七皆八地，然六即自分；七即勝進得勸之後；八即九地；九當十地；十即等覺入如來地。」
而此配位不可定執，澄觀即以經文自身反詰之：
「然依行布，豎配定然。若約圓融，初後通用，故云成就此法則生如來家。若定須具十方得生家，何以文中第二第六皆有生家，第十復言於三世佛所已受灌頂？故知須豎，約證分異。若定豎者，則違具十則生之言，是知須橫約圓融修觀。」〔T35n1735 0948c09–0948c14〕
其所據之經文即本節總標句「若菩薩成就此法，則生如來家」〔T10n0279 0401c26〕，與第二門「得生如來家」〔0402a23〕、第六門「此菩薩生如來家」〔0402b18〕、第十門「悉於三世諸如來所受灌頂法」〔0402c16〕四處。
(二) 依名釋義之逐門繫位。澄觀於十門逐一釋其名義而繫之於位，其要如次：
〔T35n1735 0948c15–0948c20〕「一中即信發心故，〈賢首品〉云「常欲利樂諸群生，莊嚴國土供養佛」〔0948c16〕故，故文云始集善根。二中初住發心，文具三心生如來家，亦初住生家。三中十句，一觀法門海標十行；二向一切智標迴向，以行願相資故合為一；餘八通行向。」
〔T35n1735 0948c20–0948c26〕「四中契理斷障，名深淨心，即淨心地。已證理故，堅如金剛；已得離生道故，捨諸有趣；已破二障礙山故，為物依處。五中證如起行為平等光明，戒忍進等為次五地。「得無礙」〔0948c24〕下即是七地，七地得無生忍光明故，入一切真實法。」
「六中以得無生忍、契同法性，為生佛家。願度增上善根一體，惑等不動，為白淨法。七中因佛勸起能頓修行，名佛力光明。無功用修，故無疲厭等。八中從第八地入第九地，故云住童真位。」〔T35n1735 0948c26–0949a01〕
「九中以佛莊嚴而莊嚴，故名普莊嚴，已得離垢等諸三昧故，雖復常用而常在三昧。十中約其自分為此菩薩，約其勝進名入佛地，已受職位云受灌頂，智齊佛境云知一切，如〈十定品〉辨。」〔T35n1735 0949a05–0949a09〕
第八門之三句，澄觀以事理互如釋之：
「觀一切智智門，即法師之德故，於三性等皆如實知；即事知理之如實故，於有差別境入無差別定；即理窮事之如實故，於無差別法現有差別智。」〔T35n1735 0949a01–0949a05〕
(三) 法門之立名——自在受生，通能所現。本友自立其法門之名曰「自在受生解脫門」，澄觀釋其所以，並判此名通於能現與所現二邊：
「機感便現，無所擁礙，名自在受生，通能所現。」〔T35n1735 0949a13–0949a14〕
(四) 業用即在知見此境。善財第二問「此解脫門境界云何」〔T10n0279 0403b01–b02〕，其下所答者皆是所見之瑞相神變，故澄觀判：
「答中，知見此境即是業用。」〔T35n1735 0949a15〕
其所以能見，經文自出其因——「我先發願」〔T10n0279 0403b02〕與「以昔願力」〔0403b04〕，故澄觀分此答為依願受生與如昔願覩二段。
(五) 誕生外相之四事四理。菩薩誕生時之四喻，澄觀判「釋通事理」，事理各四，兩兩相配：
「初覩外相，有四種相，釋通事理。約事，謂一迴耀挺特故、二高顯邕容故、三威光赫奕故、四分明可覩故。約理，則一依性空無住現故、二依涅槃山無心出故、三大慈雲中現無住之化身故、四為破眾生生死無明之大闇故。」〔T35n1735 0949a25–0949b01〕
其下經文「雖現初生，悉已了達一切諸法，如夢如幻，如影如像，無來無去，不生不滅」〔T10n0279 0404b15–b17〕，澄觀判為「了其內德」〔T35n1735 0949b01–b02〕；末段「當我見佛」以下，判為「結其周遍，則橫竪無窮」〔0949b02–b03〕。
(六) 法之根源在昔為乳母之一念。第三問「大天得此解脫，其已久如」〔T10n0279 0404b25–b26〕，答以本生。經文所記得法之處，正在乳母受抱太子之時——「乳母敬受，生大歡喜，即得菩薩普眼三昧；得此三昧已，普見十方無量諸佛，復得菩薩於一切處示現受生自在解脫」〔T10n0279 0404c11–c14〕。澄觀於此段之科作〔T35n1735 0949b06〕「四「時有」〔0949b06〕下觀佛得法」。而長行結會古今唯結乳母不結父母，澄觀出其所以：
〔T35n1735 0949b06–0949b08〕「五「善男子」〔0949b06〕下結會古今。不結父母者，意明即淨飯、摩耶，佛即今佛故。」
(七) 寄善慧地之判，出澄觀所承古德之配。本節經文無地名，寄位之說出澄觀科文〔T35n1735 0948b28〕。澄觀於本品前總論五相時，已自明此配之所自來，並先錄二家而言其皆有理：
「六分五相者，若意法師及臺山論，但隨文散釋，更無別配；光統等師皆配地位。二皆有理，謂隨一一位具多法門，豈容凡心不得習求善友之法，故不配有理。然無次位中不礙次位，顯位是常規，配亦無失。橫竪無礙，且依古德配為五相」〔T35n1735 0918b02–0918b08〕
李通玄亦以善慧地釋本友之名與所居之處：
「有神名妙德圓滿者，明善慧地妙慧圓滿故。神者，以悲智善能說教為神。」〔T36n1739 0997b06–0997b08〕
六、諸家異釋（古德·標宗）
澄觀《華嚴經疏》T35n1735（八十華嚴逐文·主）
前友段中之轉介與釋名：本友之園名、友名與所以教問，澄觀已於前友段末「第五指示後友」處先出——「第五指示後友。嵐毘尼林，此云樂勝圓光。昔有天女下生此處，因以為名。表九地總持光明無不照故。友名妙德圓滿者，善慧無缺故。然此園在迦毘羅城東二十里，是摩耶生佛之處。又從九地當得受職，是故今問生如來家」〔T35n1735 0948b15–0948b20〕
科：「第九嵐毘尼林神，寄善慧地。初二可知。」〔T35n1735 0948b28〕
寄位所承：「且依古德配為五相」〔T35n1735 0918b07–b08〕；並錄意法師及臺山論隨文散釋、光統等師皆配地位二說而云「二皆有理」〔0918b04〕。
十變之目：「後別顯十變：一集眾息苦、二卷舒無礙、三毛現佛因、四現佛本事、五現行所依身、六遍現捨行、七現古佛受生園林、八現今佛所處宮殿、九出菩薩同類、十地現蓮華將承至聖。」〔T35n1735 0949a20–0949a24〕
頌之分四：「後偈頌中，二十三頌，分四：初一誡聽許說、次九最初修證、次十二偈歷事增修、末偈結歎無盡。」〔T35n1735 0949b08–0949b10〕
後友釋名：「第五指示後友中，言瞿波者，此云守護大地。在家為父母，守護太子儲備、守護國地。既為其妃，依主得名。表十地既圓，故無地不護。」〔T35n1735 0949b10–0949b14〕
三夫人之說：「然太子有三夫人：一名瞿波、次名耶輸陀羅、三名摩奴舍。今因位之極故，取其第一，法喜已滿故，寄之昔妃。」〔T35n1735 0949b14–0949b16〕
澄觀《演義鈔》T36n1736（八十華嚴疏之鈔）
寄位之釋：〔T36n1736 0684b27–0684b29〕「「第九嵐毘尼林神寄善慧地」〔0684b27〕者，謂成就微妙四無礙辯，能遍十方善說法故。」
疏五重科文之釋：〔T36n1736 0684b29–0684c04〕「疏「此十通於六位」〔0684b29〕下，疏文有五：一約位竪配，亦名行布釋；二「然依行布」〔0684c01〕下，結前生後，生後圓融；三「若約圓融」〔0684c02〕下，通諸位釋，亦名圓融釋；四「若定須具十」〔0684c03〕下，結成上竪；五「若定竪」〔0684c04〕下，結成須橫。」
生家六位：〔T36n1736 0684c05–0684c10〕「疏「亦初住生家」〔0684c05〕者，恐人誤為初地生家，然其生家略有六位：一初住生菩提心家、二四住生聖教家、三初地生真如家、四四地約寄位生出世家、五八地生無生法忍家、六如來地究竟生家。今是初住，即第一生菩提心家。」
第四藏逐句釋：〔T36n1736 0684c10–0684c19〕「疏「即淨心地」〔0684c11〕者，疏隨難釋，今更委釋。言得如來菩提光者，明心菩提故。入菩薩方便海者，證真了俗，故捨諸有趣。亦由已斷異生性故。成就自在者，分身百剎故。修菩薩殊勝行者，淨治地法十行常修故。具菩薩根者，由證信故，餘皆成根。又大悲為首，故悲為根。已斷所知，故心明潔。十願成熟，故願不動。同佛證如，故得佛護。分別頓盡，名壞諸障。具上諸德，為物依處。」
第五藏末二句：〔T36n1736 0684c19–0684c22〕「疏「戒忍進等」〔0684c19〕者，等取禪慧各一增故。末後二句，上句三業善巧，見者必欣；下句功用行滿，又以無功得諸行故。」
第六藏之淨忍分與勝行分：〔T36n1736 0684c22–0684c29〕「疏「六中下初至為生佛家」〔0684c22〕，此有兩句：一正釋標、二即解釋。初之二句，「得無生忍」〔0684c23〕是釋生家，「契同法性」〔0684c24〕即釋隨諸佛住，佛住甚深真法性故。上即淨忍分成就。「一切甚深法門」〔0684c25〕下，皆得勝行分，此句為總，故疏不釋。已下皆甚深法門故。其「願度增上」〔0684c27〕，釋具三世已下經文。「善根一體」〔0684c28〕，釋得一切佛下經文。謂同無功用之善根故，同契無生法忍體故。」
第六藏末段三分（正行廣大·離障寂滅·三輪化益）：〔T36n1736 0685a01–0685a04〕「從「惑等」〔0685a01〕下，釋具出世白淨法。上皆前經不可知義。經安住已下，即是前經正行廣大。入諸三昧下，即離障寂滅。後三句即三輪化益，並易故不釋。」
第七藏三世間自在：〔T36n1736 0685a04–0685a08〕「疏「七中因佛力」〔0685a04〕下，經疏俱易。若欲釋者，由佛七勸，名入諸佛力，此為總句。遊剎下，別二句，起行速疾。從了一切下，是淨土分中事，於三世間得自在故。初二器界自在、次二正覺、後三眾生說法度生故。」
第八藏三性·十一稠林·四十無礙·三自在：〔T36n1736 0685a08–0685a21〕「疏「八觀普智門言即法師之德」〔0685a09〕者，亦法師方便成就。言「於三性等」〔0685a10〕者，三性即是化法，為智成就等。等字，等取入行成就智十一稠林。經一一門下，即口業成就，具四十無礙，故能長演。餘皆法師自在成就，一三昧自在隨心頓演故；二受生自在；三「於有差別」〔0685a14〕下，於法自在，事理交徹故。疏從「即事知理」〔0685a15〕下，釋此初對，了即事入理、即理入事。亦前句事能顯理，後句依理成事。又前不壞假名而說實相，後不動真際建立諸法。又前動不離寂，後則靜無遺照。於無量下，有無自在。於少境下，廣狹自在。通達下，真俗齊照。以文顯故，云可思準。」
第九藏依正莊嚴與身口意祕密：〔T36n1736 0685a21–0685a24〕「疏「九普現莊嚴」〔0685a21〕，先釋名、後「已得」〔0685a21〕下總釋大意。若別說者，初句嚴依，餘皆嚴正。正中並祕密智，初三句身祕密、「演清淨」〔0685a23〕下口祕密、「隨其心」〔0685a24〕下皆意祕密。」
第十藏：〔T36n1736 0685a24–0685a25〕「疏「十中」〔0685a24〕下，經文顯然，皆與本位義理相符」
引本友見佛受生之文辨一重之遍：《鈔》於他處引本友之語而辨其遍之重數——「八相相遍者，嵐毘尼林神說如來受生云」〔T36n1736 0029c01〕，牒經已而云「如是念念常無間斷者，但是一重之遍。」〔T36n1736 0029c09–0029c10〕
列名：《鈔》列善知識名時，出本友之別名——「十嵐毘尼林神即圓滿光」〔T36n1736 0663b20〕
澄觀明判
配與不配俱不失：〔T35n1735 0918b06–0918b07〕「然無次位中不礙次位，顯位是常規，配亦無失。橫竪無礙」——先錄意法師及臺山論但隨文散釋、光統等師皆配地位二說而言「二皆有理」〔0918b04〕，其後澄觀自下此語：不配有其理，配亦無失。
《鈔》代出其意：澄觀於十門配位一段立五重科文（竪配行布·結前生後·通諸位之圓融釋·結成上竪·結成須橫），《鈔》釋其收處云「實則橫竪無礙是此中意，故存二釋，文義昭然。」〔T36n1736 0684c04–0684c05〕。二釋並存而不相礙，非撤竪歸橫，亦非撤橫歸竪。
法藏《探玄記》T35n1733（六十華嚴疏）
科之三分：「第九善惠地知識內，舉法勸修：初指處，此園在迦毘羅城東二十餘里，是摩耶生太子處。」〔T35n1733 0481b09–0481b11〕
園名之釋：「流彌尼者，無正翻，義翻云花菓等勝妙事具足也。」〔T35n1733 0481b11–0481b12〕
友名之釋與天竺本異名：「二示人，名妙德圓滿林天者，謂善妙之德內備，發願守護此林，故以為名也。天竺本云：有留彌尼天女，名妙圓光勝愛樂也。」〔T35n1733 0481b12–0481b15〕
教問之所以：「三教問中，以是生佛處，故教問生佛家等。」〔T35n1733 0481b15–0481b16〕
十名之通釋與別釋二軌：「二列十名者，有諸德釋將配十地一一別釋。今就通釋：一供佛願；二覺心支者，依菩提心出生餘行名支也；三觀寂滅；四淨直心；五智普照；六生佛家；七佛光力；八達佛智；九嚴法界；十懃至佛。」〔T35n1733 0481b24–0481b29〕
十門別釋之軌：「三提名別釋中，十種即為十段，一一各三，謂標、釋、結。」〔T35n1733 0481c01–0481c02〕
第三門之九心——行本心與現行心之別：「三中有九種心，與前十心何別者？前是行本心，此是現行心，故生佛家也。」〔T35n1733 0481c04–0481c06〕
第六門之十句：「六中亦以十句釋生如來家：一隨佛教生證深法門、二同佛大願、三行同、四體同、五背向同、六長善同、七住法同、八得佛定、九攝眾生、十聞持法。」〔T35n1733 0481c10–0481c13〕
立名與天竺本之名：〔T35n1733 0481c26–0481c29〕「二「我成就」〔0481c26〕下明立名。言無量境界自在者，明菩薩為物現生，故云自在。奇瑞非一，名無量境。天竺本云：我成就菩薩解脫名無量劫執持一切菩薩受生自在顯現」
樹名之音寫義翻與生處樹菩提樹之辨：「畢利叉者，具云鉢刺叉，義翻云高顯樹也。有處名阿輸迦樹，此云無憂樹也。又阿說他樹，此云無羅樹，謂遶三匝能滅罪障，此是菩提樹，非是生處樹也。又名畢鉢羅樹，此云樒樹，在嶺南亦有，此類可知。」〔T35n1733 0482a08–0482a13〕
十自在之目（就六十本）：「十自在者，一八部雲集光照息苦、二腹受三千遍坐百億、三毛孔現佛過去行法、四毛孔現佛過去本事、五毛孔現佛過去形色、六毛孔現佛往昔本施、七身中出佛本嚴土事、八身出八部宮殿滿林、九身出菩薩讚歎舍那、十金剛地輪生大蓮花以承菩薩。」〔T35n1733 0482a13–0482a19〕
生時五相：〔T35n1733 0482a19–0482a23〕「三「摩耶生時」〔0482a19〕下顯相狀。於中五：一朗耀挺特如空中日現、二威光赫奕如雷電光、三應機現身如山起雲、四現破無明如闇中燈、五雖生不生用常寂故。」
法根深厚之長行十分與頌分四：〔T35n1733 0482a25–0482b03〕「答中二：先長行、後偈頌。前中十：一古世佛興、二出往佛母、三攀樹生佛、四授與乳母、五乳母得定、六得此法門、七結會古今、八廣見受生、九知本大願、十供佛持法。二頌中二十三頌半，分四：初一誡聽許說、二有八偈半明初佛所發心得法、三「我於億剎」〔0482b02〕下十三偈明更供多佛淨修增廣、四末後一偈結歎無盡。」
李通玄《新華嚴經論》T36n1739（表法異軌）
處之表法：「云此閻浮提有一園林者，明修第九善慧地法門邊際，普蔭十方一切眾生行，解脫廣大，處生死如園萬行如林，故為名也。」〔T36n1739 0997a27–0997a29〕
園名之釋：「嵐毘者，此云樂勝。尼者，此云園也。為以智慧法樂眾生故。」〔T36n1739 0997b01–0997b02〕
受生之所以：「此園林亦是如來示現下生時誕生之園，明八地菩薩從兜率天降神下生，為處胎、為受生也。於九地中修智慧利人天，及滿一切眾生之智慧故，名為受生。」〔T36n1739 0997b02–0997b06〕
長科十段中之頌數：「次下有二十行頌，重頌前法，歎受生法門。」〔T36n1739 0997b19–0997b20〕；「八有二十三行頌，重頌前法。」〔T36n1739 0997b24–0997b25〕
位行之釋：「十隨文釋義者，此之菩薩得無生忍，獲無功智創始現前，令使昇進。九地學佛說法辯才門，令使滿足天之及人一切眾生意，名為受生藏。」〔T36n1739 0997b27–0997c01〕
所引本節之頌：〔T36n1739 0997c01–0997c04〕「如經頌云「聞法不厭樂觀察，普於三世無所礙，身心清淨如虛空，此名稱者受生藏。其心恒住大悲海，堅如金剛及寶山，了達一切種智門，此最勝者受生藏。」〔0997c01〕廣如經具明。」（所牒第一句作「聞法不厭樂觀察」，底本作「聞法無厭樂觀察」〔T10n0279 0403a12〕）
〈十地品〉借喻段（卷二十七）：李通玄於卷二十七釋〈十地品〉善慧地表法時，別借本友為喻——「三明善財表法者，善財於閻浮提有一林，名嵐毘尼，見有神，名妙德圓滿。此閻浮提者，是此洲林名，此洲因林而得名故，以明此位智慧設教如林，廣多覆蔭故。又言其中有園林者，明智慧重重無盡故。名嵐毘尼，或曰流彌尼。尼者，女音。流彌尼者，樂勝圓光也。明此善慧地智慧法樂無垢圓光，明以善慧圓光破煩惱令得樂故。神名妙德圓滿，明法師位妙慧圓滿故。住寶樹莊嚴樓閣，寶樹者，是法師之行也。樓閣者，明智慧高遠，重重逈照無礙故。明以眾行莊嚴智慧善說諸教，令眾生信伏故，是法師解行具足。」〔T36n1739 0908b17–0908b28〕此屬〈十地品〉之釋，非本節〈入法界品〉之正釋，別記其位。其「尼者，女音」「流彌尼者，樂勝圓光也」之訓，與〈入法界品〉之「尼者，此云園也」〔T36n1739 0997b01〕不同，二處並錄不判。
智儼《搜玄記》T35n1732（六十華嚴疏）
釋名與法門：「第九天名妙德圓滿，即九地菩薩位也，入無量境界受生自在法門。流彌尼者，生太子處也。」〔T35n1732 0101a17–0101a19〕
正入法界之二分四分：〔T35n1732 0101a22–0101a26〕「三「答言」〔0101a22〕下正入法界中有二：初說自分法門、二「諸大」〔0101a23〕下仰推勝分。自分中有四：初辨法門名體、二「善財白言天神」〔0101a24〕下明法大用、三「善財白」〔0101a25〕下得法久近、四「唯我」〔0101a26〕下結自所知。」
因行智光·大用自在·清淨無染三句：〔T35n1732 0101b09–0101b13〕「三「佛子摩耶乃至生太子時」〔0101b09〕下因行智光以相顯體，有三句可知。四「畢利叉樹」〔0101b10〕下大用自在攝德無礙，有三句也。五「生菩薩時如空」〔0101b11〕下顯清淨無染，文有三：初為益現身、二順法成似、三成而無作。」
四喻各釋：「初有四喻，朗曜挺特，如空中日；即現群機，喻若電光；布慈漸益，如山起雲；像現除迷，若闇中燈。」〔T35n1732 0101b13–0101b16〕
頌之分四（就六十本）：「偈文有三十三半，有四：初一勅聽許說、二有八頌前初所得法門、次十三半頌上經諸佛修使增廣」〔T35n1732 0101b20–0101b22〕
誌錄不判
本節之科，澄觀作三分而於第三分開四門（顯法義·立法名·明業用·辨根本），法藏就六十本作五門（顯法義·立法名·明業用·辨法根·結自分），李通玄不用門分而長科為十段，智儼就六十本則科正入法界為二（初說自分法門、後仰推勝分）而自分中復開四——四家之分數與所依之骨俱異。十受生藏之配位，法藏記有「諸德釋將配十地一一別釋」之一軌而自取通釋十目，澄觀則逐門配六位並立行布圓融二門，李通玄唯就九地一位釋之。園名之釋，法藏就六十本作「流彌尼」而云無正翻、義翻為花菓等勝妙事具足，李通玄就八十本析嵐毘尼三字為二語節——「嵐毘」樂勝、「尼」園。友名，八十作「妙德」，六十作「妙德圓滿」，四十作「妙德圓滿愛敬林神」，法藏別傳天竺本作「留彌尼天女，名妙圓光勝愛樂」。頌之計數，澄觀於第二組稱「二十三頌」，李通玄於第一組稱「二十行頌」、第二組稱「二十三行頌」，而底本第一組二十行、第二組四十六行；智儼於六十本之本生頌稱「三十三半」。寄位之配，澄觀承古德配善慧地，李通玄亦以善慧地釋之，而法藏就六十本作「第九善惠地知識」。此諸異釋皆古德成說，誌錄之。
七、互讀·承衍
本節之文，承衍繫鏈皆自古德已行之互讀直回：
- 智儼《華嚴經內章門等雜孔目章》T45n1870：別立第九知識之義——「第九知識。約一乘別教。於可化眾生。閻浮提處示現受生。在流彌尼園。遊觀自在。示現法門。利益眾生義。」〔T45n1870 0585b19–0585b21〕；又於善知識序次表列本友為第四十——「四十天名妙德圓滿」〔T45n1870 0589b08〕，此一條為序次之錄，非釋義。
- 澄觀自引〈賢首品〉：釋第一受生藏「始集善根」之義時，牒本經他品之偈為據——〔T35n1735 0948c16–0948c17〕「〈賢首品〉云「常欲利樂諸群生，莊嚴國土供養佛」〔0948c16〕故」。
- 澄觀自指〈十定品〉：釋第十受生藏「知一切境界次第」之義時，指本經他品為詳——「智齊佛境云知一切，如〈十定品〉辨」〔T35n1735 0949a08–0949a09〕。
- 李通玄〈十地品〉借喻：釋善慧地表法時借本友為喻，其段起〔T36n1739 0908b17〕，非本節之正釋，別記其位以備互讀。
- 澄觀本品總論之五相：本節所繫「寄位修行相」之名與範圍，出〔T35n1735 0918b08〕「謂初四十一人名寄位修行相」；其明判之語見〔0918b04–0918b07〕，《鈔》代出其意者見〔T36n1736 0684c04–0684c05〕。
- 華嚴宗論：《華嚴經旨歸》T45n1871 ·《華嚴五教章》T45n1866 ·《華嚴一乘十玄門》T45n1868 三典檢「妙德圓滿」「嵐毘尼」皆 0 命中〔查無〕。
- 唯識軸：本節非〈十地品〉，不另立唯識繫鏈；《十地經論》T26n1522 非本節相涉之典，不入對勘。
八、校本定位
