維摩經義疏 4.12.1

4.12.1

大明化物，凡有二門：一者說法、二者現神通。 〈問疾〉一品明其說法，今此一品次明神通，則形聲益物也。 又上品，初明能化之疾，有空悲二道，亦是權實而慧； 次明所化之疾，亦空悲二道、權實兩慧。 說如此能化所化二慧者，並是為教菩薩修行義也。 今此品明修行得成，便有無方大用，故有〈不思議品〉。 問：以何為不思議體？ 答：通而為論之，凡有三法：一不思議境、二不思議智、三不思議教。 據能化為言，由境發智、因智說教，欲令所化之流藉教悟理、因理發智，故此三門義無不攝。 言不思議境者，即是真俗二諦，然二諦未曾境。 教據表理而言，故二諦為教； 約發智之義，故二諦名境。 通而言之，此真俗二境皆是因緣假名無所得義，非是凡夫二乘有所得人所能思議，故二境名不思議。 據別為論，真諦即諸法實相，心行處滅故意不能思、言語亦斷故口不能議，謂真諦不思議也。 俗諦亦言語道斷、心行處滅，如假有不可定有，故定有心滅； 假有不可定無，故定無心滅； 不可定亦有亦無、非有非無，故有所得定四句心能滅，亦定性四句所不可言，故是俗諦不思議也。 次明二智不思議者，實智即是波若，波若念想觀妄，言語亦斷，故心不能思、口不能議。 權智則變動無方，如大小容入，非凡夫二乘、下地菩薩所不能思議，名不思議也。 所言教不思議者，內有二智謂不思議本，外示形聲即不思議迹，謂以本垂迹。 由外不思議迹，得示不思議本，謂以迹顯本。 具如玄章所明。 就此品內，大開二章：一明實智不思議、二明權智不思議。 初文有五：一身子念座、二淨名呵詰、三身子答、四淨名呵、五時眾悟道。 「爾時舍利弗見此室中無有床座，作是念：斯諸菩薩、大弟子眾當於何坐」。 身子生念，凡有二義：一據迹為言。 法身大士身心無倦，聲聞結業之形，心雖無結、身有疲勞，故發止息之迹。 以其於弟子內年耆體劣前生念也，不欲現其累迹。 又必知淨名懸鑒其心，故但心念而不發言。 二者就本為論。 淨名與身子既是大小之人，相與化物，故淨名空室以待賓，身子念坐而發教。 「長者維摩詰知其意，語舍利弗言：云何？ 仁者！ 為法來耶、求床坐耶」。 此則淨名將辨無求之道，故因詰之。 所以然者，須坐之念，迹在有求，有求則乖理，非所以來意也。 「舍利弗言：我為法來，非為床座」。 上確定二實，而身子進退墮負。 若其為法，不應念坐； 如其念坐，何名為法？ 而身子偏答一問，本為法來，但形有勞，故求坐耳。 又形安則法入神，所以念坐，終為法也。 「維摩詰言：唯舍利弗！ 夫求法者不貪軀命，何況床坐。 夫求法者非有色受想行識之求、非有界入之求、非有欲色無色之求。 唯舍利弗！ 夫求法者，不著佛求、不著法求、不著眾求。 夫求法者，無見苦求、無斷集求、無造盡證修道之求。 所以者何？ 法無戲論」。 若言我當見苦、斷集、證滅、修道，是則戲論，非求法也。 「唯舍利弗！ 法名寂滅，若行生滅，是求生滅，非求法也。 法名無染，若染於法乃至涅槃，是則染著，非求法也。 法無行處，若行於法，是則行處，非求法也。 法無取捨，若取捨法，是則取捨，非求法也。 法無處所，若著處所，是則著處，非求法也。 法名無相，若隨相識，是則求相，非求法也。 法不可住，若住於法，是則住法，非求法也。 法不可見聞覺知，若行見聞覺知，是則見聞覺知，非求法也」。 此攝六根以為四用，眼為見、耳為聞、鼻舌身三根為覺、意根稱知。 「法名無為，若行有為，是則求有為，非求法也。 是故舍利弗！ 若求法者，於一切法應無所求」。 此章明無求，其旨有二：一者顯實相之理，超四句、絕百非，言語道斷、心行所滅，不可以有無等求實相，此即釋不思議境也。 二者欲令行人契於實相，亦息一切有所得心。

Broadly speaking, transforming living beings involves two approaches: the first is expounding the Dharma, and the second is manifesting spiritual penetrations. The chapter "Inquiring about Illness" explains his expounding of the Dharma, while this present chapter next explains his spiritual penetrations; thus, form and sound benefit living beings. Furthermore, the previous chapter first explained the illness of the one able to transform, which involves the two paths of emptiness and compassion, as well as the two wisdoms of the provisional and the real; next, it explained the illness of those to be transformed, which likewise involves the two paths of emptiness and compassion and the two wisdoms of the provisional and the real. Expounding these two wisdoms of the one transforming and those transformed is entirely meant to teach bodhisattvas how to cultivate practice. Now, this chapter explains that once cultivation of practice is accomplished, there are boundless great functions; therefore, there is the chapter "The Inconceivable". Question: What constitutes the essence of the inconceivable? Answer: Speaking generally, there are three dharmas: first, the inconceivable sphere; second, the inconceivable wisdom; and third, the inconceivable teaching. From the perspective of the one able to transform, wisdom arises from the sphere, and based on wisdom the teaching is expounded, intending to lead the assembly of those to be transformed to awaken to the principle by relying on the teaching, and to give rise to wisdom on the basis of the principle; hence nothing is omitted from these three gates. As for the inconceivable sphere, it is the two truths of the ultimate and the conventional; yet the two truths have never been [mere] spheres. When speaking in terms of expressing the principle, the two truths are teachings; regarding the sense of giving rise to wisdom, the two truths are called spheres. Generally speaking, both of these spheres, the ultimate and the conventional, possess the meaning of dependent arising, nominal designation, and non-attainment. They are not what ordinary people or people of the two vehicles who possess grasping can