維摩經略疏 2.26

2.26

From "At that time" below: second, clarifying the elder's son presenting the canopies, which has three parts: first, clarifying the reason for manifesting this expression; second, the Tathāgata joining the canopies and displaying a miraculous sign; third, the great assembly beholding the miraculous sign and rejoicing. That the five hundred canopies presented were joined into one symbolizes that the compassion cultivated in the causal stage, dedicated toward the fruit of buddhahood, is consummated in unconditioned [compassion], which symbolizes the complete retribution dharmakāya and also the dependent retribution pure land; it directly symbolizes that this sūtra takes the causes and fruits of the buddha-land as its primary theme. That all lands appeared within the canopy symbolizes that the pure land of the fruition ground manifests all response lands; this symbolizes the dynamic function of this sūtra. Furthermore, manifesting the buddhas of the ten directions preaching the Dharma symbolizes that in a response land there must be a response buddha acting as the transformative master. That the great assembly rejoiced means that upon hearing of the inconceivable liberation, their capacities for the buddha-land having been activated, they were bound to receive great benefit, and rejoiced in advance. Hence we know that manifesting these marks secretly expressed and initiated the grounds of this sūtra, and therefore constitutes the specific preface. First, the elder's son presenting the canopies as the reason for manifesting this expression has three parts: 1. going together with his peers; 2. devout reverence; 3. offering the canopies. In the first passage, "Vaiśālī" is fully explained as before. The city symbolizes nirvāṇa. Thus the Avataṃsaka says: "Pure, white dharmas form the city; / Contemplative wisdom forms the walls; / The highest wisdom forms the towers; / Shame and conscience form the deep moat. / The three gates of liberation through emptiness, / Right mindfulness keeps guard over them; / The four paths are the proper road, / Traversing which one departs the three realms, / Erects the supreme Dharma banner, / And destroys all demons." Here it is clarified that naturally pure nirvāṇa is like a city; it is neither the elder nor the Tathāgata, yet both dwell together in this city. From the perspective of cause he is called "son"; from the perspective of fruition he is called "buddha." The nature is neither cause nor fruit, yet cause and fruit rely on the nature, whose meaning is identical to the city. The explanation of Ratnakūṭa is as before. "With five hundred sons of elders": the literal meaning is easy to understand. In terms of expressing the Dharma, it may symbolize the five kinds of gotra-lineage good roots; each lineage having a hundred makes five hundred good roots, all of which pertain to the cause, and hence they are called "sons." As for the "seven-jeweled canopies," they symbolize the seven factors of awakening harmonized to generate the true understanding of true reality, which are termed the "seven jewels." Compassion arising across diverse phenomena is termed a "canopy." A canopy takes covering as its meaning: a mind of compassion covers and shades all sentient beings. "Came to where the Buddha was": having previously cultivated compassion conditioned by distinct phenomena, they now bring forth causal compassion that is unconditioned and dedicate it to the unconditioned fruit, universally covering everything. Second, devout reverence: "bowed their heads and faces at his feet" expresses the etiquette of reverence. It symbolizes receiving from below the fruition wisdom atop the causal wisdom. Third, offering the canopies: the cause possesses the function of supporting the fruit, hence it is termed "making an offering."