說無垢稱經疏 3.417

3.417

贊曰：此第三重，說俗體由虛妄所見。此有三喻：如夢所見，思想起故。如陽焰者，渴愛生故，執為實水。如健達縛城者，此云尋香城，西方散樂名曰尋香，不作生業唯尋食香，而便作樂伺彼乞求。此幻化城，樓櫓可愛，名尋香城。海中水氣，日光所臨，遙見雉堞，亦似幻城。水激為聲，微同作樂，似彼尋香城，故亦名尋香城。誑惑起故，今以為喻。

The Commentary says: This is the third level, explaining that the substance of the conventional is perceived through falsehood. Here there are three similes: seen as in a dream, because it arises from thoughts; like a mirage, because thirst and craving arise and grasp it to be real water; like a city of the Gandharvas—which is translated here as ‘scent-seeker city’—in the western regions itinerant musicians are called ‘scent-seekers’, who do not engage in productive livelihoods but merely seek out the scent of food, playing music and awaiting alms. This illusory city with lovely watchtowers is called a city of the Gandharvas. The vapor of seawater, when shone upon by sunlight, appears in the distance like ramparts and battlements, also resembling an illusory city; and the surging water makes sounds faintly resembling music, like that city of the Gandharvas, so it is also called a city of the Gandharvas. Because it arises from delusion, it is taken here as a simile.