注維摩詰經 9.64

9.64

[Kumāra]jīva says: The work of a buddha is of three kinds: first, performing the work of a buddha through the wholesome—radiance, supernatural power, preaching the Dharma, and the like are this; second, the indeterminate—empty space is this; third, through the unwholesome—the eighty-four thousand afflictions are this. It is like a physician who cures a person's illness either with good medicine or with poisonous medicine. The Buddha is also like this with afflictions, just as the Buddha delivered Nanda through desire, or converted an evil dragon through anger. [Seng]zhao says: Sentient beings all take afflictions as illness, and the buddhas precisely use them as medicine. Just as a courtesan, suffering from desire, was made to take her lust to the extreme and only then awakened to the Path; or a venomous dragon, suffering from anger, had its fury further increased and only then received conversion. This is eliminating desire by means of desire, and eliminating anger by means of anger, just as a good physician eliminates poison by means of poison; such is the boundless modality of the work of a buddha. [Dao]sheng says: If the administration of medicine misses its mark, then medicine conversely becomes poison. Provided that healing is achieved, poison is medicine. Therefore the Great Sage is the king of physicians for mental illnesses; every affair he touches upon is a good medicine of the Dharma.