[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) › [維摩經義疏](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1781) › 3.3.4 # 維摩經義疏 3.3.4 維摩經義疏 3.3.4 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [3.3.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1781.3.3.4) 法雖寂然，但取相為有而謂不然，所以須滅，故言滅諸相故。 此為法空之始，故略舉迷悟大宗。 「法離於相，無所緣故」。 萬像不同為相，此相是心之所緣。 法既無相，則心無所緣。 「法無名字，言語斷故」。 上辨心行滅，此明言語斷。 名生於言，言斷則無名。 「法無有說，離覺觀故」。 覺觀是言本，既無覺觀則言無由生。 目連動覺觀心為物說法，故復呵之。 「法無形相，如虛空故。 法無戲論，畢竟空故。 法無我所，離我所故」。 我所有二：一親謂五陰、二疎即瓶衣。 「法無分別，離諸識故」。 分別生乎識，以離諸識故無分別。 「法無有比，無相待故」。 諸法相待生，猶長短比而形。 無相待者，如《百論》說「長不在長中，以因短故長； 非在短中，以相違故。 亦不合在長短中，有二過故。 」既無長短，何所待哉？ 「法不屬因，不在緣故」。 因緣之名，其義不定。 自有種子親而能生為因、水吐疎而助發為緣。 自有本無果體，藉因辨之，素有其分，假緣而發，故互具有無二義。 種受因緣兩名，因近故難曉、緣遠故易了。 今以所易釋所難也。 因親故言屬，緣疎故言在。 「法同法性，入諸法故。 法隨於如，無所隨故。 法住實際，諸邊不動故」。 法性、如、實際，此三皆是實相異名。 如實不變名如，是諸體性故名法性，窮其除畔稱實際也。 始見法實，如遠見樹，知定是樹，名為如。 見法轉深，如近見樹，知是何木，名為法性。 窮盡知樹根莖枝葉之數，名為實際。 此三未始非樹，因見為異耳。 入諸法者，諸法萬相，誰能遍入諸法者？ 其唯法性乎！ 諸邊不動者，有無諸邊不能動於實際。 又解邊是際之異名。 法既住於實際，則邊不復動。 「法無動搖，不依六塵故」。 情依六塵，故有奔逸之動。 法本無依，故無動搖。 「法無去來，常不住故」。 法若暫住，經於三世，則有去來。 法無暫住，故無去來也。 「法順於空、隨無相、應無作。 法離好醜、法無增損、法無生滅、法無所歸、法過眼耳鼻舌身心、法無高下、法常住不動、法離一切觀行。 唯大目連！ 法相如是，豈可說乎」。 心觀不能及，豈況於言乎？ 「夫說法者無說無示，其聽法者無聞無得」。 此第二示聽說之方，以誨目連及居士也。 說法示人，名為說示。 而言無說無示者，終日說，未常說也。 始則聞法、終有所得，而言無聞無得者，終日聞，無所聞也。 「譬如幻士為幻人說法，當建是意而為說法」。 淨名雖唱法不可說，而猶說此不可說，故今明我所說者如幻而說耳。 「當了眾生根有利鈍」。 此第三示無識物機。 居士應聞空義而目連為說有法者，由其未了眾生根也。 又上雖明大乘之法，宜善察物機，可隨大小而授，不得一向說大法也。 「善於知見，無所罣礙」。 此第四明善於知見。 目連說小、不明大者，良由未善知見也。 「以大悲心、讚于大乘、念報佛恩、不斷三寶，然後說法」。 此第五明說法大意。 夫欲說法，必須成此四心：一建大悲心、二讚於大乘、三念報佛恩、四不斷三寶。 若讚小乘，濟拔小苦，名為小悲。 若讚大乘，能拔大苦，稱大悲故，言大悲心讚大乘也。 既讚大乘，必紹繼師種，故三寶不斷，名報佛恩。 若說小乘，則斷三寶種，名無反復。 「維摩詰說是法時，八百居士發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心」。 此第三明時眾發心。 淨名既讚大呵小，符理稱機，故時眾蒙益也。 「我無此辨」。 此第四目連受屈。 「是故不任詣彼問疾」。 不堪有三，標釋已竟，今總結也。 > Although phenomena are quiescent, people merely grasp at characteristics and consider them to exist, asserting that it is not so; therefore they must be eliminated, which is why it says 'because it extinguishes all characteristics.' This is the beginning of the emptiness of phenomena; therefore the primary principles of delusion and awakening are briefly adduced. 'Phenomena are free from characteristics, because there is no cognitive object.' The manifold differing forms are characteristics; these characteristics are the cognitive objects of the mind. Since phenomena lack characteristics, the mind has no cognitive object. 'Phenomena have no designations, because language is cut off.' The preceding explained the cessation of mental activities; this clarifies the cutting off of language. Names arise from words; when words are cut off, there are no names. 'Phenomena admit of no exposition, because they are free from coarse and subtle thought.' Coarse and subtle thoughts are the root of speech; since there are no coarse or subtle thoughts, speech has no basis from which to arise. Maudgalyāyana activated coarse and subtle thoughts in his mind to preach the Dharma to beings; hence he was again admonished. 'Phenomena have no form or appearance, because they are like empty space. Phenomena are free from conceptual proliferation, because they are ultimately empty. Phenomena have no "belonging to self," because they are free from what belongs to self.' What belongs to self is of two kinds: first, the intimate, referring to the five aggregates; second, the distant, which is vases and robes. 'Phenomena are without discrimination, because they are free from the consciousnesses.' Discrimination arises in consciousness; because they are free from the consciousnesses, there is no discrimination. 'Phenomena have no comparison, because there is no mutual dependence.' Phenomena arise in mutual dependence, just as long and short are mutually compared and formed. 'No mutual dependence' is as the Śataka-śāstra states: 'Long does not reside in long, because it is long by virtue of short; nor does it reside in short, because they are mutually contrary. Nor can it reside in the combination of long and short, because that entails two errors.' Since there is neither long nor short, upon what could there be dependence? 