[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [維摩經略疏](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1778) › 3.24 # 維摩經略疏 3.24 維摩經略疏 3.24 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [3.24](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1778.3.24) 「資財無量攝諸貧民」者，舊解多云資財只是世間財帛，貧民只是世間貧人。若爾，此與凡俗行施何殊？豈足歎淨名垂迹善巧攝物來生四土？今言財有事理，事則可知，理即真理善法財也，故文云「法王法力超群生，常以法財施一切。」以四教法財施於一切，即檀度具足法界，故言無量。攝諸貧民者，非但世間貧民，因財攝來以道教詔；今言貧民者，亦七種方便皆是貧民。當知皆是如來方便密語。若是底下凡夫貧民，以世財帛或以戒善而攝取之。若二乘窮子，幼稚捨父求衣食者，以三藏鹽醋米麵一日之價生滅法財而攝取之。二乘為富，比於菩薩猶貧法財，故《法華》云「自念貧事，我無此物。」菩薩三祇功德雖復無量，比聲聞為富，並通菩薩猶是貧民。通無生諦理諸度法財自以為富，比於別教猶是貧民。別教歷別修無量諦理，諸波羅蜜法財無量自以為富，比於圓教猶是貧民。圓教三諦無作諦理諸波羅蜜法財圓足，金剛寶藏無有缺減乃名為富，故純陀自歎貧於無上法之財寶，若得無作方是無上法財。大士法身住於非慳非施圓滿之檀，能起四教法施之財攝七種貧民。乃至圓教善根未發亦是貧民，如純陀也。以四法財攝取眾生令生四土，此是垂迹引物還本。又約頓、漸、不定、祕密四種法施攝取眾生，成菩薩行令生淨土。淨名成佛，布施所攝眾生來生其國，故知此言扶成前品，佛說布施是菩薩淨土，一切能捨眾生來生其國。豈可不用佛國為宗？若約觀心者，今之四眾其有能住一心三觀，不見慳施，慈悲利物拯濟貧乏，興福供養隨喜獎成。若是長者一村行施、因施說法，受施之徒感恩慕德歸心受化，慳悋漸微，亦學施主捨財修福。若在令長住正觀心財施法施，則一管貧民歸心受化，慳心自息亦能捨財。乃至天王帝王住正觀心，不見慳施，慈愛貧民恩慧分施，因為巧說四教法門，四眾荷恩歸心受道亦皆能施。譬如一燈燃百千燈，冥者皆明明終不絕，是為四眾、帝王、長者住檀無盡燈法門攝眾生也。是諸所攝，於未來世還為眷屬，同生淨土、值佛聞經正慧開發，是諸施主得無生忍，於有緣之國示成正覺，昔布施所攝皆來其國修三乘道，若聞《法華》同入佛乘。此即淨名大士何處更往毘耶。 > "With immeasurable wealth and possessions he gathered the poor": ancient commentaries mostly say that wealth and possessions are merely worldly goods and silks, and the poor are merely the worldly poor. If so, how would this differ from the ordinary mortals practicing giving? How could it suffice to praise Vimalakīrti's descending into traces, skillfully gathering beings to be born in the four lands? Now we say that wealth has the phenomenal and the noumenal. The phenomenal is knowable; the noumenal is the wealth of the true reality of wholesome Dharmas. Thus the text says, "The Dharma King's Dharma power surpasses all beings; he constantly bestows the wealth of Dharma upon all." Bestowing the Dharma wealth of the four teachings upon all, the perfection of giving fully comprises the dharma-realm; hence it is said to be "immeasurable." As for gathering the poor, not only are the worldly poor gathered through wealth and then instructed in the Way, but now the "poor" also refers to the seven kinds of expedient means, all of which are the poor. One should know these are all the Tathāgata's expedient and secret words. If they are ordinary mortals at the bottom who are poor, one gathers them with worldly goods and silks, or with the wholesomeness of the precepts. If they are the destitute sons of the two vehicles, who in youth abandoned their father to seek food and clothing, one gathers them with the wealth of the Dharma of arising and perishing, equivalent to a day's wages of salt, vinegar, rice, and flour in the Tripiṭaka \[teachings\]. Although the two vehicles are wealthy compared to ordinary mortals, compared to bodhisattvas they are still poor in the wealth of Dharma; hence the Lotus Sūtra says, "reflecting upon his own poverty: 'I have no such things.'" Although a bodhisattva's merit across three asaṃkhyeya kalpas is immeasurable, and he is wealthy compared to the śrāvakas, compared to the shared-teaching bodhisattvas he is still poor. Those of the shared teaching consider themselves wealthy with the Dharma wealth of the perfections of the truth of non-arising, but compared to the distinct teaching they are still poor. Those of the distinct teaching cultivate the immeasurable truths through successive distinctions and possess immeasurable Dharma wealth of the pāramitās, considering themselves wealthy, but compared to the perfect teaching they are still poor. In the perfect teaching, the three truths, the truth of unconditioned action, and the Dharma wealth of the pāramitās are perfectly complete, and the vajra treasure is without deficiency; only then is one called wealthy. Therefore Cunda lamented his own poverty in the treasures of the