維摩義記 2.66

2.66

From here below is the second [part], explaining the words of instruction and rebuke. "At that time, Vimalakīrti came into the assembly... down to 'It should not be arranged as you have done'" are the words of rebuke. From "You should make a Dharma..." downward are the words of instruction. Combining practice and treatment equally is called the giving of Dharma. Because the giving of Dharma is broad and vast, he therefore instructs him in it. In this instruction, roughly speaking there are two parts, and divided finely there are four. As for the rough two: first, explaining the giving of Dharma in terms of the cultivation of practice; second, from "At that time my mind attained purity" onward, explaining the giving of Dharma in terms of material wealth. As for the fine division into four: first, explaining the giving of Dharma in terms of the cultivation of practice; second, from "Among the brahmins, two hundred persons..." onward, explaining the benefits of the teaching; third, from "At that time my mind attained purity" downward, explaining the giving of Dharma in terms of material wealth; fourth, from "In the city, a single..." downward, explaining the benefits of the giving of Dharma. In the first part, there are three: first, a general exhortation; second, from "I said..." downward, specific instruction on cultivation and practice; third, from "This is the gathering of the giving of Dharma" downward, concluding with praise to display its superiority. In the first part, "You should hold an assembly of the giving of Dharma" raises the superior to encourage cultivation. "What use is a gathering of material wealth?" raises the inferior to encourage abandoning it. In the second part of instruction, there are two requests and two replies. "I said, 'Upāsaka, what is meant by the giving of Dharma?'" is the first request. "'An assembly of the giving of Dharma makes offerings to all sentient beings simultaneously, without before or after; this is called the giving of Dharma'" is the first reply. There is not a single practice of a bodhisattva that is not for the sake of beings; each and every equal [act] is for all, and therefore without before or after, it simultaneously makes offerings to all beings. Making offerings simultaneously, without before or after, clarifies the sudden nature of the giving. Making offerings to all beings clarifies the vastness of the offering. "Saying, 'What does this mean?'" is the second request. "'It means giving rise to a mind of loving-kindness through bodhi...'" and so forth is the second reply. What is distinguished here fundamentally clarifies benefiting others. In a fine division within this, there is also the distinction between benefiting oneself and benefiting others. There are four parts in the text: first, the four immeasurables, explaining the mind of benefiting others; second, from "restraining stinginess" onward, cultivating the six pāramitās, explaining the practice of benefiting oneself; third, from "teaching and transforming sentient beings while giving rise to emptiness" onward, relying on the former first mind of benefiting others to give rise to the practice of benefiting others; fourth, from "serving with reverence" onward, relying on the former second practice of benefiting oneself to clarify the characteristics of accomplished cultivation. In the first section, one should first explain the meaning of the four immeasurables and then explain the text; the doctrine is as [explained] in a separate chapter. In the text, the initial statement "It means giving rise to a mind of loving-kindness through bodhi" means that loving-kindness desires to grant happiness; taking the Buddha's happiness as its object, it desires to bestow it upon sentient beings, and therefore gives rise to a mind of loving-kindness through bodhi. "'Giving rise to a mind of compassion through rescuing sentient beings'" means that compassion desires to eradicate suffering; desiring to eradicate the suffering of sentient beings in saṃsāra, it therefore gives rise to a mind of compassion through rescuing sentient beings. "'Giving rise to a mind of sympathetic joy through upholding the true Dharma'" means that sympathetic joy can deliver beings. The sentient beings who are transformed embrace and uphold the true Dharma; although they have not yet attained liberation, they are not far from liberation, and therefore a mind of sympathetic joy arises. "'Practicing a mind of equanimity through embracing wisdom'": equanimity has many meanings; what is discussed here is letting go. Since the other person embraces and generates wisdom in accordance with the Dharma, one no longer needs to worry, and therefore one practices a mind of equanimity.