維摩經略疏 8.3

8.3

此下四品次〈不思議品〉來者，略用三義通釋：一明此品及下三品來意、二略釋此品名、三帖釋入文。一、釋來意者，上〈不思議〉一品成上果義。近而為語，即成〈問疾品〉。室內除諸所有表十方佛土皆空，唯置一床以疾而臥正表法身有大悲應用，為成此義廣明住不思議解脫有種種莫測之事，正明權疾非疾現疾，不思議因緣利物之疾。遠而為語，成上〈佛國品〉明淨土，身子及眾生罪故不見淨土，螺髻無罪見淨莊嚴，此不思議無方大用，唯應度者乃能見之。次從此品去有四品，近而為語，正為成〈問疾品〉三教慰喻、三觀調伏三種有疾菩薩，此中廣說，故得釋成上也。遠而為論，亦得兼成室外四品也。分此四品對上〈問疾品〉三教慰喻三觀調伏實疾菩薩者，此品即成〈問疾品〉從假入空觀調伏也。上云「今我病者，從前世妄想生乃至我及涅槃是二皆空，得此法者無有餘病唯有空病，空病亦空。」上文直約入空，未辨約空起四無量心，此品具辨，故小異也。又上但明入空，此品文殊有窮源之問，淨名答至無住源本方止。又天女、身子往復問答分明，故廣上也。次〈佛道品〉釋成〈問疾品〉從空入假觀調伏。上云「以無所受而受諸受，未具佛法亦不滅受而取證也。」即從空入假觀。今〈佛道品〉云「行於非道通達佛道」，即決上〈問疾品〉明入假分明。三、〈入不二法門〉、〈香積〉兩品，釋成〈問疾品〉明中道正觀調伏。上云「如我病者非真非有，眾生病亦非真非有」，又說「非垢行非淨行」道觀雙流。〈入不二法門品〉明諸菩薩悉入不二法門，成〈問疾品〉明非真非有；〈香積品〉垢淨雙遊，成〈問疾品〉明道觀雙流義也。若遠論者，兼得成上室外四品。此品成上為國王長者說身無常夢幻等喻令求法身。〈方便品〉但明世諦有為緣集通教體假入空，未辨染真諦涅槃空病亦空，今此具辨，故得廣上也。次〈佛道品〉成上〈弟子品〉明別教義者，彈呵弟子為取證真諦涅槃無入假方便，今明行於非道通達佛道，廣辨入假名非道，破恒沙無知，善於知見得無礙礙。次〈入不二法門品〉、〈香積品〉成上〈菩薩品〉圓教義者，若別教菩薩歷別修行，在因雖能入假，不能雙遊真俗，今〈入不二法門品〉入則生滅俱泯，〈香積品〉出則有無淨穢同遊，顯圓教法門除自體緣集。今得扶成〈佛國品〉者，成佛國因義也。所以然者，緣縛若斷即得往生，若成佛時所化眾生即得來生其國也。此四品即為三段：一〈觀眾生品〉正明從假入空觀、二〈佛道品〉正明從空入假觀、三〈入不二法門品〉、〈香積品〉明中道正觀雙流也，今此一品即是初明通相從假入空觀也。

