維摩經義疏 4.10.5

4.10.5

From here below is the second [section], discerning the emptiness of dharmas. Previously, dharmas were borrowed to eliminate the self; these dharmas serve as medicine for the self, but serve as sickness for emptiness, and are therefore eliminated—it is not that there are truly existing dharmas which are eliminated. Dharmas exist because of inversion; therefore they must be abandoned. "'What is abandonment? It is abandoning self and what belongs to self.'" The self constitutes what is internal; all dharmas other than it are what belongs to the self. 'What belongs to self' is dharmas that correspond to the self; since the self already does not exist, how could what belongs to it stand independently? "'What is abandoning self and what belongs to self? It means abandoning the two dharmas—that is, not conceiving internal or external dharmas, and practicing impartiality.'" What is internal is the self; what is external is all dharmas—these correspond to each other as two. Not conceiving them and practicing impartiality is therefore called abandonment. "'What is impartiality? It means the impartiality of self and the impartiality of nirvāṇa.'" The self is the person at the utmost bottom; nirvāṇa is the dharma at the supreme top. Bringing the supreme top and the utmost bottom together into a single contemplation is therefore called impartiality. "'Why is this? Both the self and nirvāṇa are empty. In what way are they empty? They are empty merely by virtue of nominal designation. Such two dharmas have no determinate nature.'" It is because of turning away from nirvāṇa that it is called the self, and because of relinquishing the self that it is called nirvāṇa; when the two dharmas are mutually contingent, names arise, and since they are mutually contingent and merely nominal, they have no determinate [nature], and are therefore empty. "'Having attained this impartiality, one has no remaining sickness except the sickness of emptiness; the sickness of emptiness is also empty.'" This third [point] clarifies that the sickness of emptiness is also empty. From above up to this point, existence has been refuted to clarify emptiness; since existence is not established, emptiness also has no basis—meaning that neither emptiness nor existence only then is called right contemplation. "'This sick bodhisattva, by virtue of having nothing that is experienced, experiences all experiences, yet without having completed the Buddha-dharmas, does not extinguish experience to attain realization.'" From here below is the second [major part], clarifying taming [the mind] to transform others. In the text there are also three parts: first, clarifying taking birth for the sake of beings; second, clarifying enduring suffering for the sake of beings; third, eliminating beings' sicknesses. 'Having nothing that is experienced' means that the sickness of emptiness is also empty, so the mind does not accept or cling to emptiness or existence. 'Experiences all experiences' means that although the mind has nothing that is experienced, for the sake of beings it takes birth and experiences the suffering and pleasure therein. Because it takes birth for the sake of beings, it fully practices all practices, which are called Buddha-dharmas. If it has not yet completed all practices, it also does not extinguish the three kinds of experience to attain the nirvāṇa of the two vehicles. "'If the body experiences suffering, one should be mindful of sentient beings in the evil destinies and give rise to great compassion: "Since I have already tamed [myself], I should also tame all sentient beings."'" This is the second [part], clarifying enduring suffering for the sake of beings. Even for my body of merit and wisdom, suffering and pain are like this; how much more so for sentient beings in the evil destinies who undergo immeasurable suffering? Therefore, compassion arises. Since I have already tamed myself through the three kinds of emptiness, I should also tame everyone. "'One only eliminates their sickness, but does not eliminate dharmas.'" This is because one is about to trace the source of beings' sickness. Earlier, the meaning of eradication was explained: the bodhisattva personally eradicates the three sicknesses of self, emptiness, and so on. Now, as for having to eradicate the three sicknesses of sentient beings, there are truly no three dharmas to be eliminated; one only eliminates the sickness of falsely conceiving emptiness. Just as due to eye disease one sees flowers in the sky, one only cures the eye disease and there is no real dharma of sky-flowers to be eliminated; hence it says 'does not eliminate dharmas.' According to another explanation: not eliminating means only shattering the sickness of sentient beings' clinging to inherent existence and the like, not eliminating the dharmas of conditioned arising and conventional designations. Thus the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] says: 'One only severs grasping and clinging, but does not sever the view of self. The view of self is the Buddha-nature.' Each of these two has its rationale, and it is not that there cannot be both explanations. "'One instructs them in order to sever the root of sickness.'" This is the third [part], directly clarifying severing sickness for the sake of beings. Above, the two headings of the root of sickness and instruction were set forth, and next the two headings are explained. This is the initial setting forth. "'What is the root of sickness? It is having conceptual grasping. Arising from conceptual grasping, it becomes the root of sickness. What is conceptually grasped? It refers to the three realms.'" This explains the heading of the root of sickness. Above, it spoke of the bodhisattva personally investigating the root of sickness and pacifying the mind through principle, thus being able to abide in sickness without sorrow. Now it clarifies that in order to sever sentient beings' sickness, one investigates the source of their sickness and then responds according to what is appropriate. When the subtle awareness stirs, the mind attaches to something; the mind attaching to something is called conceptual grasping, and conceptual grasping by seizing characteristics is the beginning of deluded thoughts and the root of sickness. Once deluded thoughts conceptually grasp, beauty and ugliness are distinguished; once beauty and ugliness are distinguished, hatred and love both flare up, and consequently the manifold fetters trouble within, and the myriad sicknesses arise without. The grasping mind is deluded thoughts, and the grasped objective realm does not go beyond the three realms. The reason is that outside the three realms is untainted and unconditioned, whereas the mind of deluded thoughts is possessed of attainment, and is therefore conditioned and tainted, and thus belongs to the three realms. "'How does one sever conceptual grasping? By having no attainment. If there is no attainment, then there is no conceptual grasping. What is called having no attainment? It means abandoning the two views. What are the two views? They refer to internal views and external views; this is having no attainment.'" This explains the heading of instructing the severance of the root of sickness. Since the root of sickness is having attainment, severing sickness is having no attainment. 'Having no attainment' means the mind does not grasp any dharmas. If the mind grasps any dharmas, the mind generates attachments; when the mind generates attachments, the mind is bound and cannot be freed from birth, old age, sickness, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, and distress. If the mind has no attainment, the mind is not bound, and thus attains freedom from birth, old age, and sickness. What is called 'having no attainment' is precisely not grasping internal or external views, which is called 'having no attainment'; it is not that there is a separate entity called 'no attainment'. Therefore it says, 'internal views and external views; this is having no attainment.' 'Internal and external' means having deluded thoughts internally and having various dharmas externally; this is called internal and external. "'Mañjuśrī! This is the sick bodhisattva taming his mind in order to sever the suffering of old age, sickness, and death. This is the bodhisattva's bodhi. If it is not like this, that which he cultivates and cures is without benefit.'" The third combines and clarifies taming oneself and transforming others, containing the doctrine, the metaphor, and the application. By being able to sever the root of sickness in oneself and others as described above, this is precisely taming the mind of oneself and others. Once the root of sickness is severed, old age, sickness, and death are eliminated. Because it simultaneously severs them for both oneself and others, it is the bodhisattva's bodhi, which differs from that of the two vehicles. The reason it refers generally to bodhi is that bodhi takes real benefit as the Way; if one simultaneously severs them for both oneself and others, one attains quiescent contemplation, and is therefore able to provide real benefit. If it is not so, there is no advantage to oneself and no benefit to beings. "'Just as overcoming an enemy is considered valorous.'" This is the metaphorical explanation. Old age, sickness, death, and the like are the enemies of the bodhisattva and also the enemies of sentient beings. Furthermore, the enemies of sentient beings are the enemies of the bodhisattva, because the bodhisattva views beings like children, and the enemy of a child is the enemy of the father;