淨名玄論 7.8

7.8

Question: In the Avataṃsaka, without rising from the bodhimaṇḍa of quiet extinction, [the Buddha] manifests his body in seven places. In this sūtra's four assemblies, can that be so? Answer: The Avataṃsaka clarifies not rising; this sūtra clarifies rising. Both rising and not rising are inconceivable; therefore the Avataṃsaka is called the inconceivable liberation, and this sūtra is also called the inconceivable liberation. Question: That the Avataṃsaka manifests bodies in seven places without rising from the bodhimaṇḍa is indeed inconceivable. But since this sūtra goes and comes among four places, how can it be called unfathomable? Answer: Although the four assemblies of this sūtra involve going and coming, in reality there is no traversing back and forth; hence Mañjuśrī departs without going, and Vimalakīrti arrives without coming. Because he arrives without coming, there is nowhere from which he comes; because he departs without going, there is nowhere he goes. Thus: 'Welcome, Mañjuśrī! You have come with the characteristic of not coming.' Since coming is coming with the characteristic of not coming, and going is also going with the characteristic of not going, coming and going are apparent yet in reality there is no back and forth; therefore it is named inconceivable. Question: Since this sūtra has two locations and four assemblies, does it have an introduction, main body, and dissemination section, or not? Answer: Following the precedent of the Avataṃsaka, it contains both meanings; the six items can be viewed in two ways. Considering the beginning to subsume the beginning, it belongs to the first assembly; looking at the entire work, it belongs to the introductory section of the sūtra. Dissemination is also like this. From praising the Dharma and extolling persons in the Akṣobhya Buddha Chapter onward, considering the end to subsume the end, it belongs to the later assembly; looking at the major sections, it belongs to dissemination. Question: The six items merely introduce the responsive events at Āmrapālī's garden, belonging solely to the first assembly; how can they be the introductory section [of the whole]? Answer: Although the six items introduce the time and place of Āmrapālī's garden, in order to complete the whole sūtra, they may also belong to the grand introduction; dissemination is also like this.