維摩經義疏 2.4

English (machine translation) 2.4

Language: English

2.4.1

"At that time, seeing the Buddha's spiritual power, the entire great assembly marveled at what they had never seen before, joined their palms in reverence to the Buddha, and gazed upward at his revered face without looking away for an instant." From here below is the third [section], the joy and praise of the assembly of the time. Because sincerity of faith and joy arose from within, the expression of gazing and praising manifested externally.

"Ratnakūṭa, the elder's son, then immediately before the Buddha spoke in praise with verses." Above, the general narrative described the great assembly's rejoicing; here, it specifically clarifies Ratnakūṭa's praising by reciting verses. There are two purposes in general: first, to encompass the Buddha's manifold virtues in concise words; second, through skillful expression, to delight the hearts of the listeners. Regardless of whether the words are few or many, a verse must necessarily comprise four lines to form a gāthā. *Gāthā* is Sanskrit, and *song* (hymn) is the term here in [Chinese]; the two are combined here to explain it. As for why he praised in verses, there are four causes and conditions: First, offering the canopies demonstrated material offerings; reciting verses of praise distinguished Dharma offerings. Second, previously he showed reverence through bodily action; now he made offerings through vocal action. Third, the earlier manifestation of physical reverence was insufficient to fully express his mind; now, by reflecting with the mind and chanting wondrous words with the mouth, the three karmic actions are fully complete. Fourth, though the Tathāgata's preaching of the Dharma and display of spiritual powers caused mixed joy and reverence in the great assembly, they had not yet understood the reason for it; therefore, he recited verses of praise and explanation to bring the assembly of the time to comprehension.

The verses have five sections: first, praising the fundamental virtues; second, praising the trace-functions; third, praising the fundamental [virtues] again; fourth, praising the trace-[functions] again; fifth, a concluding overall praise.

"His eyes are pure, long, and broad, like a blue lotus." This line praises the Buddha's physical form. Physical form has five features, with the eyes being the foremost, so he praises them beginning with the first. Moreover, worldly people commonly say: a seven-foot body is not equal to a one-foot face, and a one-foot face is not equal to a one-inch eye. Therefore, the head is the foremost part of the entire body, and the eyes are the hallmark of a face, so he praises them in terms of their excellence. Furthermore, the Buddha looks equally upon sentient beings with eyes of compassion, and compassion is the root of virtue, so he praises them in terms of the root. In addition, Ratnakūṭa looked upon his face and composed the hymn, and thus praised the eyes. The *Dazhidulun* says: "Among land-growing [flowers], the sumana is foremost; among water-growing [flowers], the blue lotus is number one." In India there are blue lotus flowers whose petals are slender and broad, with blue and white distinct, having the appearance of a great person's eyes, and thus they are used here as a metaphor.

"His mind is pure, having already crossed over all dhyānas and samādhis." Pure eyes praise the physical form, while a pure mind praises virtue. The eyes are the first of the five sensory capacities, and the mind is the root of myriad virtues, so he praises the mind. Moreover, when the mind is pure, the eyes are bright; the mind is adduced to corroborate the eyes. Dhyāna and samādhi are deep and vast like a great ocean; only the Buddha's pure mind reaches its other shore, hence it is called "having crossed over."

"Having long accumulated pure karma, his praises are immeasurable." The reason why physical form and virtue are both wondrous is certainly due to having long purified the three karmas; this adduces causal practices to explain the fruit-virtues. Because the causes and effects are already wondrous, the ten epithets are heard abroad, hence it says "his praises are immeasurable."

"Leading the multitude by means of quiescence, therefore I bow my head." Because he establishes fame through virtue, he is able to guide beings. The method of leading the multitude is quiescent cessation and the unconditioned, as the *Lotus Sūtra* says: "Ultimate nirvāṇa, constantly possessing the mark of quiescent cessation." Since this is the true essence of all dharmas, it is specifically spoken of. Having concluded this one praise, he therefore bows his head. Furthermore, the preceding was vocal action, and this is physical reverence. Throughout, this verse altogether contains five pairs: form and mind, cause and effect, virtue and fame, self and other, and praise and reverence.

