維摩經略疏 6.126

6.126

問：有師云，此品是五源八始，此云何？答：有似而疎，甚不主對。何者？淨名本託疾興教，但約疾之一字出室內六品，何待空室等為五源也。今明一部凡十四品，唯初〈佛國〉的是大聖法王自說，餘十三品皆因淨名託疾而興。細推疾之一字，即是三由六源、二始兩因。三由者，由淨名託疾，故有諸王士庶參問，佛命弟子菩薩問疾，即是由疾得有室外三品。六源者，以現疾故，文殊奉命入室問權實兩疾，淨名略答廣說，是則室內六品從疾而起，疾即六品所出之源本也。二始者，即是〈菩薩行〉、〈見阿閦佛〉二品，亦因淨名託疾而始。所以然者，聞說六品有緣疾愈，淨名得無復疾，故掌擎大眾還菴羅園，起發如來復宗明佛國因果。二品從疾愈而始，故言二始。兩因者，〈法供養〉、〈囑累〉兩品，亦因託疾而有。何者？兩品既是流通，因淨名託疾而有正說，流通即是流通正說，是則因疾而有流通兩品，故云兩因。

Question: A certain master says that this chapter constitutes five sources and eight beginnings. What does this mean? Answer: There is a resemblance, but it is superficial and by no means fits the case. Why? Vimalakīrti originally used his illness to give rise to the teaching; taking only the single word "illness," he generated the six chapters inside the room. Why should one rely on the empty room and so forth as the five sources? Now, we explain that throughout the entire work of fourteen chapters, only the very first, "Buddha-land," was spoken directly by the Great Sage, the King of the Dharma; the remaining thirteen chapters all arose because Vimalakīrti used his illness. If one carefully examines the single word "illness," it constitutes the three dependencies, six sources, two beginnings, and two causes. The "three dependencies": because Vimalakīrti used his illness, kings, gentlemen, and commoners came to inquire, and the Buddha commanded the disciples and bodhisattvas to inquire after his illness; thus, it was dependent on the illness that the three chapters outside the room came to be. The "six sources": because he manifested illness, Mañjuśrī received the command to enter the room and inquire into the two illnesses of expedient and real, and Vimalakīrti gave a brief answer and an extensive exposition; thus, the six chapters inside the room arose from the illness, illness being the source and root from which the six chapters issued. The "two beginnings": these are the two chapters, "Bodhisattva Practice" and "Seeing the Buddha Akṣobhya," which also began because Vimalakīrti used his illness. Why is this? Having heard the six chapters expounded, the conditions were ripe and the illness was cured, and Vimalakīrti had no further illness; he therefore carried the great assembly in his palm and returned to the Āmrapālī Grove, causing the Tathāgata to restate the primary thesis and clarify the causes and effects of a buddha-land. Because these two chapters began from the curing of the illness, they are called the "two beginnings." The "two causes": the two chapters, "Offering of the Dharma" and "Entrustment," also exist because of his using the illness. Why? Since these two chapters constitute the dissemination section, and the main teaching arose because Vimalakīrti used his illness, dissemination is simply disseminating the main teaching; thus, it is because of the illness that the two dissemination chapters exist, hence they are called the "two causes."