維摩義記 4.82

4.82

「佛告舍利汝見妙喜無動佛」下，總明流通。流通有二：一是勸學修行流通；二、「囑累」下明其付屬傳教流通。人行法住，故須勸學。傳教法流，故須付屬。前勸學中，隨人分三：一、舍利勸學；二、〈法供品〉初天帝勸學；三、〈法供品〉後如來勸學。舍利勸學既是流通，何故在於此品宣說？釋言：因佛告言見妙喜不？舍利答見，遂即興願歡喜自慶，乘勸他學，故此論之。初中有二：一、「佛言舍利汝見妙喜不動佛不」。二、「舍利」下答。答有四句：一、彰己已見，故曰「唯然」。二、「願使」下因見興願。「願一切生得清淨土如無動佛，獲神通力如維摩詰」。三、「我等快」下，慶己所得。初言「我等快得善利」，是慶喜辭。「得見是人親近供養」，出所慶事。四、「其諸眾生若今現」下，正勸修學。於中七句：「其諸眾生若今現在若佛滅後，聞是經者亦得善利，況復聞已信解受」等，是第一句，明聞者益。得益同己，故云亦得。亦可此句舉劣顯勝，明修行益。「若有手得是經典」下，是第二句，明得經益。「若有讀誦解釋」已下，是第三句，明其讀誦解釋等益。「為佛護念」，是其益也。「其有供養如是人」下，是第四句，明其供養維摩之益。良以維摩體與佛同，故供維摩則為供佛。亦可供前讀誦等人則為供佛，傳佛法故。「其有書」下，是第五句，明其書寫經卷之益。以此中明佛法身，故書經處室有如來。「若聞是經能隨喜」下，是第六句，隨喜益。聞經隨喜，得佛不遙，是故名為「取一切智」。「若能信解此經」已下，是第七句，明其為化宣說之益。「信解此經乃至一四句為他說者，當知此人受菩提記」，佛其人定作佛故。一偈尚然，何況全部。

From "The Buddha told Śāriputra: 'Do you see Abhirati and the Buddha Akṣobhya...'" onward, it generally clarifies the propagation. The propagation has two parts: first is the propagation of exhorting study and cultivation; second, from "Entrustment" onward, clarifies the propagation of entrusting and transmitting the teaching. When people practice, the Dharma abides; therefore one must exhort study. When the teaching is transmitted, the Dharma flows; therefore it must be entrusted. In the previous exhortation to study, according to the persons it is divided into three: 1. Śāriputra exhorts study; 2. at the beginning of the 'Dharma Offering' chapter, Śakra exhorts study; 3. at the end of the 'Dharma Offering' chapter, the Tathāgata exhorts study. Since Śāriputra's exhorting study is propagation, why is it expounded in this chapter? It is explained: Because the Buddha asked whether he saw Abhirati or not, Śāriputra replied that he saw it, and thereupon aroused vows and rejoiced in congratulating himself, taking the opportunity to exhort others to learn; therefore it is discussed here. In the first [part] there are two: 1. "The Buddha said: 'Śāriputra, do you see Abhirati and the Buddha Akṣobhya or not?'" 2. From "Śāriputra..." onward is the reply. The reply has four phrases: 1. Revealing that he has already seen it, hence he says "Indeed." 2. From "May..." onward, relying on seeing, he arouses a vow: "May all sentient beings attain a pure land like the Buddha Akṣobhya and obtain supernatural power like Vimalakīrti." 3. From "We are truly fortunate..." onward, he rejoices in what he has attained. First saying "We have truly gained fine benefit" is words of joyful celebration. "Being able to see this person, draw near, and make offerings" presents the matter rejoiced in. 4. From "Those sentient beings, whether now present..." onward directly exhorts practice and study. Within this are seven phrases: "Those sentient beings, whether now present or after the Buddha's extinction, who hear this sūtra will also gain fine benefit; how much more so those who, having heard it, believe, understand, receive..." and so forth is the first phrase, clarifying the benefit of those who hear. Gaining benefit equal to oneself, it is therefore said "will also gain." It is also possible that this phrase raises the inferior to manifest the superior, clarifying the benefit of cultivation. From "If anyone obtains this classic with their own hands..." onward is the second phrase, clarifying the benefit of obtaining the sūtra. From "If anyone recites, reads, and explains..." onward is the third phrase, clarifying the benefits of reciting, reading, explaining, and so forth. "Being protected and remembered by the Buddha" is that benefit. From "Whoever makes offerings to such a person..." onward is the fourth phrase, clarifying the benefit of making offerings to Vimalakīrti. Truly because Vimalakīrti's essence is identical with the Buddha, making offerings to Vimalakīrti is making offerings to the Buddha. It is also possible that making offerings to the aforementioned people who recite and read is making offerings to the Buddha, because they transmit the Buddha's Dharma. From "Whoever copies..." onward is the fifth phrase, clarifying the benefit of copying the sūtra scrolls. Because this clarifies the Buddha's dharmakāya, the room where the sūtra is copied has the Tathāgata. From "If one hears this sūtra and can rejoice in accord..." onward is the sixth phrase, the benefit of rejoicing in accord. Hearing the sūtra and rejoicing in accord, one is not far from attaining Buddhahood; therefore it is called "taking up all-knowledge." From "If one can faithfully understand this sūtra..." onward is the seventh phrase, clarifying the benefit of expounding it for the sake of transforming [others]. "Faithfully understanding this sūtra and even expounding a single four-line verse for others, one should know that this person receives the prediction of bodhi," because that person will definitely become a Buddha. If even one gāthā is like this, how much more so the entire [sūtra]!