維摩經略疏 6.79

6.79

「佛告長者子善得」，次命善得。文為二：一命問疾、二辭不堪。所以次命者，善得是在家菩薩，即五百之一人也，亦是法身示居補處。所以名善得者，善是善巧、得是得理，善巧得理故名善得。但約教不同，三藏二乘自善得理，不能斷習。緣覺斷習不盡，非善得義。菩薩不爾，意存兼濟，至果得理正習俱盡，故名善得。二通教者，前教折空得理，三乘皆非善得。此教體真，即是巧度。三乘悉是善得第一義理，但二乘無悲，即入涅槃，不名善得。菩薩得理，廣利群生深窮源底，必至佛果習氣皆盡，故名善得。三別教者，通教偏真，豈名善得？此教得真，不住修恒沙佛法斷於別惑，見中道理乃名善得。四圓教者，別教緣修，豈名善得？一心三觀五眼具足，圓照法界圓成三德究竟涅槃，是真善得。是則無得為得，得無所得，故名善得。三權一實。今長者子善知非權非實，而能成就權實善得，以此化物自利利他入佛知見，故名善得。其義既爾，豈答不知法施之會為淨名呵？但砧槌成物，顯入佛知見。何以知然？今命問疾的取此四，前三義推顯開示悟初心三義，今命善得欲顯入佛知見道故。前持世顯悟正明魔如不異佛如，今此顯入約法施會無有前後一時等施，即不二而二、道觀雙流，故受瓔珞分作二分，一分難勝、一分乞人，即是平等法施之會。還約初心，勿遠求也。昔破財施七日之會，即是寄意破稟三教未入中道，所有檀施非法施會。今命令問疾，若述昔被彈，則大眾普聞稟方便者，並皆恥折求真法施，即是成前五種利益。

"The Buddha told the elder's son Śāntamati..." Next, he commands Śāntamati. The text has two parts: first, commanding him to inquire after the illness; second, his declining as unworthy. As for why he commanded him next, Śāntamati is a lay bodhisattva, one of the five hundred, and is also a dharmakāya [bodhisattva] who provisionally abides in the stage of succession to buddhahood. As for why he is named "Śāntamati" (Well-Attained), "well" means skillful, and "attained" means attaining the principle; because he skillfully attains the principle, he is named Well-Attained. However, according to the teachings, there are differences: in the Tripiṭaka [teaching], the [practitioners of the] two vehicles themselves skillfully attain the principle, but they cannot cut off the subtle predispositions. Pratyekabuddhas do not completely cut off the subtle predispositions, so this does not have the meaning of "well-attained." A bodhisattva is not like this; his mind is set on benefiting others as well, and upon reaching the fruit, he attains the principle and both active defilements and subtle predispositions are exhausted together; hence he is named Well-Attained. Second, regarding the shared teaching: the previous teaching reduces [dharmas] to emptiness to attain the principle, so none of the three vehicles are "well-attained." This teaching embodies the true, which is skillful salvation. All three vehicles skillfully attain the principle of ultimate truth, but the two vehicles lack compassion and immediately enter nirvāṇa, so they are not named "well-attained." The bodhisattva attains the principle, broadly benefits the multitude of beings, deeply fathoms the source and foundation, and inevitably reaches the buddha-fruit where the subtle predispositions are all exhausted; hence he is named Well-Attained. Third, regarding the distinct teaching: the shared teaching is one-sidedly true; how could that be called "well-attained"? This teaching attains the true and, without abiding in it, cultivates buddha-dharmas numerous as the sands of the Ganges, severs distinct delusions, and perceives the principle of the Middle Way; only then is it named Well-Attained. Fourth, regarding the perfect teaching: the distinct teaching is conditional cultivation; how could that be called "well-attained"? With one mind cultivating the threefold contemplation, fully equipped with the five eyes, perfectly illuminating the Dharmadhātu, and perfectly completing the three virtues and ultimate nirvāṇa—this is the true Well-Attained. This is attaining through non-attainment, attaining what cannot be attained; hence he is named Well-Attained. There are three provisional [teachings] and one real. Now the elder's son well knows what is neither provisional nor real, yet can achieve the skillful attainment of both the provisional and the real, using this to transform beings, benefit himself and benefit others, and enter the buddha's knowledge and vision; hence he is named Well-Attained. Since its meaning is thus, how could he really answer that he did not know the assembly of the Dharma gift and be rebuked by Vimalakīrti? It was merely [an anvil and hammer] forging living beings, to reveal entry into the buddha's knowledge and vision. How is this known to be so? Now in commanding them to inquire after the illness, [the sūtra] specifically takes these four [bodhisattvas]. By deducing the meaning of the previous three, it reveals opening, displaying, and awakening, which are the three meanings of the initial mind; now commanding Śāntamati is intended to reveal the path of entering the buddha's knowledge and vision. Previously, Dharāṃdhara revealed awakening, correctly showing that the suchness of Māra is not different from the suchness of the Buddha; now this reveals entry, based on the assembly of the Dharma gift having no before or after, bestowing gifts equally at the same time, which is "non-dual yet dual, the path and contemplation flowing together." Therefore, upon receiving the necklace he divided it into two portions: one portion for the Tathāgata Duṣprasaha, and one portion for the beggars. This is precisely the assembly of the equal Dharma gift. One must still understand it in terms of the initial mind; do not seek it far away. Formerly, shattering the seven-day assembly of material giving was an allegorical refutation of those who received the three teachings and had not entered the Middle Way, whose dāna gifts were not assemblies of the Dharma gift. Now he is commanded to inquire after the illness; if he relates having been rebuked in the past, then when the great assembly hears it universally, those who received the expedient teachings will all be ashamed and broken, and seek the true Dharma gift, which accomplishes the aforementioned five kinds of benefit.