維摩經略疏垂裕記 7.104

7.104

Regarding the passage "Sudhana entered the tower..." and so forth: The Erya says, "Narrow and tall with twists and turns is called a lou (tower); a guan (watchtower) is called a que (gateway watchtower)." Guo Pu's commentary states, "The paired gate towers of a palace." The Shiming says, "Guan means to observe (guan); it is to look out from above." Daoxian quotes the new translation of the sūtra as saying: "After paying respects and circumambulating to the right, Sudhana addressed [Maitreya], saying: 'I pray only that the Great Sage will open the door of the tower.' Thereupon Maitreya stepped forward, snapped his fingers, and its door immediately opened, inviting Sudhana to enter. Sudhana was filled with joy; after he entered, it closed again. He saw that this tower was vast, immeasurable, and identical to empty space; he even saw Maitreya when he first generated the bodhicitta—such a name, such a clan, awakened by such spiritual friends, up to such a lifespan, spending such a period of time drawing near to and making offerings to [buddhas], all of which he saw with complete clarity. Or he saw Maitreya first realizing the maitrī-citta-samādhi, from which time onward he was named Ci (Maitreya, 'the Benevolent One'). He even saw him attain forbearance, or saw him abide upon the stages, or saw him accomplish a pure land; or saw him upholding the Tathāgata's correct teaching as a great Dharma master who attains the forbearance of non-arising; or receiving the prediction to unexcelled bodhi at such-and-such a time, in such-and-such a place, from such-and-such a Tathāgata." Regarding "using the trace to express the fundamental": Jingxi says: "The perfect [teaching] is true realization. According to true realization, when realm and wisdom merge, only a buddha sees a buddha. Therefore the Lotus Sūtra says, 'Only a buddha together with a buddha' and so forth. If it is as a bodhisattva in the site of quietude (bodhimaṇḍa), one thereby knows it is a trace. The perfect explanation within the trace can only express the fundamental; this is also discussing the fundamental and traces in terms of essence and function." This meaning is also largely the same as the meaning of "manifesting"; hence the site of quietude is jointly used to express the two teachings. Regarding "also like the Huayan": Question: Why is a single passage used to express two teachings? Answer: The capacities of the assembly and the teachings are shared, bringing the classes of sūtras into accord.