維摩經略疏 7.34

7.34

From "He also asked […] to because it is like an illusion" is the second [part]: inquiring about the function of the illness. Why is the function of the illness asked about? The provisional illness of the response body is precisely the function of the illness. Regarding advancing and retreating, with which dharma does it unite? Does it unite with the vajra body, or does it unite with the wisdom mind? If it unites with the body, the dharmakāya ought to have this illness. If it unites with the mind, the mind of powers and fearlessness ought to have suffering. This is the inquiry regarding the meaning of advancing union. Why the vajra is taken as form and wisdom as mind comes from the Buddha's answer to Lion's Roar in the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra. If it unites with the bodies of sentient beings, sentient beings' bodies truly have illness, so the response body ought to truly have illness. If it unites with the minds of sentient beings, sentient beings' minds have real suffering, so the response mind ought to have real suffering. This is the inquiry regarding the meaning of retreating union. If it does not unite with the vajra body and the wisdom mind, how can it be called the dharmakāya giving rise to the response born of great compassion? If it does not unite with the body and mind of sentient beings, how can it be said that the response shares their illness? Vimalakīrti answers, "It does not unite with the body, because the characteristics of the body are dissociated." As with the illness of an ordinary person, it is plainly seen not to unite with body or mind: analyzing the nominally designated body, one finds no real illness, only a name; regarding a name, one does not speak of union or non-union. Because the characteristics of the body are dissociated, when one seeks reality it cannot be found; hence the illness does not unite with the body. Nor does it unite with the mind, because the mind is like an illusion, not abiding from thought to thought. How much less could the provisional illness of the response body unite with the vajra body, since the characteristics of the body are dissociated; or unite with the wisdom mind, since the mind is like an illusion, existing only as a name? For example, in a bright mirror, all forms and images appear within the mirror, but these images do not unite with the mirror. Why is this so? If the mirror's shape is round, the image should accordingly be round. If it is not round, one should know that the image does not unite with the mirror, nor does it unite with the shape. Why is this so? The external is a real shape, while this image is unreal; how could an unreal shape unite with a real one? Although it does not unite with the mirror, it appears due to the mirror. Although it does not unite with the shape, it is produced facing the shape. This illness is also like this: it does not unite with the vajra body or the wisdom mind. Why is this so? The vajra body has dissociated characteristics, and the wisdom mind is like an illusion; their nature has no illness. Nor does it unite with the body and mind of ordinary people. Why is this so? The ordinary person's body is dissociated, and the marks of illness do not abide; the mind is like an illusory transformation—where could the illness be? The ordinary person has real illness, whereas this illness is provisionally manifested. Although it does not unite with the dharmakāya or with ordinary people, it arises from great compassion yet [manifests as] real illness. Therefore, based on the non-abiding root, all dharmas are established, manifesting the illnesses of the three lands; hence the mirror is used as a metaphor.