維摩經略疏 10.24

10.24

第二、因阿難問即明復宗。就此為二：一從此去訖品，明佛土不同起根各異者，此即是品之來意五重中之兩意也。若化功已畢，即是掌擎大眾入庵羅園是其義也。次室中疑情未決或復須印，即是佛告舍利弗汝見大士自在神力之所為乎中意，即是印成室內所說，亦是有疑皆斷也。若大士稱揚，雖復別論餘法，皆為顯於淨國。淨國既顯，復宗還歸佛說，即此中文意也。又眾生機悟在佛，上開宗中長者子前問果、次問因，佛前答其果、二答其因。果中有二：一明果、二解釋。因中亦二：一明因、二解釋。此中復宗亦具二意：一復宗說果，即是佛國佛事不同；二復宗明因，即是諸菩薩行。就果中為二：一正明果、二釋其意。因中亦二：一正明菩薩行、二釋前後相對。義意孱齊，故知是復宗明義也。上果門明義，一者隨所化眾生而取佛土、二調伏眾生取土、三隨以何法入佛慧取土、四以何法起根取土。今此果門亦備四義，成上當宗佛國之說宛然是同，但不次第前後為異耳。良由言不疊出、語不重安，所以互說，欲令行者不定執前後。類如《法華》三周說法，名異義同。又如《涅槃》三十六問答中，義相對當，名字不同。義意若正，名異非嫌。此中雖前後不次，而名義孱齊。今第一釋上第四，雖復名殊，其義是一。第四釋上第一，具列在文。此中釋起菩薩根有十三句，明諸佛國起根不同，同用六塵之法來起六根也。若《毘曇》明色是質礙，不得通於餘塵，眼但見色不能兼用。大乘明義則異於此，根塵之中則能互用圓通諸法，如眼見紙墨之色，此色能詮一切諸法。若空若假若、中世出世一切諸法無不具足，祇是一墨而已，含容之德圓通無礙。故《大品》云「一切法趣色，是趣不過。乃至一切法趣味，是趣不過。」於食若等，於法亦等，當知根塵備一切法，故用此塵起菩薩根也。今將一塵為語者，此是從勝為名。如鼻根入道最利，故用香塵起之。如身根利，故用光明觸之。此間耳根利，故用聲塵起之，未必但有聲塵便無五塵。如此間以聲為佛事，亦放光明亦香雲香蓋衣服等以為佛事，但從勝者為正，其餘是傍，故的判聲為佛事。餘國若舉一塵者，亦復例爾。

Second, by occasion of Ānanda's question, he then clarifies returning to the fundamental theme. Concerning this, there are two parts: 1. From here down to the end of the chapter, clarifying that buddha-lands differ and the faculties aroused are each distinct; this constitutes two of the fivefold intentions for the chapter's occurrence. If the work of conversion is already finished, holding the great assembly in his palm and entering the Āmrapālī Grove is its meaning. Next, if the doubts in the room were not yet resolved or required a seal of confirmation, this is the meaning in the Buddha telling Śāriputra, "Did you see what the Great Being's sovereign spiritual power performed?"; that is, sealing and confirming what was spoken in the room, and also severing all doubts that existed. If the Great Being praised and proclaimed, although he separately discussed other dharmas, they were all to reveal the pure land. Once the pure land has been revealed, returning to the fundamental theme reverts to the Buddha's teaching, which is the textual intent here. Furthermore, sentient beings' capacity for awakening lies with the Buddha. Above, in introducing the fundamental theme, the elder's son first asked about the fruit and next asked about the cause; the Buddha first answered concerning the fruit and secondly answered concerning the cause. Within the fruit, there are two parts: 1. Clarifying the fruit; 2. Explaining it. Within the cause, there are also two parts: 1. Clarifying the cause; 2. Explaining it. Here, returning to the fundamental theme also possesses two meanings: 1. Returning to the fundamental theme to explain the fruit, which is the differences in buddha-lands and buddha-works; 2. Returning to the fundamental theme to clarify the cause, which is the various bodhisattva practices. Within the fruit, there are two parts: 1. Directly clarifying the fruit; 2. Explaining its meaning. Within the cause, there are also two parts: 1. Directly clarifying the bodhisattva practices; 2. Explaining the mutual correspondence between before and after. The principles and intentions are completely congruent; thus we know this is returning to the fundamental theme to clarify the doctrine. Above, in the gate of fruit clarifying the doctrine: first, taking a buddha-land according to the sentient beings to be converted; second, taking a land according to the taming of sentient beings; third, taking a land according to the dharma by which they enter the Buddha's wisdom; fourth, taking a land according to the dharma by which their faculties are aroused. Now this gate of fruit also provides these four meanings, completing the above explanation of the buddha-lands of the fundamental theme so that they are thoroughly identical; they differ only in that the sequence of before and after is not the same. Truly because words should not be duplicated and phrasing should not be repeated, they are expressed conversely, in order to make practitioners not cling rigidly to sequence. This is analogous to the three turnings of the Dharma preaching in the Lotus Sūtra, where the names differ but the meanings are identical. It is also like the thirty-six questions and answers in the Nirvāṇa Sūtra, where the meanings correspond directly, but the terms differ. If the doctrinal intention is correct, differing terminology is not objectionable. Although the sequence before and after here is not the same, the terms and meanings are completely congruent. Now, the first explains the fourth above; although the names are distinct, their meaning is one. The fourth explains the first above, fully set out in the text. Here, explaining the arousing of the bodhisattvas' faculties contains thirteen clauses, clarifying that different buddha-lands arouse faculties differently, all using the dharmas of the six dusts to arouse the six faculties. If we follow the Abhidharma, it explains that form has material obstruction and cannot interpenetrate with the other dusts; the eye only sees form and cannot function concurrently. The Mahāyāna's explanation of the doctrine differs from this: among faculties and dusts, there is mutual functioning and perfect penetration with all dharmas. Just as the eye sees the colour of paper and ink, this colour can expound all dharmas. Whether empty, provisional, or middle, mundane or supramundane, all dharmas are completely present without exception; it is merely a single drop of ink, yet its containing virtue is perfectly penetrating and unimpeded. Thus the Dàpǐn says: "All dharmas converge into form, and this convergence is unsurpassable... up to all dharmas converge into taste, and this convergence is unsurpassable." If it is equal with respect to food, it is also equal with respect to dharmas. One should know that faculties and dusts are endowed with all dharmas; therefore, these dusts are used to arouse the bodhisattvas' faculties. Now, speaking in terms of a single dust is naming it according to what is preeminent. For example, if the nose faculty is the sharpest in entering the path, the dust of fragrance is used to arouse it. If the body faculty is sharp, the contact of light is used. Here [in our world], the ear faculty is sharp, so the dust of sound is used to arouse it; it does not necessarily mean that having only the dust of sound excludes the other five dusts. Just as in this world sound is used to perform buddha-works, light is also radiated, and fragrant clouds, fragrant canopies, garments, and so forth are also used to perform buddha-works; but taking the preeminent as primary, the remainder are secondary, so sound is specifically determined to be the buddha-work. When other lands mention a single dust, it is by analogy the same.