The Fourth Ground Complete
This bodhisattva practices no deed the Tathāgata condemns, and, through skillful expedient wisdom, ripens ever further the forty clauses of practice that assist enlightenment — an ever-increasing aspiration amid supreme merit, a mind that knows kindness and repays it, a vigor that never rests, and a profound mind-realm grown ever purer. Closing the entire Fourth Ground, its fruit shows a bodhisattva who sees countless buddhas and often becomes a king of Suyāma Heaven, attaining, in a single thought-moment, a koṭi of samādhis and the sight of a koṭi of buddhas; and the treatise itself explains why this ground is named Arciṣmatī, the Blazing Ground, through the simile of a wish-fulfilling jewel whose pure halo of light, once risen, no other jewel's light can overpower — before the treatise turns, at last, to Sudurjayā, the Ground Difficult to Conquer.
Deeds Never Done, a Mind That Repays Kindness, and Vigor That Never Rests
經曰：是菩薩所有不可作業、如來所呵諸煩惱染，一切不行。所有可作業隨順菩薩行，如來所讚一切正修行。
論曰：所有不可作業者，有二種事故不應作：一、不尊敬如來，佛不讚歎故。二、畏惡名聞生煩惱故。如經「是菩薩所有不可作業，乃至一切不行」故。所有可作業者，有二種事，是故應作。一、見無惡名利，隨順菩薩行故。二、尊敬如來，佛讚歎故。如經「所有可作業乃至一切正修行」故。此是依業染生遠離果。是菩薩轉復隨所隨所、方便智所起修行助道分，如是如是成潤益心。如是等四十句顯示四種果：一者於勝功德中生增上欲心；二者彼說法尊中起報恩行；三者彼方便行中發勤精進；四者彼增上欲本心界滿足。云何於勝功德中生增上欲心？
經曰：是菩薩轉復隨所隨所方便智所起修行助道分，如是如是成潤益心、軟心、調心、安隱樂心、不染心、轉求上上勝行心、轉求勝智心、救一切世間心、恭敬諸師隨順受教心、隨所聞法修行心。
論曰：是中隨所隨所方便智所起修行者，不捨一切眾生修行故，如前說。助道分者，謂一切菩提分法道支故。如是如是成潤益心者，深欲愛敬故。彼潤益心有三種相：一、樂行勝，如經「軟心」故。二、三昧自在勝，如經「調心」故。三、離過對治勝，如經「安隱樂心」故。彼過復有六種：一為食過，或說法中妬心過。此對治，如經「不染心」故。二、少欲功德過，不樂多布施頭陀等。此對治，如經「轉求上上勝行心」故。三、少欲智過，不好求勝智。此對治，如經「轉求勝智心」故。四、懈怠過，不勤化眾生。此對治，如經「救一切世間心」故。五、自見取過，於尊教法心不隨順。此對治，如經「恭敬諸師隨順受教心」故。六、捨為首過，不隨說行。此對治，如經「隨所聞法修行心」故。如是成潤益心。此十句是名於勝功德中生增上欲心果。云何彼說法尊中起報恩行？
經曰：是菩薩如是成知恩心知報恩，心轉柔和，同止安樂，直心軟心，無稠林行、無有諂曲、無有我慢，善受教誨得說者意。如是善心成就、如是寂滅心成就、如是善寂滅心成就。
論曰：彼說法尊中起報恩行，彼知恩心第二十句示現。是中彼成知恩心者，隨順行報恩行。報恩行者有九種依尊起報恩心，如經「知報恩」故。依同法者，起將護心，如經「心轉柔和」故、「同止安樂」故。依法行隨順受教發事能忍，如經「直心」、故「軟心」故。依受用食於施主所自過不覆、不妄說己德，如經「無稠林行」故、「無有諂曲」故。依自勝功德不起高心，如經「無有我慢」故。依教正受語，如經「善受教誨」故。依教不顛倒受，如經「得說者意」故。菩薩如是於彼尊所修報恩行。成如是善心成就者，是對治修行增長故。如是寂滅心成就者，是初對治，修行增長力故。如是善寂滅心成就者，彼果前二句顯，是名彼說法尊中起報恩行果。云何彼方便行中發勤精進？
經曰：是菩薩如是成不休息精進、不雜染精進、不退精進、廣精進、無邊精進、光明精進、無等精進、不壞精進、教化一切眾生精進、善分別是道非道精進。
論曰：彼方便行中發勤精進，成不休息精進，第三十句示現。不休息精進有九種：一、彼精進行平等流注，如經「不雜染精進」故。雜染者，共懈怠共染、若過若不及故。二、自乘不動，如經「不退精進」故。三、廣念，如經「廣精進」故。四、為無量眾生作利益願攝取故，如經「無邊精進」故。五、常至心順行，如經「光明精進」故。六、修習過餘精進，如經「無等精進」故。七、一切魔煩惱行不能破壞，如經「不壞精進」故。八、攝取故，如經「教化一切眾生精進」故。九、能斷疑惑降伏他言，正修習故，如經「善分別是道非道精進」故。是名彼方便行中發勤精進果。云何彼本心界滿足？
經曰：是菩薩深心界轉清淨，深心界不失。信解界轉明利，生善根增長，遠離世間垢濁，斷諸疑心，無有疑網現前具足，成就喜樂。如來現前加，無量深心現前成就。
論曰：彼心界轉清淨，第四十句示現。心界者，依菩提分心初句示現。心界清淨有九種：一、彼道心修行增益，如經「深心界不失」故。二、於勝上證中轉生決定心，如經「信解界轉明利」故。三、彼因對治增長，如經「生善根增長」故。四、滅除諸障，如經「遠離世間垢濁」故。五、除此地祕密疑事，如經「斷諸疑心」故。六、以斷疑故，於餘處決定，如經「無有疑網現前具足」故。七、依勝樂行，如經「成就喜樂」故。八、依化眾生力，如經「如來現前加」故。九、依現無量三昧心智障清淨，如經「無量心現前成就」故。是名本心界滿足果。
