維摩經義疏 4.4

4.4

"The Buddha told the youth Prabhāvyūha: 'Go to Vimalakīrti to inquire after his illness.'" Prabhāvyūha and Maitreya differ in that Maitreya has left home, while Prabhāvyūha remains a layperson; therefore he was commanded next. Furthermore, Maitreya engaged in profound practice, while Prabhāvyūha is at the initial resolve. Moreover, this was on account of [Maitreya's] receiving the prophecy, and [Prabhāvyūha's] sitting at the seat of awakening (bodhimaṇḍa). Above, [Vimalakīrti] rebuked receiving the prophecy; now, he repudiates the seat of awakening. In the text there are two parts: first, the command; second, the declining. This is the first section.
"The youth Prabhāvyūha addressed the Buddha, saying: 'World-Honoured One! I am not fit to go to that person to inquire after his illness.'" This is the second [part], declining due to being unfit. In the text there are three parts, namely the presentation, the explanation, and the conclusion. This is the first, the presentation.
"'Why is this? I recall in the past when I was leaving the great city of Vaiśālī.'" This is the second, the explanation. In the text there are seven phrases: this first clarifies Prabhāvyūha's departure from the city. This has two meanings: first, wishing to benefit beings, he made an occasion of leaving the city; second, Prabhāvyūha wished to go to the place of the Buddha's seat of awakening.
"'At that time, Vimalakīrti was just entering the city, and I bowed in homage to him.'" The city gate is a place where people gather, so his transforming work can be largely illuminated. Bowing in homage means that, appearing as fellow countrymen, they manifested the etiquette between senior and junior. Furthermore, due to the depth or shallowness of their practice, there was the respect shown between the superior and inferior.
"'I then asked, saying: "From where has the upāsaka come?" He answered me, saying: "I have come from the seat of awakening." I asked: "What is this seat of awakening?" He replied, saying: "A straightforward mind is the seat of awakening, because it is free of falsehood." '"
What is called the "Way" (bodhi) refers to unexcelled, correct, and complete knowledge, the fruition Way of the Buddha. What is called the "seat" (maṇḍa) generally has two meanings: first, it points directly to the myriad virtues of the Buddha's fruition as the seat; thus, the text of this sūtra takes the myriad virtues of the Buddha-ground as the seat. Second, having taken the fruition as the Way, it takes the causes as the seat. Because the causes can evoke the fruition, just as the place where the Way arises is called the "seat of awakening", so the causes of the myriad wholesome deeds are that through which comprehensive enlightenment is reached, the root of bodhi, the ground for cultivating the mind, and the pure field for propagating the Way. But causes are of two kinds: first, the myriad practices of the six perfections; second, the objects such as the four truths. All of these can give rise to the Way, and thus are called the "seat of awakening". These objects and practices are the true seat of awakening. The place beneath the Bodhi tree where the Way arose is called the seat of awakening, meaning the responsive trace's seat of awakening. Furthermore, because traces are manifested from the origin, that which can produce the traces—the origin—is the seat of awakening.
A "straightforward mind" means that the inner mind is genuine and straight, and the exterior is free from falsehood; this is indeed the basis of the myriad practices and the level field for advancing in the Way.
"'Generating practice is the seat of awakening, because it can accomplish matters. The profound mind is the seat of awakening, because it increases merit.'" When the mind is genuine and straight, it can then generate cultivation, and once cultivation is generated, there are no matters that are not accomplished. Once one can generate practice, the established resolve becomes ever deeper, and as the established resolve becomes ever deeper, merit increasingly multiplies.
"'The bodhimind is the seat of awakening, because it is free of error.'" As the straightforward mind enters into practice and deepens, it transforms into the bodhimind. Because this mind is upright and true, what it sees is free from error. In general, those who propagate the Way must begin with these four minds; once the four minds have arisen, the myriad practices of the six perfections will without exception be accomplished.
"'Generosity is the seat of awakening, because it does not hope for repayment. Observing the precepts is the seat of awakening, because one's vows are fulfilled. Forbearance is the seat of awakening, because toward all sentient beings the mind is unobstructed. Vigour is the seat of awakening, because one does not slacken or retreat. Meditation is the seat of awakening, because the mind is harmonised and supple. Wisdom is the seat of awakening, because it directly perceives all phenomena.'" These six perfections of non-attainment can all produce the Way, and are therefore called the "seat of awakening".
"'Loving-kindness is the seat of awakening, because it treats sentient beings equally. Compassion is the seat of awakening, because it tolerates fatigue and suffering. Sympathetic joy is the seat of awakening, because it delights in the Dharma. Equanimity is the seat of awakening, because hatred and affection are severed.'" The previous section clarified the six perfections of non-attainment; this explains the four immeasurables devoid of conditions. A mind of loving-kindness wishes to give joy to sentient beings. Although loving-kindness through imaginative contemplation gives joy to sentient beings, encumbrance arises from loving-kindness. Seeing them endure suffering, one's mind feels sorrowful and pained, and thus enters the mind of compassion; observing them attain joy, joy arises in one's mind, so it is called sympathetic joy. Benevolent kindness gives rise to love, love gives rise to attachment, and attachment gives rise to encumbrance; compassion gives rise to grief, grief gives rise to affliction, and affliction gives rise to hatred. Although loving-kindness and compassion are wholesome, encumbering thoughts arise from them; therefore, relinquishing both in single equality is called the practice of equanimity.