supreme Dharma; only when obtaining unconditioned action does one possess the supreme Dharma wealth. The Great Being's dharmakāya abides in the perfect giving that is neither stinginess nor giving, and can produce the wealth of Dharma giving of the four teachings to gather the seven kinds of poor. Even in the perfect teaching, one whose wholesome roots have not yet arisen is still poor, like Cunda. Gathering sentient beings with the four kinds of Dharma wealth to cause them to be born in the four lands is descending into traces to lead beings back to the fundamental. Furthermore, by the four kinds of Dharma giving—sudden, gradual, indeterminate, and secret—he gathers sentient beings, accomplishes the bodhisattva practice, and causes them to be born in the pure land. When Vimalakīrti attains buddhahood, the sentient beings gathered through giving will come to be born in his land. Therefore we know these words support and complete the previous chapter, where the Buddha said giving is the bodhisattva's pure land, and all sentient beings capable of renunciation will come to be born in his land. How could one not take the buddha-land as the central theme? In terms of the contemplation of mind: if any of the four assemblies today can abide in the threefold contemplation in one mind, see neither stinginess nor giving, compassionately benefit beings to relieve poverty and destitution, and promote merit, offerings, and sympathetic joy to encourage and assist them; if an elder practices giving in a village and preaches the Dharma by means of giving, those who receive the giving will feel gratitude, admire his virtue, turn their hearts to receive transformation, their stinginess will gradually diminish, and they too will emulate the donor in renouncing wealth to cultivate merit. If an official in charge of a county abides in the correct contemplation of mind, giving wealth and giving Dharma, then the poor within his single jurisdiction will turn their hearts to receive transformation, their stingy minds will naturally cease, and they will also be able to renounce wealth. Even up to heavenly kings and sovereign emperors who abide in the correct contemplation of mind, see neither stinginess nor giving, compassionately love the poor, bestow kindness and wisdom, and skillfully preach the Dharma doors of the four teachings for them: the four assemblies, bearing gratitude, will turn their hearts to receive the Way and will all be able to give as well. Just as one lamp lights hundreds of thousands of lamps, so that those in darkness are all illuminated and the light never ends, this is the four assemblies, emperors, and elders abiding in the Dharma door of the inexhaustible lamp of giving to gather sentient beings. All those gathered will again become their retinue in future lives, be born together in the pure land, meet the Buddha, hear the sūtras, and develop correct wisdom; all these donors will attain the forbearance of non-arising, manifest the attainment of correct awakening in lands with which they have affinity, and those previously gathered through giving will all come to their lands to cultivate the path of the three vehicles; if they hear the Lotus Sūtra, they will together enter the Buddha vehicle. This being so, where else would the Great Being Vimalakīrti need to go to Vaiśālī? > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 3.23](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1778.3.23) - [Next: 3.25](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1778.3.25) - [Up: 3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1778.3) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1778~en-mt.3.24) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1778.3.24](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1778.3.24) · Pramāṇa