Entry Into the Inconceivable: An Introduction to Hua-yen Buddhism

226 Pages·1983·1.553 MB·English

by  Thomas F. Cleary

EntrIyn to
thIen conceivable
An IntroducttoiH ouna -yeBnu ddhism
THOMAS CLEARY
UniversHiatyw aPirie ·s s
of Honolulu
COPYRIGHT ©1983 BY THOMAS CLEARY
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
LibraroyfC ongreCsast alogiinnP gu blicatDiaotna
ClearTyh,o masF. , 1949-
Entriyn ttoh ei nconceivable.
Includbeisb liograprheifcearle nces.
I.H ua-yeBnu ddhism-Doctri1n.Te ist.l e.
BQ8218.3.C5159 83 294.3'9823 -3613
ISBN0 -8248-0824-X
Contents
Preface vii
Introduction
TheH ua-yenS cripture 3
Hua-yeSnt udeisi nC hina 9
Emptinesasn dR elativity 18
TheT hreeN atures 21
TheF ourR ealmosf R eality 24
TRANSLATIONS
CessatiaonndC ontemplatiinot nh eF iveT eachings
oft heH ua-yen 43
-by TuS hun
Mirroorf t heM ysterioefts h eU niverosfet heH ua-yen 69
-by TuS huna ndC heng-kuan
TenM ysteriGoautse osf t heU nitarVye hicle
oft heH ua-yen 125
-by Chih-yen
CultivatoifCo onn templatoifot nh eI nneMre aning
oft heH ua-yeTnh:e E ndinogf D elusiaonnd R eturn
tot heS ource 147
-by Fa-stang
AppendiHxi:g hligohftt sh eH ua-yeSnc ripture 171
Notes 207
Preface
BUDDHISsMy,s tematsiozmeetd w oa nda haltfh ousayneda rasg oi,s
oneo ft heo ldersetl igioonne sa rtShu.b sequenstplrye adionvge r
Asiat hrougnhu meroucsu ltursaplh ereistb, e camem,o ret hana
philohsyo,pa bodyo fm anyp hilosophsiycsatle mesm bracian g
widev arieotfby e lieafnsdp ractiGceense.r alslpye akihnogw,e vre,
itm ayb es aitdh aatl flo rmosf B uddhiscmo mpritsher esep heroefs
learnientgh:i ccso,n centramteitohno dasn,d a nalytic iTnhseisgeh t.
thresep heroefsl earnisnugp poretn,h ancaen,d c ompleotnee a n­
othearn,d i ti st hrougthh eimru tuailn teracatnidod ne velopment
thaBtu ddhisami mst or ealihzuem anp otentCioarlr.e spondtio ng
thesteh resep heroefsl earniBnugd,d hilsitt eraitnucrleu dtehsr ee
genertaylp eosf m ateriparle:c epstcsr,i ptuarnedsp ,h ilosophical
treatiBseecsa.u osfet hei nterweaovfit nhget hrefiee ldosfl earning,
scriptuarnedts r eatiisnecsl uedteh icmaalt eriaaswl e lals m edita­
tionaanld a nalyptriicn cipSlcersi.p tuarreeps r esenatset dh et each­
inge mergifnrgo mt hem editatiooftn hseB uddhaA.l thoutghhe re
area greamta nys criptutrheems a,j osrc hooolfsB uddhiswmh ich
arosienC hinaan ds preatdh roughEoaustAt s iuas ualcloyn centrat­
edo no neo rm orea sb asitce xtAsm.o ngt hep rincispcahlo oolfs
BuddhisimnC hinwaa st hes chookln owna sH ua-yen-Garloarn d
FloweOrr namenBta.s eodn a v asstc riptbuyrt eh anta met,h eH ua­
yent eachiinsog n eo ft hec rownosf B uddhisTmh.i vso lumies a n
introducttoit ohnep hilohsyo,pm editatiaonnde, t hiocfsH ua-yen
Buddhisams s etf ortihn t hew orkos fi tgsr eaetx positionrt sh e
goldeang eo fC hineBsued dhism.
