淨名玄論 2.17

2.17

問：此經何故人法雙題？答：略有十義。一者道不孤運，弘之由人。題淨名，標說教之主；辨不思議，明所弘之法。二者欲明通別兩義。題淨名，則為明人別；標不思議，辨其法通。所以然者，此經凡二化主，一者佛說、二者維摩說。若但題淨名之人、不題不思議法者，但得維摩之說，便不得佛說。今舉不思議，則具含二說，故人法雙題。三者欲互相顯釋，故人法雙題。所以稱為淨名者，以有不思議解脫德，處穢不染，故稱淨名，即此則以法釋人。次標不思議，舉經之大體，題淨名，辨法起之所由，故舉人釋法也。四者題淨名，尊其人也。標不思議，重其法也。以淨德內充、嘉聲外滿，聞其名者莫不尊仰。下云「一切見敬，為供養中最」。重其法者，既聞不可思議解脫法門，誰不重哉？五者明此經題具足三業不可思議，故人法雙題。維摩詰者，舉人辨其意業；次云所說，明其口業；次云不可思議解脫，敘其身業。問：何故身業獨云不思議？答：以後貫初。身業既不思議，口意亦爾，故最後說之。又以身業現神通，明不思議事顯，故偏說之。此之三業，即是次第，先明意業察緣、次口說法、後即身現神通。六者人法雙題，即是三事示現。顯淨名，謂他心輪；標所說，明說法輪；辨不可思議，即神通輪。三輪之義，《法華玄》廣明。今此所用者他心輪，謂知病識藥，說法現神通，應病授藥。又說法輪，明聞事不思議。神通輪，謂見事不思議。六塵境皆為佛事，但見聞既要，故聖人偏示形色。又說法輪但明音聲為教門，神通具以六塵為佛事。又神通輪多現不可思議迹，說法輪多明不思議本。如借座請飯，皆是神通現之，故是迹也。如說六度、四等及不二法門，即是本也。又他心輪知根鑒藥，神通輪則拔苦與樂，說法輪則滅惑生解。滅惑生解名為利益，拔苦與樂即是安樂，是故眾經皆云利益安樂一切眾生，則義無不備。六者題維摩，則明託疾方丈，標所說因病演教。舉不思議，明現神通。一部始終，蘊在於題。七者題維摩，為欲簡異於佛，示師資不同。次云所說者，上雖標弟子，客謂是對揚之人。今明所說，則知是弘教之主。雖知是弘教之主，或恐說淺近法門，故次明不思議解脫也。八者題淨名，欲簡異邪師，邪師內無淨德、外闕嘉名。標不思議，簡異耶法。耶法淺劣近末，非不思議；正法甚深，莫能測度。九者標淨名，明是菩薩，簡非二乘。二乘結習不除，不得稱淨。如後品云「觀諸菩薩華不著者，結習已免」，即其事也。舉不思議，簡小乘，明大教甚深不可測度。小乘淺近，易可思議。十者題淨名，歎高行大士，異下位菩薩。舉不思議，顯究竟之宗，簡未了之說。五時之流，謂此經是大乘，義猶未了。今明既稱不思議，則是窮微盡化妙絕之稱。

