維摩義記 2.51

2.51

Next is the extensive explanation. Within this, it first clarifies that it cannot be attained by the mind. From "non-meeting" onward, it extensively reveals the meaning of its not being attainable by the body. Within the previous clarification that it cannot be attained by the mind, there are fourteen phrases: the first thirteen phrases, [wherein] the essence is quiescent and free of signs, constitute one's own virtue; the final phrase, [wherein] the cognitive function is lucid and distinct, constitutes benefiting others. Among the first thirteen, the first ten clarify freedom from the marks of the apprehending mind (the subject), and the subsequent three clarify freedom from the marks of the apprehended dharmas (the object). Among the first ten phrases, the first seven are freedom from signs, and the subsequent three are identification with the real. Among the previous [seven] on freedom from signs, the first phrase is the general [statement], the next two show its establishment and also serve as the root, and the latter four explain and establish it. In the first general [statement], "Quiescence is bodhi" lists its name. "Because it extinguishes all marks" explains and reveals the meaning of quiescence. Extinction is of two kinds: first, extinction in its intrinsic nature, which is originally nonexistent in the real; second, extinction through antidotes, which is parted from only upon seeing the real. Because one sees the real, one understands that delusion is originally nonexistent and does not arise again thereafter; hence "it extinguishes all marks." In the subsequent phrases, freedom from signs is similarly treated. The next two phrases, "non-contemplation" and "non-practice," reveal the preceding general quiescence. Therein, the first phrase clarifies the absence of contemplative understanding, and the latter clarifies the absence of practical cultivation. In the former, absence of understanding, "not contemplating" lists the name: the contemplation of deluded signs that takes [objects] as conditions is originally nonexistent in the true; hence it is called "not contemplating." Furthermore, realization and abandoning are also called "not contemplating," which is an explanation in terms of departing from conditions. Contemplative understanding taking the principle as its condition is called "conditioning"; being originally nonexistent in the true is called "departure." Furthermore, realization and abandoning are also called "departure." In clarifying the absence of practice, "not practicing" lists the name: conditionally cultivating the various pāramitās is called "practice"; being originally nonexistent in the true, it is therefore called "not practicing." Furthermore, realization and abandoning are also called "not practicing." "Without recollection" explains it: all practices arise due to recollection and mindfulness; because there is no recollection or mindfulness, there is no practice. The next four phrases explain and reveal the preceding non-contemplation and non-practice. Therein, the first two explain and establish non-contemplation, and the latter two show and establish non-practice. In explaining non-contemplation, the first departs from views and understanding, and the latter eliminates deluded signs, clarifying not seeing the root. In the former, departing from views, "severance" lists the name, and "abandoning views" explains it: contemplative understanding and investigative seeking are called "views"; being originally nonexistent in the real is called "abandoning"; furthermore, realization and elimination are also called "abandoning." In the latter, departing from delusion, "freedom" lists the name, and "freedom from delusion" explains it: the essence of the deluded consciousness being insubstantial is called "deluded signs"; being originally nonexistent in the real is called "freedom"; furthermore, realization and elimination are also called "freedom." In explaining non-practice, the first phrase departs from vows, being without the upāya of practice; the latter phrase departs from craving, being without that toward which practice tends. In the former, departing from vows, "obstruction" lists the name, and "obstructing vows" explains it: the mind that seeks practice is called a "vow"; its non-arising upon realizing the real is called "obstruction." In the latter, departing from craving, "non-entering" lists the name, and "absence of craving" explains it: because there is no craving or attachment, there is nowhere to enter. One explanation is like this. There is also an alternative meaning: among the preceding phrases, "quiescence" is the general, and the remaining phrases are specific. Among the specific, the first two clarify freedom from pure signs—non-contemplation departs from understanding, and non-practice departs from practice—while the latter four depart from defilement. Therein, the first two clarify freedom from views, and the latter two clarify freedom from craving. In the former, freedom from views, "Severance is bodhi, for it abandons all views" means departing from the five view-minds within phenomenal consciousness. "Freedom is bodhi, for it is free from deluded thoughts" means departing from deluded consciousness. In the latter, freedom from craving, "Obstruction is bodhi, for it obstructs all vows" means departing from the mind of yearning and seeking that arises from craving. "Non-entering is bodhi, for it is without craving or attachment" means departing from the craving mind that is the root of vows. The above is freedom from signs; below clarifies identification with the real. "Accordance" lists the name, and "according with suchness" explains it: the principle of emptiness is suchness; suchness and bodhi share the same essence but are conceptually distinguished; because their identical essence is non-dual, it is called "accordance." "Abiding" lists the name, and "abiding in the nature" explains it: abiding is the dharmatā; dharmatā and bodhi share the same essence but are conceptually distinguished; because their identical essence is in accord, it is called "abiding." "Attainment" lists the name, and "attaining reality" explains it: the nature that is neither existent nor nonexistent is the limit of reality (bhūtakoṭi); the limit of reality and bodhi share the same essence but are conceptually distinguished; their identical essence being without obstruction is termed "attainment." The above clarified freedom from the marks of the apprehending mind; the three below clarify freedom from the marks of the apprehended dharmas. Therein, the first phrase clarifies freedom from marks, the second is identification with the real, and the third is the permanence of essence. In the first, "non-dual" lists its name: if there were an apprehended object, duality would be spoken of relative to the mind; since the apprehended object does not exist, one cannot take it relative to the mind and speak of duality; hence it is called "non-dual." "Because it is free from mind and dharmas" explains and reveals its