English
English version The bodies of sentient beings enter into the bodies of all sentient beings. It is also said: 'Cause all worlds to enter into a single mote of dust; the worlds do not accumulate thereby, nor are they disordered.' Mount Sumeru (the sacred mountain in Buddhism) enters into a mustard seed; this is not unspeakable. Eighth, the Gate of the Interpenetration and Freedom of All Dharmas. This is discussed from the perspective of function. It still refers to the ten gates of doctrine, principle, and phenomena, taking their three kinds of worlds (sentient beings' world, physical world, and the world of wisdom and enlightenment) as being perfectly harmonized, unobstructed, and free. Therefore, one is identical to all, accomplishing its endlessness upon endlessness. Because of its endlessness, they interpenetrate and inter-enter. This is discussed from the perspective of function. Question: This clarifies its endlessness upon endlessness, interpenetration and inter-entering. What is the difference between this and the previous Indra's net (a metaphor for the infinite interconnectedness of all things in Buddhism) and the Gate of Subtle Mutual Containment? Answer: As said in the Gate of the Common Body of Metaphors, if it is about the mutual reflection and manifestation, with layers upon layers achieving endlessness, then it is included in the Indra's Net Gate. If all gates manifest simultaneously without hindering each other, it is included in the Gate of Mutual Containment. If it is about the perfect harmony, unobstructedness, and freedom of the three times (past, present, and future), with interpenetration and inter-entering achieving endlessness upon endlessness, then it is included in this gate. Question: If it is like this, with interpenetration and inter-entering achieving endlessness upon endlessness, wouldn't this be completely without boundaries? Where is the beginning, where is the end, where is the cause, where is the effect? Answer: This is based on the nature of the Dharmadhatu (the realm of all phenomena) arising from dependent origination (the principle that all phenomena arise from causes and conditions), achieving endlessness upon endlessness. Therefore, the sequence of cause and effect is not lost. Although the sequence is not lost, the sequence interpenetrates and inter-enters, thus achieving its endlessness. Because the sequence interpenetrates and inter-enters, the initial aspiration becomes perfect enlightenment. As said in the previous chapter, one is identical to all, endless also upon endless, and two and three are also like this. Therefore, this sutra praises the merit of the initial aspiration, saying: 'The merit of that one thought is profound and boundless; even if the Tathagata (the title of the Buddha) were to explain it exhaustively, it could not be fully described even after countless eons.' This clarifies that one is identical to all, achieving its endlessness. It also says: 'How much more so for those who, for immeasurable, countless, and boundless eons, fully cultivate the perfections (paramitas, the six or ten perfections) and the stages (bhumi, the stages of a Bodhisattva's practice) of meritorious conduct.' This is from two and three up to ninety, all achieving endlessness. Therefore, from the final mind of the ten faiths (ten faiths) to the ten abodes (ten abodes), the ten practices (ten practices), and the ten dedications (ten dedications) stages, all clarify the attainment of Buddhahood, precisely because the beginning and end interpenetrate and inter-enter, achieving endlessness. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
