大乘莊嚴經論 緣起品

Adorning — making the wondrous Dharma's qualities manifest and giving rise to joy

This chapter says that the wondrous Dharma of the Great Vehicle is complete in qualities. Why, then, should one still "adorn" it?

The Occasion is a doorway into the whole treatise. It first makes plain who, with what, and for whom: with the wisdom of meaning (the wisdom that penetrates the meaning of the Dharma), with stainless words and lines, for those who arouse the great mind, one adorns the supreme vehicle that the Tathāgata teaches so skillfully. Its method is five similes, and hidden within them is a path that runs from the shallow to the deep: like gold wrought into a vessel, like a flower just now in bloom, like tasting fine fare, like understanding the written word, like opening a jewel-casket — in order, they draw a person to incline in confidence, to receive the teaching, to reflect, to cultivate, and at last to realize.

To the sharpest question of all, the prose commentary answers with a mirror: reflected in a mirror, a fair substance displays a delightful form. Adorned by wisdom of meaning and stainless words and phrases, the wondrous Dharma likewise moves the hearer to rejoice and receive it. The simile concerns making the Dharma manifest and giving rise to joy; it does not establish a separate thesis of "inherent perfection" in the Dharma or the reader. And the goodness of the wondrous Dharma must further be borne through three stages of "bitter first, sweet after" — like bitter medicine that cures the illness, like serving an awe-inspiring king, like recognizing an uncut jewel — so do not turn back at the bitter part.

Now push open this doorway, and the vast ocean of meaning across the twenty-three chapters can be walked into, one step at a time.

The Occasion is the opening of the whole treatise. It explains why this treatise is called an adorning (莊嚴 — to deck out, to bring to light): why one should adorn the scriptures of the great vehicle, with what one adorns them, and for whom.

The wisdom of meaning works out the many meanings, its words and lines all without stain; to rescue suffering beings, for compassion is its very nature. Skillfully teaching the Dharma of skillful means — namely, the supreme vehicle — for the sake of those who arouse the great mind, it is shown, in brief, by five meanings.

Through a chain of questions and answers, the commentary sets forth the occasion of the whole treatise:

〔Question〕 "Adorning the scriptures and treatises of the great vehicle" — who is able to adorn them? 〔Answer〕 The wisdom of meaning (義智 — the wisdom that penetrates the meaning of the Dharma) is able to adorn them. 〔Question〕 How does the wisdom of meaning adorn? 〔Answer〕 By opening up and working out the many meanings. 〔Question〕 By what does it open and work them out? 〔Answer〕 By words and lines. 〔Question〕 By what kind of words and lines? 〔Answer〕 By stainless words (words that can lead to the city of nirvāṇa) and stainless lines (lines whose letters and phrasing exactly correspond). If one were to depart from stainless words and lines, the many meanings could not be brought to light. 〔Question〕 For what reason does one adorn? 〔Answer〕 To rescue suffering beings. 〔Question〕 Beings make their own suffering and undergo it themselves — on what ground are they to be rescued? 〔Answer〕 Because one who is a bodhisattva has great compassion for his substance, and so pity naturally arises. 〔Question〕 If it is for the sake of rescuing others from suffering, then what Dharma is it that one adorns? 〔Answer〕 One adorns the Dharma of skillful means that the Tathāgata teaches so skillfully. 〔Question〕 What Dharma of skillful means? 〔Answer〕 It is the supreme vehicle (最上乘 — the great vehicle). 〔Question〕 For whom does one adorn? 〔Answer〕 For those who arouse the mind of the great vehicle. 〔Question〕 By how many meanings does one adorn? 〔Answer〕 In brief, it is shown by five meanings. 〔Question〕 Which five meanings? (The next verse answers with five similes.)

Like gold wrought into a vessel, like a flower just now in bloom, like eating fine fare, like understanding the written word, like opening a jewel-casket — by each of these one gains delight; the adorning of the Dharma by the five meanings brings delight just so.

Here the five similes are precisely similes for that "adorning by the five meanings." In their proper order, they can lead the one who arouses the great mind to incline in confidence, receive the teaching, reflect, cultivate, and realize.

