維摩經略疏 7.61

7.61

From "Mañjuśrī" downward, fifth, explains the courageous mind, concluding and interpreting the preceding four [points]. The text has two [parts]: 1. directly concluding and interpreting; 2. illustrating with a simile. "This is the ill bodhisattva's subduing their mind": this concludes entering the provisional from emptiness, subduing the mind to cultivate all Buddha-dharmas; it concludes being able to benefit all sentient beings. As the Vajraprajñā says: "The bodhisattva subdues their mind: they bring immeasurable sentient beings to extinction, yet in truth no sentient being attains extinction"—this is precisely its meaning. "Cutting off the suffering of aging, illness, and death is the bodhisattva's bodhi": "bodhi" is called the path; if it does not benefit beings, it is the path of the two vehicles. "Bodhi" is called the path, and "sattva" means bringing sentient beings to completion. "If it is not like this, there is no benefit of wisdom": sentient beings do not receive the benefit of the wisdom of Dharma-giving, and there is no great benefit of liberating beings from birth and death. "Like an overcome enemy": second, illustrates with a simile the bodhisattva's courageous mind in benefiting beings. The mind of craving and views can transform sentient beings into māras and non-Buddhists; that is the enemy of sentient beings entering the path. The bodhisattva can cut off their [views and thoughts], which is overcoming the enemy. "Concurrently eliminating": "concurrently" means not yet principal. The afflictions of the bodhisattva's dharma-realm are not yet exhausted, so while they must still engage in self-practice, they concurrently benefit beings on the side, hence it says "concurrently eliminating." Furthermore, "concurrently eliminating" means that while on the causal stage, they tentatively concurrently eliminate the birth and death of sentient beings, and upon attaining buddhahood, they ultimately cut it off.