維摩經略疏 7.59

7.59

「我既」下，四、明弘誓。文為四：一酬本願化物、二去取、三正化物、四傳釋。「我既至眾生」，初、明酬本願。何者？悲誓利物，但為內疾猶重，未成化他之法。今修二觀調伏取相，若薄若盡無知稍破，故言「我既調伏」。本願度物，今須調伏一切眾生。「但除其病而不除法」，二、明去取。有師言：如病眼見華，病瘥本無。眾生亦爾，妄見諸法，妄惑若滅則無法可除。此是本無法，何謂不除法？今言一切眾生具十界法，無明不了觸處病生；若有智慧，無礙自在悉為佛事。譬如火是燒法，若觸燒如病，謹慎不觸即是除病；不可除火，除火則失溫身照闇成食之能。十二因緣三道亦爾，此有去取法，不同除也。又火能燒人，得法術者入出無礙，不須除火。故八萬四千煩惱，凡夫為之疲勞，諸佛菩薩以為佛事。亦如治眼，去病存精。「為斷病本而教導之」者，三、正明化物。病本即是一念無明取相，故《華嚴》云「三界無別法，唯是一心作。」今謂唯是一念無明取相心作，此即三界之病本也。若知無明不起取有，即畢故不造新，即是斷病本也。

From "Since I [am already subduing...]" downward, fourth, explains the great vow. The text has four [parts]: 1. fulfilling the original vow to transform beings; 2. what is removed and what is retained; 3. correctly transforming beings; 4. transmitting the explanation. "Since I [have already subdued...] down to beings": first, explains fulfilling the original vow. How so? One makes vows of compassion to benefit beings, but because one's internal illness was still heavy, the dharma of transforming others was not yet established. Now, practicing the two contemplations, one subdues grasping at marks; if [grasping] thins or ends, nescience is gradually broken through, hence it says "Since I have already subdued [my own illness]." The original vow was to cross over beings, and now one must subdue all sentient beings. "Only eliminate their illness, but do not eliminate phenomena": second, explains what is removed and what is retained. A master said: "Just like an afflicted eye seeing flowers [in the sky], when the illness is cured, they never originally existed. Sentient beings are likewise: they falsely see phenomena; if their false confusions are eliminated, there are no phenomena to eliminate." These are phenomena that originally never existed; how can one speak of "not eliminating phenomena"? Now it is stated that all sentient beings possess the phenomena of the ten realms, and when unenlightened through ignorance, whatever they touch gives rise to illness; if they have wisdom, their unobstructed sovereignty all becomes the work of the Buddha. For example, fire is by its nature burning; if one touches it and is burned, that is like the illness, and being cautious not to touch it is eliminating the illness. One cannot eliminate the fire, for if one eliminates the fire, one loses its capacity to warm the body, illuminate the darkness, and cook food. The twelve links of dependent origination and the three paths are likewise: here there are phenomena to be removed and retained, which is not the same as eliminating [everything]. Furthermore, fire can burn people, but one who possesses magical arts enters and exits [it] without obstruction, without needing to eliminate the fire. Therefore, with the eighty-four thousand afflictions, worldlings are exhausted by them, while the buddhas and bodhisattvas turn them into the work of the Buddha. It is also like treating an eye: one removes the disease while preserving the essence [of vision]. "Instruct them in order to cut off the root of illness": third, directly explains transforming beings. The root of illness is simply grasping at marks in a single thought of ignorance. Hence the Avataṃsaka says: "In the three realms there is no distinct phenomenon; it is only made by the one mind." Now it is stated that it is made solely by the mind grasping at marks in a single thought of ignorance; this is the root of illness of the three realms. If one knows that ignorance does not arise to grasp at existence, then one exhausts the old and does not create the new, which is cutting off the root of illness.