維摩經略疏 6.144

6.144

「時維摩詰」下，三、淨名稱歎。所以歎者，知具五義，今來問疾，必能顯發不思議解脫佛國因果之教，扶成法王所說廣利有緣，故稱歎善來。文為二：一正稱歎、二釋歎。初正歎者，對非善來而歎善來。若諸凡夫弟子菩薩既無五義，不能起發不思議解脫淨土因果，廣利群品，故非善來。今文殊反此，能扶成法王大教，多所利益，可謂善來。餘非善來者，略有七種：一、諸王士庶皆有緣縛，雖蒙說法除其結或，非興顯大法。二、諸大弟子偏真斷結，無大悲心不求妙覺，不能引物來出火宅。雖從因來至有餘涅槃，便入灰斷非真涅槃，豈名善來？三、三藏菩薩雖求佛果，伏結不斷心不清淨，又止求道樹佛果便入涅槃，所求非實，須轉心觀，豈名善來？四、通教菩薩偏真斷結，雖有慈悲，終求無餘無常佛果，須轉心觀，豈名善來？五、別教菩薩，雖求常果，不能圓觀法界次第而斷界內外惑來入十地，亦須轉心觀，豈名善來？六、圓教初心、中心，雖能見中，無緣大慈普覆一切不住諸地，但智德猶淺非其齊量，豈名善來？七、圓教後心，本迹雖齊，與物無有，問疾之緣不能興顯，豈名善來？所以聲聞菩薩皆不堪奉命者，以有如是非善來故。今文殊是圓教大士，本迹齊量，知與時眾有扣擊之緣，故將大眾如象王群同來入室宣旨問疾，則為時眾作入不思議見淨土生淨剎成淨行而作良緣，故來問疾是真善來。淨名懸鑒有益，故歎言善來。

From “At that time Vimalakīrti” onward is the third [part]: Vimalakīrti's praise. Why does he praise him? Knowing that he possesses the five meanings, and that coming now to inquire after the illness will definitely reveal the teaching of the causes and effects of the buddha-lands of inconceivable liberation, supporting and fulfilling what the Dharma King taught to broadly benefit those with karmic affinity, he praises him, saying “Welcome.” The text comprises two parts: first, the primary praise; second, the explanation of the praise. First, regarding the primary praise: he praises him as “welcome” in contrast to those who are “unwelcome.” If ordinary people, disciples, and bodhisattvas lack the five meanings and cannot initiate the causes and effects of the pure lands of inconceivable liberation to broadly benefit the various classes of beings, they are “unwelcome.” Now Mañjuśrī is the opposite: he can support and fulfill the Great Teaching of the Dharma King and bring abundant benefit; he can truly be called “welcome.” As for the others who are unwelcome, there are briefly seven kinds: First, kings and commoners all have conditioned bonds; although they receive the teaching to remove their defilements and delusions, they do not promote and reveal the Great Dharma. Second, the great disciples are biased toward emptiness in severing bonds, lacking great compassion and not seeking wondrous awakening, unable to lead beings out of the burning house. Although they come from causes to the nirvāṇa with remainder, they immediately enter the extinction of ash, which is not true nirvāṇa; how could they be called welcome? Third, the bodhisattvas of the Tripiṭaka teaching, though seeking the buddha-fruit, merely suppress defilements without severing them, so their minds are not pure; moreover, they only seek the buddha-fruit under the bodhi tree and then enter nirvāṇa, so what they seek is not real and they must transform their mental contemplation; how could they be called welcome? Fourth, the bodhisattvas of the Shared teaching are biased toward emptiness in severing bonds; though they have compassion, in the end they seek the impermanent buddha-fruit without remainder and must transform their mental contemplation; how could they be called welcome? Fifth, the bodhisattvas of the Separate teaching, though seeking the eternal fruit, cannot contemplate the Dharma realm perfectly and progressively sever the delusions within and beyond the three realms to enter the ten stages, and also must transform their mental contemplation; how could they be called welcome? Sixth, those of the initial and intermediate minds of the Perfect teaching, though able to see the Middle Way, have unconditioned great compassion that universally covers all without abiding in the stages, yet their virtue of wisdom is still shallow and not equal in measure; how could they be called welcome? Seventh, those of the final mind of the Perfect teaching, whose fundamental and trace natures are equal, lack the karmic conditions with beings to inquire after the illness and cannot promote and reveal it; how could they be called welcome? That the śrāvakas and bodhisattvas were all unable to accept the command was because of these ways of being unwelcome. Now Mañjuśrī is a Mahāsattva of the Perfect teaching whose fundamental and trace natures are equal in measure, and knowing he has the affinity of responsive interaction with the contemporary assembly, he leads the great assembly like a herd of elephant kings to enter the room together, proclaim the decree, and inquire after the illness. This serves as an excellent condition for the contemporary assembly to enter the inconceivable, see the pure land, take birth in the pure kṣetra, and accomplish pure practice. Therefore, his coming to inquire after the illness is truly welcome. Vimalakīrti foresaw these benefits, and therefore praised him, saying “Welcome.”