大乘莊嚴經論 敬佛品
走完了全程，最後一站，是向佛俯首。
整部論，從凡夫發心講到登地成佛，鋪了一條長路。走到盡頭，菩薩回過身來，向佛頂禮。
這一品，是本論一連十九聲的讚歎：讚佛的慈悲喜捨、讚佛的種種神通與辯才、讚佛獨有而二乘也望塵莫及的十八種功德——每一偈都以「我頂禮」收尾。最後，歸到一個詞：「三身」。佛有法身、受用身、化身三種身。〔疏借喻〕為便於初讀，可借月體、月光、水中月提示三身；此喻不是本論所引，也不作三身義的證據。
讚過十九德、歸結到本論所說三身，全論便在此收筆——『大乘莊嚴經論，於極清淨之時，說已究竟。』
頂禮，是懂了之後的自然反應。
Having walked the whole road, the last stop is to bow one's head before the Buddha.
The whole treatise, from the ordinary being's first arousing of the mind all the way to the ascent through the grounds and the becoming of a Buddha, has laid down a long road. Come to its end, the bodhisattva turns back around and bows in homage before the Buddha.
This chapter is the treatise’s nineteen-fold praise, sounded one after another: praise of the Buddha’s loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity; praise of the Buddha’s manifold supernormal powers and eloquence; praise of the eighteen qualities the Buddha alone possesses, which even the two vehicles cannot draw near to — and every verse closes with “I bow in homage.” At the last it comes home to a single term: the three bodies — dharma-body, enjoyment body, and emanation body. 〔exposition-borrowed simile〕For an initial reading, moon, moonlight, and reflected moon may suggest the three; this image is not cited by the treatise and is not evidence for the doctrine.
Having praised the nineteen qualities and gathered them into the treatise’s account of the three bodies, the whole treatise sets down its brush here: “The Treatise Adorning the Mahāyāna Scriptures, in the time of utmost purity, is now spoken to its completion.”
To bow in homage is the natural response of one who has understood.
〔釋〕已說菩薩行住，次說禮佛功德。
【偈】
合心及離心， 不離利益心，
憐愍諸眾生， 救世我頂禮。
〔釋〕此偈禮如來無量勝功德。合心者，是慈心，由與樂故。離心者，是悲心，由拔苦故。不離心者，是喜心，由恒悅故。利益心者，是捨心，由無染故。
【偈】
一切障解脫， 一切世間勝，
一切處遍滿， 心脫我頂禮。
〔釋〕此偈禮如來三處勝功德。一切障解脫者，顯解脫勝，由一切惑障、一切智障得解脫故。一切世間勝者，顯制入勝，由心自在，隨其所緣隨意轉故。一切處遍滿者，顯遍入勝，由一切境中智遍滿故。由此三義，心於三處而得解脫，故說心解脫。
【偈】
能遮彼惑起， 亦能害彼惑，
染污諸眾生， 悲者我頂禮。
〔釋〕此偈禮如來無諍勝功德。能遮彼惑起者，一切眾生應起煩惱，如來凡所作業能令不起。亦能害彼惑者，彼惑若已起，如來亦能令起對治方便。若餘人無諍，但能令他緣自不起煩惱，而不能令他起對治。如來無諍則不爾，非但令彼不起，亦能令彼起對治，是故為勝。染污諸眾生悲者我頂禮者，如來無諍三昧於一切染污眾生偏起憐愍，是故於彼名為悲者。
【偈】
無功用無著， 無礙恒寂靜，
能釋一切疑， 勝智我頂禮。
〔釋〕此偈禮如來願智勝功德。如來願智由五事勝：一於起無功用、二於境不著、三於中無礙、四恒時寂靜、五能釋眾疑。由此五義，是故為勝。餘人願智，一非無功用，作意起故；二非無著，假定力故；三非無礙，少分知故；四非恒靜，非常定故；五不釋疑，有無知故。
【偈】
所依及能依， 於言及於智，
說者無礙慧， 善說我頂禮。
〔釋〕此偈禮如來無礙勝功德。所說有二種：一所依、謂法；二能依，謂義。說具有二種：一方言、二巧智。如來於此所說及說具，慧常無礙，是故為勝。說者，即顯無礙業。開示有方，故名善說。
【偈】
能去及能聞， 知行知來去，
令彼得出離， 教授我頂禮。
〔釋〕此偈禮如來神通勝功德。能去者，是如意通，能往彼彼所故。能聞者，是天耳通，能聞彼彼音故。知行者，是他心通，能知彼人心行差別故。知來者，是宿住通，能知彼人前世從此因來故。知去者，是生死通，能知彼人今世從此因去故。令彼得出離者，是漏盡通，能如實為彼說法故。
【偈】
眾生若有見， 知定是丈夫，
深起淨信心， 方便我頂禮。
〔釋〕此偈禮如來相好勝功德。一切眾生若有見者，即知如來是大丈夫，及於如來起淨信業，由以相好為方便故。
【偈】
取捨住變化， 定智得自在，
如此四清淨， 世尊我頂禮。
〔釋〕此偈禮如來清淨勝功德。清淨四種：一身清淨、二緣清淨、三心清淨、四智清淨。取捨住者，顯身清淨，能於自身壽中若取若捨若住得自在故。變化者，顯緣清淨，能於諸境轉變起化得自在故。定者，顯心清淨，能於諸定出入得自在故。智者，顯智清淨，能知諸境無礙得自在故。
【偈】
方便及歸依， 清淨與出離，
於此破四誑， 降魔我頂禮。
〔釋〕此偈禮如來力勝功德。魔依四事破壞眾生。何者四事？一依方便誑惑眾生，言受用五塵得生善道不墮惡道。二依歸依誑惑眾生，言自在天等是歸依處餘處則非。三依清淨誑惑眾生，言世間諸定唯此清淨餘非清淨。四依出離誑惑眾生，言小乘道果唯此出離非有大乘。佛為破魔四事顯己十力。一以是非智力破魔第一事，由善方便可得生天，非惡方便故。二以自業智力破魔第二事，由自業生天，非依自在天等力故。三以禪定智力破魔第三事，由具知禪定解脫三昧三摩跋提故。四以後七智力破魔第四事，由下根等令離、上根等安置故。
【偈】
於智亦於斷， 於離亦於障，
能說自他利， 摧邪我頂禮。
〔釋〕此偈禮如來無畏勝功德。於智者，是說一切智無畏。於斷者，是說漏盡無畏。於離者，是說盡苦道無畏。於障者，是說障道無畏。此中智及斷是說自利功德，離及障是說利他功德。若諸外道難言：瞿曇非具一切智、非盡一切漏、說道不能盡苦、說障不能妨道。如來於此四難而能摧伏，故名無畏。
【偈】
在眾極治罰， 自無所護故，
離二染正住， 攝眾我頂禮。
〔釋〕在眾極治罰自無所護故者，此禮如來不護勝功德，若自有所護，在眾不能說極治罰故。離二染正住者，此禮如來念處勝功德，離二染者無喜憂故。正住者，不忘念故。由此二種功德勝故，能攝於一切徒眾，此即是業。
【偈】
行住一切處， 無非一切智，
由斷一切習， 實義我頂禮。
〔釋〕此偈禮如來斷習勝功德。如來於一切處一切時行住等事，無非一切智威儀，由具斷一切煩惱習故。若無一切智者，煩惱雖盡而習不盡，於行住時或逢奔車逸馬即被損害，由非一切智威儀故。如來無此事，由實有一切智故。
【偈】
利益眾生事， 隨時不過時，
所作恒無謬， 不忘我頂禮。
〔釋〕此偈禮如來不忘勝功德。如來作利益眾生事，恒得其時不過其時，此是不忘法業。如來所作，一切時皆實不虛，此是不忘法自性。
【偈】
晝夜六時觀， 一切眾生界，
大悲具足故， 利意我頂禮。
〔釋〕此偈禮如來大悲勝功德。如來以大悲故，晝夜六時觀察眾生誰退誰進，未起善根者令其得起、已起善根者令其增進。雖日六時，而實一切時恒轉法輪，由大悲具足故，此即大悲業。於一切眾生常起利益意，此是大悲自性。
【偈】
由行及由得， 由智及由業，
於一切二乘， 最上我頂禮。
〔釋〕此偈禮如來不共勝功德。如來有十八不共法：一身無失、二口無失、三念無失、四無異想、五無不定心、六無不知已捨、七欲無減、八精進無減、九念無減、十慧無減、十一解脫無減、十二解脫知見無減、十三智知過去無著無礙、十四智知未來無著無礙、十五智知現在無著無礙、十六身業隨智慧行、十七口業隨智慧行、十八意業隨智慧行。此中由行者，攝初節六不共。由得者，攝第二節六不共。由智者，攝第三節三不共。由業者，攝第四節三不共。一切聲聞緣覺於餘一切眾生為上，如來由此四事不共故於彼上復上，故名最上。
【偈】
三身大菩提， 一切種得故，
眾生諸處疑， 能除我頂禮。
〔釋〕此偈禮如來種智勝功德。三身者，一自性身、二受用身、三化身，此說種智自性。問：此智於一切境知一切種復云何？答：一切眾生於一切處生疑，此智能斷，此說種智業。
【偈】
無著及無過， 無穢亦無息，
無動無戲論， 清淨我頂禮。
〔釋〕此偈禮如來度滿勝功德。無著者，於諸資財無所染故。無過者，於身等業永無垢故。無穢者，世法諸苦不濁心故。無息者，少有所得不即住故。無動者，心恒寂靜不散亂故。無戲論者，一切法中所有分別皆不行故。如來此六圓滿，具離六障，故名清淨。
【偈】
成就第一義， 出離一切地，
於他得尊極， 解脫諸眾生，
無盡等功德， 現在皆具足，
世見眾亦見， 不見人天等。
〔釋〕此二偈禮如來佛相勝功德。此中略說佛相有六種：一體、二因、三果、四業、五相應、六差別。由此六種表知是佛，故說佛相。成就第一義者，此是體相，由真如最清淨第一義成就故。出離一切地者，此是因相，由出離一切菩薩地故。於他得尊極者，此是果相，由於一切眾生中得第一故。解脫諸眾生者，此是業相，由能令一切眾生得解脫故。無盡等功德現世皆具足者，此是相應相。世見眾亦見不見人天等者，此是差別相。世見者，謂種種世界皆見，此是化身。眾亦見者，謂佛大弟子眾亦見，此是受用身。不見者，謂人天等一切時不見，此是自性身。此即三身差別。敬佛品究竟。大乘修多羅莊嚴論極清淨時說已究竟。
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.
