維摩經略疏 10.25

10.25

「光明為佛事」者，放光明觸身，具詮諸法，隨觸得解。何但他國以光為佛事，此國亦以光明化人。如說諸大乘經皆放光明，駭動一切。但非此國入道正意，佛事正通意耳。當知光明中具足一切法，如《思益》所辨。又如《大品》放光，眾生遇者即發菩提心。如《華嚴》明有光名無貪，滅諸貪欲弊等。皆是以光為正，皆具諸法也。但小乘中，或言光到觸，或言不到觸。大乘明不思議而辨到觸。「化人為佛事」者，如須扇多佛，留化佛度眾生。或有佛有所施作利益眾生，用化人化菩薩等起眾生根。又如說般若，化菩薩說般若，即是此間以化為佛事也。「菩薩為佛事」者，或有佛土純用菩薩為眷屬利他導眾，佛但為尊主而已。此間亦有此義，如說華嚴四大菩薩說諸地功德，佛但為主，當知亦用菩薩為佛事。此菩薩語既通，不可定判安在化人，故屬根塵也。「菩提樹為佛事」，佛在其下得道，莊嚴此樹，放光說法調熟眾生。若作覆陰清涼以作佛事，即是起於身根。別作觀樹亦經行，即是起於眼根。如此間亦坐菩提樹得道，經中或應有用菩提樹為佛事處，即釋此意（云云）。「園林臺觀」，此亦有覆陰、觀覩兩義，不可判定所屬。「相好」者，即是色塵起眼根但見相好。相好自有所詮，能令物悟解，如此間說《般若》時，或現尊特身巍巍，或現常身斷疑，當知亦用相好為佛事。「虛空」者，但示空相。空相能詮諸法，如〈不二門〉中云「四種空種為二，若達四種空與空種不異，即入不二法門。」若見此虛空為空，空則無見，見則非空。豁無障礙，因悟諸法，但用此為佛事。故如阿難欲見佛腹，佛言授頭，即見腹中空無所有也。如虛空藏來至此界，一切諸法空，此間亦用空為佛事。「夢幻十喻作佛事」，常說此法，此法多有所詮。或有悟夢幻空乃至悟夢幻非空非有，具如通教。以十喻被大小乘，小乘但取夢幻空，菩薩得有。若地論師以十喻為誑相者，此乃得小乘之空，永失大乘之有。若言既是誑相，《般若》以此為佛母者，母既是誑、子亦不實，故知夢幻義通，不可定執，則失大乘之意也。若言有佛土用夢幻為佛事，此之佛土則誑相不實。「音聲」者，如此國起耳根也。「寂寞」者，示心輪。雖無言說，不妨有寂寞之樂。若非樂者，何得言作佛事耶？若佛不示心，十地不知。若示心者，蜫蟲能知。當知是示心義。此間亦用無說無示為佛事，如淨名杜口，文殊稱歎。佛或時默然，身子亦默然。廣說則無量，略示有十三種國也。齊此是復宗明佛國，釋上第四起菩薩根義也。

