維摩經略疏 6.145

6.145

"Coming without marks of coming, and seeing without marks of seeing": second, explaining the praise. One master says: "The ultimate truth has no mark of coming, while the conventional truth has coming; hence it is said, 'coming without marks of coming.'" If so, he should praise the two vehicles. Another master says: "The dharmakāya has no mark of coming, while the response body has coming; hence it is said, 'coming without marks of coming.'" If so, Vimalakīrti should praise all bodhisattvas. Yet another master says: "If coming is coming, coming is inherently existent coming; if coming is non-coming, coming is nominal coming. Nominal coming is non-coming, which is 'coming without marks of coming.'" Now, to say that coming is coming and that coming is inherently existent, or that coming is non-coming and that coming is other-dependent coming—how could that merit praise? Now we say: if one comes with marks of coming, it is not a good coming. Now Mañjuśrī comes without marks of coming; therefore he is praised with the words "welcome (good coming)." Why is this? If all ordinary beings have craving and views, this is coming by grasping at marks. If the śrāvakas break through the conventional to enter the real and come, this is a tortuous path, coming by grasping at the mark of one-sided reality. Bodhisattvas of the Tripiṭaka [teaching] come by suppressing fetters, with grasping at marks not yet severed. Bodhisattvas of the Shared teaching enter the stage of seeing by realizing the real from the embodiment of the conventional, and up to entering the bodhisattva stages they come; this is coming by grasping at the marks of the two truths. If [practitioners of] the initial stage of the Distinct teaching come by entering the first bhūmi through successive [contemplation of] the three truths, this is coming by relying on the marks of the three truths. None of these is "coming without marks of coming." As for the Perfect teaching, knowing the four ineffables means not seeing any marks whatsoever, yet being able to contemplate the Middle Way, and through unconditioned great compassion converting sentient beings of the dharma-realm to come together to [the Land of] Tranquil Light—this is "coming without marks of coming." This matches the Tathāgata's intent in setting forth the discourse on the buddha-land, and it also accords with the mind of Vimalakīrti. However, those of the initial, intermediate, and final stages of mind in the Perfect teaching lacked the conditions for inquiring after the illness with this assembly at this time, so how could they dare accept the decree and come to inquire after the illness? Lacking this single condition, Vimalakīrti did not praise them. Now, from his first aspiration, Mañjuśrī has known the four ineffables; there are no marks of coming in provisional or real, self-practice or transforming others, hence it is said "without marks of coming." Yet he is able to let path and contemplation flow together in tandem, both provisional and real, coming in self-practice and transforming others, matching Vimalakīrti's virtues of origin and trace; hence it is said "and coming." Furthermore, knowing that the contemporary assembly are all [within] the four ineffables, and now having the conditions, he sees their capacity that can be addressed; hence, leading them, he enters, so that they will hear the teaching on inconceivable liberation and the pure buddha-lands, and all will gain great benefit. Therefore he explains it as "coming without marks of coming."