[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [淨名玄論](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1780) › 3.4 # 淨名玄論 3.4 淨名玄論 3.4 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [3.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1780.3.4) 第一、來意者，問：諸方等教皆是不思議，何故此經獨受其名？答：一切諸經雖皆是不思議，但此經即以不思議為名。例如一切佛皆有法寶，而寶積佛即以為名。又不思議凡有二種：一者通不思議，謂諸佛菩薩境界，並非二乘凡夫之有所能測度；二者別不思議，謂神通奇特，如巨細相容。眾經多明通不思議，此經多辨別不思議，故偏受斯稱。問：此經凡有二名，一維摩詰、二不思議，何故別有〈不思議品〉而無別維摩品耶？又此經名不思議經，別有〈不思議品〉，眾經何故不爾？如般若等經，何故無般若品耶？答：此經雖有人法二名，而維摩事彰，通為一經之主，不須別立品。不思議雖通貫一經，但不思議事未顯，須別立品。般若等經明般若事顯，故不須別立般若品也。問：此經何故辨不思議耶？答：略有五義。一者欲稱歎諸佛菩薩解脫法門不可思議，令稟教之徒虛心頂受、慕仰信行。二者淨名道德已遠，得無功用心、現通說法，有所施為任運即不假思量議度。既得此悟，還欲示人，故說不思議。三者欲顯一切諸法無定性相，故說不思議。如長若定長，不可促長令短；短若定短，不可延短令長。以可延促，故無定相性。以無定性，諸法即空，因此即悟入實相，故說不思議。四者此經正明不思議法，故立不思議名。如不二法門，心行處滅、言語道斷，淨名默即是其事。以正說此法，故辨不思議。五者此經欲示二種人法，故明不思議。一者理外，謂凡夫二乘及有所得大乘人法，若所行之境、能行之智、所說教門，皆是有所得顛倒，故非不思議；二者明理內諸佛菩薩，所行之境、能行之智、所說教門，並絕凡夫二乘有所得境界，故方是不可思議。問：何以知然？答：此經呵凡斥聖、破大彈小者，良由凡聖大小皆是有所得顛倒，理外行心，所以非不思議。廣說菩薩無方妙用、無礙法門，有得之徒莫能測度，故名不思議。是故當知欲開二種義，故明不思議。此是對可思議，故歎不思議，令捨可思議、悟不思議。既無可思議亦無不思議，故諸佛菩薩所行之道，非思議非不思議。問：理外義宗，亦明絕四句、離百非，言語道斷、心行處滅，何故非不思議、無所得？若四句、若絕四句，一切諸法皆不思議？答：有所得，絕定絕，不可令不絕；不絕定不絕，不可令其絕。如此絕不絕，皆有蹤迹處所可得思議。無所得，絕不絕並是因緣無礙不思議。又有所得，絕不絕悉皆不成、竟無此法，論何物不思議耶？無所得，絕不絕義始成，故方得有不思議。至二智中當具說也。 > First, regarding the motivation: Question: The teachings of all the Vaipulya sūtras are inconceivable; why is it that this sūtra alone receives this name? Answer: Although all sūtras are inconceivable, this sūtra specifically takes "inconceivable" as its name. For example, all Buddhas possess the treasure of the Dharma, yet Ratnarāśi Buddha specifically takes it as his name. Furthermore, the inconceivable is of two kinds: first, the general inconceivable, meaning the realm of all Buddhas and bodhisattvas, which is not something that the two vehicles or ordinary beings can fathom; second, the particular inconceivable, referring to extraordinary spiritual powers, such as the vast and the minute accommodating each other. Most sūtras predominantly elucidate the general inconceivable, whereas this sūtra predominantly discerns the particular inconceivable; hence it uniquely receives this designation. Question: This sūtra has two titles: first, Vimalakīrti; second, Inconceivable. Why is there a separate "Inconceivable Chapter" but no separate "Vimalakīrti Chapter"? Moreover, this sūtra is named the Inconceivable Sūtra and has a separate "Inconceivable Chapter"; why is this not so for other sūtras? For instance, why do the Prajñā sūtras and others not have a "Prajñā Chapter"? Answer: Although this sūtra has two titles based on the person and the Dharma, Vimalakīrti's deeds are evident, as he is comprehensively the principal figure of the whole sūtra, so there is no need to establish a separate chapter. Although the inconceivable runs through the entire sūtra, the particulars of the inconceivable are not yet manifest, so a separate chapter must be established. In the Prajñā sūtras and others, the subject of prajñā is made manifest, so there is no need to establish a separate Prajñā Chapter. Question: Why does this sūtra discern the inconceivable? Answer: Briefly, there are five meanings. First, it wishes to praise the inconceivable nature of the liberation Dharma gate of all Buddhas and bodhisattvas, causing those who receive the teaching to accept it with an open mind, revere it, have faith in it, and practice it. Second, Vimalakīrti's virtue has reached profound heights; having attained the effortless mind, when manifesting spiritual penetrations and preaching the Dharma, whatever he undertakes happens spontaneously without reliance on thinking or deliberation. Having attained this awakening, he wishes in turn to demonstrate it to others; therefore, he speaks of the inconceivable. Third, wishing to reveal that all dharmas lack a determinate nature or characteristic, he speaks of the inconceivable. For example, if long were determinately long, one could not contract the long and make it short; if short were determinately