維摩義記 1.72.3

1.72.3

「如毒蛇」者，是其四大違損苦也。 譬如四蛇盛之一篋，共相違害。 四大如是，盛一身篋，性相乖反，故取為喻。 云何乖反？ 論地則堅而重、風則動而輕、水則濕而冷、火則熱而𤍜，故曰相反。 「如怨賊」者，是其五陰生滅苦也。 何故五陰說為怨賊，人皆樂住？ 而此五陰共相摧滅違反人情，故名怨賊。 以能相害，經中亦說為旃陀羅。 是義云何？ 於五陰中，識陰始生，想來摧滅。 想陰始現，受來摧滅。 受陰始起，行來摧滅。 行陰始生，識復摧滅。 想於色陰中，根用相代，生滅相功，故名怨賊。 苦想如是，以苦為身，身云何淨？ 言「如空聚陰界諸入共合成」者，以空無我顯不淨也。 上來別教。 言「諸仁者此可患厭」，結勸令厭。 上教生厭，護煩惱行。 下教生欣，護小乘行。 於中有二：一約自行，教求佛身，護彼小心。 二「欲得佛身斷生病」下，約就利他，教求菩提，護彼狹心。 前中復二：一、勸求佛果； 二、「從無量功德生」下，明果由因，勸修佛因。 前中初言「常樂佛身」，舉果正勸因。 聲聞厭有則求取滅，菩薩異彼故須樂佛。 下釋勸意。 「所以者何」，徵前起後。 所以勸汝求佛者何？ 下對釋之。 「佛即法身」，故須樂之。 有人見佛示同有為，疑不可求。 為遮此意，故說佛身即是法身，為是須求。 佛具三義，廣如別章。 今言法身，是佛報身，說從無量功德生故。 以佛一切功德法成，故名法身。 就下明果從因生中，初「從無量功德生」者，總以標舉； 「從戒」下別； 下「從如是無量淨法生如來身」，總以結之。 就初總中，言「從無量功德生」者，報身本無，方便修起，故從德生。 德別眾多，故曰無量。 別中有二：一、從教行生； 二、「從真實」下，從證行生。 就教行中，初先別論。 「從斷一切不善法」下，總以結之。 別中有四：一、明行因； 二、「從六通」下明其行果； 三、「從三十七品」下明其道因； 四、「從十力四無畏」下明其道果。 就初段中，文別有四：初「從戒」等，是自利行。 其戒、定、慧、解脫、知見，餘處名為五分法身，義如別章。 今且釋名。 防禁名戒、住緣稱定、觀遠名慧，此三相因從斯得果。 果絕羈縛，說為解脫，謂心解脫、慧解脫等。 於已解脫時，照知顯了，名解脫知見。 此五猶是戒定慧三行所攝，初一是戒，次一是定，後三通攝皆是智慧。 二「慈悲」等，是利他行。 此前一對。 三「布施」等，復明自利，施戒忍進四種可解。 就禪度中，「禪」是四禪，「定」者是其四無色定。 言「解脫」者，謂八解脫。 言「三昧」者，謂三三昧。 就波若中，多聞教智，智慧理智，亦名證知。 上來別論。 「諸波羅蜜」，總以結之。 四「從方便生」，復明利他，謂方便智。 此復一對。 上來行因，六通三明是其行果。 言「六通」者，身通、天眼、天耳、他心、宿命、漏盡，是其六也。 言「三明」者，宿命、天眼及以漏盡，亦如別章。 「從三十七道品生，從止觀生」，是其道也。 「十力、無畏、十八不共」，是其道果。 四無畏義，此應具釋。 此三皆是十地中得，是故從之得生佛身。 上來別竟。 「從斷一切不善法生，集一切善法生」，總以結之。 上來教行，下明證行。 「從真實生」，是所證理。 如來藏性是其真實，此佛正因，故佛從生。 「從不放逸」，是其能證。 妄情浮蕩，名為放逸； 證實除捨，名不放逸，此即般若不放逸根。 前總、次別。 「從如是法生如來身」，總以結之。 前約自行，教求佛身； 下約利他，教求菩提，是故告言「欲得佛身斷生病者，當發阿耨三菩提心。 」前明諸人皆往問疾，次為說法，下明說益。 「長者維摩為問疾者而為說法，令無數人發菩提心。 」

"Like venomous serpents" refers to the suffering caused by the mutual conflict and harm of the four great elements. It is just like four serpents placed together in one basket, which harm and conflict with one another. The four great elements are likewise placed in the single basket of the body; because their natures and characteristics conflict with one another, this is taken as a metaphor. How do they conflict? In terms of earth, it is hard and heavy; wind is mobile and light; water is wet and cold; fire is hot and blazing. Therefore, they are said to be mutually opposed. / "Like murderous bandits" refers to the suffering of the arising and ceasing of the five skandhas. Why are the five skandhas called murderous bandits, when people all delight in dwelling [in them]? Because these five skandhas mutually destroy each other, going against human desires, they are called murderous bandits. Because they are able to harm one another, they are also referred to in the sūtras as caṇḍālas. What does this mean? Among the five skandhas, when the consciousness-skandha begins to arise, the perception-skandha comes to destroy it. When the perception-skandha begins to manifest, the sensation-skandha comes to destroy it. When the sensation-skandha begins to arise, the volition-skandha comes to destroy it. When the volition-skandha begins to arise, the consciousness-skandha again destroys it. Within the form-skandha, the functions of the sense-faculties alternate with one another, their arisings and ceasings attacking one another; therefore they are called murderous bandits. / Such is the contemplation of suffering; with suffering as the body, how could the body be pure? / The phrase "Like an empty village, an assembly composed of the skandhas, dhātus, and āyatanas" demonstrates impurity through emptiness and selflessness. / The above constitutes the specific instructions. / The words "Virtuous sirs, this is to be loathed and renounced" conclude with an exhortation to cultivate revulsion. The preceding teachings generate revulsion, guarding