Explaining the Name: Dharmameghā, the Dharma-Cloud
The treatise closes the Tenth Ground's fourth division, entering the great exhaustion, with the commentary's account of the "greatness of liberation" as ten distinct kinds — from the inconceivable liberation gate itself through the wisdom that knows every sentient being's mind at once — alongside the greatness of samādhi, of dhāraṇī, and of spiritual power. The sūtra then unfolds, at extraordinary length, its own reasons for this ground's name: Sāgara's clouds pouring rain that only the great ocean can receive and hold; that same ocean bearing the combined rains of countless great nāga kings at once; a single bodhisattva's power of dhāraṇī outweighing the retentive power of every sentient being in the ten directions combined; the bodhisattva's own cloud of great compassion, thundering with the Dharma, raining down sweet dew that extinguishes the flame of affliction; and, finally, the eight aspects of a buddha's life — descent from Tuṣita, entry into the womb, birth, going forth, enlightenment, turning the wheel, and great nirvāṇa — manifested across worlds without number. The treatise's own commentary then explains, in three distinct senses, why this ground bears the name Dharmameghā, the Ground of the Dharma-Cloud.
The Greatness of Liberation, and the Sūtra's Own Cascade of Similes for the Dharma-Cloud
經曰：佛子！是菩薩如是通達此地行，得名菩薩不思議解脫門，無障礙解脫、淨智差別解脫、普門光解脫、如來藏解脫、隨順不退輪解脫、入通達三世解脫、法界藏解脫、解脫光輪解脫，名得菩薩一切境界無餘解脫。佛子！是菩薩十菩薩解脫門為首，得如是等無量無邊百千萬阿僧祇菩薩解脫門，皆於第十菩薩地中得；如是乃至無量無邊百千萬阿僧祇三昧，無量無邊百千萬阿僧祇陀羅尼，無量無邊百千萬阿僧祇神通，亦復如是。
論曰：是中解脫大者，一、依神通境界，如經「佛子！是菩薩如是通達此地行，得名菩薩不思議解脫門」故。二、能至無量世界願智無礙，如經「無障礙解脫」故。三、知世間出世間有學無學聲聞辟支佛菩薩如來解脫智等，如經「淨智差別解脫」故。四、隨意轉事，如經「普門光解脫」故。五、法陀羅尼，如經「如來藏解脫」故。六、能破他言，如經「隨順不退輪解脫」故。七、三世劫隨意住持，如經「入通達三世解脫」故。八、一切法一切種因緣集智，如經「法界藏解脫」故。九、光不離身而能普照，如經「解脫光輪解脫」故。十、依一時知無量世界諸眾生心，如經「名得菩薩一切境界無餘解脫」故。是中三昧大者，如經「如是乃至無量無邊百千萬阿僧祇三昧」故。是中陀羅尼大者，如經「無量無邊百千萬阿僧祇陀羅尼」故。是中神通大者，如經「無量無邊百千萬阿僧祇神通亦復如是」故。如是十地入大盡分已說。云何地釋名分？
經曰：是菩薩通達如是智慧隨順菩提，成就無量念力方便畢竟，是菩薩於十方無量佛所、無量大法明、無量大法照、無量大法雨，於一念間皆悉能受、能堪、能思、能持。佛子！譬如娑伽羅雲澍大雨聚，餘地處不能受、不能堪、不能思、不能持，唯除大海。如是佛子！一切如來祕密處，所謂大法明、大法照、大法雨，彼一切眾生、一切聲聞辟支佛，皆不能受、不能堪、不能思、不能持，從初地乃至住九地菩薩，亦不能受、不能堪、不能思、不能持，唯此住法雲地菩薩，皆悉能受、能堪、能思、能持。佛子！譬如大海，一大龍王起大雲雨，皆悉能受、能堪、能思、能持。若二若三四五，若十二十三十四十五十，若百龍王，若千若萬若億若百億若千億若百千億那由他龍王，乃至無量無邊不可稱說諸大龍王起大雲雨，於一念間一時澍下，皆悉能受、能堪、能思、能持。所以者何？大海是無量廣大器故。如是佛子！菩薩住此菩薩法雲地中，於一佛所大法明、大法照、大法雨，皆悉能受、能堪、能思、能持。若二若三四五，若十二十三十四十五十，若百諸佛，若千若萬若億若百億若千億若百千億那由他諸佛，乃至無量無邊不可稱說諸佛所，大法明、大法照、大法雨，於一念間皆悉能受、能堪、能思、能持，是故此地名為法雲地。