"Having seen the Great Sage through spiritual transformations / universally manifest immeasurable lands in the ten directions, / wherein the Buddhas expound the Dharma, / whereupon everything was seen and heard." This is the second [section], praising the traces. Taking the physical form and virtue as the fundamental, and the functions of spiritual powers as the traces, he first praised the root of virtues, and now praises the trace-functions. The *Zhengguan lun* says: "There are three kinds of sages: first, non-Buddhists with the five spiritual powers; second, arhats and pratyekabuddhas; third, dharmakāya mahāsattvas." The Buddha is uniquely supreme among the three kinds of sages, hence he is called "Great"; that which cannot be fathomed is "spiritual," and changing substances is called "transformation." Having seen the spiritual transformation of unifying the canopies, and further manifesting the lands of the ten directions and the teaching gates expounded by the Buddhas, these three constitute the response. That the great assembly saw and heard them is the resonance.

"The Dharma King's Dharma-power surpasses the multitude of beings; / he constantly bestows the wealth of Dharma upon all." This is the third [section], praising the fundamental virtues again. Within this text there are five praises in total: first, the praise of the Dharma King; second, the praise of the Dharma ocean; third, the praise of the mountain king; fourth, the praise of empty space; fifth, the praise of the treasure among humans. As for the praise of the Dharma King: previously he praised spiritual powers, and now he commends the preaching of the Dharma. Spiritual powers cause beings to plant merit, while preaching the Dharma causes them to generate wisdom. Moreover, spiritual powers arouse their faithful mind, while preaching the Dharma generates their wise understanding. A worldly king surpasses his subjects through worldly power, and thus can extend his favor across a single state; the Dharma King surpasses the multitude through the power of Dharma, and thus can bring salvation without boundary.

"He is skilled at distinguishing the characteristics of all dharmas, / yet remains unmoving with respect to the ultimate truth." Above he stated "Dharma King"; here he explains it. Dharmas are indeed inexhaustible, but they do not depart from the two truths; therefore, he draws upon the two truths to explain that the Dharma King's skill in distinguishing the conventional without contradicting the ultimate is called "unmoving."

"He has already attained mastery over all dharmas; / for this reason I bow my head to this Dharma King." Praising the Dharma King has three parts: first stating, next explaining, and now concluding. A worldly king has mastery over the people; the Dharma King has mastery over dharmas. Because dharmas have no fixed characteristics, he distinguishes them in accordance with beings, and by universally according with principle and responding to capacities, this is called "mastery." Moreover, the above-mentioned speaking of the conventional without moving from the ultimate, and discussing the ultimate without contravening the conventional, is precisely "mastery." Having concluded the two lines of praise, he therefore bows his head.

"Preaching the Dharma as neither existing nor non-existing": previously he praised speaking of the conventional without contravening the ultimate. Here he clarifies that speech accords with the Middle Way, which has three aspects: First, the above two truths are combined into the Middle Way; because of the conventional truth it cannot be non-existent, and because of the ultimate truth it cannot be existent. The Tathāgata established the two truths in order to shatter the two views of existence and non-existence, as the treatise master explained in the *Dapin*: "The bodhisattva abides in the two truths to preach the Dharma for sentient beings, preaching non-existence for those attached to existence, and preaching existence for those attached to non-existence." This is precisely that matter. Second, taking the two truths of existence and non-existence to clarify the Middle Way of neither existence nor non-existence. As the *Avataṃsaka* (in five fascicles) says: "All dharmas of existence and non-existence / are fully understood as neither existing nor non-existing." Third, taking the two truths individually to clarify the Middle Way in each. The conventional truth is provisionally existing through causes and conditions; provisional existence cannot be definitely existent, and provisional non-existence cannot be definitely non-existent: neither existing nor non-existing is the Middle Way. The ultimate truth is also like this: provisional existence cannot be definitely existent, and provisional non-existence cannot be definitely non-existent; this is the Middle Way. Now, saying that "he preaches the Dharma as neither existing nor non-existing" encompasses all these meanings. Shi Sengzhao says: "If you wish to say it exists, existence does not arise of itself; if you wish to say it is non-existent, when conditions converge it takes shape. That which converges and takes shape cannot be called non-existent; that which is not non-existent cannot be called existent."

