維摩經略疏 6.76

6.76

「維摩至眾生」，三、為說無盡燈法門。四教菩薩悉皆有之，但有究竟不究竟耳。藏通灰斷，果是有盡。而因中傳化至果，雖入涅槃轉次授記，佛化不斷。此是有盡燈之無盡。別圓中知見一切法如空無盡，智亦無盡，自不可盡化他亦然。譬如二燈，一油少炷小、二油多炷大，油多炷大者本燈不盡，更傳餘燈亦不可盡。淨名以此法門轉度於他，復使百千皆令發心，而於本燈無所損減，故以為譬。是則「冥者皆明，明終不絕」，令諸眾生紹法王種，即是能報佛恩饒益一切。

From "Vimalakīrti" to "sentient beings": third, expounding for them the Dharma gate of the inexhaustible lamp. The bodhisattvas of all four teachings possess it, but there are the ultimate and non-ultimate. In the Tripiṭaka and Shared teachings, where forms are reduced to ashes and consciousness severed, the fruit has an end. Yet transmitting the transformation during the causal stage up to the fruit, although one enters nirvāṇa, prophecies are successively conferred and the Buddha's transforming work is uninterrupted. This is the inexhaustibility of an exhaustible lamp. In the Distinct and Perfect teachings, knowing and seeing all dharmas as inexhaustible like space, wisdom is also inexhaustible; it cannot be exhausted in oneself, and the same is true in transforming others. For example, consider two lamps: one has little oil and a small wick; the second has much oil and a large wick. In the case of the one with much oil and a large wick, the original lamp is not exhausted, and when transmitting to other lamps, it is likewise inexhaustible. Vimalakīrti uses this Dharma gate to successively cross others over, furthermore causing hundreds of thousands all to generate the aspiration, without any diminishment to the original lamp; hence he uses it as an analogy. Thus, "those in darkness all become bright, and the brightness never ends," causing all sentient beings to continue the lineage of the Dharma King; this is precisely being able to repay the Buddha's kindness and benefit all.