維摩義記 2.8

2.8

Previously, in contrast to Śāriputra, the non-abiding Dharma was clarified; next, in contrast to Maudgalyāyana, the Dharma of realization was clarified; below, in contrast to the four persons, the auxiliary practices are clarified. Therein, first, in contrast to Kāśyapa and Subhūti, the practice of begging for food is clarified, which subsumes the dharmas of merit; later, in contrast to Pūrṇa and Kātyāyana, the practice of entering the Dharma is clarified, which subsumes the dharmas of wisdom. In the first two, first, in contrast to Kāśyapa, the dharma of begging for food is clarified, and later, in contrast to Subhūti, the dharma of receiving food is clarified. In the latter two, first, in contrast to Pūrṇa, the dharma of giving rise to practice is clarified, and later, in contrast to Kātyāyana, the dharma of generating understanding is clarified. The explanation is as such. First, [the Buddha] addressed Kāśyapa, bidding him to go inquire after the illness. Kāśyapa is his family name; his personal name is Mahā-pra-dāna (Mahāpradāna), which is translated here as 'Great Bestowal of Forefathers'. Mahā is great, dāna is bestowal, and pra denotes forefathers. He was of the brahmin caste of Rājagṛha, his family extremely wealthy, and his wife's name was Bhadrā Kāpilāyanī. In the past, in the time of Kāśyapa Buddha, this man was a goldsmith; at that time, a woman holding a gold bracelet hired this image-maker to repair a Buddha statue. Due to this merit and wholesome deed, they constantly met one another, and now encountering the Buddha's era, they became husband and wife again, both having golden bodies. In lay life they were without desire, and together both went forth from household life, simultaneously attaining arhatship. The details of this are as explained in the sūtra. Kāśyapa is foremost in ascetic practices (dhūta) among the Buddha's disciples, constantly practicing begging for food. Now he is ordered to inquire after the illness, wherein first [the Buddha] addressed him: 'Go inquire after the illness.' There are many Kāśyapas, so he is marked out with 'Great' (Mahākāśyapa). Below, he declines as incapable. Therein, first is a summary; from 'the reason is' onward is an explanation; and from 'therefore' onward is the conclusion. In the explanation, 'the reason is' poses a question to introduce what follows, and below it explains in direct address. The text has three parts: first, citing the reason he was rebuked in the past; second, from 'Then Vimalakīrti' onward, setting forth the words of rebuke; third, from 'At that time, my World-Honoured One, having heard this' onward, expressing his own inferiority and deficiency, revealing that the other is difficult to match. In the first part, 'recalling the past' cites the time of rebuke. 'Begging in a poor village' presents the event of rebuke. Kāśyapa's intention was that, having pity on the poor who lacked merit and wholesomeness and presently suffered poverty, receiving their alms now would make them wealthy in the future; hence he begged in the poor village. Because of this inequality, he was later rebuked.