維摩經義疏 5.5.3

5.5.3

答：二乘畏生死苦、樂涅槃樂。 今既勉苦得樂，自保究竟、無所希求，故不能發心作佛。 凡夫有苦無樂，兼我心自高唯勝是慕，故能發心求佛。 「爾時大迦葉歎言：善哉善哉！ 文殊師利！ 快說此語。 誠如所言，塵勞之儔為如來種。 我等今者不復堪任發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心」。 此第二迦葉自嘆。 文殊既是菩薩，雖毀二乘非種、歎凡夫為種，未若聲聞親自說之，是以迦葉自歎也。 文有三章：此初據煩惱明種非種也。 「乃至五無間罪猶能發意生於佛法。 而今我等永不能發，譬如根敗之士，其於五欲不能復利。 如是聲聞諸結斷者，於佛法中無所復益，永不志願」。 此第二就業門明種非種。 無間有四義：一前念捨此身，次念受地獄報，其間無身間念，故云無間。 此趣報無間也。 二身形無間。 阿鼻地獄闊八萬由旬，一人入者則身遍滿，多人亦然。 以身遍滿，無有間處，故云無間。 三壽命無間。 餘獄數生數死，此處一劫壽命無死生間，故為無間。 四受苦恒續，無樂間之。 「是故文殊師利！ 凡夫於佛法有反復而聲聞無也。 所以者何？ 凡夫聞佛法，能起無上道心，不斷三寶。 正使聲聞終身聞佛法力無畏等，永不能發無上道意」。 第三結成種非種義。 凡夫聞法，發菩提心，能紹佛種，則為報恩，有反復也。 聲聞與此相違，名無反復。 問：《法華經》明二乘作佛，此教何故辨聲聞永絕其根？ 答：彼經小志既移、大機已熟，故明作佛。 此經明猶保小志、未有大機，故永絕其根。 「爾時會中有菩薩名普賢色身，問維摩詰言：居士！ 父母妻子親戚眷屬吏民知識悉為是誰？ 奴婢僮僕象馬車乘皆何所在」。 此第三次明眷屬，前問、後答。 問有三意：一遠從空室義生。 淨名所以空室者，凡有二義：一欲以空且顯空，如云「諸佛國土亦復皆空」； 二欲以室明人有，如云「眾魔外道皆吾侍者」。 文殊、身子以略問空室之意，未顯法身備有眾德，故今問之。 二者近從通達佛道義生。 菩薩所以能遍入一切邪道而通達佛道者，良由內備眾德故也。 三者淨名權道無方形同世俗，淺識不達謂其實然、今欲顯之、是故致問。 「於是維摩詰以偈答曰」。 此第二淨名答。 上明長行、今說偈者，示內有無礙之智、外具無方之辨。 又隨物所樂，故說法不同。 偈文為四：第一正詶其問、第二明功用無方、第三稱歎、四勸發心。 「智度菩薩母，方便以為父，一切眾導師，無不由是生」。 實智內照為母，而言度者，窮智之原也。 方便外用為父，方便有二：一解空而不取證； 二實相理深莫能信受，要須方便誘引令物得悟。 前明順理之巧，此辨適機之妙勝於實智，故稱為父。 又實意虛凝與陰同靜，方便巧用動與陽齊，教配父母也。 佛與菩薩並是導物之師，由此而生。 「法喜以為妻」。 了悟深法則生歡喜，故喻之以妻。 「慈悲心為女」。 慈悲之心虛而外適，又其性柔弱，隨物入於生死也。 「善心誠實男」。 誠實具三義：一質直無曲，異女人諂偽； 二者有幹用，謂降制眾邪； 三紹繼佛種。 誠實雖是真，以男之性亦有為惡而實，故標以善心。 「畢竟空寂舍」。 此舉住處以顯其德。 前明智度謂空慧，今舉實相境為至人所栖。 畢竟空有四義：一無患不障、二悟空無德不備、三寂滅永安、四體性深博，喻之舍也。 「弟子眾塵勞，隨意之所轉」。 塵勞眾生隨菩薩化，轉惡以從善也。 「道品善知識，由是成正覺」。 世之知識勸善誡惡，三十七品開涅槃門、塞生死路，義同三益。 「諸度法等侶」。 或有雖為知識，不必為剋終之伴； 或雖為伴，不必為善知識。 今明善始令終至道場者，六度為真伴也。 「四攝為妓女」。 悅物來眾莫過四攝。 「歌詠誦法言，以此為音樂，總持之園苑」。 普遮惡令不生，如薗之除穢，遍持善令不失，若苑之有眾物。

Answer: The two vehicles fear the suffering of saṃsāra and delight in the joy of nirvāṇa. Now, having escaped suffering and attained joy, they preserve themselves in what they take to be ultimate and have nothing further to seek; thus they cannot generate the resolve to become Buddhas. Ordinary persons have suffering and lack joy, and, with the mind of self being elevated, they admire only what is superior; thus they are able to generate the resolve to seek Buddhahood. 'Then the Great Kāśyapa exclaimed in praise: "Excellent, excellent, Mañjuśrī! Well have you spoken these words. Truly it is as you say: the throng of afflictions is the seed of the Tathāgata. We now are no longer capable of generating the aspiration for anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi."' This is the second [part], Kāśyapa's own lament. Since Mañjuśrī is a bodhisattva, although he disparaged the two vehicles as not being the seed and praised ordinary persons as being the seed, it was not as effective as the śrāvakas speaking of it themselves; hence Kāśyapa's self-lamentation. The text has three sections: this first one explains the seed and non-seed in terms of afflictions. '"Even those who have committed the five sins of immediate retribution are still able to give rise to the intention to give birth to the Buddha-Dharma. Yet now we are forever unable to generate it—just like a man whose sense faculties are ruined, who can no longer derive benefit from the five desires. In this way, śrāvakas whose fetters have all been severed derive no further benefit from the Buddha-Dharma and never set their aspirations upon it."' This second [section] explains the seed and non-seed with respect to the door of karma. 