- 實叉 T279（底本）：嵐毘尼林神子〔T10n0279 0401c16〕起（卷七十四）–〔0405b22〕訖。承前趣求 0401c16–c22 · 見敬諮問 0401c22–c25 · 標數歎勝 0401c25–0402a01 · 徵數列名 0402a02–a09 · 依名釋義 0402a09–0402c23（第一 0402a09 · 第二 0402a13 · 第三 0402a24 · 第四 0402b04 · 第五 0402b10 · 第六 0402b18 · 第七 0402b24 · 第八 0402c01 · 第九 0402c09 · 第十 0402c15）· 結歎勝益 0402c23–0403a05 · 頌啟 0403a05–a08 · 十偈二十行 0403a08–a27 · 立法名 0403a28–0403b01 · 善財問境界 0403b01–b02 · 依願受生 0403b02–b06 · 十瑞相 0403b06–b25 · 十光明 0403b25–0403c05 · 十神變 0403c05–0404b10 · 誕生 0404b10–b17 · 見佛周遍 0404b17–b25 · 善財問久近 0404b25–b26 · 本生長行 0404b26–0404c22 · 重頌啟 0404c22–c24 · 頌四十六行 0404c24–0405b11 · 謙己推勝 0405b12–b19 · 指示後友 0405b19–b21 · 戀德禮辭 0405b21–b22。偈行六十六（第一組二十行 · 第二組四十六行）。
- 佛馱 T278（晉譯主對校）：本友場景起〔T09n0278 0750c26〕（前友指示句內出名）· 正文起 0751a01（卷五十五）· 十名 0751a14–a22 · 依名釋義 0751a22–0752a11（第九受生法訖 0752a03 · 第十受生法 0752a03–a11）· 自陳本願生此林 0752b15–b17 · 十瑞相起 0752b18 · 神變段 0753a–0753b · 誕生四喻 0753b16–b19 · 卷五十六題 0753c02 · 本生乳母出名 0753c17 · 乳母得法 0753c18–c21 · 結會古今 0753c23–c24 · 本生長行訖 0754a02 · 頌啟 0754a02–a04 · 頌四十七行 0754a05–b22 · 謙己推勝 0754b23–b29 · 指示後友 0754b29–0754c02 · 辭退 0754c02–c03；次友段起 0754c04。60 本後友之名作「瞿夷」〔T09n0278 0754c01〕，與 80／40 之「瞿波」異。
- 般若 T293（貞元四十華嚴）：本友段起〔T10n0293 0777c24〕（善財正念前友之法而非辭前友之句；前友辭退在 0777c15–c16）· 趣求 0778a05–a12 · 設問 0778a12–a15 · 標數 0778a16–a24 · 十名 0778a24–0778b03 · 依名釋義 0778b03 起 · 立法名 0780a01–a02 · 依願生此林與經百年 0780a08–a09 · 十瑞相 0780a10–0780b08 · 十光明 0780b09–0780c03 · 十神變 0780c04–0781b26 · 誕生四喻 0781c01–c02 · 最後身何以生大族姓之問答 0781c19–0782c28 · 卷二十六訖 0782c29 · 卷二十七題 0783a05 · 善財問久如 0783a06 · 乳母出名 0783a24 · 結會古今 0783b02 · 本生頌 0783b22–0784a09 · 謙己推勝 0784a10–a22 · 指示後友 0784a22–a24 · 辭退 0784a24–a26。本節四十本較八十本為廣，其所增者即最後身生大族姓之一組問答，八十本無之。
- 澄觀《疏》T35n1735：前友段末之指示後友中先出本友園名友名 0948b15–b20 · 本節正釋 0948b28 起 · 四門科 0948b29–0948c01 · 長行四分 0948c01–c04 · 徵數列名配六位 0948c04–c09 · 行布圓融二門 0948c09–c14 · 依名釋義 0948c14–0949a09 · 結歎勝益 0949a09–a10 · 重頌十偈 0949a10–a11 · 立法名 0949a11–a14 · 明業用 0949a14–a17 · 如昔願覩四分 0949a17–a19 · 十變之目 0949a19–a24 · 正覩誕生三分 0949a24–0949b03 · 顯法根源 0949b03–b08 · 頌分四 0949b08–b10 · 指示後友釋名 0949b10–b16 · 訖於第十釋女瞿波前 0949b17。本品總論五相段別在 0918b02–0918b08。
- 澄觀《鈔》T36n1736：本友專釋 0684b27 起 · 寄位之釋 0684b27–b29 · 疏五重科文之釋 0684b29–0684c04 · 生家六位 0684c05–c10 · 第四藏逐句釋 0684c10–c19 · 第五藏末二句 0684c19–c22 · 第六藏淨忍勝行二分 0684c22–0684c29 · 第六藏末段三分 0685a01–a04 · 第七藏三世間自在 0685a04–a08 · 第八藏三性十一稠林四十無礙與三自在 0685a08–a21 · 第九藏依正與三業祕密 0685a21–a24 · 第十藏 0685a24–a25，訖於次友科前 0685a26。另〔0029c01–0029c10〕引本友見佛受生之文辨一重之遍 ·〔0663b19–b22〕列名「嵐毘尼林神即圓滿光」。
- 法藏《探玄記》T35n1733：第九善惠地知識 0481b09 起 · 指處 0481b09–b11 · 園名釋 0481b11–b12 · 友名釋與天竺本異名 0481b12–b15 · 教問 0481b15–b16 · 依教趣入三分 0481b16–b17 · 見敬申請 0481b17–b18 · 授己法界五門 0481b18–b21 · 長行四分 0481b21–b24 · 十名通釋 0481b24–b29 · 十門別釋 0481c01–0482a01 · 立名與天竺本 0481c26–0481c29 · 法門境界三分 0482a01–a03 · 樹名音寫義翻與生處樹菩提樹之辨 0482a08–a13 · 十自在之目 0482a13–a19 · 生時五相 0482a19–a23 · 法根深厚長行十分 0482a24–a29 · 頌分四 0482a29–0482b03 · 訖於第十法雲地知識前 0482b05。
- 李通玄《論》T36n1739：本節相涉 0997a24–0997c05。前友段之推德勝進三門轉介本友 0997a24–0997b08（三門之標 0997a24–a27 · 處之表法 0997a27–a29 · 園名釋 0997b01–b02 · 受生之所以 0997b02–b06 · 友名釋 0997b06–b08）；本友正入當位法起 0997b09（長科十段 0997b09–b27 · 隨文釋義 0997b27–0997c01 · 牒經頌 0997c01–c04）。卷二十七〈十地品〉善慧地表法借喻段 0908b17–b28，非本節正釋。
- 智儼《搜玄記》T35n1732：本友專釋 0101a17 起 · 釋名與法門 0101a17–a19 · 依教趣入七分 0101a20–a22 · 正入法界二分四分 0101a22–a26 · 法門名體 0101a26–0101b04 · 法門大用 0101b04–b16 · 得法因緣 0101b16–b19 · 頌之分四 0101b19–b23，訖於第十瞿夷科前 0101b23。
- 異讀：本單元 T279 範圍〔0401c16〕–〔0405c05〕內大正校記 32 條，另無 from／to-app 之原印注存目 2 條，逐條照錄不判（底本【大】｜他本異讀；多本異讀以／分列）：〔0401c27〕不疲不懈，不……真實義境（凡76字）【大】｜無此字【聖乙】 · 〔0402a07〕藏【大】｜藏生藏【聖】 · 〔0402a12〕是為菩薩為一……受生藏。（凡15字）【大】｜無此字【聖乙】 · 〔0402a13〕云何名：發菩……受生藏。（凡327字）【大】｜無此字【聖乙】 · 〔0402a17〕吝【大】｜怯【宮】 · 〔0402b04〕云何名：以深……受生藏？（凡14字）【大】｜無此字【聖乙】 · 〔0402b09〕礙【大】｜破礙【聖乙】 · 〔0402b10〕云何名：平等……切世間。（凡888字）【大】｜無此字【聖乙】 · 〔0402c24〕習【大】｜集【宋】【宮】 · 〔0402c27〕佛【大】｜無此字【聖】 · 〔0403b10〕芽【大】｜牙【宮】【聖】 · 〔0403b14〕涌【大】｜踊【宮】 · 〔0403b20〕𪗇【大】｜齊【宮】【聖】 · 〔0403b27〕何等為十？所……諸眾生心（凡120字）【大】｜無此字【聖乙】 · 〔0403c04〕智【大】｜知【聖】 · 〔0404a05〕普【大】｜著【聖】 · 〔0404a05〕辯【大】｜辨【宋】【元】 · 〔0404a08〕肉【大】｜脈【宮】 · 〔0404a14〕妓【大】｜伎【宮】【聖】 · 〔0404a25〕屬【大】｜無此字【聖】 · 〔0404b05〕昔【大】｜無此字【聖】 · 〔0404b13〕耀【大】｜曜【宮】 · 〔0404b14〕大【大】｜火【宮】 · 〔0404b21〕亦見三千大千……無間斷。（凡70字）【大】｜無此字【聖乙】 · 〔0404b25〕時，善財童子……復如是。（凡159字）【大】｜無此字【聖乙】 · 〔0404c05〕善男子！其喜……復如是。（凡168字）【大】｜無此字【聖乙】 · 〔0405b23〕大方廣佛華嚴經卷第七十四（凡12字）【大】｜無此字【宋】【聖乙】 · 〔0405c02〕第【大】｜無此字【聖】 · 〔0405c02〕大方廣佛華嚴經卷第七十五（凡12字）【大】｜大方廣佛華嚴……卷七十五（凡22字）【聖乙】 · 〔0405c04〕藏【大】｜藏沙門【宋】【元】【明】／藏法師【宮】 · 〔0405c04〕奉制【大】｜無此字【宋】【元】【明】【宮】 · 〔0405c04〕于闐國三藏實叉難陀奉制譯（凡12字）【大】｜新譯【聖】／無此字【聖乙】。原印注存目二條（無相應 from／to-app）：〔0403a10〕（一切…門）三百三十字【大】，〔－〕【聖乙】 · 〔0405a09〕（專求…行）五百七十九字【大】，〔－〕【聖乙】（同處原印之 orig 注作五百八十八字，字數之差並錄不判）。本節經文T279 範圍內底本之夾注已於原典層剝除誌錄；
𪗇一字為底本用字，逐字保留、不訓〔T10n0279 0403b20〕；澄觀《疏》《鈔》·法藏《探玄記》·李通玄《論》本節相涉窗內皆無此字之訓釋〔查無〕，故白話與義疏兩層於此處亦逐字存之，不作今語之釋。 - 查無條目：《華嚴經旨歸》T45n1871 ·《華嚴五教章》T45n1866 ·《華嚴一乘十玄門》T45n1868——共三部，檢「妙德圓滿」「嵐毘尼」皆 0 命中。
The one whom Sudhana consults in this forty-second section is a grove goddess — the scripture text sets forth her name itself as 「妙德」 tr. “Wondrous Virtue,” while Chengguan outlines her heading as 「嵐毘尼林神」 tr. “the goddess of the Lumbinī Grove.” This section runs to something over five thousand graphs, and its bone lies in three questions and three answers: the first asks 「云何修菩薩行、生如來家」 tr. “how one is to cultivate the bodhisattva practices and be born into the house of the Tathāgata,” and is answered with the ten treasuries of taking birth and ten verses in repetition; the second asks 「此解脫門境界云何」 tr. “what is the objective realm of this liberation gate,” and is answered with the ten auspicious signs, the ten lights, the ten spiritual transformations, and the marks of the birth within the Lumbinī Park; the third asks 「大天得此解脫，其已久如」 tr. “great deva, how long has it been now since you gained this liberation,” and is answered with her own account of the former life in which she was a wet-nurse, forty-six lines of verse setting it forth again. As to the matching of the ten treasuries of taking birth to the stations, Chengguan judges 「此十通於六位」 tr. “these ten run through six stations” and sets up the two gates of the graded array and of perfect interfusion; as to the four outward marks at the birth, Chengguan says 「釋通事理」 tr. “the gloss runs through both matter and principle” and gives four meanings to each. The judgment assigning this section to the Ground of Excellent Wisdom comes from the matching handed down to Chengguan from the ancient worthies; Chengguan himself marks it before the chapter as 「且依古德配為五相」 tr. “for now, following the ancient worthies, matching them as five aspects,” and he records both the position of Preceptor Guangtong and the rest, who match the stations of the grounds, and that of Dharma Master Yi and the Taishan lun, who only gloss as the text runs, saying of them 「二皆有理」 tr. “both have their reason.” The friend’s name differs in the three witnesses: the eighty-fascicle has 「妙德」 tr. “Wondrous Virtue” (Chengguan’s outline having 「嵐毘尼林神」 tr. “the goddess of the Lumbinī Grove”), the sixty-fascicle 「妙德圓滿」 tr. “Wondrous Virtue Complete,” and the forty-fascicle 「妙德圓滿愛敬林神」 tr. “the grove goddess Wondrous Virtue Complete, Loved and Revered.” The verse lines of this section are sixty-six.
I. Doctrinal Outline and Placement
| Outline system | The place of this section’s scripture text within it |
|---|---|
| The base text T279, in thirty-nine chapters | Chapter 39, Entering the Dharma Realm (the ninth assembly, in the Jeta Grove); the goddess of the Lumbinī Grove = fascicle seventy-four 〔T10 0401c16〕–〔0405b22〕 |
| Chengguan, Huayan jing shu | The direct gloss on this section begins 〔T35n1735 0948b28〕 「第九嵐毘尼林神，寄善慧地」 tr. “ninth, the goddess of the Lumbinī Grove, assigned to the Ground of Excellent Wisdom,” and ends before the tenth, the Śākya woman Gopā 〔0949b17〕 |
| Chengguan, Yanyi chao | The gloss proper to this friend begins 〔T36n1736 0684b27〕 「第九嵐毘尼林神寄善慧地」 tr. “ninth, the goddess of the Lumbinī Grove, assigned to the Ground of Excellent Wisdom,” and ends before the outline of the next friend 〔0685a26〕; also 〔0029c01–0029c10〕, where this friend’s words upon seeing the Buddha’s taking of birth are taken up to discriminate a single layer of pervasion, and 〔0663b20〕, the listing of the name |
| Fazang, Tanxuan ji (the commentary upon the sixty-fascicle Avataṃsaka) | 「第九善惠地知識內」 tr. “within the ninth, the friend of the Ground of Excellent Wisdom,” 〔T35n1733 0481b09〕 and following, ending before the tenth, the friend of the Dharma-Cloud Ground 〔0482b05〕 |
| Li Tongxuan, Xin Huayan jing lun | Within the three gates of pointing to virtue and advancing upward at the end of the preceding friend’s passage, the handing on to this friend 〔T36n1739 0997a24–0997b08〕 (the glossing of the name 〔0997b01〕); the long outline in ten passages of this friend’s rightly entering the present station begins 〔0997b09〕; and separately, in fascicle twenty-seven, the passage upon the symbolizing of the Dharma of the Ground of Excellent Wisdom in 〈十地品〉 borrows this friend as a figure 〔0908b17–b28〕 |
| Zhiyan, Souxuan ji | The gloss proper to this friend begins 〔T35n1732 0101a17〕 「第九天名妙德圓滿」 tr. “ninth, the deva named Wondrous Virtue Complete,” and ends before the outline of the tenth, Gopā 〔0101b23〕 |
Chengguan’s outline — the bone of this section, three divisions at the first level, of which the third opens into four:
〔T35n1735 0948b28–0948c01〕「第九嵐毘尼林神，寄善慧地。初二可知。第三「彼神答」〔0948b29〕下授己法界。於中四：一顯法義、二立法名、三明業用、四辨根本。」 tr. “Ninth, the goddess of the Lumbinī Grove, assigned to the Ground of Excellent Wisdom. The first two may be understood. Third, from ‘that goddess answered’ onward is the conferring of her own Dharma realm. Within it there are four: first, the displaying of the meaning of the Dharma; second, the setting up of the name of the Dharma; third, the making clear of the working; fourth, the discriminating of the root.”
