維摩經略疏 1.142

1.142

From "gathering the many jewels of the Dharma" downward, third is advancing in cultivating the dharmas for transforming others. This clarifies that although the transformative achievements of these bodhisattvas are great, they have not yet realized the ultimate fruit, and must still advance in cultivating the dharmas for transforming others. That is, at [the stage of] virtual enlightenment, they enter the gate of redoubled profundity for thousands of myriads of koṭis of kalpas to cultivate the practice of transforming others. As for "the gate of redoubled profundity," the Bodhisattvabhūmi says: "Entering, abiding in, and generating the dhyāna of power; renouncing and re-entering the dhyāna of power." "Entering" means entering all dharma-gates from the ordinary mind up to the superior stages. "Generating power" means arising from the stage of virtual enlightenment and entering all dharma-gates. "Abiding" means that conforming to abiding in a single dharma-gate, one immediately abides in all dharma-gates. "Renouncing and re-entering power" means cultivating anew for hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of kalpas. Therefore, in the Lotus Sūtra, Maitreya praises the bodhisattvas from below, saying: "Skillfully entering, emerging from, and abiding in immeasurable hundreds of thousands of samādhis," and so forth. As for "like a sea captain," he leads the multitudes into the sea to gather jewels; when the multitudes obtain jewels, he himself also obtains them. When a bodhisattva enters the ocean of saṃsāra, not only is he able to cause sentient beings to obtain the jewels of the Buddha's Dharma, but the merit of transforming them also reverts to himself, and his Dharma-benefits in entering the gate of redoubled profundity are also numerous. Therefore this sūtra says: "Without entering the great ocean, one cannot obtain the priceless jewel. If a bodhisattva does not enter the great ocean of afflictions, he cannot obtain the jewel of all-knowledge." As for "thoroughly understanding all dharmas," entering the gate of redoubled profundity, inner wisdom progresses; "thoroughly understanding" is an alternate name for wisdom. "All dharmas" refers to the dharmas of the ten realms. As for "their profound and wondrous meaning," the dharmas of the ten dharma-realms and the principles of the two truths and three truths are extremely profound, hence called "profound." Seeing the three virtues as neither horizontal nor vertical, they are therefore called "wondrous." The two lines "skillfully knowing [...] destinations and mental courses" directly clarify that as the bodhisattva abides in the gate of redoubled profundity, his outward perception of the capacities and conditions of the sentient beings to be transformed is enhanced. These bodhisattvas attain the true divine eye, are constantly in samādhi, and do not see through dual characteristics sentient beings dying here and being born there as "going," or dying there and being born here as "coming." As for "their destinations," they know the causes in the conditions of wholesome and unwholesome karma, and their proceeding to receive the fruits of retribution, good or bad. As for "and the courses of their minds," by the power of the knowledge of all forms, they know the courses of the habit-causes from their past lifetimes. The three types of grass and two types of trees grow from a single ground, yet their capacities and natures differ. The three types of grass and two types of trees are the seven expedient means; growing from a single ground is the capacity and condition of the perfect [teaching]. Previously, the application of medicine was clarified; now, the understanding of illness is clarified. Having recognized the medicine and known the illness, one is able to dispense medicine according to the illness; thus one knows that the virtue of transforming others while abiding in the gate of redoubled profundity grows ever deeper and greater.