淨名玄論 7.7

7.7

Now, with a single point from the text, I will interrogate both interpretations. Where was the Upāya Chapter preached? If it was outside the room, then the circumstance contradicts the text. If it was preached inside the room, that contradicts the aforementioned interpretations. If it is said that this chapter was the intention of the compilers of the sūtra and not Vimalakīrti's own speech, since there would be no temporal circumstance, what would be compiled? Furthermore, the Upāya [chapter] directly recounts his manifesting illness and preaching the Dharma; how could it not be Vimalakīrti's words? Moreover, preaching the Dharma inside the room has two times: the single Upāya chapter is its first gathering, briefly preaching the Dharma gate. After Inquiring about the Illness, there is a reconvened assembly in the ten-foot-square room, widely proclaiming the wonderful Dharma. How could the previous preaching be taken as the introduction and the subsequent discourse as the main teaching? If it is said that this sūtra has only three assemblies, this is also not correct. Since reconvening at Āmrapālī's garden constitutes two assemblies, gathering twice in the ten-foot-square room—how could that not be two gatherings? If the initial gathering in the ten-foot-square room is not considered an assembly because it is brief, Āmrapālī's garden has only one chapter; how could it be broad? Furthermore, if preaching the cause and fruit of the pure land at Āmrapālī's garden is one gathering, why would clarifying the cause and fruit of the dharmakāya in the ten-foot-square room not be an assembly? What is explained now is that, just as the Avataṃsaka has seven locations and eight assemblies, this sūtra has two locations and four gatherings. Regarding the two locations: first, the location of Āmrapālī's garden; second, the location of the ten-foot-square room. Āmrapālī's garden is the Buddha's place; the ten-foot-square room is the bodhisattva's place. Āmrapālī's garden is the place of the renunciants; the ten-foot-square room is the place of the householder. Āmrapālī's garden is a place produced by another's karma; the ten-foot-square room is a place produced by one's own karma. 'A place produced by another's karma' means that Lady Āmrapālī built a vihāra for the Buddha, clarifying that the unprecedented room was produced by the householder's pure karma. Āmrapālī's garden is outside the city; the ten-foot-square room is inside the city. Master [Fa]xian's record states: 'They are three li apart.' As for the four assemblies: first, the assembly at Āmrapālī's garden; second, the assembly in the ten-foot-square room; third, the reconvened assembly at Āmrapālī's garden; fourth, the reassembled meeting in the ten-foot-square room. Dividing the sūtra according to this is truly appropriate.