The one division of displaying the meaning of the Dharma opens further into prose and verses, and the prose opens further into four:
「初中二：先長行、後偈頌。前中四：一標數歎勝、二徵數列名、三依名釋義、四結歎勝益。初中，生如來家，即正酬其問。」 tr. “Within the first there are two: first the prose, after the verses. Within the former there are four: first, setting forth the number and praising its excellence; second, calling for the number and listing the names; third, glossing the meaning according to the names; fourth, concluding praise of the excellent benefit. Within the first, being born into the house of the Tathāgata is just the direct requiting of his question.” 〔T35n1735 0948c01–0948c04〕
The two divisions of the verses in repetition and of the setting up of the name of the Dharma:
〔T35n1735 0949a10–0949a14〕「二重頌中十偈，如次頌前十法。第二「善男子菩薩具此」〔0949a11〕下立法名中，先牒前所明、後「我從無量」〔0949a12〕下指前立目。機感便現，無所擁礙，名自在受生，通能所現。」 tr. “Second, within the verses in repetition there are ten verses, putting the foregoing ten dharmas into verse in order. Second, from ‘son of good family, a bodhisattva furnished with these’ onward, within the setting up of the name of the Dharma: first the taking up of what was made clear before, and after, from ‘I, from measureless’ onward, the pointing to what was set up before as its heading. When the capacity feels, it at once appears, with nothing to block or hinder, and this is named taking birth at ease, which runs through both the displaying and the displayed.”
The one division of making clear the working, within which there are again two and again four:
〔T35n1735 0949a14–0949a19〕「第三「善財白言」〔0949a14〕下明法門業用，於中先問、後答。答中，知見此境即是業用。於中二：先明依願受生、後「經於百年」〔0949a16〕下如昔願覩。於中四：初覩降神瑞相、二「善男子摩耶」〔0949a17〕下見出城現光、三「摩耶夫人於畢洛叉」〔0949a18〕下。覩將生神變。」 tr. “Third, from ‘Sudhana said’ onward is the making clear of the working of the Dharma gate, within which the question comes first and the answer after. Within the answer, the knowing and seeing of this objective realm is just the working. Within it there are two: first, the making clear of the taking of birth in accord with a vow; after, from ‘when a hundred years had passed’ onward, the beholding according to the vow of old. Within it there are four: first, the beholding of the auspicious signs of the descent of the spirit; second, from ‘son of good family, Māyā’ onward, the seeing of the light displayed as she came forth from the city; third, from ‘Lady Māyā, beneath the Biluocha’ onward. The beholding of the spiritual transformations preceding the birth.”
The one division of discriminating the root (six passages of prose · the verses being twenty-three verses divided into four):
〔T35n1735 0949b02–0949b10〕「第四「時善財童子白彼神」〔0949b03〕下顯法根源，先問、後答。答中，先長行中六：一古世佛興。二「其四天」〔0949b04〕下顯昔父母。三「其喜光」〔0949b05〕下攀樹誕生。四「時有」〔0949b06〕下觀佛得法。五「善男子」〔0949b06〕下結會古今。不結父母者，意明即淨飯、摩耶，佛即今佛故。六「我從是」〔0949b08〕下顯用周遍。後偈頌中，二十三頌，分四：初一誡聽許說、次九最初修證、次十二偈歷事增修、末偈結歎無盡。」 tr. “Fourth, from ‘at that time Sudhana the youth said to that goddess’ onward is the displaying of the source and root of the Dharma, the question first and the answer after. Within the answer, first, within the prose there are six: first, the arising of a buddha in an ancient age. Second, from ‘its four continents’ onward, the displaying of the parents of old. Third, from ‘that Joyful Light’ onward, grasping the tree and giving birth. Fourth, from ‘at that time there was’ onward, beholding the Buddha and gaining the Dharma. Fifth, from ‘son of good family’ onward, the joining of the ancient and the present. That the parents are not joined — the intent is to make clear that they are Śuddhodana and Māyā, and that the buddha is the present buddha. Sixth, from ‘I, from that time’ onward, the displaying of the all-pervadingness of the working. After, within the verses, twenty-three verses divided into four: the first one, enjoining attention and granting the telling; the next nine, the first cultivation and realization; the next twelve verses, passing through matters and increasing cultivation; the last verse, concluding praise that it cannot be exhausted.”
Li Tongxuan’s long outline in ten passages (upon the eighty-fascicle witness; the number of his divisions and the bone he relies upon differ from Chengguan’s):
〔T36n1739 0997b09–0997b13〕「第一正入當位法中，長科為十段。一「爾時善財童子」〔0997b09〕已下至「增長菩薩大功德海」〔0997b10〕有六行經，明善財往見善知識分。二「善財見已」〔0997b11〕已下至「為世大明」〔0997b12〕有三行經，明善財見善知識申請所求分。」 tr. “First, within the dharma of rightly entering the present station, the long outline is in ten passages. First, from ‘at that time Sudhana the youth’ down to ‘made the great sea of the bodhisattva’s merit and virtue grow’ there are six lines of scripture, making clear the part in which Sudhana goes to see the good friend. Second, from ‘when Sudhana had seen her’ down to ‘to be a great light for the world’ there are three lines of scripture, making clear the part in which Sudhana sees the good friend and sets forth his request for what he seeks.”
Fazang’s discrimination in five gates (upon the sixty-fascicle witness):
〔T35n1733 0481b18–0481b22〕「第四「答言」〔0481b18〕下授己法界。於中作五門分別：一顯法義、二立法名、三明業用、四辨法根、五結自分。初中二，長行與頌。長行中有四：初總標歎德、二列十名、三釋十義、四結歎益。」 tr. “Fourth, from ‘she answered, saying’ onward is the conferring of her own Dharma realm. Within it he makes a discrimination in five gates: first, the displaying of the meaning of the Dharma; second, the setting up of the name of the Dharma; third, the making clear of the working; fourth, the discriminating of the root of the Dharma; fifth, the concluding of his own portion. Within the first there are two, prose and verses. Within the prose there are four: first, the general setting forth and the praising of the virtue; second, the listing of the ten names; third, the glossing of the ten meanings; fourth, the concluding praise of the benefit.”
II. Terminology
| Term | Sanskrit as transmitted by the ancient worthies (roman letters · an aid to pronunciation) | What is cited | The essential meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lumbinī | — (the ancient worthies gloss it only by sense and set forth no transcription for its sound) | This section, 「漸次遊行，至嵐毘尼林」 tr. “step by step he journeyed on until he came to the Lumbinī Grove” 〔T10n0279 0401c18〕 | The park where the Buddha was born; Chengguan has 「嵐毘尼林，此云樂勝圓光」 tr. “the Lumbinī Grove means, in this tongue, Surpassing Delight, Complete Radiance” 〔T35n1735 0948b15–b16〕; Li Tongxuan has 「嵐毘者，此云樂勝。尼者，此云園也」 tr. “Lumbi means, in this tongue, surpassing delight; nī means park” 〔T36n1739 0997b01〕, and in 〈十地品〉 further has 「流彌尼者，樂勝圓光也」 tr. “Lumini means surpassing delight, complete radiance” 〔T36n1739 0908b22〕; Fazang, upon the sixty-fascicle witness, has 「流彌尼」 tr. “Lumini,” saying 「流彌尼者，無正翻，義翻云花菓等勝妙事具足也」 tr. “Lumini has no proper rendering; rendered by sense it means being complete in surpassing and wondrous things such as blossoms and fruits” 〔T35n1733 0481b11–b12〕 |
| Wondrous Virtue | — | This section, 「周遍尋覓彼妙德神」 tr. “he searched all through it for that goddess Wondrous Virtue” 〔T10n0279 0401c18–c19〕 | The name of this section’s good friend; the sixty-fascicle witness has 「妙德圓滿」 tr. “Wondrous Virtue Complete” 〔T09n0278 0750c26〕, and the forty-fascicle has 「妙德圓滿愛敬林神」 tr. “the grove goddess Wondrous Virtue Complete, Loved and Revered” 〔T10n0293 0778a07–a08〕. Fazang glosses this name, saying 「名妙德圓滿林天者，謂善妙之德內備，發願守護此林，故以為名也」 tr. “as to being named the grove deva Wondrous Virtue Complete: it means that the good and wondrous virtue is furnished within, and that she made a vow to guard this grove, and therefore this is taken as her name” 〔T35n1733 0481b12–b14〕 |
| the treasury of taking birth | — | This section, 「菩薩有十種受生藏」 tr. “a bodhisattva has ten treasuries of taking birth” 〔T10n0279 0401c25〕 | The general name of the Dharma gate conferred in this section; the sixty-fascicle witness has 「受生法」 tr. “the dharma of taking birth” 〔T09n0278 0751a09〕, and the forty-fascicle has 「受生藏」 tr. “the treasury of taking birth” 〔T10n0293 0778a16〕 as the eighty-fascicle does |
| the liberation gate of taking birth at ease | — | This section, 「我從無量劫來，得是自在受生解脫門」 tr. “I, from measureless kalpas onward, have gained this liberation gate of taking birth at ease” 〔T10n0279 0403a29–b01〕 | The name set up for this friend’s Dharma gate; Chengguan glosses the reason for it, saying 「機感便現，無所擁礙，名自在受生，通能所現」 tr. “when the capacity feels, it at once appears, with nothing to block or hinder, and this is named taking birth at ease, which runs through both the displaying and the displayed” 〔T35n1735 0949a13–a14〕 |
| the station of youthful purity | — | This section, 「此菩薩住童真位」 tr. “this bodhisattva abides in the station of youthful purity” 〔T10n0279 0402c02〕 | The station set forth in the eighth treasury of taking birth; Chengguan judges upon it, 「八中從第八地入第九地，故云住童真位」 tr. “in the eighth, from the eighth ground one enters the ninth, and so it says abiding in the station of youthful purity” 〔T35n1735 0948c29–0949a01〕 |
| Biluocha | Bolacha (the transcription transmitted by Fazang) | This section, 「向畢洛叉樹前，恭敬而立」 tr. “stood in reverence before the Biluocha tree” 〔T10n0279 0403b19–b20〕 | The tree that Lady Māyā grasped when she gave birth to the prince; Chengguan sets forth only a rendering by sense, 「畢洛叉者，此云高顯」 tr. “Biluocha means, in this tongue, lofty and manifest” 〔T35n1735 0949a19–a20〕; Fazang sets forth both the transcription and the rendering by sense, 「畢利叉者，具云鉢刺叉，義翻云高顯樹也」 tr. “as to Biliyicha, in full it is Bolacha; rendered by sense it is the lofty and manifest tree” 〔T35n1733 0482a08–a09〕, and distinguishes it from the tree of awakening — 「此是菩提樹，非是生處樹也」 tr. “this is the tree of awakening, not the tree of the birthplace” 〔T35n1733 0482a11–a12〕 |
| nayuta | — (「那由他」 tr. “nayuta” is itself a transcription transmitted from of old) | This section, 「二十億那由他諸天恭敬圍遶」 tr. “twenty koṭis of nayutas of devas reverently circling her” 〔T10n0279 0401c20〕 | The name of a great number |
| sarvajña | — (「薩婆若」 tr. “sarvajña” is itself a transcription transmitted from of old) | This section, 「久已修行薩婆若」 tr. “long since he has cultivated sarvajña” 〔T10n0279 0403a26〕 | All-knowledge; the name used in the verse upon the tenth treasury of taking birth, while the prose has 「一切智」 tr. “all-knowledge” |
| the diamond verge | — | This section, 「從金剛際出大蓮華」 tr. “there came forth from the diamond verge a great lotus blossom” 〔T10n0279 0404a28〕 | The lowest verge of the great earth; the place from which the tenth spiritual transformation comes forth, which Chengguan outlines as 「十地現蓮華將承至聖」 tr. “tenth, the ground displays a lotus about to bear up the utmost holy one” 〔T35n1735 0949a23–a24〕 |
| consecration | — | This section, 「此菩薩悉於三世諸如來所受灌頂法」 tr. “this bodhisattva receives the Dharma of consecration in the presence of all the Tathāgatas of the three times” 〔T10n0279 0402c16〕 | A mark of the tenth treasury of taking birth; Chengguan has 「已受職位云受灌頂，智齊佛境云知一切」 tr. “having received the position of office it says receiving consecration; his knowledge being level with the buddhas’ objective realm it says knowing all” 〔T35n1735 0949a08–a09〕 |
| Gopā | — (the ancient worthies set forth only a rendering by sense) | This section, 「有釋種女，名曰：瞿波」 tr. “there is a woman of the Śākya clan named Gopā” 〔T10n0279 0405b20〕 | The name of the friend who comes next; Chengguan has 「言瞿波者，此云守護大地」 tr. “as to Gopā, this means, in this tongue, guarding the great earth” 〔T35n1735 0949b11〕 |
| the Ground of Excellent Wisdom | — | Chengguan, 「第九嵐毘尼林神，寄善慧地」 tr. “ninth, the goddess of the Lumbinī Grove, assigned to the Ground of Excellent Wisdom” 〔T35n1735 0948b28〕 | The ninth of the ten grounds; the scripture text of this section has no name of a ground, this being the matching handed down to Chengguan from the ancient worthies |
A record upon how this friend is referred to: within the scripture text of this section this friend is called only 「彼妙德神」 tr. “that goddess Wondrous Virtue” and 「彼神答言」 tr. “that goddess answered, saying,” with not one graph marking her sex; the sixty-fascicle witness has 「妙德圓滿」 tr. “Wondrous Virtue Complete” 〔T09n0278 0750c26〕 and the forty-fascicle 「妙德圓滿愛敬林神」 tr. “the grove goddess Wondrous Virtue Complete, Loved and Revered” 〔T10n0293 0778a07–a08〕, and neither of them marks it either. Fazang records the name in the Indic witness, saying 「天竺本云：有留彌尼天女，名妙圓光勝愛樂也」 tr. “the Indic witness says: there is a goddess of Lumini named Wondrous Round Radiance, Surpassing and Delightful” 〔T35n1733 0481b14–0481b15〕, which is what the ancient worthies transmit as 「天女」 tr. “goddess.” The four reader-facing layers refer to her as ‘she’ upon this transmission, and the ground for it is recorded here; the scripture text of this section itself makes no judgment as to sex, and this is recorded without judgment.
III. Similes and Rhetoric
(1) A figure taken from the treasury — the graph is 「藏」 tr. “treasury”: the ten gates of this section are all named with 「藏」 tr. “treasury,” and the general name of the Dharma gate is likewise 「受生藏」 tr. “the treasury of taking birth.” A treasury is what holds within and is able to bring forth; and therefore the ten gates listed are not ten marks of practice set side by side, but ten places out of which being born into the house of the Tathāgata is able to come. In the sixty-fascicle witness these ten gates have the common name 「受生法」 tr. “the dharma of taking birth” 〔T09n0278 0751a09〕 and do not use the graph for treasury; the forty-fascicle witness uses the graph for treasury as the eighty-fascicle does 〔T10n0293 0778a16〕.
(2) The six similes of conjuring, dream, and reflected image — the passage of the seventh treasury of taking birth runs off six similes in a row, taking a figure clause by clause without any two overlapping: 「了一切法皆如幻起，知諸世間如夢所見，一切色相猶如光影，神通所作皆如變化，一切受生悉皆如影，諸佛說法皆如谷響」 tr. “he understands that all dharmas arise as a conjuring does, knows that the worlds are as things seen in a dream, that all forms and marks are like light and shadow, that what spiritual power does is like a transformation, that all takings of birth are like reflections, that the buddhas’ expounding of the Dharma is like the echo in a valley” 〔T10n0279 0402b26–b29〕. What is likened is six — dharmas, the worlds, forms and marks, spiritual power, taking birth, expounding the Dharma; and what likens is six — a conjuring, a dream, light and shadow, a transformation, a reflection, the echo in a valley.
(3) The simile of the bright mirror and the images in water — the third spiritual transformation uses this to liken the pores’ power to display the causes and conditions of the Tathāgata in ages past: 「譬如明鏡及以水中，能現虛空日月、星宿、雲雷等像；摩耶夫人身諸毛孔亦復如是，能現如來往昔因緣。」 tr. “It is just as a bright mirror, or as water, can display the forms of the sun and moon, the stars and constellations, the clouds and thunder that are in empty space; the pores of Lady Māyā’s body are just so, able to display the causes and conditions of the Tathāgata in ages past.” 〔T10n0279 0403c22–c24〕 There are two occurrences of 「譬如」 tr. “it is just as” in this section, of which this is one, the other standing in the verses of the former life at 「譬如妙寶像」 tr. “it is as with a wondrous jewelled image” 〔0405a06〕.
(4) The four similes of the birth — when the light of the bodhisattva’s bodily marks appeared at his birth, the scripture sets four similes side by side: 「如虛空中現淨日輪，如高山頂出於慶雲，如密雲中而耀電光，如夜闇中而然大炬」 tr. “as when a pure sun-disc appears in empty space, as when an auspicious cloud comes forth on the crest of a high mountain, as when lightning flashes out from within thick cloud, as when a great torch is kindled within the dark of night” 〔T10n0279 0404b12–b13〕. Chengguan gives to these four marks two glosses each, by matter and by principle — taken by the matter, 「一迴耀挺特故、二高顯邕容故、三威光赫奕故、四分明可覩故」 tr. “first, because of the turning of radiance and standing out alone; second, because of loftiness and manifestness and ample calm; third, because of the awesome light blazing forth; fourth, because of plainness and visibility”; taken by principle, 「一依性空無住現故、二依涅槃山無心出故、三大慈雲中現無住之化身故、四為破眾生生死無明之大闇故」 tr. “first, because it appears in reliance upon the nature that is empty and without abiding; second, because it comes forth without a mind in reliance upon the mountain of nirvāṇa; third, because within the cloud of great kindness there appears the transformation-body without abiding; fourth, because it is for breaking the great darkness of the ignorance of beings’ birth and death” 〔T35n1735 0949a26–0949b01〕.
(5) The four pairs of penetration after the birth — 「如夢如幻，如影如像，無來無去，不生不滅」 tr. “like a dream and like a conjuring, like a shadow and like an image, without coming and without going, unarisen and unceasing” 〔T10n0279 0404b16–b17〕. The first two pairs take figures and the last two deny directly: four pairs, eight headings.
(6) The form of the closing clause of appellation in the verses — in the first set of ten verses, verse after verse closes with this clause, while the appellation named in them is different in all ten: the one of bright wisdom · the one hard to conceive · the one of renown · the most surpassing one · the heroic and mighty one · the one of bright knowledge · the inconceivable · the one of the true body · the one of great name · the sons of the buddhas 〔T10n0279 0403a09–a27〕. By the difference of the appellations the distinctions of the ten treasuries are displayed, while the form of the clause is one and the same.
(7) The sequence of ground, water, tree, and blossom in the ten auspicious signs — of the ten auspicious signs in the grove, the order runs from the ground upward: the ground levelled · diamond made the ground · the tāla trees · fragrant shoots and fragrant trees · blossom garlands · the trees opening jewelled blossoms · blossoms born in the ponds and pools · the eight classes coming and gathering · the goddesses bearing up offerings · the buddhas sending forth light 〔T10n0279 0403b07–b23〕. The first seven are changes in the vessel-world, the last three are sentient beings and the light of the buddhas, and it closes by gathering all with the appearing within the light of the buddhas’ taking of birth.