〔Question〕 How so? 〔Answer〕

1. The simile of gold wrought into a vessel: to make him incline in confidence, transforming his mind.
2. The simile of a flower just now in bloom: to make him receive the teaching, opening it forth for him.
3. The simile of eating fine fare: to make him reflect, gaining the savor of the Dharma.
4. The simile of understanding the written word: to make him cultivate, no longer doubting and imagining in vain.
5. The simile of opening a jewel-casket: to make him realize — to awaken to and realize for himself the jewel of the "true factors of awakening" (the components of enlightenment).

By adorning and setting forth the great vehicle through these five meanings, one is able to make people give rise to love and delight for the great vehicle. 〔Question〕 If that Dharma is already complete in its own qualities, what need is there still to adorn it? 〔Answer〕 (The following three passages answer this question.)

Like a fair substance that, adorned, before the mirror gives rise to surpassing joy, once the wondrous Dharma has been adorned, the joy gained is greater still.

Just as a substance already fair, once further decked out and reflected in the mirror, gives rise to surpassing joy — because there is something delightful to see — so too the bodhisattva: taking the meaning of the adorned wondrous Dharma into his own mind, he gives rise to surpassing joy — because there is a Dharma that has been heard. (One sees, then, that the adorning is not superfluous: it lets the beauty of the wondrous Dharma "come forth into view," so that both oneself and others rejoice by it.) 〔Question〕 What qualities, after all, does that Dharma have, such that it is worth adorning thus, and worth urging people to revere and receive it in confidence? (The next three verses answer.)

Like drinking bitter medicine — when the illness is cured, it becomes pleasure; abiding in the letter and understanding the meaning, the bitter and the pleasant are just so. Like the hard task of serving a king — through the task one gains authority and power; just so, the hard-to-understand meaning — through understanding it one gains the wealth of Dharma. Like seeing an uncut jewel — not discerning it, one does not treasure it; just so, hearing the wondrous Dharma — not awakening to it, one takes no joy.

These three verses display, in order, three qualities of the wondrous Dharma: first, that it is a cause of severing hindrances; second, that it is a cause of mastery; third, that it is a cause of wondrous joy.

1. The cause of severing hindrances (like taking bitter medicine): bitter medicine, when first taken, is bitter (hard to swallow); once the illness is well, it is pleasure. The wondrous Dharma is likewise: while one abides on the letter it is bitter (the savor is hard to gain); once one understands the meaning it is pleasure (the illness of the hindrances is broken).
2. The cause of mastery (like serving an awe-inspiring king): at first it is bitter (hard to meet his intent); afterward, having gained authority and power, it is pleasure. The wondrous Dharma is likewise: while one reflects on it it is bitter (the meaning is deep and hard to understand); once one has thought it through it is pleasure (the noble wealth increases).
3. The cause of wondrous joy (like seeing an uncut jewel): while one cannot yet discern it one does not treasure it (supposing it useless); once one recognizes it, one deeply prizes it (knowing it has use). The wondrous Dharma is likewise: at the start of practice one takes no joy (suspecting it empty and useless); once one has cultivated it, one deeply delights (knowing it has great use).

(Here the chapter on The Occasion ends.)

The Chapter on the Occasion is the "preface" to the whole treatise. When a treatise opens, it must first answer one root question: what, in the end, is this treatise doing? The answer lies in the two words of the title — "adornment" (莊嚴). To adorn is to embellish, to bring to light. This chapter makes clear: who, with what, and for whom "adorns the Mahāyāna scriptures"; and — a most pressing doubt — since the wondrous Dharma of the Great Vehicle is of itself complete and perfect, why does it still need "adorning"? The ancient masters read the title of this treatise in just this way: what is called "adornment" means that this treatise is able to adorn the Mahāyāna scriptures, and so it is named the "Treatise Adorning [the Mahāyāna Scriptures]" — the title itself already points out that the whole treatise's business is "adornment."

