維摩經義疏 2.3

2.3

「爾時毘耶離城有長者子名曰寶積，與五百長者子俱持七寶蓋來詣佛所，頭面禮足，各以其蓋共供養佛」。序分為二章，證信已竟，今是發起序也。證信亦名通序，通是同義。如是六事，眾經大同，故名通。發起序亦名別序，眾經各別，如《勝鬘》則父母遣書，此經明長者献蓋。由斯各異，故名別序。又名通序，亦名經後序，當說經時猶未安之，將入涅槃方後始立；別序亦名經前序，將說經前有斯由致，名經前序。又經後序亦名未來序，為令未來經生信；經前序亦名現在序，為利現在故動地雨華。然實含四義，但隨寄一名也。別序之內，開為三章：一長者獻蓋、二如來納受、三時眾喜敬。問：何故餘眾遠而先來、寶積近而後至？答：大士進止必利有緣，故將都集，然後方至。又寶積實以先來，但聞法歡喜奉蓋供養，兼欲起發淨土，故序之。二意之中，後意為正。何以知之？前已列寶積菩薩竟，故知前已來也。但聞法喜悟、設供開宗，故後序之耳。而奉蓋者，彼國貴人持寶蓋而行，故即捨所珍以供養佛。又因此獻財，發淨土之法，則福慧具足、自他兼利。「佛之威神」下，第二如來納受。神通有四：一如意通，轉變自身、大音遍至；二如幻通，改變外物；三法智通，通達諸法；四聖如意通，能於六塵自在，不隨緣變。今之威神，即前二也。「令諸寶蓋合成一蓋，遍覆三千大千世界」。羅什云「現此神變，其旨有二：一者現神變無量，顯智慧必深。二者寶積獻其所珍，必獲可重之報，明因小而果大矣。」吉藏謂合蓋為一，有五因緣：一即事受用，如合四鉢成於一鉢故也。二者合成一蓋、現諸佛國，因此得說淨土法門。三者欲開不思議宗，蓋不闊而覆大千、土不狹而現其內，釋迦略闡於前、淨名廣敷於後，利成之道既彰、信解之心彌固。四者欲明諸法無決定相，多非定多、多可為一，一非定一、一可為多，令悟實相未曾多一。第五表諸長者現在同悟無生、未來同成一法身果，如蓋之普覆。「而此世界廣長之相悉於中現」，上明蓋覆大千，此辨土現其內。「又此三千大千世界諸須彌山、雪山、目真隣陀山、摩訶目真隣陀山、香山、寶山、金山、黑山、鐵圍山、大鐵圍山」。此明世界諸山現於寶蓋。大山有十，須彌最高，處在其間；餘九漸小，圍遶之。「大海江河川流泉源」。泉岳既是仁智所欣，故次山序水。「及日月星辰、天宮龍宮、諸尊神宮悉現於寶蓋中」。山水明其地處，此文次序天宮。日月星辰，所謂三光。諸尊神宮，八部住處。「又十方諸佛諸天說法亦現於寶蓋中」。自上已來但序娑婆一界，從此已下普現十方佛土。諸長者子雖發道心，而未修淨土。欲說供養之情、啟淨國之志，故因其蓋普現十方淨穢佛土，令捨穢心而修淨土行也。三千為一世界，如是數至恒沙為一世界，恒沙一世界為一世界海，恒沙世界海為一世界種，恒沙世界種為一佛世。