「敬佛」即禮佛功德——全論最末一品，以一串『禮如來……勝功德／……我頂禮』之偈，一一讚禮如來的種種殊勝功德，終於三身，並以全論之結語收束。每偈末「我頂禮」即『我（向佛）頂禮』之意。
說完了菩薩的行住，接著說「禮佛功德」（讚禮如來的功德）。
合心及離心，不離利益心， 憐愍諸眾生，救世我頂禮。
此偈禮如來的無量勝功德（四無量）：「合心」是慈心（由與樂故）、「離心」是悲心（由拔苦故）、「不離心」是喜心（由恒悅故）、「利益心」是捨心（由無染故）。憐愍眾生的救世者，我頂禮。
一切障解脫，一切世間勝， 一切處遍滿，心脫我頂禮。
此偈禮如來的三處勝功德：「一切障解脫」顯「解脫勝」（由一切惑障、一切智障得解脫）、「一切世間勝」顯「制入勝」（由心自在、隨其所緣隨意而轉）、「一切處遍滿」顯「遍入勝」（由一切境中智遍滿）。由此三義，心於三處而得解脫，故說「心解脫」，我頂禮。
能遮彼惑起，亦能害彼惑， 染污諸眾生，悲者我頂禮。
此偈禮如來的無諍勝功德：「能遮彼惑起」者，一切眾生本應生起的煩惱，如來凡所作的事業能令它不起；「亦能害彼惑」者，那惑若已起，如來也能令他起對治的方便。其餘人的「無諍」，只能令他人『緣著自己時不起煩惱』，卻不能令他起對治；如來的無諍則不這樣，非但令他不起、還能令他起對治，所以為勝。「染污諸眾生，悲者我頂禮」者，如來的無諍三昧、於一切染污眾生偏起憐愍，所以對他們名為「悲者」。我頂禮。
無功用無著，無礙恒寂靜， 能釋一切疑，勝智我頂禮。
此偈禮如來的願智勝功德：如來的願智由五事而勝——一於起時無功用、二於境不著、三於中無礙、四恒時寂靜、五能釋眾疑；由此五義故為勝。其餘人的願智則反之：一非無功用（須作意而起）、二非無著（假借定力）、三非無礙（只少分知）、四非恒靜（非恒在定）、五不釋疑（有無知）。這勝智，我頂禮。
所依及能依，於言及於智， 說者無礙慧，善說我頂禮。
此偈禮如來的無礙勝功德：所說的有二種——一「所依」謂法、二「能依」謂義；說的工具也有二種——一「方言」（言詞）、二「巧智」（辯才）。如來於這所說及說具，慧常無礙，所以為勝。「說者」即顯無礙之業；開示有方，故名「善說」。我頂禮。
能去及能聞，知行知來去， 令彼得出離，教授我頂禮。
此偈禮如來的神通勝功德（六通）：「能去」是如意通（能往彼彼之處）、「能聞」是天耳通（能聞彼彼之音）、「知行」是他心通（能知彼人心行的差別）、「知來」是宿住通（能知彼人前世從何因而來）、「知去」是生死通（能知彼人今世從何因而去）、「令彼得出離」是漏盡通（能如實為彼說法）。善以神通教授，我頂禮。
眾生若有見，知定是丈夫， 深起淨信心，方便我頂禮。
此偈禮如來的相好勝功德：一切眾生但有見者，即知如來是大丈夫，並對如來起淨信之業——由以相好為方便故。我頂禮。
取捨住變化，定智得自在， 如此四清淨，世尊我頂禮。
此偈禮如來的清淨勝功德（四清淨）：『取、捨、住』顯身清淨（能於自身的壽命中、若取、若捨、若住得自在）、「變化」顯緣清淨（能於諸境轉變、起化得自在）、「定」顯心清淨（能於諸定出入得自在）、「智」顯智清淨（能知諸境無礙得自在）。如此四清淨的世尊，我頂禮。
方便及歸依，清淨與出離， 於此破四誑，降魔我頂禮。
此偈禮如來的力勝功德（以十力破魔之四誑）。魔依四事破壞眾生：一依「方便」誑惑眾生——說『受用五塵也得生善道、不墮惡道』；二依「歸依」誑惑眾生——說『自在天等才是歸依處、餘處則非』；三依「清淨」誑惑眾生——說『世間諸定唯此清淨、餘非清淨』；四依「出離」誑惑眾生——說『小乘的道果唯此是出離、並無大乘』。佛為破魔這四事而顯自己的十力：一以「是非智力」破魔第一事（由善方便方得生天、非惡方便故）；二以「自業智力」破魔第二事（由自己的業而生天、非依自在天等之力故）；三以「禪定智力」破魔第三事（由具知禪定、解脫、三昧、等至故）；四以「後七智力」破魔第四事（由令下根等出離、令上根等安置〔於大乘〕故）。降魔者，我頂禮。
於智亦於斷，於離亦於障， 能說自他利，摧邪我頂禮。
此偈禮如來的無畏勝功德（四無畏）：「於智」是說「一切智無畏」、「於斷」是說「漏盡無畏」、「於離」是說「盡苦道無畏」、「於障」是說「障道無畏」。此中「智」及「斷」是說自利功德、「離」及「障」是說利他功德。若諸外道難言『瞿曇並非具一切智、並非盡一切漏、所說之道不能盡苦、所說之障不能妨道』，如來於這四難而能摧伏，故名無畏。摧邪者，我頂禮。
在眾極治罰，自無所護故， 離二染正住，攝眾我頂禮。
「在眾極治罰，自無所護故」者，這禮如來的不護勝功德——若自身有所隱護，在大眾中便不能盡情舉治過失。「離二染正住」者，這禮如來的念處勝功德——「離二染」者，無喜、憂二者；「正住」者，不忘念。由這二種功德勝故，能攝一切徒眾——這即是其業。攝眾者，我頂禮。
行住一切處，無非一切智， 由斷一切習，實義我頂禮。
此偈禮如來的斷習勝功德：如來於一切處、一切時，行、住等事無非「一切智」的威儀，由具斷一切煩惱習氣故。若無一切智者，煩惱雖盡而習氣不盡，於行、住時或逢奔車、逸馬即被損害——由非一切智的威儀故；如來無此事，由實有一切智故。實義者，我頂禮。
利益眾生事，隨時不過時， 所作恒無謬，不忘我頂禮。
此偈禮如來的不忘勝功德：如來作利益眾生之事，恒得其時、不錯過其時——這是「不忘法」之業；如來所作，一切時皆真實不虛——這是「不忘法」之自性。不忘者，我頂禮。
晝夜六時觀，一切眾生界， 大悲具足故，利意我頂禮。
此偈禮如來的大悲勝功德：如來以大悲故，晝夜六時觀察眾生『誰退、誰進』，未起善根者令其得起、已起善根者令其增進；雖言「日六時」、其實一切時恒轉法輪，由大悲具足故——這即是大悲之業。於一切眾生常起利益之意——這是大悲之自性。利意者，我頂禮。
由行及由得，由智及由業， 於一切二乘，最上我頂禮。
此偈禮如來的不共勝功德——如來有十八不共法：一身無失、二口無失、三念無失、四無異想、五無不定心、六無不知已捨、七欲無減、八精進無減、九念無減、十慧無減、十一解脫無減、十二解脫知見無減、十三智知過去無著無礙、十四智知未來無著無礙、十五智知現在無著無礙、十六身業隨智慧行、十七口業隨智慧行、十八意業隨智慧行。此中「由行」攝初節六不共、「由得」攝第二節六不共、「由智」攝第三節三不共、「由業」攝第四節三不共。一切聲聞、緣覺於其餘一切眾生為上，如來由這四事不共故、於彼之上更上，故名最上。我頂禮。
三身大菩提，一切種得故， 眾生諸處疑，能除我頂禮。
此偈禮如來的種智勝功德：「三身」者，一自性身、二受用身、三化身——這說的是種智的自性。〔問〕此智於一切境知一切種，又如何（顯其業）？〔答〕一切眾生於一切處所生之疑，此智能斷——這說的是種智之業。能除疑者，我頂禮。
無著及無過，無穢亦無息， 無動無戲論，清淨我頂禮。
此偈禮如來的度滿勝功德（六波羅蜜圓滿、離六障）：「無著」者，於諸資財無所染（施滿）；「無過」者，於身等業永無垢（戒滿）；「無穢」者，世法諸苦不濁其心（忍滿）；「無息」者，少有所得不即住（進滿）；「無動」者，心恒寂靜不散亂（定滿）；「無戲論」者，一切法中所有分別皆不行（慧滿）。如來此六圓滿、具離六障，故名清淨。我頂禮。
成就第一義，出離一切地， 於他得尊極，解脫諸眾生， 無盡等功德，現在皆具足， 世見眾亦見，不見人天等。
此二偈禮如來的佛相勝功德。此中略說佛相有六種：一體、二因、三果、四業、五相應、六差別——由這六種可表知是佛，故說「佛相」。「成就第一義」者，這是體相（由真如最清淨第一義成就故）；「出離一切地」者，這是因相（由出離一切菩薩地故）；「於他得尊極」者，這是果相（由於一切眾生中得第一故）；「解脫諸眾生」者，這是業相（由能令一切眾生得解脫故）；「無盡等功德現世皆具足」者，這是相應相；「世見眾亦見不見人天等」者，這是差別相——「世見」者，謂種種世界皆見，這是化身；「眾亦見」者，謂佛的大弟子眾也見，這是受用身；「不見」者，謂人、天等一切時不見，這是自性身。這即是三身的差別。
（敬佛品到此為止。）
——大乘修多羅莊嚴論，於極清淨之時，說已究竟。
"Homage to the Buddha" means the merit of paying homage to the Buddha — the very last chapter of the whole treatise. In a string of verses, each praising some surpassing quality of the Tathāgata and closing with "I bow in homage," it praises, one by one, the manifold surpassing qualities of the Tathāgata, coming at last to the three bodies, and then closes off the whole treatise. The closing "I bow in homage" of each verse means "I (before the Buddha) bow my head in homage."
Having stated the bodhisattva's practice and abiding, the text next states the merit of paying homage to the Buddha (禮佛功德, the praising and homage-paying to the qualities of the Tathāgata).
A gathering mind and a releasing mind, and a mind that never abandons benefit — to the one who takes pity on all beings, who rescues the world, I bow in homage.
