維摩經略疏 2.18

2.18

問：何以得知現尊特身表欲說不思議真性解脫法身耶？答：《大品》明尊特之身以須彌映海為喻，眾山無能及者，此經亦爾。復次《法華》明長者所止一城威德特尊，窮子驚避，此是如來示尊特身說華嚴教，小機不堪。是故遠避；即脫瓔珞著弊垢衣，此是作老比丘身擬說三藏教。過是已後心相體信入出無難，出現弊衣入現威德，即是現尊特身說方等教。長者宅內現威德身，命於窮子領知家業，是現尊特身命善吉等為諸菩薩轉教說般若也。又在宅內集國王大臣定父子天性，汝實我子我實汝父，即是法華現尊特身為諸聲聞授記時也。初見遠避，次入出無難，次則領知眾物，後則定父子天性，凡四度現尊貴長者瓔珞嚴身，皆譬釋迦勝應尊特之身光明色像無量無邊，悉表欲說實相法身。此方等教入出無難，雖復出處草菴見弊衣，長者入宅猶見現瓔珞身，瓔珞長者即是今佛，與無量大眾恭敬圍遶現尊特身。

Question: How is it known that manifesting the particularly venerable body indicates the intention to preach the inconceivable dharmakāya of true-nature liberation? Answer: The Dàpǐn clarifies the particularly venerable body by using the metaphor of Mount Sumeru reflected in the ocean, which none of the other mountains can match; this sūtra is also like this. Furthermore, the Lotus Sūtra clarifies that the city where the elder resides has an awe-inspiring virtue that is particularly venerable, causing the impoverished son to flee in alarm; this was the Tathāgata displaying the particularly venerable body to preach the Avataṃsaka teaching, which those of small capacity could not bear and therefore fled far away. He then took off his necklaces and put on ragged, soiled garments; this was adopting the body of an old bhikṣu with the intention to preach the Tripiṭaka teaching. After this, their hearts gained mutual trust, and he entered and exited without difficulty; going out he manifested ragged clothes, coming in he manifested awe-inspiring virtue; this was manifesting the particularly venerable body to preach the vaipulya teaching. Inside the elder's mansion, he manifested the body of awe-inspiring virtue and ordered the impoverished son to take charge of the family estate; this was manifesting the particularly venerable body and ordering Subhūti and the others to turn the teaching and preach prajñā for the bodhisattvas. Furthermore, inside the mansion, he assembled the king and ministers to determine the natural relation of father and son: "You are truly my son, and I am truly your father"; this was the time in the Lotus Sūtra when he manifested the particularly venerable body to bestow predictions upon the voice-hearers. First seeing and fleeing far away, next entering and exiting without difficulty, next taking charge of all the goods, and finally determining the natural relation of father and son—in all, four times he manifested the noble elder adorned with necklaces. These all illustrate Śākyamuni's supreme response, particularly venerable body, whose light, color, and forms are measureless and boundless, entirely indicating the intention to preach the dharmakāya of true reality. In this vaipulya teaching, there is entering and exiting without difficulty: although when going out to the thatched hut he was seen in ragged garments, when the elder entered the mansion he was still seen manifesting the body adorned with necklaces. The necklace-adorned elder is precisely the present Buddha, reverently surrounded by a measureless assembly, manifesting the particularly venerable body.