IV. Collation with Parallel Translations
The Chinese collation witnesses for the principal clauses of this section’s scripture text are three: Śikṣānanda’s T279 (the base text, fascicle seventy-four) · Buddhabhadra’s T278 (the Jin translation, the sixty-fascicle Avataṃsaka, 〈入法界品第三十四〉, fascicles fifty-five and fifty-six) · Prajñā’s T293 (the Zhenyuan forty-fascicle Avataṃsaka, 〈入法界品〉, fascicles twenty-six and twenty-seven). In all three witnesses the skeleton of this friend’s scene is one and the same (receiving the teaching of the night goddess before and journeying step by step to the grove · seeing the friend expounding the scripture of the sea of taking birth for a host of gods · paying respect and inquiring · setting forth the number and listing the names · glossing the meaning according to the names · concluding praise · verses in repetition · asking after the objective realm · the answer of the auspicious signs and the spiritual transformations · asking how long ago · the answer of the former life · verses in repetition · pointing to virtue and pointing out the friend · taking leave). Beyond this common skeleton the forty adds one further exchange, after the spiritual transformations of the birth and before the asking of how long ago: Sudhana asks 「菩薩云何住最後身，要生於此大族姓中」 tr. “how is it that a bodhisattva, abiding in his last body, must be born into this great clan” 〔T10n0293 0781c20〕, and the grove goddess answers 「能利自他有三種法：一者、異熟因果；二者、福德因果；三者、智慧因果」 tr. “there are three dharmas able to benefit self and others: first, the cause and fruit of ripening; second, the cause and fruit of merit; third, the cause and fruit of wisdom” 〔T10n0293 0781c24–c26〕, and below it she opens out one by one the eight kinds of ripening, the eight causes, the three pure conditions, and the eight fruits, ending 〔0782c28〕; neither the eighty nor the sixty has this passage. This is a meaning added by a parallel translation, recorded under this heading and not taken as a direct saying of the base text. The names and the number of clauses differ in many places besides, all of which are recorded together without judgment.
Clause One Seeking, and Seeing the Friend
| Witness | Verbatim | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Śikṣānanda T279 | step by step he journeyed on until he came to the Lumbinī Grove, and searched all through it for that goddess Wondrous Virtue, and saw her within a storeyed pavilion adorned with every kind of jewelled tree, seated upon a lion seat of jewelled lotus blossoms, with twenty koṭis of nayutas of devas reverently circling her, expounding for them the Scripture of the Sea of the Bodhisattva’s Taking of Birth | T10n0279 0401c18 |
| Buddhabhadra T278 | step by step he journeyed until he came to that grove, and searched all through it for the grove deva Wondrous Virtue Complete, and saw her seated upon a storeyed pavilion of the many jewels, with twenty thousand nayutas of devas circling her, expounding for them the Scripture of the Sea of the Bodhisattva’s Taking of Birth | T09n0278 0751a03 |
| Prajñā T293 | step by step he went on, crossing to the north of the Gaṅgā, entered the land of Kosala, went toward the city of Jiapiluo, and came to the Lumbinī Grove | T10n0293 0778a05 |
| Prajñā T293 | he sought out the grove goddess Wondrous Virtue Complete, Loved and Revered, and saw her within the grove beneath a great jewelled tree, within a storeyed pavilion adorned and complete with jewels, seated upon a lion seat of the maṇi treasury, with twenty koṭis of nayutas of grove goddesses circling her before and behind, expounding at large for them the Scripture of the Sea of the Taking of Birth of All Bodhisattvas | T10n0293 0778a07 |
What the divergences are fastened to: (a) The friend’s name differs in the three witnesses — the eighty within this section has 「妙德」 tr. “Wondrous Virtue” (while the clause of the preceding section pointing out the next friend has 「妙德圓滿」 tr. “Wondrous Virtue Complete” 〔T10n0279 0401c05〕), the sixty 「妙德圓滿」 tr. “Wondrous Virtue Complete,” the forty 「妙德圓滿愛敬林神」 tr. “the grove goddess Wondrous Virtue Complete, Loved and Revered.” (b) The number and kind of the retinue — the eighty 「二十億那由他諸天」 tr. “twenty koṭis of nayutas of devas,” the sixty 「二萬那由他諸天」 tr. “twenty thousand nayutas of devas,” the forty 「二十億那由他諸林神女」 tr. “twenty koṭis of nayutas of grove goddesses.” (c) The name of the grove: the eighty and the forty both set forth the name 「嵐毘尼」 tr. “Lumbinī,” while the sixty has only 「彼林中」 tr. “that grove,” and the scene of this friend in the sixty-fascicle witness has not the three graphs 「嵐毘尼」 tr. “Lumbinī” (no hits at all throughout the whole text). (d) The forty alone has the account of the journey (crossing to the north of the Gaṅgā · entering the land of Kosala · going toward the city of Jiapiluo), which the eighty and the sixty do not have. Recorded without judgment.
Clause Two Sudhana Sets His Question
| Witness | Verbatim | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Śikṣānanda T279 | Great Holy One! I have already raised, before this, the mind of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi, yet I am still unable to know how a bodhisattva is to cultivate the bodhisattva practices, to be born into the house of the Tathāgata, and to be a great light for the world | T10n0279 0401c23 |
| Buddhabhadra T278 | Deva-spirit! I have already raised, before this, the mind of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi; how is a bodhisattva to practice the bodhisattva practices? To be born into the house of the Tathāgata? To be a lamp for the world? | T09n0278 0751a06 |
| Prajñā T293 | Great Holy One! I have already raised, before this, the mind of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi, yet I do not yet know how a bodhisattva is to be born into the house of the Tathāgata? How he is to practice the bodhisattva practices? How he is able to be for all beings the great lamp of light of every kind that shines upon the world | T10n0293 0778a13 |
What the divergences are fastened to: (a) The vocative: the eighty and the forty have 「大聖」 tr. “Great Holy One,” the sixty 「天神」 tr. “Deva-spirit.” (b) The order of the three things asked: the eighty has practice, house, light; the sixty has practice, house, lamp; the forty has house, practice, lamp — the forty setting 「生如來家」 tr. “being born into the house of the Tathāgata” first. (c) The rendering of the third thing: the eighty 「為世大明」 tr. “to be a great light for the world,” the sixty 「為世間燈」 tr. “to be a lamp for the world,” the forty 「一切眾生種種照世大光明燈」 tr. “the great lamp of light of every kind that shines upon the world for all beings.” Recorded without judgment.
Clause Three The General Name of the Ten Treasuries of Taking Birth and the Listing of the Names
| Witness | Verbatim | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Śikṣānanda T279 | first, the treasury of taking birth of vowing ever to make offerings to all the buddhas; second, the treasury of taking birth of raising the mind of awakening; third, the treasury of taking birth of contemplating the gates of the Dharma and cultivating them with diligence; fourth, the treasury of taking birth of illumining the three times universally with a deep and pure mind; fifth, the treasury of taking birth of even light; sixth, the treasury of taking birth of being born into the house of the Tathāgata; seventh, the treasury of taking birth of the light of the buddhas’ power; eighth, the treasury of taking birth of contemplating the gate of universal knowledge; ninth, the treasury of taking birth of universally displaying adornment; tenth, the treasury of taking birth of entering the ground of the Tathāgata. | T10n0279 0402a03 |
| Buddhabhadra T278 | that is to say: the bodhisattva dharma of taking birth of the treasury of the vow of the empty space of skillful means, making offerings to all buddhas; the bodhisattva dharma of taking birth of the treasury of the branch that fulfills the mind of awakening; the bodhisattva dharma of taking birth of the treasury of the empty space of quiescence contemplated by present skillful means; the bodhisattva dharma of taking birth of the treasury that illumines the three times universally with a pure and straightforward mind; the bodhisattva dharma of taking birth of the treasury that illumines all universally; the bodhisattva dharma of taking birth of the treasury of being born into the house of the Tathāgata; the bodhisattva dharma of taking birth of the treasury of the power of the buddhas’ light; the bodhisattva dharma of taking birth of the treasury of the gate of sarvajña fully discerned; the bodhisattva dharma of taking birth of the treasury of the adorning by the transformations of the whole Dharma realm; the bodhisattva dharma of taking birth of the treasury of vigorous courage reaching the ground of buddhahood. | T09n0278 0751a14 |
| Prajñā T293 | that is to say: the bodhisattva treasury of taking birth of vowing ever to serve all the buddhas; the bodhisattva treasury of taking birth of universally accomplishing the mind of awakening; the bodhisattva treasury of taking birth of contemplating the gates of the Dharma and cultivating by skillful means; the bodhisattva treasury of taking birth of illumining the three times universally with a deep and pure mind; the bodhisattva treasury of taking birth of even light illumining all universally; the bodhisattva treasury of taking birth of being born into the house of all the Tathāgatas of the three times; the bodhisattva treasury of taking birth of the light of the buddhas’ power adorning universally; the bodhisattva treasury of taking birth of the gate of universal knowledge contemplated in its fineness; the bodhisattva treasury of taking birth of the adorning of every kind by the transformations of the Dharma realm; the bodhisattva treasury of taking birth of swiftly treading the grounds of the Tathāgatas. | T10n0293 0778a24 |
What the divergences are fastened to: (a) The general name: the eighty and the forty have 「受生藏」 tr. “the treasury of taking birth,” the sixty has 「受生法」 tr. “the dharma of taking birth” while yet keeping the graph 「藏」 tr. “treasury” within the particular names (as in 「方便虛空願藏菩薩受生法」 tr. “the bodhisattva dharma of taking birth of the treasury of the vow of the empty space of skillful means”). (b) The form of the calling forth: the eighty lists by number as 「一者……十者」 tr. “first … tenth,” while the sixty and the forty both list directly under 「所謂」 tr. “that is to say.” (c) The ten names compared one by one: the first, the eighty 「願常供養一切諸佛」 tr. “vowing ever to make offerings to all the buddhas” / the sixty 「供養一切佛，方便虛空願」 tr. “making offerings to all buddhas, the vow of the empty space of skillful means” / the forty 「願常供事一切諸佛」 tr. “vowing ever to serve all the buddhas”; the third, the eighty 「觀諸法門勤修行」 tr. “contemplating the gates of the Dharma and cultivating them with diligence” / the sixty 「現前方便觀察寂滅虛空」 tr. “the empty space of quiescence contemplated by present skillful means” / the forty 「觀諸法門方便修行」 tr. “contemplating the gates of the Dharma and cultivating by skillful means”; the fifth, the eighty 「平等光明」 tr. “even light” / the sixty 「普照一切」 tr. “illumining all universally” / the forty 「平等光明普照一切」 tr. “even light illumining all universally”; the eighth, the eighty 「觀普智門」 tr. “contemplating the gate of universal knowledge” / the sixty 「具足分別薩婆若門」 tr. “the gate of sarvajña fully discerned” / the forty 「微細觀察普遍智門」 tr. “the gate of universal knowledge contemplated in its fineness”; the ninth, the eighty 「普現莊嚴」 tr. “universally displaying adornment” / the sixty 「一切法界化莊嚴」 tr. “the adorning by the transformations of the whole Dharma realm” / the forty 「法界變化種種莊嚴」 tr. “the adorning of every kind by the transformations of the Dharma realm”; the tenth, the eighty 「入如來地」 tr. “entering the ground of the Tathāgata” / the sixty 「勇猛精進至佛地」 tr. “vigorous courage reaching the ground of buddhahood” / the forty 「速疾履踐諸如來地」 tr. “swiftly treading the grounds of the Tathāgatas.” Fazang, upon the sixty-fascicle witness, sets forth separately a heading of general gloss for the ten names: 「一供佛願；二覺心支者，依菩提心出生餘行名支也；三觀寂滅；四淨直心；五智普照；六生佛家；七佛光力；八達佛智；九嚴法界；十懃至佛」 tr. “first, the vow of making offerings to the buddhas; second, the branch of the mind of awakening — that the remaining practices are brought forth in reliance upon the mind of awakening is what is named a branch; third, contemplating quiescence; fourth, the pure and straightforward mind; fifth, knowledge shining universally; sixth, being born into the house of the buddhas; seventh, the power of the buddhas’ light; eighth, reaching the buddhas’ knowledge; ninth, adorning the Dharma realm; tenth, diligence in reaching buddhahood” 〔T35n1733 0481b26–b29〕. Recorded without judgment.
Clause Four The First Treasury of Taking Birth
| Witness | Verbatim | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Śikṣānanda T279 | when a bodhisattva first raises the mind, he makes a vow such as this: ‘I shall honor, revere, and make offerings to all the buddhas; I shall see the buddhas and never have my fill; in the presence of the buddhas I shall ever give rise to love and delight, ever raise up deep faith, cultivate every kind of merit and virtue, and never rest.’ This is the bodhisattva’s treasury of taking birth of the first gathering of the roots of good for the sake of all-knowledge. | T10n0279 0402a10 |
| Buddhabhadra T278 | this bodhisattva-mahāsattva makes a vow such as this: I shall revere and make offerings to all the buddhas; with a mind of measureless gladness I shall see the buddhas and never have my fill; I shall be furnished with unbreakable faith, gather up merit and virtue, make offerings to the buddhas, and my mind shall not be sated. Son of the Buddha! This is the first dharma of taking birth, because it is the first gate of sarvajña, nourishing the roots of good. | T09n0278 0751a23 |
| Prajñā T293 | when this bodhisattva first raises the mind, he makes a vow such as this: ‘I shall draw near to and serve the buddhas and the bodhisattvas; seeing the buddhas before me, I shall ever give rise to gladness; in the presence of the buddhas, with a mind of honoring I shall revere and make offerings without ever being sated; I shall make pure faith grow, and my mind shall not turn back; I shall gather up merit and virtue and never break off. It is because I would purify the nature of all-knowledge and gather the roots of good and cause them to grow.’ This is the bodhisattva’s first treasury of taking birth. | T10n0293 0778b04 |
What the divergences are fastened to: (a) The objective realm of what is offered to: the eighty and the sixty have only buddhas, the forty has 「諸佛及諸菩薩」 tr. “the buddhas and the bodhisattvas.” (b) The closing clause: the eighty 「為一切智始集善根受生藏」 tr. “the treasury of taking birth of the first gathering of the roots of good for the sake of all-knowledge,” the sixty 「薩婆若初門長養善根故」 tr. “because it is the first gate of sarvajña, nourishing the roots of good” — the one using the rendering by sense 「一切智」 tr. “all-knowledge,” the other the transcription 「薩婆若」 tr. “sarvajña.” (c) The forty sets forth separately at the end of this gate the words of vow 「為欲清淨一切智性，積集善根令增長故」 tr. “it is because I would purify the nature of all-knowledge and gather the roots of good and cause them to grow.” Recorded without judgment.
Clause Five The Ten Clauses of Raising the Mind in the Second Treasury of Taking Birth
| Witness | Verbatim | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Śikṣānanda T279 | he raises the mind of great compassion, because he would rescue and protect all beings; he raises the mind of making offerings to the buddhas, because he would serve them to the very end; he raises the mind of seeking the right Dharma everywhere, because he grudges nothing at all; he raises the mind of vast tending-toward, because he seeks all-knowledge; he raises the mind of measureless kindness, because he would gather in beings universally | T10n0279 0402a15 |
| Buddhabhadra T278 | he raises the mind of great compassion because he would rescue and protect all beings; the mind of meeting with buddhas because he would ever see the buddhas; the mind of seeking the right Dharma because he grudges nothing; the mind of great adornment because he tends toward sarvajña; he raises the mind of great kindness because he would cover and gather in all beings universally | T09n0278 0751b01 |
| Prajñā T293 | he raises the mind of deep and weighty great compassion, because he is able to rescue and protect beings; he raises the mind of making offerings to the buddhas, because he would cause the Tathāgatas to increase in gladness; he raises the mind of diligently seeking the right Dharma, because he grudges nothing of what he has; he raises the mind whose doing is vast, because he would cause all-knowledge to appear wholly before him; he raises the mind of fully rounded great kindness, because he would universally gather in all beings and do them good | T10n0293 0778b11 |
What the divergences are fastened to: in all three witnesses this passage has ten clauses, clause after clause closing with the graph 「故」 tr. “because,” while the meaning of the second clause differs among them — the eighty 「究竟承事」 tr. “serve them to the very end,” the sixty 「常見佛」 tr. “ever see the buddhas,” the forty 「令諸如來增歡喜」 tr. “cause the Tathāgatas to increase in gladness.” In the fourth clause the eighty has 「求一切智」 tr. “he seeks all-knowledge,” the sixty has the transcription 「向薩婆若」 tr. “tends toward sarvajña,” and the forty 「令一切智悉現前」 tr. “cause all-knowledge to appear wholly before him.” After the ten clauses the forty sets forth separately the words that gather them up, 「此十為首，有佛剎極微塵數菩提心大功德聚」 tr. “with these ten for their head, there is a great heap of the merit and virtue of the mind of awakening as many as the finest dust motes of buddha-lands” 〔T10n0293 0778b21–b22〕, while the eighty has 「菩薩以如是等佛剎微塵數菩提心功德故，得生如來家」 tr. “it is because of the merit and virtue of a mind of awakening such as this, as many as the dust motes of buddha-lands, that the bodhisattva comes to be born into the house of the Tathāgata,” and the sixty has 「如是等佛剎微塵等菩提心枝滿足，生如來家」 tr. “the branches of the mind of awakening such as these, as many as the dust motes of buddha-lands, being fulfilled, he is born into the house of the Tathāgata.” Recorded without judgment.
Clause Six The Four Similes of the Birth
| Witness | Verbatim | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Śikṣānanda T279 | as when a pure sun-disc appears in empty space, as when an auspicious cloud comes forth on the crest of a high mountain, as when lightning flashes out from within thick cloud, as when a great torch is kindled within the dark of night | T10n0279 0404b12 |
| Buddhabhadra T278 | as when a bright and pure sun appears in empty space, as the light of lightning, as when a cloud arises on a mountain, as a lamp within the dark | T09n0278 0753b16 |
| Prajñā T293 | a pure sun-disc appearing in the sky, as when an auspicious cloud comes forth on the crest of a high mountain, as when lightning flashes out from within thick cloud, as when a great fire-torch is kindled within the dark of night | T10n0293 0781c01 |
What the divergences are fastened to: (a) In the forty and the eighty the first three clauses of these four similes are nearly the same, only the fourth clause differing, the eighty having 「而然大炬」 tr. “and a great torch is kindled” and the forty 「然大火炬」 tr. “a great fire-torch is kindled.” (b) In the sixty both the wording and the order of these four similes differ — it has 「如虛空中現明淨日、如雷電光、如山起雲、如闇中燈」 tr. “as when a bright and pure sun appears in empty space, as the light of lightning, as when a cloud arises on a mountain, as a lamp within the dark,” its order being sun · lightning · cloud · lamp, while the order of the eighty and the forty is sun · cloud · lightning · torch; and its second simile has 「雷電光」 tr. “the light of lightning” without setting forth 「高山頂」 tr. “the crest of a high mountain” or 「慶雲」 tr. “an auspicious cloud.” Recorded without judgment.