This verse pays homage to the Tathāgata's surpassing quality of the immeasurables (無量, the four immeasurables): the "gathering mind" is loving-kindness (慈, since it gives happiness); the "releasing mind" is compassion (悲, since it draws out suffering); the "never-abandoning mind" is sympathetic joy (喜, since it is ever gladdening); the "mind of benefit" is equanimity (捨, since it is free of taint). To the one who pities beings, who rescues the world, I bow in homage.
Liberated from every hindrance, surpassing every worldly state, pervading everywhere — to the one whose mind is freed, I bow in homage.
This verse pays homage to the Tathāgata's surpassing quality in three respects: "liberated from every hindrance" shows the surpassing of liberation (freed from every afflictive obstruction and every cognitive obstruction); "surpassing every worldly state" shows the surpassing of mastery over engagement (the mind being sovereign, it turns at will upon whatever it takes as object); "pervading everywhere" shows the surpassing of pervasive engagement (its knowing pervades within every object). By these three meanings, the mind is liberated in these three respects, and so it is said to be "the mind freed." I bow in homage.
Able to hold back the arising of others' afflictions, and able too to strike down those afflictions — to the one full of pity for all defiled beings, I bow in homage.
This verse pays homage to the Tathāgata's surpassing quality of non-contention (無諍): "able to hold back the arising of others' afflictions" means that the afflictions which all beings would otherwise give rise to, the Tathāgata, in whatever deeds he performs, can keep from arising; "able too to strike down those afflictions" means that if such an affliction has already arisen, the Tathāgata can also cause the person to give rise to the remedy that counters it. The non-contention of others can only keep another from giving rise to afflictions "when he takes them as his object," but cannot make him give rise to the remedy; the Tathāgata's non-contention is not so — not only does it keep the affliction from arising, it can also make him give rise to the remedy, and so it is surpassing. As for "to the one full of pity for all defiled beings, I bow in homage": the Tathāgata's samādhi of non-contention gives rise to a special pity toward all defiled beings, and so, in regard to them, he is named "the one of pity." I bow in homage.
Effortless, without attachment, unobstructed, ever at peace, able to resolve every doubt — to the one of surpassing knowledge, I bow in homage.
This verse pays homage to the Tathāgata's surpassing quality of the knowledge born of aspiration (願智): the Tathāgata's knowledge born of aspiration is surpassing by five things — first, it is effortless in its arising; second, unattached toward its object; third, unobstructed therein; fourth, ever at peace; fifth, able to resolve the doubts of beings. By these five meanings it is surpassing. The knowledge born of aspiration in others is the reverse: first, it is not effortless (it must arise by an act of attention); second, not unattached (it borrows the power of concentration); third, not unobstructed (it knows only in part); fourth, not ever at peace (it is not always in concentration); fifth, it does not resolve doubt (there remains what it does not know). To this surpassing knowledge, I bow in homage.
The support and the supported, the word and the knowledge — to the one whose speaking is unobstructed wisdom, who speaks well, I bow in homage.
This verse pays homage to the Tathāgata's surpassing quality of the unobstructed [understandings] (無礙): what is spoken is of two kinds — first, the "support," namely the teaching (法); second, the "supported," namely its meaning (義); and the instruments of speaking are also of two kinds — first, "the modes of language" (言詞), and second, "the skill [of eloquence]" (巧智, ready speech). Toward these — what is spoken and the instruments of speaking — the Tathāgata's wisdom is ever unobstructed, and so it is surpassing. "The one whose speaking" shows the working of this unobstructedness; because he sets it forth with method, he is called "one who speaks well." I bow in homage.
Able to go, and able to hear, knowing others' conduct, knowing their coming and going, and causing them to reach going-forth — to the one who instructs, I bow in homage.
This verse pays homage to the Tathāgata's surpassing quality of the supernormal powers (神通, the six supernormal powers): "able to go" is the power of unimpeded motion (able to go to this place and that); "able to hear" is the divine ear (able to hear this sound and that); "knowing others' conduct" is the knowledge of others' minds (able to know the differences in the conduct of others' minds); "knowing their coming" is the knowledge of former abodes (able to know from what cause a person came in a former life); "knowing their going" is the knowledge of death-and-birth (able to know from what cause a person will go in this present life); "causing them to reach going-forth" is the knowledge of the extinction of the taints (able to teach the Dharma to them as it truly is). Instructing them well by the supernormal powers, I bow in homage.
When any being but sees him, he knows for certain: this is a great man, and deeply gives rise to a mind of pure faith — to the one who is the [very] means, I bow in homage.
This verse pays homage to the Tathāgata's surpassing quality of the marks and signs (相好): any being who but sees him at once knows the Tathāgata to be a great man, and gives rise to the working of pure faith toward the Tathāgata — because the marks and signs serve as the means [that draws it forth]. I bow in homage.
Taking up, laying down, abiding, and transformation, concentration and knowledge — gaining mastery in these: such is the fourfold purity — to the World-Honored One, I bow in homage.
This verse pays homage to the Tathāgata's surpassing quality of purity (清淨, the fourfold purity): "taking up, laying down, and abiding" shows purity of body (able to gain mastery over the span of his own life — whether to take it up, to lay it down, or to abide in it); "transformation" shows purity of the object-condition (able to gain mastery in transforming and conjuring forth within all objects); "concentration" shows purity of mind (able to gain mastery in entering and leaving the concentrations); "knowledge" shows purity of knowledge (able to gain mastery in knowing all objects without obstruction). To the World-Honored One of such fourfold purity, I bow in homage.
The means, the refuge, purity, and going-forth — smashing the four deceptions in these, to the one who conquers Māra, I bow in homage.
This verse pays homage to the Tathāgata's surpassing quality of the powers (力, by the ten powers he smashes Māra's four deceptions). Māra ruins beings by relying on four things: first, relying on the means, he deceives beings — saying, "By enjoying the five sense-pleasures too one may be born in a good destiny and not fall into an evil one"; second, relying on the refuge, he deceives beings — saying, "It is Īśvara and the like alone who are the refuge, and no other place is"; third, relying on purity, he deceives beings — saying, "Among worldly concentrations, this one alone is pure, and the rest are not pure"; fourth, relying on going-forth, he deceives beings — saying, "The path and fruit of the lesser vehicle alone are the going-forth, and there is no great vehicle." To smash Māra's four things, the Buddha displays his own ten powers: first, by the power of the knowledge of the correct and the incorrect he smashes Māra's first thing (since it is by good means that one may be born in heaven, and not by evil means); second, by the power of the knowledge of [beings'] own deeds he smashes Māra's second thing (since it is by one's own deeds that one is born in heaven, and not by relying on the power of Īśvara and the like); third, by the power of the knowledge of the meditative concentrations he smashes Māra's third thing (since he possesses full knowledge of the meditations, the liberations, the samādhis, and the meditative attainments); fourth, by the power of the seven latter knowledges he smashes Māra's fourth thing (since he brings those of dull faculties and the like to going-forth, and establishes those of keen faculties and the like [in the great vehicle]). To the one who conquers Māra, I bow in homage.
As to knowledge and as to severance, as to release and as to hindrance, able to declare the benefit of self and other — to the one who crushes the false, I bow in homage.
This verse pays homage to the Tathāgata's surpassing quality of the fearlessnesses (無畏, the four fearlessnesses): "as to knowledge" is his declaring the fearlessness [in claiming] all-knowledge; "as to severance" is his declaring the fearlessness [in claiming] the extinction of the taints; "as to release" is his declaring the fearlessness [in teaching] the path that exhausts suffering; "as to hindrance" is his declaring the fearlessness [in teaching] what hinders the path. Here "knowledge" and "severance" declare the qualities that benefit oneself; "release" and "hindrance" declare the qualities that benefit others. Should the outsiders challenge him, saying, "Gautama does not possess all-knowledge, has not exhausted all the taints, the path he teaches cannot exhaust suffering, and the hindrance he teaches cannot obstruct the path" — the Tathāgata, faced with these four challenges, is able to crush them, and so he is named "the fearless one." To the one who crushes the false, I bow in homage.
Among the assembly he reproves to the utmost, since he himself has nothing to conceal; free of the two taints, rightly abiding — to the one who gathers the assembly, I bow in homage.
"Among the assembly he reproves to the utmost, since he himself has nothing to conceal" pays homage to the Tathāgata's surpassing quality of having nothing to conceal (不護): if one had something in oneself to conceal, one could not, in the midst of the assembly, reprove faults to the utmost. "Free of the two taints, rightly abiding" pays homage to the Tathāgata's surpassing quality of the foundations of mindfulness (念處): "free of the two taints" means free of both delight and dejection; "rightly abiding" means never losing mindfulness. Because these two qualities are surpassing, he is able to gather in all his following of disciples — and this is their working. To the one who gathers the assembly, I bow in homage.
In moving and abiding, everywhere, nothing is other than all-knowledge, because he has severed every habit-trace — to the one of true meaning, I bow in homage.
This verse pays homage to the Tathāgata's surpassing quality of the severance of the habit-traces (斷習): in every place and at every time, the Tathāgata's moving, abiding, and the rest are nothing other than the bearing of all-knowledge, because he has fully severed the habit-traces (習氣, vāsanā) of every affliction. If one lacked all-knowledge, then, though the afflictions be exhausted, the habit-traces would not be exhausted, and while moving or abiding one might, on meeting a runaway cart or a bolting horse, come to harm — because one's bearing would not be that of all-knowledge; the Tathāgata has no such thing, because he truly possesses all-knowledge. To the one of true meaning, I bow in homage.
The work of benefiting beings, timely and never past its time, and all he does forever without error — to the one who never forgets, I bow in homage.
This verse pays homage to the Tathāgata's surpassing quality of never forgetting (不忘): the Tathāgata does the work of benefiting beings ever in its due time, never letting the time slip past — this is the working of the "dharma of never forgetting"; and all the Tathāgata does is, at every time, real and not empty — this is the own-nature of the "dharma of never forgetting." To the one who never forgets, I bow in homage.
Six times by day and by night he watches over the whole realm of beings, because he is perfect in great compassion — to the one whose thought is to benefit, I bow in homage.
This verse pays homage to the Tathāgata's surpassing quality of great compassion (大悲): out of great compassion, the Tathāgata watches over beings six times by day and by night, [asking] "Who is falling back, who is advancing?"; those in whom wholesome roots have not yet arisen, he causes to arise, and those in whom they have already arisen, he causes to increase. Though it is said "six times a day," in truth he turns the wheel of the Dharma at every time, because he is perfect in great compassion — and this is the working of great compassion. Toward all beings he ever gives rise to the thought of benefit — this is the own-nature of great compassion. To the one whose thought is to benefit, I bow in homage.