Sūtra: Every deed that should never be done by this bodhisattva — every affliction and defilement condemned by the Tathāgata — he practices none of it at all. Every deed that should be done, in accord with the bodhisattva's own practice and praised by the Tathāgata as wholly correct practice, this he practices entirely.
Commentary: "Every deed that should never be done" — there are two matters on account of which it should not be done: first, it fails to revere the Tathāgata, since the Buddha does not praise it; second, it fears an evil reputation and gives rise to affliction — as the sūtra says, "every deed that should never be done by this bodhisattva... he practices none of it at all." "Every deed that should be done" — there are two matters on account of which it should be done: first, one sees in it no evil name or gain, and it accords with the bodhisattva's own practice; second, it reveres the Tathāgata, since the Buddha praises it — as the sūtra says, "every deed that should be done... this he practices entirely." This is the fruit of departing from the defilement generated by karmic action. This bodhisattva, moreover, in whatever place and through whatever skillful wisdom arises, undertakes the practice that assists enlightenment, and, in just this way, brings to accomplishment a mind that enriches and benefits. These forty clauses that follow make manifest four kinds of fruit: first, the fruit of giving rise to a mind of ever-increasing aspiration amid supreme merit; second, the fruit of giving rise, before the honored teacher of the Dharma, to a practice that repays kindness; third, the fruit of giving rise to diligent vigor amid skillful, expedient practice; fourth, the fruit of the perfect fulfillment of the very mind-realm from which that increasing aspiration first arose. What, then, is the giving rise to a mind of ever-increasing aspiration amid supreme merit?
Sūtra: This bodhisattva, moreover, in whatever place and through whatever skillful wisdom arises, undertakes the practice that assists enlightenment, and, in just this way, brings to accomplishment a mind that enriches and benefits, a gentle mind, an accordant mind, a mind of ease and joy, an undefiled mind, a mind that ever seeks the most excellent practice higher still, a mind that ever seeks supreme wisdom, a mind that rescues the entire world, a mind that reveres every teacher and accords with receiving instruction, and a mind that practices in accordance with whatever Dharma is heard.