2.4.2

Therefore, it says: '[His] exposition of Dharma is neither existent nor non-existent.' Master Zhao also said: 'Moreover, because of existence there is non-existence; if there is no existence, what is there to be non-existent? Because of non-existence there is existence; if there is no non-existence, what is there to be existent? Thus, self-existence is not existence, and self-non-existence is not non-existence; this is the correct teaching of the Dharma King.' Examining Zhao's intention: the former explains the neither-existence-nor-non-existence in terms of the two truths, while the latter single [line] universally obliterates both the ultimate and the conventional [truths]. Jizang states that if we interpret this passage in terms of refuting errors: the Sāṃkhya adheres to the effect definitively existing within the cause; the Vaiśeṣika adheres to the effect not existing within the cause; the *Abhidharma* clarifies that the three times are truly existent; the *Tattvasiddhi-śāstra* discerns that the three times are truly non-existent. Such internal and external [teachings] are both not the correct teaching. What the Tathāgata expounds is free from this existence and non-existence; therefore it says: '[His] exposition of Dharma is neither existent nor non-existent; through causes and conditions all phenomena arise.' Being already free from definitive existence and non-existence, it is precisely arising through causes and conditions. Free from definitive existence and non-existence is called refuting the heterodox; arising through causes and conditions is called revealing the correct. The wording is concise and the meaning complete. 'There is no self, no agent, and no experiencer, yet wholesome and unwholesome karma are also not destroyed.' The preceding [line] explained neither-existence-nor-non-existence solely in terms of phenomena; this [line] jointly discerns neither-existence-nor-non-existence in terms of persons and phenomena. Because there is no self or person, it is therefore not existent; yet because causes and effects are not lost, it is therefore not non-existent. Question: If there is no real self or person, there are also no causes and effects of a fixed nature. Since there are causes and effects of causes and conditions, there are also nominally designated selves and persons. If they exist, both exist; if they are non-existent, both are non-existent. Why now is there no person, yet there are phenomena? Answer: It is indeed as you ask. However, now, to refute annihilationism and eternalism and reveal the Middle Way, [the text] therefore explains that there is no person yet there are phenomena. Why is this? Because there is no person, it refutes their definitive permanence; because there are phenomena, it is not annihilation. Therefore, being far removed from the two extremes, it is called the Middle Way. Question: Self, agent, and experiencer—how do these three differ? Answer: The self is the master of true control; this is the essence. Being able to create the causes of good and evil, and experiencing the retributions of misfortune and fortune—these two are the functions. Therefore they differ. 'First, at the tree of awakening, by [spiritual] power he subdued Māra.' This is the second: praising [him] in terms of the ocean of Dharma. From above up to this point, it praised the Buddha expounding the great Dharma in the Āmrapālī Grove. From here downward, it retrospectively recounts his past teaching of the Hīnayāna. If spoken in proper sequence, it should first recount the small and afterward describe the great; but based on praising what was immediately present, it first treats the great and next the small. Question: Why praise the small? Answer: It intends to show that the gate of the Way has never been large or small; because the Tathāgata adapts to the conditions of the small and the large, there are expedients of the small and the large. Second, this text is not necessarily about the small; rather, because Ratnākara praises comprehensively from beginning to end, this chapter therefore appears. What is restrained by the power of the Way cannot be rivaled by the armies of Māra; therefore it says, 'First, at the tree of awakening, by [spiritual] power he subdued Māra.' 'Attaining the nectar of cessation, the Way of awakening was accomplished.' The preceding clarified subduing Māra; this discerns attaining Buddhahood. The dharma of quiescent cessation is compared to nectar (amṛta); because he attained this dharma, the Way of great awakening was accomplished. 