維摩經義疏 4.12.4

4.12.4

我今略說菩薩不可思議解脫之力，若廣說者窮劫不盡」。 問：外道二乘亦能於群像、變乎眾聲，與大士何異？ 答：凡夫小道不能圓應群像、普變眾聲，故與菩薩異也。 又大士能令聲至有頂，無音可聞； 形遍十方，無像可見。 凡夫二乘不能爾也，故言不思議。 「是時大迦葉聞說菩薩不可思議解脫法門，歎未曾有，謂舍利弗：譬如有人於盲者前現眾色像，非彼所見。 一切聲聞聞是不可思議解脫法門，不能解了，為若此也。 智者聞是，其誰不發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心？ 我等何為永斷其根，於此大乘已如敗種」。 此第三迦葉稱歎。 以助揚大道、貶斥小乘，令菩薩不退勝心、聲聞深自鄙恥。 又令未發大心者因此發心，樂小乘者藉斯改志也。 問：前云大入於小，唯應度者乃能見之。 身子既如盲對像，何能見大座入於小室？ 答：大明眾生凡有三種：一者不見大入小，亦不達其所由，此凡夫不得見聞之流也。 二者雖見大入小，而不能解之，即二乘人也。 三見大入小，復能悟之，此菩薩上根人也。 前云唯應度者乃能見之，此取上根之人也。 身子謂見而冥然不解，故譬之為盲。 「一切聲聞聞是不思議解脫法門，皆應號泣聲振三千大千世界； 一切菩薩應大欣慶頂受此法」。 所失處重故，假言應啼泣耳。 二乘憂悲永除，尚無微泣，況震三千？ 迦葉將明大小之殊，抑揚時聽，故非分者宜致施望之泣，已分者宜應頂受之歎也。 「若有菩薩信解不思議解脫法門者，一切魔眾無如之何」。 但能信解，魔不能嬈，何況行應者乎。 「大迦葉說是語時，三萬二千天子皆發阿耨菩提心」。 第四時眾發心。 迦葉既是聲聞，親自貶小為劣、揚大為勝，則理必然。 故諸天聞之，而發求佛心也。 「爾時維摩詰語大迦葉：仁者！ 十方無量阿僧祇世界中作魔王者，多是住不可思議解脫菩薩，以方便力教化眾生現作魔王」。 此第五淨名重歎不可思議者。 上十三義，但述不思議之順用； 未明違用，則義猶有餘，故因迦葉所歎，復敘其違用也。 又因迦葉云信解不可思議者魔不能嬈，而十方亦有信解菩薩為魔所嬈者，將明不可思議大士所為自在，欲化始學故現為魔王，非魔力之所能也。 此明不思議，成迦葉意。 「又迦葉！ 十方無量菩薩，有人從乞手足耳鼻、頭目髓腦、血肉皮骨、聚落城邑、妻子奴婢、象馬車乘、金銀琉璃、車渠瑪瑙、珊瑚琥珀、真珠珂貝、衣服飲食。 如此乞者，多是住不思議解脫菩薩以方便力而往試之，令其堅固」。 此略明大士違用，凡有二種：一示為天魔、二現為乞人，餘趣類可知矣。 所以前為乞人者，結業菩薩於施度未極，是以不思議菩薩強從求索，令其無惜心，盡具足堅固，亦令眾生知其堅固，亦使其自知堅固。 問：不思議大士懸鑒人根，何假逼試？ 答：今從乞求，同魔試迹，故以試為言耳。 亦從待試而後進。 「所以者何？ 住不可思議解脫菩薩，有威德力故行逼迫，示諸眾生如是難事。 凡夫下劣無有力勢，不能如是逼迫菩薩。 譬如龍象蹴踏，非驢所能」。 釋上菩薩逼試之能。 截人手足、離人妻子、強索國財，生其憂悲； 雖有目前小苦，而致永劫之大安。 次舉驢象為喻者，此譬能不能二義也。 象中之美者稱為龍象，非二物也。 「是名住不思議解脫菩薩智慧方便之門」也。 不思議體者，境智及教，而正用二智為體，故今總結之。 智慧即空智也，方便為權智也，此二無諦故稱為門。 又逼物悟入，復稱為門。 又正觀未曾權實，為眾生故強稱為二，此能通不二，故稱門也。

