維摩經略疏 7.88

7.88

二、略釋不思議者，即有二意：一明三德解脫不思議、二明本迹依土不思議。初意者即有三種：一真性、二實慧、三方便。故淨名云「諸佛菩薩有解脫名不思議」，若菩薩住是解脫者，能以須彌之高廣內芥子中，乃至種種變現莫測，即是三種解脫不思議義。何者？諸佛菩薩有解脫者即是真性，若菩薩住此者即是實慧，能以須彌內於芥等即是方便。但四教皆明三種之理悉有不思議義，而有二種：一相待、二絕待。若三教所明即是相待。何者？三教隨他意語，約斷結以明解脫，即是相待。圓教隨自，約不斷結以明解脫，即是絕待不思議也。相待即是有思之不思，皆是思議。絕待即是無思之不思，是真不思議。今此一品，正以絕待不思以釋不思議也。所以三教成相待者，如三藏佛果神用變化，凡夫二乘及諸菩薩之所莫測即不思議，若待通教體法解脫還是思議。若通教八地已上道觀雙流，二乘下地之所莫測即不思議，若待佛地猶是思議。通若待別還是思議，別教登地見一實諦得三解脫，三乘通教別三十心所不測量即不思議，若待上地是思議。此三皆是下不思上，非是當位絕待之不思議。今明圓教絕待不思議者，十二因緣三種非道即是三德解脫佛道，若菩薩行此十二因緣三種非道，不斷三惑不破三法而住三種解脫之道，即不思議絕待三德之解脫也。是則非但下不思上，乃至上地諸佛菩薩亦不思下地及一切眾生因緣三道，即是絕待之不思議。故《文殊般若》云「佛界眾生界俱不可思議，無有異也。」前釋「一名不可思議解脫」，已具明竟。二、約本迹依土者，前品空室表土，文殊見相問於佛國，但明寂光畢竟空寂。此但是法身本土不可思議，未顯應身迹居不思議相。今用神力致座，明迹居穢土現不思議事，須彌大海地水火風十方佛土集在一國，示一切人如是等事，皆是依土現不思議莫測之相，具出在文。若迹居分段，依報塊然，尚示無礙，居餘三土豈可測量？

Second, briefly explaining the inconceivable has two aspects: first, clarifying the inconceivable liberation of the three virtues; second, clarifying the inconceivable of the environmental land of the origin and the trace. As for the first aspect, there are three kinds: first, true nature; second, actual wisdom; third, skillful means. Therefore, Vimalakīrti says: "The buddhas and bodhisattvas have a liberation named 'Inconceivable'." If a bodhisattva dwells in this liberation, he can place the height and breadth of Sumeru inside a mustard seed, up to various unfathomable transformations; this is the meaning of the three kinds of inconceivable liberation. Why so? That the buddhas and bodhisattvas possess liberation is the true nature; that a bodhisattva dwells in this is actual wisdom; that he can place Sumeru inside a mustard seed and so forth is skillful means. However, the four teachings all clarify the principles of the three kinds, and all possess the meaning of the inconceivable, yet there are two types: first, relative; second, absolute. What the three teachings clarify is the relative. Why so? The three teachings speak according to the intention of others, clarifying liberation in terms of severing fetters; hence it is relative. The Perfect Teaching speaks according to one's own [intention], clarifying liberation in terms of not severing fetters; this is the absolute inconceivable. The relative is the non-thinking of that which has thought—all of which is conceivable. The absolute is the non-thinking of that which has no thought—this is the true inconceivable. Now, this single chapter specifically takes the absolute inconceivable to explain the inconceivable. Why the three teachings constitute the relative is as follows: like the divine functions and transformations of the Buddha-fruition in the Tripiṭaka [Teaching], which cannot be fathomed by ordinary beings, the two vehicles, and the various bodhisattvas, this is inconceivable; yet relative to the liberation of embodying dharmas in the Shared Teaching, it is still conceivable. If, from the eighth stage upward in the Shared Teaching, the Path and contemplation flow together, which cannot be fathomed by the two vehicles and lower stages, this is inconceivable; yet relative to the Buddha stage, it is still conceivable. If the Shared is compared to the Distinct, it is still conceivable. When one ascends to the stages in the Distinct Teaching, sees the one true reality, and attains the three liberations, which cannot be measured by the three vehicles, the Shared Teaching, and the thirty minds of the Distinct, this is inconceivable; yet relative to higher stages, it is conceivable. These three are all the lower not conceiving the higher; they are not the absolute inconceivable of that very position. Now, clarifying the absolute inconceivable of the Perfect Teaching: the twelve links of dependent origination and the three kinds of non-paths are themselves the Buddha-Path of the liberation of the three virtues. If a bodhisattva walks these twelve links of dependent origination and the three kinds of non-paths, not severing the three delusions, not destroying the three dharmas, and dwelling in the path of the three kinds of liberation, this is the absolute liberation of the three virtues, which is inconceivable. Thus, not only does the lower not conceive the higher, but even the buddhas and bodhisattvas of the higher stages do not conceive the lower stages and the three paths of dependent origination of all sentient beings; this is the absolute inconceivable. Therefore, the Mañjuśrī-prajñā says: "The realm of buddhas and the realm of sentient beings are both inconceivable; there is no difference." The previous explanation of "one is named the Inconceivable Liberation" has already fully clarified this. Second, in terms of the environmental land of the origin and the trace: in the previous chapter, the empty room symbolized the land; Mañjuśrī saw the signs and asked about the buddha-land, clarifying only that the Quiescent Light is ultimately empty and quiescent. This was merely the inconceivable of the original land of the dharmakāya, and had not yet revealed the inconceivable aspects of the responsive body's trace-dwelling. Now, employing divine power to bring the thrones clarifies the manifestation of inconceivable matters while dwelling in the trace of the defiled land: Sumeru, the great ocean, earth, water, fire, wind, and the buddha-lands of the ten directions are gathered into a single land, displaying such matters to all people; these are all unfathomable aspects of manifesting the inconceivable in the environmental land, fully appearing in the text. If, dwelling in the trace of the realm of fragmented [birth and death], the environmental recompense is solid and massive, yet he still displays no obstruction, how could dwelling in the remaining three lands be measured?