[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [維摩義記](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1776) › 1.7 # 維摩義記 1.7 維摩義記 1.7 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1776.1.7) 次釋其名。今言「維摩詰所說經」，一名「不可思議解脫」者，蓋乃樹經部別名也。諸經所以皆首題其名者，為示所明法。此經以不思議解脫為宗，故始標舉。但諸經立名不同，乃有多種：或就法為名，如《涅槃經》、《波若經》等；或就人為目，如《薩和檀》、《須達拏》等；或就事立稱，如《枯稻芉經》等；或就喻彰名，如《大雲經》、《寶篋經》等；或人法竝彰，如《勝鬘經》等。或事法雙舉，如彼《方等大集經》等；或法喻俱題，《華嚴經》、《法華經》；或人事雙立，如《舍利弗問疾經》等。如是非一。今此經者人法為名，維摩所說，是其人名；不可思議解脫，是其法名。法藉人通，故須標人；法是所顯，故須舉法。但諸經首，列人有四；一、題說人，如《勝鬘》等；二、舉問人，如彼《彌勒所問經》等；三、舉所說人，如《睒子經》、《薩和檀》等；四、舉所化人，如《玉耶經》、《須摩提女》等。今舉說人，說者不同有其五種：一是佛說；二是聖弟子說；三是諸天說；四神仙等說；五變化說。此經維摩中聖弟子說。然此經中三會差別：初會佛說；第二會是維摩說；第三一會是佛及維摩共說。由佛有說，故下文言「佛說經已，大眾歡喜。」由維摩說，故始舉之。以不思議解脫之法寄其人，故始標舉。「維摩詰」者，是外國語，此方正翻名曰淨名，隨義傍翻名無垢稱。良以其人法身體淨妙出塵染，內德既盈美響外彰，寄名顯德，名無垢稱亦曰淨名。又復其人內懷真道，能權化無方，雖示同塵俗而心栖累表，即染無污故名為淨亦曰無垢。無垢淨德妙出言頑，假以名顯令人歸趣，顯德之名謂無垢稱。言所「說」者，此維摩詰智慧內盈、道尊眾聖，能以無量大悲方便現居毘耶，託疾招問以通法化宣德被人，故稱為說。「經」者，外國名修多羅，此翻名綖。聖人言說能貫諸法如綖貫花，是故就喻說之為綖。綖能貫花、經能持緯，其用相似，故復名經。若依俗訓，經者常也。人別古今，教義恒定，故名為常。經之與常何相關預？以常釋經，經者是其經歷之義，教之一法經古歷今恒有曰常。「一名不思議解脫」，就法以名。前約說人已立一稱，今後就法更立一號，故曰一名。不可思議解脫是一名矣，此第十地所得無量諸解脫中初解脫門。彼維摩詰德充法界，隨其化相偏住此門以彰其目，今於此經說自所得令人趣求，故始舉之。然此不思議解脫之門，乃是神通化用之本，諸佛菩薩證入此門，神知永亡、取捨心滅，直以解脫法門之力能現種種神通化事，如如意珠雖無分別而能普雨一切種物，諸佛菩薩所得法門例皆同爾。不可思者，歎深之辭，不思據心、不議就口。解脫真德妙出情妄、心言不及，是故名為不可思議。分別有三：一、就體論。此不思議解脫之門，真心為體，體絕名言心意不及，名不思議。二、就相說。此解脫門諸德為相，德窮法界難以限算，妙過情分，名不思議。三、就其用。此解脫門神通為用，體雖妙寂而是緣起作用之性，諸佛菩薩證入其中，能現無量神通化用，毛孔納海、芥受須彌，種種變現情緣莫測，名不思議。言解脫者，出其法體。前言不思議通眾德，未知是其何法不思？為簡餘德，故彰解脫。然其解脫亦復漫通，故須約前不思以別。真德絕累無礙自在，故稱解脫。分別亦三：一、就體論。真心體淨，性出塵染、自體無綺，故名解脫。二、就相說。羈礙永除、淨德無累，故曰解脫。三、就用辨。妙用無方、所為自在，故稱解脫。 > Next, the explanation of its title. When it now says "Sūtra Expounded by Vimalakīrti", also named "Inconceivable Liberation", this is to establish the specific title of this division of sūtra. Why all sūtras entitle their names at the head is to reveal the dharma being elucidated. This sūtra takes inconceivable liberation as its central theme; therefore it is marked out at the beginning. However, the establishing of titles among sūtras is not uniform, having many kinds: some are named in terms of the dharma, such as the Nirvāṇa Sūtra, Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra, and so forth; some take their designation from a person, such as Sarvadātā, Sudāna, and so forth; some establish their appellation according to an event or thing, such as the Sūtra of the Withered Rice Stalk, and so forth; some reveal their names according to an analogy, such as the Mahāmegha Sūtra, Ratnakaraṇḍa Sūtra, and so forth; some display both person and dharma, such as the Śrīmālādevī Sūtra, and so forth; some present both event and dharma, such as that Vaipulya Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra, and so forth; some entitle both dharma and analogy, such as the Avataṃsaka Sūtra and Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Sūtra; some establish both person and event, such as the Sūtra of Śāriputra Inquiring about Illness, and so forth. Cases like these are not singular. Now this sūtra takes person and dharma as its title: "Expounded by Vimalakīrti" is the person's name; "Inconceivable Liberation" is the dharma's name. The dharma relies on the person for transmission, hence one must designate the person; the dharma is what is manifested, hence one must present the dharma. But at the head of sūtras, the listing of persons has four types: first, entitling the speaker, as in Śrīmālā and so forth; second, presenting the questioner, as in that Maitreyaparipṛcchā Sūtra and so forth; third, presenting the person spoken about, as in the Śyāmaka Sūtra, Sarvadātā, and so forth; fourth, presenting the person being