維摩經略疏 7.19

7.19

From "Vimalakīrti..." onward is the second [part], Vimalakīrti's reply. The text has two: first, replying about the room being empty; next, replying about having no attendants. Regarding the reply about the room being empty, there are seven rounds of back-and-forth. First, as for saying "All buddha-lands are likewise empty": the Great Being's skillful means are many and various, and his symbolic expressions are not single. Formerly, the arrangement and furnishings of this room and the retinue of attendants standing by were to symbolize that because he wished to teach the various expedient teachings and the collection of conditions was not yet removed, he was not yet able to reveal the pure land. Now, wishing to reveal that the true pure land has no afflictive burdens of fragmented or transformative environmental and personal retributions, and to guide them into the ultimate original-nature empty principle of the eternally quiescent original land, he sweeps away all possessions to symbolize abandoning the expedient teachings that explain existence. Now, wishing to expound the ultimate pure land's true emptiness and Quiescent Light, he replies, "All buddha-lands are likewise empty." How could emptiness merely symbolize that the nature is pure and eternally quiescent, empty and having nothing? All lands whatsoever are also empty. If the various lands were not empty, Quiescent Light would not be pervasive; since it is pervasive throughout everything, the three lands are all empty.