維摩義記 2.6

2.6

Question: It was stated previously that because the virtues of the śrāvakas are inferior, the Buddha addressed them first. Since Śāriputra is the preeminent among the disciples, why was he addressed first? Explanation: Although Śāriputra's practice of wisdom is superior, his other practices are inferior to others'; thus he could be addressed first, because each person among the śrāvakas is foremost in some distinctively superior respect. "I am not competent..." and so forth is the statement of refusal. Therein, it first refuses, next explains, and finally concludes. "I am not competent to go thither to inquire about his illness" is the initial refusal. "For what reason?" and below is the explanation. "Therefore, I..." and below is the conclusion. In the explanation, "for what reason" is a self-inquiry, prompting what follows: for what reason do I say I am not competent? Below, it directly analyzes and explains: having in the past been reproved by him, for this reason he is not competent. Therein, he first presents the cause and condition of being reproved. From "Then Vimalakīrti..." onward, it sets forth the words of the reproof. From "At that time, O World-Honoured One, when I heard these words..." onward, from his own lowly deficiency, he manifests his own inadequacy. In the first part, "recalling the past" presents the time when he was reproved. "Once in the forest" identifies the place where he was reproved. "Quietly sitting beneath a tree" reveals the matter for which he was reproved. "Yan" (宴) is like "silent" (默). Silently sitting beneath a tree is called "quiet sitting" (宴坐). Yan (宴) and yan (晏) are mutually similar. "Yan" (晏) carries the meaning of "peaceful", while "yan" (宴) carries the meaning of "silent"; they are completely distinct, and here it signifies "yan" (宴). Below, it sets forth the words of reproof. The reason a reproof was needed was to cause Śāriputra to abandon the small and elevate the great, as well as to benefit other people. Therein, it first says, "Vimalakīrti came and said to me", which is an overarching presentation. Addressing and speaking are designated "said", without distinguishing them separately. First it reproves, and next it instructs. "O Śāriputra, one does not necessarily take this sitting to be quiet sitting": this is the statement of reproof. "O" (唯) is an expression of respect. Śāriputra had left the household life, while Vimalakīrti remained in the secular world; the secular must respect the Way, and for this reason he says "O". The following are all the same. Since the superior sitting had not yet been revealed, it could not be completely negated; therefore he says "not necessarily". Below, it sets forth the words of instruction, wherein it first presents, next instructs, and finally praises. "Now, quiet sitting..." is a general presentation. "Now" (夫) is an introductory particle. This presents the bodhisattva's method of superior sitting. Below, it separately teaches and indicates it; therein are six clauses, which taken together form four [pairs/sections]: the first clause forms one, teaching the departure from mundane practice, abandoning characteristics to realize quiescence; the next two form one, teaching the departure from the practice of the Lesser [Vehicle], manifesting function while in quiescence, and being constantly defiled while in purity; the next one forms one, again teaching the departure from the mundane, abandoning [signs] to realize quiescence; the final two form one, again teaching the departure from [śrāvaka] practice, being constantly pure while in defilement. Within the first clause, regarding "not manifesting body or mind in the three realms": the desire, form, and formless [realms] are the three realms. When ordinary beings are in the two realms of desire and form, they receive the fruit of material forms, which is called "manifesting the body"; when in the formless realm, they receive the fruit of mental dharmas, which is explained as "manifesting the mind". A bodhisattva fully knows that the three realms are false and delusive, merely created by the mind; realizing the real, he eliminates and abandons them, having no place wherein to abide; for this reason, he does not manifest body or mind in the domains of the three realms—this concludes it. In the next two clauses, the first clause relies on samādhi to manifest function while in quiescence, and the latter clause relies on wisdom to be constantly defiled while in purity. In the first clause, regarding "not arising from the concentration of cessation yet manifesting deportment": the concentration of cessation is the concentration of total cessation among the nine successive [attainments]. The total cessation of mind and thought is called the concentration of cessation; its meaning is as in the separate chapter and should be fully discussed there. "Deportment" refers to the four deportments: walking, standing, sitting, and lying down are the four deportments. In the śrāvaka's concentration of cessation, he abandons the four deportments; the bodhisattva constantly manifests them. Why is this so? The śrāvaka's deportment arises from the mind of phenomenal consciousness; when he enters the concentration of cessation, the mind of phenomenal consciousness ceases, and therefore he abandons deportment. The places where a bodhisattva's deportment arises are three: first, it arises relying on the mind of phenomenal consciousness; next, it arises relying on the mind of deluded consciousness; finally, it arises relying on the mind of true consciousness, naturally manifesting through the power of the dharma gate of the samādhi of suchness, just as a cintāmaṇi can