Preface to the Combined Commentary on the Avatamsaka Sutra by Elder Li (No. 225-A)

This sutra was reverently translated by the Tripitaka Master Shikshananda during the Zhengsheng era of Empress Wu's reign. The preface by the Heavenly-Crowned Golden Wheel Holy and Divine Emperor reads:

I have heard that at the very dawn of creation, before the heavenly way had taken form, when dragons and tortoises first revealed their patterns, human civilization began to emerge. Even as eighty thousand years passed within the known world, how could seventy-two sovereigns comprehend the boundless truth? Thus, people became lost in the Four Forbearances, revolving within the Six Realms of existence; families became entangled in the Five Hindrances, drowning beneath the Three Lower Paths.

Then, as the Vulture Peak rose in the West and the elephant-borne teachings traveled East, the Dharma King, the Sun of Wisdom, transcended the Four Elements and gazed far above. The Supreme Tamer, dwelling in the heavens, surpassed the Ten Stages and occupied the seat of honor. He encompassed the Iron Ring Mountains, extending and shortening eons like grains of sand. He merged with the vastness of space—how could mere numbers measure him? Entering the tiniest realm, beyond what words can describe, what can be named? Only the Great Awakened One.

In a past life, I planted the roots of good fortune and humbly received the Buddha's prophecy. The Golden Immortal's decree was first revealed in the Cloud Sutra's verses; when I opened the imperial robes and examined them, the Jewel Rain scripture came later. Moreover, through accumulated virtue and abundant blessings, which gathered upon my humble self, heaven and earth became balanced, rivers clear, and the seas calm. Extraordinary auspicious signs arrived daily and were recorded monthly; sacred palm-leaf scriptures also came in due season, enriching the year. Crossing seas and deserts, tribute was offered in proper form; braving dangers and deep waters, translations were exhaustively rendered.

The Avatamsaka Sutra, the Great and Vast Buddha Flower Garland Sutra, is the secret treasury of all Buddhas and the ocean of the Thus Come One's true nature. Pondering its profound meaning, it was translated during the Jin dynasty, spanning six dynasties and nearly four hundred years. Yet only thirty thousand words were obtained from one part of the canon—merely half a pearl, the complete treasure unseen.

I learned that its Sanskrit original was in Khotan. Sending envoys to welcome it, it recently arrived here. Upon seeing the hundred thousand exquisite verses, I opened the full text of a hundred thousand words. In the first year of the Zhengsheng era, at the Great Emptiness Temple, I personally oversaw the compilation, respectfully translating this scripture. Thus, sweet dew flowed, foretold on the evening of the Gengshen day; nourishing rain descended, later saturating on the Renxu day. This opened the gate of true reality, perfectly matching the taste of oneness. How could it be that, after five hundred years, I suddenly encountered the golden mouth's words? Within the Saha world, the secret of the jeweled casket was revealed?

In the Kaiyuan era, the Elder of Fangshan, Li Tongxuan, composed a comprehensive commentary. His preface states: "The origin of sentient beings is rooted in the ocean of wisdom; all conscious beings take the Dharma body as their essence. Only because emotions arise and wisdom becomes blocked, thoughts change and essence becomes different, does one fail to realize the source. When emotions cease, the source is seen; knowing the mind, essence is united."

This Avatamsaka Sutra reveals the fundamental nature of beings and shows the causal source of Buddhahood. As the foundation, it cannot be achieved through effort; as the source, it cannot be obtained through practice. When effort ceases, the foundation is realized; when practice is exhausted, the source is complete. The source and foundation, without effort, can adapt freely to conditions—this is Vairocana.

Thus, he stationed himself in the Four Heavens, manifesting the Eight Aspects. Within the Enlightenment Ground, he appeared in a forest retreat to begin; in the Universal Light Dharma Hall, he dwelt in the great mansion of the Reward Body. Samantabhadra, the eldest son, raised the fruition of virtues from the hidden body; Manjushri, the youngest child, first opened enlightenment in the Golden Land. Through the Ocean-Seal Samadhi, he pervaded the Dharma realm and descended with spiritual power; using the Universal Eye Dharma gate, he saw the ocean of worlds within a speck of dust.

The positive and negative rewards intermingled—body and land, cause and effect, essence and function thoroughly penetrated each other. Like the net of Indra, it manifested layers of ten worlds; like the immaculate mani jewel, it revealed the Ten Bodies subtly. Boundless realms—self and others not separated by a hair's tip; ten worlds through past and present—beginning and end never moving from the present thought. Thus it is here; the same across ten worlds. The holy assembly was like clouds, the oceanic gathering interpenetrated. Wisdom and ordinary beings did not obstruct each other—like many mirrors reflecting countless forms; self and other did not hinder—like a thousand lamps sharing one room. In the Appearance chapter, cause and effect were shown from beginning to end; in the Jeta Grove, the Dharma realm was clearly revealed for gods and humans.