"'Supernormal powers are the seat of awakening, because they accomplish the six supernormal faculties. Liberation is the seat of awakening, because it can turn away and relinquish. Upāya is the seat of awakening, because it teaches and transforms sentient beings. The four means of embrace are the seat of awakening, because they embrace sentient beings.'"
Master Kumārajīva said: "First is generosity. Giving is of two kinds: giving material goods to inferior people, and giving the Dharma to superior people. Second is endearing speech. Endearing speech is also of two kinds: toward inferior people, using warm speech to please them; toward superior people, using Dharma speech to comfort and instruct them; in both cases, speaking endearing words with a loving mind. Third is beneficial action. Beneficial action is also of two kinds: for inferior people, employing upāya to cause them to obtain worldly benefits; for superior people, employing upāya to cause them to obtain the benefit of the Dharma. Fourth is shared purpose. Shared purpose is also of two kinds: joining with unwholesome people, one trains them with wholesome dharmas; joining with wholesome people, one causes them to increase their wholesome roots. Entering according to each category, one's actions are identical with theirs; hence it is called shared purpose."
"'Extensive learning is the seat of awakening, because one practices as heard.'" If one hears but cannot practice, then one is hearing in the same manner as birds and beasts.
"'Subduing the mind is the seat of awakening, because it correctly contemplates all phenomena.'" As for the nature of the mind, if it is rigid and hard, it contemplates heterodoxy; if it is tamed and subdued, it contemplates what is correct.
"'The thirty-seven factors [of awakening] are the seat of awakening, because they relinquish conditioned phenomena.'" The thirty-seven factors lead toward nirvāṇa, and are the causes of the unconditioned.
"'Truth is the seat of awakening, because it does not deceive the world.'" In the Small Vehicle they speak of the four truths; in the Great Vehicle they speak of the single truth. What is here called "truth" is the single truth, the single truth of the real mark. Conventional phenomena are empty and false: asserting that they exist, they are then non-existent; asserting that they are non-existent, they are then existent; this is deceiving people. Seeing the other truths and asserting that they will certainly eliminate one's delusions, yet still failing to escape false thinking—this also is deception. Now, the single truth is free from all these faults, and therefore does not deceive people. From the single truth up to the selflessness of all phenomena is the real mark of all phenomena, which are just different phrases and flavours within the single truth. Because of this single truth, the Buddha-Way can be accomplished; the single truth is indeed the cause of the Buddha, and is therefore called the "seat of awakening".
"'Dependent origination is the seat of awakening, because from ignorance up to aging-and-death, all are inexhaustible.'" The twelve links of dependent origination arise mutually from causes and conditions without exhaustible limit. When one awakens to their source, the mind of wisdom becomes naturally luminous; once the mind of wisdom is luminous, the mind of the Way is naturally perfected. Thus, the perfection of the Way takes dependent origination as its ground, and is therefore taken as the seat of awakening.
"'All afflictions are the seat of awakening, because they are known as they truly are. Sentient beings are the seat of awakening, because they are known to be non-self. All phenomena are the seat of awakening, because all phenomena are known to be empty.'" The true nature of afflictions, the selflessness of sentient beings, and the empty meaning of all phenomena are all that from which the Way is produced.
"'Subduing Māra is the seat of awakening, because one is not shaken. The three realms are the seat of awakening, because there is nowhere one goes. The lion's roar is the seat of awakening, because it is free of fear. The powers, fearlessnesses, and unshared dharmas are the seat of awakening, because they are free of all faults. The three clarities are the seat of awakening, because there is no remaining obstruction.'" Subduing the armies of Māra without being moved by them, roaming the three realms without following their destinies, expounding the fearless Dharma-sound without difficulty, the thirty-two marks of the Buddha without a single defect, and penetrating the three clarities without obstruction—these are all that from which the Great Way is produced.
"'Knowing all phenomena in a single thought-moment is the seat of awakening, because it accomplishes all-knowledge.'" The Dharma of the two vehicles accomplishes the Way through thirty-four mind-moments; in the Great Vehicle, it is solely through a single thought-moment that one firmly experiences the great awakening and is endowed with all-knowledge. For whenever there is a mind, there are bounds; where there are bounds, there are borders. Once bounds and borders take shape, one's wisdom has limits; when one's wisdom has limits, that which it illuminates is not universal. The ultimate person has no mind; having no mind, there are no bounds; having no bounds, there are no borders. Once bounds and borders take no shape, one's wisdom has no limits; when one's wisdom has no limits, that which it illuminates is boundless. Therefore, through a single thought-moment, one can completely know all phenomena at once. Although all-knowledge is designated on the basis of practice, it is merely one among the myriad practices. That which unites what the myriad practices accomplish—is it not solely the unexcelled Way! Therefore, all the dharmas listed above are seats.
"'In this way, good man, if a bodhisattva can accord with the various perfections to teach and transform sentient beings, then in all that they do, raising a foot or lowering a foot, you should know that they all come from the seat of awakening and abide in the Buddhadharma.'" If one can accord with the above perfections to transform the world, then when that person moves, they roam the seat of awakening; when they stay, they abide in the Buddhadharma.
"'When this Dharma was expounded, five hundred devas and humans all resolved their minds upon anuttarā [samyaksaṃbodhi].'" This is the seventh, the audience at that time obtaining benefit.
"'Therefore, I am not fit to go to that person to inquire after his illness.'" This is the third, the conclusion.