'He is already without mind or thought, without sensation or volition, yet utterly subdues all non-Buddhists.' Jizang once saw the commentary of Sengrui, which recounted Master [Kumāra]jīva's view, saying: 'This line should be before subduing Māra. When he first went forth from household life, he received teachings from non-Buddhists and practiced various austerities. At that time, he had no mind seeking the Way, nor intention of receiving teachings; wishing to demonstrate that difficult practices could subdue all non-Buddhists, it therefore says, "being without mind or thought, without sensation or volition." Afterward, he subdued the hosts of Māra, accomplished right awakening, turned the wheel of Dharma, and manifested the Three Jewels; this is the proper sequence. That it is listed afterward is merely because after he accomplished Buddhahood, once his right awakening was manifested, then his previous austerities were shown and the meaning of subduing the heterodox became clear.' Someone said: Being without mind means having no aggregate of consciousness. Being without sensation or volition means having no minds of sensation, conception, or volition. Subduing by being without mind, there is therefore nothing he does not subdue. 'He turned the wheel of Dharma thrice in the great trichiliocosm.' Turning it thrice means: First, the demonstration turn, namely: 'This is suffering; this is origination; this is cessation; this is the path.' Second, the exhortation turn: 'Suffering should be known; origination should be abandoned; cessation should be realized; the path should be cultivated.' Third, the verification turn: 'Suffering I have already known, and do not need to know again; origination I have already abandoned, and do not need to abandon again; cessation I have already realized, and do not need to realize again; the path I have already cultivated, and do not need to cultivate again.' One turning gives rise to the four minds of eye, knowledge, clarity, and awakening; three turnings give rise to twelve minds, called the Dharma wheel of twelve aspects. According to the Abhidharma doctrine, this corresponds to persons of three faculties, hence there are twelve aspects. According to the *Tattvasiddhi* masters: the first turn gives rise to wisdom from hearing; the next turn gives rise to wisdom from reflection; the third turn gives rise to wisdom from cultivation. 'That wheel is originally ever-pure.' Although turned thrice at the beginning in the Deer Park, in reality nothing was turned; therefore it says 'ever-pure.' Master [Seng]rui said: 'The Dharma wheel is untainted and signless; its essence neither increases nor decreases. When there is a Buddha, it turns; when there is no Buddha, it falls into disuse. Its application or abandonment rests with humans, yet its nature and signs are not different.' 'Gods and humans attaining the Way are the witness of this.' 'Gods' refers to the Yama devaputra and the eighty thousand devas. 'Humans' refers to the five persons including Kauṇḍinya, who, upon hearing the turning of the wheel of Dharma, realized the initial path. Jizang relies on the *Vibhāṣā*: among the five persons, only Kauṇḍinya alone realized the initial path; the remaining four persons at that time abided in the four wholesome roots, and only reached the Way at the beginning of summer, whereupon the Three Jewels appeared in the world. Awakening having been accomplished is the Buddha jewel. The wheel of Dharma having been turned is the Dharma jewel. The five persons going forth and attaining the Way is the Saṅgha jewel. Thereupon speaks of its beginning. 'With this sublime Dharma he rescues all living beings; once received, they do not regress, ever tranquil.' The preceding discerned gods and humans becoming noble ones; this line differentiates them from non-Buddhists. Among the ninety-six varieties [of non-Buddhists], the highest in their path can also sever fetters and be born in the formless heavens; but their path is not true, and in the end they must fall back into the three paths [of suffering]. The Buddha, by means of the sublime Dharma of the Four Truths, rescues living beings of the three vehicles; none who have received it ever fall back into saṃsāra, hence it says 'once received, they do not regress.' Eternally perfected in the unconditioned, they are ever tranquil. 'The Great King of Physicians who delivers from old age, sickness, and death.' The abyss of old age, sickness, and death is deep and vast, difficult to cross; only the Buddha can cause both others and oneself to cross over, hence he is called the Great King of Physicians. 'One should pay homage to the ocean of Dharma, whose virtue is boundless.' The wheel of Dharma is deep and vast, compared to an ocean; its moistening flow has no boundary, which is called boundless virtue. Having completed this single praise, he therefore again speaks of homage. 'Unshaken by blame or praise, like Sumeru.' This is the third: the praise of the king of mountains. Since he dwells in the world expounding the Dharma, there must be the eight winds; therefore, drawing upon the preceding text, this praise arises.