converted, as in the Yuye Sūtra, Sumāgadhāvadāna, and so forth. Here, the speaker is presented. The speakers are diverse and of five types: first, spoken by the Buddha; second, spoken by holy disciples; third, spoken by devas; fourth, spoken by ṛṣis and the like; fifth, spoken by transformed manifestations. In this sūtra, it is spoken by a holy disciple in Vimalakīrti. However, in this sūtra there are three distinct assemblies: the first assembly is spoken by the Buddha; the second assembly is spoken by Vimalakīrti; the third assembly is spoken jointly by the Buddha and Vimalakīrti. Because the Buddha spoke, the text below states: "When the Buddha had expounded the sūtra, the great assembly rejoiced." Because Vimalakīrti spoke, he is presented at the beginning. Because the dharma of inconceivable liberation is entrusted to this person, he is marked out at the start. "Vimalakīrti" is a foreign word; the correct translation here is Pure Name (Jingming), and translated literally according to the meaning it is Stainless Reputation (Wugoucheng). This is truly because the person's dharmakāya is pure and wondrously transcendent over defilement; inner virtue already overflowing, his fine renown is displayed externally; resorting to the name to manifest the virtue, he is named Stainless Reputation and also called Pure Name. Furthermore, this person inwardly cherishes the true Path and is capable of limitless skillful conversion; though appearing identical to worldly dust, his mind dwells beyond entanglements; being in defilement yet without pollution, he is therefore called Pure, and also called Stainless. Stainless, pure virtue wondrously transcends clumsy speech; using a name provisionally to reveal it causes people to take refuge in it; the name that reveals his virtue is called Stainless Reputation. As for "expounded": this Vimalakīrti is filled with wisdom within and his virtue is revered by all holy ones; with immeasurable great compassion and upāya, he manifests residing in Vaiśālī, using illness as an occasion to invite inquiries so as to disseminate the dharma's conversion and promulgate virtue to benefit others; hence it is called "expounded". As for "sūtra": in foreign languages it is called sūtra; translated here it is called a thread. The speech of the holy ones can string together all dharmas like a thread stringing flowers; therefore, according to this metaphor, it is called a thread. A thread can string flowers; warp-threads (jing) can hold the weft; their functions being similar, it is also called a scripture (jing). If relying on secular glosses, "jing" means constant (chang). Persons differ between past and present, but doctrinal principles are eternally fixed; hence it is called constant. How are "scripture" and "constant" related? Explaining "scripture" by "constant": scripture has the meaning of passing through (jingli); the single dharma of the teaching passes through antiquity and traverses the present, existing eternally, which is called constant. "Also named Inconceivable Liberation" takes its name in terms of the dharma. Previously, an appellation was established with reference to the speaker; now a title is further established with reference to the dharma; hence it is called "also named". "Inconceivable Liberation" is one name; it is the first liberation gate among the immeasurable liberations attained in the tenth bhūmi. That Vimalakīrti's virtue fills the dharmadhātu; according to his manifestations of conversion, he specially abides in this gate to manifest its title; now in this sūtra he expounds what he has