Maudgalyayana and Shariputra could neither see nor hear each other face to face; six thousand bhikshus awakened the Ten Insights on the road. East of Enlightenment City, five assemblies gathered; before the ancient Buddha's shrine, they all ascended the Ten Wisdoms. Sudhana, as the guide, manifested that all who came were equally enlightened.

In the Dazhong era, the monk Zhining of Kaiyuan Temple in Fuzhou further integrated the commentary into the sutra, stating: "The Avatamsaka Sutra was neither compiled by Arhats nor transmitted by lesser sages. The great version cannot be known or seen except by a Buddha; the intermediate version is known only by Bodhisattvas on the abiding grounds; the small version contains one hundred thousand verses. What is now transmitted only obtains forty-five thousand verses. The sutra says: 'Like one who, by mental transformation, creates a Buddha—the created and the uncreated are equal, without difference. All Buddhas achieve enlightenment—achievement and non-achievement are without distinction.' Sudhana the youth attained enlightenment in one lifetime; six thousand bhikshus awakened wisdom without many eons. The white-ox cart's enlightenment surpasses the Great Vehicle; the golden world appearing, Manjushri's wisdom is fully realized. In the Lotus Sutra, the dragon girl attained Buddhahood in an instant; seeing the Buddha's light on Wondrous Peak, the first stage is immediately attained."

In the region of Xin and Dai during the Tang dynasty, Elder Li Tongxuan composed this commentary in forty volumes. Zhining, reviewing this commentary, grasped its main meaning. Seeing that readers found it difficult to harmonize the sutra and commentary, Zhining, despite his advanced age, inserted the commentary into the sutra text, so that later readers would not waste their effort—upon opening the sutra, they would see the commentary. The commentary was inserted starting from the eighth volume, combining sutra and commentary into one hundred and twenty volumes. Seven volumes of explanatory notes were appended at the beginning.

In the Qiande era, the monk Huiyan composed a preface: "This teaching was not compiled on stone caves but was collected by Manjushri. It has three parts: one with as many verses as dust motes in thirteen thousand great worlds, and as many chapters as dust motes in a single world-system; one with forty-nine thousand eight hundred and eighty verses in twelve hundred chapters; one with one hundred thousand verses in forty-eight chapters. Hidden in the dragon palace, it had not spread in Jambudvipa. When the true Dharma light had shone for nearly five hundred years, the fourteenth patriarch Nagarjuna, with his spiritual power, entered the ocean treasury. Seeing that the first two parts were beyond the reach of ordinary people, he recited the last part and brought it to the five regions of India.

Transmitted for a thousand years, it finally reached China. When first translated in the Eastern Jin, a spiritual spring burst from the earth; when retranslated in the Tang, sweet dew fell from heaven. During the Kaiyuan era of Emperor Xuanzong, the recluse Li Tongxuan of Taiyuan thoroughly penetrated the true meaning of the eighty-scroll sutra and condensed it into the profound commentary of forty scrolls. At night, his divine brush moved, radiating the auspicious light of jade teeth; by day, he explored the profound mystery, receiving offerings from heavenly youths. He expanded the ocean of teachings and arrayed the heaven of principles.

In the Dazhong era, the eminent monk Zhining of Wuzhu, reflecting on how later students found it hard to fathom the richness of the Dharma gate, combined the sutra and commentary so that text and meaning supported each other. However, the meanings were complex and extensive, not yet systematically categorized. Huiyan, traveling among clouds and waters, humbly examined the essential teachings and dared to take up the brush to correct omissions. He arranged the sutra and commentary with clear headings, illuminating the teaching and its principles in mutual embrace. The meaning became clear, the text pristine—no need for a lion throne to hold the scrolls; wisdom shone, insight arose—no need to seek teachers at Vulture Peak.

Master Zhuo said: "Perfect!" The former Buddha was the sutra, the latter Buddha was the commentary. Buddha Zhining united sutra and commentary into one; Buddha Huiyan organized the sutra and commentary to establish a framework—all for the convenience of later Buddhist children. Their diligence was profound. Yet, the complexity of one hundred and twenty volumes, I fear, no sage or holy being would dare to take lightly.

Since breaking the summer retreat, I have had the privilege of hearing the Buddha-teaching from Yuan Wenwei. Having carefully read the entire Avatamsaka Commentary once, I realized that no one explains the Avatamsaka as well as the Elder. Therefore, I selected the most essential parts to record. If there are beings of great aspiration who wish to ride the Thus Come One's vehicle and directly reach the enlightenment ground, then these two hundred sheets of essential commentary are the inexhaustible Dharma realm of the Avatamsaka.

Your own mind is Vairocana Buddha's wisdom; your own eye is Manjushri's fundamental wisdom; your own body is Samantabhadra's wisdom of myriad distinctions; your own recitation is the Buddha's voice; your own listening is Guanyin's power of hearing; your own speech is the Buddha's opening of the non-dual gate; your own thought is the Buddha's inconceivable spiritual power and spontaneous merit. All are Buddha. How fortunate I am to see this personally!