Introduction
INR ECENYTE ARtSh erhea sd evelopientd h eW estc onsiderianbtleer ­
esti nt hep hilosoopfhH yu a-yeBnu ddhisam ,h olistuinci,t arian
approatcohB uddhiswmh ichh ase nrichtehdei ntellelcitfuoeaf l
EastA siaf orw ello vera thousand yTehaerb sa.s iscc riptoufr e
Hua-yeBnu ddhiskmn,o wna st heG arlan(dS anskArviatt aTJ1saka)
orF loweOrr namen(tC hineHsuea -yesncr)i ptcuornet,a ianlstl h e
Buddhitseta chiinnga s h armoniomuusl,t ifacaertreadoy n;e o ft he
mosth ighlvya lueodfa lBlu ddhissctr iptuirnAe ssi ai,tp resenat s
highaldyv ancmeedt aphyasnidca ne laborbaotdeyo fd evelopmen­
tamla teriaailm eadt t hec ompletoifot nh eh umanb eing.
Thep rojectoifto hne H ua-yetne achiinnAg s iwaa sa idebdy
thee xpositwoorryko fs evergarle adto ctoorfts h et eachiinnTg 'a ng
dynastCyh ina( A.D. 61w8h-e9n0t 7h)act i vilizawtaisao tnt he
zeniotfhi ntelleacntduc aull tuirnafll uenTchees.me a steorfsH ua­
yent eachipnrgosd uced extceonmsmievnet arainedsa nalyses relat­
ingt ot hep rincipalndep sr actidceeaslw ti tih nt hee normoHuusa ­
yens criptaunrdet ,h ecyo difitehdee ssentpirailn cipilnae nsu mber
ofc ompacttr eatiTsheess.ce o mmentarainedst reatises tchlea rify
integrrealla tbieotnw eewnh ati su niquient he Hua-pyeerns pective
andw hati sg eneraslhlayr eidnc ommonw itho theBru ddhifsotr ­
mats.
Hua-yeBnu ddhisimsf amedf ori tisn trigupihnigl opshoyb, ut
iti sp erhamposs tu seftuolc onsidHeura -yemne taphyspircism arily
int ermosfi nstrumevnatlaulTe h.a ti st os ayt,h ep hilosompahyyb e
considenroetsd o m ucht hee stablishomfae s nyts teomft hougfhotr
itosw ns akoer a sa no bjeoctfb elioerfg rounodf c ontentbiuotn
2 INTRODUCTION
rathaesar s eotf p racteixcearlc iinsp eesr spectivwea-ynosef w
lookianttg h infgrso dmi fferpeonitno tfvs i ewof,d iosvcerihnagr ­
monya ndc omplemenutnadreirtlyay pipnagr deinstp aarnidct oyn ­
tradicTthieov na.l uoeft hiesx erciiss eti hned evelopomfea n t
rounhdo,l ipsetriscp ewchtiicvwheh, i le disucnoivtdeyor,ei nsno gt
ignodriev erbsuiottv ye rcomes bmaernrtitaehlra st cfrreaagtmee n­
tatiaonndb ias.
TheH ua-ydeonc trsihnoewt sh een ticroes maosso nes ingle
nexuofsc onditiinwo hnisce hv erytshiimnugl tandeeopuesnoldnys,
andi sd ependoenbd y e,v erytehlisnSege. e inn t hilsi ghtth,e n,
everytahffiencgat nsdi sa ffectbeydm, o reo rl esism mediaotre ly
remeoltye,v erytehlisjneug;s a tst hiisst ruoefe versyy stoefrm e la­
tionsshoiip sist t,r uoeft hteo taolfie txyi stIennsc eee.k tionu gn der­
stainnd diviadnudga rlosu tphse,r e,fH ourae-ytehno ugchotn siders
thmea nifoladni natse gpraaroltft huen iatn dt huen iatsa ni nte­
gral opfta hrmeta nifoolndei; n diviidscu oanls idienrt eedrm osf
relatiotnoso htihpeisrn dividualsa st aots h eww heolllne e xus,
whiltehw eh olnee xuissc onsidientr eerdm osfi trse lattioeo anc h
indiviadswu ealalls t oa liln diviTdhueaa lcscr.odo f thiwsi tvhi ew
theex perioefmn ocdee rsnc ieinsoc bev ioaunsdi, ts eemtsob ea n
approper biaastuipso wnh icthh qe uestoifot nh er elatoifso cni ­
encaen db ioheitcs-iasns oufec ontempocroanrcye rn-mbaey
resolved.