Regarding "making radiance into a buddha-work": emitting radiance touches the body, fully elucidating all phenomena, so that one attains understanding according to what is touched. Not only do other lands use radiance as a buddha-work, but this land also uses radiance to transform people. For example, when preaching all Mahāyāna sūtras, radiance is invariably emitted, shaking and stirring everything. It is just not the primary means for entering the Path in this land; it is simply that the general purpose of a buddha-work is served. One should know that all phenomena are fully contained within radiance, as explained in the *Viśeṣacinti-brahma-paripṛcchā*. Furthermore, as when the *Dàpǐn* emits radiance, sentient beings who encounter it immediately generate the bodhicitta. As the *Avataṃsaka* explains, there is a radiance named "freedom from greed" that eradicates all greed, afflictions, and the like. These all take radiance as primary, and all fully contain the various phenomena. However, in the Hīnayāna, some say that radiance touches upon reaching [the body], while others say it touches without reaching. The Mahāyāna explains inconceivable [functioning] and thereby elucidates reaching and touching. Regarding "transformation persons performing buddha-works": like the buddha Śuśānta, who left behind a transformation buddha to deliver sentient beings. Or there are buddhas who perform works to benefit sentient beings, using transformation persons, transformation bodhisattvas, and so forth to arouse the faculties of sentient beings. Again, like the preaching of prajñā, where a transformation bodhisattva preaches prajñā, this is precisely here using transformations as buddha-works. Regarding "bodhisattvas performing buddha-works": in some buddha-lands, bodhisattvas are used exclusively as a retinue to benefit others and guide the multitude, while the buddha is merely the venerable sovereign. This meaning is also present here: for instance, when the *Avataṃsaka* speaks of the four great bodhisattvas preaching the merits of the various bhūmis, the Buddha is merely the sovereign master; one should know that this also uses bodhisattvas as buddha-works. Since the term "bodhisattva" is comprehensive, it cannot be definitively restricted to transformation persons; therefore, it belongs to faculties and sense objects. "The Bodhi tree performing buddha-works": the Buddha attained the Path beneath it, adorned this tree, and emitted light and preached the Dharma to mature sentient beings. If it provides sheltering shade and cool refreshment to perform a buddha-work, this arouses the body faculty. If one separately contemplates the tree and walks around it, this arouses the eye faculty. Just as in this realm he also sat beneath the Bodhi tree and attained the Path, in the scriptures there may also be instances where the Bodhi tree is used as a buddha-work, which explains this idea (and so forth). "Parks, groves, terraces, and towers": these also have the two aspects of sheltering shade and viewing, and their classification cannot be definitively determined. "Major marks and minor signs": these are the form-dust arousing the eye faculty simply by seeing the marks and signs. The marks and signs themselves have that which they elucidate, capable of causing beings to awaken and understand. Just as in this realm, when preaching *Prajñā*, sometimes a towering, august special body is manifested, or sometimes a normal body is manifested to cut off doubts; one should know that marks and signs are also used as buddha-works. "Empty space": simply displaying the aspect of emptiness. The aspect of emptiness can elucidate all phenomena. As stated in the chapter on the "Gate of Non-duality": "The four elements and the element of space make two; if one realizes that the four elements and the element of space are not different, one enters the Dharma gate of non-duality." If one sees this empty space as empty, then in emptiness there is no seeing, and if there is seeing, it is not empty. Vast and unobstructed, one awakens to all phenomena because of it; it is simply used as a buddha-work. Thus, for instance, when Ānanda wished to see the Buddha's belly, the Buddha told him to lower his head, and he saw that within the belly it was empty and without anything existing. As when Ākāśagarbha came to this world, all phenomena were empty; this realm also uses emptiness as a buddha-work. "The ten metaphors of dreams and illusions performing buddha-works": constantly preaching this Dharma, this Dharma elucidates much. Some awaken to the emptiness of dreams and illusions, up to awakening to dreams and illusions being neither empty nor existing, fully as in the Shared Teaching. Using the ten metaphors addresses both the Great and Small Vehicles: the Small Vehicle merely grasps the emptiness of dreams and illusions, while bodhisattvas attain their existence. If the masters of the *Daśabhūmika-śāstra* take the ten metaphors to be deceptive characteristics, this merely attains the emptiness of the Small Vehicle and perpetually loses the existence of the Great Vehicle. If one says that since they are deceptive characteristics, and *Prajñā* takes this as the mother of the buddhas, then the mother being deceptive, the child would also be unreal; therefore, one knows that the meaning of dreams and illusions is comprehensive and cannot be stubbornly clung to, lest one lose the intent of the Mahāyāna. If one says that there are buddha-lands that use dreams and illusions as buddha-works, such buddha-lands would be deceptive characteristics and unreal. "Sounds": like in this land, arousing the ear faculty. "Silence and stillness": displaying the mind wheel. Although there are no words, this does not prevent there being the joy of silence and stillness. If it were not joyful, how could it be said to perform buddha-works? If a buddha does not reveal his mind, the tenth bhūmi does not know it; if he reveals his mind, even insects can know it. One should know that this is the meaning of displaying the mind. This realm also uses absence of speech and absence of demonstration as buddha-works, as when Vimalakīrti closed his mouth and Mañjuśrī praised him. Sometimes the Buddha was silent, and Śāriputra was also silent. Explained extensively, they are immeasurable; briefly shown, there are thirteen kinds of lands. Up to this point is the reaffirmation of the fundamental theme explaining the buddha-lands, interpreting the fourth point above on arousing the faculties of bodhisattvas.