維摩經略疏 9.99

9.99

"Leshí" (Delighting in Reality) is named after longing for the true reality of the Middle Way. "Reality and unreality are two": unreality is conventional, and reality is true; taking these as two constitutes distinction. Now, within true reality, one finds neither the unreality of ordinary persons—which is called having no conventional—nor the reality of the two vehicles—so there is no ultimate; this is entering the gate of nonduality. "It is not seen by the physical eye," because it is seen by the wisdom eye. The Nirvāṇa Sūtra says: "Although people of the two vehicles possess the wisdom eye, it is called the physical eye. Although those who study the Mahāyāna possess the physical eye, it is called the buddha eye." Although the two vehicles possess the wisdom eye, they only sever the view and thought [afflictions] of the three realms and do not see the buddha-nature. Because they do not see it, although they have the wisdom eye, it is called the physical eye. If [one considers] the stage of the purification of the six sense faculties within the Perfect Teaching, although it is the physical eye born of mother and father, at that time the view and thought [afflictions] of fragmentary [samsāra] have already been severed. Therefore, although people of the two vehicles sever defilements with the wisdom eye, they only match the six sense faculties of the Perfect Teaching; hence it is said that people of the two vehicles are said to have the physical eye. In this stage of expedients where the six sense faculties are purified, they have already contemplated the Middle Way; thus, although it is a physical eye, it is called the buddha eye. However, the seeing of buddha-nature in the Mahāyāna is not uniform: if explained according to the Distinct Teaching, directly contemplating the Middle Way without yet seeing the buddha-nature is the wisdom eye; illuminating the two truths is the Dharma eye; contemplating the three truths simultaneously is the buddha eye. If explained according to the Perfect Teaching, one attains the buddha eye within the copper wheel [stage], contemplating the three truths simultaneously. Thus the Nirvāṇa Sūtra says: "Although those who study the Mahāyāna possess the physical eye, it is called the buddha eye." These words appear to designate the physical eye of the purification of the six sense faculties as the buddha eye—how much more so the first stage of abiding! If one attains this contemplation of the buddha eye, how could one further distinguish between real and unreal? This is called entering the Dharma-gate of nonduality.