Thee thoifct hHeu a-yteena chiisbn ags eodnt hifsu ndamen­
tatlh emoefu niveirnstaelr depewnhdieltnehc seeo ;- cabloldehdi ­
satttvhape,e rsdoenv otteoed n lhitgenmecnotn,s tannotulryi shes
aspirationg oainnbdge ywointldhlw e o rlnde,v erthtehlseet srsi v­
infgo cro mpleatnidop ne rfectthideoe nv,e lopomfee vnetgr r eater
awarenkensosw,l efdrgeee,d aonmdc, a paibtiiylsc, ontinrueailnl­y
vestaesdi, tw erei,nt hew orldde,d icattehdel itboe raatnido n
enlighteonfam leblne ti nTghse.a wakenainndgu nfoldoiftn hge
complete phoutmeannlt eiaatdlos r ealbmesy ontdh aotfc onven­
tioneaxlp eriaenndc e,i ntdoeu eldt imtartaene nsdcenocfae l clo n­
ditioenxaple riyeenttch ebe,o dhisantetvvemara ligtnhoser dinary
andd oenso fto rsiaktie,n stteraadn slaaptpirnogp raisapteeoc ft s
highkenro wleidngteio n sigahntdas c ticoonnsd uctiotv hece o m­
monw eal.
Iti sg eneraclhlayr acteorfMi ashtaiyca onrau niversalistic
ThHeu ay-eSnc ripture 3
Buddhitshmat th meu ndawneel foafrb ee inigscso nsidelreegdi tai ­
matei,nf o utl timaaitmoe f,b odhitsvaaatc tiy,va intdm anya spects
oft heet hiacnadpl r actlieico fafbl o dhisamtatyvb aess e einn this
ligWhhti.lp es ycholaongdip chayilsc waell l-biensio nctgo nsidered
thue ltimgaotaeil tm, i ghatp propribaett heoluyg ohfat s ealne ­
mentasrtya ignet hree alizoafht uimoantn yia,r emovoafcl o nflicts
anda nxiettofi reese emonreerf goyhr i hgedre velopmIetin sat x.i ­
omatbiacs,e odnt hweo rlvdi eowfB uddhitshmas,ti naclel people
andi ndeedc raelalts uhraerse e aiconht heerx'iss tencies,n o there
trubee neffiotor n eg roup atlhoaintwse o na tt hceo sotfa nothIetr .
iss aitdob ec haractoefrB iusdtdihca sg,h teennpleeido ptlhea,tth ey
looukp oanl clr eaetsau sre quailne sse(ntcheo ungohtt h sea mien
termosfc hacrtaeri;sa tlitchsot)uhgnehe edosfi ndivimdauyad li­sf
feirnd etialt,h eayr ael elq uailn soafsat rh eayr dee pendbeenitn gs
intererdet looa ntea nothBeord.h isatthtevraessf torritevo be e nefit
alelq ua,lw liythout losoifn gtd hisevi egrahstni dct oym pleoxfi ty
thmee annse cestsoaa rcyc omptlhiiessnhd .