解脫月菩薩言：佛子！菩薩住此法雲地，幾許佛所大法明、大法照、大法雨，於一念間能受、能堪、能思、能持？金剛藏菩薩言：佛子！菩薩住此法雲地，於不可數不可說佛所大法明、大法照、大法雨，於一念間皆悉能受、能堪、能思、能持。佛子！譬如十方所有不可說百千萬億那由他佛國土微塵數等諸世界中所有眾生，彼眾生中一眾生得聞持陀羅尼無餘為佛侍者，最大聲聞聞持陀羅尼第一。譬如金剛蓮華上佛，有名大勝比丘，聞持陀羅尼第一，其一眾生成就如是聞持陀羅尼力。如彼一眾生，餘一切世界所有眾生皆亦如是成就聞持陀羅尼力，其一人所受法第二人不重受，如是一切各各不同。佛子！於意云何？彼一切眾生所受聞持陀羅尼力寧為多不？解脫月菩薩言：佛子！彼一切眾生所受聞持陀羅尼力甚多無量。金剛藏菩薩言：佛子！我今當為汝說。是菩薩住此法雲地，於一念間於一佛所名三世法界藏大法明、大法照、大法雨，皆悉能受、能堪、能思、能持。彼大法明、大法照、大法雨，受持方便上說，一切眾生聞持陀羅尼力，比此百分不及一，千分不及一，百千分不及一，百千那由他分不及一，億分不及一，百億分不及一，千億分不及一，百千億分不及一，百千億那由他分不及一，乃至算數譬喻所不能及。如一佛所如前所說，十方世界微塵數等諸佛所，復過此數無量無邊諸佛所，名三世法界藏大法明、大法照、大法雨，於一念間皆悉能受、能堪、能思、能持，是故此地名為法雲地。
復次佛子！是菩薩住此法雲地，自從願力起大慈悲雲、震大法雷音、通明無畏以為電光、大智慧光以為疾風、大福德善根為厚密雲、現種種色身為雜色雲、說正法雨破諸魔怨，於一念間如前所說諸世界中所有微塵，如是百千萬億那由他世界皆悉遍覆，復過此數無量無邊百千萬億那由他世界亦皆遍覆，澍大甘露善根法雨，滅除眾生隨心所樂無明所起煩惱塵焰，是故此地名為法雲地。
復次佛子！是菩薩住此菩薩法雲地，於一世界中從兜率天退、入胎、住胎、初生、出家、得佛道、請轉法輪、示大涅槃，一切佛事隨所度眾生得智自在。若三千大千世界乃至如前微塵數等世界，復過此數百千萬億阿僧祇世界，從兜率天退乃至示大涅槃，一切佛事隨所度眾生得智自在。
Sūtra: Son of the Buddha! A bodhisattva who has thus penetrated this ground's own practice attains the name of the bodhisattva of the inconceivable liberation gate: the liberation of no obstruction, the liberation of pure wisdom's own distinctions, the liberation of the universal gate's own light, the liberation of the tathāgata's own store, the liberation of according with the wheel that never turns back, the liberation of entering and thoroughly penetrating the three times, the liberation of the dharma-realm's own store, and the liberation of the wheel of liberation's own light — attaining what is called the bodhisattva's own liberation, without remainder, throughout every object-realm. Son of the Buddha! This bodhisattva, with these ten bodhisattva liberation-gates as the foremost, attains boundless, limitless hundred-thousand myriad asaṃkhyeya bodhisattva liberation-gates such as these, every one of them attained within this Tenth Bodhisattva Ground; and just so, all the way to boundless, limitless hundred-thousand myriad asaṃkhyeya samādhis, boundless, limitless hundred-thousand myriad asaṃkhyeya dhāraṇīs, and boundless, limitless hundred-thousand myriad asaṃkhyeya spiritual powers — it is the same with these as well.
