維摩經略疏 4.23

4.23

「爾時」下，三、入文解釋。文為二：一淨名默念、二如來遣問。初為二：一自念寢疾、二念佛垂旨。初文者，淨名位居等覺，當有何疾？今自念者，正欲託茲起教利生故也。自念是解脫知見法身住等覺三德之位。寢表般若。疾表解脫。床表法身。此不縱不橫，如世伊字。所以然者，法身即是自性清淨心，隱名如來藏、顯名法身，即是真性解脫。寢表般若，如人寢息，息諸勞煩及諸事業。《大經》云「誰得安穩眠？所謂諸佛是。常觀空三昧，身心寂不動。」今以般若觀空修因已圓、諸行休息，本淨理顯，故約寢明般若，即實慧解脫。疾表解脫者，般若與真性理合，即有無緣大悲不捨眾生，慈悲熏身故能方便現疾。《大經》云「調伏眾生之處名為解脫。」以眾生疾故淨名亦疾，善巧和光不同其塵，即是方便淨解脫。

From "At that time" onward is the third [part], entering the text to explain it. The text has two parts: first, Vimalakīrti's silent reflection; second, the Tathāgata's dispatching [disciples] to inquire [after him]. The first has two parts: first, reflecting on lying ill; second, reflecting on the Buddha extending his purpose. As for the first passage: Vimalakīrti's rank resides in equal awakening; what illness could he possibly have? Now, his reflecting to himself is precisely because he wishes to rely on this to initiate the teaching and benefit sentient beings. His reflecting to himself is the liberation of knowledge and vision and the dharmakāya residing in the stage of equal awakening and the three virtues. Lying down symbolizes prajñā. Illness symbolizes liberation. The bed symbolizes the dharmakāya. These are neither vertical nor horizontal, like the worldly letter 'I' (∴). The reason for this is that the dharmakāya is the intrinsically pure mind; concealed, it is called the tathāgatagarbha; manifested, it is called the dharmakāya, which is the liberation of true nature. Lying down symbolizes prajñā, like a person lying down to rest, putting to rest all toils, afflictions, and undertakings. The *Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra* states, "Who attains peaceful sleep? It is none other than the buddhas. Constantly contemplating the samādhi of emptiness, their body and mind are quiescent and unmoving." Now, through prajñā contemplating emptiness, the cultivation of the cause has already been perfected and all practices are rested, so the fundamental purity and principle are revealed; thus, lying down is used to illuminate prajñā, which is the liberation of real wisdom. Illness symbolizing liberation means: when prajñā accords with the principle of true nature, there is unconditioned great compassion that does not abandon sentient beings; with kindness and compassion perfuming the body, he can expediently manifest illness. The *Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra* states, "The place where sentient beings are tamed is called liberation." Because sentient beings are ill, Vimalakīrti is also ill; skillfully blending with the light without sharing their dust—this is the pure liberation of expedient means.