conceive; hence the two spheres are called inconceivable. Discussing them specifically: the ultimate truth is the true nature of all dharmas, where the activity of the mind is extinguished, and so the intellect cannot conceive of it; speech also ceases, and so the mouth cannot discuss it—this is called the inconceivability of the ultimate truth. For the conventional truth, too, the path of speech is cut off, and the activity of the mind is extinguished: since provisional existence cannot be definitely existent, the mind of definite existence is extinguished; since provisional existence cannot be definitely non-existent, the mind of definite non-existence is extinguished; and since it cannot be definitely both existent and non-existent, nor neither existent nor non-existent, the grasping mind that determines the four propositions is able to be extinguished, nor can it be spoken of by the four propositions of definite intrinsic nature; therefore, this is the inconceivability of conventional truth. Next, explaining the inconceivability of the two wisdoms: real wisdom is prajñā; in prajñā, thoughts, conceptualisations, and visualisations are false, and speech also ceases, so the mind cannot conceive of it and the mouth cannot discuss it. Provisional wisdom transforms without bounds, such as the large and small containing each other; this is something ordinary people, the two vehicles, and bodhisattvas of lower grounds cannot conceive—hence it is called inconceivable. As for the inconceivability of teaching: possessing the two wisdoms within is called the inconceivable origin; manifesting forms and sounds without is called the inconceivable traces—this is called tracing out from the origin. Relying on external inconceivable traces, one is able to reveal the inconceivable origin—this is called revealing the origin by means of traces. This is fully explained in the profound introductory chapter. Within this chapter, it opens into two main sections: first, explaining the inconceivability of real wisdom; second, explaining the inconceivability of provisional wisdom. The first text has five parts: first, Śāriputra thinking of seats; second, Jingming rebuking and questioning him; third, Śāriputra replying; fourth, Jingming rebuking; and fifth, the assembly awakening to the Path. "At that time, Śāriputra, seeing that there were no couches or seats in this room, had this thought: 'Where should these bodhisattvas and the great disciples sit?'" Śāriputra giving rise to this thought has two meanings: first, speaking in terms of the traces. Mahāsattvas of the dharmakāya have no weariness of body or mind, whereas the śrāvakas possess bodies born of afflictive karma; although their minds have no afflictive fetters, their bodies experience fatigue, and thus he displayed the trace of desiring rest. Because he was elderly and physically frail among the disciples, he gave rise to this thought first, yet he did not wish to manifest his burdensome trace. Moreover, he certainly knew that Jingming would discern his mind from afar, and therefore he only thought it in his mind without uttering words. Second, discussing it in terms of the origin. Since Jingming and Śāriputra are persons of the Great and Small [Vehicles] acting together to transform beings, Jingming emptied the room to await the guests, and Śāriputra thought of seats to initiate the teaching. "The elder Vimalakīrti, knowing his thought, said to Śāriputra: 'How is it, virtuous one? Have you come for the sake of the Dharma, or have you come seeking couches and seats?'" This is Jingming about to clarify the way of non-seeking, and therefore taking the opportunity to question him. Why is