The Third Ground Complete
The bodhisattva dwelling in Prabhākarī sees countless buddhas through great spiritual power and the power of vow, contemplating that all dharmas neither arise nor cease, existing only through causes and conditions; the fetters of desire, form, existence, and ignorance grow ever thinner — the fetter of views already cut off since the First Ground — like true gold weighed again and found undiminished; and his patience and ease of mind, together with nine further named qualities, grow ever more pure and radiant. Closing the entire Third Ground, its threefold fruit shows a bodhisattva who often becomes a king of Trāyastriṃśa Heaven, attaining, in a single thought-moment, a hundred thousand samādhis and the sight of a hundred thousand buddhas — before the treatise turns, at last, to Arciṣmatī, the Blazing Ground.
Seeing Countless Buddhas, the Fetters Grown Thin, and Gold Weighed Again
經曰：是菩薩住菩薩明地已多見諸佛，以大神通力、大願力故，見多百佛、多千佛、多百千佛、多百千那由他佛、多億佛、多百億佛、多千億佛、多百千億佛、多百千萬億那由他佛，以大神通力、大願力故。是菩薩見諸佛時，以上心深心供養恭敬尊重讚歎，衣服飲食臥具湯藥一切供具悉以奉施，以諸菩薩上妙樂具供養眾僧，以此善根皆願迴向阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。於諸佛所生上恭敬心專心聽法，聞已受持如說修行，是菩薩觀一切法不生不滅，因緣而有。
論曰：一切法不生不滅者，於清淨法中不見增、於煩惱妄想中不見減，因緣集生故。彼清淨中無一法可增、彼煩惱妄想中無一法可減，然依對治因緣故，離煩惱妄想，轉勝清淨般若現前。如經「觀一切法不生不滅，因緣而有」故。
經曰：是菩薩一切欲縛轉復微薄，一切色縛、一切有縛、一切無明縛皆悉微薄。諸見縛者，先已除滅。是菩薩住菩薩明地已，無量百劫、無量千劫、無量百千劫、無量百千那由他劫、無量億劫、無量百億劫、無量千億劫、無量百千億劫、無量百千萬億那由他劫，不復現集，斷於妄貪；不復現集，斷於妄瞋；不復現集，斷於妄癡。是菩薩彼諸善根轉增明淨。諸佛子！譬如本真金，巧師鍊治秤兩等住，轉更精好光明倍勝。諸佛子！菩薩亦復如是，住菩薩明地已，無量百劫乃至無量百千萬億那由他劫，不復現集，斷於妄貪；不復現集，斷於妄瞋；不復現集，斷於妄癡，彼諸善根轉增明淨。是菩薩忍辱安樂心轉復明淨，同和心、柔軟心、不瞋心、不動心、不濁心、不高下我心、眾生所作不悕望心、有所施作不望報心、不諂曲心、不稠林心轉復清淨。是菩薩四攝法中利益增上，十波羅蜜中忍辱波羅蜜增上，餘波羅蜜非不修習，隨力隨分。諸佛子！是名略說菩薩第三菩薩明地。
論曰：一切欲縛轉復微薄者，斷一切修道欲、色、無色界所有煩惱，及彼因同無明習氣，皆悉微薄遠離故。諸見縛者，於初地中見道時已斷。如經「是菩薩一切欲縛轉復微薄，乃至諸見縛者先已除滅」故。不復現集斷於妄貪等者，斷不善根使習氣行，非斷麁煩惱，麁煩惱前地已斷。如經「是菩薩住菩薩明地已，無量百劫乃至彼諸善根轉增明淨」故。真金喻者，示現不減秤兩等住故。菩薩住明地，厭離世間勝於前地，自在不失故。如經「諸佛子！譬如本真金乃至彼諸善根轉增明淨」故。是菩薩忍辱安樂心轉復明淨者，他人加惡心，能忍受，善護他心。如經「是菩薩忍辱安樂心轉復明淨」故。加惡不改善護他心，分別示現作惡懷疑，現同伴侶愛語誨誘，如經「同和心」故、「柔軟心」故。加惡不瞋，聞罵不報，不生憂惱，如經「不瞋心」故、「不動心」故、「不濁心」故。過去不憍慢，自與善語，如經「不高下我心」故。心不悕望他人恭敬，如經「眾生所作不悕望心」故。於所作事心不求報，如經「有所施作不望報心」故。非不實心作利益行，及無偏心等作利益故，如經「不諂曲心」故。微細隱覆垢心皆悉遠離，如經「不稠林心轉復清淨」故。
Sūtra: This bodhisattva, having dwelt in the bodhisattva's Luminous Ground, sees many buddhas. Through great spiritual power and the power of his great vows, he sees hundreds of buddhas, thousands of buddhas, hundreds of thousands of buddhas, hundreds of thousands of niyutas of buddhas, koṭis of buddhas, hundreds of koṭis of buddhas, thousands of koṭis of buddhas, hundreds of thousands of koṭis of buddhas, and hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of niyutas of buddhas — through great spiritual power and the power of his great vows. When this bodhisattva sees these buddhas, with a supreme, deep mind he makes offerings to them, reveres, honors, and praises them, presenting robes, food and drink, bedding, medicine, and every requisite entirely as offerings. And, with the supreme and sublime objects of delight belonging to the bodhisattvas, he makes offerings to the entire monastic assembly, dedicating this root of goodness, wishing for unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment. Toward the buddhas he gives rise to a supreme mind of reverence, single-mindedly listening to the Dharma; having heard it, he upholds it and practices in accordance with what is taught. This bodhisattva contemplates that all dharmas neither arise nor cease, existing only through causes and conditions.
