維摩經略疏 3.63

3.63

「其以方便」下至入室竟，有八品半文，大段第二、淨名方便託疾興教助佛揚化令入不思議解脫，除物罪垢引入四土，成淨佛國之行。託疾有四意：一為化國王及臣民等、二為發起〈弟子品〉、三為發起〈菩薩品〉、四為發起〈問疾品〉。初意者，以託疾故，國王長者皆來慰問，因以身疾寄言斥彼，誡勸為便。若厭樂心生，能斷緣集、修行萬行，是為入不思議解脫之哢胤，生同居有餘淨土之因成也。二為發起〈弟子品〉者，若不現疾，無由顧命弟子參問。若其不命，豈敢輒述昔日所呵，普令二乘同聞往昔滯小被呵。有樂小執小之徒，聞此心折慕仰大乘。近為入室聞不思議成生蘇之由籍，遠為《大品》、《法華》成熟蘇醍醐哢胤，亦是生果報土之良緣。三為發起〈菩薩品〉者，若不託疾，菩薩無由被命，豈得各述往昔被呵，普令三教菩薩折其方便之滯，同欣圓頓之道，成入不思議解脫淨佛土之勝因。四為發起〈問疾品〉者，若不託疾，何由得命文殊入室論道開發物心，令諸弟子聲振大千，進諸菩薩三觀之行，入不思議解脫之道成淨佛土之因。此之四意皆由託疾，疾非實有，故言方便。方便之力寄在說法，此正屬聲益。

From "Through his expedient means" down to the end of his entering the room comprises eight and a half chapters of text. This is the second major section: Vimalakīrti expediently feigns illness to inaugurate the teaching, assisting the Buddha in spreading transformation to cause [beings] to enter the inconceivable liberation, remove beings' defilements of sin, guide them into the four lands, and accomplish the practice of purifying the buddha-land. There are four intents in feigning illness: first, to transform kings, ministers, commoners, and others; second, to initiate the "Disciples" chapter; third, to initiate the "Bodhisattvas" chapter; fourth, to initiate the "Inquiring After the Illness" chapter. Regarding the first intent: because he feigns illness, kings and elders all come to console and inquire; he thereby uses his bodily illness to convey words rebuking them, finding it expedient to admonish and encourage them. If they generate a mind of revulsion and joy, they can sever the accumulation of conditions and cultivate the myriad practices; this serves as a prelude to entering the inconceivable liberation, and the cause for being born in the Co-dwelling and Remainder Pure Lands is accomplished. Regarding the second, initiating the "Disciples" chapter: had he not manifested illness, there would have been no occasion to direct the disciples to visit and inquire. Had he not directed them, how could they dare casually recount the rebukes they received in the past, causing the two vehicles universally to hear together of having lingered in the Hinayāna and been rebuked in the past? Those who take pleasure in and grasp at the small, hearing this, will have their minds humbled and look up with longing to the Mahāyāna. In the short term, this serves as the basis for entering the room and hearing the inconceivable, completing the [stage of] fresh curds; in the long term, it serves as the prelude for the ripening of curds and ghee in the Dàpǐn and the Lotus Sūtra; it is also an excellent condition for being born in the Land of Fruit and Retribution. Regarding the third, initiating the "Bodhisattvas" chapter: had he not feigned illness, the bodhisattvas would have had no occasion to be instructed [to inquire]; how could they each recount having been rebuked in the past, causing the bodhisattvas of the three teachings universally to break through the stagnation of their expedients, rejoice together in the path of the perfect and sudden, and accomplish the superior cause for entering the inconceivable liberation and purifying the buddha-land? Regarding the fourth, initiating the "Inquiring After the Illness" chapter: had he not feigned illness, how could Mañjuśrī have been bidden to enter the room to discuss the Way and awaken the minds of beings, causing the disciples to make their voices shake the great chiliocosm, advancing the bodhisattvas' practice of the threefold contemplation, and entering the path of inconceivable liberation to accomplish the cause of purifying the buddha-land? These four intents all arise from feigning illness. The illness is not real, hence it is called an expedient means. The power of expedient means relies on expounding the Dharma; this specifically pertains to the benefit of sound.