維摩義記 1.21

1.21

上來明期證信通序。下次明其三會別經。盡此品來是期初會，〈方便品〉下是第二會，〈菩薩行品〉下是第三會。三會何異？異有三種。一、由序異。初會之中，佛眾雲集而為由序。第二會中，維摩現病以為由序。第三會中，維摩持眾往至菴羅而為由序。二、明法異。法義眾多難可具論，大約麁分唯因與果。因異有二：一、約人分別。前之兩會為化娑婆穢土眾生專教求淨，所修所行專求淨土。後之一會為化眾香淨土菩薩，專教隨染，不盡有為、不住無為。二、常法分別。初會之中直出法體未辨修相。後兩會中明修成相，於中前會教修趣寂，破捨有無趣入不二，第三會中從寂起用，不盡有為、不住無為是其用也。因異如是，果異如何？先就身論，後就土說。身中初會明應身果，下寄寶積歎而顯之，始在佛樹力降魔等，悉是應也。第二會中明報身果，宣說佛身從於無量功德生故。第三會中明法身果，如下文說「觀身實相，觀佛亦然。我觀如來，前際不來、後際不去。」如是等也。細實兼通，麁分且然。若論其土，初會寄就釋迦顯淨土、第二寄就香積如來辨淨、第三會寄就無動如來彰淨。初寄釋迦即染彰淨，明淨土體；第二寄就香積如來染外彰淨，明淨土相；第三寄就無動如來取之置此彰淨隨染，明淨土用。法異如是，細求兼通非全一向。三、利益異。三會之中得益人別。就初會中先序後正，序正不定進退兩判。一唯取如來所說為正，是則從初盡偈已來通判為序，偈後為正，因請正說淨土因果。序中有二：一佛眾雲集。二「毘耶離有長者子名寶積」下，現相起發。蓋中普現十方佛國，起後所說淨土因果。二、通攝如來所現神變不思議德悉以為正。是則從初盡蔽大眾判為由序，從寶積等獻蓋已後悉為正宗，正顯如來不思議解脫之德。準《勝鬘經》歎佛章後齊為正宗，此亦應然。

The above explains the general preface certifying faith. Next below is the explanation of the distinct sūtras of the three assemblies. Up to the end of this chapter is the first assembly; from the "Chapter on Upāya" downward is the second assembly; from the "Chapter on the Bodhisattva Practices" downward is the third assembly. How do the three assemblies differ? There are three kinds of differences: 1. Differences in the prefaces. In the first assembly, the assembly of the Buddha gathering like clouds serves as the preface. In the second assembly, Vimalakīrti manifesting illness serves as the preface. In the third assembly, Vimalakīrti leading the assembly to the mango [grove] serves as the preface. 2. Differences in the Dharma explained. The doctrinal meanings of the Dharma are manifold and difficult to discuss exhaustively; roughly divided, they are only cause and effect. The differences in cause are twofold: first, distinguished by person. The preceding two assemblies, in order to transform sentient beings of the Sahā defiled land, exclusively teach seeking purity, and their practices and deeds exclusively seek the pure land. The latter one assembly, in order to transform the bodhisattvas of the Gandhahastin (Zhongxiang) Pure Land, exclusively teaches according with defilement, neither exhausting the conditioned nor abiding in the unconditioned. Second, distinguished by constant Dharma. In the first assembly, the essential nature of dharmas is directly brought forth without distinguishing the characteristics of cultivation. In the latter two assemblies, the completed characteristics of cultivation are explained: within them, the former assembly teaches cultivation tending toward quiescence, breaking down and abandoning existence and nonexistence to enter non-duality; in the third assembly, function arises from quiescence, and neither exhausting the conditioned nor abiding in the unconditioned is its function. The differences in cause are like this; what about the differences in effect? First discussed with reference to the body, and afterward explained with reference to the land. Regarding the body: the first assembly explains the effect of the response body (nirmāṇakāya), which is revealed below through Ratnakūṭa's praise, [such as] initially [sitting] at the Buddha tree and subduing Māra with power, all of which are the response [body]. The second assembly explains the effect of the reward body (sambhogakāya), proclaiming that the Buddha's body is born from immeasurable merits. The third assembly explains the effect of the dharmakāya, as the text below says: "Contemplating the true mark of one's own body, one contemplates the Buddha likewise. I contemplate the Tathāgata: the prior limit does not come, the latter limit does not go," and so forth. In detail they actually interconnect, but a rough division is provisionally like this. If discussing their lands: the first assembly resorts to Śākyamuni to reveal the pure land; the second resorts to Gandhottama (Xiangji) Tathāgata to discern purity; the third assembly resorts to Akṣobhya Tathāgata to manifest purity. The first resorts to Śākyamuni to reveal purity right within defilement, explaining the essence of the pure land; the second resorts to Gandhottama Tathāgata to reveal purity outside of defilement, explaining the characteristics of the pure land; the third resorts to Akṣobhya Tathāgata, taking [his land] and placing it here to reveal purity according with defilement, explaining the function of the pure land. The differences in Dharma are like this; when examined in detail they interconnect and are not entirely one-sided. 3. Differences in benefit. Among the three assemblies, the persons who obtain benefit differ. Within the first assembly, there is first the preface and then the main body; preface and main body are not fixed, and there are two interpretations of advancing and retreating. First, taking only what the Tathāgata speaks as the main body: then from the beginning up through the verses is comprehensively judged as the preface, and after the verses is the main body, properly speaking of the cause and effect of the pure land on account of the request. Within the preface there are two parts: 1. The Buddha's assembly gathering like clouds. 2. From "In Vaiśālī there was an elder's son named Ratnakūṭa" downward, manifesting signs to initiate [the teaching]. Within the canopy the Buddha lands of the ten directions are universally manifested, initiating the causes and effects of the pure land spoken afterward. Second, comprehensively gathering the supernatural transformations and inconceivable merits manifested by the Tathāgata all as the main body: then from the beginning up through eclipsing the great assembly is judged as the preface, and from Ratnakūṭa and others offering the canopies onward is all the main body, directly revealing the Tathāgata's merit of inconceivable liberation. Based on the Śrīmālādevī Sūtra, everything after the section praising the Buddha is considered the main body; this should also be the case here.