Commentary: "All dharmas neither arise nor cease" means that, within pure dharmas, no increase is seen, and within affliction and false thought, no decrease is seen, since they arise and gather through causes and conditions. Within that purity there is not a single dharma that could increase; within that affliction and false thought there is not a single dharma that could decrease. Yet, in dependence on the causes and conditions of the antidote, one departs from affliction and false thought, and ever more excellent, pure prajñā manifests before one — as the sūtra says, "contemplating that all dharmas neither arise nor cease, existing only through causes and conditions."
Sūtra: This bodhisattva's every fetter of desire becomes ever thinner; every fetter of form, every fetter of existence, and every fetter of ignorance likewise all become thinner. As for the fetter of views, it has already been cut off and extinguished before. This bodhisattva, having dwelt in the bodhisattva's Luminous Ground, throughout boundless hundreds of eons, boundless thousands of eons, boundless hundreds of thousands of eons, boundless hundreds of thousands of niyutas of eons, boundless koṭis of eons, boundless hundreds of koṭis of eons, boundless thousands of koṭis of eons, boundless hundreds of thousands of koṭis of eons, and boundless hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of niyutas of eons, no longer manifests and gathers, cutting off false greed; no longer manifests and gathers, cutting off false anger; no longer manifests and gathers, cutting off false delusion. This bodhisattva's roots of goodness become ever more increased in radiance and purity. Sons of the Buddha! It is like genuine gold that, once refined by a skillful craftsman, is weighed again and found to remain the same, becoming ever more refined, excellent, and radiant, twice as resplendent as before. Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva is just the same: dwelling in the bodhisattva's Luminous Ground, throughout boundless hundreds of eons, all the way to boundless hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of niyutas of eons, he no longer manifests and gathers, cutting off false greed; no longer manifests and gathers, cutting off false anger; no longer manifests and gathers, cutting off false delusion — and these roots of goodness of his become ever more increased in radiance and purity. This bodhisattva's patience and ease of mind become ever more radiant and pure: a harmonious mind, a gentle mind, an unangered mind, an unmoved mind, an unclouded mind, a mind neither high nor low, a mind unhoping for others' regard for what they have done, a mind giving without hoping for reward, an undeceptive mind, and a mind free of any hidden thicket — these all become ever more pure. Among the four means of attraction, this bodhisattva's beneficial action now predominates; and, among the ten perfections, the perfection of patience now excels — the other perfections he does not fail to cultivate, but in accordance with his own strength and portion. Sons of the Buddha! This is what is briefly called a bodhisattva's Third Ground, the bodhisattva's Luminous Ground.
Commentary: "All the fetters of desire become ever thinner" means that he cuts off every affliction present within the desire realm, the form realm, and the formless realm belonging to the path of cultivation, together with their cause, the habitual residue concordant with ignorance — all of these becoming ever thinner and departing. As for the fetter of views, it was already cut off in the First Ground, at the time of the path of seeing — as the sūtra says, "this bodhisattva's every fetter of desire becomes ever thinner, all the way to the fetter of views having already been cut off and extinguished before." "No longer manifesting and gathering, cutting off false greed" and the rest means cutting off the habitual residue and activity of the unwholesome roots, not cutting off the coarse afflictions — the coarse afflictions having already been cut off in the earlier grounds — as the sūtra says, "this bodhisattva, having dwelt in the bodhisattva's Luminous Ground, throughout boundless hundreds of eons, all the way to these roots of goodness becoming ever more increased in radiance and purity." The simile of true gold makes manifest that it is weighed again and found undiminished. A bodhisattva dwelling in the Luminous Ground renounces the world more excellently than in the earlier ground, without ever losing this self-mastery — as the sūtra says, "Sons of the Buddha, it is like genuine gold, all the way to these roots of goodness becoming ever more increased in radiance and purity." "This bodhisattva's patience and ease of mind become ever more radiant and pure" means that, when another person inflicts harm upon him, he is able to bear and endure it, well guarding that other person's mind — as the sūtra says, "this bodhisattva's patience and ease of mind become ever more radiant and pure." Enduring harm without changing, well guarding the other person's mind, discerning and manifesting toward one who, having done evil, holds suspicion, manifesting as a companion with kind speech that guides and instructs — as the sūtra says, "a harmonious mind," and "a gentle mind." Enduring harm without anger, hearing abuse without retaliating, giving rise to no vexation — as the sūtra says, "an unangered mind," "an unmoved mind," and "an unclouded mind." Free of arrogance over what is past, of himself offering good words — as the sūtra says, "a mind neither high nor low." A mind that does not hope for others' reverence — as the sūtra says, "a mind unhoping for others' regard for what they have done." A mind that seeks no reward for what it has done — as the sūtra says, "a mind giving without hoping for reward." Performing beneficial practice with a mind that is not insincere, and performing benefit free of partiality — as the sūtra says, "an undeceptive mind." Being entirely free of any subtle, hidden, defiled mind — as the sūtra says, "a mind free of any thicket, become ever more pure."