Commentary: Here, the greatness of liberation is of ten kinds. First, in dependence on the object-realm of spiritual power — as the sūtra says, "a bodhisattva who has thus penetrated this ground's own practice attains the name of the bodhisattva of the inconceivable liberation gate." Second, being able to reach boundless worlds, his wisdom of vow unobstructed — as the sūtra says, "the liberation of no obstruction." Third, knowing the liberating wisdom of the worldly and the supramundane, of those still learning and those beyond learning, of śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and tathāgatas alike — as the sūtra says, "the liberation of pure wisdom's own distinctions." Fourth, turning every matter according to his own wish — as the sūtra says, "the liberation of the universal gate's own light." Fifth, the dhāraṇī of the Dharma — as the sūtra says, "the liberation of the tathāgata's own store." Sixth, being able to refute others' words — as the sūtra says, "the liberation of according with the wheel that never turns back." Seventh, upholding the eons of the three times according to his own wish — as the sūtra says, "the liberation of entering and thoroughly penetrating the three times." Eighth, the wisdom that gathers the causes and conditions of every dharma, of every kind — as the sūtra says, "the liberation of the dharma-realm's own store." Ninth, his light never apart from his own body, yet able to illumine everywhere — as the sūtra says, "the liberation of the wheel of liberation's own light." Tenth, knowing, within a single moment, the minds of every sentient being throughout boundless worlds — as the sūtra says, "attaining what is called the bodhisattva's own liberation, without remainder, throughout every object-realm." Here, the greatness of samādhi is as the sūtra says, "and just so, all the way to boundless, limitless hundred-thousand myriad asaṃkhyeya samādhis." Here, the greatness of dhāraṇī is as the sūtra says, "boundless, limitless hundred-thousand myriad asaṃkhyeya dhāraṇīs." Here, the greatness of spiritual power is as the sūtra says, "boundless, limitless hundred-thousand myriad asaṃkhyeya spiritual powers — it is the same with these as well." In this way, the division of entering the great exhaustion, within the Tenth Ground, has now been explained. What, then, is the division explaining the ground's own name?
Sūtra: This bodhisattva, having thoroughly penetrated wisdom such as this, according with enlightenment, accomplishes boundless power of mindfulness and skillful means, ultimately — this bodhisattva, in the presence of boundless buddhas throughout the ten directions, receiving boundless great illumination of the Dharma, boundless great radiance of the Dharma, and boundless great rain of the Dharma, is able, within a single thought-moment, to receive it entirely, to bear it, to reflect upon it, and to retain it. Son of the Buddha! It is like the clouds of Sāgara pouring down a great mass of rain, which no other place on earth is able to receive, to bear, to reflect upon, or to retain — only the great ocean excepted. Just so, son of the Buddha! Of every secret place of the tathāgatas — namely, the great illumination of the Dharma, the great radiance of the Dharma, and the great rain of the Dharma — every one of these sentient beings, every śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha, is unable to receive it, to bear it, to reflect upon it, or to retain it; and bodhisattvas dwelling from the First Ground all the way through the Ninth Ground are likewise unable to receive it, to bear it, to reflect upon it, or to retain it — only the bodhisattva dwelling in this Dharmameghā Ground is able to receive it entirely, to bear it, to reflect upon it, and to retain it. Son of the Buddha! It is like the great ocean: should a single great nāga king raise up a great cloud of rain, the ocean is able to receive it entirely, to bear it, to reflect upon it, and to retain it. Should there be two, or three, four, five; or ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty; or a hundred nāga kings; or a thousand, or ten thousand, or a koṭi, or a hundred koṭis, or a thousand koṭis, or a hundred thousand koṭis of niyutas of nāga kings, all the way to boundless, limitless, inexpressible great nāga kings, raising up great clouds of rain, and, within a single thought-moment, pouring it down all at once — the ocean is able to receive it entirely, to bear it, to reflect upon it, and to retain it. And why is this? Because the ocean is a vessel of boundless, vast extent. Just so, son of the Buddha! A bodhisattva, dwelling within this bodhisattva's Dharmameghā Ground, in the presence of a single buddha, is able to receive the great illumination of the Dharma, the great radiance of the Dharma, and the great rain of the Dharma entirely, to bear it, to reflect upon it, and to retain it. Should there be two, or three, four, five; or ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty; or a hundred buddhas; or a thousand, or ten thousand, or a koṭi, or a hundred koṭis, or a thousand koṭis, or a hundred thousand koṭis of niyutas of buddhas, all the way to boundless, limitless, inexpressible buddhas — the great illumination of the Dharma, the great radiance of the Dharma, and the great rain of the Dharma, within a single thought-moment, he is able to receive entirely, to bear, to reflect upon, and to retain — and it is for this reason that this ground is named the Ground of the Dharma-Cloud.
