說無垢稱經疏 4.462

4.462

贊曰：下明談儀。有五：一總彰問疾別問疾源、二問空室及無侍者、三問疾相、四問慰喻、五問病者調伏心儀。此中意彰菩薩之病與異生別。既爾，寧成人法二空？法人既空，應無病相。病既無相，云何來慰相可知？病者如何自調心意？故是次第合為五文。初中有二：初問、後答。問中有二：初總彰問疾、後別問疾源。總彰問疾有三：初為五問、二傳佛教、三為兩問顯慰丁寧。此初文也。五問者，一問苦多少；二問命有無；三問界乖順，界即四大；四問疾輕重；五問病停加。為停停修。舊為加增益因。

Commentary: Below explains the protocol of conversation. There are five parts: 1. generally inquiring after the illness and separately inquiring after the origin of the illness; 2. inquiring about the empty room and the lack of attendants; 3. inquiring about the characteristics of the illness; 4. inquiring about consolation; 5. inquiring about the protocol for the sick person's mental self-regulation. The intention here is to manifest that a bodhisattva's illness is distinct from that of ordinary worldlings (pṛthagjana). If so, how can the two emptinesses of person and phenomena be established? Since the person and phenomena are both empty, there should be no characteristics of illness. Since the illness has no characteristics, how can one come to console it so that characteristics may be known? How does the sick person regulate their own mind? Hence, in this sequence, there are altogether five sections of text. In the first part, there are two: first the inquiry, then the response. Within the inquiry, there are two: first, generally inquiring after the illness; second, separately inquiring after the origin of the illness. In generally inquiring after the illness, there are three: first, posing five questions; second, conveying the Buddha's teaching; third, posing two questions to express attentive consolation. This is the first passage. As for the five questions: 1. inquiring whether suffering is much or little; 2. inquiring whether life persists; 3. inquiring whether the elements are discordant or harmonious—the elements being the four mahābhūtas; 4. inquiring whether the illness is light or severe; 5. inquiring whether the illness is static or increasing. Static means paused and abating. The older translation rendered 'increasing' as increasing causes.