Huiyuan reads the sūtra's own twin clauses — "all dharmas neither arise nor cease" and "existing only through causes and conditions" — as the two truths explaining one another rather than as a single claim restated twice: 不生滅故，但是緣有；因緣有故，無定生滅 — "because they neither arise nor cease, they exist only as a matter of conditions; because they exist through causes and conditions, there is no fixed arising or ceasing." He then names the two sides directly: 不生不滅，是法實性，說為真諦；生滅法相，說為世諦 — "'neither arising nor ceasing' is the real nature of dharmas, and this is called the ultimate truth; the characteristic of arising and ceasing is called the conventional truth." Neither clause cancels the other; each is the same one act of contemplation seen from its own vantage.
On the gold weighed again, Huiyuan glosses the treatise's own brief phrase — "renouncing the world more excellently than in the earlier ground, without ever losing this self-mastery" — with his own image of the metal returning to the fire a further time: 此地修善，厭離下欲，行無退失，如彼真金，重以火鍊，稱兩無減 — "the wholesome practice of this ground, renouncing the lower desires, proceeds without any regression, like that true gold, refined once more by fire, weighed again and found undiminished." Where Part 19's gold moved from fire alone to fire and alum together, reaching a new layer of impurity within the metal's own substance, this ground's gold is simply refined yet again with nothing lost — Huiyuan's point turning on continuity of practice, not a fresh impurity uncovered. Fazang's 華嚴經探玄記, drawing on the parallel Avataṃsaka text, confirms the same fourfold division of this ground's fruit (調柔行體、忍行德、別地行、結說相) almost clause for clause against Huiyuan's own, but names the third of the ten qualities of patience 不壞心, "a mind undestroyed," rather than 不瞋心, "an unangered mind," assigning it specifically to enduring bodily harm, with 不動心 covering verbal abuse and 不濁心 covering the absence of vexation — a finer one-to-one mapping than Huiyuan's own bundled gloss of the same three clauses.
Trāyastriṃśa King and the Fruit of a Hundred Thousand Samādhis
經曰：菩薩住是地中，多作忉利天王，得法自在，能除眾生貪欲等諸煩惱垢，以善方便力拔濟眾生諸欲淤泥。所作善業布施愛語利益同事，是諸福德皆不離念佛、念法、念僧、念菩薩、念菩薩行、念波羅蜜、念十地、念不壞力、念無畏、念不共佛法，乃至不離念具足一切種一切智智。常生是心：我當於一切眾生中為首為勝為大、為妙為微妙、為上為無上、為導為將、為師為尊，乃至為一切智智依止者。復從是念發精進行，以精進力故，於一念間得百千三昧，得見百千佛、知百千佛神力、能動百千佛世界、能入百千佛世界、能照百千佛世界、能教化百千佛世界眾生、能住壽百千劫、能知過去未來世各百千劫事、能善入百千法門、能變身為百千，於一一身能示百千菩薩以為眷屬。若以願力自在勝上，菩薩願力過於此數。示種種神通力，或身、或光明、或神通、或眼、或境界、或音聲、或行、或莊嚴、或加、或信、或業。是諸神通，乃至無量百千萬億那由他劫不可數知。
論曰：此地攝報果、願智力果，如初地中釋。
Sūtra: A bodhisattva dwelling in this ground often becomes a king of Trāyastriṃśa Heaven, attaining mastery of the Dharma, able to remove sentient beings' taint of craving and other afflictions, and, through the power of skillful means, rescuing sentient beings from the mire of desire. The wholesome deeds he performs — giving, kind speech, beneficial action, and cooperative work — every one of these merits is never apart from mindfulness of the buddhas, mindfulness of the Dharma, mindfulness of the monastic assembly, mindfulness of every bodhisattva, mindfulness of the bodhisattva's own practice, mindfulness of every perfection, mindfulness of the ten grounds, mindfulness of unbreakable power, mindfulness of fearlessness, mindfulness of the unshared buddha-dharmas, all the way to never apart from mindfulness of being complete in the wisdom of all modes, the wisdom of omniscience. He constantly gives rise to this thought: among all sentient beings, I shall be foremost, I shall be supreme, I shall be great, I shall be sublime, I shall be exceedingly sublime, I shall be highest, I shall be unsurpassed, I shall be a guide, I shall be a leader, I shall be a teacher, I shall be one held in honor, all the way to being the very support of the wisdom of omniscience. Further, from this very thought, he gives rise to diligent exertion, and, through the power of this diligence, within a single thought-moment he attains a hundred thousand samādhis, is able to see a hundred thousand buddhas, comes to know the spiritual power of a hundred thousand buddhas, is able to shake a hundred thousand buddha-worlds, is able to enter a hundred thousand