維摩經略疏垂裕記 4.167

4.167

Second, from "this body" onward, is the explanation according to the text. As for the "five kinds of impurity": First is impurity of the seed, because this body takes hold of another's discharged substance and deposits consciousness within it. Second is impurity of the dwelling place, because for ten months it dwells between the mother's two organs for raw and digested [food], and at birth comes out through the urinary tract. Third is impurity of intrinsic marks, because in sleeping and reclining, filthy excrement and bodily wastes constantly flow from the nine apertures. Fourth is impurity of its intrinsic nature, because within the body there are only urine, pus, and blood. Fifth is impurity in the ultimate end, because when life ends and the body disintegrates, it stinks worse than a dead dog. These are elaborated in fascicle seven of the *Mohe zhiguan* (Cessation and Contemplation). Jingxi says: The supreme [bases] and the nine visualizations are fully explained in the *Fajie cidi* (Order of the Dharmadhātu); all the rest pertain to the suffering of birth. Impurity of intrinsic marks even extends into the womb when consciousness first enters it, not to mention its intrinsic nature. Therefore, one should know that it also belongs to birth. As for "although bathed and washed" and so forth: someone said: The character *yi* (clothing) is in the level tone, and the character *shi* (food) is in the entering tone. Now I say it is not so: before being used and enjoyed, they may be pronounced in the level and entering tones respectively; but if they are being actively used and enjoyed, both should be pronounced in the departing tone. If the two characters *yi* and *shi* followed the level and entering tones, "bathed and washed" should only be called "hot water", because they would not yet be used and enjoyed. As for "a dilapidated well": Jingxi says: It refers to being broken down and useless amid mounds and ruins. As for "sustained by the force of karma" and so forth: this explains the meaning that this body has no fixed duration. Jingxi says: If judged according to each individual having their own karma, there can also be determinate karma. Yet it can be disrupted, so it is also indeterminate. Furthermore, there is meeting with secondary conditions, such as the major and minor accidental deaths in the *Bhaiṣajyaguru-sūtra*, as well as the ninth fascicle of the *Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra* explaining the nine kinds of untimely death; these also make it indeterminate. How much more so when, merely regarding the karma possessed by each person, when these compare with one another, karma viewed against karma are all called indeterminate. As for "mountains, oceans, empty space, and marketplaces": fascicle two of the *Dharmapada* says: "There were four brahmacārin brothers who each attained supernatural powers. Knowing that after seven days all would die, they discussed escaping it together. One said: 'I will enter the great ocean, not reaching the bottom below nor emerging from the water above.' One said: 'I will enter the belly of Mount Sumeru and have the mountain close back up.' One said: 'I will rise lightly into empty space.' One said: 'I will enter a great marketplace.' Each said: 'Escaping to such places, how could the demon of impermanent death know where I am?' After the discussion, they took leave of the king and explained their intention of departing. When seven days had passed, each of them died. The market supervisor reported to the king: 'A brahmacārin suddenly died in the marketplace.' The king said: 'There were four who sought to avoid retribution.' If one has already died, how could the other three escape?" Alas! When death arrives, it cannot be avoided; can this not be verified? The *Jin shu* (Book of Jin) states: "Guo Pu was skilled in yin-yang and calendrical calculations. During the reign of Emperor Yuan of Jin, he was close friends with Huan Yi, who visited him often. Sometimes Guo Pu was among women, and Huan would enter directly. Guo Pu said: 'When you come, you may proceed directly elsewhere, but do not seek me out at the privy. If you do, it will inevitably lead to disaster.' Later, Huan Yi, being drunk, went to visit Guo Pu and happened upon him at the privy. Peeking in, he saw him naked with his hair disheveled, holding a knife in his mouth and setting out libations. When Guo Pu saw Huan Yi, he clutched his chest in great shock and said: 'I have repeatedly urged you not to come, yet you do this instead. Not only will it bring disaster upon me, but you will not escape either. Heaven truly brought this about; whom can one blame?' Guo Pu met with disaster through Wang Dun, and Huan Yi also died." From this we know that when retribution is already fixed, how could prayers and exorcisms avert it? Yet he said that Heaven truly brought it about; how late was his realization! Entrusting these words to later generations: you should believe what Jingming stated—this is true exorcism and apotropaic ritual, as in the passage of fascicle seventy-five of the *Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra*. As for "fully set forth in the Great Sūtra": it means it fully clarifies the serpents, the bandits, and the empty village. Thus its 'Chapter on Noble Practice' states: "For example, there was a king who put four poisonous snakes into a chest and ordered a man to care for and feed them: 'If you cause even one snake to give rise to wrath, I will execute you in the public square according to law.' Terrified, the man abandoned the chest and fled. The king again sent five caṇḍālas brandishing knives to pursue him, and sent another person who pretended to be a close friend. The man did not trust him and hid among the hamlets. He heard a voice from the sky: 'Tonight six great bandits will come.' The man fled in fear. On the road he encountered a river; boarding a raft, he crossed the current and went on, reaching safety without trouble. The four snakes symbolize the four great elements; the five caṇḍālas symbolize the five aggregates; the false close friend symbolizes craving and love; the empty village symbolizes the six internal sense bases; the six great bandits symbolize the six external sense objects; the river symbolizes defilements; the boat and raft symbolize the six perfections and the factors of awakening; and reaching safety without trouble symbolizes attaining great nirvāṇa."