Commentary: Here, "undertaking the practice that arises through whatever skillful wisdom, in whatever place" means the practice of never abandoning any sentient being, as explained before. "That which assists enlightenment" refers to every branch of the path belonging to the dharmas of enlightenment. "In just this way brings to accomplishment a mind that enriches and benefits" means that his aspiration and reverence grow ever more profound. This enriching, beneficial mind has three marks: first, the supremacy of delighting in practice — as the sūtra says, "a gentle mind"; second, the supremacy of self-mastery in samādhi — as the sūtra says, "an accordant mind"; third, the supremacy of the antidote that departs from fault — as the sūtra says, "a mind of ease and joy." This fault, moreover, is of six kinds: first, the fault concerning food, or the fault of an envious mind amid the teaching of the Dharma — the antidote to this is, as the sūtra says, "an undefiled mind"; second, the fault regarding the merit of having few desires, taking no delight in extensive giving, in the ascetic practices, and the like — the antidote to this is, as the sūtra says, "a mind that ever seeks the most excellent practice higher still"; third, the fault regarding the wisdom of having few desires, not delighting in seeking supreme wisdom — the antidote to this is, as the sūtra says, "a mind that ever seeks supreme wisdom"; fourth, the fault of indolence, not diligently transforming sentient beings — the antidote to this is, as the sūtra says, "a mind that rescues the entire world"; fifth, the fault of grasping at one's own view, the mind not according with the honored teaching — the antidote to this is, as the sūtra says, "a mind that reveres every teacher and accords with receiving instruction"; sixth, the fault of abandoning what is foremost, not practicing in accordance with what has been taught — the antidote to this is, as the sūtra says, "a mind that practices in accordance with whatever Dharma is heard." In this way he brings to accomplishment this enriching, beneficial mind. These ten clauses are what is called the fruit of giving rise to a mind of ever-increasing aspiration amid supreme merit. What, then, is the giving rise, before the honored teacher of the Dharma, to a practice that repays kindness?
Sūtra: This bodhisattva, in this way, brings to accomplishment a mind that knows kindness and knows how to repay kindness; his mind becomes ever more gentle and harmonious; he dwells together with others at ease and in joy; his mind becomes straightforward and gentle; he is free of any thicket-like conduct, free of deceit, and free of pride; he well receives instruction and teaching, and grasps the teacher's own intention. In this way a wholesome mind is accomplished; in this way a mind of quiescence is accomplished; in this way a wholesome mind of quiescence is accomplished.
Commentary: "Giving rise, before the honored teacher of the Dharma, to a practice that repays kindness" is made manifest, as its twentieth clause, by the mind that knows kindness. Here, "brings to accomplishment a mind that knows kindness" means practicing, in accordance with this, the practice of repaying kindness. The practice of repaying kindness is, in dependence on the honored teacher, of nine kinds giving rise to a mind that repays kindness — as the sūtra says, "knows how to repay kindness." In dependence on one who shares the same Dharma, he gives rise to a mind that safeguards and cherishes — as the sūtra says, "his mind becomes ever more gentle and harmonious," and "he dwells together with others at ease and in joy." In dependence on practicing the Dharma, according with receiving instruction, undertaking matters and able to endure — as the sūtra says, "a straightforward mind," and "a gentle mind." In dependence on receiving and using food, at the donor's own place not concealing his own faults and not falsely proclaiming his own virtues — as the sūtra says, "free of any thicket-like conduct," and "free of deceit." In dependence on his own supreme merit, not giving rise to a lofty mind — as the sūtra says, "free of pride." In dependence on the teaching, correctly receiving its words — as the sūtra says, "well receives instruction and teaching." In dependence on the teaching, receiving it without distortion — as the sūtra says, "grasps the teacher's own intention." A bodhisattva, in this way, cultivates the practice of repaying kindness before that honored teacher. "In this way a wholesome mind is accomplished" means that the practice of the antidote has grown and increased. "In this way a mind of quiescence is accomplished" means that this is the power by which the practice of the very first antidote has grown and increased. "In this way a wholesome mind of quiescence is accomplished" — this fruit is made manifest by the two preceding clauses; this is called the fruit of giving rise, before the honored teacher of the Dharma, to a practice that repays kindness. What, then, is the giving rise of diligent vigor amid skillful, expedient practice?
Sūtra: This bodhisattva, in this way, brings to accomplishment unremitting vigor, undefiled vigor, non-regressing vigor, vast vigor, boundless vigor, radiant vigor, unequaled vigor, indestructible vigor, vigor in teaching and transforming every sentient being, and vigor in discerning skillfully between what is the path and what is not the path.
