維摩經略疏 7.62

7.62

「彼有疾」下，三、明有疾菩薩用中觀調伏。前二觀為方便，此觀即是佛菩提智，為斷無明自體實疾。故《勝鬘》云「無明住地其力最大，佛菩提智之所能斷。」因此發真即開佛知見，亦名一切種智，亦名佛眼。是為〈入不二法門品〉作本，具如玄義。修此觀位，約教有三：通教六地斷四住，七地斷塵沙，八地道觀雙流。若別接通，八地修中治無明病，九地似解名為聞見，十地發真名為眼見。別教十住已斷四住，十行除塵沙，因前解行得修此觀，十品似解即是迴向，發真入地分破無明，道觀雙流入薩婆若海。圓教五品即修此觀，若生似解得六根淨，若能發真即入初住斷無明實病，道觀雙流自然流入，乃至等覺無明未盡皆名有疾。以別接通及別斷伏，皆是方便。今初發心行生修乃至坐道樹下，故圓教初心即學中觀。文為二：一正明中觀、二道觀雙流。初文二：一明觀體、二簡非。初文二：一明自觀、二觀眾生。「如我此病非真非有」者，是初自觀法身有無，明自體之病。非真非空，非有非假。又非真者，非從假入空所治之病。非有者，非從空入假所治病也，故前二方便非是正觀。因前二空入今中道，四句撿無明畢竟不可得，即知無明性即是明，明亦不可得，是為入不二法門。即見虛空實諦佛性，名中道觀，玄義具明。如是觀者，破迷實諦無明之疾。「眾生疾亦非真非有」，次觀眾生。修此觀時，非但自知疾非真非有，知眾生亦然。是觀眾生根本疾也。何者？眾生本來與菩薩非真非有一如無二不異不別，眾生迷故墮二生死，菩薩觀照了知十界皆有中道無明之疾，故己他之疾同是真體一無明也。以此驗知，此經觀中則無假空而不中。

From "That ill [bodhisattva]" downward, third, explains the ill bodhisattva subduing [the mind] through the Middle Contemplation. The preceding two contemplations served as expedients; this contemplation is the wisdom of the Buddha's bodhi, which cuts off the actual illness of the intrinsic substance of ignorance. Hence the Śrīmālā says: "The ground of entrenchment of ignorance is the most powerful; only the wisdom of the Buddha's bodhi can cut it off." Relying on this, when the real is manifested, the insight and vision of the Buddha are opened; it is also called the knowledge of all modes, and also called the buddha-eye. This serves as the foundation for the "Entering the Gate of Non-Duality Chapter," as fully explained in the Profound Meaning. The stages of cultivating this contemplation are threefold according to the teachings: in the Shared Teaching, the sixth ground cuts off the four entrenchments, the seventh ground cuts off [afflictions as numerous as] dust and sand, and on the eighth ground, path and contemplation flow together. If the Distinct connects with the Shared, on the eighth ground one cultivates the Middle to cure the illness of ignorance; on the ninth ground, one attains an understanding that resembles [the real], which is called "seeing by hearing"; on the tenth ground, the real is manifested, which is called "seeing with the eye." In the Distinct Teaching, the ten dwellings have already cut off the four entrenchments, and the ten practices remove dust and sand; relying on the preceding understanding and practice, one can cultivate this contemplation; the ten grades of resembling understanding are the [ten] dedications; when the real is manifested upon entering the grounds, one partially breaks through ignorance, and path and contemplation flow together into the ocean of sarvajñā. In the Perfect Teaching, one cultivates this contemplation right at the five grades; if one produces resembling understanding, one attains the purity of the six faculties; if one can manifest the real, one enters the first dwelling to cut off the actual illness of ignorance, and path and contemplation flow together, naturally entering, up to virtual enlightenment—as long as ignorance is not yet exhausted, all are termed "ill." Because connecting the Distinct with the Shared, as well as the Distinct's cutting off and subduing, are all expedients, now from the initial resolve, practice arises and is cultivated up to sitting beneath the Bodhi tree; therefore, the beginner in the Perfect Teaching learns the Middle Contemplation from the very start. The text has two [parts]: 1. directly explaining the Middle Contemplation; 2. path and contemplation flowing together. The first text has two: 1. explaining the contemplation's substance; 2. differentiating the incorrect. The first text has two: 1. explaining contemplating oneself; 2. contemplating sentient beings. "Just as this illness of mine is neither real nor existent": this is first contemplating oneself whether the dharmakāya exists or not, explaining the illness of one's own substance. It is neither real nor empty, neither existent nor provisional. Furthermore, "neither real" means it is not an illness treated by entering emptiness from the provisional. "Neither existent" means it is not an illness treated by entering the provisional from emptiness; hence the preceding two expedients are not the correct contemplation. Relying on the preceding two [approaches to] emptiness, one enters the present Middle Way; examining ignorance through the four propositions, it is ultimately unobtainable; thus one knows that the nature of ignorance is itself illumination, and illumination is also unobtainable: this is entering the gate of non-duality. One directly sees the buddha-nature of the true truth of empty space, which is called the contemplation of the Middle Way, as the Profound Meaning fully explains. One who contemplates like this destroys the illness of ignorance that deludes [one concerning] the true truth. "Sentient beings' illnesses are also neither real nor existent": next, contemplates sentient beings. When cultivating this contemplation, one not only knows oneself that illness is neither real nor existent, but also knows that sentient beings are also like this. This is contemplating the fundamental illness of sentient beings. Why is that? Sentient beings originally and the bodhisattva are neither real nor existent, of one suchness without duality, not different and not distinct; because sentient beings are deluded, they fall into the two kinds of birth and death; the bodhisattva's contemplative illumination clearly knows that all ten realms have the illness of the ignorance of the Middle Way; therefore, the illness of oneself and others is equally the one ignorance of the true substance. Testing by this, one knows that in this sūtra's contemplation of the Middle, there is no provisional or empty that is not the Middle.