法華玄義釋籤 9.8

9.8

弘誓約道中云「如空中種樹」者，《大論》引經云：「舍利弗白佛：是諸菩薩所說，若能解者，大得功德。何以故？是諸菩薩乃至得聞其名得大利益，何況聞其所說？世尊！如人種樹不依於地，而欲令得其根莖枝葉成其華實，是難可得。諸行性相，亦復如是。不住一切法而住生死，不住如空，住生死如種。」今文亦爾，雖知道無能治所治、能度所度，而常修道以治苦集、以利眾生，能所俱空，而治而度俱如幻化，故無所得。是故菩薩以幻法門破彼幻惑，以幻大悲利幻含識，自他功畢於幻涅槃，得無所得。

Regarding 'like planting a tree in empty space' in the great vows based on the path: the Da zhidu lun cites the sūtra, saying: 'Śāriputra addressed the Buddha: If someone can understand what these bodhisattvas have spoken, they will gain great merit. Why? Because from merely hearing the names of these bodhisattvas one gains great benefit, how much more from hearing what they preach? World-Honoured One! It is like a person planting a tree not relying on the ground, yet desiring its roots, stem, branches, and leaves to grow and bear flowers and fruit: this is difficult to attain. The nature and marks of all practices are also like this. Not abiding in all dharmas yet abiding in birth-and-death; not abiding is like empty space, and abiding in birth-and-death is like planting.' The present text is also like this: although knowing that the path has no agent of cure or object of cure, no agent of saving or object of saving, one constantly cultivates the path to cure suffering and origination and benefit sentient beings. Both agent and object are empty, yet curing and saving are both like an illusion and transformation; therefore, there is nothing to be attained. Thus the bodhisattva uses illusory Dharma-gates to dismantle their illusory delusions, uses illusory great compassion to benefit illusory conscious beings, and when the tasks of self and other are finished in illusory nirvāṇa, realizes non-attainment.