'Immediate' (anantarya) has four meanings: first, in the preceding thought-moment one casts off this body, and in the next thought-moment one receives the retribution of hell; between them there is no intermediate body or intervening thought, hence it is called 'immediate.' This is immediacy of heading to retribution. Second is immediacy of bodily form: the Avīci hell is eighty thousand yojanas across; if one person enters it, their body fills it completely, and the same is true for many persons. Because the body completely fills it without any intervening space, it is called 'immediate.' Third is immediacy of lifespan: in other hells one repeatedly dies and is repeatedly reborn, but here the lifespan of one kalpa has no intervening death and rebirth, hence it is 'immediate.' Fourth, the suffering endured is continuous, with no joy intervening. '"Therefore, Mañjuśrī, the ordinary person responds with gratitude toward the Buddha-Dharma, while the śrāvaka does not. Why is this? When the ordinary person hears the Buddha-Dharma, they can give rise to the supreme mind of the Way, not severing the Three Jewels. Even if a śrāvaka to the end of their life hears the Buddha-Dharma, the powers, fearlessnesses, and so forth, they will forever be unable to generate the supreme intention for the Way."' The third [section] concludes the meaning of seed and non-seed. When ordinary persons hear the Dharma, generate the bodhicitta, and are able to inherit the Buddha-seed, this constitutes repaying kindness; thus they 'respond with gratitude.' The śrāvakas are contrary to this, which is called 'not responding with gratitude.' Question: The Lotus Sūtra explains that the two vehicles will become Buddhas; why does this teaching state that the śrāvakas have their roots forever severed? Answer: In that sūtra, the lesser aspiration had already shifted and the greater capacity had already ripened; hence it explains their becoming Buddhas. This sūtra explains that they still preserve their lesser aspiration and do not yet possess the greater capacity; hence their roots are forever severed. 'At that time, in the assembly there was a bodhisattva named Universal-Manifestation-of-the-Physical-Body, who asked Vimalakīrti: "Householder, who are your father, mother, wife, children, relatives, retinue, officials, citizens, and close friends? Where are your male and female slaves, servants, elephants, horses, and carriages?"' This is the third [section], explaining the retinue; first comes the question, followed by the answer. The question has three intentions: First, it remotely arises from the meaning of the empty room. There are two meanings for Jingming emptying the room: first, he wished to make it empty and thereby reveal emptiness, as in 'the Buddha lands are also all empty'; second, he wished to use the room to make manifest that there are people present, as in 'all māras and heterodox masters are my attendants.' Mañjuśrī and Śāriputra had briefly inquired into the intent of the empty room, but had not yet revealed that the dharmakāya fully possesses all virtues; therefore it is asked now. Second, it closely arises from the meaning of penetrating the Buddha's Path: the reason a bodhisattva can enter all heterodox paths and thereby penetrate the Buddha's Path is truly because they are internally equipped with all virtues. Third, Jingming's expedient path is boundless, and outwardly his form is identical to the secular world; those of shallow discernment do not comprehend this and think it is really so. Now, wishing to make it manifest, he therefore poses the question. 