buddha-worlds, is able to illumine a hundred thousand buddha-worlds, is able to teach and transform the sentient beings of a hundred thousand buddha-worlds, is able to dwell in life for a hundred thousand eons, is able to know the affairs of a hundred thousand eons each in the past and the future, is able to enter skillfully into a hundred thousand Dharma-gates, and is able to transform his own body into a hundred thousand bodies, manifesting, within each and every one of those hundred thousand bodies, a hundred thousand bodhisattvas as its own retinue. Should he, through the power of vow, be self-mastering and supreme, a bodhisattva's power of vow manifests beyond even this number, manifesting all manner of spiritual power — whether of body, or of radiance, or of spiritual power itself, or of the eye, or of the object-realm, or of voice, or of activity, or of adornment, or of empowerment, or of faith, or of karmic function — every one of these spiritual powers, throughout boundless hundreds of thousands of myriad koṭis of niyutas of eons, beyond all counting or knowing.
Commentary: This ground's fruit of gathered retribution and fruit of vow and wisdom are as explained in the First Ground.
Huiyuan's own surviving commentary closes on a forward-looking methodological note rather than a gloss on any single clause: 此後攝報異前二地。異相如何？前二地中，初明在家，後明出家。從此已後，攝報果中皆無出家，良以諸天無出家故 — "from this point on, the fruit of gathered retribution differs from what it was in the first two grounds. What is this difference? In the first two grounds, the exposition first covers the householder, then the one gone forth. From this ground onward, the fruit of gathered retribution nowhere includes the one gone forth, precisely because none of the heavenly beings ever go forth from the household life." This is why the king of Trāyastriṃśa Heaven, unlike the earlier king of Jambudvīpa or the Wheel-Turning King, moves directly from the throne into the hundred-thousandfold samādhi passage with no separate "leaving home" clause at all. Huiyuan adds a single instruction meant to carry forward through all nine remaining grounds: 自後諸地皆同此判，宜須記知 — "every ground hereafter follows this same division; this should be carefully noted and remembered." These are his own last words on the treatise before his manuscript's colophon, 十地義記卷第四末(終), "end of fascicle four."
Neither surviving commentary carries prose into the closing King-and-samādhi passage itself. Fazang's 華嚴經探玄記, having tracked the same threefold fruit and the same ten qualities of patience as Huiyuan clause for clause, moves at exactly this point into a condensed verse-summary of thirty-five stanzas (二偈頌中三十五頌) rather than continuing in prose — a real and honest silence, not a gap in this collection's research. The treatise's own text signals the same restraint from within: rather than re-explaining the fruit of gathered retribution and the fruit of vow and wisdom afresh, it simply points back — 此地攝報果、願智力果，如初地中釋, "as explained in the First Ground" — closing the Third Ground by declining to repeat what has already been said.
Part 23 Complete — Prabhākarī, the Luminous Ground, Now Entirely Translated
This closes Part 23, and with it the entire Third Ground: Prabhākarī, the Luminous Ground. Parts 20 through 23 — the ten kinds of profound mindfulness, the contemplations on impermanence and on having no refuge, the search for the Dharma, entry into the four dhyānas and the formless absorptions, the four immeasurables, the display and detailed exposition of spiritual power, and now the seeing of countless buddhas, the non-arising and non-ceasing of all dharmas, the thinning of the fetters, the gold weighed again, the ten qualities of a purified patience, and the threefold fruit of a bodhisattva who often becomes a king of Trāyastriṃśa Heaven — have now translated the whole of fascicle five of this twelve-fascicle treatise. Part 24 turns to Arciṣmatī, the Blazing Ground — the Fourth Ground, where Jingying Huiyuan's own surviving commentary has now ended for good, and where Fazang's 華嚴經探玄記 continues as this collection's reading-note source.
Continue to Part 24 — Arciṣmatī, the Blazing Ground →