I. Who adorns, with what, and for whom: the five questions that open the teaching

Through the wisdom of meaning the various meanings are drawn forth; the words and phrases are all undefiled; to rescue suffering sentient beings, because compassion is its nature. Skillfully expounding the Dharma of skillful means — namely, the supreme vehicle — for those who arouse the great mind, it is set forth in brief under five aims.

The prose commentary opens the book with a string of questions and answers, laying out at one stroke the whole provenance of the treatise. Follow the questions down and the skeleton comes clear:

• Who is able to adorn? — the wisdom of meaning (義智), the wisdom that penetrates the meaning of the doctrine.
• With what does one adorn? — with words and phrases, and they must be "undefiled" words and phrases: words that can lead a person to nirvāṇa, phrases whose every character answers exactly to its sense. Apart from undefiled words and phrases, no meaning, however deep, can be opened up.
• Why adorn? — to rescue sentient beings who are suffering; because the bodhisattva has great compassion for his substance, and cannot but pity them when he sees their suffering.
• What Dharma is adorned? — the "Dharma of skillful means" (方便法) that the Tathāgata skillfully expounds, that is, the "supreme vehicle" (the Great Vehicle).
• For whom does one adorn? — for those who have aroused the mind of the Great Vehicle.

There is a layer of deep meaning here that is easily overlooked: "adornment" relies on "words and phrases," and words and phrases are used to point out the wondrous Dharma; they are not the wondrous Dharma itself. Since this collection bears the name "Pointing at the Moon" (指月), it is apt to feel the matter through "pointing at the moon with a finger": the Buddha-Dharma is like the moon in the sky, and words and phrases are like the finger that points at the moon. What "adornment" does is to wipe this moon-pointing finger perfectly clean and bright, so that a person may follow it and see the moon — not so that a person may stare at the finger and take the finger for the moon. The Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra has exactly this simile: "It is like a man pointing at a thing with his finger; the little child looks at the finger and does not look at the thing"; and it warns the student not to "grasp and cling by following the finger of words and speech ... in the end unable to let go of the finger of the letter and take hold of the ultimate truth" — the little child stares only at that finger and does not look at what the finger points to, which is to cling to the "finger of the letter" and lose the "ultimate truth." So although the passage below is exceedingly careful about the adornment of words and phrases, the student must remember: to adorn words and phrases is, in the end, to lead you to see that "moon beyond the words."

II. The five similes: a single road from "faith" to "realization"

Like gold wrought into a vessel, like a flower just opening, like eating fine food, like understanding written words, like opening a jeweled casket — each of these brings its joy; the Dharma adorned under the five aims brings joy just so.

How do those "five aims" adorn? The prose commentary matches them with five most intimate similes, and — hidden within them — a sequence that runs from the shallow to the deep: turning toward faith, receiving the teaching, reflecting, cultivating, and realizing.

• Like gold wrought into a vessel — first it makes a person "turn toward faith": raw gold refined into a fine vessel is lovely and useful; it can move his heart, and only then is he willing to have faith.
• Like a flower just opening — next it makes a person "receive the teaching": once the flower opens, its fragrance and color are present, and one is naturally drawn near to receive the teaching.
• Like tasting fine food — further it makes a person "reflect": once the flavor of the Dharma enters the mouth, he is willing to savor it slowly and ponder it deeply.
• Like understanding written words — still further it makes a person "cultivate": once the letter and the meaning are grasped, there is no more doubt, no more empty musing, and he can settle into real practice.
• Like opening a jeweled casket — finally it makes a person "realize": once the casket opens, the treasure is present — one awakens to and realizes for oneself the treasure of the "true factors of awakening."

Faith, receiving, reflecting, cultivating, realizing — the five similes are not five metaphors picked up at random, but a complete course by which a student passes from the first stirring of his heart to the realizing of the fruit. To adorn the Great Vehicle is to draw a person up, step by step, along just this road.

III. If the Dharma is already perfect, why must it still be adorned? — the simile of the mirror

Here the prose commentary poses that sharpest of questions: since the wondrous Dharma of the Great Vehicle is of itself complete in qualities, why must it still be adorned? — and moreover be urged upon people for their reverence and faithful acceptance? It answers first with a simile:

Like a fine substance that, brought before a mirror, gives rise to surpassing joy, so, the wondrous Dharma once adorned, the joy attained is first of all.

