維摩經略疏 8.75

8.75

From "What are they..." onward, second, distinguishing the characteristics. The text has eight points. First, "It is constantly illuminated by golden light": the phenomenal explanation is obvious; in terms of principle, it is the empty room representing the light of supreme truth of the Buddha-nature of quiescent light. "Day and night without difference" is being quiescent yet constantly illuminating, wisdom non-dual. "Not by sun or moon" means not relying on the illumination of provisional or real cultivation through conditions. Because there is no such thing in the conceivable of the two vehicles, it is called unprecedented. The Great Sūtra says: "It has one same salty flavor," meaning that all sentient beings have the same buddha-nature. From "In this room" to "...Dharma," this is the second unprecedented dharma. If one enters the quiescent light of the true emptiness of dharmatā, there is no defilement of afflictions inside or outside the realms. The Great Sūtra says: "It does not harbor a dead corpse." Just as inside or outside the realms, if one violates the grave prohibitions, a corpse of the Buddha-Dharma does not enter the quiescent light. From "In this room" to "...Dharma," this is the third unprecedented dharma. Śakra and Brahmā belong to the stream of conditioned existence; their coming to assemble at the principle of natural purity signifies that they are about to enter quiescent light. Bodhisattvas from other directions coming to assemble without interruption explains that in one's own practice and transforming others, one enters all buddha-lands, benefiting beings in accordance with direction and returning together to quiescent light; hence it is said that they come to assemble. The Great Sūtra says: "It gradually becomes deeper," meaning that from taking refuge and precepts up to the buddha fruit, it gradually deepens. From "In this room" to "...Dharma," this is the fourth unprecedented dharma. The dharma of non-retrogression is the four kinds of non-retrogression of the four teachings and six pāramitās; if it is non-retrogression of thought, one naturally flows into the ocean of sarvajñā. The Great Sūtra says: "The tide does not exceed its limit; one would rather lose life and limb than ever commit evil." Evil means the six obscurations; one never retrogresses to give rise to the six obscurations. From "In this room" to "...Dharma," this is the fifth unprecedented dharma. Unhindered wisdom in all dharmas whose exposition cannot be exhausted is the superior and wondrous retribution. Like the kiṃnara harp expounding limitless Dharmas of the uncreated Four Noble Truths. The Great Sūtra says: "It is profound and hard to reach the bottom of," similed to the sound of Dharma transformation. From "In this room" to "...Dharma," this is the sixth unprecedented dharma; the phenomenal explanation is obvious. It is what is expounded by the four teachings, and also the four kinds of Dharma treasuries of contemplating the twelve links of dependent origination, bestowed upon the sentient beings of the ten realms without end. The Great Sūtra says: "It has various treasuries of jewels," using this as a simile that this sūtra is a treasury of jewels, meaning the four kinds of factors of awakening, infant-like conduct, and the immeasurable jewel treasuries of the merits of the four kinds of noble beings. From "In this room" to "...Dharma," this is the seventh unprecedented dharma. The buddhas of the ten directions appearing in this room is the great being contemplating the emptiness of the twelve conditions to attain the mindfulness-of-buddha samādhi, with the true and response bodies of the buddhas of the ten directions manifesting before him according to his thought. The Great Sūtra says: "The dwelling place of beings with great bodies"; beings with great bodies refers to the dwelling place of buddhas and bodhisattvas. From "In this room" to "...Dharma," this is the eighth unprecedented dharma. The heavenly palaces and pure lands all appearing within this room is because the emptiness of the room precisely represents that buddha-lands are all empty. Furthermore, the passage above says: "Although knowing that all buddha-lands are eternally quiescent like empty space, yet manifesting various superior buddha-lands," which precisely represents this. The Great Sūtra says: "It neither increases nor decreases," similed to the great nirvāṇa having no boundaries, up to all natures having the one same nature; this is the empty room representing that all lands are entirely empty. How could this unprecedented inconceivable function be the same as the function of the petty wisdom of the two vehicles dwelling in conceivable liberation? The eight inconceivables explained in the Great Sūtra share the same meaning.