By practice and by attainment, by knowledge and by working, above all the two vehicles — to the highest, I bow in homage.
This verse pays homage to the Tathāgata's surpassing quality of the exclusive [dharmas] (不共): the Tathāgata has the eighteen exclusive dharmas — first, the body is without fault; second, speech is without fault; third, mindfulness is without fault; fourth, there is no [distracting] variance of thought; fifth, there is no unconcentrated mind; sixth, there is no lack of the discernment that has already relinquished [what is to be relinquished]; seventh, resolve is without decrease; eighth, vigor is without decrease; ninth, mindfulness is without decrease; tenth, wisdom is without decrease; eleventh, liberation is without decrease; twelfth, the knowledge-and-vision of liberation is without decrease; thirteenth, knowledge of the past is unattached and unobstructed; fourteenth, knowledge of the future is unattached and unobstructed; fifteenth, knowledge of the present is unattached and unobstructed; sixteenth, deeds of body follow upon wisdom; seventeenth, deeds of speech follow upon wisdom; eighteenth, deeds of mind follow upon wisdom. Here "by practice" gathers the first set of six exclusive dharmas; "by attainment" gathers the second set of six; "by knowledge" gathers the third set of three; "by working" gathers the fourth set of three. All the listeners (聲聞, śrāvaka) and solitary awakeners (緣覺, pratyekabuddha) stand above all other beings; the Tathāgata, by these four exclusive things, stands yet above them, and so is named "the highest." I bow in homage.
The three bodies, the great awakening, since he has attained every kind [of knowledge]: the doubts of beings in every respect — to the one able to remove them, I bow in homage.
This verse pays homage to the Tathāgata's surpassing quality of all-kinds-of-knowledge (種智, sarvajñatā): "the three bodies" — first, the self-nature body (自性身; 法身 dharma-body, svābhāvika-kāya); second, the enjoyment body (受用身, sāṃbhogika-kāya); third, the emanation body (化身, nairmāṇika-kāya) — this states the own-nature of all-kinds-of-knowledge. 〔Question〕 This knowledge knows every kind within every object — and further, how [does its working appear]? 〔Answer〕 The doubts that all beings give rise to in every place, this knowledge can sever — this states the working of all-kinds-of-knowledge. To the one able to remove doubt, I bow in homage.
Without attachment and without fault, unstained and unresting, unshaken and free of vain elaboration — to the pure one, I bow in homage.
This verse pays homage to the Tathāgata's surpassing quality of the fulfilled perfections (度滿, the fulfillment of the six perfections and the departure from the six obstacles): "without attachment" means being unstained by any wealth or goods (fulfillment of giving); "without fault" means the deeds of body and the rest are forever without defilement (fulfillment of discipline); "unstained" means the sufferings of worldly things do not muddy his mind (fulfillment of patience); "unresting" means that, having gained but little, he does not thereupon settle down (fulfillment of vigor); "unshaken" means the mind is ever at peace and not scattered (fulfillment of concentration); "free of vain elaboration" means that within all dharmas, no discrimination [whatsoever] is at work (fulfillment of wisdom). The Tathāgata, having these six fulfillments and being fully departed from the six obstacles, is named "the pure one." I bow in homage.
Accomplishing the ultimate truth, gone forth beyond all the grounds, among others gaining the highest eminence, liberating all beings — inexhaustible qualities and the like, all fully present now: the world sees him, the assembly too sees him, but gods and humans and the rest see him not.
These two verses pay homage to the Tathāgata's surpassing quality of the marks of a Buddha (佛相). Here, in brief, the marks of a Buddha are of six kinds: first, essence; second, cause; third, fruit; fourth, working; fifth, correspondence; sixth, distinction — by these six one can recognize that it is a Buddha, and so they are called "the marks of a Buddha." "Accomplishing the ultimate truth" is the mark of essence (accomplished through suchness, 真如, tathatā, the utterly pure ultimate truth). "Gone forth beyond all the grounds" is the mark of cause (having gone forth beyond all the bodhisattva grounds). "Among others gaining the highest eminence" is the mark of fruit (being foremost among all beings). "Liberating all beings" is the mark of working (able to bring all beings to liberation). "Inexhaustible qualities and the like, all fully present now" is the mark of correspondence. "The world sees him, the assembly too sees him, but gods and humans and the rest see him not" is the mark of distinction: "the world sees him" means he is seen throughout the various world-systems — this is the emanation body; "the assembly too sees him" means the Buddha's great disciple-assembly also sees him — this is the enjoyment body; "sees him not" means that gods, humans, and the rest do not see him at any time — this is the self-nature body. This, then, is the distinction of the three bodies.
(Here the chapter on Homage to the Buddha ends.)
— The Treatise Adorning the Mahāyāna Scriptures, in the time of utmost purity, is now spoken to its completion.
行住品走完了菩薩的十地之路；這最後一品，菩薩回過身來——向佛頂禮。「敬佛」即「禮佛功德」：本論用一串讚禮之偈，把如來的種種殊勝功德一一讚過，每一偈都以「我頂禮」收尾，最後歸結到佛的「三身」，並為整部論畫上句點。這既是讚佛，也是全論的收束——走完了從發心到成佛的整條路，最後一站，是俯首。
一、一串頂禮：如來的十九種好
這一品讀起來，像一個走完全程的人，回頭望見山頂的佛，一聲聲地俯首讚歎。本論一連用十九偈，讚禮如來的十九種勝功德—— 本論讚佛的『四無量』（慈悲喜捨）、讚佛的「三處」（佛於定境中所成就的三重殊勝：「解脫勝」、「制入勝」（即勝處）、「遍入勝」（即遍處）——皆是依禪定而得的自在）、讚佛的「心解脫」（惑障智障俱脫、智遍一切處）、讚佛的「無諍」（不但令眾生不起煩惱、還能令他起對治）、讚佛的「願智」（任運、無著、遍知、恒靜、能釋疑）、讚佛的『四無礙辯』、『六神通』、「相好」、讚佛的「四清淨」（身清淨、緣清淨、心清淨、智清淨——身所依、所緣境、能緣心、能照智，四者俱淨）； 又讚佛的「十力」（一一破掉魔誑惑眾生的四種謊。這十力可略分四類智力：「是非智力」（處非處智）、「自業智力」（業報智）、「禪定智力」（定解脫等持等至智），以及含攝其餘的「後七智力」）、『四無畏』（任外道怎麼刁難都不被難倒。四無畏又分兩重：「一切智無畏」與「漏盡無畏」是就佛自身所證而立，屬自利；「盡苦道無畏」（說出離之道）與「障道無畏」（說障道之法）是就為眾生開示而立，屬利他）、「不護」（自身坦蕩無短可藏）、「斷習」（連煩惱的習氣殘餘都斷盡了）、「不忘」（利生從不錯過時機）、「大悲」（晝夜六時觀察眾生、恒轉法輪）。
這裡的「斷習」一條，又是初學要費些思量的：阿羅漢明明已經「漏盡」、煩惱斷了，怎麼還說他『習氣』未斷？論文用「奔車逸馬」點出——二乘行住之際偶逢驚車逸馬，仍可能受損，正因威儀尚非「一切智」。何以同斷煩惱，習氣卻有盡、不盡之別？《大智度論》答得最透：「如是等諸聖人，雖漏盡而有煩惱習；如火焚薪已，灰炭猶在，火力薄故，不能令盡。若劫盡時火，燒三千大千世界無復遺餘，火力大故；佛一切智火亦如是，燒諸煩惱，無復殘習。」——二乘斷惑，像尋常一把火燒過柴薪，柴雖燒盡，「灰炭猶在」；佛斷惑，卻像劫末燒盡三千世界的那場大火，連灰燼都不留。同樣是斷，火力一薄一大，故一個留殘習、一個了無餘。該論還另設兩喻：習氣之頑，「如久鎖腳人，卒得解脫，行時雖無有鎖，猶有習在」——鎖已解了，走路卻仍存著被鎖過的樣子；又「如乳母衣，久故垢著，雖以淳灰淨浣，雖無有垢，垢氣猶在」——污垢洗淨了，那股垢氣卻還黏在衣上〔三喻並摘自《大智度論》〕。佛之「斷習勝功德」，斷的正是這最難除的一層餘氣。
這裡有一處初學易滑過、卻最見佛境的地方：讚「願智」時說它「無功用」——佛應眾生之機而起的種種化現、種種說法，並不是先動念、起作意才作的，而是任運自然、無心而成。本論前面〈菩提品〉早替這一句備好了一個現成的比喻：「意珠及天鼓，自然成自事；佛化及佛說，無思亦如是。」——好比『如意寶珠』雖然無心，自然能映現種種寶物；佛也如此，雖無功用心，自然能起種種變化。又好比「天鼓」雖然無心，自然能發出種種音聲；佛也如此，雖無功用心，自然能說種種妙法〔以上喻並出本論〈菩提品〉〕。凡夫起一念都要費力安排，佛的利生卻像珠映、鼓鳴一般，不假絲毫造作——這「無功用」三字，正是「願智勝功德」之所以為勝。
讚「十力」時，本論說這十力一一破掉魔王誑惑眾生的「四誑」（四種欺誑之言）。前三誑且不細表；最末的第四誑值得標出：魔言『唯小乘道果是出離、非有大乘』——魔以『只有聲聞乘的道與果才是真出離，根本沒有什麼大乘』來惑亂行者。本論於此處立佛之十力以破之，所持的正是護持大乘正法的立場：大乘有道、有果、是真出離，魔言為誑。此一段，與《攝大乘論》護教徵引的分際相同，本層如實傳——但傳其文、不代為裁斷；這是本論此處所持的主張，本疏照錄而已。
這十九聲讚禮，不是一張冷冰冰的功德清單，而是一聲聲發自肺腑的俯首。走過了二十多品、看清了菩薩道的全貌之後，再回望佛，才真懂得『佛之所以為佛』——那不是高不可攀的神話，而是這條路走到圓滿時，自然顯現的種種莊嚴。頂禮，是懂了之後的自然反應。
二、十八不共法：佛獨有的好
十九德裡，有一條特別點出佛與二乘的分野——「十八不共法」（佛獨有、聲聞緣覺都沒有的十八種功德）：身、口、念都無過失，沒有雜亂的異想，心恒在定，捨而了了分明；欲、精進、念、慧、解脫、解脫知見六者永不退減；對過去、現在、未來三世的智慧都無著無礙；身、口、意三業都隨智慧而行。 本論說：聲聞、緣覺雖然已經高出一般眾生，但如來憑這「不共」的十八法，是在他們之上「上復上」（更高一層）。同是覺者，佛的覺，圓滿到連二乘也望塵莫及——這正是大乘所以仰望佛地的緣由。
『望塵莫及』四字，《大智度論》也早有一個現成的比喻。該論問：何以十方多如恒河沙的舍利弗、目連，合起來也不如一位菩薩？答得極形象：「譬如螢火虫，雖眾多各有所照，不及於日。」——螢火再多，各自也能發一點微光，可堆到一塊兒，仍照不過一輪太陽〔喻摘自《大智度論》〕。二乘的智慧如螢火，能照夜、卻不能照晝；佛的智慧如紅日一出，千光遍照，星月螢火皆隱其光。這「十八不共」之所以「不共」，正在於它是日輪之明，非螢火所能企及——同在覺者之列，光量卻判然有別。