Commentary: "Giving rise of diligent vigor amid skillful, expedient practice" is made manifest, as its thirtieth clause, by the accomplishing of unremitting vigor. Unremitting vigor is of nine kinds: first, that vigor's own practice flows evenly and equally — as the sūtra says, "undefiled vigor." What is defiled is that which is mixed together with indolence and with defilement, whether in excess or falling short. Second, one's own vehicle remains unmoved — as the sūtra says, "non-regressing vigor." Third, vast mindfulness — as the sūtra says, "vast vigor." Fourth, for the sake of benefiting boundless sentient beings, wishing to gather them in — as the sūtra says, "boundless vigor." Fifth, constantly arriving with a mind that accords — as the sūtra says, "radiant vigor." Sixth, cultivating and practicing beyond all other vigor — as the sūtra says, "unequaled vigor." Seventh, unable to be destroyed by the conduct of any māra or affliction — as the sūtra says, "indestructible vigor." Eighth, gathering sentient beings in — as the sūtra says, "vigor in teaching and transforming every sentient being." Ninth, able to cut off doubt and confusion and subdue the words of others, correctly cultivating and practicing — as the sūtra says, "vigor in discerning skillfully between what is the path and what is not the path." This is called the fruit of the giving rise of diligent vigor amid skillful, expedient practice. What, then, is the perfect fulfillment of that very mind-realm?
Sūtra: This bodhisattva's profound mind-realm becomes ever more pure, and his profound mind-realm is never lost. The realm of his faith and understanding becomes ever more sharp and keen; the roots of goodness that arise in him grow and increase; he departs far from the taint and turbidity of the world; he cuts off every mind of doubt; he is entirely free of any net of doubt manifest before him; and he accomplishes joy and delight. The Tathāgata's presence empowers him, and boundless profound mind is accomplished, manifest before him.
Commentary: "That mind-realm becomes ever more pure" is made manifest, as its fortieth clause, where "mind-realm" is made manifest by the very first clause of the mind belonging to the factors of enlightenment. The purity of this mind-realm is of nine kinds: first, this mind of the path's own practice grows and increases — as the sūtra says, "his profound mind-realm is never lost." Second, within supreme, superior realization, a mind of ever more certain resolve arises — as the sūtra says, "the realm of his faith and understanding becomes ever more sharp and keen." Third, the antidote to that very cause grows and increases — as the sūtra says, "the roots of goodness that arise in him grow and increase." Fourth, every hindrance is extinguished and removed — as the sūtra says, "he departs far from the taint and turbidity of the world." Fifth, the secret, hidden matter of doubt belonging to this ground is removed — as the sūtra says, "he cuts off every mind of doubt." Sixth, since doubt has been cut off, resolve is reached with respect to every other matter — as the sūtra says, "he is entirely free of any net of doubt manifest before him." Seventh, in dependence on supreme, joyful practice — as the sūtra says, "he accomplishes joy and delight." Eighth, in dependence on the power to transform sentient beings — as the sūtra says, "the Tathāgata's presence empowers him." Ninth, in dependence on the manifest purity, before him, of the hindrance to wisdom within boundless samādhi-mind — as the sūtra says, "boundless profound mind is accomplished, manifest before him." This is called the fruit of the perfect fulfillment of the mind-realm.
Fazang's own outline of this entire closing passage, drawn from the parallel Avataṃsaka text, names six fruits where the treatise's forty clauses name only four, because he counts the two opening "leaving-behind" fruits — the deeds never done and the afflictions condemned by the Tathāgata — separately from the four "virtue-accomplishing" fruits that follow: 論釋中得六種果……初二是離障果、後四成德果 — "the treatise's own commentary yields six kinds of fruit here... the first two are fruits of departing from a hindrance, and the latter four are fruits of accomplishing a virtue." On the "honored teacher of the Dharma" toward whom gratitude arises, Fazang is precise about who this actually is: 謂前地中從師聞法，即名彼師，為說法尊；從前地來，依法修行，今得成辨，稱彼化意，故名報恩 — "this refers to the teacher from whom, in the earlier ground, the Dharma was heard; that very teacher is called 'the honored teacher of the Dharma.' Having come from the earlier ground, practicing in accordance with that Dharma, one now attains its accomplishment, fulfilling that teacher's own intention in transforming him — and this is why it is called repaying kindness." The gratitude, in other words, reaches backward across the grounds already completed, not merely toward some teacher met in the present.
On the ninefold unremitting vigor, Fazang glosses its very first clause, "undefiled," as the avoidance of two opposite failures rather than a single fault: 共染者，若過；共懈怠者，若不及。離此二種平等勝進，故云不染也 — "'joined with defilement' means excess; 'joined with indolence' means falling short. Departing from these two extremes in an even, excellent advancement — this is why it is called 'undefiled.'" Vigor, on this reading, is not simply more effort but a narrow path between straining and slackening, held evenly across all nine of its remaining kinds.