The bodhisattva Vimuktacandra said: Son of the Buddha! A bodhisattva, dwelling in this Dharma-Cloud Ground — from how many buddhas' presence is he able, within a single thought-moment, to receive the great illumination of the Dharma, the great radiance of the Dharma, and the great rain of the Dharma, to bear it, to reflect upon it, and to retain it? The bodhisattva Vajragarbha said: Son of the Buddha! A bodhisattva, dwelling in this Dharma-Cloud Ground, in the presence of buddhas beyond number, beyond expression, is able, within a single thought-moment, to receive the great illumination of the Dharma, the great radiance of the Dharma, and the great rain of the Dharma entirely, to bear it, to reflect upon it, and to retain it. Son of the Buddha! It is as if, throughout every world equal in number to the fine motes of dust in inexpressible hundred-thousand myriad koṭis of niyutas of buddha-lands in the ten directions, among the sentient beings within them, a single sentient being were to attain the dhāraṇī of hearing and retaining without remainder, becoming an attendant of the buddhas — the greatest of śrāvakas, foremost in the dhāraṇī of hearing and retaining. It is like the buddha upon the vajra lotus, who has a monk named Mahājina, foremost in the dhāraṇī of hearing and retaining — this single sentient being having accomplished a power of the dhāraṇī of hearing and retaining such as this. And just as this single sentient being, so too do all the sentient beings of every other world accomplish this same power of the dhāraṇī of hearing and retaining — yet what the first person receives of the Dharma, the second does not receive again, and so it is that every one of them differs, each from every other. Son of the Buddha! What do you think — is the power of the dhāraṇī of hearing and retaining received by every one of these sentient beings great, or not? The bodhisattva Vimuktacandra said: Son of the Buddha! The power of the dhāraṇī of hearing and retaining received by every one of these sentient beings is exceedingly great, boundless. The bodhisattva Vajragarbha said: Son of the Buddha! I shall now explain this for you. This bodhisattva, dwelling in this Dharma-Cloud Ground, within a single thought-moment, in the presence of a single buddha, is able to receive entirely — to bear, to reflect upon, and to retain — the great illumination of the Dharma, the great radiance of the Dharma, and the great rain of the Dharma named the store of the dharma-realm of the three times. That great illumination of the Dharma, that great radiance of the Dharma, and that great rain of the Dharma, received and retained through the skillful means explained above — compared to this, the power of the dhāraṇī of hearing and retaining received by every one of those sentient beings does not equal one part in a hundred, does not equal one part in a thousand, does not equal one part in a hundred thousand, does not equal one part in a hundred thousand niyutas, does not equal one part in a koṭi, does not equal one part in a hundred koṭis, does not equal one part in a thousand koṭis, does not equal one part in a hundred thousand koṭis, does not equal one part in a hundred thousand koṭis of niyutas, all the way to being beyond the reach of any number or any simile whatsoever. And just as in the presence of a single buddha, as explained above, so too, in the presence of buddhas equal in number to the fine motes of dust in worlds throughout the ten directions, and further exceeding this number, in the presence of boundless, limitless buddhas, he is able, within a single thought-moment, to receive entirely — to bear, to reflect upon, and to retain — the great illumination of the Dharma, the great radiance of the Dharma, and the great rain of the Dharma named the store of the dharma-realm of the three times — and it is for this reason that this ground is named the Ground of the Dharma-Cloud.