against afflicted conduct. The subsequent teachings generate delight, guarding against Hīnayāna conduct. / In this there are two parts: First, with respect to one's own practice, it teaches seeking the Buddha-body, guarding against the small-mindedness [of the Hīnayāna]. Second, from "Those who wish to attain the Buddha-body and sever the illnesses of sentient beings" onwards, with respect to benefiting others, it teaches seeking bodhi, guarding against a narrow mind. / In the former part there are again two sections: 1. Exhorting them to seek the Buddha-fruit; 2. From "born from immeasurable merits" onwards, explaining that the fruit comes from causes and exhorting them to cultivate the causes of buddhahood. / In the first section, the opening words "constantly delight in the Buddha-body" directly exhort the causes by citing the fruit. Śrāvakas, detesting existence, seek to attain extinction; bodhisattvas are different from them, and thus must delight in the Buddha. / Below, it explains the intention behind the exhortation. / "Why is this?" interrogates what preceded to introduce what follows: why do I exhort you to seek the Buddha? Below, it responds and explains it: "Because the Buddha is the dharmakāya," therefore one must delight in it. Some people see the Buddha manifesting as conditioned, and doubt that he can be sought. To ward off this idea, it is explained that the Buddha-body is the dharmakāya; for this reason it must be sought. / The Buddha possesses three meanings, explained in detail in a separate chapter. Here, "dharmakāya" refers to the Buddha's reward-body (saṃbhogakāya), because it is said to be born from immeasurable merits. Because it is formed by all the qualities and dharmas of the Buddha, it is called the dharmakāya. / In the following section explaining that the fruit is born from causes, first, "born from immeasurable merits" presents the general heading; from "from morality" onwards is specific; and below, "born as the Tathāgata's body from such immeasurable pure dharmas" concludes generally. / In the first general heading, "born from immeasurable merits" means that the reward-body originally does not exist [as a conditioned thing], but is produced through practice via upāya; hence it is "born from merits." Because the merits are diverse and manifold, they are called "immeasurable." / In the specific section there are two parts: 1. Born from the practice of the teachings; 2. From "born from the real" onwards, born from the practice of realization. / In the practice of the teachings, it first discusses them specifically, and from "born from severing all unwholesome dharmas" onwards, concludes them generally. / In the specific part there are four divisions: 1. Explaining the causes of practice; 2. From "born from the six superknowledges" onwards, explaining the fruits of practice; 3. From "born from the thirty-seven factors" onwards, explaining the causes of the path; 4. From "born from the ten powers and four fearlessnesses" onwards, explaining the fruits of the path. / In the first division, the text has four parts: First, "from morality" and so forth is practice for one's own benefit. Morality, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and the knowledge and vision [of liberation] are elsewhere called the fivefold dharmakāya, the meaning of which is as in a separate chapter. Now I will briefly explain their names. Guarding against prohibitions is called morality; dwelling upon an object is called concentration; observing broadly is called