2.4.3

Gain, loss, defamation, fame, praise, blame, suffering, and pleasure: the winds of these eight conditions do not move the Buddha, just as the four winds blowing against Mount Sumeru cannot shake or topple it. Gain and loss pertain to wealth: prosperity and increase is gain; deprivation and loss is loss. Defamation, fame, praise, and blame—these four pertain to speech: slander is defamation; excessive praise is fame; speaking well of what is genuinely good is praise; speaking ill of what is genuinely bad is blame. Suffering and pleasure pertain to the body: what harms the body and life is suffering; what benefits the body and life is pleasure. Furthermore, gain and the other three can generate greed, while loss and the other three can generate anger. Where there are greed and anger, there must be the underlying afflictions of delusion. Because the Buddha has already severed the three poisons, the eight winds do not sway him. "Regarding the good and the not good, treating them equally with compassion." When his hand is severed, he feels no grief; when his feet are held up [in reverence], he feels no joy. Good and evil come from others; his compassionate protection is non-dual. "Mental activity is impartial, like space." This is the fourth praise, praise of space. That he is unmoved by good and evil is because his mental activity is like space; this explains the preceding meaning. Where there is a mind, there are boundaries; where there are boundaries, it is not universal. Because the sage's mind is no mind, it is as impartial as space. "Who, hearing of the treasure of humanity, would not revere and uphold him?" This is the fifth praise, praise as the treasure of humanity. Because his mental activity is like space, he transcends humanity, and is therefore the treasure of humanity. Among devas he is the deva-treasure; among humans he is the human-treasure. Being a treasure to devas and humans—how could devas and humans achieve this? Therefore, none among beings fail to revere him. "Now I present to the World-Honoured One this humble canopy; / in it are shown to me the three-thousandfold world, / the palaces inhabited by the devas, nāgas, and spirits, / the gandharvas and so forth, along with the yakṣas, / and all that exists in the world is seen completely. / With the ten powers, you compassionately manifest these transformations. / The assembly observes this rarity and all praise the Buddha; / now I bow my head to the Honoured One of the Three Realms." This fourth part re-praises the trace-functions. In the text there are two parts: first, praising his profound grace which is difficult to repay; next, extolling the three mysteries which are hard to conceive. Preceding this are four lines: first, stating that what was offered was extremely humble; next, explaining that what was manifested was exceedingly vast; third, clarifying that it was manifested out of loving compassion; fourth, praising and bowing the head. "The Great Sage, the King of the Dharma, is the refuge of all; / contemplating the Buddha with a pure mind, none are not joyful. / Each sees the World-Honoured One right in front of them— / this is the divine power of the exclusive qualities." This is the second part, praising the three mysteries as hard to conceive. First, praising the physical mystery; next, praising the verbal mystery. According to the Dazhidulun, the physical mystery has two aspects: First, he merely manifests a single body, yet the assembly far and near each see the Buddha face-to-face before them, like the single moon rising in the sky and casting reflections upon a hundred waters. Second, the Tathāgata, in accordance [with beings], manifests a single body that enables the myriad kinds each to see their own Buddha, just as devas see the Buddha as a deva, and humans see the Buddha as a human. "The Buddha expounds the Dharma with a single voice, / and sentient beings, each according to their kind, attain understanding; / each thinks that the World-Honoured One speaks their own language— / this is the divine power of the exclusive qualities." This praises the verbal mystery. In the text there are three parts: first, explaining that as he utters a single sound, the myriad kinds have different understandings; next, explaining that though he merely preaches a single Dharma, it is universally practiced according to its meanings; last, explaining that though the matter spoken of is identical, both joy and sorrow are generated. Question: What is meant by "a single voice"? Answer: Some say that "one" is the dharmakāya; because the dharmakāya is non-dual, it is called one, and the voice produced from the single dharmakāya is called "a single voice." Some say that within a single moment he simultaneously produces all voices without them being aware of one another, and so it is called "a single voice." Some say that among the five tones he utters a single tone as he pleases, and the myriad kinds each understand it. The Vibhāṣā says: "The Buddha's body was an Indian body, and his voice was an Indian voice; therefore, when he first turned the wheel of the Dharma, relying on the Indian language he spoke the Four Truths; humans heard it as human speech, devas heard it as deva speech, and different kinds of beings did likewise." We now adopt this explanation. As for being called "exclusive [qualities]": the two vehicles can only use a single voice as one and multiple voices as many, and cannot, upon uttering a single word, have the myriad kinds understand it together; hence it is