維摩義記 3.67

3.67

From this point, the second [main section] is Kāśyapa's concurrence and praise. "Then Kāśyapa exclaimed, 'Excellent, how splendidly spoken are these words!'"—these are words of praise. From "Truly as [you have said]" downward is his concurrence. Within this, there are four pairs, all of which first concur with the preceding [statement that] ordinary people are seeds, and then concur with the earlier [statement that] the Lesser Vehicle is not a seed. How do the four pairs differ? The first clarifies that sentient beings with afflictions can be seeds of Buddhahood, while those of the two vehicles cannot; the second clarifies that sentient beings of evil karma can be seeds of Buddhahood, while those of the two vehicles cannot; the third summarizes both of the preceding two; the fourth explains both of the preceding two. In the first pair, "Truly as you have said, the company of defilements are the seeds of the Tathāgata" concurs with the preceding [point that] ordinary people can be seeds of Buddhahood. Afflictions that soil and dirty are called 'dust' (defilement); having the ability to trouble and disturb, they are said to be 'toil' (vexation). 'Company' means companions, or also classes and categories. The classes and categories of those who give rise to afflictions are called the company of defilements; these are truly able to be the seeds of the Tathāgata. "We are now no longer capable of generating the bodhicitta" censures the two vehicles and corroborates the inability of the Lesser Vehicle stated in the preceding text. In the second pair, it first states, "even [those with] the five sins of immediate retribution are still able to generate the intention and give birth to the Buddha's teachings," concurring with the preceding [point that] ordinary people can be seeds of Buddhahood. Moving beyond the light to cite the heavy is why it says 'even'. The name and meaning of the five heinous deeds are as analyzed above. As for 'immediate' (avīci), there are four meanings in the explanation: first, immediacy of arriving at the retribution—having committed a heinous deed, after discarding this body one enters directly into Avīci; in the preceding thought-moment one was in the human realm and in the subsequent thought-moment one is already there, so it is called 'immediate'; second, immediacy of physical form—Avīci Hell is square and eighty thousand yojanas across; when one person enters it their body also completely fills it, and when a second person enters their body also completely fills it, and so on for all, so it is called 'immediate'; third, immediacy of lifespan—in the other hells one dies and is reborn repeatedly, but Avīci is not so; once born into it one's lifespan is one kalpa without any interruption, so it is called 'immediate'; fourth, immediacy of experiencing suffering—in other hells suffering and pleasure are intermingled, but Avīci is not so; the experience of suffering is continuous without a momentary break, so it is called 'immediate'. The meaning of the five heinous deeds possesses these four senses, and so is called 'immediate'. Though this karma is grave, they are still able to generate the intention and give birth to the Buddha's teachings, like King Ajātaśatru and others. "Yet we now are eternally incapable of generating it" censures the two vehicles and corroborates that śrāvakas are not seeds in the text above. In this, there is first the teaching of the dharma, and next it is revealed through a metaphor. The eyes and other senses are called the faculties; ruined faculties are called defective; a person whose faculties are ruined is called a "person of defective faculties." Being unable to illuminate forms, sounds, and so forth, and not being nourished or benefited by the five dusts, is called "no longer being able to benefit from the five desires." Below, the application reveals the dharma. "In this way, those śrāvakas whose fetters are severed" applies to the person of defective faculties. "In the Buddha's teachings" applies to the five desires. "Receive no further benefit and never aspire to it" applies to no longer being able to benefit. In the third summary, "therefore" means: because the company of defilements are the seeds of the Tathāgata, and [those with] the five sins of immediate retribution give birth to the Buddha's teachings. "Ordinary people have reciprocity with the Buddha's teachings"—committing evil and turning away, they are still able to turn back and seek; this is called having reciprocity. This is [in contrast to] the preceding "we are no longer capable of generating the bodhicitta"; because the fetters of śrāvakas are severed and they have no benefit in the Buddha's teachings, śrāvakas lack it.