維摩經略疏 1.113

1.113

「紹隆三寶」二句，此正釋化他功成能師子吼名聞十方。菩薩用無畏心說於四教，即是紹隆四種三寶。若頓赴圓機即入佛慧，初心成就一體三寶增進不斷，乃至妙覺湛然安住，此即大乘一體三寶常住不斷，故言使不斷絕。若漸教赴機次第明不斷者，初三藏乃至圓教，一體三寶不斷絕，展轉興謝教權實故。菩薩用此四教三寶引接眾生使佛種不斷，皆令安住大般涅槃常住三寶，皆是菩薩說法之功，即是能師子吼。化功歸己，即名聞十方，故言紹隆不斷也。若約觀心，紹隆不絕者，若佛在世紹隆三寶事如前說，佛去世後佛法付屬二眾弟子。所以優田造像、闍王結集、育王度人，若此相從三寶不絕，則彌勒出世真正三寶紹隆不絕，若彌勒滅後亦復如是。若行人能於今末世造立尊容、書寫大乘、度人出家，即是相從三寶紹隆不絕。若住三觀之心，觀此相從三寶，不滯空有人，第一義一體三寶紹隆不絕。故經云「敬像如真佛，得福亦復然。」故文云「無離文字說解脫相，文字性離即是解脫。」解脫者即諸法也。《賢愚經》云「未來多有破戒比丘，猶應供養恭敬如舍利弗、目犍連，所得功德亦復無量。」紹隆三寶功德最大，譬如大臣治正國家功勳重大。菩薩紹三寶種使不斷絕，功德無量，十方諸佛說不能盡。

The two phrases beginning with "Carrying on and exalting the Three Jewels": this correctly explains the success of converting others, being able to roar the lion's roar, and having renown heard throughout the ten directions. The bodhisattvas use a fearless mind to preach the four teachings, which is precisely carrying on and exalting the four kinds of Three Jewels. If they suddenly respond to faculties suited to the Perfect [Teaching], [such beings] immediately enter the Buddha's wisdom; the initial mind accomplishes the single-essence Three Jewels and advances continuously, up to wonderfully enlightened, serene abiding. This is the Mahāyāna single-essence Three Jewels, permanently abiding and uninterrupted; hence it says "causing them not to be cut off." If we explain the uninterrupted in terms of the gradual teaching responding to faculties in sequence: from the Tripiṭaka up to the Perfect Teaching, the single-essence Three Jewels are not cut off because the provisional and real teachings arise and decline in turn. The bodhisattvas use these four teachings' Three Jewels to guide and receive sentient beings so that the seed of buddhahood is not cut off, causing them all to abide peacefully in the Mahāparinirvāṇa of the permanently abiding Three Jewels—all of which is the merit of the bodhisattvas' preaching of the Dharma, which is to be able to roar the lion's roar. When the merit of transformation returns to themselves, their renown is heard throughout the ten directions; hence it says "carrying on and exalting without interruption." If considered according to contemplation of mind: as for carrying on and exalting without interruption, while the Buddha was in the world, carrying on and exalting the Three Jewels was as described before. After the Buddha passed away, the Buddha-Dharma was entrusted to the disciples of the two assemblies. Therefore King Udayana made images, King Ajātaśatru gathered the council, and King Aśoka ordained people. If these conventional Three Jewels are not cut off, then when Maitreya appears in the world, the true and real Three Jewels will be carried on and exalted without interruption; and so it will be after Maitreya's passing away. If practitioners in the present final age are able to fashion revered images, copy the Mahāyāna, and ordain people into the monastic life, this is the conventional Three Jewels being carried on and exalted without interruption. If one abides in the mind of the threefold contemplation and contemplates these conventional Three Jewels without clinging to emptiness, existence, or persons, the single-essence Three Jewels of the ultimate truth are carried on and exalted without interruption. Thus a sūtra says: "Respecting an image as one would the true Buddha, the merit gained is likewise the same." Therefore the text says: "Without departing from words, the characteristics of liberation are explained; the nature of words being departed [from grasping] is itself liberation." Liberation is precisely all phenomena. The Damamūka-nidāna Sūtra says: "In the future there will be many precept-breaking monks, yet one should still make offerings and pay respect to them as to Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana; the merit obtained will likewise be immeasurable." The merit of carrying on and exalting the Three Jewels is the greatest, just as a great minister governing and rectifying the state has immense merit. The bodhisattvas carry on the seed of the Three Jewels so that it is never cut off; their merit is immeasurable, and all the buddhas of the ten directions cannot finish preaching it.