維摩經略疏 2.13

2.13

Question: Why do [the gods of] the realm of non-conception and the formless realm not come? Answer: The heaven of non-conception is a heaven of the non-Buddhists; though bodhisattvas abiding in the sky-like samādhi are also born there, generally speaking, those strict in the precepts but lax in the vehicle mostly do not come. As for the four formless heavens, bodhisattvas abide in the unobstructed samādhi to be born in the stage of empty space, in the constant [samādhi] to be born in the stage of consciousness, in the joyful [samādhi] to be born in the stage of nothingness, and in the self [samādhi] to be born in the stage of neither perception nor non-perception. However, those gods lack form and do not come to hear the Dharma; even if they came, they could not be seen and could not serve as witnesses. Because these were not yet distinguished, the text reiterates "all the devas." "Nāgas" belong to the animal destiny; their direct retribution resembles serpents, but their dependent retribution consists of palaces of seven jewels similar to those of devas. They can also transform their bodies into handsome humans, because they were lax in the precepts but urgent in the vehicle. It is also as when the monk Saṅgharakṣita preached the Dharma to four nāgas, who upon hearing it immediately attained awakening. "Spiritual yakṣas" all belong to the ghost destiny. "Yakṣa" is translated here as "swift and nimble." There are three kinds: first, those on earth; second, those in the air; third, those who serve the devas. Because they broke the precepts they fell among ghosts and spirits; because of their evil venom they received yakṣa bodies; but because in the past they cultivated the vehicle, they see the Buddha and hear the Dharma. Having practiced a little giving, they have slight recompense; having given carriages and horses, they are able to fly through the air. "Gandharva" is translated here as "fragrance-aggregate"; these are also gods who traverse the air. They do not consume wine or meat, but sustain their aggregates solely on fragrance. It is also said that they are the musical spirits of the overturned banners of the lord of devas, residing in the Ten Jewel Mountains; when extraordinary signs appear on their bodies, they immediately ascend to the heavens to play music. In past lives they loved watching and listening to music and drama; being lax in the precepts they fell among spirits, but having practiced giving their recompense resembles that of devas. "Asuras": the old translation says "without wine" or "great body." They gathered flowers from the four continents to brew wine in the ocean but failed, hence the name "without wine." They are also called "non-devas"; the recompense of these spirits is the most supreme, ranking next to devas, yet they are not devas. They are also called "uncomely"; only their daughters, such as Śacī, are peerlessly comely, while their retinue are all ugly, hence they are called "uncomely." It is also said that the males are ugly and the females comely; because in the past they were jealous and troubled others, they are constantly full of fear. "Garuḍa" is translated here as "golden-winged bird," subsumed under the animal destiny; because of great conceit they fell, but because they practiced giving, they have wish-fulfilling gems on their necks; they take nāgas as food. Regarding provisional manifestations, the Avataṃsaka says: "The dharmakāya golden-winged bird takes the four bases of psychic power as feet, has eyes of compassion bright and pure, and abides in the tree of all-knowledge. The bodhisattva king of golden-winged birds, in the great ocean of birth and death, clutches devas, humans, and nāgas, placing them upon the shore of nirvāṇa." This is the garuḍa Dharma-gate of abiding in the non-retrogressing samādhi; one should know that the dharmakāya abides in all samādhis. Nāgas, spirits, asuras, and the rest all have Dharma-gates, which can be known by analogy with the garuḍa. "Kiṃnara" is translated here as "spirit of doubt," having horns on their heads; they are the spirits of strings and bamboo among the devas, their recompense being slightly inferior to that of gandharvas. Loving music, they are born in the spirit destiny and serve as musical spirits; having cultivated merit slightly, they receive a slight recompense. Bodhisattvas abiding in the samādhi of mental joy have the power to destroy rebirth [there]. "Mahoraga": these are python spirits, also called earth dragons; they are footless spirits that crawl on their bellies, namely the worldly temple spirits who receive wine and meat from people, all of which enters the python's belly. Breaking the precepts through deviousness and flattery, with much anger and little giving, and greedy for wine and meat, they fall into the ghost and spirit [destiny] because of laxity in the precepts. Because of their much anger, worms enter their bodies and gnaw at them. Having given a little in the past and having been humble and respectful, they receive offerings from humans; because they were urgent in the vehicle, they encounter the Buddha and hear the Dharma. All those mentioned above were urgent in both vehicle and precepts, or lax in precepts and urgent in the vehicle; therefore they come to hear the Dharma. For this reason, the eight classes are present at the beginning of sūtras. Each of the eight classes is determined according to their faculties and conditions—whether faith or Dharma, great or small, sudden or gradual—which can be known by analogy with the preceding.