Clause Seven The Name of the Wet-Nurse and the Name of the First Buddha in the Former Life
| Witness | Verbatim | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Śikṣānanda T279 | at that time there was a wet-nurse named Pure Light, who stood in attendance at her side. | T10n0279 0404c10 |
| Śikṣānanda T279 | the first of them among the buddhas was named Banner of Sovereign Merit and Virtue | T10n0279 0404b29 |
| Buddhabhadra T278 | at that time there was a wet-nurse named Light Free of Defilement. | T09n0278 0753c17 |
| Buddhabhadra T278 | what do you think? That wet-nurse — was she some other person? It is this very body of mine. | T09n0278 0753c23 |
| Buddhabhadra T278 | the wet-nurse Light Free of Defilement is this very body of mine now. | T09n0278 0754a11 |
| Śikṣānanda T279 | I at that time was a wet-nurse, keen and clear in wisdom; | T10n0279 0405a01 |
| Prajñā T293 | this body of mine at that time was the wet-nurse, named Undefiled Flame, who waited upon him, | T10n0293 0783b28 |
| Buddhabhadra T278 | the title of the first Tathāgata was Indestructible Banner of Sovereignty. | T09n0278 0754a09 |
| Prajñā T293 | that wet-nurse at that time, Undefiled Light — was she other | T10n0293 0783b02 |
What the divergences are fastened to: (a) The wet-nurse’s name differs in the three witnesses — in the prose the eighty has 「淨光」 tr. “Pure Light,” the sixty 「離垢光」 tr. “Light Free of Defilement,” the forty 「無垢光」 tr. “Undefiled Light”; within the verses the sixty has 「離垢光」 tr. “Light Free of Defilement” and the forty 「無垢焰」 tr. “Undefiled Flame,” while the verses of the eighty have only 「我時為乳母」 tr. “I at that time was a wet-nurse” and set forth no name. (b) The name of the first buddha: the eighty has 「自在功德幢」 tr. “Banner of Sovereign Merit and Virtue,” while the verses of the sixty have 「無壞自在幢」 tr. “Indestructible Banner of Sovereignty.” (c) The sixty sets forth the wet-nurse’s name both in the prose and in the verses; the eighty sets it forth in the prose but not in the verses; and in the forty the prose has 「無垢光」 tr. “Undefiled Light” while the verses have 「無垢焰」 tr. “Undefiled Flame,” so that prose and verses differ within the one witness. (d) The words of the question at the joining of the ancient and the present: the eighty has 「彼乳母者，豈異人乎？我身是也」 tr. “that wet-nurse — was she some other person? It is this very body of mine,” the sixty has in its prose likewise 「於意云何？彼乳母者，豈異人乎？我身是也」 tr. “what do you think? That wet-nurse — was she some other person? It is this very body of mine,” while within its verses it has 「今則我身是」 tr. “is this very body of mine now,” and the forty has 「彼時乳母無垢光者，豈異」 tr. “that wet-nurse at that time, Undefiled Light — was she other.” Recorded without judgment.
Clause Eight The First Verse of the Verses of the Former Life
| Witness | Verbatim | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Śikṣānanda T279 | what you have asked, son of the Buddha, is the profound objective realm of the buddhas; | T10n0279 0404c24 |
| Buddhabhadra T278 | what you have asked, son of the Buddha, is the most surpassing and quiescent objective realm, | T09n0278 0754a05 |
| Śikṣānanda T279 | beyond kalpas as many as the dust motes of a koṭi of lands there was a kalpa named Joyful Delight; | T10n0279 0404c26 |
| Buddhabhadra T278 | beyond kalpas as many as the dust motes of a koṭi of lands, the kalpa named Delight to Be Rejoiced In, | T09n0278 0754a07 |
What the divergences are fastened to: (a) The second line of the first verse: the eighty 「諸佛甚深境」 tr. “the profound objective realm of the buddhas,” the sixty 「最勝寂滅境」 tr. “the most surpassing and quiescent objective realm.” (b) The line upon the name of the kalpa: the eighty 「有劫名悅樂」 tr. “there was a kalpa named Joyful Delight,” the sixty 「劫名可悅樂」 tr. “the kalpa named Delight to Be Rejoiced In” 〔T09n0278 0754a07〕. (c) The number of lines of the verses: in the eighty this set has forty-six lines 〔T10n0279 0404c24–0405b11〕, in the sixty forty-seven lines 〔T09n0278 0754a05–b22〕, and in the forty this set begins at 〔T10n0293 0783b22〕 「善哉佛子汝所問，最勝難知諸佛境」 tr. “well asked, son of the Buddha, what you have asked is the most surpassing and hard-to-know objective realm of the buddhas” and ends at 〔0784a09〕. Recorded without judgment.
Clause Nine Humbling Herself and Pointing to the Superior, and Pointing Out the Friend Who Comes Next
| Witness | Verbatim | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Śikṣānanda T279 | son of good family! I know only this bodhisattva liberation at ease of displaying the taking of birth in all places through measureless kalpas. | T10n0279 0405b12 |
| Buddhabhadra T278 | son of the Buddha! I know only this bodhisattva Dharma gate of taking birth at ease | T09n0278 0754b23 |
| Prajñā T293 | son of good family! I know only this bodhisattva Dharma gate of liberation of the spiritual transformations at ease of displaying the taking of birth in all places through measureless kalpas | T10n0293 0784a10 |
| Śikṣānanda T279 | son of good family! In this city of Jiapiluo there is a woman of the Śākya clan named Gopā. Go to her and ask: how is a bodhisattva to teach and convert beings within birth and death? | T10n0279 0405b19 |
| Buddhabhadra T278 | son of the Buddha! In the city of Jiapiluo there is a Śākya woman named Gopī. Go to her and ask: how does a bodhisattva roam within birth and death and teach and convert beings? | T09n0278 0754b29 |
| Prajñā T293 | son of good family! Southwest of here, in the city of Jiapiluo, there is a woman of the Śākya clan named Gopā; go to her and ask how a bodhisattva is to ripen beings within birth and death and to practice the bodhisattva practices. | T10n0293 0784a22 |
| Buddhabhadra T278 | at that time Sudhana the youth bowed his head to the feet of that grove deva, finished circling her, and took his leave, | T09n0278 0754c02 |
What the divergences are fastened to: (a) The vocative: the eighty and the forty have 「善男子」 tr. “son of good family,” the sixty 「佛子」 tr. “son of the Buddha.” (b) The name of the Dharma gate: the eighty 「受生自在解脫」 tr. “the liberation of taking birth at ease,” the sixty 「受生自在法門」 tr. “the Dharma gate of taking birth at ease,” the forty 「受生自在神變解脫法門」 tr. “the Dharma gate of liberation of the spiritual transformations of taking birth at ease.” (c) The clause pointing out the friend: the forty alone sets forth the quarter, 「從此西南」 tr. “southwest of here,” while the eighty has only 「此迦毘羅城」 tr. “this city of Jiapiluo” and the sixty 「迦毘羅城」 tr. “the city of Jiapiluo”; as to the name of the friend who comes next, the eighty and the forty have 「瞿波」 tr. “Gopā” and the sixty 「瞿夷」 tr. “Gopī”; as to what is asked, the eighty has one matter, 「於生死中教化眾生」 tr. “teaching and converting beings within birth and death,” the sixty likewise one, 「遊生死中教化眾生」 tr. “roaming within birth and death and teaching and converting beings,” and the forty two, 「於生死中成熟眾生，行菩薩行」 tr. “ripening beings within birth and death and practicing the bodhisattva practices.” (d) The text of the taking of leave: the sixty has 「時，善財童子頭面敬禮彼林天足，遶畢辭退，」 tr. “at that time Sudhana the youth bowed his head to the feet of that grove deva, finished circling her, and took his leave,”; the eighty has 「時，善財童子頂禮其足，遶無數匝，慇懃瞻仰，辭退而去。」 tr. “at that time Sudhana the youth bowed to her feet, circled her numberless times, gazed up at her with earnest care, took his leave, and departed.” 〔T10n0279 0405b21〕, and the forty has 「爾時，善財童子頂禮右遶嵐毘尼神，經無數匝，慇懃瞻仰，戀慕一心，辭退而去。」 tr. “at that time Sudhana the youth bowed to the Lumbinī goddess and circled her to the right, passing numberless rounds, gazed up at her with earnest care, cherishing her single-mindedly, took his leave, and departed.” 〔T10n0293 0784a24〕, the forty having four graphs more, 「戀慕一心」 tr. “cherishing her single-mindedly.” Recorded without judgment.
V. Scriptural Grounds of Sectarian Doctrine (the doctrinal eye)
(1) The ten treasuries of taking birth run through six stations — the two gates of the graded array and of perfect interfusion standing together. Upon the matching of the ten gates of this section to the stations Chengguan makes no single judgment: he first sets up a table matching gate to station, and then sets up the meaning of using the two gates of the graded array and of perfect interfusion together:
〔T35n1735 0948c04–0948c09〕「第二「何等為十」〔0948c04〕下徵數列名。此十通於六位：一當十信；二即十住；三通行向；四是初地；五從二至七，以是功用邊故；六七皆八地，然六即自分；七即勝進得勸之後；八即九地；九當十地；十即等覺入如來地。」 tr. “Second, from ‘which ten’ onward is the calling for the number and the listing of the names. These ten run through six stations: the first answers to the ten faiths; the second is the ten abodes; the third runs through the practices and the dedications; the fourth is the first ground; the fifth runs from the second to the seventh, because that is the side of contrived function; the sixth and seventh are both the eighth ground, yet the sixth is its own portion, and the seventh is the advancing beyond after the exhortation is received; the eighth is the ninth ground; the ninth answers to the tenth ground; the tenth is equal awakening entering the ground of the Tathāgata.”
And this matching is not to be grasped as fixed; Chengguan at once questions it by the scripture text itself:
「然依行布，豎配定然。若約圓融，初後通用，故云成就此法則生如來家。若定須具十方得生家，何以文中第二第六皆有生家，第十復言於三世佛所已受灌頂？故知須豎，約證分異。若定豎者，則違具十則生之言，是知須橫約圓融修觀。」 tr. “Now, according to the graded array, matching them vertically is settled. If taken by perfect interfusion, the first and the last are used interchangeably, and so it says ‘accomplish this Dharma and then one is born into the house of the Tathāgata.’ If one must be complete in the ten before one may be born into the house, why is it that in the text both the second and the sixth have being born into the house, and the tenth says further that in the presence of the buddhas of the three times one has already received consecration? From this it is known that a vertical reading is needed, taking the differences by the divisions of realization. But if one settles upon the vertical alone, that goes against the words that being complete in the ten one is born; and from this it is known that a horizontal reading is needed, cultivating contemplation by way of perfect interfusion.” 〔T35n1735 0948c09–0948c14〕
The scripture text he relies upon is this section’s general setting-forth clause, 「若菩薩成就此法，則生如來家」 tr. “if a bodhisattva accomplishes this Dharma, then he is born into the house of the Tathāgata” 〔T10n0279 0401c26〕, together with the second gate’s 「得生如來家」 tr. “comes to be born into the house of the Tathāgata” 〔0402a23〕, the sixth gate’s 「此菩薩生如來家」 tr. “this bodhisattva is born into the house of the Tathāgata” 〔0402b18〕, and the tenth gate’s 「悉於三世諸如來所受灌頂法」 tr. “receives the Dharma of consecration in the presence of all the Tathāgatas of the three times” 〔0402c16〕 — four places in all.
(2) The fastening of each gate to a station in the glossing of the meaning according to the names. Chengguan glosses the meaning of the name of each of the ten gates and fastens it to a station; the essentials run as follows:
〔T35n1735 0948c15–0948c20〕「一中即信發心故，〈賢首品〉云「常欲利樂諸群生，莊嚴國土供養佛」〔0948c16〕故，故文云始集善根。二中初住發心，文具三心生如來家，亦初住生家。三中十句，一觀法門海標十行；二向一切智標迴向，以行願相資故合為一；餘八通行向。」 tr. “In the first it is the raising of the mind in faith, for 〈賢首品〉 says ‘ever wishing to benefit and gladden the many multitudes, adorning lands and making offerings to the buddhas,’ and so the text speaks of the first gathering of the roots of good. In the second it is the raising of the mind at the first abode; the text is complete in the three minds and in being born into the house of the Tathāgata, and the first abode too is a being born into the house. In the third there are ten clauses: the first, contemplating the sea of the gates of the Dharma, marks the ten practices; the second, directing toward all-knowledge, marks the dedications, and because practice and vow support one another they are joined into one; the remaining eight run through both the practices and the dedications.”
〔T35n1735 0948c20–0948c26〕「四中契理斷障，名深淨心，即淨心地。已證理故，堅如金剛；已得離生道故，捨諸有趣；已破二障礙山故，為物依處。五中證如起行為平等光明，戒忍進等為次五地。「得無礙」〔0948c24〕下即是七地，七地得無生忍光明故，入一切真實法。」 tr. “In the fourth, according with principle and cutting off the obstructions is named the deep and pure mind, that is, the ground of the purified mind. Because he has already realized principle, he is firm as a diamond; because he has already gained the path that departs from birth, he casts off the destinies of existence; because he has already broken the two mountains of obstruction, he is a place of reliance for creatures. In the fifth, realizing suchness and setting practice in motion is the even light, and discipline, patience, vigor and the rest are the five grounds that follow. From ‘he gains the unobstructed’ onward is the seventh ground, because upon the seventh ground one gains the light of the forbearance of non-arising, and so enters all real dharmas.”
「六中以得無生忍、契同法性，為生佛家。願度增上善根一體，惑等不動，為白淨法。七中因佛勸起能頓修行，名佛力光明。無功用修，故無疲厭等。八中從第八地入第九地，故云住童真位。」 tr. “In the sixth, by gaining the forbearance of non-arising and according with the same nature of dharmas, one is born into the house of the buddhas. The pāramitā of vow being superior, and the root of good being one in substance; and, not being moved by delusion and the rest — these are the white and pure dharmas. In the seventh, because the Buddha exhorts him he is able to rouse himself and cultivate all at once, and this is named the light of the buddhas’ power. His cultivation is without contrivance, and so he is without weariness and the rest. In the eighth, from the eighth ground one enters the ninth, and so it says abiding in the station of youthful purity.” 〔T35n1735 0948c26–0949a01〕
「九中以佛莊嚴而莊嚴，故名普莊嚴，已得離垢等諸三昧故，雖復常用而常在三昧。十中約其自分為此菩薩，約其勝進名入佛地，已受職位云受灌頂，智齊佛境云知一切，如〈十定品〉辨。」 tr. “In the ninth, he adorns with the adornment of a buddha, and so it is named universal adornment; because he has already gained the samādhis of freedom from defilement and the rest, though he is ever functioning he is ever within samādhi. In the tenth, taken by his own portion it says this bodhisattva; taken by his advancing beyond it is named entering the ground of the buddhas; having received the position of office it says receiving consecration; his knowledge being level with the buddhas’ objective realm it says knowing all, as is discriminated in 〈十定品〉.” 〔T35n1735 0949a05–0949a09〕
The three clauses of the eighth gate Chengguan glosses by the mutual suchness of matter and principle:
「觀一切智智門，即法師之德故，於三性等皆如實知；即事知理之如實故，於有差別境入無差別定；即理窮事之如實故，於無差別法現有差別智。」 tr. “Contemplating the gate of the knowledge of all-knowledge is the virtue of a master of the Dharma, and so he knows the three natures and the rest all in accord with the real; because knowing principle in the very matter is in accord with the real, within objective realms that have distinctions he enters the concentration without distinction; because exhausting matter in the very principle is in accord with the real, within dharmas without distinction he displays the knowledge that has distinctions.” 〔T35n1735 0949a01–0949a05〕
(3) The setting up of the name of the Dharma — taking birth at ease, running through both the displaying and the displayed. This friend sets up the name of her Dharma gate herself as 「自在受生解脫門」 tr. “the liberation gate of taking birth at ease,” and Chengguan glosses the reason for it and judges that this name runs through both the side that displays and the side that is displayed:
「機感便現，無所擁礙，名自在受生，通能所現。」 tr. “When the capacity feels, it at once appears, with nothing to block or hinder, and this is named taking birth at ease, which runs through both the displaying and the displayed.” 〔T35n1735 0949a13–0949a14〕
(4) The working lies just in the knowing and seeing of this objective realm. Sudhana’s second question is 「此解脫門境界云何」 tr. “what is the objective realm of this liberation gate” 〔T10n0279 0403b01–b02〕, and what is answered below is all auspicious signs and spiritual transformations that are seen; so Chengguan judges:
「答中，知見此境即是業用。」 tr. “Within the answer, the knowing and seeing of this objective realm is just the working.” 〔T35n1735 0949a15〕
As for how she is able to see, the scripture text sets forth its cause itself — 「我先發願」 tr. “I made a vow before this” 〔T10n0279 0403b02〕 and 「以昔願力」 tr. “by the power of that vow of old” 〔0403b04〕 — and so Chengguan divides this answer into the two passages of taking birth in accord with a vow and beholding according to the vow of old.
(5) The four matters and four principles of the outward marks of the birth. Upon the four similes at the bodhisattva’s birth Chengguan judges 「釋通事理」 tr. “the gloss runs through both matter and principle,” four of each, matched two by two:
「初覩外相，有四種相，釋通事理。約事，謂一迴耀挺特故、二高顯邕容故、三威光赫奕故、四分明可覩故。約理，則一依性空無住現故、二依涅槃山無心出故、三大慈雲中現無住之化身故、四為破眾生生死無明之大闇故。」 tr. “First, the beholding of the outward marks: there are four kinds of mark, and the gloss runs through both matter and principle. Taken by the matter: first, because of the turning of radiance and standing out alone; second, because of loftiness and manifestness and ample calm; third, because of the awesome light blazing forth; fourth, because of plainness and visibility. Taken by principle: first, because it appears in reliance upon the nature that is empty and without abiding; second, because it comes forth without a mind in reliance upon the mountain of nirvāṇa; third, because within the cloud of great kindness there appears the transformation-body without abiding; fourth, because it is for breaking the great darkness of the ignorance of beings’ birth and death.” 〔T35n1735 0949a25–0949b01〕
The scripture text below it, 「雖現初生，悉已了達一切諸法，如夢如幻，如影如像，無來無去，不生不滅」 tr. “though he displayed a first coming to birth, he had long since penetrated all dharmas as like a dream and like a conjuring, like a shadow and like an image, without coming and without going, unarisen and unceasing” 〔T10n0279 0404b15–b17〕, Chengguan judges as 「了其內德」 tr. “understanding his inward virtue” 〔T35n1735 0949b01–b02〕; and the last passage, from 「當我見佛」 tr. “when I saw the Buddha” onward, he judges as 「結其周遍，則橫竪無窮」 tr. “concluding its all-pervadingness, and then the horizontal and the vertical are without end” 〔0949b02–b03〕.
(6) The source and root of the Dharma lies in one thought when she was a wet-nurse in ages past. The third question is 「大天得此解脫，其已久如」 tr. “great deva, how long has it been now since you gained this liberation” 〔T10n0279 0404b25–b26〕, and it is answered with the former life. The place the scripture text records for her gaining of the Dharma is just the moment the wet-nurse received the prince into her arms — 「乳母敬受，生大歡喜，即得菩薩普眼三昧；得此三昧已，普見十方無量諸佛，復得菩薩於一切處示現受生自在解脫」 tr. “the wet-nurse received him with reverence, and great gladness arose in her, and at once she gained the bodhisattva samādhi of the universal eye; and having gained this samādhi, she saw universally the measureless buddhas of the ten directions, and gained further the bodhisattva liberation at ease of displaying the taking of birth in all places” 〔T10n0279 0404c11–c14〕. Chengguan’s outline of this passage is 〔T35n1735 0949b06〕「四「時有」〔0949b06〕下觀佛得法」 tr. “fourth, from ‘at that time there was’ onward, beholding the Buddha and gaining the Dharma”. And since the prose at the joining of the ancient and the present joins only the wet-nurse and does not join the parents, Chengguan sets forth the reason:
〔T35n1735 0949b06–0949b08〕「五「善男子」〔0949b06〕下結會古今。不結父母者，意明即淨飯、摩耶，佛即今佛故。」 tr. “Fifth, from ‘son of good family’ onward, the joining of the ancient and the present. That the parents are not joined — the intent is to make clear that they are Śuddhodana and Māyā, and that the buddha is the present buddha.”
