維摩義記 1.64

1.64

"Upāya Chapter": from here below is the teaching of the second assembly. Within it there are nine chapters. In this chapter, Vimalakīrti's skillful means in provisionally guiding others are extensively revealed to initiate the teachings that follow, and the chapter is accordingly titled the "Upāya Chapter." Generally speaking, there are four meanings of upāya: first, progressive upāya—progressing toward the fruit, like the seven preliminary expedient stages prior to the path of seeing, and so forth; second, provisional upāya—as in the expedient wisdom among the two types of wisdom, where the three vehicles do not really exist, yet are provisionally established; third, active upāya—as in the perfection of expedients among the ten pāramitās, where what is undertaken is skillful, and is therefore called upāya; fourth, composite upāya—as the *Daśabhūmika-śāstra* states, when dharmas are skillfully brought to completion, it is called upāya, and so forth; when dharmas sharing the same nature are skillfully brought to completion together, it is called upāya. The first three are exclusively virtues; the last one pertains broadly to dharmas. What is discussed here corresponds in meaning to the second, provisional upāya. However, within provisional upāya there are three distinctions: first, bodily upāya—manifesting forms across the six destinies, with nothing left undone; second, vocal upāya—where the three vehicles do not really exist, yet are provisionally established; third, mental upāya—manifesting the realization of the fruits of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, as well as giving rise to afflictions, karma, suffering, and the like. Here it directly clarifies bodily upāya, while also encompassing speech and mind; hence the text below says, "Through such immeasurable upāya he benefited sentient beings." Furthermore, skillfully converting sentient beings here is also active upāya. Clarifying this upāya, it is named the "Upāya Chapter."