維摩義記 1.37

1.37

自下第三，乘歎佛餘德，有十三行，相從為三：初有五行歎佛說巧；次有六行歎佛化能；下有兩行歎佛心等。就初段中，前之三行歎說世諦不違第一，後之兩偈歎說第一不違世諦。前中初行明說益人，中間一行明說合法，末後一行牒以結敬。就初行中，「法王法力超群生」者，歎佛說德殊勝過人。佛於諸法得勝自在，故名法王。知法有餘，稱曰法力。此得過人，名超群生。「常以法財施一切」者，說能益物、法能資潤，名為法財。常以法財，能常說也。言施一切，能廣益也。第二行中，「能善分別諸法相」者，巧說世諦。「於第一義而不動」者，不違真諦。第三行中，「以於諸法得自在」者，牒前初行中法王法力，自在是王之義也。「是故稽首此法王」者，就之結敬。就下兩行明說真諦不違世諦中，初行說真不違有果，後行說真不違有因。「說法不有亦不無」者，能說真諦。此明法空為真諦矣。真諦離相亦復離性，名為不有，而有實性，故曰不無，如《地持》說。又復真諦約對名有、約對名無，就實亡對，名非有無。「以因緣故諸法生」者，不違世諦。就真雖說非有非無，隨世恒說從因得果，故云以緣諸法生矣。所謂以其善惡因緣，苦樂法生。「無我無造及無受」者，能說真諦。此明生空為真諦矣。真中無有我人可得，名為無我。以無我故，無人作因，名為無造；無人受果，名無受者。「善惡之業亦不亡」者，真中雖無，世諦恒有用之牽果，故曰不亡。

From here on, the third [section] takes the opportunity to praise the Buddha's remaining virtues. There are thirteen lines, grouped into three: First, there are five lines praising the Buddha's skill in preaching. Next, there are six lines praising the Buddha's capacity to transform [beings]. Below, there are two lines praising the impartiality of the Buddha's mind. Within the first section, the first three lines praise his preaching of conventional truth not contradicting the supreme, and the latter two verses praise his preaching of the supreme not contradicting conventional truth. Within the former, the first line clarifies that his preaching benefits people; the middle line clarifies that his preaching accords with the Dharma; the last line recapitulates to conclude with reverence. Within the first line, "The Dharma King's power of Dharma surpasses the multitude of beings" praises the excellence of the Buddha's virtue of preaching, exceeding other people. The Buddha has attained supreme mastery over all dharmas, hence he is called "Dharma King." Knowing dharmas without remainder is called "power of Dharma." Attaining this surpassing other people is called "surpassing the multitude of beings." "Constantly bestowing the wealth of Dharma upon all" means that his preaching can benefit beings; the Dharma can nourish and enrich them, hence it is called "wealth of Dharma." "Constantly with the wealth of Dharma" means he can constantly preach. Saying "bestowing upon all" means he can broadly benefit. In the second line, "Able to skillfully distinguish the characteristics of all dharmas" means skillfully speaking of conventional truth. "Yet unmoving from the supreme meaning" means not contradicting ultimate truth. In the third line, "Because he has attained mastery over all dharmas" recapitulates the Dharma King and the power of Dharma from the first line; mastery is the meaning of "King." "Therefore I bow my head to this Dharma King" concludes with reverence towards him. Regarding the following two lines clarifying that his preaching of ultimate truth does not contradict conventional truth: the first line speaks of the ultimate not contradicting the existence of fruits; the latter line speaks of the ultimate not contradicting the existence of causes. "He preaches that dharmas neither exist nor do not exist" means he can preach ultimate truth. This clarifies the emptiness of dharmas as ultimate truth. Ultimate truth is free from marks and also free from self-nature, hence termed "not existing"; yet it has a real nature, hence termed "not non-existing," as stated in the Bodhisattvabhūmi. Furthermore, ultimate truth is called "existing" in relative opposition, and called "non-existing" in relative opposition; in terms of reality, oppositions perish, hence it is termed "neither existing nor non-existing." "Because of causes and conditions, all dharmas arise" means not contradicting conventional truth. Although in terms of the ultimate he speaks of neither existence nor non-existence, in accordance with convention he constantly preaches obtaining fruits from causes; hence it says "because of conditions, all dharmas arise." That is to say, based on good and evil causes and conditions, dharmas of suffering and pleasure arise. "There is no self, no maker, and no receiver" means he can preach ultimate truth. This clarifies the emptiness of persons as ultimate truth. Within the ultimate, there is no self or person to be found, which is called "no self." Because there is no self, there is no person who creates causes, called "no maker"; there is no person who receives fruits, called "no receiver." "Good and evil karma also do not perish" means that although they do not exist within the ultimate, conventional truth constantly has their function pulling forth fruits; hence it says "they do not perish."