維摩義記 4.71

4.71

就初段中，初先彰其佛體離相，明離所取；末後「不可智知識識」彰離妄想，明離能取。前離相有十四門，初八約對諸法別門辨佛體相，後六約對諸法通門辨佛體相。前八門中，初六離相明其非有，後二顯實彰其非無。就前六中，第一約對三世法門明佛離相。不從前來、不去至後、今則不住，前際、未來、今是現在。有為遷流，可從前來向後際去，來去之間住今現在。佛身常住性如虛空，故前不來、後際不去、今不住矣。餘處多說前際過去、後際未來，今以何故前際名來翻名不來，後際名去翻稱不去？釋言：三世是其時分，約法而辨。時雖約法，法恒是通、時恒是局。如一色法通於三世名之為通，三世而別說之為局，餘亦如是。又時是總、法恒是別，一現在時統攝多法名之為總，諸法各異目之為別。如現既然，過未亦爾。時之與法有斯不同，若將別時別分一法，一法隨時分為三法。彼三法中，一分過去、一分未來、一分現在。是以經中前名過去、後云未來、今為現在。若約三時辨一通法，得言此法從前際來、住今現在、向後際去。如世人言：我從小來向於老去。故今此中前際名來翻為不來，後際稱去翻為不去。第二約對五陰法門明佛離相。先就色說。「不觀色」者，不觀佛身同色有也。「不觀如」者，不觀佛身同色無也。「不觀性」者，非有非無是色自性，不觀佛身同彼色性非有無也。於佛平等法性身中從來無色，就何說有？故不觀色。色本不有，對何況無，故不觀色如。有無並絕，無可就之說非有無，故不觀性。色陰既然，餘陰亦爾。第三約對四大法門明佛離相，「非四大起同於虛空」。第四約對六入法門明佛離相。「六入無積，眼耳鼻舌身心過」，現不造因聚積當果名為無積。先有已捨，故云眼耳鼻等已過。第五約對三界法門明佛離相。生死報謝，「不在三界」。第六約對三毒法門明佛離相。生死因盡，見故名為「三垢已離」。貪嗔癡惑名為三垢，佛先斷竟名為已離。上來六門明佛離相。

Within the first section, it first reveals that the Buddha's essence is separated from characteristics, clarifying separation from what is grasped; at the very end, "cannot be known by wisdom or cognized by consciousness" reveals separation from deluded conception, clarifying separation from that which grasps. The preceding separation from characteristics has fourteen gates: the first eight explain the characteristics of the Buddha's essence by way of specific categories in relation to dharmas; the latter six explain the characteristics of the Buddha's essence by way of general categories in relation to dharmas. Among the first eight gates, the first six separate from characteristics to clarify its non-existence, and the latter two reveal reality to display its non-non-existence. Within the first six, the first clarifies the Buddha's separation from characteristics in relation to the dharma gate of the three times: "Does not come from the past, does not depart to the future, and does not abide in the present." The prior limit is [past], the future limit is [future], and "now" is the present. The conditioned undergoes flux: it can come from the past limit and go toward the future limit, and between coming and going it abides in the present now. The Buddha-body is eternally abiding and its nature is like empty space; hence it does not come from the past, does not go to the future limit, and does not abide in the present. Elsewhere it is mostly said that the prior limit is the past and the posterior limit is the future; why is the prior limit now called "coming" and reversed as "not coming", while the posterior limit is called "going" and reversed as "not going"? Explanation: The three times are divisions of time, distinguished in relation to dharmas. Although time is related to dharmas, dharmas are always general, while time is always restricted. For instance, a single physical dharma pervades the three times and is termed general, whereas distinguishing the three times is called restricted; the rest are also like this. Furthermore, time is universal, while dharmas are always specific: a single present time encompasses many dharmas and is termed universal, while various dharmas are individually distinct and termed specific. As with the present, so it is with the past and future. Time and dharmas have this difference: if one divides a single dharma by separate times, the single dharma is divided into three dharmas according to time. Among those three dharmas, one portion is past, one portion is future, and one portion is present. Therefore, in the sūtras, the past is called "prior", the future is called "posterior", and the present is called "now". If one distinguishes a single general dharma in relation to the three times, one can say that this dharma comes from the prior limit, abides in the present now, and goes toward the posterior limit. Just as worldly people say: "I have come from youth and am going toward old age." Therefore, here the prior limit is called "coming" and reversed as "not coming", and the posterior limit is called "going" and reversed as "not going". Second, it clarifies the Buddha's separation from characteristics in relation to the dharma gate of the five skandhas. First, speaking in terms of form: "Does not contemplate form" means not contemplating the Buddha-body as being existent like form. "Does not contemplate Suchness" means not contemplating the Buddha-body as being non-existent like form. "Does not contemplate nature" means that neither existence nor non-existence is the intrinsic nature of form, and one does not contemplate the Buddha-body as being neither existent nor non-existent like that nature of form. In the Buddha's equal dharmatākāya there has never been form; in reference to what could one speak of existence? Hence one does not contemplate form. Form originally does not exist; in contrast to what could one compare non-existence? Hence one does not contemplate the Suchness of form. Both existence and non-existence are eliminated, and there is nothing in reference to which one could speak of neither existence nor non-existence; hence one does not contemplate nature. The form skandha being so, the remaining skandhas are also like this. Third, it clarifies the Buddha's separation from characteristics in relation to the dharma gate of the four great elements: "Not arisen from the four great elements, identical to empty space." Fourth, it clarifies the Buddha's separation from characteristics in relation to the dharma gate of the six āyatanas: "The six āyatanas are without accumulation; the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind are transcended." Not creating causes in the present that accumulate future fruits is called "without accumulation"; having already abandoned previous existence, it is said that the eye, ear, nose, and so forth have "already been transcended". Fifth, it clarifies the Buddha's separation from characteristics in relation to the dharma gate of the three realms: the retribution of birth-and-death having ceased, he is "not in the three realms". Sixth, it clarifies the Buddha's separation from characteristics in relation to the dharma gate of the three poisons: the causes of birth-and-death being exhausted, it is therefore called "the three defilements have already been separated from". The afflictions of greed, anger, and delusion are called the three defilements; because the Buddha has already severed them completely, it is said that they have "already been separated from". The preceding six gates clarify the Buddha's separation from characteristics.