。问如前明果德绝于说相。云何十信终心即具佛果德用耶。若十信同果德者。即果德是可说之相。何不可说耶。答因位菩萨有果德者。欲彰果德是不可说。是故叹德文云。菩萨在此一地。普摄一切诸地功德。问若一地即摄一切诸地功德。一即一切初即摄后者。一门即具何用余门也。答若无余门一门即不成故。如一升即摄一斗。若无一升此斗即不成。问若无升即无斗者。今举一升即得一斗以不。若一升不得一斗。一行不得具一切行。答十升合成一斗。既无其升时将何作斗。故如无升即无斗。有升即有斗。今举升即斗。斗升之外无别升斗。如龟毛兔角不可得。初心即成佛。成外无别修。其相如虚空。是故言初心成佛者。非谓不具诸功德。如经说。普庄严童子一生具见佛闻法。即得三昧即至后际见佛。灭度后复得三昧。如经一生得见闻。若熏习二生成其解行。三生得入果海。同一缘起大树而此三生只在一念。犹如远行到在初步。然此初步之到非谓无于后步。明此童子得入果海。非不久植善根。问既言久修始得者。云何言一念得耶。答言久修行善根者。即在三乘教摄。从三乘入一乘。即是一念始终具足。故经云初发心时便成正觉。乃至具足慧身不由他悟。譬众流入海。才入一滴即称周大海无始无终。若余江河水之深不及入大海 现代汉语译本 问：如果像前面所说，果地的功德超越了言语的描述，那么为什么十信位的最终阶段就具备了佛果的功德和作用呢？如果十信位等同于果地的功德，那么果地的功德就是可以描述的，为什么又说是不可说的呢？ 答：因位的菩萨具有果地的功德，是为了彰显果地的功德是不可说的。所以赞叹功德的经文中说：‘菩萨在此一地，普遍摄取一切诸地的功德。’ 问：如果一地就摄取了一切诸地的功德，‘一’就等同于‘一切’，最初就摄取了后面的，那么修习一个法门就具备了一切，为什么还要修习其他的法门呢？ 答：如果没有其他的法门，这一个法门也无法成立。比如一升米可以构成一斗米，如果没有一升米，这一斗米就无法形成。 问：如果没有升米就没有斗米，那么现在举起一升米就能得到一斗米吗？如果一升米不能得到一斗米，那么修习一行就不能具备一切行。 答：十升米合起来才成为一斗米。既然没有升米的时候，用什么来作为斗米呢？所以说，没有升米就没有斗米，有了升米就有了斗米。现在举起升米就是斗米，在斗米和升米之外没有其他的升米和斗米。就像龟毛兔角一样不可得。初心就是成佛，在成佛之外没有其他的修行，它的相就像虚空一样。所以说初心成佛，并不是说不具备各种功德。比如经书上说，普庄严童子一生中就见佛闻法，立即得到三昧（Samadhi，定），立即到达后际见佛，灭度后又得到三昧。就像经书上说的一生得见闻，如果熏习两生就能成就他的理解和修行，三生就能进入果海。同一缘起的大树，而这三生只在一念之间。犹如远行，到达就在初步。然而这初步的到达并不是说没有后面的步骤。说明这个童子能够进入果海，并非没有长期种植善根。 问：既然说要长期修行才能得到，为什么又说一念就能得到呢？ 答：说长期修行善根，是在三乘教义的范畴内。从三乘进入一乘，就是一念之间始终具足。所以经书上说，‘初发心时便成正觉，乃至具足慧身不由他悟。’譬如众多的河流流入大海，才流入一滴就称为周遍的大海，无始无终。如果其他的江河，水的深度不及流入大海。
English
English version Question: If, as previously stated, the merits and virtues of the Fruition realm are beyond description, how can the final stage of the Ten Faiths (Shi Xin, 十信) possess the merits and functions of the Buddha-Fruition realm? If the Ten Faiths are equivalent to the merits of the Fruition realm, then the merits of the Fruition realm are describable. Why are they said to be indescribable? Answer: The Bodhisattva (Pusa, 菩萨) in the causal stage possesses the merits of the Fruition realm to highlight that the merits of the Fruition realm are indescribable. Therefore, the text praising merits states: 'The Bodhisattva in this one ground universally encompasses the merits and virtues of all grounds.' Question: If one ground encompasses the merits and virtues of all grounds, and 'one' is equivalent to 'all,' and the beginning encompasses the end, then practicing one Dharma (Fa, 法) possesses everything. Why is it necessary to practice other Dharmas? Answer: If there were no other Dharmas, this one Dharma could not be established. For example, one 'sheng' (升, a unit of volume) of rice can make up one 'dou' (斗, a larger unit of volume). If there were no one 'sheng' of rice, this one 'dou' of rice could not be formed. Question: If there is no 'sheng' of rice, there is no 'dou' of rice, then can we obtain one 'dou' of rice by lifting one 'sheng' of rice now? If one 'sheng' of rice cannot obtain one 'dou' of rice, then practicing one practice cannot possess all practices. Answer: Ten 'sheng' of rice combine to become one 'dou' of rice. Since there is no 'sheng' of rice, what can be used as 'dou' of rice? Therefore, it is said that without 'sheng' of rice, there is no 'dou' of rice; with 'sheng' of rice, there is 'dou' of rice. Now, lifting 'sheng' of rice is 'dou' of rice. Outside of 'dou' of rice and 'sheng' of rice, there are no other 