"I have now briefly spoken of the power of the bodhisattvas' inconceivable liberation; if I were to explain it extensively, kalpas would be exhausted without ending." Question: Non-Buddhists and the two vehicles can also appear in varied forms and transform into various sounds; how does this differ from the mahāsattvas? Answer: Ordinary beings and those of the lesser path cannot fully respond to all forms or universally transform into all sounds; thus they differ from bodhisattvas. Furthermore, mahāsattvas can cause their sound to reach the Peak of Existence while no sound is audible, and cause their physical form to pervade the ten directions while no image is visible. Ordinary beings and the two vehicles cannot do so; hence it is called inconceivable. "At that time Mahākāśyapa, hearing this explanation of the bodhisattvas' teaching of inconceivable liberation, sighed at having never heard it before, and said to Śāriputra: 'It is, for example, like someone displaying various forms and colors before a blind person, which cannot be seen by them. All śrāvakas, hearing this teaching of inconceivable liberation, cannot understand it, just like this. When the wise hear this, who among them would not generate the mind of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi? Why have we forever cut off its roots, and regarding this Great Vehicle are already like rotten seeds?'" This is the third [section], Kāśyapa's praise. It is used to help extol the Great Path and disparage the lesser vehicle, causing bodhisattvas not to regress in their supreme mind and śrāvakas to deeply despise and feel ashamed of themselves. It also causes those who have not yet generated the great mind to generate it through this, and those who take pleasure in the lesser vehicle to rely on this to change their resolve. Question: Earlier it was said that the great entering into the small can only be seen by those who are to be saved. Śāriputra is already like a blind person facing forms; how could he see the great thrones enter into the small room? Answer: To explain broadly, sentient beings generally have three types: First, those who do not see the great entering the small, nor do they comprehend its reason; these are the sort of ordinary beings who cannot see or hear it. Second, those who, although they see the great entering the small, cannot understand it; these are the people of the two vehicles. Third, those who see the great entering the small and furthermore can awaken to it; these are people of superior capacity among the bodhisattvas. Earlier it was said that "only those who are to be saved can see it"; this refers to people of superior capacity. Śāriputra saw it yet remained completely ignorant and unable to understand; hence he was compared to a blind person. "'All śrāvakas, hearing this teaching of inconceivable liberation, should wail and weep with voices shaking the three-thousand-great-thousandfold world; all bodhisattvas should greatly rejoice and receive this Dharma on the crowns of their heads.'" Because what they lost is grave, it is metaphorically said that they "should weep." For the two vehicles, sorrow and grief have been permanently eliminated; they do not even have slight weeping, so how could it shake the three thousand? Kāśyapa, wishing to clarify the difference between the great and the small, humbled and elevated [them before] the audience of that time; thus, those for whom it was not their lot ought to bring forth the weeping of disappointed expectations, while those for whom it was their lot ought to give praise by receiving it upon their heads. "'If there are bodhisattvas who faithfully understand the teaching of inconceivable liberation, all the demonic hosts can do nothing to them.'" If they can merely faithfully understand it, Māra cannot harass them; how much less so for those who practice in accord with it! "When Mahākāśyapa spoke these words, thirty-two thousand devaputras all generated the mind of anuttarā [samyaksaṃ]bodhi." Fourth, the assembly at that time generated the mind [for awakening]. Since Kāśyapa was a śrāvaka who personally disparaged the small as inferior and extolled the great as superior, the principle was inevitably so. Therefore, the devas heard it and generated the mind that seeks Buddhahood. "At that time Vimalakīrti said to Mahākāśyapa: 'Virtuous sir! Those who act as Māra kings in the immeasurable asamykhyeya worlds of the ten directions are mostly bodhisattvas abiding in inconceivable liberation, who through the power of upāya appear as Māra kings in order to teach and transform sentient beings.'" This is the fifth [section], Jingming's repeated praise of the inconceivable. The thirteen points above merely described the conforming functions of the inconceivable; since the contrary functions were not yet explained, the meaning still had a surplus; therefore, drawing upon Kāśyapa's praise, he further set forth its contrary functions. Furthermore, it is because Kāśyapa said that Māra cannot harass those who faithfully understand the inconceivable, yet in the ten directions there are also bodhisattvas who faithfully understand it who are harassed by Māra; [Vimalakīrti] was about to explain that what the inconceivable mahāsattvas do is masterfully free, and wishing to transform beginners they manifest as Māra kings, which is not something within the power of actual demons. This clarifies the inconceivable and completes Kāśyapa's meaning. "'Furthermore, Kāśyapa! For the immeasurable bodhisattvas of the ten directions, there are people who come to beg from them hands, feet, ears, and noses; heads, eyes, marrow, and brains; blood, flesh, skin, and bones; villages, towns, and cities; wives, children, male and female slaves; elephants, horses, and carriages; gold, silver, lapis lazuli, giant clamshell, agate, coral, amber, pearls, and cowrie shells; clothing, food, and drink. Such beggars are mostly bodhisattvas abiding in inconceivable liberation who, through the power of upāya, go to test them in order to make them steadfast.'" This briefly explains the mahāsattvas' contrary functions, which generally are of two kinds: first, manifesting as heavenly demons; second, appearing as beggars; the remaining paths and categories can be known accordingly. The reason why they previously appeared as beggars is that bodhisattvas bound by karma have not perfected the pāramitā of giving; therefore, inconceivable bodhisattvas forcefully seek and demand from them, causing them to have no grudging mind, to be completely fulfilled and steadfast, and also causing sentient beings to know their steadfastness, and causing them to know their own steadfastness. Question: Inconceivable mahāsattvas discern the faculties of beings from afar; why do they resort to pressuring and testing them? Answer: Now, begging from them resembles the traces of Māra's testing, so it is spoken of as a "test." It is also because [practitioners] advance only after awaiting a test. "'Why is this? Bodhisattvas abiding in inconceivable liberation possess the power of majestic virtue and therefore exercise oppression, showing sentient beings such difficult things. Low and inferior ordinary beings lack power and authority, and cannot oppress bodhisattvas in this way. It is like the trampling of a nāga-elephant, which is not what a donkey is capable of.'" This explains the aforementioned bodhisattvas' ability to oppress and test. Cutting off people's hands and feet, separating people's wives and children, and forcefully demanding a country's wealth give rise to their grief and sorrow; though there is slight present suffering, it leads to the great peace of eternal kalpas. Next, introducing the donkey and the elephant as a metaphor illustrates the two meanings of capability and incapability. The finest among elephants is called a nāga-elephant; they are not two different things. "'This is called the gate of wisdom and upāya of bodhisattvas abiding in inconceivable liberation.'" As for the substance of the inconceivable, it is object, wisdom, and teaching, but properly it takes the two wisdoms as its substance; therefore, it is now summarized here. Wisdom is the wisdom of emptiness, and upāya is expedient wisdom; these two are without [fixation on] truths, hence called a "gate." Moreover, pressuring beings to awaken and enter is also called a "gate." Furthermore, correct contemplation has never been divided into provisional and real; for the sake of sentient beings it is forcefully designated as two; because these can lead into non-duality, it is called a "gate."