this? The thought of needing a seat belongs trace-wise to seeking; having seeking is contrary to principle, and is not the purpose of his coming. "Śāriputra said: 'I have come for the sake of the Dharma, not for couches and seats.'" Above, he fixed two realities, and Śāriputra, whether advancing or retreating, fell into defeat. If he came for the Dharma, he should not have thought of seats; if he thought of seats, how could it be called coming for the Dharma? Yet Śāriputra answered only one question: he had originally come for the Dharma, but merely because his physical form was weary, he sought a seat. Furthermore, when the body is at peace, the Dharma enters the spirit; therefore, thinking of a seat was ultimately for the sake of the Dharma. "Vimalakīrti said: 'Ah, Śāriputra! One who seeks the Dharma does not begrudge body or life, how much less couches and seats! One who seeks the Dharma has no seeking of form, sensation, perception, formations, or consciousness; has no seeking of realms or entrances; has no seeking of desire, form, or formlessness. Ah, Śāriputra! One who seeks the Dharma does not seek clinging to the Buddha, does not seek clinging to the Dharma, does not seek clinging to the Saṅgha. One who seeks the Dharma has no seeking to perceive suffering, no seeking to abandon the origin [of suffering], no seeking to realize cessation, and no seeking to cultivate the Path. Why is this? The Dharma is free of conceptual proliferation.'" If one says, "I shall perceive suffering, abandon the origin, realize cessation, and cultivate the Path," this is conceptual proliferation, not seeking the Dharma. "'Ah, Śāriputra! The Dharma is called quiescent cessation; if one practices arising and ceasing, that is seeking arising and ceasing, not seeking the Dharma. The Dharma is called undefiled; if one is defiled by the Dharma or even by nirvāṇa, that is defilement and clinging, not seeking the Dharma. The Dharma has no sphere of activity; if one engages in activity regarding the Dharma, that is a sphere of activity, not seeking the Dharma. The Dharma has neither grasping nor rejection; if one grasps or rejects the Dharma, that is grasping and rejection, not seeking the Dharma. The Dharma has no location; if one clings to a location, that is clinging to a location, not seeking the Dharma. The Dharma is called signless; if one cognizes according to signs, that is seeking signs, not seeking the Dharma. The Dharma cannot be dwelled in; if one dwells in the Dharma, that is dwelling in the Dharma, not seeking the Dharma. The Dharma cannot be seen, heard, sensed, or known; if one practices seeing, hearing, sensing, and knowing, that is seeing, hearing, sensing, and knowing, not seeking the Dharma.'" This subsumes the six sense faculties into four functions: the eye is seeing, the ear is hearing, the three faculties of nose, tongue, and body are sensing, and the mind faculty is called knowing. "'The Dharma is called the unconditioned; if one practices the conditioned, that is seeking the conditioned, not seeking the Dharma. Therefore, Śāriputra, one who seeks the Dharma should have no seeking in regard to all dharmas.'" This passage clarifies non-seeking, and its purpose is twofold: first, to reveal the principle of the true nature, which transcends the four propositions and cuts off the hundred negations, where the path of speech is severed and the activity of the mind is extinguished, so that one cannot seek the true nature through existence, non-existence, and so forth—this explains the inconceivable sphere. Second, it intends to lead the practitioner to accord with the true nature, and likewise to calm all minds that engage in grasping.