維摩經略疏 8.17

8.17

「維摩」下，二、答意者，祇為眾生說此空理，令悟此空入祕密藏常樂我淨，即三十二真實之慈也。文為四：一約為說此法即真智德、二約斷德、三約聖德、四約眾行。初文者，欲知智在說，今言為眾生說如斯法是真實慈者，菩薩證大涅槃知不生不生不可說，赴緣說之即是智德，令物見性得涅槃樂即是慈能與樂。《大經》云「慈即如來，慈即解脫。」解脫者即見中道佛性，住大涅槃，成百句解脫，此即觀空徹至中道。中道即法身無緣大慈，如磁石吸鐵，離此更無真慈。若依歷別三觀，世諦即眾生緣、真諦即法緣、見中道即無緣，故觀三諦即是三德。若觀眾生入空已有如是慈者，此但以空為主，一切智當名而實具三觀得論三慈。有疾菩薩自修此觀則自行調心，為眾生說則化他與樂，故言「為眾生說是則真慈也。」故《法華》明「雖未得無漏，已入如來室、著如來衣、坐如來座。」今有疾菩薩未得法性身，即是入室行如來慈。又《大經》明「初依菩薩具煩惱性，能知如來祕密之藏，是人有所說法亦可信受。」此是相似之位尚已能爾，況分真慈為眾生說，豈非即是真大慈？

From "Vimalakīrti" onwards is the second [part], the sense of the answer: it is simply explaining this principle of emptiness for sentient beings, causing them to awaken to this emptiness and enter the secret treasury of permanence, bliss, selfhood, and purity—that is, the thirty-two [forms of] true loving-kindness. The text has four parts: first, explaining in terms of preaching this Dharma as true virtue of wisdom; second, in terms of the virtue of severance; third, in terms of the virtue of the sage; fourth, in terms of the various practices. As for the first passage: wishing to show that wisdom lies in preaching, it now says that preaching such a Dharma for sentient beings is true loving-kindness. When the bodhisattva realizes great nirvāṇa, knowing that the unarisen and non-arising is ineffable, yet preaches it responding to conditions, this is precisely the virtue of wisdom; causing beings to see their nature and attain the bliss of nirvāṇa is precisely loving-kindness's ability to bestow bliss. The Mahā[parinirvāṇa] Sūtra says: "Loving-kindness is the Tathāgata; loving-kindness is liberation." "Liberation" is seeing the Buddha-nature of the Middle Way, dwelling in great nirvāṇa, and accomplishing the hundred-phrase liberation; this is contemplating emptiness and penetrating through to the Middle Way. The Middle Way is the dharmakāya's conditionless great loving-kindness, like a lodestone attracting iron; apart from this, there is no other true loving-kindness. If based on the distinct threefold contemplation: the conventional truth is the condition of sentient beings, the ultimate truth is the condition of phenomena, and seeing the Middle Way is conditionless; thus contemplating the three truths is the three virtues. If one contemplates sentient beings, entering emptiness, and already possesses such loving-kindness, this merely takes emptiness as primary; it is named under all-knowledge, yet in reality it possesses the threefold contemplation, so one may speak of the three loving-kindnesses. When the bodhisattva with illness personally cultivates this contemplation, he regulates his own mind; when he preaches it for sentient beings, he transforms others and bestows bliss; hence it says: "preaching it for sentient beings is true loving-kindness." Thus the Lotus Sūtra explains: "Though one has not yet attained the outflow-free, one has already entered the Tathāgata's room, put on the Tathāgata's robe, and sat on the Tathāgata's seat." Now, the bodhisattva with illness has not yet attained the dharma-nature body, which is entering the room and practicing the Tathāgata's loving-kindness. Furthermore, the Mahā[parinirvāṇa] Sūtra explains: "A bodhisattva of the first reliance, though possessing defiled nature, can know the Tathāgata's secret treasury; if this person preaches any Dharma, it may also be believed and accepted." One at the stage of similitude is already able to do this; how much more so when one preaches with partially true loving-kindness for sentient beings—is that not truly great loving-kindness?