Question: Why does this sūtra title both person and dharma? Answer: Briefly, there are ten meanings. First, the Way does not operate in isolation; its propagation depends on the person. Titling Vimalakīrti indicates the lord who expounds the teaching; articulating the inconceivable clarifies the dharma that is propagated. Second, it desires to clarify both common and specific meanings. Titling Vimalakīrti clarifies the specificity of the person; indicating the inconceivable articulates the generality of the dharma. Why is this so? This sūtra has two transforming lords in all: first, spoken by the Buddha; second, spoken by Vimalakīrti. If one only titled the person of Vimalakīrti without titling the inconceivable dharma, one would only capture Vimalakīrti's discourse and lose the Buddha's discourse. Now, by bringing up the inconceivable, it completely contains both discourses; hence both person and dharma are titled. Third, desiring mutually to reveal and explain each other, both person and dharma are titled. The reason he is called "Pure Name" (Vimalakīrti) is that he possesses the virtue of inconceivable liberation and dwells in defilement without being tainted, hence he is called Pure Name; this is using the dharma to explain the person. Next, indicating the inconceivable brings up the great essence of the sūtra; titling Vimalakīrti articulates the origin from which the dharma arose; hence it brings up the person to explain the dharma. Fourth, titling Vimalakīrti honors his person; indicating the inconceivable values his dharma. Because pure virtue fills him within and fine reputation fills the outside, none who hear his name fail to revere and look up to him. Below it says: "Seen and revered by all, it is foremost among offerings." As for valuing his dharma: having heard the Dharma gate of inconceivable liberation, who would not value it? Fifth, clarifying that this sūtra title fully possesses the three karmas as inconceivable, both person and dharma are titled. "Vimalakīrti" brings up the person to articulate his mental karma; next, saying "spoken" clarifies his vocal karma; next, saying "inconceivable liberation" describes his bodily karma. Question: Why is bodily karma alone said to be inconceivable? Answer: The latter pervades the former. Since bodily karma is already inconceivable, vocal and mental are also like this; hence it is spoken of last. Furthermore, because bodily karma manifests spiritual penetrations, clarifying that inconceivable affairs are evident, it is specifically spoken of. These three karmas are indeed in sequence: first, clarifying that mental karma examines conditions; next, the mouth speaks the Dharma; finally, the body manifests spiritual penetrations. Sixth, titling both person and dharma is precisely the three kinds of manifestations. Revealing Vimalakīrti refers to the wheel of telepathy; indicating what is spoken clarifies the wheel of expounding the Dharma; articulating the inconceivable is the wheel of spiritual penetrations. The meaning of the three wheels is broadly clarified in the *Fahua xuan*. What is employed here is the wheel of telepathy, meaning knowing the illness and recognizing the medicine, expounding the Dharma and manifesting spiritual penetrations, providing the medicine according to the illness. Furthermore, the wheel of expounding the Dharma clarifies that what is heard is inconceivable. The wheel of spiritual penetrations means that what is seen is inconceivable. The objects of the six sense-data are all Buddha-works, but since seeing and hearing are essential, the sage specifically manifests forms and colors. Furthermore, the wheel of expounding the Dharma only clarifies sounds as the gateway of teaching; spiritual penetrations fully take the six sense-data as Buddha-works. Furthermore, the wheel of spiritual penetrations mostly manifests inconceivable traces; the wheel of expounding the Dharma mostly clarifies the inconceivable root. Such as borrowing seats and requesting food are all manifested by spiritual penetrations, hence they are traces. Such as expounding the six pāramitās, the four immeasurables, and the Dharma gate of nonduality are precisely the root. Furthermore, the wheel of telepathy knows the faculties and perceives the medicine; the wheel of spiritual penetrations then eradicates suffering and gives joy; the wheel of expounding the Dharma then eliminates delusion and generates understanding. Eliminating delusion and generating understanding is called benefiting; eradicating suffering and giving joy is precisely bringing peace and happiness; therefore, all sūtras say "benefiting, bringing peace and happiness to all sentient beings"; thus no meaning is lacking. Sixth, titling Vimalakīrti clarifies entrusting illness to the ten-foot square room; indicating what is spoken clarifies expounding the teaching because of illness. Bringing up the inconceivable clarifies manifesting spiritual penetrations. The entire scripture from beginning to end is contained within the title. Seventh, titling Vimalakīrti is to distinguish him from the Buddha, showing that master and disciple are not the same. Next, saying "spoken": although a disciple was indicated above, a visitor might think he was an interlocutor. Now clarifying "spoken", one then knows he is the lord who propagates the teaching. Although knowing he is the lord who propagates the teaching, one might fear he speaks shallow and proximate Dharma gates, hence next it clarifies inconceivable liberation. Eighth, titling Pure Name is to distinguish from heterodox masters; heterodox masters lack pure virtue within and are devoid of fine reputation outside. Indicating the inconceivable distinguishes from heterodox dharmas; heterodox dharmas are shallow, inferior, and proximate to the branches, not inconceivable; the true Dharma is extremely profound, beyond any estimation. Ninth, indicating Pure Name clarifies that he is a bodhisattva, distinguished from the two vehicles. The two vehicles do not eliminate habitual propensities, so they cannot be called pure. As a later chapter says, "Observing that flowers do not stick to the bodhisattvas because their habitual propensities are already ended", which is precisely this matter. Bringing up the inconceivable distinguishes the Small Vehicle, clarifying that the Great Teaching is extremely profound and beyond estimation. The Small Vehicle is shallow and proximate, easily conceivable. Tenth, titling Pure Name praises a Mahāsattva of exalted practice, distinct from bodhisattvas of lower stages. Bringing up the inconceivable reveals the ultimate tenet, distinguishing discourses that are not yet definitive. Those of the five-period lineages say this sūtra is Mahāyāna yet its meaning is not yet definitive. Now clarifying that since it is called inconceivable, it is a designation of exhausting subtlety, culminating transformation, and supreme wonder.