法華玄論 2.46

2.46

Answer: This is a fool’s question. All that is comprehended and spoken by Vimalakīrti constitutes the main teaching of the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa; how can one say it is not the main teaching? Thus Master Sengzhao said: “From the pure land at the beginning to the offering at the end, though the words differ, their inconceivability is one.” Furthermore, if it were not the main teaching of the sūtra, it would contradict the main teaching; how could it be spoken? Moreover, the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa has two locations and four assemblies. The two locations are: first, the Āmrapālī grove; second, the ten-foot-square room. The four assemblies are: the “Buddha Land Chapter” as the initial assembly in the Āmrapālī grove; the “Skillful Means Chapter” as the initial assembly in the ten-foot-square room; from “Inquiring after Illness” onward as the repeated assembly in the ten-foot-square room; from the “Bodhisattva Practice Chapter” onward as the repeated assembly in the Āmrapālī grove. If so, the “Skillful Means Chapter” was spoken inside the room; how can one say it is not the main teaching of the sūtra? Furthermore, if the prologue of the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa contradicted the main teaching, then all other sūtras should be the same. Moreover, Zixia’s Preface to the Classic of Poetry and Yuankai’s Preface to the Zuo Commentary would both have to violate their primary classics. Next, we cite the text of the Lotus Sūtra to prove this by explaining three teachings and three comprehensions. The “Skillful Means Chapter” clarifies one kind of teaching: first, it extensively discerns the provisional and real of the doctrine; second, it briefly clarifies the root and trace of the body. As it says, “There is only the Dharma of the one vehicle,” which refers to the real teaching; “Provisionally expounding the three vehicles,” which refers to the provisional teaching. “When I first sat at the place of awakening,” which refers to the trace body; “Since kalpas long past,” praising and demonstrating the Dharma of nirvāṇa, which refers to the root body. Śāriputra in turn comprehends these two matters: the initial passage comprehends the provisional and real of the doctrine; next it says, “Just as the World-Honoured One now, from birth and leaving home to attaining the Way and turning the wheel of the Dharma, also speaks by skillful means,” which comprehends the root and trace of the body. Since it states that birth and leaving home are the provisional trace body, being unborn and unceasing is the real body. Since taking arising and cessation as the trace body makes the trace body impermanent, taking non-arising and non-cessation as the root body makes the root body permanent: this is one teaching and one comprehension. Next, the “Parable Chapter” clarifies that the three carriages are the provisional teaching and the one carriage is the real teaching. The Tathāgata having already transcended all afflictions of cause and fruit and possessing all virtues refers to the dharmakāya. Yet being born in the decayed burning house of the three realms refers to the trace body. Furthermore, it says: “At that time the elder stood outside the gate,” which refers to the dharmakāya. “Alarmed, he entered the burning house,” which refers to the trace body. The trace body manifests the eight phases of attaining the Way within the three realms, and therefore has arising and cessation. The root body transcends outside the three realms, and therefore is without arising and cessation. The “Faith and Understanding Chapter” also comprehends two matters: the first messenger refers to the real teaching; the second messenger refers to the provisional teaching. “The elder adorned and dignified” refers to the root body; “Taking off his precious attire and putting on coarse, dirty garments” refers to manifesting the trace body.