說無垢稱經疏 5.470

5.470

贊曰：答也。十二年者，或十二因緣，寄言十二年。自居生死，求實女身都不得故。或言菩薩十二住中寄言十二年，發心已來，求實女人了不可得。或親侍淨名，入此室中十二年矣，不須寄說。不但化為女相，求實女人性亦不可得。既無女人，當何所轉？

Commentary: The answer. 'Twelve years' either refers to the twelve links of dependent origination (pratītyasamutpāda), using 'twelve years' as a figure of speech: residing oneself in saṃsāra, seeking a real female body, it is completely unobtainable. Or it refers to the twelve abodes of a bodhisattva, using 'twelve years' as a figure of speech: since generating the aspiration, seeking a real woman has been utterly unobtainable. Or, personally serving Vimalakīrti, she had entered this room twelve years ago, requiring no figurative explanation. Not only is it an illusory female form, but seeking a real female nature is also unobtainable. Since there is no woman, what is there to transform?