維摩義記 4.79

4.79

From here below, the second [section]: Vimalakīrti uses supernatural power to cause the great assembly to see Akṣobhya Buddha. Therein are four parts: 1. Śāriputra asks Vimalakīrti about the place from which he previously came. The Tathāgata explains it for him. 2. The great assembly hears the teaching and seeks and desires to see it; the Tathāgata directs them. 3. Vimalakīrti manifests it for them, bringing Abhirati from afar and placing it in this land, and the great assembly sees it together. 4. Because the work of conversion is finished, the land returns to its original place, and the great assembly sees it together. In the first section, Śāriputra first asks, and then the Buddha explains it for him. Within Śāriputra's question, as for "from where did you pass away to be born here?", that Śāriputra wished to cause Vimalakīrti to manifest his original place, so as to cause the assembly to see it together, generate aspirations, and seek birth [there]; therefore he asked it. Below, Vimalakīrti rebukes his question, revealing that in reality there is no birth, so as to cause the assembly to enter. Therein are three parts: 1. Based on the dharma attained by Śāriputra, clarifying that the principle is birthless; 2. from "What do you think? Just as an illusionist..." below, clarifying that dharmas are illusory, revealing that phenomena are birthless; 3. from "Passing away..." below, distinguishing the sage from the ordinary, clarifying that he himself is birthless. In the first part there are three sentences. First, Vimalakīrti asks Śāriputra in return, "Does the dharma you have attained have passing away and birth?" "Passing away" is like destruction. Second, Śāriputra replies, "It has neither passing away nor birth." The principle of emptiness and selflessness attained by Śāriputra is unlike phenomenal existence, so it has neither birth nor passing away. Third, Vimalakīrti rebukes him in return based on his answer: "If the dharma you have attained has no signs of passing away or birth, why do you ask, 'From where did you pass away to come here?'" In the second section there are five distinct clauses: 1. Vimalakīrti raises a simile and asks in return: "What do you think? Just as an illusionist conjures men and women, do they pass away or be born?" Discussing it according to signs: karma is like an illusionist, and through karma's fabrication of retribution in the six destinies, it is called conjuring men and women. Speaking from the root: the mind is like an illusionist, and through the mind's fabrication of all kinds of forms, it is called conjuring men and women. 2. Śāriputra correctly replies, "They have neither passing away nor birth." An illusion lacks fixed reality, so it has neither birth nor passing away. 3. Vimalakīrti raises the doctrine and asks in return: "Have you not heard the Buddha say that all dharmas have the characteristics of illusions?" 4. Śāriputra replies saying, "So it is." 5. Vimalakīrti rebukes him in return based on his answer: "If all dharmas have the characteristics of illusions, why do you ask, 'From where did you pass away to come and be born here?'" In the third section, it first says, "Passing away is the sign of the disintegration of deceptive dharmas; birth is the sign of the continuity of deceptive dharmas," distinguishing the ordinary from the sage. "Although a bodhisattva passes away, he does not exhaust the roots of goodness; although he is born, he does not foster evils," revealing the sage as distinct from the ordinary and clarifying that he himself is birthless.