THEH UA-YSECNR IPTURE
Toa pprecfiualttlehyc e o mprehesncsoipavene d d etaoiftl h e
Hua-yteena chiitni gsn, e cessoafcr oyu rtsode e lve tihnsetc or ip­
turiet sePlofr.t iooftn hsii sm mensscepr tiurwee raem ontgh fier st
Buddhlieisrtta tutrobe e i ntrodtuocC ehdi naan,dt ransloaft ion
Hua-ymeant erwieanlot n i nt hacto unytf rocre nturFireasg.m en­
tartyr anslsaeteimtosonh avbee guinnt he secondd ucreinntgu ry;
thnee xttw oc enturileesaa sd atot z esne partartaen slaftrioomn s
fiveb ookosf tHhuea -yaepnp earoendeb, o obke intgr anslnaot ed
letshsa n tfiomuerTs h.ef amo"uTesn S taegsb"o oko,f tterne aatse d
ani ndivisdciurpatlu wraes, fitrrsatn sliantt hetedh icredn t.u ry
Int heea rfilfyt che ntumruyc hab ettterra nsloaftt hi"eoTe nn
Stagweass"m adet,ob es horftollyl obwye da comprterhaennss­ive
latiooftn h weh olken owHnu a-ysecnr iptTuhrilesa .t twoerrkr e ­
mainetdh es tandtaerxfdto nre artlhyr heuen dryeeda rusn,t iitl
wass upplainntt ehleda tsee venctehn tyu rbym oan umenttraaln s­
lationn eowfli yma p ortteexdIt nt. h eei ghctehn tuyreyat n other
transloaftt iho"e nTe n Stabgoeoswk"a sm adea,n dt he final and
longbeosotkw ,h iclhi,kt eh" eT enS taegs,s"u rviivnSe asn skrit as a
4 INTRODUCTION
separsarctiep tuwraesa, l sroe transBleactaeuodsf.e tahmeo unotf
materiinavlo lavr eedv,i oeftw h ceo nteonfet asc bho ookf t hHeu a­
yens cripwtiulbrleed efertroe daa pnp entdoit xh ivso lumaett; h is
poinwtec ang eat glimopfts hees tructcuornet,ea nntda, t mos­
pheroef tshcer ipbtyur reev iewsionmgoe f t heh ighliogfth htes
finamlo,s gtr andibooosk"e: En tertihnRege alomfR eailty."
Thifisn aals semobflt yhs ec prtiubreeg iwnist thh Beu ddhian
a pavoinli ina grovienI ndisau,r rounbdyfie vde h undrgerde at
bodhisatfitvevh ausn,d rleeds sseari ntsi,n naunmde rnaabtluer e
spirRietfsl.e cotnit nhgde i fficuolftc yo mprehentdhipene gr spec­
tivken,o wledge,c opnocweenrt,r aantdoi tohnqe,ur a liotfBi ueds­
dhatsh,ae s semwbilsyth h atth Beu ddha woultdo t rheevme atlh e
courosfhe i dse velopemxepnlt,a iinti anicgncr odw itthh eviarr ious
stataensdc apcaitoifeu sn derstaTnhdeBi undg.d hdai,v intihnegi r
though"tfilsls,t heu nivewristegh r eacto mpassainodne "n ters
concentrahteiroenu-pawolwnlo rlbdesc ombee autiafnidpe udr e.
Suddenlpya Vtihleai nodgn r ovbee combeo undlevsassaltny dm ag­
nificyea nrtrlayaettd h;se a mtei me,s atmhee viisssi eoetnna king
plaicnee vewroyr lidnt huen iversef.r oTimhn ecno,n ceidviasb­ly
tanwto rlidnst he dtierne ctcioomnebs o,d hisabtrtivnagsai lnlg
sorotfms y sticclaolu tdhse; bodhifsraottmht ev azse dniisatpyhli, n
everpyat ro ft hebiord iaensda ccoutremtehnept rsa,c toifca elsl
Buddhoafs allD etsicmreistb.hi enbsgoe d hisaotftt hvea sdt ierne c­
tiotnhsse,c prtiuSrCley S:
Alwle rbeo rfnr otmh per atcicaensdv owosf S amnatabhadra
Bodhisawtitttvhha e; oefpy uer ken owledges atwth heBeyu d ­
dhaosf a ltli measn dl iesntetdo t hec ycloefts e achisnegts