'sheng' of rice and 'dou' of rice. Just like the fur of a tortoise or the horns of a rabbit, they are unattainable. The initial mind is the attainment of Buddhahood. Outside of attaining Buddhahood, there is no other practice. Its form is like empty space. Therefore, saying that the initial mind is the attainment of Buddhahood does not mean that it does not possess all merits and virtues. For example, the sutra says that the boy Universal Adornment (Pu Zhuangyan Tongzi, 普庄严童子) saw the Buddha (Fo, 佛) and heard the Dharma in one lifetime, immediately attained Samadhi (Sanmei, 三昧), immediately reached the later realm to see the Buddha, and attained Samadhi again after Nirvana (Nipan, 涅槃). Just like the sutra says that one lifetime can gain seeing and hearing. If one cultivates for two lifetimes, one can achieve understanding and practice. Three lifetimes can enter the ocean of Fruition. The same great tree of dependent origination, and these three lifetimes are only in one thought. It is like traveling far, and the arrival is in the first step. However, this arrival in the first step does not mean that there are no later steps. It shows that this boy can enter the ocean of Fruition, not without planting good roots for a long time. Question: Since it is said that one can only obtain it through long-term cultivation, why is it said that one can obtain it in one thought? Answer: Saying that one cultivates good roots for a long time is within the scope of the Three Vehicles (San Cheng, 三乘) teachings. Entering the One Vehicle (Yi Cheng, 一乘) from the Three Vehicles is the complete possession of beginning and end in one thought. Therefore, the sutra says, 'At the time of the initial aspiration, one attains perfect enlightenment, and even possesses the body of wisdom without being enlightened by others.' It is like many rivers flowing into the sea. Just entering one drop is called the pervasive sea, without beginning and without end. If other rivers, the depth of the water is not as deep as entering the sea. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
一滴。故即用三乘中修。三乘多劫不及与一乘中一念。故下明善财从文殊所。发心求善知识。经历一百一十城已。而不如一念得见普贤菩萨。故知得入此缘起大海。一念岂不成佛耶。至如初坐用心之徒但取静心即言成佛者。此亦谓。佛成在而不得是圆极之成。如诸江河亦得是水。未得同于大海之水。此中通辨一念成佛义者。若小乘说要三大阿僧祇劫满百劫。修行相好业始得成佛。行若满意欲不成佛亦不得。故无一念成佛义。若大乘明一念成佛义者凡有二种。一者会缘以入实性无多少。故明一念成佛义。如大品经一念品义是也。二者行行既满取最后念。名为成佛。如人远行以后步为到。此亦分用缘起。而明三僧祇劫修道。地前是一僧祇。初地至七地是二僧祇。八地至十地是三僧祇。然亦不定由有一念成佛。故明知不定。若一乘明一念成佛。如大乘取最后一念成佛。即入一乘。以后望初初念即是成。何故以因果相即同时应。故欲论其成者。成复成成复成。众生欲在后成佛者。在后复在后在后复在后。故不思议品云。诸佛如来非不先觉。为众生故于念念中新新断结。亦不住学地而成正觉。故今举一念成者。即与佛同时位未见究竟。故复有浅深之殊。如人始出门及与久游他土。虽同在空中而远近有别。是故信住等位各各言成佛 现代汉语译本：一滴水。所以就用三乘（声闻乘、缘觉乘、菩萨乘）中的修行。三乘多劫的修行比不上一乘（佛乘）中的一念。所以下面说明善财童子从文殊菩萨那里，发心寻求善知识。经历一百一十座城之后，却不如一念得见普贤菩萨。所以知道得以进入这缘起大海，一念之间岂能不成佛呢？至于那些刚开始坐禅用心的人，只求得内心的平静就说自己成佛了，这也可以说成佛了，但是没有得到那圆满究竟的成就。就像诸江河也都可以说是水，但没有得到与大海之水相同。这里总的辨析一念成佛的意义：如果小乘说要三大阿僧祇劫（Asamkhya kalpa，极长的时间单位）圆满一百劫，修行种种相好之业才能成佛。修行如果圆满，想要不成佛也不可能。所以没有一念成佛的意义。如果大乘阐明一念成佛的意义，大概有两种。一是会归诸缘而入实性，没有多少之分。所以阐明一念成佛的意义。如《大品经》（Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra）《一念品》的意义就是这样。二是种种修行已经圆满，取最后的念头，名为成佛。如人远行，以后面的脚步为到达。这也分用缘起，而阐明三僧祇劫修道。十地前的修行是一个僧祇劫，初地到七地是第二个僧祇劫，八地到十地是第三个僧祇劫。然而也不一定，也有通过一念成佛的。所以明白知道是不一定的。如果一乘阐明一念成佛，如大乘取最后一念成佛，就进入一乘。以后面的念头望向最初的念头，最初的念头就是成就。为什么呢？因为因果相即，同时相应。所以要论及其成就，成就又成就，成就又成就。众生想要在后面成佛，在后面又在后面，在后面又在后面。所以《不思议品》（Acintya-prajna-paramita）说，诸佛如来并非不是先觉悟的，为了众生的缘故，在念念之中，不断地断除烦恼，也不停留在学地而成就正觉。所以现在举出一念成就，就是与佛同时，地位还没有达到究竟。所以又有浅深的不同。如人刚出门以及久游他乡，虽然同样在空中，而远近有差别。因此信住等位，各自都说成佛。