維摩義記 2.57

2.57

次告持世令往問疾。先答、後辭。辭中初總，「所以」下釋，「故我」下結。釋中「所以」，徵前起後。下對辨之，於中有四：一、彰己昔為魔惑亂；二、「所言未」下，明維摩詰已告令知；三、「即語魔」下，彰彼維摩降魔索女以法化益；四、「世尊維摩有如是」下，結嘆維摩，顯己不及。初中「憶昔」，舉被惑時。「住於淨室」，舉被惑處。淨室修定，故為魔惑。「時魔」已下，顯被惑相。於中有四：一、魔化為釋至持世所；二、持世不識，謂是帝釋，以法教勸；三、魔以天女逼施持世；四、持世不受。就初句中，魔如前解。言「波旬」者，此名極惡，依於佛法而得善利，不念加報反欲毀壞，故曰極惡。為以諸女惑亂持世，故從天女帝釋樂法數往觀佛。為令持世見而生信，故魔自化狀如帝釋，為以音聲惑亂持世故樂絃歌，為惑持世故詣其所，詐善令信故與眷屬合掌禮敬。自下第二持世謂釋以法教勸。於中初明內心不識謂是帝釋，「而語」已下，口言教勸。初先接引嘆其來好，故曰「善來」。「憍尸」是其帝釋別稱。「雖福」已下，以法教勸。「雖福應有不當自恣」，誡勸捨過。「觀無常」，教修對治。「以求善本」，勸習善因，翻前自恣。「於身命財而修堅法」，教求常果，翻欲無常。自下第三魔以天女逼施持世。「即語我言」，總以標舉。下別顯之。言「正士」者，就德以呼，持世出家受行正法，故曰正士。「受萬二千女」，正勸受女。「可備掃灑」，明受所為。自下第四持世不受。「我言憍尸」，告語其人。「無以非法之物要我」，呵施不應。女為惑垢，名非法物。比丘息惡，故曰「沙門」。從佛釋師教化出生，故名「釋子」。諸女既是非法之物，莫用要我沙門釋子。「此非我宜」，明受不合。此初段竟。

Next, [the Buddha] told 持世 (Dhāraṇīṃdhara) to go ask after [Vimalakīrti's] illness. First he answers, and then he declines. In declining, there is first a general statement; from "The reason why" downward is the explanation; from "Therefore I" downward is the conclusion. In the explanation, "The reason why" questions what precedes and introduces what follows. Below, it is distinguished through a confrontation, in which there are four parts: first, revealing that he was previously deluded and disturbed by Māra; second, from "Before the words were [finished]" downward, explaining that Vimalakīrti came and made him aware of it; third, from "He then said to Māra" downward, revealing that Vimalakīrti subdued Māra, demanded the women, and transformed and benefited [them] with the Dharma; fourth, from "World-Honoured One, Vimalakīrti possesses such [powers]" downward, concluding in praise of Vimalakīrti and showing his own insufficiency. In the first part, "Recalling the past" brings up the time he was deluded. "Dwelling in a quiet room" brings up the place where he was deluded. He was cultivating absorption in a quiet room, and therefore he was deluded by Māra. From "At that time Māra" downward reveals the signs of his being deluded. In this there are four parts: first, Māra transformed himself into Śakra and came to Dhāraṇīṃdhara's place; second, Dhāraṇīṃdhara did not recognize him, thought he was Śakra, and exhorted him with the Dharma; third, Māra pressed the heavenly maidens upon Dhāraṇīṃdhara as an offering; fourth, Dhāraṇīṃdhara did not accept them. In the first clause, "Māra" is explained as before. As for "Pāpīyān", this means "extremely evil": having obtained wholesome benefit relying on the Buddha's Dharma, he does not think of repaying it but instead wishes to destroy it; hence he is called "extremely evil". Because he wished to delude and disturb Dhāraṇīṃdhara with women, he was accompanied by heavenly maidens. Śakra delights in the Dharma and often went to see the Buddha. In order to make Dhāraṇīṃdhara see him and produce faith, Māra transformed himself to appear like Śakra; because he wished to delude and disturb Dhāraṇīṃdhara with sounds, he played stringed instruments and sang; to delude Dhāraṇīṃdhara he went to his place; and falsely feigning goodness to induce faith, he pressed his palms together with his retinue in respectful salutation. Next, the second [part]: Dhāraṇīṃdhara thought he was Śakra and exhorted him with the Dharma. Therein, first it explains that in his heart he did not recognize him and thought he was Śakra; from "and said" downward are his verbal exhortations. First he receives him and praises his welcome arrival, hence saying "Welcome." "Kauśika" is another name for Śakra. From "Although you have blessings" downward, he exhorted him with the Dharma. "Although you have blessings, you should not be self-indulgent" admonishes and exhorts him to abandon fault. "Contemplate impermanence" instructs him to cultivate the antidote. "In order to seek the roots of goodness" encourages him to practice wholesome causes, reversing the previous self-indulgence. "Cultivate the firm Dharma with respect to body, life, and wealth" instructs him to seek the permanent fruit, reversing [attachment to] sensual impermanence. Next, the third [part]: Māra pressed the heavenly maidens upon Dhāraṇīṃdhara as an offering. "He then said to me" is a general indication. Below it is shown specifically. Calling him "Right Being" addresses him according to his virtue; Dhāraṇīṃdhara had gone forth and received and practiced the correct Dharma, hence he is called "Right Being." "Receive these twelve thousand maidens" directly encourages him to accept the women. "They may serve for sweeping and sprinkling" explains the purpose of receiving them. Next, the fourth [part]: Dhāraṇīṃdhara does not accept them. "I said: 'Kauśika'" addresses that person. "Do not press improper things upon me" scolds that the gift is inappropriate. Women are defilements of delusion, called "improper things." A bhikṣu puts an end to evil, hence he is called a "śramaṇa." Born from the teachings and transformation of the Buddha, the Śākya teacher, he is therefore called a "son of Śākya." Since these women are improper things, do not press them upon me, a śramaṇa and son of Śākya. "This is not suitable for me" clarifies that receiving them is unfitting. This ends the first section.