character: mind is the mental faculty (manas), and dharmas are the mental objects (dharmas); both of these are departed from, hence there is no duality. In the second phrase, "equal" lists the name, and "equal to space" explains it: space and bodhi share the same essence but are conceptually distinguished; because their identical essence corresponds, it is called "equal." In the third phrase, "unconditioned" lists the name: the essence is permanent and immutable, hence it is called "unconditioned." "Without arising, abiding, or ceasing" explains and reveals its character. The preceding phrases clarified freedom from marks; that the essence of bodhi is quiescent is one's own virtue. Below reveals that its cognitive function is lucid and distinct, which is benefiting others. "Knowing" lists the name, and "comprehending beings" explains it: the Buddha's wisdom is lucid and pure; the mental activities of sentient beings appear within the Buddha's wisdom, so it is said to be "comprehending"; it is not that there is an apprehended object that is termed "comprehending." The above extensively clarified that it cannot be attained by the mind; next is an extensive clarification of the preceding [statement that] it cannot be attained by the body. There are nine distinct phrases: the first two are the gateway, and the latter seven explain and establish it. Within the first two gateways, the first phrase departs from the fruit, and the latter phrase departs from the cause. In the former, departing from the fruit, "non-meeting" lists the name: there is no combination of faculties and dusts (sense objects) that generates consciousness, hence it is called "non-meeting." "Because the āyatanas do not meet" explains and reveals its character: the six faculties and six dusts according with one another are called āyatanas; furthermore, āyatanas are locations—the locations where the six faculties and six dusts generate consciousness—hence they are called āyatanas; gathering and combining to generate consciousness is called "meeting"; being originally nonexistent in the true, the āyatanas therefore do not meet; furthermore, through realization they are eliminated and abandoned, hence the āyatanas do not meet. In the latter, departing from the cause, "non-conjunction" lists the name: the afflictions and fetters combining and arising is called "conjunction"; being originally nonexistent in the true, it is therefore called "non-conjunction"; furthermore, through realization they are eliminated and abandoned, so it is also called "non-conjunction." "Because it is free from the latencies of affliction" explains and reveals its character: severing and eliminating the active afflictions is called "freedom from afflictions"; the residual traces are also exhausted, hence it is "free from their latencies." Among the latter seven phrases, the first three explain and establish non-meeting, and the latter four explain and establish non-conjunction. Among the first three phrases, the first phrase departs from marks, and the latter two depart from nature. In the former, departing from marks, "placeless" lists the name: the physical retribution is eternally extinguished and the form has nowhere it resides, hence it is called "placeless." "Without form" explains it. In the latter, absence of nature, the former is without a fixed name, and the latter is without a fixed essence. In being without a fixed name, "provisional name" lists the name: true virtue has no name, but is provisionally revealed by means of names, hence it is called "provisional name." "Names are empty" explains it: provisional existence is substantially nonexistent, hence "names are empty." In being without a fixed essence, "like an illusion" lists the name: all virtues are simultaneously conditionally arisen and mutually accomplished, not existent yet existing, and existing yet nonexistent, just like a magical illusion, hence it is called "like an illusion." "Because there is neither grasping nor rejecting" explains and reveals its character: because it resembles an illusion, dharmas are not determinately existent, and therefore there is no grasping; neither are they determinately nonexistent, and therefore there is no rejecting. What does this mean? When the general is analyzed into particulars, all virtues are empty, and therefore there is no grasping; when the particulars are integrated into the general, all virtues exist, and therefore there is no rejecting. Regarding the latter four phrases establishing non-conjunction, the first clarifies that quiescent concentration eliminates distraction; the second clarifies that pure wisdom departs from defilement—these previous two phrases clarify freedom from the essence of delusion; the third departs from the apprehending subject, clarifying the absence of the cause of delusion; the fourth departs from the apprehended object, clarifying the absence of the condition for delusion. In the first phrase, "undistracted" lists the name, and "constantly tranquil" explains it: the essence is quiescent and unconditioned, hence it is called "undistracted." In the second phrase, "truly quiescent" lists the name: not giving rise to the fault of defilement, it is therefore called "truly quiescent." "Purity of nature" explains it: realization of the real and looking [at its nature] show that it has never been defiled from the beginning, hence it is called "purity of nature"; furthermore, the original dharmatā becoming pure starting from conditions is also called "purity of nature." In the third phrase, "non-grasping" lists the name: being far removed from deluded consciousness, the apprehending mind is severed, hence it is called "non-grasping." "Departing from conditions" explains it: climbing is the hands, and conditioning is the feet; the mental dharma grasping an object resembles hands and feet, hence it is called "perceptual climbing/conditioning"; being originally nonexistent in the true, it is termed "departure"; furthermore, realization and elimination are also called "departure." In the fourth phrase, "non-difference" lists the name: within the ultimate truth there are no differential marks, hence it is called "non-difference." "Equality of dharmas" explains it: worldly dharmas are uneven and disparate, but in principle they are such and equal, hence it is called "equality of dharmas"; taking them equally, there is therefore no difference. The above was the specific explanation. Below is the paired concluding praise. "Bodhi is peerless, having no metaphor" concludes the preceding [statement that] it cannot be attained by the body: transcending worldly forms and marks, it cannot be compared or analogized, hence it cannot be attained by the body; "Bodhi is subtle and wondrous, its dharmas difficult to know" concludes the preceding [statement that] it cannot be attained by the mind: although all dharmas are complete within the nature of bodhi, it cannot be fathomed or known, hence it cannot be attained by the mind. The above is the second part, clarifying the words of teaching and reproof.