三、度滿與佛相：圓滿之德與六重佛相
在收歸三身之前，本論還讚了兩條最見「圓滿」的勝功德，正好作為通向果地的橋。
其一是「度滿勝功德」——佛之六度（布施、持戒、忍辱、精進、禪定、般若）一一圓滿。前面二十多品講菩薩『修六度』，是行於道上的事；到了佛地，這六度則是已圓滿成就的果德，這才特別立為一條「勝功德」。六度圓滿，所對的是離六障：六度各破一障，六度既滿，六種障礙也就一一遠離——施滿則離慳、戒滿則離犯、忍滿則離瞋……乃至慧滿則離癡。修六度是因地之行，離六障而度滿是果地之德，兩者一線相承。
其二是「佛相勝功德」。本論講佛之「相」，不只說一個面貌，而是從六個面向去看一尊佛——這便是『六種佛相』：「體」（佛之自體）、「因」（成佛之因）、「果」（所成之果）、「業」（佛之事業作用）、「相應」（諸德相應和合）、「差別」（佛相的種種分位差別）。一尊佛，從體、因、果、業、相應、差別六重去照見，才見其全。而這『六相』的最後一相——「差別」，正落到下面要講的三身：佛相之所以有『世見、眾見、人天不見』的分位差別，根源就在三身。六相由此收歸三身，三身即是全論的果地歸宿。
四、終於三身：佛的三種身
這一品——也是整部論——最後歸結到一個詞：「三身」（佛的三種身）。本論兩度點出它：講「種智」時說三身是佛智的自性，講「佛相」時又以三身收尾。所謂三身是：
- 自性身（法身）：佛最深的那一重身，就是「真如」本身——清淨第一義。它『人天不見』：凡夫天人，一切時都見不到它，因為它不是色相、是法性。
- 受用身（報身）：佛因圓滿修行所成、為聖位弟子所受用的莊嚴身。它『大弟子眾見』：只有登地的大菩薩眾，才見得到。
- 化身：佛為度化世間眾生，於種種世界示現的身。它『世間種種見』：我們在人間見到的佛，就是這一身。
〔疏借喻〕為便於初讀，可借月亮提示三身的『一／三』關係：月之本體借喻自性身，月光借喻受用身，千江所映的水中月借喻化身。此喻僅助讀，不是本論所引，也不作三身義的獨立證據；本段義據仍在本品所列三身。
而這「三身」，在本論中是果地的收束——前面各品從發心、修六度到登十地，於此歸結到三身，又與第十〈菩提品〉所說佛果前後呼應。古德（窺基、太賢）論三身、論佛身之常，亦引菩提品偈釋（如「自性無間續，三佛俱常住」）。以上所據是本論文句與古德引證；月喻只作讀法提示。
結：一部莊嚴大乘的論，到此圓滿
——大乘修多羅莊嚴論，於極清淨之時，說已究竟。
讚禮過如來的十九德、歸結到三身之後，本論為整部論寫下最後一句：這部《大乘莊嚴經論》，在『極清淨之時』，講說圓滿了。 回頭看，全論二十四品，從第一『緣起品』說這部論為何而作，一路講種性、發心、二諦、真實、神通、成熟、菩提、明信、度攝、供養、親近、梵住、覺分、功德、行住，到這最末的「敬佛品」——正好畫成一個圓：從『為什麼要走這條路』起筆，到『走到頭該向佛頂禮』收筆；從卷首李百藥的序讚歎此論之莊嚴，到末品菩薩向佛俯首，首尾相照。
一句話收束：這最後一品，是菩薩走完全程後的一聲俯首——把如來的十九種莊嚴一一讚過，歸結到本論所說的法身、受用身、化身；而當『我頂禮』的讚歎落定，這部莊嚴大乘的論，也就在極清淨之時，說已究竟、圓滿作結了。
The Chapter on Practice and the Grounds walked the whole ten-ground road of the bodhisattva; this final chapter, the bodhisattva turns back around — and bows in homage to the Buddha. "Homage to the Buddha" means "the qualities of paying homage to the Buddha": with a string of verses of homage, the treatise praises, one by one, the manifold surpassing qualities of the Tathāgata, each verse closing with "I bow in homage," and finally gathers everything into the Buddha's "three bodies," setting the last period on the whole treatise. This is at once praise of the Buddha and the closing of the whole treatise — having walked the entire road from arousing the mind to becoming a buddha, the last station is this: to bow the head.
I. A string of homages: the nineteen excellences of the Tathāgata
This chapter reads like someone who has walked the whole way, turning back to catch sight of the Buddha at the summit and bowing, cry upon cry, in praise. The treatise uses nineteen verses in a row to pay homage to the Tathāgata's nineteen surpassing qualities —
The treatise praises the Buddha's "four immeasurables" (loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, equanimity); praises the Buddha's "threefold" (the three kinds of surpassing mastery accomplished within the Buddha's meditative attainment: "surpassing liberation," "surpassing mastery-of-entry" (the stations of mastery), and "surpassing all-pervading-entry" (the all-bases meditations) — all of them the sovereign freedom won through meditative concentration); praises the Buddha's "liberation of mind" (freed from both the obstruction of afflictions and the obstruction to knowledge, with wisdom pervading everywhere); praises the Buddha's "non-contention" (not only causing sentient beings not to give rise to afflictions, but also enabling them to raise the counter-remedy); praises the Buddha's "wisdom of vow" (effortless, unattached, unobstructed, ever tranquil, and able to dispel doubt); praises the Buddha's "fourfold unobstructed eloquence," "six supernormal powers," "marks and signs"; and praises the Buddha's "fourfold purity" (purity of body, purity of object, purity of mind, purity of wisdom — the body one rests on, the object cognized, the cognizing mind, and the illumining wisdom, all four pure).
It further praises the Buddha's "ten powers" (each one breaking one of Māra's four deceits that beguile sentient beings; these ten powers may be roughly grouped into four kinds of cognitive power: "the power of knowing the right and the wrong" (knowing what is and is not the case), "the power of knowing one's own actions" (knowing the ripening of action), "the power of knowing meditative absorption" (knowing the concentrations, liberations, and attainments), and "the latter seven powers" that gather in the rest); the "four fearlessnesses" (not to be cornered however the outsiders may press their challenge; the four fearlessnesses divide into two sets: "the fearlessness of omniscience" and "the fearlessness of the exhaustion of the outflows" are set up with respect to what the Buddha has himself realized, and belong to benefiting oneself; "the fearlessness of the path to the end of suffering" (declaring the path of release) and "the fearlessness concerning the obstructing factors" (declaring what obstructs the path) are set up with respect to teaching sentient beings, and belong to benefiting others); the "needing-no-guarding" (being wholly upright in himself, with no shortcoming to hide); the "cutting-off of habit-residue" (having severed even the residual traces left over from the afflictions); the "never-forgetting" (never missing the right moment in benefiting beings); and the "great compassion" (contemplating sentient beings through the six periods of day and night, ever turning the wheel of Dharma).
Here the entry on the "cutting-off of habit-residue" is one a beginner must ponder a little: the arhat has plainly already "exhausted the outflows" and severed the afflictions — how can it still be said that his "habit-residue" is not severed? The verse commentary points it out with "the runaway cart and the bolting horse" — a follower of the two vehicles, while walking or standing, may happen upon a startled cart or a bolting horse and can still be harmed, precisely because his bearing is not yet the bearing of "omniscience." Why, when both alike have severed the afflictions, is there this difference of the habit-residue being exhausted or not? The Dà zhìdù lùn answers it most clearly: "Such noble ones as these, though the outflows are exhausted, still have the habit-residue of the afflictions; as when fire has burned up firewood, ash and cinder yet remain, because the fire's force was weak and could not consume them fully. But the fire at the end of the eon, which burns up the three-thousandfold great-thousand world-system with no remainder left — because its force is great; the fire of the Buddha's omniscience is likewise, burning up all the afflictions with no residual habit remaining." — When the two vehicles sever the delusions, it is like an ordinary fire burning through firewood: the wood is burned up, yet "ash and cinder yet remain"; when the Buddha severs the delusions, it is like that great conflagration at the eon's end that burns up the three-thousandfold world, leaving not even ash. Both alike are a severing, but the fire's force in the one is weak and in the other great, and so the one leaves residual habit and the other leaves nothing over. That treatise sets up two further similes: the stubbornness of habit-residue is "like a man long shackled who at last gains his release: though there is no shackle when he walks, the habit of it yet remains" — the shackle is off, yet his walking still carries the manner of having been shackled; and "like a wet-nurse's robe long soiled with grime: though washed clean with pure lye, and though there is no grime left, the smell of the grime yet clings" — the filth is washed out, yet that reek of filth still clings to the cloth 〔the three similes are all drawn from the Dà zhìdù lùn〕. What the Buddha's "surpassing quality of cutting-off habit-residue" severs is exactly this last, hardest-to-remove layer of residual reek.
