維摩義記 1.55

1.55

自下第二，拂疑顯淨。何故須然？前說淨土因得淨土果。而佛自身現居穢國，事與言乖、所說難信，故須拂疑以成前義。諸經多爾。故《涅槃》中佛說菩薩修淨佛土，德王即問：「如來何故不修淨土，自居穢國？」佛即答之：「我土常淨。」與此相似。文中有三：一、舍利弗疑念起發；二、「佛知念」下，對之顯淨；三、「常佛現此嚴淨時」下，明化利益。初中「爾時」，生念時也，謂此說時。言「舍利弗」，舉疑念人。經中亦名秋露子，又亦名為憂波提舍。舍利，母名，母眼似舍利，此翻名身。弗多羅者，此翻名子。舍利之子，名舍利弗。秋露子者，母名，其母眼似秋露鳥眼，故名秋露。約母以別，名秋露子。憂波提舍，此名為論。其人聰慧善能難論，從此呼之為優波提舍。何故此人偏獨疑念？良以其人聰慧第一，能於深法生疑起發，故偏疑念。下文數爾。「承佛威神」，生念所由。下稟上力，說之為承。威者威德，神者神力。此承如來意力加被，故生疑念。何故須然？因此疑念廣有開發、所起事大，故須承矣。噵承佛威，明念契常。「作是念者」，正起疑心。下顯疑相。「若菩薩心淨」，牒佛上言。生疑由此，所以牒之。下約生疑。「我世尊者」，舉所疑人。為簡前他方淨土之佛，是故標言我世尊矣。此佛居穢，有疑可怪，故須別標。佛備眾德為世欽仰，故號世尊，化我之尊名我世尊。「本為菩薩意豈不淨，而是佛土不淨若此」，出所疑事。本為菩薩意豈不淨，準果撿因，疑無淨心。意猶心也，豈謂可也。佛前自說心淨土淨，佛今自身住不淨土，本在因中為菩薩時所有心意豈不淨也，而是佛土不淨若此？將因驗果，怪無淨土。本有淨心應得淨土，何緣今日所得國土不淨若此？

From here down is the second [section]: dispelling doubts to reveal purity. Why is this necessary? Previously, it was said that pure land causes lead to the pure land fruit. Yet the Buddha himself currently resides in an impure land. Phenomena and words conflict, and what was said is hard to believe. Therefore, it is necessary to dispel doubts to establish the previous meaning. Many sūtras do this. Thus, in the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra], when the Buddha said that bodhisattvas cultivate a pure Buddha-land, King of Virtue directly asked: "Why did the Tathāgata not cultivate a pure land, but resides himself in an impure land?" The Buddha then answered him: "My land is ever-pure." This is similar to that. The text has three parts: first, Śāriputra's doubtful thoughts arise; second, from "The Buddha knew his thoughts" down, [the Buddha] reveals purity in response to them; third, from "When the Buddha revealed this majestic purity" down, the benefit of the transformation is clarified. In the first part, "at that time" is the time when the thought arose—namely, the time of this preaching. The words "Śāriputra" name the person with doubtful thoughts. In the sūtras he is also named Qiuluzi (Son of Śāri), and also named Upatisya. Śāri is his mother's name; his mother's eyes resembled those of a śāri bird, which is translated here as "body." Putra is translated here as "son." Śāri's son is named Śāriputra. Qiuluzi is [based on] his mother's name: his mother's eyes resembled those of an autumn-dew (śāri) bird, hence she was named Autumn Dew (Qiulu). Distinguishing him by his mother, he is named Qiuluzi. Upatisya: this is translated as "discourse" (upadeśa). The person was sharp-witted and adept at difficult debates; from this he was called Upatisya. Why did this person alone have doubtful thoughts? Truly because this person was foremost in wisdom, able to raise questions and stimulate discussion regarding profound Dharmas; hence he alone had doubtful thoughts. It is often like this in the text below. "Through the Buddha's spiritual power" is the cause of the thought's arising. When an inferior receives the power of a superior, it is called "receiving" (cheng). "Majesty" (wei) means majestic virtue; "spiritual" (shen) means spiritual power. Here, receiving the empowerment of the Tathāgata's mental power, he generated doubtful thoughts. Why was this necessary? Because through these doubtful thoughts there would be vast developments, and what was initiated was of great importance; hence it had to be received [from the Buddha]. Saying that he received the Buddha's spiritual power clarifies that his thought tallied with the eternal. "Conceived this thought" directly raises the doubtful mind. Below, the manner of the doubt is shown. "If a bodhisattva's mind is pure" cites the Buddha's words above. The doubt arose from this, which is why he cites it. Below, it raises the doubt. "Our World-Honoured One" names the person doubted. To distinguish him from the Buddhas of pure lands in other directions, he specifically designates him as "our World-Honoured One." This Buddha dwells in impurity, which gives rise to doubt and wonder, so he must be distinguished. The Buddha is equipped with all virtues and revered by the world, hence he is titled "World-Honoured One"; the Honoured One who transforms me is called "our World-Honoured One." "When he was originally a bodhisattva, could his mind not have been pure, that this Buddha-land is impure like this?" expresses the matter doubted. "When he was originally a bodhisattva, could his mind not have been pure?"—measuring the cause against the fruit, he doubts whether there was a pure mind. "Intent" (yi) is simply "mind" (xin); "could" means "is it possible that." The Buddha previously stated himself that when the mind is pure the land is pure. The Buddha himself now dwells in an impure land; could it be that formerly in the causal stage, when he was a bodhisattva, his mind was not pure, that this Buddha-land is impure like this? Testing the fruit by the cause, he wonders at the lack of a pure land. If he originally had a pure mind, he ought to have attained a pure land; on what account is the land attained today impure like this?