[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [維摩經略疏](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1778) › 8.72 # 維摩經略疏 8.72 維摩經略疏 8.72 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [8.72](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1778.8.72) 「舍利弗至之法」，三、明止室久近。上身子問止室久如，今天以理答。有言：寄十二年在室恒聞大乘，以斥身子十二年前但聞小乘。此未必然，如六年聞《鴦崛經》明一佛乘。又爾前呵諸弟子，豈十二年後？今言文字相離即是解脫，十二因緣即是文字。文字相離即是解脫，故得約之以明久近，是以事表理也。言「十二年」者，即表十二因緣。約教即有二種：一藏通明思議因緣、二別圓明不思議因緣。故《大經》云「十二因緣有四種觀，下觀聲聞、中觀緣覺不見佛性、上觀菩薩、上上即佛。」身子但觀思議因緣，天女乃觀不思議因緣。因緣名同又但名解脫。上天答身子云「止此室如耆年解脫」，解脫無久無近。若別圓明十二因緣，如《大品》云「十二因緣獨菩薩法，不共二乘。」二乘離文字，解脫無有言說。菩薩不離文字，解脫得有言說，故得約之以明久近，此即無久近之久近。是以天言十有二年，正表於此。若修此法，豈習聲聞法乎？ > From "Śāriputra" to "the Dharma of...," third, explaining the duration of dwelling in the room. Above, Śāriputra asked how long she had dwelt in the room; now the goddess answers in terms of principle. Some say: she used the twelve years in the room constantly hearing the Great Vehicle to rebuke Śāriputra for having heard only the Small Vehicle before the twelve years. This is not necessarily so, as in the six years hearing the Aṅgulimāla Sūtra which illuminates the One Buddha Vehicle. Furthermore, regarding the rebuking of the disciples before that, could it have been after twelve years? Now it is said that the absence of the marks of letters is liberation itself, and the twelve links of dependent origination are letters. The absence of the marks of letters is liberation itself, so one can use this to explain the duration; this is using phenomena to represent principle. Saying "twelve years" represents the twelve links of dependent origination. In terms of the teachings, there are two kinds: first, the Tripiṭaka and shared teachings illuminate conceivable dependent origination; second, the separate and complete teachings illuminate inconceivable dependent origination. Hence the Great Sūtra says: "The twelve links of dependent origination have four kinds of contemplation: the lower contemplation is śrāvakas, the middle contemplation is pratyekabuddhas, who do not see buddha-nature; the superior contemplation is bodhisattvas, and the supreme is the Buddha." Śāriputra only contemplates conceivable dependent origination, whereas the goddess contemplates inconceivable dependent origination. The name "dependent origination" is the same, yet it is solely named liberation. Above, the goddess answered Śāriputra: "Dwelling in this room is like the elder's liberation." Liberation has neither long nor short duration. If the separate and complete teachings illuminate the twelve links of dependent origination, as the Dàpǐn says: "The twelve links of dependent origination are exclusively the Dharma of bodhisattvas, not shared with the two vehicles." The two vehicles are separated from letters; their liberation has no verbal expression. Bodhisattvas do not depart from letters; their liberation can have verbal expression, and so it can be used to explain duration—this is the duration of having no duration. Thus the goddess's statement of "ten and two years" precisely represents this. If one cultivates this Dharma, how could one practice the śrāvaka Dharma? > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 8.71](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1778.8.71) - [Next: 8.73](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1778.8.73) - [Up: 8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1778.8) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1778~en-mt.8.72) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1778.8.72](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1778.8.72) · Pramāṇa