'Thereupon Vimalakīrti replied in verse, saying:' This is the second [part], Jingming's reply. Above it was explained in prose; now it is spoken in verse to show that internally he has unhindered wisdom and externally is endowed with boundless eloquence. Furthermore, in accordance with what beings delight in, the exposition of the Dharma differs. The verse text has four parts: first, directly replying to the question; second, explaining the boundless functioning; third, expressing praise; fourth, encouraging the generation of the resolve. '"Prajñāpāramitā is the mother of the bodhisattva, / Upāya is the father; / Of all the leaders of beings, / None are not born from them."' Real wisdom shining inwardly is the mother; to say 'crossing over' (pāramitā) means plumbing the source of wisdom. Upāya functioning outwardly is the father; upāya has two aspects: first, understanding emptiness without grasping realization; second, because the principle of the true mark is profound and none can believe and accept it, it is necessary to use upāya to entice and guide them, enabling beings to attain awakening. The former explains the skill of according with principle, while the latter distinguishes the marvelous capacity to suit beings' capacities as surpassing real wisdom, and is therefore called the father. Moreover, the true intention is ethereal and congealed, being tranquil like yin; the skillful functioning of upāya moves on a par with yang; thus the teaching matches them to father and mother. Buddhas and bodhisattvas are both masters who guide beings, and are born from them. '"The joy of the Dharma is the wife,"' When one awakens to the profound Dharma, great joy arises; hence it is compared to a wife. '"The mind of kindness and compassion is the daughter,"' The mind of kindness and compassion is empty and extends outwardly, and its nature is gentle and compliant, following beings as it enters saṃsāra. '"A good mind and truthfulness are the son,"' Truthfulness has three meanings: first, upright and straightforward without crookedness, unlike the flattery and deceit of women; second, having capability, meaning conquering and subduing all māras; third, inheriting the Buddha-seed. Although truthfulness is genuine, because the nature of a son can also be evil yet resolute, it is qualified with 'a good mind.' '"The ultimate empty quiescence is the house."' This adduces the dwelling place to reveal his virtue. Above, prajñāpāramitā was explained as referring to empty wisdom; here the realm of the true mark is adduced as the dwelling place of the ultimate person. Ultimate emptiness has four meanings: first, no affliction is not obstructed; second, awakening to emptiness, no virtue is not fully possessed; third, quiescence and extinction are eternally peaceful; fourth, its substance and nature are profound and vast; thus it is compared to a house. '"The disciples are the multitude of afflictions, / Shifted according to one's will."' Afflicted beings follow the bodhisattva's transformation, turning away from evil to follow good. '"The aids to the Path are good friends, / By which right awakening is achieved."' Worldly friends encourage good and admonish against evil; the thirty-seven aids to awakening open the gate to nirvāṇa and block the road to saṃsāra, being identical in meaning to the three kinds of beneficial friends. '"The perfections are companions in the Dharma."' Some, though friends, are not necessarily companions to the very end; or though companions, are not necessarily good friends. Here it is shown that those who bring things to a good beginning and a fine end, leading to the seat of awakening, are the six perfections as the true companions. '"The four means of embrace are the singing girls,"' For gladdening beings and attracting the multitude, nothing surpasses the four means of embrace. '"Singing and chanting words of the Dharma, / This serves as their music. / The garden and park of dhāraṇī:"' Universally blocking evil so it does not arise is like a garden ridding itself of defilement; universally retaining good so it is not lost is like a park containing all kinds of things.