Furthermore, son of the Buddha! This bodhisattva, dwelling in this Dharma-Cloud Ground, from the power of his own vow, raises up the cloud of great compassion, shakes the great thunder-sound of the Dharma, and takes penetrating understanding and fearlessness as his lightning, great wisdom's own light as his swift wind, the roots of goodness of great merit as his thick, dense clouds, and the manifesting of manifold forms of body as his clouds of every hue, expounding the rain of the true Dharma to defeat every demonic foe; and, within a single thought-moment, throughout worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in the worlds explained above — that is, throughout hundred-thousand myriad koṭis of niyutas of worlds — he entirely covers them all, and, further exceeding this number, throughout boundless, limitless hundred-thousand myriad koṭis of niyutas of worlds, he likewise covers them all, pouring down the great, sweet-dew rain of the Dharma of roots of goodness, extinguishing the dust and flame of the afflictions that ignorance has given rise to, according with each sentient being's own inclination — and it is for this reason that this ground is named the Ground of the Dharma-Cloud.
Furthermore, son of the Buddha! This bodhisattva, dwelling in this bodhisattva's Dharma-Cloud Ground, within a single world, descends from Tuṣita Heaven, enters the womb, dwells in the womb, is first born, goes forth from the household life, attains buddhahood, is entreated to turn the wheel of the Dharma, and manifests the great nirvāṇa — every one of these acts of a buddha, according with whatever sentient beings are to be delivered, he attains mastery of wisdom in performing. And should it be a trichiliocosm, or worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust already explained, or, further exceeding this number, hundred-thousand myriad koṭis of asaṃkhyeya worlds, he descends from Tuṣita Heaven all the way to manifesting the great nirvāṇa — every one of these acts of a buddha, according with whatever sentient beings are to be delivered, he attains mastery of wisdom in performing.
Fazang closes his commentary on the fourth division with a single terse line — 大盡分竟, "the division of entering the great exhaustion is complete" — before mapping the fifth division, explaining the name, into the same three parts the sūtra itself unfolds: 一能受諸佛雲雨說法名法雲地, "first, being able to receive the buddhas' cloud-and-rain of Dharma-teaching is why it is named the Dharma-Cloud Ground"; 二「自從願力」下能注法雨滅諸眾生煩惱塵炎名法雲地, "second, from 'from the power of his own vow' onward, being able to pour down the rain of Dharma that extinguishes every sentient being's dust and flame of affliction is why it is so named"; 三「復次佛子」下明能注法雨生物善根名法雲地, "third, from 'furthermore, son of the Buddha' onward, being able to pour down the rain of Dharma that gives rise to sentient beings' roots of goodness is why it is so named."
On the first of these three, Fazang raises and then sets aside a sharper alternative: 若從所受應名法雨地，若從能受應名法海地。但今就彼受法之處名法雲地 — "if named for what is received, it ought to be called the 'Dharma-Rain Ground'; if named for what receives, it ought to be called the 'Dharma-Ocean Ground.' But here, the name is given from the very place where the Dharma is received, and so it is named the 'Dharma-Cloud Ground.'" He then maps the simile's own parts onto the persons of the story: 佛身如雲，說法如雨。即所受若雨，能受如海 — "the buddha's own body is like the cloud, his teaching of the Dharma is like the rain; so what is received is like rain, and what receives it is like the ocean" — while, read the other way, against the Dharma taught rather than the buddha who teaches it, 即所受若雲，能受如空, "what is received is like the cloud, and what receives it is like empty space" — the bodhisattva's own capacity, in this second reading, no longer the ocean but the sky that the cloud itself fills.