"At that time, in the city of Vaiśālī, there was an elder's son named Ratnākara. Together with five hundred elders' sons, each holding a parasol of the seven treasures, he came to the Buddha's abode, bowed his head to [the Buddha's] feet in worship, and together they offered their respective parasols to the Buddha." The introductory section is divided into two parts: the verification of faith is already concluded, and this is now the initiating introduction. The verification of faith is also called the "general introduction"; "general" means "shared." These six matters are broadly shared across the sūtras, hence called "general." The initiating introduction is also called the "particular introduction"; sūtras differ individually, as in the Śrīmālādevī Sūtra where the parents send a letter, whereas this sūtra explains an elder offering parasols. Since they differ according to these [occasions], it is called the "particular introduction." Moreover, the general introduction is also called the "post-sūtra introduction"; at the time the sūtra was being spoken, it had not yet been established, and it was only after [the Buddha] was about to enter nirvāṇa that it was subsequently set up. The particular introduction is also called the "pre-sūtra introduction"; before the sūtra is to be spoken, there are these origins and causes, hence it is called the pre-sūtra introduction. Furthermore, the post-sūtra introduction is also called the "future introduction," meant to inspire faith in the sūtra for future [generations]; the pre-sūtra introduction is also called the "present introduction," meant to benefit the present [audience], which is why the earth shakes and flowers rain down. In truth, however, it contains all four meanings, and one name is merely applied according to convenience. Within the particular introduction, it opens into three parts: first, the elders' offering of the parasols; second, the Tathāgata's acceptance; third, the assembly's joy and reverence. Question: Why did the other members of the assembly come from afar and arrive first, while Ratnākara, who was nearby, arrived later? Answer: When a mahāsattva advances or stops, he must benefit those who have affinities; therefore, he waited until they were about to fully assemble, and only then did he arrive. Furthermore, Ratnākara had in fact already arrived, but having heard the Dharma, he was overjoyed and presented the parasols in offering, and also wished to initiate [the discourse on] the pure land; hence it is introduced here. Between the two intentions, the latter is the correct one. How is this known? Previously, the bodhisattva Ratnākara was already listed, so we know he had already come before. It is only because he heard the Dharma, rejoiced, and was awakened, and arranged the offering to inaugurate the central teaching, that he is introduced later. As for presenting parasols: in that country, noble persons hold precious parasols when travelling, so they immediately renounced what was precious to them to make an offering to the Buddha. Moreover, by virtue of this offering of wealth, they initiated the Dharma of the pure land; thus merit and wisdom are perfected, and both self and other are benefited. From "Through the Buddha's majestic spiritual power..." downward is the second part, the Tathāgata's acceptance. Spiritual powers are fourfold: first, the spiritual power of psychic transformation (ṛddhi), transforming one's own body and causing a great voice to reach everywhere; second, the spiritual power like an illusion, changing external objects; third, the spiritual power of knowledge of dharmas, having unimpeded comprehension of all phenomena; fourth, the noble spiritual power of psychic transformation, being able to be sovereign with respect to the six sense objects without transforming according to conditions. The present majestic spiritual power is the first two. "...he caused the precious parasols to merge into a single parasol, which covered the entire trichiliocosm." Kumārajīva says: "In displaying this spiritual transformation, his intent was twofold: first, displaying immeasurable spiritual transformations demonstrates that his wisdom must be profound; second, Ratnākara offered what was precious to him and would certainly obtain a momentous reward, making clear that the cause is small while the result is great." Jizang considers that merging the parasols into one has five causal conditions: first, in terms of immediate function and use, just as the four alms-bowls were merged into one bowl. Second, merging into a single parasol and displaying all Buddha lands; based on this, he was able to speak the Dharma gate of the pure land. Third, wishing to reveal the inconceivable central tenet: the parasol is not vast, yet it covers the trichiliocosm; the land is not narrow, yet it appears within it. Śākyamuni briefly expounds it here first, and Vimalakīrti broadly unfolds it later; the path of beneficial accomplishment having been manifested, the mind of faithful understanding becomes ever firmer. Fourth, wishing to clarify that all dharmas have no fixed characteristics: the many are not definitively many, for many can become one; the one is not definitively one, for one can become many; causing them to awaken to the fact that the real mark has never been many or one. Fifth, signifying that the elders in the present together awaken to non-arising, and in the future together achieve the single result of the dharmakāya, just as the parasol universally covers all. "And all the forms, broad and long, of this world appeared within it": the above explained the parasol covering the trichiliocosm; this distinguishes the lands appearing within it. "Furthermore, the Sumeru Mountains, Snow Mountains, Mucilinda Mountains, Mahāmucilinda Mountains, Gandhamādana Mountains, Jewel Mountains, Golden Mountains, Black Mountains, Iron Ring Mountains, and Great Iron Ring Mountains of this trichiliocosm..." This clarifies that the various mountains of the world appeared in the precious parasol. There are ten great mountains: Mount Sumeru is the highest and situated in their midst; the other nine are progressively smaller and encircle it. "...the great seas, rivers, streams, currents, and springs...": Since springs and peaks are what the benevolent and wise delight in, water is introduced next after the mountains. "...and the sun, moon, stars, constellations, heavenly palaces, dragon palaces, and palaces of the revered spirits all appeared in the precious parasol." Mountains and waters explain its earthly places; this text next introduces heavenly palaces. The sun, moon, stars, and constellations are what are called the three luminaries. The palaces of the revered spirits are the abodes of the eight classes of beings. "Furthermore, the Buddhas of the ten directions and the devas preaching the Dharma also appeared within the precious parasol." From above up to this point, it only introduced the single world of Sahā; from here downward, the Buddha lands of the ten directions universally appear. Although the elders' sons had aroused the thought of awakening, they had not yet cultivated the pure land. Wishing to speak of their feelings of offering and to inspire their aspiration for the pure land, he therefore, based on their parasols, universally displayed the pure and defiled Buddha lands of the ten directions, causing them to abandon defiled minds and cultivate pure land practices. Three thousand [great thousands] make one world; counting like this up to sands of the Ganges makes one world-system; sands of the Ganges of world-systems make one world-ocean; sands of the Ganges of world-oceans make one world-seed; sands of the Ganges of world-seeds make one Buddha world.