淨名玄論 2.23

2.23

In general discussions on establishing names, there are fundamentally two kinds: first, having causes and conditions; second, lacking causes and conditions. As for those having causes and conditions, since names are numerous, their causes and conditions are not singular. Here we briefly explain four kinds: First, establishing a name based on the place of birth: as with the six destinies and so forth, because one is born into the destiny of devas, one is called a deva. Second, establishing a name based on physical appearance: as when there are features such as black, white, long, or short, these are taken as appellations. Third, establishing a name based on faults: such as the category of thieves and robbers. Fourth, taking virtues as appellations: such as the worthies and nobles of the three vehicles. As for establishing names lacking causes and conditions, the *Nirvāṇa-sūtra* says: "The tailapāyika is named 'oil-drinker', yet in truth it does not drink oil." The *Dazhidulun* says: "There is an herb named marmari, translated here as 'thief herb', which does not rob or steal yet receives the name 'thief'." These are all lacking causes and conditions, where names are arbitrarily established. The establishment of the name Vimalakīrti can possess both meanings: First, arbitrarily establishing a name lacking causes and conditions. Why is this? Since it is said that the buddhas and bodhisattvas have a liberation named 'inconceivable', this is precisely beyond naming. Because mental activities have already ceased, it is called inconceivable to the mind; and because verbal speech is also extinguished, it is ineffable to the mouth. Entering the rank of the dharmakāya, the form cannot be measured by signs, and the mind cannot be known by cognition; how could there be a canon of names? It is merely that for the sake of sentient beings who emerge [into saṃsāra], a name is arbitrarily established; therefore it lacks causes and conditions. Question: Since the dharmakāya has neither form nor name, yet possesses form and name through the resonance felt by the Buddha, would that not be causes and conditions—why call it arbitrarily established? Answer: One must understand the meaning of arbitrary establishment. Because the dharmakāya cannot be named, yet a name is established for the dharmakāya, it is said to lack causes and conditions, being merely a name arbitrarily applied. If establishing the name with respect to the resonance of beings, the name being established due to resonance, then it has causes and conditions. Therefore a single name contains both meanings. Question: In establishing a name for the dharmakāya, does this name belong to the dharmakāya, or does it belong to the manifested trace? Answer: One should view it from both sides. If establishing the name for the dharmakāya, then it belongs to the dharmakāya. When this name responds to beings, then the name belongs to the trace. If one takes the nameless as the root and the use of the name as the trace, it is not simply that the dharmakāya is the root and the manifested body is the trace; thus the root and trace have many gates, and cannot be generalized uniformly. Question: Is it only that the dharmakāya is nameless and has a name provisionally established for it, or is saṃsāra also nameless and has a name provisionally established? Answer: The essence of the dharmakāya cuts off the hundred negations, and names and marks do not reach it; it can be taken as nameless, with a name provisionally established for it. Saṃsāra is a dharma of names and marks; it cannot be said that saṃsāra is nameless and has a name arbitrarily established for it. Second: not only is the dharmakāya nameless with a name arbitrarily established for it, but saṃsāra is also nameless with a name arbitrarily established for it. Therefore the sūtra says: "Saṃsāra is not chaotic, and nirvāṇa is not quiescent." Nirvāṇa not being quiescent is already arbitrarily designated 'nirvāṇa'; saṃsāra not being chaotic is also provisionally named 'saṃsāra'. Question: According to which approach are both names arbitrarily established? Answer: This is in view of the right path, which was never saṃsāra nor is it nirvāṇa; therefore saṃsāra and nirvāṇa are both arbitrarily established. Question: Can it be said that saṃsāra is nameless and has a name arbitrarily established, while nirvāṇa has a name and is not arbitrarily established? Answer: There is also this meaning. Saṃsāra is false and unreal, having nothing in truth; therefore it is arbitrarily named saṃsāra. In contrast to the falsity of saṃsāra, praising the reality of nirvāṇa, nirvāṇa has real virtues and its name is established based on virtues; therefore the name of nirvāṇa is not arbitrarily established. Question: According to which approach is it explained that saṃsāra is nameless and nirvāṇa has a name? Answer: This explains that saṃsāra has no root, and so saṃsāra can be empty, which is why it is nameless. Nirvāṇa has a root, and nirvāṇa is not empty; therefore it has a name. As this sūtra says: "What is the root of the body? Craving and desire are the root. What is the root of craving and desire? Up to: taking upside-down views as the root." Since it is called the mark of upside-down views, it therefore has no root. Because it has no root, there is no