維摩經略疏 10.81

10.81

第二釋者，從「所以者何未來世」去，即為二：初明末代亦有得道之機、次明不聞斯經則失善利。前明末代有得道之機者，但凡夫緣悟不同，或見法王面前得益，或因去世渴仰生悟，故經言「應以滅度得度者而現滅度」，如為治狂子故，實在而言死，留諸香藥，色味芬芳，悔懊心生，服藥即愈。若不見佛，剋責精進，愧不值佛世，因是入道得出煩惑。故佛去世後一百年，十萬出家九萬得道，當知佛後之機亦復無量。此應引毱多佛在之時求出家，覓智齊身子。佛言不得，即退還外道法中。佛因記之，此人得道之機在佛滅後。後為阿難弟子，度人無量，得道恒沙，時人敬譽為無相佛。即是釋未來世中天人龍鬼有發心之緣，樂于大法必得度脫，不可不弘如此勝教使其聞也。

Second, explaining, from "why is this? In future ages" onward, has two parts: first, explaining that the final age also has the capacity for attaining the Way; next, explaining that if one does not hear this sūtra, one loses the good benefit. Regarding the former, explaining that the final age has the capacity for attaining the Way: ordinary beings' conditions for awakening are simply not identical; some obtain benefit before the eyes of the Dharma King, while others give rise to awakening because of yearning after his passing away. Therefore the sūtra says: "For those who should be saved by extinction, he manifests extinction." Like for the sake of curing the crazed sons, though he is actually alive, he says he is dead, leaving behind various fragrant medicines of fragrant color and flavor; feelings of regret arise, and upon taking the medicine they are immediately cured. If they do not see the Buddha, they take themselves to task and are vigorous, ashamed at not encountering the Buddha's era; due to this they enter the Way and emerge from defilements and delusions. Therefore, one hundred years after the Buddha's passing away, one hundred thousand left home and ninety thousand attained the Way; one should know that the capacities after the Buddha are also immeasurable. Here one should cite Upagupta, who when the Buddha was in the world sought to leave home, seeking wisdom equal to Śāriputra. The Buddha said he could not, and he retreated back into non-Buddhist teachings. The Buddha therefore gave him a prophecy: this person's capacity for attaining the Way will be after the Buddha's nirvāṇa. Later he became Ānanda's disciple, saving immeasurable people, with those attaining the Way as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, praised and revered by the people of the time as the "signless buddha". This explains that in future ages devas, humans, nāgas, and ghosts have the conditions for arousing the mind, delighting in the Great Dharma and bound to attain deliverance; one must not fail to propagate such an exalted teaching to cause them to hear it.