That these next four chapters follow after the "Inconceivable Chapter" is broadly explained using three meanings: first, explaining the reason for the sequence of this chapter and the following three chapters; second, briefly explaining the title of this chapter; third, contextual commentary on entering the text. First, explaining the reason for the sequence: the preceding "Inconceivable Chapter" accomplished the meaning of the preceding fruition. Speaking in immediate terms, it accomplished the chapter on "Inquiring after the Illness". The clearing away of all belongings within the room signifies that the buddha-lands of the ten directions are all empty; the placement of only a single couch and lying down with illness directly signifies that the dharmakāya possesses great compassion and active function. To accomplish this meaning, it extensively explains that abiding in the inconceivable liberation entails various unfathomable matters, directly demonstrating that the expedient illness is non-illness manifested as illness—the illness of inconceivable causes and conditions that benefits beings. Speaking in more distant terms, it accomplished the explanation of the pure land in the preceding "Buddha-Land Chapter": Śāriputra and the sentient beings, due to their faults, did not see the pure land, while Śikhin, being without fault, saw the pure adornments; this inconceivable and unconfined great function can only be seen by those who are ready to be liberated. Next, proceeding from this chapter onward, there are four chapters. Speaking in immediate terms, they directly accomplish the threefold teachings of consolation and the threefold contemplations of harmonization for the three kinds of ill bodhisattvas in the chapter on "Inquiring after the Illness"; because these are extensively explained here, they can interpret and accomplish what came before. Speaking in more distant terms, they also concurrently accomplish the four chapters set outside the room. When dividing these four chapters to match the threefold teachings of consolation and the threefold contemplations of harmonization for bodhisattvas with real illness in the preceding chapter on "Inquiring after the Illness", this chapter accomplishes the harmonization through the contemplation of entering emptiness from the provisional in the chapter on "Inquiring after the Illness". Above it said: "Now my illness arose from the deluded thoughts of previous lifetimes ... up to: both 'I' and 'nirvāṇa' are empty; one who attains this Dharma has no other illness, only the illness of emptiness, and the illness of emptiness is also empty." The text above merely addressed entering emptiness and did not yet distinguish giving rise to the four immeasurable minds on the basis of emptiness; this chapter distinguishes them completely, and thus there is a slight difference. Furthermore, above it only explained entering emptiness; in this chapter, Mañjuśrī asks about tracing the source, and Vimalakīrti only ceases when he answers down to the origin of non-abiding. Moreover, the exchange of questions and answers between the goddess and Śāriputra is clear, and therefore it broadens what came before. Next, the chapter on the "Buddha Path" interprets and accomplishes the harmonization through the contemplation of entering the provisional from emptiness in the chapter on "Inquiring after the Illness". Above it said: "Accepting all feelings by having nothing accepted, before having perfected the buddhadharmas one also does not extinguish feeling to realize the fruit." This is the contemplation of entering the provisional from emptiness. Now the chapter on the "Buddha Path" says: "Practicing along non-paths, one fully penetrates the buddha path," which directly resolves and clearly elucidates the entering of the provisional in the preceding chapter on "Inquiring after the Illness". Third, the two chapters on "Entering the Gate of Non-Duality" and "Fragrance Accumulated" interpret and accomplish the harmonization through the correct contemplation of the Middle Way in the chapter on "Inquiring after the Illness". Above it said: "Just as my illness is neither real nor existent, the illness of sentient beings is also neither real nor existent"; it also spoke of "neither defiled practice nor pure practice," where the path and contemplation flow together. The chapter on "Entering the Gate of Non-Duality" explains that all bodhisattvas enter the gate of non-duality, accomplishing the explanation of "neither real nor existent" in the chapter on "Inquiring after the Illness"; the chapter on "Fragrance Accumulated" travels together in both defilement and purity, accomplishing the meaning of the simultaneous flow of path and contemplation in the chapter on "Inquiring after the Illness". If discussed in more distant terms, they also concurrently accomplish the four chapters set outside the room. This chapter accomplishes the preceding explanation given for the kings and elders on the analogies of the body as impermanent, a dream, a phantom, and so forth, causing them to seek the dharmakāya. The "Expedient Means Chapter" only explained the worldly truth of conditioned, conditioned confluence in the shared teaching, experiencing the provisional to enter emptiness, but did not yet distinguish that the illness of emptiness regarding the true truth of nirvāṇa is also empty; now this chapter completely distinguishes it, and thus it broadens what came before. Next, the chapter on the "Buddha Path" accomplishes the meaning of the separate teaching in the preceding "Disciples Chapter": rebuking the disciples for taking realization in the true truth of nirvāṇa without the expedient means of entering the provisional. Now it explains that practicing along non-paths, one fully penetrates the buddha path, extensively distinguishing that entering the provisional is called non-paths, shattering unknowing numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and skillfully attaining unobstructed non-obstruction in knowledge and vision. Next, the chapters on "Entering the Gate of Non-Duality" and "Fragrance Accumulated" accomplish the meaning of the perfect teaching in the preceding "Bodhisattvas Chapter": if a bodhisattva of the separate teaching cultivates through distinct successive stages, although on the causal level they can enter the provisional, they cannot travel simultaneously through both the true and the conventional. Now, in the chapter on "Entering the Gate of Non-Duality", upon entering, arising and ceasing are both obliterated; in the chapter on "Fragrance Accumulated", upon emerging, existence and non-existence, purity and defilement are traveled together, revealing that the Dharma-door of the perfect teaching eliminates conditioned confluence from its very essence. Now, that these can support and accomplish the "Buddha-Land Chapter" means that they accomplish the meaning of the cause of a buddha-land. Why is this so? If conditioned fetters are severed, one attains rebirth; when one attains buddhahood, the sentient beings one transforms can then come to be born in that land. These four chapters then form three sections: first, the chapter on "Contemplating Sentient Beings" directly explains the contemplation of entering emptiness from the provisional; second, the chapter on the "Buddha Path" directly explains the contemplation of entering the provisional from emptiness; third, the chapters on "Entering the Gate of Non-Duality" and "Fragrance Accumulated" explain the simultaneous flow of the correct contemplation of the Middle Way. Now this one chapter is first to explain the general-aspect contemplation of entering emptiness from the provisional.