The Treatise's Threefold Explanation of the Name Dharma-Cloud
論曰：是中地釋名者，有三種：一、雲法相似，以遍覆故，此地中聞法相似如虛空身遍覆故。二、滅塵除垢相似法，此法能滅眾生煩惱塵故。三、度眾生從兜率天退乃至示大涅槃故，漸化眾生故，如大雲雨生成一切卉物萌芽故。是中成就無量念力方便畢竟者，近說受持義故。如經「是菩薩通達如是智慧隨順菩提成就無量念力方便畢竟」故。復能受持眾多微密速疾持故，如經「是菩薩於十方無量佛所無量大法明」如是等。是中無量諸佛無量大法明者，說眾多故，入如來微密處故。一念間者，速疾受故。聞法者，性故、作故，二事示現。云何性？大法光明故，聞思智攝受故；大法照，修慧智攝受故。云何作大法雨？如大雲與他法雨故，於中起信故。言受，受所說字句故。言堪，以能取義故。言思，彼二攝受不失故。
言持，大海亦如是，以不濁故。言受，能受一切水故。言堪，餘水數入失本名故。言思，用不可盡故。言持應知。如經「名三世法界藏大法明大法照大法雨，皆悉能受能堪能思能持。乃至是故此地名為法雲地」故。是中名三世法界藏者，於法界中三種事藏，雲、雷、電等譬喻相似法應知。如經「復次佛子！是菩薩住此法雲地，自從願力乃至是故此地名為法雲地」故。是中大智慧光以為疾風者，風相似法。現種種色身者，隨世間種種身迴轉，雜色雲相似法故。說正法雨破諸魔怨者，雨相似法故。如是此地釋名分已說。云何神通力無上有上分？
Commentary: Here, the explanation of the ground's own name is of three kinds. First, resembling the Dharma of a cloud, since it covers everywhere entirely — within this ground, the Dharma he hears resembles this, since it is like a body of empty space that covers everything entirely. Second, the Dharma resembling the extinguishing of dust and the removal of defilement, since this Dharma is able to extinguish the dust of sentient beings' own afflictions. Third, delivering sentient beings from his descent from Tuṣita Heaven all the way to his manifesting the great nirvāṇa, since he gradually transforms sentient beings thereby — just as a great cloud's rain gives rise to the sprouting of every kind of plant. Here, "accomplishes boundless power of mindfulness and skillful means, ultimately" means the meaning of reception and retention, spoken of as near at hand — as the sūtra says, "this bodhisattva, having thoroughly penetrated wisdom such as this, according with enlightenment, accomplishes boundless power of mindfulness and skillful means, ultimately." Further, he is able to receive and retain what is manifold, subtle and secret, swiftly retaining it — as the sūtra says, "this bodhisattva, in the presence of boundless buddhas throughout the ten directions, receiving boundless great illumination of the Dharma," and so on. Here, "boundless buddhas" and "boundless great illumination of the Dharma" speak of its being manifold, since he enters the tathāgatas' own subtle and secret place. "Within a single thought-moment" means that he receives it swiftly. As for hearing the Dharma, it is manifest through two matters: its own nature, and its activity. What is its own nature? Since it is the great illumination of the Dharma, it is gathered in and received by the wisdom of hearing and reflection; the great radiance of the Dharma is gathered in and received by the wisdom of cultivation. What is the activity of the great rain of the Dharma? It is like a great cloud giving the rain of the Dharma to others, giving rise thereby to faith. "To receive" means to receive the words and phrases that are spoken. "To bear" means to be able to grasp the meaning. "To reflect upon" means that these two, once gathered in and received, are not lost.
"To retain" — the great ocean, too, is just so, since it is not made turbid. "To receive" means it is able to receive every water. "To bear" means that, once the numerous other waters have entered it, they lose their own former names. "To reflect upon" means that its function cannot be exhausted. "To retain" should be understood accordingly — as the sūtra says, "named the store of the dharma-realm of the three times, the great illumination of the Dharma, the great radiance of the Dharma, and the great rain of the Dharma, he is able to receive entirely, to bear, to reflect upon, and to retain, all the way to, and it is for this reason that this ground is named the Ground of the Dharma-Cloud." Here, "named the store of the dharma-realm of the three times" should be understood as the three kinds of matters stored within the dharma-realm, resembled by the similes of cloud, thunder, and lightning — as the sūtra says, "furthermore, son of the Buddha! This bodhisattva, dwelling in this Dharma-Cloud Ground, from the power of his own vow," all the way to "and it is for this reason that this ground is named the Ground of the Dharma-Cloud." Here, "great wisdom's own light as his swift wind" is the Dharma resembling the wind. "Manifesting manifold forms of body" means that, according with the manifold bodies of the world, he turns and revolves — this is the Dharma resembling clouds of every hue. "Expounding the rain of the true Dharma to defeat every demonic foe" is the Dharma resembling rain. In this way, the division explaining the ground's own name has now been explained. What, then, is the division of spiritual power unsurpassed and surpassed?