Just as a substance already fine and fair, once slightly embellished and cast into a mirror, gives rise to surpassing joy — why? because "a delightful mark has now shown forth." The bodhisattva is likewise: he takes the adorned meaning of the wondrous Dharma into his own mind, and great joy arises — because "there is Dharma to be heard, there are qualities to be received."

This answer is crucial. In the prose commentary's account, adornment does not manufacture additional qualities for the wondrous Dharma; it is like a mirror that makes a delightful form appear, so that the bodhisattva receives the Dharma's meaning and great joy arises. The simile concerns the function by which an adorned meaning becomes manifest and the beholder rejoices; this exposition does not derive from it a separate thesis of "inherent perfection" in either the Dharma or the reader.

IV. The three qualities of the wondrous Dharma: a good medicine, serving the king, seeing the jewel

Like the bitterness of drinking medicine — when the illness is cured it becomes pleasure; dwelling in the letter and understanding the meaning: bitterness and pleasure are just so. Like the hardship of serving the king — through the service one gains his mighty power; so with the meaning hard to understand — through understanding one gains the wealth of Dharma. Like seeing a raw jewel — not discerned, it is not loved; so with hearing the wondrous Dharma — not awakened to, it brings no joy.

In the last three verses the prose commentary answers head-on "what, after all, is good about this Dharma," setting out the three qualities of the wondrous Dharma, each matched with a simile — and the three similes share one flavor: all of them are "bitter first and sweet after," reminding the student not to turn back at the "bitter" stretch.

• The cause of cutting off the obstruction (bitter medicine to the mouth): bitter medicine is hard to swallow at first, and only when the illness is cured does one know it to be a pleasure. So too with studying the Dharma — while one merely stops at the letter, it is most bitter, and the flavor is hard to come by; once one understands the meaning, the illness of the obstruction is broken, and it turns to pleasure.
• The cause of sovereign freedom (serving the mighty king): to serve a king of awesome majesty is at first a hardship, for it is hard to please him, and afterward a pleasure, for one gains the shelter of his mighty power. So too with studying the Dharma — reflecting is bitter, for the meaning is deep and hard to understand; once one has pondered it through, and nourished the wealth of the noble path, it becomes a pleasure.
• The cause of wondrous joy (recognizing the raw jewel): a jewel raw from the earth, while one does not know its worth, seems useless and is not loved; once one recognizes it, one holds it deeply dear. So too with studying the Dharma — at the beginning of practice one doubts it as empty and useless and feels no joy; once one has practiced to the point of knowing its great use, one delights in it deeply.

The three similes taken together are one heartfelt word to every beginner: the goodness of the wondrous Dharma often lies hidden in the latter half of "hard first, then easy; astringent first, then sweet." To feel bitterness among the letters, difficulty before the deep meaning, and no flavor at the start of practice — all this is normal; do not turn your head away at the bitter place, for the sweetness lies further on.

Conclusion: a single gateway into the whole treatise

Though the Chapter on the Occasion is but six verses, it is a gateway into the entire Mahāyānasūtrālaṃkāra. It fixes, at one stroke, the occasion of the whole treatise: with the wisdom of meaning and undefiled words and phrases (like a moon-pointing finger polished bright), it adorns the Tathāgata's Dharma of skillful means (the supreme vehicle), for those who arouse the great mind, drawing them in along the five stages of "faith — receiving — reflecting — cultivating — realizing"; the mirror simile presents adornment as making the wondrous Dharma's delightful form manifest so that the hearer rejoices and receives it; as for the goodness of the wondrous Dharma, it must be won by patience through the three stretches of "bitter first, sweet after," and only then are the true flavors of cutting off the obstruction, of sovereign freedom, and of wondrous joy to be tasted. Push open this gateway, and the vast ocean of meaning in the twenty-three chapters that follow can be entered, in order, step by step.