saṃsāra, and thus saṃsāra can be empty. Because it is nameless, a name is arbitrarily established for it. In contrast to saṃsāra having no root, it explains that nirvāṇa has a root. That nirvāṇa has a root is precisely the buddha-nature; therefore when concealed it is named the tathāgatagarbha, and when revealed it is named the dharmakāya; thus buddha-nature is the root of the Buddha. When nirvāṇa has a fundamental root, there is then nirvāṇa; therefore nirvāṇa has a name and is not arbitrarily established. Question: Is there a case where neither saṃsāra nor nirvāṇa is arbitrarily established? Answer: There is also this meaning. For people in saṃsāra, saṃsāra exists; therefore this name of saṃsāra is not arbitrarily established. For those in nirvāṇa, nirvāṇa exists; therefore the name of nirvāṇa is also not arbitrarily established. These four approaches each rely on one meaning, and may be used according to the text. Although there are four propositions, when combined together, they only form the two propositions of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa being named or nameless. Combining these two propositions to return to a single proposition, it is simply the meaning of the single proposition of causes and conditions: nameless, and names of the nameless. How could a name of the nameless be a name? How could the namelessness of names be nameless? Therefore it is neither named nor nameless, neither saṃsāra nor nirvāṇa. Thus the sūtra says: "Both saṃsāra and nirvāṇa are unobtainable"; hence the single proposition is extinguished to enter no propositions. Being without propositions yet having propositions, it is therefore neither named nor nameless, yet capable of naming and capable of being nameless. Although capable of naming and capable of being nameless, it does not stir from neither named nor nameless; because it is spontaneous and unimpeded, unconstrained by defilements and entanglements, this is precisely the pure virtue. Possessing this pure virtue, it is therefore called 'Vimalakīrti' (Pure Name). It is precisely this pure virtue being without entanglements that is called 'liberation'. Beings cannot fathom it, so it is called 'inconceivable'. Therefore person and Dharma are not two, and yet non-two while being two; hence the one who commands is called the person, and the standard that can be modeled is called the Dharma. From the above onward, it has explained the arbitrary establishment of names lacking causes and conditions; next we distinguish the establishment of names having causes and conditions. Establishing a name lacking causes and conditions is discussed in terms of the dharmakāya; establishing a name having causes and conditions is spoken based on the trace. Since Vimalakīrti entrusted his trace to Vaiśālī and manifested as born from parents, he must have had a name. When his parents saw this child being born, he possessed this pure virtue; establishing his name based on virtue, he was therefore designated 'Vimalakīrti' (Pure Name). Next came the Tathāgata's seal of praise, along with the admiration and acclaim of worldly people. Because of these three meanings, the name Vimalakīrti was established. Question: All bodhisattvas possess pure virtues; why does Vimalakīrti alone receive this name? Answer: Just as although all bodhisattvas possess benevolence (maitrī), Maitreya takes the virtue of benevolence as his appellation, so it is here as well. Furthermore, this is a householder bodhisattva who dwells among the five dusts without being defiled and abides among various impurities yet is ever pure; hence he specifically receives this name. Question: What were the family and personal names of Vimalakīrti's parents? Answer: Broadly discussing ordinary beings and sages, there are two kinds of parents: ignorance is the father and craving-attachment is the mother; because of delusion and attachment, one receives rebirth—these are called the causal parents of ordinary beings. Although having delusion and attachment, they must rely on a man and a woman as conditions before obtaining birth, which are called the conditioning parents. Buddhas and bodhisattvas also have two kinds of parents: first, provisional and real; second, perfuming—these are called the dharmakāya parents. Real wisdom is empty and still, sharing quiescence with yin; hence it is matched to the mother. The meaning of the provisional is flowing and active, aligning with that yang; hence it is compared to the father. Due to these two wisdoms, the dharmakāya is born; therefore they are called the dharmakāya parents. As for the parents of his physical body, as stated in the *Foyu-jing*, Vimalakīrti's family name was Shuo, his personal name was Daxian, of the Wang clan. Another biography states: His surname was Lei, his father's name was Nadi, translated here as 'Zhiji' (Basis of Wisdom). His mother was of the Śākya clan, named Xi, who married at age nineteen. The father married at age twenty-three, and at age twenty-seven, in the city of *Devarapura*, she gave birth to Vimalakīrti. Vimalakīrti had a son, whose style was Shansi (Subuddhi), who greatly had the manner of his father. The Buddha bestowed a prophecy upon him that he would become a buddha in the future. There is separately a one-fascicle *Vimalakīrtiputra-sūtra*, which may be consulted.