維摩經略疏 9.44

9.44

From "At that time" downward is the third major section of the chapter, explaining the retinue of the Dharma-gates, which also accomplishes the previous meanings of the path and the seed. Why? The Dharma-gates are immeasurable; according to the convenience of their meanings there are intimates and friends, which are the retinue. These are all provisional designations and discriminations within the absence of names and forms, in order to accomplish the provisional Buddha path and seeds. Furthermore, the previous "Chapter on Contemplating Sentient Beings" explained that contemplating sentient beings and entering emptiness penetrates to the source, and there is unconditioned loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity; to manifest this meaning, the heavenly maiden suddenly appeared and expounded the wondrous principle of inconceivable true emptiness and liberation before Śāriputra. Next, this chapter explains practicing upon the non-path to fully penetrate the Buddha path, entering the provisional to practice oneself and transform others; although experiencing all sensations, there is nothing experienced, and within afflictions (dust and toil) one penetrates the Tathāgata-seed; therefore [the bodhisattva] universally manifests physical bodies. By asking about the retinue, it is revealed that the various Dharma-gates of entering the provisional and fully penetrating the Buddha path are all retinues. The text has two parts: first, the question; second, the answer. The initial question says "universally manifesting physical bodies," which contains three meanings: first, universally manifesting internal form; second, universally manifesting external form; third, universally manifesting internal and external form. First, internal form: as the *Lotus Sūtra* explains the purity of the physical faculty, the direct and dependent [retributions] of the ten realms manifest within the body, like images appearing in a clear mirror. Second, external manifestation: also as the universal gate manifestation of the *Lotus Sūtra*, manifesting forms of the ten realms in accordance with different capacities. Third, internal and external manifestation: as the *Mahāsaṃnipāta-sūtra* explains, contemplating one's own body, the bodies of sentient beings, and the bodies of buddhas all manifesting in one's own body, and also seeing one's own body and the bodies of sentient beings manifesting within the body of a buddha, and likewise within the bodies of sentient beings, all appearing like shadows; this is form entering the ocean of the dharmadhātu. The bodhisattva dwells in this universally manifested body to express and accomplish the meaning of the above text regarding entering the provisional with nothing unmanifested; the preceding and following corroborate each other to make the meaning easily understood; therefore [the bodhisattva is called] Universally Manifesting Physical Bodies, and because of this asks about the retinue. If the Great Being has a birth body, there should be the retinue and requisites of a birth body; if he has a dharmakāya, he has the various dharmas as his retinue. Why is the room empty and no birth-body retinue is seen, nor have we heard the Dharma-gate of the dharmakāya retinue being explained? This gives rise to this question: where are the retinue and requisites? The question has two parts: first, asking about the retinue; second, asking about the requisites, as in the text.