'Phenomena do not belong to causes and do not reside in conditions.' The terms 'cause' and 'condition' have unfixed meanings. There is the direct seed capable of generating, which is the cause; and water and soil, which are distant and assist in sprouting, which are the conditions. There is also that which originally lacks the entity of the result, which is distinguished by relying on a cause; or that whose component is already present, which arises by depending on conditions; hence both mutually possess the two meanings of existence and non-existence. A seed receives the two names of cause and condition: the cause is intimate and thus difficult to comprehend; the condition is distant and thus easy to understand. Now what is easy explains what is difficult. Because the cause is intimate, it is said to 'belong to'; because the condition is distant, it is said to 'reside in.' 'Phenomena are identical to the Dharma-nature, for they enter all phenomena. Phenomena follow Thusness, for there is nothing they follow. Phenomena abide in the limit of reality, for the various extremes do not move them.' Dharma-nature, Thusness, and the limit of reality—these three are all different names for the true mark. True, real, and unchanging is called Thusness; being the essential nature of all things is called Dharma-nature; exhausting their boundaries is called the limit of reality. When one first perceives the reality of phenomena, it is like seeing a tree from afar and knowing with certainty that it is a tree; this is called Thusness. Seeing phenomena still more deeply is like seeing a tree up close and knowing what kind of tree it is; this is called Dharma-nature. Fully knowing the count of the tree's roots, trunk, branches, and leaves is called the limit of reality. These three were never not the tree; they differ only by virtue of perception. 'Entering all phenomena'—among the myriad characteristics of all phenomena, who can completely enter all phenomena? It is only the Dharma-nature! 'The various extremes do not move them' means that the extremes of existence and non-existence cannot move the limit of reality. Another explanation is that 'extremes' is another name for 'limit.' Since phenomena abide in the limit of reality, the extremes no longer move. 'Phenomena have no agitation, because they do not rely on the six sense objects.' Sentient desires rely on the six sense objects, and thus there is the agitation of rushing about. Phenomena are originally without reliance, and thus they have no agitation. 'Phenomena have no coming or going, because they constantly do not abide.' If phenomena were to abide momentarily and pass through the three times, there would be coming and going. Phenomena do not abide even momentarily; hence there is no coming or going. 'Phenomena accord with emptiness, conform to the signless, and correspond to the wishless. Phenomena are free from good and bad; phenomena have no increase or decrease; phenomena have no arising or ceasing; phenomena have nowhere to return; phenomena transcend the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind; phenomena have neither high nor low; phenomena permanently abide and are immovable; phenomena are free from all contemplative practices. O Great Maudgalyāyana! The characteristics of phenomena being thus, how could they be expounded?' If mental contemplation cannot reach them, how much less could speech? 'One who expounds the Dharma has nothing to expound and nothing to indicate; one who listens to the Dharma has nothing to hear and nothing to attain.' This second \[part\] demonstrates the method of listening and expounding, in order to instruct Maudgalyāyana and the householders. Preaching the Dharma to show it to others is called 'expounding and indicating.' Yet stating that there is 'nothing to expound and nothing to indicate' means that though one speaks all day, one has never spoken. Beginning by hearing the Dharma and ultimately having attainment—yet stating that there is 'nothing to hear and nothing to attain' means that though one listens all day, there is nothing heard. 