(7) The judgment assigning this to the Ground of Excellent Wisdom comes from the matching handed down to Chengguan from the ancient worthies. The scripture text of this section has no name of a ground, and the doctrine of assignment comes from Chengguan’s outline 〔T35n1735 0948b28〕. In his general discussion of the five aspects before this chapter Chengguan has already made plain where this matching comes from, and has first recorded two houses and said that both have their reason:
「六分五相者，若意法師及臺山論，但隨文散釋，更無別配；光統等師皆配地位。二皆有理，謂隨一一位具多法門，豈容凡心不得習求善友之法，故不配有理。然無次位中不礙次位，顯位是常規，配亦無失。橫竪無礙，且依古德配為五相」 tr. “As to the sixth, the division into five aspects: Dharma Master Yi and the Taishan lun only gloss as the text runs and make no separate matching, while Preceptor Guangtong and the rest all match the stations of the grounds. Both have their reason; that is, since each single station is complete in many gates of the Dharma, how should the mind of a common man be forbidden to practice and seek the dharma of good friends? — and so not to match them has its reason. Yet within what has no sequence of stations the sequence of stations is not hindered, and to display the stations is the constant rule, so that to match them is likewise no fault. The horizontal and the vertical being unobstructed, we shall for now follow the ancient worthies in matching them as five aspects” 〔T35n1735 0918b02–0918b08〕
Li Tongxuan likewise glosses this friend’s name and her dwelling place by the Ground of Excellent Wisdom:
「有神名妙德圓滿者，明善慧地妙慧圓滿故。神者，以悲智善能說教為神。」 tr. “That there is a spirit named Wondrous Virtue Complete makes clear that upon the Ground of Excellent Wisdom the wondrous wisdom is complete. As to spirit, it is by being well able to expound the teaching with compassion and knowledge that she is a spirit.” 〔T36n1739 0997b06–0997b08〕
VI. Divergent Interpretations of the Commentators (the ancient worthies · with their houses marked)
Chengguan, Huayan jing shu T35n1735 (upon the eighty-fascicle text, clause by clause · the principal)
The handing on and the glossing of the name within the preceding friend’s passage: the name of the park, the name of the friend, and the reason for the teaching of the question Chengguan sets forth already at the end of the preceding friend’s passage, at 「第五指示後友」 tr. “fifth, the pointing out of the friend who comes next” — 「第五指示後友。嵐毘尼林，此云樂勝圓光。昔有天女下生此處，因以為名。表九地總持光明無不照故。友名妙德圓滿者，善慧無缺故。然此園在迦毘羅城東二十里，是摩耶生佛之處。又從九地當得受職，是故今問生如來家」 tr. “Fifth, the pointing out of the friend who comes next. The Lumbinī Grove means, in this tongue, Surpassing Delight, Complete Radiance. Of old a goddess came down to be born in this place, and the name is taken from that. It signifies that the light of the total retention of the ninth ground leaves nothing unillumined. That the friend is named Wondrous Virtue Complete is because the excellent wisdom lacks nothing. Now this park lies twenty li east of the city of Jiapiluo, and is the place where Māyā gave birth to the Buddha. Again, from the ninth ground one is to receive the position of office, and this is why he is now taught to ask about being born into the house of the Tathāgata” 〔T35n1735 0948b15–0948b20〕
Outline: 「第九嵐毘尼林神，寄善慧地。初二可知。」 tr. “Ninth, the goddess of the Lumbinī Grove, assigned to the Ground of Excellent Wisdom. The first two may be understood.” 〔T35n1735 0948b28〕
What the assignment rests upon: 「且依古德配為五相」 tr. “for now, following the ancient worthies, matching them as five aspects” 〔T35n1735 0918b07–b08〕; and he records together the two positions of Dharma Master Yi and the Taishan lun, who only gloss as the text runs, and of Preceptor Guangtong and the rest, who all match the stations of the grounds, saying 「二皆有理」 tr. “both have their reason” 〔0918b04〕.
The headings of the ten transformations: 「後別顯十變：一集眾息苦、二卷舒無礙、三毛現佛因、四現佛本事、五現行所依身、六遍現捨行、七現古佛受生園林、八現今佛所處宮殿、九出菩薩同類、十地現蓮華將承至聖。」 tr. “After, the separate displaying of the ten transformations: first, gathering the host and stilling suffering; second, rolling up and spreading out without obstruction; third, the pores displaying the Buddha’s causes; fourth, displaying the Buddha’s former matters; fifth, displaying the body relied upon in practice; sixth, displaying the practice of giving universally; seventh, displaying the parks and groves of the taking of birth of the buddhas of old; eighth, displaying the palaces where the present buddha dwells; ninth, bringing forth bodhisattvas of the same kind; tenth, the ground displaying a lotus about to bear up the utmost holy one.” 〔T35n1735 0949a20–0949a24〕
The division of the verses into four: 「後偈頌中，二十三頌，分四：初一誡聽許說、次九最初修證、次十二偈歷事增修、末偈結歎無盡。」 tr. “After, within the verses, twenty-three verses divided into four: the first one, enjoining attention and granting the telling; the next nine, the first cultivation and realization; the next twelve verses, passing through matters and increasing cultivation; the last verse, concluding praise that it cannot be exhausted.” 〔T35n1735 0949b08–0949b10〕
The glossing of the name of the friend who comes next: 「第五指示後友中，言瞿波者，此云守護大地。在家為父母，守護太子儲備、守護國地。既為其妃，依主得名。表十地既圓，故無地不護。」 tr. “Fifth, within the pointing out of the friend who comes next: as to Gopā, this means, in this tongue, guarding the great earth. In her father’s house she guarded the prince’s store and guarded the ground of the realm. Being his consort, she takes her name from the master she belongs to. It signifies that the ten grounds being complete, there is no ground she does not guard.” 〔T35n1735 0949b10–0949b14〕
The doctrine of the three consorts: 「然太子有三夫人：一名瞿波、次名耶輸陀羅、三名摩奴舍。今因位之極故，取其第一，法喜已滿故，寄之昔妃。」 tr. “Now the prince had three consorts: the first named Gopā, the next named Yaśodharā, the third named Manuṣā. Now, because the station of cause is at its utmost, the first of them is taken; and because the joy of the Dharma is already full, it is assigned to the former consort.” 〔T35n1735 0949b14–0949b16〕
Chengguan, Yanyi chao T36n1736 (the sub-commentary upon the commentary on the eighty-fascicle text)
The gloss upon the assignment of station: 〔T36n1736 0684b27–0684b29〕「「第九嵐毘尼林神寄善慧地」〔0684b27〕者，謂成就微妙四無礙辯，能遍十方善說法故。」 tr. “As to ‘ninth, the goddess of the Lumbinī Grove, assigned to the Ground of Excellent Wisdom’: it means that she accomplishes the subtle and wondrous fourfold unobstructed eloquence and is therefore able to expound the Dharma well throughout the ten directions.”
The gloss upon the commentary’s outline in five layers: 〔T36n1736 0684b29–0684c04〕「疏「此十通於六位」〔0684b29〕下，疏文有五：一約位竪配，亦名行布釋；二「然依行布」〔0684c01〕下，結前生後，生後圓融；三「若約圓融」〔0684c02〕下，通諸位釋，亦名圓融釋；四「若定須具十」〔0684c03〕下，結成上竪；五「若定竪」〔0684c04〕下，結成須橫。」 tr. “From the commentary’s ‘these ten run through six stations’ onward, the commentary’s text has five parts: first, matching them vertically by station, which is also named the gloss of the graded array; second, from ‘now, according to the graded array’ onward, concluding what precedes and raising what follows, raising perfect interfusion after; third, from ‘if taken by perfect interfusion’ onward, the gloss that runs through all the stations, also named the gloss of perfect interfusion; fourth, from ‘if one must be complete in the ten’ onward, the concluding that establishes the vertical above; fifth, from ‘if one settles upon the vertical’ onward, the concluding that the horizontal is needed.”
The six stations of being born into the house: 〔T36n1736 0684c05–0684c10〕「疏「亦初住生家」〔0684c05〕者，恐人誤為初地生家，然其生家略有六位：一初住生菩提心家、二四住生聖教家、三初地生真如家、四四地約寄位生出世家、五八地生無生法忍家、六如來地究竟生家。今是初住，即第一生菩提心家。」 tr. “As to the commentary’s ‘the first abode too is a being born into the house’: it is for fear that one should mistake it for a being born into the house at the first ground. Now the being born into the house has, in brief, six stations: first, at the first abode, being born into the house of the mind of awakening; second, at the fourth abode, being born into the house of the holy teaching; third, at the first ground, being born into the house of suchness; fourth, at the fourth ground, taken by the assignment of station, being born into the house that transcends the world; fifth, at the eighth ground, being born into the house of the forbearance of non-arising; sixth, at the ground of the Tathāgata, being born into the house ultimately. Here it is the first abode, that is, the first of them, being born into the house of the mind of awakening.”
The clause-by-clause gloss upon the fourth treasury: 〔T36n1736 0684c10–0684c19〕「疏「即淨心地」〔0684c11〕者，疏隨難釋，今更委釋。言得如來菩提光者，明心菩提故。入菩薩方便海者，證真了俗，故捨諸有趣。亦由已斷異生性故。成就自在者，分身百剎故。修菩薩殊勝行者，淨治地法十行常修故。具菩薩根者，由證信故，餘皆成根。又大悲為首，故悲為根。已斷所知，故心明潔。十願成熟，故願不動。同佛證如，故得佛護。分別頓盡，名壞諸障。具上諸德，為物依處。」 tr. “As to the commentary’s ‘that is, the ground of the purified mind’: the commentary glosses only as difficulties arise, and here it is glossed more fully. That it says he gains the light of the Tathāgata’s awakening makes clear the awakening of the mind. That he enters the sea of the bodhisattva’s skillful means: realizing the real and penetrating the conventional, he therefore casts off the destinies of existence; this is also because he has already cut off the nature of the common man. That he accomplishes sovereignty: because he divides his body into a hundred lands. That he cultivates the bodhisattva’s surpassing practice: because the ten practices that purify and order the dharma of the ground are constantly cultivated. That he is furnished with the bodhisattva’s faculties: because by realizing faith all the rest are made into faculties; and further, great compassion being foremost, compassion is the faculty. Having cut off the obstruction of the knowable, his mind is bright and clean. His ten vows being ripened, his vows are unmoved. Realizing suchness as the buddhas do, he gains the buddhas’ protection. Discrimination being exhausted all at once, it is named the breaking of the obstructions. Being furnished with the virtues above, he is a place of reliance for creatures.”
The last two clauses of the fifth treasury: 〔T36n1736 0684c19–0684c22〕「疏「戒忍進等」〔0684c19〕者，等取禪慧各一增故。末後二句，上句三業善巧，見者必欣；下句功用行滿，又以無功得諸行故。」 tr. “As to the commentary’s ‘discipline, patience, vigor and the rest’: the ‘and the rest’ takes in meditation and wisdom, each with its own increase. As for the last two clauses: the upper clause is the skillfulness of the three kinds of action, so that whoever sees is gladdened; the lower clause is the fullness of the practice of contrivance, and further, it is by non-contrivance that the practices are gained.”
The sixth treasury: the portion of pure forbearance and the portion of surpassing practice: 〔T36n1736 0684c22–0684c29〕「疏「六中下初至為生佛家」〔0684c22〕，此有兩句：一正釋標、二即解釋。初之二句，「得無生忍」〔0684c23〕是釋生家，「契同法性」〔0684c24〕即釋隨諸佛住，佛住甚深真法性故。上即淨忍分成就。「一切甚深法門」〔0684c25〕下，皆得勝行分，此句為總，故疏不釋。已下皆甚深法門故。其「願度增上」〔0684c27〕，釋具三世已下經文。「善根一體」〔0684c28〕，釋得一切佛下經文。謂同無功用之善根故，同契無生法忍體故。」 tr. “As to the commentary from ‘in the sixth’ down to ‘one is born into the house of the buddhas’: there are two clauses here — first, the direct glossing of the setting-forth; second, the explaining itself. In the first two clauses, ‘gaining the forbearance of non-arising’ glosses being born into the house, and ‘according with the same nature of dharmas’ glosses abiding in the company of the buddhas, for the buddhas abide in the profound and true nature of dharmas. The above is the accomplishing of the portion of pure forbearance. From ‘all the profound gates of the Dharma’ onward, all is the gaining of the portion of surpassing practice; this clause is the general one, and so the commentary does not gloss it, since all that follows is the profound gates of the Dharma. Its ‘the pāramitā of vow being superior’ glosses the scripture text from ‘furnished with the three times’ onward; ‘the root of good being one in substance’ glosses the scripture text from ‘gains of all the buddhas’ onward — meaning that the root of good is the same in being without contrivance, and that it accords with the same substance of the forbearance of non-arising.”
The three parts of the last passage of the sixth treasury (practice proper and vast · departure from obstruction and quiescence · the benefit of conversion by the three wheels): 〔T36n1736 0685a01–0685a04〕「從「惑等」〔0685a01〕下，釋具出世白淨法。上皆前經不可知義。經安住已下，即是前經正行廣大。入諸三昧下，即離障寂滅。後三句即三輪化益，並易故不釋。」 tr. “From ‘delusion and the rest’ onward glosses being furnished with the world-transcending white and pure dharmas. All the above is the meaning of the preceding scripture that cannot be known. In the scripture, from ‘abides in’ onward is just the preceding scripture’s practice proper, vast; from ‘enters the samādhis’ onward is the departure from obstruction and quiescence; and the three clauses after that are the benefit of conversion by the three wheels — all of them easy, and so not glossed.”
The ease within the three worlds in the seventh treasury: 〔T36n1736 0685a04–0685a08〕「疏「七中因佛力」〔0685a04〕下，經疏俱易。若欲釋者，由佛七勸，名入諸佛力，此為總句。遊剎下，別二句，起行速疾。從了一切下，是淨土分中事，於三世間得自在故。初二器界自在、次二正覺、後三眾生說法度生故。」 tr. “From the commentary’s ‘in the seventh, by the power of the buddhas’ onward, both the scripture and the commentary are easy. If one would gloss it: because the Buddha exhorts him seven times, it is named entering the powers of the buddhas, and this is the general clause. From ‘journeying through the lands’ onward are two particular clauses, the setting of practice in motion with speed. From ‘he understands all’ onward are matters within the portion of the pure land, because he gains ease within the three worlds: the first two are ease within the vessel-world, the next two the perfectly awakened, and the last three beings, because he expounds the Dharma and delivers them.”
The eighth treasury: the three natures · the eleven thickets · the forty unobstructed · the three kinds of ease: 〔T36n1736 0685a08–0685a21〕「疏「八觀普智門言即法師之德」〔0685a09〕者，亦法師方便成就。言「於三性等」〔0685a10〕者，三性即是化法，為智成就等。等字，等取入行成就智十一稠林。經一一門下，即口業成就，具四十無礙，故能長演。餘皆法師自在成就，一三昧自在隨心頓演故；二受生自在；三「於有差別」〔0685a14〕下，於法自在，事理交徹故。疏從「即事知理」〔0685a15〕下，釋此初對，了即事入理、即理入事。亦前句事能顯理，後句依理成事。又前不壞假名而說實相，後不動真際建立諸法。又前動不離寂，後則靜無遺照。於無量下，有無自在。於少境下，廣狹自在。通達下，真俗齊照。以文顯故，云可思準。」 tr. “As to the commentary’s ‘the eighth, contemplating the gate of universal knowledge, says it is the virtue of a master of the Dharma’: it is also the accomplishing of the master of the Dharma’s skillful means. As to its saying ‘the three natures and the rest’: the three natures are just the dharmas of conversion, being the accomplishing of knowledge and the rest; the graph ‘and the rest’ takes in the eleven thickets of the knowledge that accomplishes the entering upon practice. In the scripture, from ‘each single gate’ onward is the accomplishing of the action of speech: he is furnished with the forty unobstructed, and so is able to set forth at length. All the rest is the master of the Dharma’s accomplishing of ease: first, ease in samādhi, because he sets forth all at once as the mind wills; second, ease in taking birth; third, from ‘within what has distinctions’ onward, ease in the Dharma, because matter and principle pass through one another. From the commentary’s ‘knowing principle in the very matter’ onward he glosses this first pair: to understand is to enter principle in the very matter and to enter matter in the very principle. Again, the former clause is matter being able to display principle, the latter is relying upon principle to accomplish matter. Again, the former is expounding the real mark without destroying provisional names, the latter is establishing all dharmas without stirring the verge of the real. Again, the former is moving without departing from quiescence, the latter is being still without leaving anything unilluminated. From ‘within measureless’ onward is ease as to being and non-being; from ‘within the very least of objective realms’ onward is ease as to broad and narrow; from ‘penetrating’ onward is the real and the conventional illumined together. Because the text makes it plain, it is said that one may reason it out.”
The ninth treasury: the adornment of the supported and the supporting, and the secrets of body, speech, and mind: 〔T36n1736 0685a21–0685a24〕「疏「九普現莊嚴」〔0685a21〕，先釋名、後「已得」〔0685a21〕下總釋大意。若別說者，初句嚴依，餘皆嚴正。正中並祕密智，初三句身祕密、「演清淨」〔0685a23〕下口祕密、「隨其心」〔0685a24〕下皆意祕密。」 tr. “As to the commentary’s ‘ninth, universally displaying adornment’: first he glosses the name, and after, from ‘he has already gained’ onward, he glosses the general intent. If one speaks of them separately: the first clause adorns the environment that supports (the buddha-lands), and the rest all adorn the supported (beings and the bodies of the buddhas). Within the supporting there is throughout the secret knowledge: the first three clauses are the secret of the body; from ‘he sets forth the pure’ onward is the secret of speech; from ‘according to their minds’ onward is all the secret of mind.”
The tenth treasury: 〔T36n1736 0685a24–0685a25〕「疏「十中」〔0685a24〕下，經文顯然，皆與本位義理相符」 tr. “From the commentary’s ‘in the tenth’ onward, the scripture text is plain, and all of it accords with the doctrinal meaning of the station itself”
The taking up of this friend’s words to discriminate a single layer of pervasion: elsewhere the Chao takes up this friend’s words to discriminate how many layers the pervasion has — 「八相相遍者，嵐毘尼林神說如來受生云」 tr. “as to the eight marks pervading one another: the goddess of the Lumbinī Grove, speaking of the Tathāgata’s taking of birth, says” 〔T36n1736 0029c01〕 — and, having taken up the scripture, says 「如是念念常無間斷者，但是一重之遍。」 tr. “that it is thus thought after thought, constantly without break, is but a single layer of pervasion.” 〔T36n1736 0029c09–0029c10〕
The listing of the name: when the Chao lists the names of the good friends it sets forth a further name for this friend — 「十嵐毘尼林神即圓滿光」 tr. “tenth, the goddess of the Lumbinī Grove, that is, Complete Radiance” 〔T36n1736 0663b20〕
Chengguan’s Explicit Judgment
To match and not to match are alike no fault: 〔T35n1735 0918b06–0918b07〕「然無次位中不礙次位，顯位是常規，配亦無失。橫竪無礙」 tr. “yet within what has no sequence of stations the sequence of stations is not hindered, and to display the stations is the constant rule, so that to match them is likewise no fault. The horizontal and the vertical are unobstructed” — having first recorded the two positions, that Dharma Master Yi and the Taishan lun only gloss as the text runs while Preceptor Guangtong and the rest all match the stations of the grounds, and having said 「二皆有理」 tr. “both have their reason” 〔0918b04〕, Chengguan then sets down this word of his own: not to match them has its reason, and to match them is likewise no fault.
