維摩經略疏 1.105

1.105

問：近無等等豈非歎上？答：今明諸德皆歎上地，須約隣果。故下結云「如是一切功德皆悉具足」。若通下地，無等之言。約相待說，互有遠近。如《法華》明行處近處，下地亦名近也。《華嚴》明十地智慧如爪上土，諸佛智慧猶如大地，此則懸殊。今三教菩薩行類是同，而教有所主、各有淺深，通八地去但約二諦而品有優劣。若約補處，自攝下位。別登地去，即是三諦入佛智地。行類是同，但約品淺深分地優劣；若歎補處，即攝下地。圓教初住三諦圓顯，具於一切諸佛功德，但品位不同，不無優劣；若歎等覺，即下位皆攝。但諸菩薩外隨所感見聞不同，內則本迹高下難測，豈可定執？非但約教分別菩薩功德法門，或時內合觀心，欲令行者知勝妙功德皆從心出，是則諸佛解脫皆於眾生心行中求。若約二法歎者，大智歎解、本行歎行。若解行互闕，如目足互失皆無所到；若解行具者，如有目足即能到池。故須雙歎，所以歎解。云大智者，只是觀解，若入空出假。二智方便不名為大，中道觀解一切種智名為大智，故《大論》云「我今知力欲演說大智彼岸實相義。」當知大智即是觀諸法實相之觀也。言本行者即是歎行，從大智本一心具足諸波羅蜜，故《大品》云「諸法雖空而能一心具足萬行」。《金光明》云「一切種智而為根本，無量功德之所莊嚴。」當知自行雖有多門，但略歎解行，橫竪諸德磬無不取。

Question: Approaching the peerless—how could this not be praising the higher? Answer: Now I explain that all these virtues praise the higher bhūmis and must be understood in terms of being adjacent to the fruit [of Buddhahood]. Therefore, it concludes below: "All such merits are fully possessed." If applied generally to the lower bhūmis, the word "peerless" is spoken in a relative sense, each having distance or proximity. As the Lotus Sūtra explains the "place of practice" and the "place of intimacy," the lower bhūmis are also called "proximate." The Avataṃsaka explains that the wisdom of the ten bhūmis is like earth on a fingernail, while the wisdom of all buddhas is like the great earth—this indeed is a vast disparity. Now, the practices of the bodhisattvas of the three teachings belong to the same category, yet each teaching has its primary focus and each has its depth and shallowness. In the shared teaching, from the eighth bhūmi onward, it is merely in terms of the two truths, yet with superior and inferior grades. In terms of the stage of succession, it naturally subsumes the lower stages. In the distinct teaching, from ascending the bhūmis onward, it is the three truths entering the ground of the Buddha's wisdom. Their categories of practice are identical, yet differ in the superiority or inferiority of the bhūmis according to the depth or shallowness of the grades; if one praises the stage of succession, it subsumes the lower bhūmis. In the perfect teaching, at the first abodement the three truths are perfectly revealed, possessing all the merits of all buddhas; yet their grades and stages differ, not lacking superiority and inferiority; if one praises equal enlightenment, all the lower stages are subsumed. But externally, the bodhisattvas appear differently in seeing and hearing according to what is evoked; internally, the heights and depths of their original ground and traces are difficult to fathom—how could one rigidly adhere [to one view]? Not only may one distinguish the bodhisattvas' dharma-gates of merit according to the teachings, but at times one inwardly unites them with the contemplation of mind, desiring to cause practitioners to know that all sublime merits arise from the mind. Thus the liberations of all buddhas are all to be sought within the mental practices of sentient beings. If praised in terms of two Dharmas: "great wisdom" praises understanding, and "original practice" praises practice. If understanding and practice are mutually lacking, it is like lacking eyes or feet—neither will arrive anywhere; if understanding and practice are both present, it is like having eyes and feet—one is able to reach the pond. Therefore both must be praised. As for why understanding is praised: "great wisdom" is simply contemplative understanding. If entering emptiness and emerging into provisionality, the expedients of the two wisdoms are not called "great." The contemplative understanding of the Middle Way, which is the wisdom of all modes, is called "great wisdom." Hence the Dàzhìdù lùn says: "With the power of my knowledge, I now wish to expound the meaning of the true reality of the further shore of great wisdom." One should know that great wisdom is the contemplation of the true reality of all phenomena. "Original practice" praises practice: from the origin of great wisdom, a single mind fully possesses all pāramitās. Hence the Dàpǐn says: "Although all phenomena are empty, one is able in a single mind to fully possess the ten thousand practices." The Suvarṇaprabhāsa says: "Taking the wisdom of all modes as the root, adorned by immeasurable merits." One should know that although self-cultivation has many gateways, by merely praising understanding and practice in brief, all virtues, horizontal and vertical, are completely included without exception.