'Just as an illusory person expounds the Dharma to illusory beings, one should establish this intent and expound the Dharma.' Although Jingming proclaimed that the Dharma cannot be expounded, he still expounds this ineffable \[Dharma\]; hence it is now clarified that what is expounded is merely expounded as an illusion. 'One should understand whether the capacities of sentient beings are sharp or dull.' This third \[part\] indicates his lack of knowing the capacities of beings. The householders should have heard the teaching of emptiness, but Maudgalyāyana preached phenomena of existence to them, which was due to his not yet understanding the capacities of sentient beings. Moreover, although the Mahāyāna Dharma was explained above, one ought to examine the capacities of beings skillfully; one may confer teachings according to whether they are broad or narrow, and must not expound the great Dharma exclusively. 'Be skillful in knowledge and vision, without hindrance.' This fourth \[part\] clarifies being skillful in knowledge and vision. That Maudgalyāyana preached the small and did not illuminate the great was truly because he was not yet skillful in knowledge and vision. 'With great compassion, praise the Mahāyāna, be mindful of repaying the Buddha's kindness, do not sever the Three Jewels, and only then expound the Dharma.' This fifth \[part\] explains the primary intention in expounding the Dharma. Whenever one wishes to expound the Dharma, one must accomplish these four attitudes of mind: first, establish a mind of great compassion; second, praise the Mahāyāna; third, be mindful of repaying the Buddha's kindness; fourth, do not sever the Three Jewels. If one praises the Hīnayāna, rescuing from minor suffering, this is called small compassion. If one praises the Mahāyāna, capable of uprooting great suffering, it is termed great compassion; therefore it says 'with a mind of great compassion, praise the Mahāyāna.' Once one praises the Mahāyāna, one will surely continue the teacher's lineage; hence the Three Jewels are not severed, which is called repaying the Buddha's kindness. If one expounds the Hīnayāna, one severs the lineage of the Three Jewels, which is called having no gratitude. 'When Vimalakīrti expounded this Dharma, eight hundred householders gave rise to the aspiration for anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi.' This third \[part\] clarifies the assembly at that time giving rise to the aspiration. Since Jingming praised the great and admonished the small, conforming to principle and answering their capacities, the assembly at that time received benefit. 'I do not possess this eloquence.' This fourth \[part\] is Maudgalyāyana acknowledging defeat. 'Therefore, I am not competent to go there and inquire after his illness.' Incompetence has three parts; stating and explaining it are already finished, and now it is concluded. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 3.3.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1781.3.3.3) - [Next: 3.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1781.3.4) - [Up: 3.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1781.3.3) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1781~en-mt.3.3.4) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (2) - [注維摩詰經](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1775.2.297) — Classical Chinese - [維摩詰所說經](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.vimalakirtinirdesa*zh-kumarajiva.1.35) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1781.3.3.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1781.3.3.4) · Pramāṇa