The Chao sets forth his intent: upon the passage matching the ten gates to the stations Chengguan sets up an outline in five layers (the vertical matching of the graded array · the concluding of what precedes and the raising of what follows · the gloss of perfect interfusion running through all the stations · the concluding that establishes the vertical above · the concluding that the horizontal is needed), and the Chao, glossing where it comes to rest, says 「實則橫竪無礙是此中意，故存二釋，文義昭然。」 tr. “in truth, the horizontal and the vertical being unobstructed is the intent here, and therefore both glosses are kept, the wording and the meaning being plain.” 〔T36n1736 0684c04–0684c05〕. The two glosses stand together without hindering each other; it is neither a withdrawing of the vertical in favor of the horizontal nor a withdrawing of the horizontal in favor of the vertical.
Fazang, Tanxuan ji T35n1733 (the commentary upon the sixty-fascicle Avataṃsaka)
The three divisions of his outline: 「第九善惠地知識內，舉法勸修：初指處，此園在迦毘羅城東二十餘里，是摩耶生太子處。」 tr. “Within the ninth, the friend of the Ground of Excellent Wisdom, the raising of the Dharma and the exhorting to cultivation: first, the pointing to the place — this park lies more than twenty li east of the city of Jiapiluo, and is the place where Māyā gave birth to the prince.” 〔T35n1733 0481b09–0481b11〕
The glossing of the park’s name: 「流彌尼者，無正翻，義翻云花菓等勝妙事具足也。」 tr. “Lumini has no proper rendering; rendered by sense it means being complete in surpassing and wondrous things such as blossoms and fruits.” 〔T35n1733 0481b11–0481b12〕
The glossing of the friend’s name and the differing name in the Indic witness: 「二示人，名妙德圓滿林天者，謂善妙之德內備，發願守護此林，故以為名也。天竺本云：有留彌尼天女，名妙圓光勝愛樂也。」 tr. “Second, the showing of the person: as to being named the grove deva Wondrous Virtue Complete, it means that the good and wondrous virtue is furnished within, and that she made a vow to guard this grove, and therefore this is taken as her name. The Indic witness says: there is a goddess of Lumini named Wondrous Round Radiance, Surpassing and Delightful.” 〔T35n1733 0481b12–0481b15〕
The reason for the teaching of the question: 「三教問中，以是生佛處，故教問生佛家等。」 tr. “Third, within the teaching of the question: because this is the place where the Buddha was born, he is taught to ask about being born into the house of the buddhas and the rest.” 〔T35n1733 0481b15–0481b16〕
The two tracks of the general and the separate glossing of the ten names: 「二列十名者，有諸德釋將配十地一一別釋。今就通釋：一供佛願；二覺心支者，依菩提心出生餘行名支也；三觀寂滅；四淨直心；五智普照；六生佛家；七佛光力；八達佛智；九嚴法界；十懃至佛。」 tr. “Second, the listing of the ten names: there are various worthies who gloss them, matching them to the ten grounds and glossing each separately. Here we take the general gloss: first, the vow of making offerings to the buddhas; second, the branch of the mind of awakening — that the remaining practices are brought forth in reliance upon the mind of awakening is what is named a branch; third, contemplating quiescence; fourth, the pure and straightforward mind; fifth, knowledge shining universally; sixth, being born into the house of the buddhas; seventh, the power of the buddhas’ light; eighth, reaching the buddhas’ knowledge; ninth, adorning the Dharma realm; tenth, diligence in reaching buddhahood.” 〔T35n1733 0481b24–0481b29〕
The track of the separate gloss upon the ten gates: 「三提名別釋中，十種即為十段，一一各三，謂標、釋、結。」 tr. “Third, within the taking up of the names and glossing them separately, the ten kinds make ten passages, and each of them has three: the setting forth, the gloss, and the conclusion.” 〔T35n1733 0481c01–0481c02〕
The nine minds of the third gate — the mind that is the root of practice and the mind in present activity: 「三中有九種心，與前十心何別者？前是行本心，此是現行心，故生佛家也。」 tr. “In the third there are nine kinds of mind. How do they differ from the ten minds before? The former are the mind that is the root of practice, these are the mind in present activity, and therefore he is born into the house of the buddhas.” 〔T35n1733 0481c04–0481c06〕
The ten clauses of the sixth gate: 「六中亦以十句釋生如來家：一隨佛教生證深法門、二同佛大願、三行同、四體同、五背向同、六長善同、七住法同、八得佛定、九攝眾生、十聞持法。」 tr. “In the sixth he also glosses being born into the house of the Tathāgata with ten clauses: first, following the Buddha’s teaching to be born and to realize the profound gates of the Dharma; second, the same great vows as the buddhas; third, the same practice; fourth, the same substance; fifth, the same turning away and turning toward; sixth, the same growing of the good; seventh, the same abiding in the Dharma; eighth, gaining the buddhas’ concentration; ninth, gathering in beings; tenth, hearing and holding the Dharma.” 〔T35n1733 0481c10–0481c13〕
The setting up of the name and the name in the Indic witness: 〔T35n1733 0481c26–0481c29〕「二「我成就」〔0481c26〕下明立名。言無量境界自在者，明菩薩為物現生，故云自在。奇瑞非一，名無量境。天竺本云：我成就菩薩解脫名無量劫執持一切菩薩受生自在顯現」 tr. “Second, from ‘I have accomplished’ onward is the making clear of the setting up of the name. That it says ease within measureless objective realms makes clear that the bodhisattva displays birth for the sake of creatures, and so it says at ease. The marvels being not one, they are named measureless objective realms. The Indic witness says: I have accomplished the bodhisattva liberation named the displaying at ease of the holding, through measureless kalpas, of the taking of birth of all bodhisattvas”
The transcription and the rendering by sense of the tree’s name, and the distinguishing of the tree of the birthplace from the tree of awakening: 「畢利叉者，具云鉢刺叉，義翻云高顯樹也。有處名阿輸迦樹，此云無憂樹也。又阿說他樹，此云無羅樹，謂遶三匝能滅罪障，此是菩提樹，非是生處樹也。又名畢鉢羅樹，此云樒樹，在嶺南亦有，此類可知。」 tr. “As to Biliyicha, in full it is Bolacha; rendered by sense it is the lofty and manifest tree. In some places it is named the aśoka tree, which means in this tongue the tree without sorrow. Again, the aśvattha tree, which means in this tongue the tree without garlands: circling it three times is said to be able to extinguish the obstruction of sin, and this is the tree of awakening, not the tree of the birthplace. Again it is named the pippala tree, which means in this tongue the mi tree; it is found in Lingnan as well, and its kind may be known.” 〔T35n1733 0482a08–0482a13〕
The headings of the ten kinds of ease (upon the sixty-fascicle witness): 「十自在者，一八部雲集光照息苦、二腹受三千遍坐百億、三毛孔現佛過去行法、四毛孔現佛過去本事、五毛孔現佛過去形色、六毛孔現佛往昔本施、七身中出佛本嚴土事、八身出八部宮殿滿林、九身出菩薩讚歎舍那、十金剛地輪生大蓮花以承菩薩。」 tr. “As to the ten kinds of ease: first, the eight classes gathering like clouds and the light shining and stilling suffering; second, the belly receiving the three-thousandfold world and sitting throughout a hundred koṭis; third, the pores displaying the dharmas of the Buddha’s practice in the past; fourth, the pores displaying the Buddha’s former matters in the past; fifth, the pores displaying the Buddha’s forms and colors in the past; sixth, the pores displaying the Buddha’s giving in ages past; seventh, the body bringing forth the Buddha’s former adorning of lands; eighth, the body bringing forth the palaces of the eight classes filling the grove; ninth, the body bringing forth bodhisattvas praising Rocana; tenth, the diamond ground-wheel giving birth to a great lotus blossom to bear up the bodhisattva.” 〔T35n1733 0482a13–0482a19〕
The five aspects at the time of the birth: 〔T35n1733 0482a19–0482a23〕「三「摩耶生時」〔0482a19〕下顯相狀。於中五：一朗耀挺特如空中日現、二威光赫奕如雷電光、三應機現身如山起雲、四現破無明如闇中燈、五雖生不生用常寂故。」 tr. “Third, from ‘when Māyā gave birth’ onward is the displaying of the marks and appearance. Within it there are five: first, bright radiance standing out alone, as the sun appearing in the sky; second, awesome light blazing forth, as the light of lightning; third, displaying the body in answer to capacity, as a cloud arising on a mountain; fourth, displaying the breaking of ignorance, as a lamp within the dark; fifth, though born he is not born, because the working is ever quiescent.”
The ten divisions of the prose upon the depth of the root of the Dharma, and the division of the verses into four: 〔T35n1733 0482a25–0482b03〕「答中二：先長行、後偈頌。前中十：一古世佛興、二出往佛母、三攀樹生佛、四授與乳母、五乳母得定、六得此法門、七結會古今、八廣見受生、九知本大願、十供佛持法。二頌中二十三頌半，分四：初一誡聽許說、二有八偈半明初佛所發心得法、三「我於億剎」〔0482b02〕下十三偈明更供多佛淨修增廣、四末後一偈結歎無盡。」 tr. “Within the answer there are two: first the prose, after the verses. Within the former there are ten: first, the arising of a buddha in an ancient age; second, the setting forth of the mother of the buddha of old; third, grasping the tree and giving birth to the buddha; fourth, handing him to the wet-nurse; fifth, the wet-nurse gaining the concentration; sixth, gaining this Dharma gate; seventh, the joining of the ancient and the present; eighth, seeing the takings of birth at large; ninth, knowing the original great vows; tenth, making offerings to the buddhas and holding the Dharma. Second, within the verses there are twenty-three and a half verses, divided into four: the first one, enjoining attention and granting the telling; second, eight and a half verses making clear the raising of the mind and the gaining of the Dharma in the presence of the first buddha; third, from ‘I, within a koṭi of lands’ onward, thirteen verses making clear the further offerings to many buddhas and the purifying cultivation that makes it grow broader; fourth, the last one verse, concluding praise that it cannot be exhausted.”
Li Tongxuan, Xin Huayan jing lun T36n1739 (a differing track of symbolizing the Dharma)
The symbolizing of the Dharma by the place: 「云此閻浮提有一園林者，明修第九善慧地法門邊際，普蔭十方一切眾生行，解脫廣大，處生死如園萬行如林，故為名也。」 tr. “That it says there is a park and grove in this Jambudvīpa makes clear the utmost bound of cultivating the Dharma gate of the ninth ground, Excellent Wisdom — the practice of universally shading all beings of the ten directions, whose liberation is vast, dwelling within birth and death as within a park and the manifold practices as a grove; and therefore this is taken as its name.” 〔T36n1739 0997a27–0997a29〕
The glossing of the park’s name: 「嵐毘者，此云樂勝。尼者，此云園也。為以智慧法樂眾生故。」 tr. “Lumbi means, in this tongue, surpassing delight; nī means park. It is because with wisdom he delights beings with the Dharma.” 〔T36n1739 0997b01–0997b02〕
The reason for the taking of birth: 「此園林亦是如來示現下生時誕生之園，明八地菩薩從兜率天降神下生，為處胎、為受生也。於九地中修智慧利人天，及滿一切眾生之智慧故，名為受生。」 tr. “This park and grove is also the park of the birth at the time when the Tathāgata displayed his coming down to be born, making clear that the bodhisattva of the eighth ground comes down from the Tuṣita heaven with the descent of his spirit, dwells in the womb, and takes birth. Because upon the ninth ground he cultivates wisdom to benefit humans and gods and to fill out the wisdom of all beings, it is named taking birth.” 〔T36n1739 0997b02–0997b06〕
The number of verses within the long outline in ten passages: 「次下有二十行頌，重頌前法，歎受生法門。」 tr. “Next below there are twenty lines of verse, putting the foregoing Dharma into verse again and praising the Dharma gate of taking birth.” 〔T36n1739 0997b19–0997b20〕; 「八有二十三行頌，重頌前法。」 tr. “Eighth, there are twenty-three lines of verse, putting the foregoing Dharma into verse again.” 〔T36n1739 0997b24–0997b25〕
The glossing of the station and the practice: 「十隨文釋義者，此之菩薩得無生忍，獲無功智創始現前，令使昇進。九地學佛說法辯才門，令使滿足天之及人一切眾生意，名為受生藏。」 tr. “Tenth, the glossing of the meaning as the text runs: this bodhisattva gains the forbearance of non-arising, and the knowledge without contrivance first comes forth before him, so that he is made to advance upward. Upon the ninth ground he studies the gate of the eloquence of the buddhas’ expounding of the Dharma, so that the intent of gods and humans and of all beings is made full; and this is named the treasury of taking birth.” 〔T36n1739 0997b27–0997c01〕
The verses of this section that he cites: 〔T36n1739 0997c01–0997c04〕「如經頌云「聞法不厭樂觀察，普於三世無所礙，身心清淨如虛空，此名稱者受生藏。其心恒住大悲海，堅如金剛及寶山，了達一切種智門，此最勝者受生藏。」〔0997c01〕廣如經具明。」 tr. “As the verses of the scripture say, ‘hearing the Dharma without weariness and delighting to contemplate, universally throughout the three times without obstruction, body and mind pure as empty space — this is the treasury of taking birth of the one of renown. His mind ever abides in the sea of great compassion, firm as a diamond and as a mountain of jewels, penetrating the gate of the knowledge of all modes — this is the treasury of taking birth of the most surpassing one.’ At large it is set out in full in the scripture.” (the first line as he takes it up reads 「聞法不厭樂觀察」 tr. “hearing the Dharma without weariness and delighting to contemplate,” while the base text has 「聞法無厭樂觀察」 tr. “hearing the Dharma and never having one’s fill, delighting to contemplate” 〔T10n0279 0403a12〕)
The passage in 〈十地品〉 that borrows this as a figure (fascicle twenty-seven): Li Tongxuan, in fascicle twenty-seven, when glossing the symbolizing of the Dharma of the Ground of Excellent Wisdom in 〈十地品〉, separately borrows this friend as a figure — 「三明善財表法者，善財於閻浮提有一林，名嵐毘尼，見有神，名妙德圓滿。此閻浮提者，是此洲林名，此洲因林而得名故，以明此位智慧設教如林，廣多覆蔭故。又言其中有園林者，明智慧重重無盡故。名嵐毘尼，或曰流彌尼。尼者，女音。流彌尼者，樂勝圓光也。明此善慧地智慧法樂無垢圓光，明以善慧圓光破煩惱令得樂故。神名妙德圓滿，明法師位妙慧圓滿故。住寶樹莊嚴樓閣，寶樹者，是法師之行也。樓閣者，明智慧高遠，重重逈照無礙故。明以眾行莊嚴智慧善說諸教，令眾生信伏故，是法師解行具足。」 tr. “Third, the making clear of Sudhana’s symbolizing of the Dharma: in Jambudvīpa Sudhana came to a grove named Lumbinī and saw a spirit named Wondrous Virtue Complete. This Jambudvīpa is the name of a grove of this continent, and the continent takes its name from the grove; by this is made clear that the wisdom of this station sets up its teaching as a grove does, shading broadly and abundantly. And that it says there is a park and grove within it makes clear that wisdom is layer upon layer and inexhaustible. It is named Lumbinī, or else Lumini. As to nī, it is a feminine sound. Lumini means surpassing delight, complete radiance: it makes clear that the delight of the Dharma of the wisdom of this Ground of Excellent Wisdom is an undefiled complete radiance, making clear that by the complete radiance of excellent wisdom the afflictions are broken so that delight is gained. That the spirit is named Wondrous Virtue Complete makes clear that at the station of the master of the Dharma the wondrous wisdom is complete. That she dwells in a storeyed pavilion adorned with jewelled trees: the jewelled trees are the practice of the master of the Dharma; the storeyed pavilion makes clear that wisdom is lofty and far-reaching, layer upon layer shining afar without obstruction. It makes clear that by the manifold practices she adorns wisdom and expounds the teachings well, so that beings believe and submit; this is the master of the Dharma being complete in understanding and in practice.” 〔T36n1739 0908b17–0908b28〕 This belongs to the gloss upon 〈十地品〉 and is not the direct gloss upon this section of 〈入法界品〉; its place is recorded separately. Its glosses 「尼者，女音」 tr. “as to nī, it is a feminine sound” and 「流彌尼者，樂勝圓光也」 tr. “Lumini means surpassing delight, complete radiance” differ from the gloss in 〈入法界品〉, 「尼者，此云園也」 tr. “nī means, in this tongue, park” 〔T36n1739 0997b01〕, and the two places are recorded together without judgment.
Zhiyan, Souxuan ji T35n1732 (the commentary upon the sixty-fascicle Avataṃsaka)
The glossing of the name and of the Dharma gate: 「第九天名妙德圓滿，即九地菩薩位也，入無量境界受生自在法門。流彌尼者，生太子處也。」 tr. “Ninth, the deva named Wondrous Virtue Complete, that is, the station of the bodhisattva of the ninth ground: the Dharma gate of entering measureless objective realms and taking birth at ease. As to Lumini, it is the place where the prince was born.” 〔T35n1732 0101a17–0101a19〕
The two and the four divisions of rightly entering the Dharma realm: 〔T35n1732 0101a22–0101a26〕「三「答言」〔0101a22〕下正入法界中有二：初說自分法門、二「諸大」〔0101a23〕下仰推勝分。自分中有四：初辨法門名體、二「善財白言天神」〔0101a24〕下明法大用、三「善財白」〔0101a25〕下得法久近、四「唯我」〔0101a26〕下結自所知。」 tr. “Third, from ‘she answered, saying’ onward, within the rightly entering of the Dharma realm there are two: first, the telling of the Dharma gate of her own portion; second, from ‘all the great’ onward, the looking up and pointing to the surpassing portion. Within her own portion there are four: first, the discriminating of the name and substance of the Dharma gate; second, from ‘Sudhana said, Deva-spirit’ onward, the making clear of the great working of the Dharma; third, from ‘Sudhana said’ onward, how long ago the Dharma was gained; fourth, from ‘I only’ onward, the concluding of what she herself knows.”
Three clauses: the light of the knowledge of the practice of cause · ease of great working · purity without defilement: 〔T35n1732 0101b09–0101b13〕「三「佛子摩耶乃至生太子時」〔0101b09〕下因行智光以相顯體，有三句可知。四「畢利叉樹」〔0101b10〕下大用自在攝德無礙，有三句也。五「生菩薩時如空」〔0101b11〕下顯清淨無染，文有三：初為益現身、二順法成似、三成而無作。」 tr. “Third, from ‘son of the Buddha, when Māyā … gave birth to the prince’ onward, the light of the knowledge of the practice of cause displaying the substance by the marks: there are three clauses, which may be understood. Fourth, from ‘the Biliyicha tree’ onward, the ease of the great working gathering in virtue without obstruction: there are three clauses. Fifth, from ‘when she gave birth to the bodhisattva, like empty space’ onward, the displaying of purity without defilement: the text has three — first, displaying the body for the sake of benefit; second, according with the Dharma and coming to seem so; third, accomplishing and yet without doing.”
