說無垢稱經疏 3.307

3.307

Commentary: Below, [the text] causes them to advance and benefit. There are three parts: first, causing them to recollect past affairs; second, teaching them to arouse the great mind; third, causing them to attain an exalted stage. Within the first, there are again two: first, an overall explanation of recollection; second, a specific explanation of recollection. This is the first text. As for samādhi, here it is called 'equipoise' (samāhita/samādhi), which is meditative stabilization (dhyāna/samādhi). Through meditative stabilization, it reveals the supernatural power of the cognitive strength of past abodes, causing all the bhikṣus to recollect as they abide in the aeon of abiding. There is also an explanation that says: although past lifetimes encompass the four aeons of formation, destruction, voidness, and abiding, the void aeon has no events, and formation and destruction are merely the beginning and end of abiding; only in the aeon of abiding are good and evil events apparent, so it is mentioned exclusively and termed merely 'past abodes' in order to subsume formation and destruction. Now, as for the real meaning: 'abode' is not the aeon of abiding, but abiding in the past events of previous lives; therefore it is named 'past abodes'. The aeons of formation, destruction, and abiding are all included within it, so there is no need to resolve an objection. The older text says, 'At that time Vimalakīrti immediately entered samādhi.' When had he ever not entered it, that he only now enters it? It manifested the appearance of now entering, so neither [explanation] presents any difficulty.