wisdom—these three are mutually causal, and the fruit is obtained from them. When the fruit is severed from bonds, it is called liberation, namely the liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, and so forth. When one is already liberated, radiant and clear knowing is called the knowledge and vision of liberation. These five are still subsumed under the three trainings of morality, concentration, and wisdom: the first is morality, the next is concentration, and the latter three are collectively subsumed under wisdom. / Second, "loving-kindness and compassion" and so forth is practice for benefiting others. This forms a pair with the preceding. / Third, "giving" and so forth again explains practice for one's own benefit; the four kinds of giving, morality, patience, and vigor can be understood [readily]. Within the perfections of meditation: "dhyāna" refers to the four dhyānas, "concentration" refers to the four formless concentrations, "liberations" refers to the eight liberations, and "samādhis" refers to the three samādhis. Within prajñā: much hearing is the wisdom of teaching, while wisdom is the wisdom of principle, also called realized knowing. The above was a specific discussion; "all the pāramitās" concludes them generally. / Fourth, "born from upāya" again explains benefiting others, referring to the wisdom of upāya. This again forms a pair. / The above are the causes of practice; the six superknowledges and three clarities are the fruits of practice. The "six superknowledges" are psychic power, divine eye, divine ear, mind of others, past lives, and extinction of outflows—these are the six. The "three clarities" are past lives, divine eye, and extinction of outflows, also as explained in a separate chapter. / "Born from the thirty-seven factors of awakening, born from calming and insight" is the path. / "The ten powers, fearlessnesses, and eighteen distinct qualities" are the fruits of the path. The meaning of the four fearlessnesses should be explained fully here. These three are all attained in the ten bhūmis, and therefore the Buddha-body is born from them. / The specific discussion above is finished. / "Born from severing all unwholesome dharmas, born from gathering all wholesome dharmas" concludes generally. / The above was the practice of the teachings; below explains the practice of realization. / "Born from the real" is the principle realized. The tathāgatagarbha nature is that reality; this is the true cause of buddhahood, and therefore the Buddha is born from it. / "From non-negligence" is that which realizes. When deluded sentiments drift and wander, that is called negligence; when one realizes the real and abandons [delusion], that is called non-negligence—this is precisely the root of non-negligence in prajñā. / First the general, then the specific; / "from such dharmas is the Tathāgata's body born" concludes generally. / Above, concerning one's own practice, it taught seeking the Buddha-body; below, concerning benefiting others, it teaches seeking bodhi. Therefore it says, "Those who wish to attain the Buddha-body and sever the illnesses of sentient beings should generate the thought of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi." / Above, it was explained that all the people went to inquire about his illness; next, he expounded the Dharma for them; below, it explains the benefits of the teaching: / "The elder Vimalakīrti expounded the Dharma for those inquiring about his illness, causing countless people to generate the thought of bodhi."