There is one place here a beginner easily slides past, yet where the Buddha's state shows most clearly: in praising the "wisdom of vow" it is said to be "effortless" — the manifold manifestations and teachings the Buddha brings forth in response to the capacities of sentient beings are not first stirred up by a thought or a deliberate intention, but arise spontaneously, of themselves, with no mind behind them. An earlier chapter of this very treatise, the 〈Chapter on Awakening〉, has already made ready a set simile for this line: "The wish-fulfilling jewel and the heavenly drum accomplish their own tasks of themselves; the Buddha's manifesting and the Buddha's teaching, likewise, are without deliberation." — Just as the "wish-fulfilling jewel," though it has no mind, can of itself reflect forth all manner of treasures, so too the Buddha: though with no effortful mind, he can of himself bring forth all manner of transformations. And just as the "heavenly drum," though it has no mind, can of itself send forth all manner of sounds, so too the Buddha: though with no effortful mind, he can of himself expound all manner of wondrous teachings 〔the similes above are both drawn from this treatise's own 〈Chapter on Awakening〉〕. An ordinary being must labor and arrange things to raise even a single thought, but the Buddha's benefiting of beings is like the jewel's reflecting and the drum's sounding, borrowing not the least contrivance — and this "effortless" is exactly why the "surpassing quality of the wisdom of vow" is surpassing.
In praising the "ten powers," this treatise says these ten powers break, one by one, the "four deceits" (the four kinds of deceiving speech) by which the Māra-king beguiles sentient beings. The first three deceits we may leave undetailed; the last, the fourth deceit, is worth marking out: Māra says, "only the path and fruit of the Lesser Vehicle are the true release; there is no Great Vehicle at all" — Māra deludes the practitioner by claiming that only the path and fruit of the śrāvaka vehicle are true release and that there is no such thing as the Great Vehicle at all. Here this treatise sets up the Buddha's ten powers to break it, and the stance it holds is precisely that of upholding the true Dharma of the Great Vehicle: the Great Vehicle has a path, has a fruit, and is true release; Māra's word is a deceit. This passage stands at the same measure as the apologetic citations in the Mahāyānasaṃgraha, and this layer transmits it as is — transmitting the text, not adjudicating on its behalf. This is the position the treatise advances here, and the exposition records it without deciding on its behalf.
These nineteen cries of homage are not a cold catalogue of qualities, but cry upon cry of bowing that wells up from the heart. Only after passing through more than twenty chapters and seeing clearly the whole shape of the bodhisattva path does one, looking back at the Buddha, truly understand "why the Buddha is the Buddha" — not some unreachable myth, but the manifold adornments that show forth of themselves when this road is walked to fulfillment. To bow in homage is the natural response of one who has understood.
II. The eighteen exclusive dharmas: what belongs to the Buddha alone
Among the nineteen excellences, one entry marks out in particular the divide between the Buddha and the two vehicles — the "eighteen exclusive dharmas" (the eighteen qualities the Buddha alone has, which neither the śrāvaka nor the pratyekabuddha possesses): body, speech, and mindfulness are all without fault; there are no scattered stray thoughts; the mind ever abides in concentration; there is equanimity known distinctly; the six — aspiration, vigor, mindfulness, wisdom, liberation, and the knowing-and-seeing of liberation — never wane; the wisdom of past, present, and future is unattached and unobstructed; and the three actions of body, speech, and mind all proceed in accord with wisdom. The treatise says: the śrāvaka and the pratyekabuddha, though they already rise high above ordinary beings, the Tathāgata, by these "distinctive" eighteen qualities, stands higher upon the higher (a further level above them). Both alike are the awakened, yet the Buddha's awakening is fulfilled to a fullness beyond the reach even of the two vehicles — and this is exactly the reason the Great Vehicle looks up to the ground of buddhahood.
The phrase "beyond the reach" too has a set simile ready in the Dà zhìdù lùn. The author of that treatise asks: how is it that Śāriputras and Maudgalyāyanas of the ten directions, as many as the sands of the Ganges, do not, even taken all together, come up to a single bodhisattva? The answer he gives is most vivid: "It is like the firefly: though they be many, each with its own little glow, they are no match for the sun." — Fireflies, however many, can each send forth a speck of faint light, yet heaped all together they still cannot outshine one round sun 〔the simile is drawn from the Dà zhìdù lùn〕. The wisdom of the two vehicles is like the firefly, able to light the night but not the day; the Buddha's wisdom is like the red sun rising, a thousand rays illumining everywhere, before which stars, moon, and firefly all hide their light. What makes these "eighteen exclusive dharmas" distinctive lies precisely in this: they are the brightness of the sun's orb, not what fireflies can aspire to — alike in the ranks of the awakened, yet in the quantity of light divided beyond all comparison.
III. The fullness of the perfections and the marks of the Buddha: the quality of fulfillment and the sixfold mark of the Buddha
Before gathering everything into the three bodies, this treatise praises two more of the qualities that most show forth "fulfillment," fitting exactly as the bridge across to the ground of the fruit.
The first is the "surpassing quality of the fullness of the perfections" — the Buddha's six perfections (giving, discipline, patience, vigor, meditation, and wisdom) are each fulfilled one by one. In the more than twenty earlier chapters, the bodhisattva's "cultivating of the six perfections" was a matter of practice while on the road; at the ground of buddhahood, these six perfections are the fruit-qualities already fulfilled and accomplished, and this is why it is set up as a distinct "surpassing quality." The fullness of the six perfections corresponds to being freed from the six obstructions: each perfection breaks one obstruction, and once the six perfections are full, the six obstructions too are each left behind — the fullness of giving leaves stinginess behind, the fullness of discipline leaves transgression behind, the fullness of patience leaves anger behind… on to the fullness of wisdom, which leaves delusion behind. Cultivating the six perfections is the practice of the ground of cause; being freed from the six obstructions with the perfections fulfilled is the quality of the ground of fruit — the two carry on in a single line.
The second is the "surpassing quality of the marks of the Buddha." When this treatise speaks of the Buddha's "marks," it does not speak of a single aspect only, but views a buddha from six facets — and these are the "six kinds of marks of the Buddha": "substance" (the Buddha's own essence), "cause" (the cause of becoming a buddha), "fruit" (the fruit thus accomplished), "activity" (the Buddha's deeds and functioning), "concomitance" (the manifold qualities in concordant union), and "distinction" (the manifold gradations and distinctions of the Buddha's marks). A single buddha, illumined through these six — substance, cause, fruit, activity, concomitance, distinction — only then is seen whole. And the last of these "six marks" — "distinction" — falls precisely upon the three bodies to be treated below: the reason the Buddha's mark has the gradations of "seen by the world, seen by the assembly, unseen by humans and gods" lies at its root in the three bodies. The six marks are thereby gathered into the three bodies, and the three bodies are the very destination of the whole treatise at the ground of fruit.
IV. At last, the three bodies: the Buddha's three kinds of body
This chapter — and with it the whole treatise — comes at last to a single term: the "three bodies" (the Buddha's three kinds of body). The treatise points to it twice: speaking of "all-kinds-of-knowledge" it says the three bodies are the very nature of the Buddha's knowledge, and speaking of the "marks of the Buddha" it closes again with the three bodies. The three bodies are these:
- The self-nature body (the dharma-body): the Buddha's deepest body of all, which is suchness itself — the pure ultimate truth. It is "unseen by humans and gods": ordinary beings, humans, and gods can, at no time, see it, because it is not a bodily form but the very nature of dharmas.
- The enjoyment body (the reward body): the adorned body accomplished by the Buddha's fulfilled cultivation, enjoyed by disciples of the noble stations. It is "seen by the great assembly of disciples": only the great bodhisattvas who have ascended the grounds can see it.
- The emanation body: the body the Buddha manifests in world upon world in order to teach and liberate the beings of the world. It is "seen in its manifold forms by the world": the Buddha we see in the human realm is just this body.
〔exposition-borrowed simile〕For an initial reading, the moon may suggest the relation of “one” and “three”: the moon itself figures the self-nature body, its light the enjoyment body, and its reflections in many waters the emanation body. This is only an expository aid. It is not a simile cited by the treatise and does not independently prove the doctrine of the three bodies; the doctrinal ground remains the three-body passage above.
In this treatise the “three bodies” provide the closing account of the fruit-ground: the preceding chapters move from arousing the mind, through the six perfections and the ten grounds, and here gather into the three bodies, answering the buddha-fruit described in Chapter 10, 〈Awakening〉. Ancient masters such as Kuiji and Taehyŏn likewise cite that chapter’s verse-commentary when discussing the three bodies and the constancy of the Buddha-body. Those textual statements, not the borrowed moon image, are the ground of this account.
Conclusion: a treatise adorning the Great Vehicle, here brought to fulfillment
— The Treatise Adorning the Mahāyāna Scriptures, at the time of utmost purity, has been fully expounded.
Having paid homage to the Tathāgata's nineteen excellences and gathered them into the three bodies, the treatise writes for the whole treatise its last line: this Mahāyānasūtrālaṃkāra, at "the time of utmost purity," has been expounded to fulfillment. Looking back, the whole treatise's twenty-four chapters — from the first, "The Occasion," which tells why this treatise was made, on through lineage, arousing the mind, the two truths, reality, supernormal powers, maturation, awakening, elucidating faith, the perfections and the means of gathering, offering, attending the good friend, the divine abidings, the factors of awakening, qualities, practice and the grounds, down to this last "Homage to the Buddha" — draw exactly a circle: setting out from "why this road must be walked," and closing at "when the road is walked to the end, one should bow in homage to the Buddha"; from the preface by Li Baiyao at the head of the volume praising the adornment of this treatise, to the bodhisattva of the final chapter bowing his head to the Buddha, the beginning and the end answer one another.
In a phrase to close: this final chapter is a single bow from one who has walked the whole way — having praised, one by one, the Tathāgata’s nineteen adornments, it gathers them into the treatise’s account of the dharma-body, enjoyment body, and emanation body; and when the praise of “I bow in homage” comes to rest, this treatise adorning the Great Vehicle, at the time of utmost purity, is fully expounded and brought to its complete close.