rain down precious objects without mental discrimination. Among the three kinds of minds, the first two are impermanent, and the concentration of cessation can extinguish them; the latter one is the permanent mind, which the concentration of cessation does not extinguish. That which is extinguished does not raise deportment while in the concentration of cessation; that which is not extinguished constantly manifests deportment even while in the concentration of cessation. Now, relying on the latter meaning to instruct Śāriputra, it is therefore said: "not arising from the concentration of cessation yet manifesting deportment". Regarding "not abandoning the qualities of the Way yet manifesting mundane activities": noble wisdom is the Way; afflictions, karma, and so forth are mundane activities. When the śrāvaka is in the Way, he abandons mundane activities. The bodhisattva constantly manifests them. Why is this so? Persons of the śrāvaka [vehicle] have not yet attained the emptiness of dharmas; seeing that afflictions and so forth exist and are fearful, having severed them, they enter the noble state; thus having attained the noble state, they cannot manifest them. The bodhisattva thoroughly fathoms emptiness, knowing that existence is like an illusion, and remains in it without fear; therefore, he constantly practices gathering in and transforming sentient beings, and so does not abandon them. Thus, later in the text it says: "practicing the non-Way is penetrating the Buddha-Way". Furthermore, the bodhisattva realizes and enters the dharma gate of the samādhi of dependent origination; through the power of this dharma gate, he naturally and universally manifests activities shared with ordinary beings. Just as the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] says, "The Great Parinirvāṇa can establish great meaning"—that is precisely this matter. Persons of the śrāvaka [vehicle] have not attained this dharma, and therefore are unable. In the next clause, regarding "the mind neither abiding within nor existing without is quiet sitting": the six sense faculties are internal; the six sense objects are called external. The ordinary person's mind and consciousness arise relying on the six sense faculties as the predominant condition, which is called "abiding within"; they arise relying on the six sense objects as the objective condition, which is explained as "existing without". The bodhisattva is not like this: he knows that faculties and objects arise from the mind of false discrimination, like faculties in a dream and objects in a dream; outside the mind there is no dharma. Because he knows they do not exist, he departs and does not give rise [to them], no longer relying on them to aggregate and give rise to mind and consciousness; therefore he neither abides within nor exists without. Thus, later in the text it says: "not being mindful of the internal or external, he practices in equality". Furthermore, the deluded mind is an impermanent dharma; when the six consciousnesses arise simultaneously, the mind that initially arises must have something upon which it relies; among that upon which it relies, the stronger is called the faculty, and the weaker is called the object. The true mind is permanently abiding and has nothing upon which it relies; having no reliance, one cannot speak of a strong faculty or weak object. Now instructing Śāriputra to abandon the deluded and grasp the true, therefore neither abiding within nor existing without is indeed quiet sitting. In the latter two clauses, the first clause clarifies that he actively manifests the delusions of view while practicing the noble path, and the latter clause clarifies that he actively manifests the delusions of cultivation while realizing nirvāṇa. In the first clause, regarding "without wavering from the various views, one cultivates the thirty-seven factors [of awakening]—this is quiet sitting": the minds of the five views are called the "various views"; identity view, extreme view, wrong view, attachment to rites and rituals, and attachment to views are the five. The bodhisattva, in accordance with transforming [beings], constantly actively manifests them, which is called "not wavering", because he does not depart from them. Thus, later in the text it says: "With the eighty-four thousand gates of affliction, sentient beings are wearied by them; the Buddhas use these to perform Buddha-work." Although he actively manifests them, his inner mind is constantly stilled; therefore he constantly cultivates the thirty-seven factors [of awakening]. Regarding "without severing afflictions, entering nirvāṇa": in accordance with transforming [beings], actively manifesting greed, anger, delusion, and so forth is called "not severing". His inner mind being constantly quiescent is called "entering nirvāṇa". This concludes it. Only when these various practices are difficult to speak of are they accomplished; therefore it is called "quiet" (宴). That wherein the noble ones peacefully dwell is spoken of as "sitting" (坐). The above is the specific instruction. "If one can be like this..." is what is endorsed, praising its superiority to cause him to emulate it. The above presents the words of reproof. "At that time, O World-Honoured One, when I heard this, I remained silent and could not retort": this expresses his own lowly deficiency and manifests his own inadequacy. These words follow foreign grammar; following the grammar here, one should say: "World-Honoured One! At that time when I heard this, I remained silent and could not retort." First was the refusal, next the explanation. "Therefore I am not competent" concludes his own lack of competence.