The four similes glossed one by one: 「初有四喻，朗曜挺特，如空中日；即現群機，喻若電光；布慈漸益，如山起雲；像現除迷，若闇中燈。」 tr. “The first has four similes: bright radiance standing out alone, as the sun in the sky; appearing at once to the many capacities, likened to lightning; spreading kindness and benefiting by degrees, as a cloud arising on a mountain; an image appearing and removing confusion, as a lamp within the dark.” 〔T35n1732 0101b13–0101b16〕
The division of the verses into four (upon the sixty-fascicle witness): 「偈文有三十三半，有四：初一勅聽許說、二有八頌前初所得法門、次十三半頌上經諸佛修使增廣」 tr. “The text of the verses is thirty-three and a half, and has four parts: the first one, enjoining attention and granting the telling; second, eight putting into verse the Dharma gate first gained above; next, thirteen and a half putting into verse the scripture above, where under the buddhas she cultivated and made it grow broader.” 〔T35n1732 0101b20–0101b22〕
Recorded without Judgment
As to the outline of this section, Chengguan makes three divisions and opens four gates within the third (displaying the meaning of the Dharma · setting up the name of the Dharma · making clear the working · discriminating the root), Fazang upon the sixty-fascicle witness makes five gates (displaying the meaning of the Dharma · setting up the name of the Dharma · making clear the working · discriminating the root of the Dharma · concluding his own portion), Li Tongxuan does not use a division into gates but makes a long outline in ten passages, and Zhiyan upon the sixty-fascicle witness outlines the rightly entering of the Dharma realm in two (first the telling of the Dharma gate of her own portion, after the looking up and pointing to the surpassing portion), with four divisions within her own portion — the number of the divisions of the four houses and the bone they rely upon differ alike. As to the matching of the ten treasuries of taking birth to the stations, Fazang records one track, 「諸德釋將配十地一一別釋」 tr. “various worthies gloss them, matching them to the ten grounds and glossing each separately,” and himself takes a general gloss of ten headings; Chengguan matches each gate to six stations and sets up the two gates of the graded array and of perfect interfusion; Li Tongxuan glosses it only by the one station of the ninth ground. As to the glossing of the park’s name, Fazang upon the sixty-fascicle witness has 「流彌尼」 tr. “Lumini” and says that it has no proper rendering and that rendered by sense it is being complete in surpassing and wondrous things such as blossoms and fruits, while Li Tongxuan upon the eighty-fascicle witness analyzes its three graphs into two segments, 「嵐毘」 tr. “Lumbi” as surpassing delight and 「尼」 tr. “nī” as park. As to the friend’s name, the eighty has 「妙德」 tr. “Wondrous Virtue,” the sixty 「妙德圓滿」 tr. “Wondrous Virtue Complete,” and the forty 「妙德圓滿愛敬林神」 tr. “the grove goddess Wondrous Virtue Complete, Loved and Revered,” while Fazang separately hands down that the Indic witness has 「留彌尼天女，名妙圓光勝愛樂」 tr. “the goddess of Lumini named Wondrous Round Radiance, Surpassing and Delightful.” As to the reckoning of the verses, Chengguan calls the second set 「二十三頌」 tr. “twenty-three verses,” and Li Tongxuan calls the first set 「二十行頌」 tr. “twenty lines of verse” and the second set 「二十三行頌」 tr. “twenty-three lines of verse,” while in the base text the first set is twenty lines and the second forty-six lines; and Zhiyan calls the verses of the former life in the sixty-fascicle witness 「三十三半」 tr. “thirty-three and a half.” As to the assignment of station, Chengguan follows the ancient worthies in matching it to the Ground of Excellent Wisdom, Li Tongxuan likewise glosses it by the Ground of Excellent Wisdom, and Fazang upon the sixty-fascicle witness has 「第九善惠地知識」 tr. “the ninth, the friend of the Ground of Excellent Wisdom.” All these divergent interpretations are the established teachings of the ancient worthies, and they are recorded.
VII. Cross-Reading and Lineage
For the text of this section, the fastenings of the lineage all turn back directly from the cross-readings the ancient worthies have already carried out:
- Zhiyan, Huayan jing neizhangmen deng za kongmu zhang T45n1870: he sets up separately the meaning of the ninth good friend — 「第九知識。約一乘別教。於可化眾生。閻浮提處示現受生。在流彌尼園。遊觀自在。示現法門。利益眾生義。」 tr. “The ninth good friend. Taken by the distinct teaching of the one vehicle. Among beings that may be converted. In the place of Jambudvīpa she displays the taking of birth. In the Lumini Park. Roaming and beholding at ease. The meaning of displaying the gate of the Dharma and benefiting beings.” 〔T45n1870 0585b19–0585b21〕; and in the table of the order of the good friends he lists this friend as the fortieth — 「四十天名妙德圓滿」 tr. “the fortieth, a deva named Wondrous Virtue Complete” 〔T45n1870 0589b08〕, this latter being a record of order and not a gloss of meaning.
- Chengguan citing 〈賢首品〉 himself: when glossing the meaning of 「始集善根」 tr. “the first gathering of the roots of good” in the first treasury of taking birth, he takes up a verse of another chapter of this scripture as his ground — 〔T35n1735 0948c16–0948c17〕「〈賢首品〉云「常欲利樂諸群生，莊嚴國土供養佛」〔0948c16〕故」 tr. “for 〈賢首品〉 says ‘ever wishing to benefit and gladden the many multitudes, adorning lands and making offerings to the buddhas’”.
- Chengguan pointing to 〈十定品〉 himself: when glossing the meaning of 「知一切境界次第」 tr. “knowing the sequence of all objective realms” in the tenth treasury of taking birth, he points to another chapter of this scripture for the fuller account — 「智齊佛境云知一切，如〈十定品〉辨」 tr. “his knowledge being level with the buddhas’ objective realm it says knowing all, as is discriminated in 〈十定品〉” 〔T35n1735 0949a08–0949a09〕.
- Li Tongxuan’s borrowing of this as a figure in 〈十地品〉: when glossing the symbolizing of the Dharma of the Ground of Excellent Wisdom he borrows this friend as a figure, that passage beginning 〔T36n1739 0908b17〕; it is not the direct gloss upon this section, and its place is recorded separately for cross-reading.
- The five aspects in Chengguan’s general discussion of this chapter: the name and the bounds of the 「寄位修行相」 tr. “mark of practice assigned to the stations” to which this section is fastened come from 〔T35n1735 0918b08〕 「謂初四十一人名寄位修行相」 tr. “that is, the first forty-one persons are named the mark of practice assigned to the stations”; his words of explicit judgment are seen at 〔0918b04–0918b07〕, and the Chao sets forth their intent at 〔T36n1736 0684c04–0684c05〕.
- The treatises of the Huayan house: in the three texts, the Huayan jing zhigui T45n1871 · the Huayan wujiao zhang T45n1866 · the Shixuan men T45n1868, a search for 「妙德圓滿」 tr. “Wondrous Virtue Complete” and 「嵐毘尼」 tr. “Lumbinī” gives no hits at all 〔not found〕.
- The consciousness-only axis: this section is not 〈十地品〉, and no separate fastening upon consciousness-only is set up; the Shidi jing lun (the Treatise on the Ten Grounds Sūtra) T26n1522 is not a text bearing upon this section, and it does not enter the collation.
VIII. Edition Location Register
- Śikṣānanda T279 (the base text): the section of the goddess of the Lumbinī Grove begins 〔T10n0279 0401c16〕 (fascicle seventy-four) and ends 〔0405b22〕. Carrying on from the one before and seeking 0401c16–c22 · seeing, paying respect, and inquiring 0401c22–c25 · setting forth the number and praising its excellence 0401c25–0402a01 · calling for the number and listing the names 0402a02–a09 · glossing the meaning according to the names 0402a09–0402c23 (the first 0402a09 · the second 0402a13 · the third 0402a24 · the fourth 0402b04 · the fifth 0402b10 · the sixth 0402b18 · the seventh 0402b24 · the eighth 0402c01 · the ninth 0402c09 · the tenth 0402c15) · concluding praise of the excellent benefit 0402c23–0403a05 · the opening of the verses 0403a05–a08 · ten verses in twenty lines 0403a08–a27 · setting up the name of the Dharma 0403a28–0403b01 · Sudhana asking after the objective realm 0403b01–b02 · taking birth in accord with a vow 0403b02–b06 · the ten auspicious signs 0403b06–b25 · the ten lights 0403b25–0403c05 · the ten spiritual transformations 0403c05–0404b10 · the birth 0404b10–b17 · seeing the buddhas all-pervadingly 0404b17–b25 · Sudhana asking how long ago 0404b25–b26 · the prose of the former life 0404b26–0404c22 · the opening of the verses in repetition 0404c22–c24 · forty-six lines of verse 0404c24–0405b11 · humbling herself and pointing to the superior 0405b12–b19 · pointing out the next friend 0405b19–b21 · cherishing her virtue and taking leave 0405b21–b22. Verse lines, sixty-six (the first set twenty lines · the second set forty-six lines).
- Buddhabhadra T278 (the Jin translation, the principal witness collated against): the scene of this friend begins 〔T09n0278 0750c26〕 (her name being set forth within the clause where the friend before points her out) · the text proper begins 0751a01 (fascicle fifty-five) · the ten names 0751a14–a22 · glossing the meaning according to the names 0751a22–0752a11 (the ninth dharma of taking birth ending 0752a03 · the tenth 0752a03–a11) · her own account of the vow by which she was born in this grove 0752b15–b17 · the ten auspicious signs begin 0752b18 · the passage of the spiritual transformations 0753a–0753b · the four similes of the birth 0753b16–b19 · the title of fascicle fifty-six 0753c02 · the wet-nurse named in the prose of the former life 0753c17 · the wet-nurse gaining the Dharma 0753c18–c21 · the joining of the ancient and the present 0753c23–c24 · the prose of the former life ending 0754a02 · the opening of the verses 0754a02–a04 · forty-seven lines of verse 0754a05–b22 · humbling herself and pointing to the superior 0754b23–b29 · pointing out the friend who comes next 0754b29–0754c02 · taking leave 0754c02–c03; the passage of the next friend begins 0754c04. In the sixty the name of the friend who comes next is 「瞿夷」 tr. “Gopī” 〔T09n0278 0754c01〕, differing from 「瞿波」 tr. “Gopā” in the eighty and the forty.
- Prajñā T293 (the Zhenyuan forty-fascicle Avataṃsaka): the passage of this friend begins 〔T10n0293 0777c24〕 (Sudhana calling to mind the Dharma of the friend before, not the clause of taking leave of him; that friend’s taking of leave stands at 0777c15–c16) · seeking 0778a05–a12 · setting the question 0778a12–a15 · setting forth the number 0778a16–a24 · the ten names 0778a24–0778b03 · glossing the meaning according to the names beginning 0778b03 · setting up the name of the Dharma 0780a01–a02 · taking birth in this grove in accord with a vow, and the hundred years 0780a08–a09 · the ten auspicious signs 0780a10–0780b08 · the ten lights 0780b09–0780c03 · the ten spiritual transformations 0780c04–0781b26 · the four similes of the birth 0781c01–c02 · the exchange upon why one abiding in the last body must be born into a great clan 0781c19–0782c28 · fascicle twenty-six ends 0782c29 · the title of fascicle twenty-seven 0783a05 · Sudhana asking how long ago 0783a06 · the wet-nurse named 0783a24 · the joining of the ancient and the present 0783b02 · the verses of the former life 0783b22–0784a09 · humbling herself and pointing to the superior 0784a10–a22 · pointing out the next friend 0784a22–a24 · taking leave 0784a24–a26. In this section the forty-fascicle witness is fuller than the eighty-fascicle, and what it adds is the one exchange upon being born into a great clan in the last body, which the eighty-fascicle witness does not have.
- Chengguan, Huayan jing shu T35n1735: the setting forth of this friend’s park-name and friend-name within the pointing out of the friend who comes next at the end of the preceding friend’s passage 0948b15–b20 · the direct gloss on this section begins 0948b28 · the outline in four gates 0948b29–0948c01 · the four divisions of the prose 0948c01–c04 · the calling for the number and listing of the names matched to six stations 0948c04–c09 · the two gates of the graded array and of perfect interfusion 0948c09–c14 · glossing the meaning according to the names 0948c14–0949a09 · concluding praise of the excellent benefit 0949a09–a10 · the ten verses in repetition 0949a10–a11 · setting up the name of the Dharma 0949a11–a14 · making clear the working 0949a14–a17 · the four divisions of beholding according to the vow of old 0949a17–a19 · the headings of the ten transformations 0949a19–a24 · the three divisions of rightly beholding the birth 0949a24–0949b03 · displaying the source and root of the Dharma 0949b03–b08 · the division of the verses into four 0949b08–b10 · the glossing of the name at the pointing out of the friend who comes next 0949b10–b16 · ending before the tenth, the Śākya woman Gopā 0949b17. The passage of the general discussion of the five aspects of this chapter stands separately at 0918b02–0918b08.
- Chengguan, Yanyi chao T36n1736: the gloss proper to this friend begins 0684b27 · the gloss upon the assignment of station 0684b27–b29 · the gloss upon the commentary’s outline in five layers 0684b29–0684c04 · the six stations of being born into the house 0684c05–c10 · the clause-by-clause gloss upon the fourth treasury 0684c10–c19 · the last two clauses of the fifth treasury 0684c19–c22 · the two portions of the sixth treasury 0684c22–0684c29 · the three parts of its last passage 0685a01–a04 · the ease within the three worlds in the seventh treasury 0685a04–a08 · the three natures, eleven thickets, forty unobstructed and three kinds of ease in the eighth treasury 0685a08–a21 · the ninth treasury’s adornment and the three secrets 0685a21–a24 · the tenth treasury 0685a24–a25, ending before the outline of the next friend 0685a26. Also 〔0029c01–0029c10〕, the taking up of this friend’s words upon seeing the Buddha’s taking of birth to discriminate a single layer of pervasion · 〔0663b19–b22〕, the listing of the name 「嵐毘尼林神即圓滿光」 tr. “the goddess of the Lumbinī Grove, that is, Complete Radiance.”
- Fazang, Tanxuan ji T35n1733: the friend of the ninth, the Ground of Excellent Wisdom, begins 0481b09 · the pointing to the place 0481b09–b11 · the glossing of the park’s name 0481b11–b12 · the glossing of the friend’s name and the differing name in the Indic witness 0481b12–b15 · the teaching of the question 0481b15–b16 · the three divisions of entering in accord with the teaching 0481b16–b17 · seeing, paying respect, and requesting 0481b17–b18 · the five gates of conferring his own Dharma realm 0481b18–b21 · the four divisions of the prose 0481b21–b24 · the general gloss of the ten names 0481b24–b29 · the separate gloss upon the ten gates 0481c01–0482a01 · the setting up of the name and the Indic witness 0481c26–0481c29 · the three divisions of the objective realm of the Dharma gate 0482a01–a03 · the transcription and sense-rendering of the tree’s name and the distinguishing of the two trees 0482a08–a13 · the headings of the ten kinds of ease 0482a13–a19 · the five aspects at the time of the birth 0482a19–a23 · the ten divisions of the prose upon the depth of the root of the Dharma 0482a24–a29 · the division of the verses into four 0482a29–0482b03 · ending before the tenth, the friend of the Dharma-Cloud Ground 0482b05.
- Li Tongxuan, Xin Huayan jing lun T36n1739: what bears upon this section is 0997a24–0997c05. The three gates of pointing to virtue and advancing upward at the end of the preceding friend’s passage, handing on to this friend, are 0997a24–0997b08 (the setting up of the three gates 0997a24–a27 · the symbolizing of the Dharma by the place 0997a27–a29 · the glossing of the park’s name 0997b01–b02 · the reason for the taking of birth 0997b02–b06 · the glossing of the friend’s name 0997b06–b08); this friend’s rightly entering the present station begins 0997b09 (the long outline in ten passages 0997b09–b27 · the glossing of the meaning as the text runs 0997b27–0997c01 · the taking up of the verses of the scripture 0997c01–c04). The passage in fascicle twenty-seven borrowing this as a figure in the symbolizing of the Dharma of the Ground of Excellent Wisdom in 〈十地品〉 is 0908b17–b28, and is not the direct gloss upon this section.
- Zhiyan, Souxuan ji T35n1732: the gloss proper to this friend begins 0101a17 · the glossing of the name and of the Dharma gate 0101a17–a19 · the seven divisions of entering in accord with the teaching 0101a20–a22 · the two and four divisions of rightly entering the Dharma realm 0101a22–a26 · the name and substance of the Dharma gate 0101a26–0101b04 · the great working of the Dharma gate 0101b04–b16 · the causes and conditions of the gaining of the Dharma 0101b16–b19 · the division of the verses into four 0101b19–b23, ending before the outline of the tenth, Gopā 0101b23.
- Variant readings: within the range of T279 covered by this unit, 〔0401c16〕–〔0405c05〕, the Taishō base text carries 32 collation notes, and two further entries of the original printed notes that have no from/to-app, all recorded one by one without adjudication (base reading 【大】｜variant readings of other witnesses, several witnesses separated by ／): 〔0401c27〕不疲不懈，不……真實義境（凡76字）【大】｜無此字【聖乙】 · 〔0402a07〕藏【大】｜藏生藏【聖】 · 〔0402a12〕是為菩薩為一……受生藏。（凡15字）【大】｜無此字【聖乙】 · 〔0402a13〕云何名：發菩……受生藏。（凡327字）【大】｜無此字【聖乙】 · 〔0402a17〕吝【大】｜怯【宮】 · 〔0402b04〕云何名：以深……受生藏？（凡14字）【大】｜無此字【聖乙】 · 〔0402b09〕礙【大】｜破礙【聖乙】 · 〔0402b10〕云何名：平等……切世間。（凡888字）【大】｜無此字【聖乙】 · 〔0402c24〕習【大】｜集【宋】【宮】 · 〔0402c27〕佛【大】｜無此字【聖】 · 〔0403b10〕芽【大】｜牙【宮】【聖】 · 〔0403b14〕涌【大】｜踊【宮】 · 〔0403b20〕𪗇【大】｜齊【宮】【聖】 · 〔0403b27〕何等為十？所……諸眾生心（凡120字）【大】｜無此字【聖乙】 · 〔0403c04〕智【大】｜知【聖】 · 〔0404a05〕普【大】｜著【聖】 · 〔0404a05〕辯【大】｜辨【宋】【元】 · 〔0404a08〕肉【大】｜脈【宮】 · 〔0404a14〕妓【大】｜伎【宮】【聖】 · 〔0404a25〕屬【大】｜無此字【聖】 · 〔0404b05〕昔【大】｜無此字【聖】 · 〔0404b13〕耀【大】｜曜【宮】 · 〔0404b14〕大【大】｜火【宮】 · 〔0404b21〕亦見三千大千……無間斷。（凡70字）【大】｜無此字【聖乙】 · 〔0404b25〕時，善財童子……復如是。（凡159字）【大】｜無此字【聖乙】 · 〔0404c05〕善男子！其喜……復如是。（凡168字）【大】｜無此字【聖乙】 · 〔0405b23〕大方廣佛華嚴經卷第七十四（凡12字）【大】｜無此字【宋】【聖乙】 · 〔0405c02〕第【大】｜無此字【聖】 · 〔0405c02〕大方廣佛華嚴經卷第七十五（凡12字）【大】｜大方廣佛華嚴……卷七十五（凡22字）【聖乙】 · 〔0405c04〕藏【大】｜藏沙門【宋】【元】【明】／藏法師【宮】 · 〔0405c04〕奉制【大】｜無此字【宋】【元】【明】【宮】 · 〔0405c04〕于闐國三藏實叉難陀奉制譯（凡12字）【大】｜新譯【聖】／無此字【聖乙】. Two entries of the original printed notes are kept on the register (they have no corresponding from/to-app): 〔0403a10〕（一切…門）三百三十字【大】，〔－〕【聖乙】 · 〔0405a09〕（專求…行）五百七十九字【大】，〔－〕【聖乙】 (the orig note at the same place reads five hundred and eighty-eight graphs; the divergence of the counts is recorded without judgment). The interlinear notes of the base text within the range of this section’s scripture text in T279 have already been stripped and recorded at the layer of the source text; the single graph
𪗇is a graph used by the base text, kept verbatim and not glossed 〔T10n0279 0403b20〕; within the windows bearing upon this section in Chengguan’s Shu and Chao, Fazang’s Tanxuan ji, and Li Tongxuan’s Lun there is no gloss of this graph at all 〔not found〕, and so at this place the layers of the vernacular and of the exposition likewise keep it verbatim and make no rendering of it into present-day words. - Entries not found: the Huayan jing zhigui T45n1871 · the Huayan wujiao zhang T45n1866 · the Shixuan men T45n1868 — three texts in all, in which a search for 「妙德圓滿」 tr. “Wondrous Virtue Complete” and 「嵐毘尼」 tr. “Lumbinī” gives no hits at all.