Seeing Countless Buddhas, the Mani-Jewel's Light, and the Fruit of a Koṭi of Samādhis
經曰：是菩薩住菩薩焰地已，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。於諸佛所生上恭敬專心聽法，聞已受持隨力修行，於諸佛法中出家修道，是菩薩深心決定信解轉復明淨。是菩薩住此菩薩焰地無量百千萬億那由他劫，深心決定信解平等清淨，彼諸善根轉勝明淨。諸佛子！譬如本真金，巧師鍊治作莊嚴具，成就不失，餘非莊嚴具真金所不能及。諸佛子！菩薩如是住此菩薩焰地中，彼諸善根成就不退，下地善根所不能及。諸佛子！譬如摩尼寶珠生光，清淨光輪能放光明，成就不壞，餘寶光所不能奪，一切風飄雨漬水澆光明不滅。諸佛子！如是菩薩住此菩薩焰地中，下地菩薩所不能及，一切眾魔及諸煩惱皆不能壞。是菩薩四攝法中同事偏勝，十波羅蜜中精進波羅蜜增上，餘波羅蜜非不修習，隨力隨分。諸佛子！是名略說菩薩第四菩薩焰地。若菩薩住此地中，多作須夜摩天王，所作自在，破諸眾生身見等事，方便善巧令諸眾生住正見等事。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。復作是念，發精進行。以精進力故，於一念間得億三昧，能見億佛、能知億佛神力、能動億佛世界、能入億佛世界、能照億佛世界、能化億佛世界眾生、能住壽億劫、能知過去未來世各億劫事、能善入億法門、能變身為億，於一一身能示億菩薩以為眷屬。若以願力自在勝上，菩薩願力過於此數。示種種神通，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：是菩薩深心決定信解平等清淨，彼諸善根轉勝明淨者，如餘淨地諸菩薩。真金作莊嚴具譬者，喻阿含現作證智莊嚴，示現得證智故，如經「譬如本真金，巧師鍊治作莊嚴具，成就不失」故。摩尼寶生光明喻者，彼證智法明摩尼寶光中放阿含光明，入無量法門義光明智處普照示現。以是義故，此地釋名為焰。如經「諸佛子！譬如摩尼寶珠生光，清淨光輪能放光明成就不壞，餘寶光明所不能奪」故。生光者，有光明具足故。清淨光輪者，光明圓滿無垢故。所作自在者，破諸眾生身見等事故。是中作者，所作故。自在者，能力故。餘如前說應知。
Sūtra: This bodhisattva, having dwelt in the bodhisattva's Blazing 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, in accordance with his own strength, practices it; within the buddha-dharma he goes forth from the household life and cultivates the path. This bodhisattva's profound mind, resolve, faith, and understanding become ever more radiant and pure. This bodhisattva, dwelling in this bodhisattva's Blazing Ground throughout boundless hundreds of thousands of myriad koṭis of niyutas of eons, his profound mind, resolve, faith, and understanding equal and pure, these roots of goodness of his become ever more excellent, radiant, and pure. Sons of the Buddha! It is like genuine gold that, once refined by a skillful craftsman, is fashioned into an ornament, accomplished and never lost — no genuine gold that is not made into such an ornament can equal it. Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva is just the same: dwelling within this bodhisattva's Blazing Ground, these roots of goodness of his are accomplished without regression, and the roots of goodness of the lower grounds cannot equal them. Sons of the Buddha! It is like a wish-fulfilling jewel that gives rise to light — its pure halo of radiance is able to emit brightness, accomplished and indestructible, and the light of no other jewel is able to overpower it; no wind that scatters it, no rain that soaks it, no water that pours upon it can extinguish its brightness. Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva is just the same: dwelling within this bodhisattva's Blazing Ground, the bodhisattvas of the lower grounds cannot equal him, and every host of māras and every affliction is unable to destroy him. Among the four means of attraction, this bodhisattva's cooperative work now predominates; and, among the ten perfections, the perfection of vigor 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 Fourth Ground, the bodhisattva's Blazing Ground.
