維摩經略疏 8.16

8.16

「文殊師利」下，二、明觀眾生起四無量心。所以起此心者，是利生之本，若無此心墮二乘地。四心即為四番問答：初明慈心。文為二：一問、二答。一、所以問者，菩薩觀眾生假入三諦空，則無有為無為自體三種眾生，慈因何起？但菩薩之道化物為先，今既皆空，慈何所被？若觀空失慈，與二乘何異？故有此問。

From "Mañjuśrī" onwards is the second [section], explaining the contemplation of sentient beings to give rise to the four immeasurable minds. The reason for giving rise to these minds is that they are the root of benefiting sentient beings; without these minds, one falls onto the ground of the two vehicles. The four minds comprise four rounds of questions and answers: first, explaining the mind of loving-kindness (maitrī). The text has two parts: first the question, and second the answer. First, the reason for the question is: when a bodhisattva contemplates sentient beings as provisional and enters the emptiness of the three truths, there are no conditioned, unconditioned, or self-existent three kinds of sentient beings; from what, then, does loving-kindness arise? Yet the bodhisattva's path prioritizes transforming beings. Now that all are empty, upon whom is loving-kindness bestowed? If contemplating emptiness causes one to lose loving-kindness, how is that different from the two vehicles? Hence there is this question.