維摩經略疏 5.138

5.138

「於是」下，三、入文解釋。就此品為二：一先命四大菩薩、二命諸菩薩。初文為四：初命彌勒。文為二：一命問疾、二辭不堪。所以先命者，四教彌勒無非補處，今沒圓存三，是則稟佛方便教者皆尊彌勒。彌勒是當來大師，次補佛處。言彌勒者，有云從姓立名。今謂非姓，恐是名也。何者？彌勒此翻慈氏，過去為王名曇摩流支，慈育國人，國人稱為慈氏。自爾至今，常名慈氏。姓阿逸多，此云無勝。有言：阿逸多是名。既不親見正文，未可定執。言慈氏者，經論明慈有三不同：一眾生緣、二法緣、三無緣。《大論》云「眾生緣慈，取眾生相，是有漏法。法緣慈，或有漏或無漏。無緣大慈，一向無漏。」復次四教，即有四種慈氏。前三教隨緣，當教道滅。與樂起慈，即是當教。慈氏與當教樂，唯圓能與前三種道滅之樂。如磁石吸鐵，即圓教慈氏。以佛有四，故輔處亦四。此四慈氏，三權一實。彌勒是娑婆舊人，輔佛多行三權之教。淨名是他方大士來遊此土，輔佛多現行一實之教，彈呵彌勒以成眾生令入實耳。又權實隨宜出沒不定，法身常寂猶如虛空，尚不存實何論有權？但隨緣利物，互為扣擊，權實豈定？今佛次命，意在於此。

From "Thereupon" downward is the third [part], entering the text to explain it. This chapter has two parts: first, commanding the four great bodhisattvas; second, commanding the other bodhisattvas. The first text has four [sections]: first, commanding Maitreya. The text has two [parts]: first, commanding him to inquire after the illness; second, declining as unworthy. As for why he is commanded first: Maitreya across the four teachings is invariably the one in the position of succession; now, concealing the round and retaining the three, all who received the Buddha's provisional teachings revere Maitreya. Maitreya is the future great master, next to succeed to the Buddha's position. Regarding the name "Maitreya", some say the name was established from his clan. We now consider it not to be a clan name, but likely his personal name. Why? Maitreya is translated here as "Benevolent One" (Ci-shi). In the past, he was a king named Dharmaruci who benevolently nurtured his country's people, so the people called him the "Benevolent One". From then until now, he has always been named the Benevolent One. His clan was Ajita, which is translated here as "Invincible". Some say: Ajita is his personal name. Since we have not directly seen the definitive text, we cannot cling to this definitively. As for "Benevolent One": the sūtras and treatises explain that benevolence (ci) has three differences: first, conditioned by sentient beings; second, conditioned by dharmas; third, unconditioned. The *Dàzhìdù lùn* says: "Benevolence conditioned by sentient beings grasps the marks of sentient beings and is a contaminated dharma. Benevolence conditioned by dharmas is either contaminated or uncontaminated. Great benevolence without conditions is exclusively uncontaminated." Furthermore, according to the four teachings, there are four kinds of Benevolent Ones. In the previous three teachings, one accords with conditions, which is the path and cessation of the respective teaching. Giving joy and giving rise to compassion is the respective teaching. The Benevolent One grants the joy of the respective teaching, but only the round can grant the joy of the previous three kinds of path and cessation. Like a lodestone drawing iron, this is the Benevolent One of the round teaching. Because there are four buddhas, there are also four [bodhisattvas] in the position of succession. These four Benevolent Ones are three provisional and one real. Maitreya is an old resident of the Sahā world, assisting the Buddha mostly by practicing the teachings of the three provisional. Vimalakīrti is a mahāsattva from another direction who came to visit this land, assisting the Buddha mostly by manifestly practicing the teaching of the one real, rebuking Maitreya to fashion sentient beings and cause them to enter the real. Furthermore, provisional and real appear and disappear according to what is appropriate and are not fixed; the dharmakāya is constantly quiescent like empty space, not even maintaining the real, let alone the provisional. Simply according with conditions to benefit beings, they mutually strike and respond—how could provisional and real be fixed? That the Buddha now next commands [him] has its intention in this.