short, one could not extend the short and make it long. Because they can be extended and contracted, they lack determinate characteristics and nature. Because they lack a determinate nature, all dharmas are empty; through this, one awakens and enters into dharmatā; therefore, he speaks of the inconceivable. Fourth, this sūtra directly elucidates the inconceivable Dharma; hence it establishes the name "inconceivable." Like the Dharma gate of nonduality, where the paths of mental activity are extinguished and the ways of speech are cut off, Vimalakīrti's silence is precisely this matter. Because it directly teaches this Dharma, it discerns the inconceivable. Fifth, this sūtra wishes to demonstrate two kinds of persons and dharmas; hence it elucidates the inconceivable. First, those outside the principle, meaning the persons and dharmas of ordinary beings, the two vehicles, and those of the Mahāyāna who grasp at attainment: their objective spheres of practice, their subjective cognitions of practice, and the teachings they expound are all inverted views of grasping at attainment, and are therefore not inconceivable. Second, elucidating those inside the principle—the Buddhas and bodhisattvas: their objective spheres of practice, their subjective cognitions of practice, and the teachings they expound completely transcend the grasped realms of ordinary beings and the two vehicles; thus only this is inconceivable. Question: How do we know this is so? Answer: That this sūtra rebukes ordinary beings and denounces the noble, refutes the great and reprimands the small, is precisely because ordinary and noble, great and small, are all inverted with attachment to attainment, with minds of practice outside the principle; therefore they are not inconceivable. It extensively explains the boundless wondrous functions and unobstructed Dharma gates of bodhisattvas, which those who grasp at attainment cannot fathom; therefore it is named "inconceivable." For this reason, one should know that it is to open up these two meanings that the inconceivable is elucidated. This praises the inconceivable in contrast to the conceivable, causing one to abandon the conceivable and awaken to the inconceivable. Since there is neither conceivable nor inconceivable, the path traversed by the Buddhas and bodhisattvas is neither conceivable nor inconceivable. Question: The doctrines outside the principle also explain the cutting off of the catuṣkoṭi and the transcendence of the hundred negations, where the ways of speech are cut off and the paths of mental activity are extinguished; why are they not inconceivable and without attainment? Whether it be the catuṣkoṭi or the cutting off of the catuṣkoṭi, are not all dharmas inconceivable? Answer: For those with grasping, cutting off is determinately cut off and cannot be made not cut off; not cutting off is determinately not cut off and cannot be made cut off. Such cutting off and not cutting off both leave traces and places that can be conceived. For those without grasping, both cutting off and not cutting off are dependently arisen, unobstructed, and inconceivable. Furthermore, for those with grasping, neither cutting off nor not cutting off can be established, and in the end such a dharma does not exist; what thing could be discussed as inconceivable? For those without grasping, the meaning of cutting off and not cutting off is established for the first time; only then can there be the inconceivable. This will be explained in full when dealing with the two cognitions. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 3.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1780.3.3) - [Next: 3.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1780.3.5) - [Up: 3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1780.3) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1780~en-mt.3.4) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1780.3.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1780.3.4) · Pramāṇa