維摩義記 4.90

4.90

From here below is the fourth [section], clarifying that Candrachatra heard the Dharma, attained benefit, and practiced the Dharma offering. "Prince Candrachatra, having heard such Dharma from King of Medicine Buddha, attained the patient acceptance of compliance" is the benefit of hearing the Dharma, which is above the fourth bhūmi. How is this known? The five patient acceptances are divided specifically: before the bhūmis is the patient acceptance of suppression; on the first, second, and third bhūmis, seeing is the patient acceptance of faith; the fourth, fifth, and sixth bhūmis are the patient acceptance of compliance; the seventh, eighth, and ninth bhūmis are the patient acceptance of the non-arising [of dharmas]; and the tenth bhūmi and the Buddha are the patient acceptance of quiescence. Now, stating "compliance" means it is subsumed under that third patient acceptance, and therefore is above the fourth bhūmi. "He immediately unfastened his jeweled garments and utensils of teaching to offer..." etc. is making offerings out of gratitude. From "addressed the Buddha" onward, he practiced the Dharma offering. Within this, there are three parts: First, he declared his own intention, showing his desire to practice the Dharma offering after the Tathāgata's parinirvāṇa, and prayed for the Buddha's empowerment. Second, the Tathāgata gave him a prophecy. Third, Candrachatra received the prophecy and properly carried out the Dharma offering. In the first part, "addressed the Buddha, 'After the Tathāgata's parinirvāṇa, I shall practice the Dharma offering'" declares his own intention; "protecting the true Dharma" shows what he would do; and "vowing that through your spiritual power you may compassionately establish [me]" prays for the Buddha's empowerment—to unseenly assist with power is called "empowering with majestic spiritual power and compassionately helping through mindfulness." In the second section, "the Buddha knew his thought" means knowing it in his mind; "and prophesied saying..." etc. is giving the prophecy in speech. The Dharma can ward off and defend, so it is named "citadel" by metaphor. Knowing that he would certainly be able to protect it, the Buddha therefore gave him the prophecy. In the third [section], Candrachatra's practicing the Dharma offering, the text has two parts: First, while the Buddha was still present, he cultivated his own virtues as a Dharma offering; second, from "after the Buddha's parinirvāṇa" downward, it clarifies that after the Buddha's parinirvāṇa he transformed others with the sūtras as a Dharma offering. In the first part, he first heard the Buddha's prophecy and left household life out of faith; next, from "cultivated wholesome dharmas with vigor and before long attained the five supernormal powers" downward, it clarifies what he attained. Attaining the five supernormal powers means unobstructed active function; penetrating the bodhisattva path means autonomy in the essence of practice: these two are his own virtues. "Attained dhāraṇī" is the fulfillment of bodily and mental karma; "unbroken eloquence" is the fulfillment of vocal karma: these two are his virtues for transforming others. In his practicing the Dharma offering after the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, it first clarifies that Candrachatra gave rise to teaching based on the Dharma; from "the monk Candrachatra, through protecting..." downward, it clarifies that his teaching benefited people. In the former, giving rise to teaching: "After the Buddha's parinirvāṇa" is the time of giving rise to teaching; "with the supernormal powers and dhāraṇīs he had attained..." etc. is the virtue of giving rise to teaching; "fully ten minor kalpas" shows the duration of his teaching; "he distributed accordingly all the dharmas spoken by King of Medicine Tathāgata as he turned the wheel of the Dharma" directly clarifies the teaching. In the latter, benefiting people: "Because the monk Candrachatra protected the Dharma, he strove with diligent vigor" repeats what came before to introduce what follows. Below, it directly discusses the benefits. First, benefiting bodhisattvas: "In that very life, he transformed and benefited one hundred trillion people, establishing them in non-retrogression toward great bodhi." Next, benefiting the two vehicles: "He was able to cause fourteen nayutas of people to arouse the aspiration for the two vehicles." Later, benefiting ordinary beings: "Immeasurable sentient beings attained birth in the heavens." In the citation of evidence, the above was the second [major section], directly citing past events to show that material offerings do not match the Dharma offering. From here below is the second [part], harmonizing past and present, clarifying that the offering brings abundant benefits and all will attain buddhahood, causing people to [...] learn. The text is clear and can be understood.