考據Apparatus
本品為全論末品。
一 科判定位
敬佛品居脊樑第二十四，末品，承行住品（「已說菩薩行住，次說禮佛功德」）。全品為一串「禮如來……勝功德／……我頂禮」之讚禮偈，歷數如來十九種勝功德，收束於三身，並以全論結語收束（「大乘修多羅莊嚴論極清淨時說已究竟」）。 十九勝功德序：無量（四無量）· 三處（解脫·制入·遍入）· 無諍 · 願智 · 無礙（四無礙）· 神通（六通）· 相好 · 清淨（四清淨）· 力（十力破魔四誑）· 無畏（四無畏）· 不護＋念處 · 斷習 · 不忘 · 大悲 · 不共（十八不共法） · 種智（三身） · 度滿（六度圓滿離六障）· 佛相（六種佛相·三身差別）。
二 譯名對校（本論無別譯·與玄奘系同義對列）
| 本品（波羅頗譯） | 玄奘系同義 | 說 |
|---|---|---|
| 敬佛／禮佛 | 禮敬佛 | 禮佛功德 |
| 頂禮 | 稽首·敬禮（vandanā） | 各偈結句 |
| 十八不共法 | 十八不共佛法（āveṇika） | 不共勝功德 |
| 三身（自性·受用·化） | 自性身·受用身·變化身 | 法身·報身·化身 |
| 願智 | 願智（praṇidhi-jñāna） | 願智勝功德 |
| 三摩跋提 | 等至（samāpatti） | 力勝功德所舉 |
三 義之所立（眼）
本品以禮佛終全論——歷數如來十九勝功德，而收束於三身（自性身·受用身·化身）。三身於本品兩度顯出：
- 種智勝功德（偈十六）：三身即「種智」之自性。
- 佛相·差別相（佛相二偈）：「世見」＝化身、「眾亦見」＝受用身、「不見人天」＝自性身——三身差別。 三身為全論果地之歸宿，與菩提品（第十·佛果）前後照應；全論至此以『頂禮如來』作結，與卷首序（李百藥）首尾相照。經眼級：十八不共法·三身·四無畏·十力。系內承用：攝大乘論（三身·彼果智分）· 成唯識論（佛果三身）· 瑜伽·佛地經論。
- 如實：十八不共法·三身·四無畏·十力皆佛果功德之共傳正理，本層如實傳。「力勝功德」破魔第四誑（魔言『唯小乘道果是出離、非有大乘』）為護法之立場，同攝論護教之徵引分際，如實傳，無編按、無代裁。
四 徵引（系內）
本品各偈自釋一一勝功德，釋無別引契經立證；「力勝功德」舉「禪定解脫三昧三摩跋提」、「無畏勝功德」舉外道四難（瞿曇非一切智等），皆論自舉以顯佛德。
〔互見·古德三身之引（所引皆本論菩提品文）〕古德論三身、佛身之常，數引本論——所引者乃菩提品（第十）之偈釋，非本品之文；以本品『種智三身·六種佛相·三身差別』與彼前後相照，擇其直涉三身者互見於此，全彙錄詳菩提品考據目四：義林 T45n1861 0359c21（「自性身本性常故」）·0360a03（「大圓鏡智是受用佛」）·學記 X50n0818 0126a10（引「自性無間續，三佛俱常住」偈證身常；學記文作「堂中」，古德傳寫之異）。
五 名相（首見·義）
- 十九勝功德序：無量·三處·無諍·願智·無礙·神通·相好·清淨·力·無畏·不護·念處·斷習·不忘·大悲·不共·種智·度滿·佛相。
- 三處：解脫勝·制入勝·遍入勝。願智五事：無功用·無著·無礙·恒靜·釋疑。
- 四清淨：身·緣·心·智。十力破魔四誑：是非智力·自業智力·禪定智力·後七智力。
- 四無畏：一切智·漏盡（自利）·盡苦道·障道（利他）。
- 十八不共法：身口念三無失·無異想·無不定心·無不知已捨；欲·進·念·慧·解脫·解脫知見六無減；三世智無著無礙；三業隨智行（行·得·智·業四攝）。
- 種智三身·度滿六圓滿（離六障）·六種佛相（體·因·果·業·相應·差別）·三身（自性·受用·化）。
六 譬喻
- 奔車逸馬（斷習勝功德）：餘人習氣未盡，行住時或逢奔車逸馬而被損害；如來具一切智威儀，無此事。論自舉，潔淨。 （本品為讚禮頌體，餘多直陳佛德，罕展開譬喻。）
義疏借喻坐實（非本論自有）
義疏為助開解所引之他經譬喻／經證，本論無此文；坐實出處如下，與本論自有諸喻區別，並錄以對等底料。
- 〔灰炭／劫火喻（斷習）〕：《大智度論》T25n1509 0260c23–c27 —「如是等諸聖人，雖漏盡而有煩惱習；如火焚薪已，灰炭猶在，火力薄故，不能令盡。若劫盡時火，燒三千大千世界無復遺餘，火力大故；佛一切智火亦如是，燒諸煩惱，無復殘習。」義疏用於〔§一·釋「斷習勝功德」——明二乘漏盡而習未盡、佛斷習無餘之別〕。
- 〔久鎖腳人喻（斷習）〕：《大智度論》T25n1509 0260c05–c06 —「譬如久鎖腳人，卒得解脫，行時雖無有鎖，猶有習在。」義疏用於〔§一·釋「斷習勝功德」——習氣之頑〕。
- 〔乳母衣喻（斷習）〕：《大智度論》T25n1509 0260c06–c08 —「如乳母衣，久故垢著，雖以淳灰淨浣，雖無有垢，垢氣猶在。」義疏用於〔§一·釋「斷習勝功德」——習氣之頑〕。
- 〔螢火不及於日喻（不共）〕：《大智度論》T25n1509 0322b05–b06 —「譬如螢火虫，雖眾多各有所照，不及於日。」義疏用於〔§二·釋「十八不共法」——二乘智如螢火、佛智如日，望塵莫及〕。
- 〔如意珠／天鼓喻（願智·無功用）〕：〔系內互證·本論他品〕本論〈菩提品〉T31n1604 0603b16–b17 —「意珠及天鼓，自然成自事；佛化及佛說，無思亦如是。」義疏用於〔§一·釋「願智勝功德」之「無功用」——佛化、佛說任運無心而成〕。
- 〔三佛常住〕：〔系內互證·本論他品〕本論〈菩提品〉T31n1604 0606c13 —「自性無間續，三佛俱常住」。義疏用於〔結語·以本論自身總結三身之常〕。 （系內互證者，以『〔系內互證·本論他品〕』標之。）
七 互讀
- 行住品：本品所承。
- 菩提品（第十）：佛果·三身——與本品三身果地前後照應，宜對讀。
- 發心品·攝大乘論（三身·彼果智分）· 成唯識論（佛果三身）· 佛地經論。
- 卷首序（李百藥）：全論以禮佛作結，與卷首序首尾相照。
八 校本定位
本品 T31n1604 0659c28–0661c20（敬佛品究竟·全論終）。結語（0661c20）：「大乘修多羅莊嚴論極清淨時說已究竟」。
This is the treatise's final chapter.
I. Doctrinal-structural placement (科判定位)
The Chapter on Homage to the Buddha stands twenty-fourth along the spine, the final chapter, following the Chapter on Practice and the Grounds (「已說菩薩行住，次說禮佛功德」 ["having set forth the bodhisattva's practice and grounds, next it sets forth the qualities of paying homage to the Buddha"]). The whole chapter is a string of praise-and-homage verses — "I bow my head to the Tathāgata … [in reverence for] this surpassing quality … I bow my head" — enumerating nineteen surpassing qualities of the Tathāgata, gathered up in the three bodies (三身), and closing with the colophon of the whole treatise (「大乘修多羅莊嚴論極清淨時說已究竟」 ["the Treatise Adorning the Mahāyāna Scriptures, at the time of utmost purity, being spoken, is now complete"]). The sequence of the nineteen surpassing qualities: the immeasurables (the four immeasurables) · the three stations (liberation · mastery-entry · pervasion-entry) · non-contention · the wisdom of vow (願智) · unobstructedness (the four unobstructed [understandings]) · supernormal powers (the six supernormal powers) · the marks and minor marks · purity (the four purities) · power (the ten powers refuting the four false accusations of Māra) · fearlessness (the four fearlessnesses) · being-beyond-guarding + the applications of mindfulness · the severing of the residual tendencies · non-forgetting · great compassion · the exclusive [qualities] (the eighteen dharmas exclusive [to a Buddha]) · all-kinds-of-knowledge (the three bodies) · the fullness of the perfections (the six perfections perfected, apart from the six obstructions) · the marks of a Buddha (the six kinds of mark of a Buddha · the differentiation of the three bodies).
II. Cross-translation collation (譯名對校 · this treatise has no separate rendering; set out alongside the synonymous Xuanzang-lineage terms)
| This chapter (Prabhākaramitra's rendering) | Xuanzang-lineage synonym | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 敬佛／禮佛 [homage to the Buddha / paying homage to the Buddha] | 禮敬佛 [reverencing the Buddha] | the qualities of paying homage to the Buddha |
| 頂禮 [bowing the head in homage] | 稽首·敬禮（vandanā）[bowing the head · reverent homage] | the closing phrase of each verse |
| 十八不共法 [the eighteen exclusive dharmas] | 十八不共佛法（āveṇika）[the eighteen dharmas exclusive to a Buddha] | the surpassing quality of the exclusive [dharmas] |
| 三身（自性·受用·化）[the three bodies (self-nature · enjoyment · emanation)] | 自性身·受用身·變化身 [the self-nature body · the enjoyment body · the transformation body] | dharma-body · reward-body · emanation-body |
| 願智 [the wisdom of vow] | 願智（praṇidhi-jñāna）[the wisdom of vow] | the surpassing quality of the wisdom of vow |
| 三摩跋提 [samāpatti] | 等至（samāpatti）[the attainment(s)] | raised under the surpassing quality of power |
III. What the chapter establishes (義之所立 · the eye)
This chapter ends the whole treatise with homage to the Buddha — enumerating the Tathāgata's nineteen surpassing qualities, and gathering them up in the three bodies (the self-nature body · the enjoyment body · the emanation body). The three bodies come to light in this chapter twice:
- The surpassing quality of all-kinds-of-knowledge (種智勝功德; verse sixteen): the three bodies are the very own-substance of "all-kinds-of-knowledge" (種智, sarvajñatā).
- The marks of a Buddha · the mark of differentiation (the two verses on the marks of a Buddha): "seen by the worldly" = the emanation body, "seen also by the multitude" = the enjoyment body, "not seen by humans and gods" = the self-nature body — the differentiation of the three bodies.
The three bodies are the resting-place of the whole treatise's fruit-ground, answering back and forth to the Chapter on Awakening (Chapter Ten · the Buddha-fruit); the whole treatise here closes with "I bow my head to the Tathāgata," answering, head to tail, to the Preface at the head of the scroll (Li Baiyao). At the scriptural-eye level: the eighteen exclusive dharmas · the three bodies · the four fearlessnesses · the ten powers. Intra-system inheritance: the Mahāyāna-saṃgraha (the three bodies · the Division on the Wisdom of that Fruit) · the Cheng Weishi Lun (the three bodies of the Buddha-fruit) · the Yogācārabhūmi · the Buddhabhūmi-śāstra.