Fazang meets this passage — the culmination of the entire ten-ground path — by stacking up authorities before ever glossing the treatise's own words, and his own threefold reading tracks the treatise closely while giving it a sharper, scholastic edge. First, 大法智雲含眾德水，譬如大雲, "the great cloud of the wisdom of the Dharma contains the water of every virtue, resembling a great cloud" — glossed further through Asvabhāva: 陀羅尼門三摩地門譬如清水，智能藏彼如雲含水, "the gateways of dhāraṇī and of samādhi are like clear water, and wisdom is able to store them the way a cloud contains water." Second, 蔽如空麁重猶如大雲, "it conceals the coarse, heavy hindrance — vast as empty space — the way a great cloud does," which Asvabhāva reads as covering over 廣大無邊惑智二障, "the vast, boundless twin hindrances of affliction and of the knowable," through 覆隱者，隔義斷義, "concealment," meaning both separation and severance. Third, 充滿法身猶如大雲, "it fills the Dharma-body completely, the way a great cloud does" — pouring out, in Asvabhāva's words, 清冷水充滿虛空, "cool, clear water filling empty space entirely."
Fazang then gathers still other authorities onto the same three senses — the *Vijñaptimātratāsiddhi's identical formula, the *Suvarṇaprabhāsa's "Dharma-body like empty space, wisdom like a great cloud, covering everything entirely," and Paramārtha's reading of the cloud-and-rain figure into three further senses of rain itself: 一能陰塵...二能洗垢...三能生萌芽, "first, able to shade the dust...second, able to wash away defilement...third, able to give rise to sprouts" — a pattern he notes recurs almost exactly in the treatise's own three senses translated above. Against this crowded field of predecessors, what Vasubandhu's own commentary offers is comparatively spare: not wisdom containing virtue as its water, nor a hindrance concealed the way a cloud conceals the sky, but simply the Dharma heard, resembling a cloud because it covers everywhere; the Dharma that extinguishes affliction's dust; and the Dharma of the eight aspects, gradually ripening sentient beings the way a cloud's rain ripens a sprout. Fazang closes this whole span of his commentary with a final structural note on the eight-aspects section: 八相現成，漸長物善，文處可見 — "the eight aspects, manifesting and accomplished, gradually cause what is good in beings to grow — this is plain from the text itself," needing, he implies, no further gloss.
Part 48 Complete
This closes Part 48. The Tenth Ground's fourth division, entering the great exhaustion, has now been completed with the treatise's account of the ten kinds of the greatness of liberation, together with the greatness of samādhi, of dhāraṇī, and of spiritual power. The fifth division, explaining the ground's own name, has then been translated in full: the sūtra's own cascade of similes for why this ground is named Dharmameghā — Sāgara's rain borne only by the ocean, the combined rains of countless great nāga kings borne by that same ocean still, a single bodhisattva's dhāraṇī-power surpassing the retentive power of every sentient being in the ten directions combined, the bodhisattva's own thundering cloud of great compassion pouring down sweet dew that extinguishes affliction's flame, and the eight aspects of a buddha's life manifested across worlds without number — together with the treatise's own threefold explanation of the name itself: the Dharma resembling a cloud that covers everywhere, the Dharma that extinguishes the dust of affliction, and the Dharma of gradual ripening through the eight aspects, likened to a cloud's rain bringing a sprout to growth. Part 49 turns to the Tenth Ground's sixth division, the spiritual power unsurpassed and surpassed: this bodhisattva's attainment of supreme self-mastery in wisdom, skillfully choosing great spiritual powers according to his own mind's wish, analyzed by the commentary through six distinct kinds of "unsurpassed and surpassed" spiritual power.
Continue to Part 49 — Supreme Self-Mastery: Six Kinds of Spiritual Power, Unsurpassed and Surpassed →