personally attained to cause people to aspire and seek it, which is why it is marked out at the beginning. Now this gate of inconceivable liberation is indeed the basis of the transformative function of spiritual powers; when buddhas and bodhisattvas realize and enter this gate, cognitive knowing is eternally extinguished and the mind of grasping and rejecting is destroyed; purely through the power of the liberation dharma gate they can manifest diverse transformative deeds of spiritual powers, just as a cintāmaṇi, though without conceptual discrimination, can universally rain down all kinds of things; the dharma gates attained by the buddhas and bodhisattvas are all alike in this manner. "Inconceivable" (bukesi) is an expression praising its depth: "inconceivable" (busi) refers to the mind, and "ineffable" (buyi) pertains to the mouth. The true virtue of liberation wondrously transcends worldly sentiment and delusion; mind and speech cannot reach it; therefore it is named inconceivable. There are three distinctions: First, discussed in terms of the essence. For this gate of inconceivable liberation, the true mind is the essence; the essence cuts off names and words, beyond the reach of mind and thought, hence called inconceivable. Second, stated in terms of characteristics. This liberation gate takes all virtues as its characteristics; virtue reaches to the limits of the dharmadhātu, difficult to measure or calculate, wondrously surpassing the scope of sentiment, hence called inconceivable. Third, in terms of its function. This liberation gate takes spiritual powers as its function; although its essence is wondrously quiescent, it is the nature of the function of dependent origination; when buddhas and bodhisattvas realize and enter it, they can manifest immeasurable transformative functions of spiritual powers, taking oceans into a pore, holding Sumeru within a mustard seed, diverse transformations beyond the reckoning of sentiment and conditions, hence called inconceivable. As for "liberation": this presents its essential nature of dharmas. Earlier, "inconceivable" applied universally to all virtues, and it was not known which dharma was inconceivable; to set it apart from other virtues, "liberation" is therefore revealed. However, "liberation" is also broadly pervasive, so it must be distinguished by the preceding "inconceivable". True virtue is free from entanglements, unobstructed and unhindered; hence it is called liberation. Distinctions are also threefold: First, discussed in terms of the essence. The true mind's essence is pure; by nature it transcends worldly defilement, and its own essence is without entanglement; hence it is called liberation. Second, stated in terms of characteristics. Fetters and hindrances are eternally eliminated, and pure virtue is free of entanglements; hence it is called liberation. Third, distinguished in terms of function. Its wondrous function is limitless, and what it performs is unimpeded; hence it is called liberation. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 1.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1776.1.6) - [Next: 1.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1776.1.8) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1776.1) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1776~en-mt.1.7) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (1) - [大般涅槃經義記](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1764.1.12) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1776.1.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1776.1.7) · Pramāṇa