- Faithful transmission: the eighteen exclusive dharmas · the three bodies · the four fearlessnesses · the ten powers are all commonly-transmitted right principle concerning the qualities of the Buddha-fruit, and this layer transmits them faithfully. "The surpassing quality of power" refuting Māra's fourth false accusation (Māra's saying, "only the śrāvaka path-fruit is deliverance — the Mahāyāna is not so") is a stance of guarding the Dharma, on the same footing as the Mahāyāna-saṃgraha's own bounds for citing in defence of the teaching; it is transmitted faithfully, with no editorial remark and no adjudication.
IV. Citations (徵引 · intra-system)
Each verse of this chapter glosses one surpassing quality by itself; the commentary raises no separate scriptural citation to establish it. "The surpassing quality of power" raises 「禪定解脫三昧三摩跋提」 ["the meditative absorptions, liberations, samādhis, and attainments"], and "the surpassing quality of fearlessness" raises the four challenges of the heterodox teachers (that Gautama is not omniscient, and the rest) — all raised by the treatise itself to display the Buddha's qualities.
〔互見·古德三身之引（所引皆本論菩提品文）〕古德論三身、佛身之常，數引本論——所引者乃菩提品（第十）之偈釋，非本品之文；以本品「種智三身·六種佛相·三身差別」與彼前後相照，擇其直涉三身者互見於此，全彙錄詳菩提品考據目四：義林 T45n1861 0359c21（「自性身本性常故」）·0360a03（「大圓鏡智是受用佛」）·學記 X50n0818 0126a10（引「自性無間續，三佛俱常住」偈證身常；學記文作「堂中」，古德傳寫之異）。
〔Cross-reference · the ancient masters' citations on the three bodies (all cited are text of this treatise's Chapter on Awakening)〕 In treating the three bodies and the constancy of the Buddha-body, the ancient masters repeatedly cite this treatise — but what they cite is the verse-commentary of the Chapter on Awakening (Chapter Ten), not text of the present chapter; because this chapter's "the three bodies of all-kinds-of-knowledge · the six kinds of mark of a Buddha · the differentiation of the three bodies" answers back and forth to that chapter, those directly touching the three bodies are set here for cross-reference, the full gathering being given under Heading IV of the Chapter-on-Awakening apparatus: the Dharma-Garden Forest of Categories (義林) T45n1861 0359c21 (「自性身本性常故」 ["the self-nature body, being constant by its very nature"]) · 0360a03 (「大圓鏡智是受用佛」 ["the great perfect mirror wisdom is the enjoyment Buddha"]) · the Study-Notes (學記) X50n0818 0126a10 (citing the verse 「自性無間續，三佛俱常住」 ["the self-nature, the unbroken, the continuous — the three Buddhas alike abide constantly"] as warrant for the constancy of the body; the Study-Notes text reads 「堂中」, a variant of the ancients' scribal transmission).
V. Terms (名相 · first-occurrence · meaning)
- 十九勝功德序 [the sequence of the nineteen surpassing qualities]: the immeasurables · the three stations · non-contention · the wisdom of vow · unobstructedness · supernormal powers · the marks and minor marks · purity · power · fearlessness · being-beyond-guarding · the applications of mindfulness · the severing of the residual tendencies · non-forgetting · great compassion · the exclusive [dharmas] · all-kinds-of-knowledge · the fullness of the perfections · the marks of a Buddha.
- 三處 [the three stations]: the surpassing of liberation · the surpassing of mastery-entry · the surpassing of pervasion-entry. 願智五事 [the five matters of the wisdom of vow]: effortless · unattached · unobstructed · ever-stilled · resolving doubt.
- 四清淨 [the four purities]: of body · of object · of mind · of wisdom. 十力破魔四誑 [the ten powers refuting the four false accusations of Māra]: the power of knowing the right-and-wrong · the power of knowing one's own action · the power of knowing the meditative absorptions · the [remaining] latter seven powers of knowing.
- 四無畏 [the four fearlessnesses]: omniscience · the exhaustion of the outflows (self-benefit) · the path to the exhaustion of suffering · the dharmas that obstruct the path (benefit of others).
- 十八不共法 [the eighteen exclusive dharmas]: the three of body, speech, and mindfulness without fault · no [random] differing notions · no unconcentrated mind · nothing left cast off without knowing it; the six without diminution — desire · vigour · mindfulness · wisdom · liberation · the knowledge-and-vision of liberation; the knowledge of the three times, unattached and unobstructed; the three kinds of action following upon knowledge (the four-fold gathering of conduct · attainment · knowledge · action).
- 種智三身 [the three bodies of all-kinds-of-knowledge] · 度滿六圓滿（離六障） [the fullness of the perfections, the six perfectings (apart from the six obstructions)] · 六種佛相 [the six kinds of mark of a Buddha] (substance · cause · fruit · function · concordance · differentiation) · 三身 [the three bodies] (self-nature · enjoyment · emanation).
VI. Similes (譬喻)
- The runaway cart and the bolting horse (奔車逸馬; the surpassing quality of severing the residual tendencies): other persons, whose residual tendencies are not yet exhausted, when walking or standing may meet with a runaway cart or a bolting horse and come to harm; the Tathāgata, possessed of omniscient deportment, has no such thing. Raised by the treatise itself; clean. (This chapter being a body of praise-and-homage verses, the rest for the most part states the Buddha's qualities directly, and rarely unfolds a simile.)
The exposition's borrowed similes, anchored (not native to this treatise)
The similes / scriptural passages the exposition borrows from other scriptures to aid understanding are not text of this treatise; their sources are anchored below and set out, distinct from this treatise's own similes, as parallel groundwork.
- 〔灰炭／劫火喻（斷習）〕 [the ash-and-charcoal / aeon-fire simile (severing the residual tendencies)]: 《大智度論》T25n1509 0260c23–c27 [the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa] —「如是等諸聖人，雖漏盡而有煩惱習；如火焚薪已，灰炭猶在，火力薄故，不能令盡。若劫盡時火，燒三千大千世界無復遺餘，火力大故；佛一切智火亦如是，燒諸煩惱，無復殘習。」 ["such noble ones as these, though the outflows are exhausted, yet have the residual tendencies of affliction; as when fire has burnt the firewood, ash and charcoal still remain, the force of the fire being feeble and unable to consume them utterly. But the fire at the ending of an aeon burns the three-thousandfold great-thousand world-system leaving nothing over, the force of the fire being great; the fire of the Buddha's omniscience is likewise, burning up the afflictions, leaving no residual tendency."] Used by the exposition at 〔§one · glossing "the surpassing quality of severing the residual tendencies" — showing the difference between the two vehicles, whose outflows are exhausted yet whose tendencies are not, and the Buddha, who severs the tendencies without remainder〕.
- 〔久鎖腳人喻（斷習）〕 [the simile of the man long fettered at the foot (severing the residual tendencies)]: 《大智度論》T25n1509 0260c05–c06 —「譬如久鎖腳人，卒得解脫，行時雖無有鎖，猶有習在。」 ["it is like a man long fettered at the foot, who suddenly wins release: though while walking he no longer has the fetter, the habit of it yet remains."] Used by the exposition at 〔§one · glossing "the surpassing quality of severing the residual tendencies" — the stubbornness of the residual tendencies〕.
- 〔乳母衣喻（斷習）〕 [the wet-nurse's garment simile (severing the residual tendencies)]: 《大智度論》T25n1509 0260c06–c08 —「如乳母衣，久故垢著，雖以淳灰淨浣，雖無有垢，垢氣猶在。」 ["it is like the wet-nurse's garment, which through long use has grime clinging to it: though washed clean with pure ash, and though the grime is gone, the smell of the grime yet remains."] Used by the exposition at 〔§one · glossing "the surpassing quality of severing the residual tendencies" — the stubbornness of the residual tendencies〕.
- 〔螢火不及於日喻（不共）〕 [the simile of the firefly not reaching to the sun (the exclusive [dharmas])]: 《大智度論》T25n1509 0322b05–b06 —「譬如螢火虫，雖眾多各有所照，不及於日。」 ["it is like the fireflies: though they are many and each gives its own light, they do not reach to the sun."] Used by the exposition at 〔§two · glossing "the eighteen exclusive dharmas" — the two vehicles' wisdom is like the firefly, the Buddha's wisdom like the sun, beyond all reach〕.
- 〔如意珠／天鼓喻（願智·無功用）〕 [the wish-fulfilling jewel / heavenly-drum simile (the wisdom of vow · effortlessness)]: 〔intra-system corroboration · another chapter of this treatise〕 this treatise's 〈Chapter on Awakening〉 T31n1604 0603b16–b17 —「意珠及天鼓，自然成自事；佛化及佛說，無思亦如是。」 ["the wish-fulfilling jewel and the heavenly drum accomplish their own work of themselves; the Buddha's transforming and the Buddha's teaching, without thought, are likewise so."] Used by the exposition at 〔§one · glossing the "effortlessness" of "the surpassing quality of the wisdom of vow" — the Buddha's transforming and teaching accomplished spontaneously, without mind〕.
- 〔the three buddhas constantly abiding〕: 〔intra-system corroboration · another chapter of this treatise〕 this treatise's 〈Chapter on Awakening〉 T31n1604 0606c13 —「自性無間續，三佛俱常住」 ["the self-nature continues without interruption; all three buddhas constantly abide"]. The Exposition uses it in its conclusion to summarize the constancy of the three bodies with this treatise's own verse. (Those that are intra-system corroboration are marked "〔intra-system corroboration · another chapter of this treatise〕.")
VII. Cross-readings (互讀)
- The Chapter on Practice and the Grounds (行住品): what this chapter follows.
- The Chapter on Awakening (Chapter Ten) (菩提品): the Buddha-fruit · the three bodies — answering back and forth to this chapter's fruit-ground of the three bodies; fit to be read against it.
- The Chapter on Arousing the Mind (發心品) · the Mahāyāna-saṃgraha (the three bodies · the Division on the Wisdom of that Fruit) · the Cheng Weishi Lun (the three bodies of the Buddha-fruit) · the Buddhabhūmi-śāstra.
- The Preface at the head of the scroll (Li Baiyao) (卷首序): the whole treatise closing with homage to the Buddha, answering, head to tail, to the Preface at the head of the scroll.
VIII. Witness collation (校本定位)
This chapter is T31n1604 0659c28–0661c20 (the Chapter on Homage to the Buddha complete · the close of the whole treatise). The closing words at 0661c20 are: 「大乘修多羅莊嚴論極清淨時說已究竟」 ["the Treatise Adorning the Mahāyāna Scriptures, at the time of utmost purity, being spoken, is now complete"].