inm otiboyna ltlh Be uddhtahse;hy.a da lreardeya ched the
OtheSrh oroeff reedome;a cmhion m enotft hougthhtem ya n­
ifesgtreedpa sty cHter ansformaantdai popnrsco haeadl tlh e
Buddhwaist,oh n beo dfyi lltihanegs sembolfai leBlsu ddhians
alwlo rldisna; s ingalteo mt hesyh oweadl l obijnae cltls
worltdost ,e aacnhd m atuarlesl e ntibeenitnn gesv,em ri ssing
threi gthitm fer;o ams ingploert eh ey emitstoeudn odtfsh e
thtee achoifna lgl Budtdhhekayns e;w t haatl lli vibnegi ngs
are like tihlelkyun seiwt ohnaastl; Bl u ddhaarsle i kree flec­
tiontshe;ky n ewt haatl blit rhisn a lrle alomfsb e inagr lei ke
ThHeu a-Sycerni pture 5
dreamtsh;ek yn ewt haatll c onsequeonfac cetsi onlsi kaer e
reflecitnai m oinrsr tohre;ky n etwh aatlo lr igionnaast rilei ke
miragtehse;ky n ewt haatl wlo rladrsle i kmea gical produc­
tiontsh;eh ya da cocmplishepdo wtehraesn df earlesosfn ess
enlhitgenoende s; abnrdai vned epentdheenyt ,w cearpea ble
oft h"el oin ro[aerrf"u tainlcglo nceptthsee]yn; t erdeede ply
inttoh ien eXhaussetoaif bm lfeei ligeanncdae t itnaekdn owl­
edgoeft he rouftl helesa nguaogfae lcslr eatutrheetsyr; a veled
unhindtehrreodu tghhre e alomfs pacteh;ek yn ewa ltlh ings,
without any itmhpeehyda ivmpeeu nrti;fia eltdlh ree alomfs
psycphoiwce orfsb odhisawtittvbhao sl;d entehrecgyry u shed
thaer mioefsd emontsh;e ayl wacyosm prehepnadsetd, pres­
ent, fauntdub ryme e anosfw isdotmh;ek yn etwh aatlt lh ings
arlei ksep acaen dw erfer efer ocmo ntenatnidog nr asping;
though thedyi lesintlgtryyo,ev tteh ekyn ewt haotm niscience
ultimactoemlefysr onmo where; tthheooybu sgehr ovbejde cts,
thekyn ewt haatl elx istaerneut nsg raspbaybm leea;n osf
knowleodfeg xe peditehneteysn tererde aallbmlys m ;e anosf
knowleodfeg qeu atylt iheeyn terelda na.dls.l . .
Thes rciptureo nt goso aetysh atth lee sssaeirn htosw,e v,de ird
noetv epne rcetihvivesi sotfta h Beu ddhaan db odhisattthveays -
laecdkt hpea smte ntdaelv eloptmode ons toa ndd welitno ne-sided
emptinuelstsi,mq autiee scaenndcp ee,r solniable raTthieso rcni.p ­
turlei ketnhsis si tuattois oomne one crionw hdaa viang gl orious
dream wihnsio ckthn owtnoo thebresc autsheea yr e hnaovti tnhge
same droerta oms ,o meoennet ervianrgi sotuasot fec so ncentration
unknotwono thewrhsoa re innto hto se states.
Thetnh e lteeand ing bodhisatvtevrasosefp s re aaicoshfe utter
thBeu ddhtar,y itnobg r oadtehnpe erspecotft ihvsee a inNtesx.t
Samantabheaxdproau ntdh"se l oinstrceotcnhc entraantidto hne, "
Buddhraa dialtiegtsho ti nduceb otdhhei saitntttvoha iscs o ncen­
tratrieovne,a alliBlnu gd dha-liantn hduesn iveerascech,o ntaining
ane quanlu mbeorfB uddha-lianen adcsah t omT.h eb odhisattvas
thewni tnessd eetdhoseft hBe uddhiansa ll tlhaonsdaesn da t­
tain myriad copnrcoefnotunrwdah teinocnes issue myriad kinds of
knowledge antdh eptnoh wbee ord;h isaetmtavnaaslt ieg ht from
every sphoorwei,an lgl koiftn edasc hianndgp sr actoifc ebso dhi-