called "exclusive." "The Buddha expounds the Dharma with a single voice, / and sentient beings each according to their understanding / are universally able to accept and practice it, obtaining its benefit— / this is the divine power of the exclusive qualities." This clarifies that he merely preaches a single Dharma, yet according to its meaning it is universally practiced: those who love giving hear of giving, those who love morality hear of morality, and each receives benefit. "The Buddha expounds the Dharma with a single voice: / some are terrified, some are joyful, / some give rise to revulsion, and some sever doubt— / this is the divine power of the exclusive qualities." This clarifies that the matter spoken of is identical, yet both joy and sorrow are generated. Sengrui says: "As when speaking of the single Dharma of suffering, four kinds of minds are generated: some, hearing of suffering, give rise to dread; some, hearing of suffering, recognize suffering as suffering and give rise to joy; some, hearing of suffering, develop revulsion towards saṃsāra; some, hearing of suffering, know that it is truly suffering and cut off the web of doubts in their minds." Some say: hearing different dharmas generates four kinds of minds: hearing of the suffering of the three evil destinies, one is terrified; hearing of the wondrous pleasure of humans and devas, one is joyful; hearing of impurity, one feels revulsion; hearing of cause and effect, one severs doubt. "I bow my head to the Great Diligence of the Ten Powers; / I bow my head to the One who has already attained Fearlessness; / I bow my head to the One dwelling in the exclusive qualities; / I bow my head to the Great Guide of all." This is the fifth, general praise. In relation to the previous body and speech, this is the mental mystery. In the text there are two parts: first, praising in terms of attainment and abandonment; next, praising in terms of emptiness and existence. This is praising in terms of what has been attained. In praising what has been attained, there are two lines: first, praising his own virtues; from "Great Guide" downward, praising his transformation of others. Originally leading beings out of the three realms is called a lesser guide. Leading beings to completely transcend the inside and outside of the three realms and reach the Buddha Way is a great guide. "I bow my head to the One who can sever all fetters; / I bow my head to the One who has already reached the other shore; / I bow my head to the One who can deliver all the worlds; / I bow my head to the One who has eternally departed from the path of saṃsāra." This praises what has been abandoned. Within praising what has been abandoned there are also two parts: first, praising his own abandonment, being able to deliver all the worlds; second, praising his ability to lead others to abandon it. In others' abandonment, they leave the afflictions of retribution. In his own abandonment, he completely leaves both cause and retribution. "He fully knows the aspects of the coming and going of sentient beings." This praises in terms of characteristics and the gates of emptiness and existence. First, based on the gate of existence: sentient beings' karmic actions wander back and forth across the six destinies, and their minds race between right and wrong; he fully knows this. "Skillfully attaining liberation among all dharmas." I am tainted by dharmas, and therefore dharmas bind me; if my mind is untainted, the ten thousand fetters are thereby untied. Because sentient beings come and go, there is bondage. Awakening to the fact that the substance of coming ultimately has nowhere from which it comes, one thereby attains liberation. As in the "Examination of Bondage and Liberation" in the Madhyamaka-śāstra: under the gate of permanence and impermanence, coming and going cannot be found; under the gate of the fivefold search, sentient beings cannot be found. Therefore, there is nowhere to come and go. With permanence and impermanence, coming and going cannot be found, and therefore there is no more coming and going, which is the liberation from bondage.

2.4.4

From "Unattached to the world like a lotus flower" onward, this is the second part, praising in terms of the gate of emptiness. "Always skillfully entering into the practice of emptiness and tranquility" explains being unattached to the world. Because he skillfully enters emptiness and tranquility and thus casts off that mind, he is unattached to the world. Furthermore, although he is in the world, he constantly enters emptiness and tranquility, and therefore is not attached to the world. As for saying "skillfully entering": people of wrong views also enter emptiness, claiming there is no cause and effect. The two vehicles enter emptiness and immediately grasp realization. Furthermore, bodhisattvas enter emptiness with effortful minds. These three types are not skillful entries. Opposed to these, this is the meaning of skillfully entering emptiness. Emerging and entering at will without violating tranquility—hence it says "always skillfully." "Thoroughly comprehending the characteristics of all dharmas without hindrance": although there is existence, it is constantly empty; although it is empty, it is constantly existing; therefore there is no hindrance. "I bow my head to the One who, like space, has nothing to rely upon": mind and objects have no lodgment, just as space has nothing to rely upon. This praises in terms of the gate of emptiness.

Linked texts (1)

維摩經義疏 — Classical Chinese