維摩經略疏 8.6

8.6

Question: This sūtra explains that contemplating sentient beings as entering the true [realm of reality] is like a fifth great element and the like, without stating that there are change-body five aggregates; why employ this interpretation? Answer: Contemplating the ultimate truth, one does not see sentient beings of the conventional truth, just like a fifth great element and the like; yet depending on the ultimate truth, it is not that there are no unconditioned change-body five aggregates of sentient beings. Furthermore, a bodhisattva's contemplation of emptiness differs from that of the two vehicles: those of the two vehicles contemplate the emptiness of sentient beings, but do not even contemplate the emptiness of nirvāṇa; how could they contemplate the emptiness of the Middle Way? Here it is explained that when entering emptiness from provisionality, all three truths are empty. Thus the 'Inquiring after the Illness' chapter states: 'I and nirvāṇa—both of these are empty.' The emptiness of the self is the emptiness of sentient beings of conventional truth within birth and death; the emptiness of nirvāṇa is the emptiness of phenomena of the ultimate truth. It also states: 'The illness of emptiness is also empty.' One should know that falsely grasping the Middle Way—this illness is also empty. The reason emptiness is sometimes used to speak of the Middle Way is because of the emptiness of both extremes. If one grasps that the Middle Way exists, then there is an illness regarding the Middle Way; this illness is also empty, and therefore it is said that the Middle Way is also empty. At the initial moment of entering the contemplation of emptiness, the three truths are all empty; though they are all empty, they are not annihilated. Because one who sees the Middle Way possesses the myriad practices within one mind, how could it be merely empty and severed? Therefore this chapter speaks up to the Middle Way. Taking the analogies such as form in the formless realm, one should know that when a bodhisattva enters emptiness from provisionality, although simultaneously entering emptiness as the all-knowledge, within this emptiness they immediately perceive the principle of the three truths and are endowed with the three wisdoms. Hence the Dàzhìdù lùn states: 'The three wisdoms are in truth attained in one mind; they are differentiated sequentially for the sake of explaining them to others so that they may easily understand.' When one enters emptiness endowed with the threefold contemplation in this way, although using emptiness as its designation, it is in truth endowed with the threefold contemplation, and thus contains benevolence, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity, just as this chapter explains. If emptiness is endowed with the threefold contemplation and perceives the three truths, this is the meaning of contemplating to penetrate and contemplating to pierce; hence it is called the 'Contemplating Sentient Beings' chapter.