維摩義記 3.20

3.20

In the earlier [part on] abandoning defilement, "Those who seek the Dharma" brings up what is sought. Below he teaches abandoning characteristics, wherein he teaches abandoning them with reference to the dharma gates of the three categories—the skandhas, dhātus, and āyatanas—as well as the places of the three realms. "There is no seeking for form..." and so forth teaches abandoning the five skandhas. Following the conventional, the skandhas exist, but in the ultimate, they do not exist. Since there is nothing that can be coveted or sought, it says "there is no seeking for form, feeling," and so on; the rest are also like this. Alternatively, it can mean that fully knowing that there is no form and so forth is called seeking the correct Dharma, hence it says "there is no seeking for form, feeling," and so on; the rest are also like this. "There is no [seeking for the] dhātus" means fully knowing that within the ultimate there are no eighteen dhātus. "There is no [seeking for the] āyatanas" means fully knowing that within the ultimate there are no twelve āyatanas. "There is no seeking for the desire, form, or formless [realms]" means fully knowing that within the ultimate there are no places of the three realms. In teaching the abandonment of purity, pure dharmas are limitless; now he provisionally teaches the abandonment of attachment with reference to the realm of the Three Jewels and the practice of contemplating the four truths; the rest can be known by analogy. In the previous [part on] the Three Jewels, "Those who seek the Dharma" brings up the correct seeking of the Dharma. "Not attached to the Buddha" and so forth teaches abandoning characteristics. In accordance with conventional truth, the Buddha and so forth can be accepted, which is termed being attached; being attached, one covets and seeks them. In principle they are all suchness, and therefore one is not attached. Because there is nothing to covet or grasp, it says "does not seek." Alternatively, not being attached is called seeking the correct Dharma, hence it is termed "seeking." In the subsequent [part on] contemplating the truths, "Those who seek the Dharma" brings up the correct seeking of the Dharma. Below he teaches abandoning characteristics. In accordance with the conventional scope, there is suffering that must be seen, there is origination that must be cut off, there is cessation that must be realized, and there is the path that must be cultivated; coveting and delighting in this practice is termed seeking it. In principle all are non-existent, and for this reason it says "there is no seeking for the seeing of suffering, up to having no seeking for cultivating the path." Not seeking the sage's wisdom that contemplates suffering is called having no seeing of suffering. Not seeking the sage's practice that cuts off origination is called having no cutting off of origination. Not seeking the virtue produced by the sage that severs hindrances and realizes cessation is called having no seeking for producing the realization of exhaustion—"producing" means making, and "exhaustion" is like cessation. Not seeking the sage's practice of cultivating the path is called having no cultivation of the path. Among all these practices, none at all are sought. Alternatively, departing from these is called seeking the correct Dharma, hence it is termed "seeking." The above is the first [point], which clarifies that seeking the correct Dharma must abandon characteristics.