Should a bodhisattva dwell in this ground, he often becomes a king of Suyāma Heaven, self-mastering in all that he does, breaking apart the self-view and other such matters held by sentient beings, and, through skillful means, causing sentient beings to abide in right view and other such matters. 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, he gives rise to this thought, and sets forth diligent exertion. Through the power of this diligence, within a single thought-moment he attains a koṭi of samādhis, is able to see a koṭi of buddhas, is able to know the spiritual power of a koṭi of buddhas, is able to shake a koṭi of buddha-worlds, is able to enter a koṭi of buddha-worlds, is able to illumine a koṭi of buddha-worlds, is able to transform the sentient beings of a koṭi of buddha-worlds, is able to dwell in life for a koṭi of eons, is able to know the affairs of a koṭi of eons each in the past and the future, is able to enter skillfully into a koṭi of Dharma-gates, and is able to transform his own body into a koṭi of bodies, manifesting, within each and every one of those bodies, a koṭi of 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 bodhisattva's profound mind, resolve, faith, and understanding, equal and pure, these roots of goodness of his become ever more excellent, radiant, and pure" — this is just as it is for every bodhisattva of the other pure grounds. As for the simile of genuine gold made into an ornament: this likens the scriptural transmission's manifest ornament of realized wisdom, making manifest the attainment of realized wisdom — as the sūtra says, "it is like genuine gold that, once refined by a skillful craftsman, is fashioned into an ornament, accomplished and never lost." As for the simile of the wish-fulfilling jewel giving rise to light: within the light of that jewel that illumines the dharma of realized wisdom, the light of scriptural transmission is emitted, entering the place of the light and wisdom of the meaning of boundless Dharma-gates, universally illumining and manifesting it. It is for this reason that this ground, in explaining its own name, is called "Blazing" — as the sūtra says, "Sons of the Buddha! It is like a wish-fulfilling jewel that gives rise to light — its pure halo of radiance is able to emit brightness, accomplished and indestructible, and the light of no other jewel is able to overpower it." "Gives rise to light" means that it is complete with radiance. "Its pure halo of radiance" means that its radiance is perfect and full, free of any taint. "Self-mastering in all that he does" means breaking apart the self-view and other such matters held by sentient beings. Here, "does" means what is done; "self-mastering" means the power to do it. The rest should be understood as already explained before.
Fazang's discussion of this closing passage falls under what he calls the "position-fruit" (位果), which he divides into three sections matching the sūtra's own threefold structure — the fruit of the ground's own tempered, ripened conduct (told through the buddha-seeing and the twin gold-and-jewel similes), the fruit of the Suyāma king, and the fruit of vow and wisdom: 明位果，三果即為三段 — "in explaining the position-fruit, these three fruits form three sections." He is explicit that the wish-fulfilling jewel is not simply a second decoration alongside the gold, but marks something genuinely new to this ground's register of attainment: 二摩尼珠喻教智淨，前諸地無者，為是世間故；此出世，故有是用 — "the second simile, of the wish-fulfilling jewel, illustrates the purity of teaching and wisdom; the earlier grounds lack it because they were still worldly, while this ground is supramundane, and so this device is used here." The first three grounds' kingships — Jambudvīpa, the Wheel-Turning King, Trāyastriṃśa Heaven — remain worldly attainments even at their most exalted; only from this ground does the treatise reach for a simile capable of carrying a supramundane meaning.
Fazang's own condensed verse-summary for the entire Fourth Ground runs to twenty-nine stanzas, which he divides into six groups — two verses for the ground's initial cause, three for its purified portion, seven for the growth of its antidote and practice, nine for its fruit, seven for its threefold tempered fruit, and one closing verse that discloses the ground's own name: 六末後一頌顯名結說 — "sixth, the final verse, disclosing the name, brings the exposition to a close." His own commentary on the Fourth Ground ends there, in four spare characters: 釋第四地竟, "the explanation of the Fourth Ground is complete."
Part 25 Complete — Arciṣmatī, the Blazing Ground, Now Entirely Translated
This closes Part 25, and with it the entire Fourth Ground: Arciṣmatī, the Blazing Ground. Parts 24 and 25 — the ten dharmas of illumination-entry, the power gained in the Tathāgata's household, the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment, the fourfold mind that never abandons any sentient being, self-view and pride and their antidote, the deeds a bodhisattva never does, his practice ripened ever further through skillful wisdom into a mind of gratitude, a vigor that never rests, and a profound mind-realm grown ever purer, and now the seeing of countless buddhas and the wish-fulfilling jewel's light explaining this ground's own name — have now translated the whole of fascicle six of this twelve-fascicle treatise. Part 26 turns to Sudurjayā, the Ground Difficult to Conquer — the Fifth Ground, where Fazang's 華嚴經探玄記 continues as this collection's reading-note source.
Continue to Part 26 — Sudurjayā, the Ground Difficult to Conquer →