[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [摩訶止觀](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1911) › 6.173 # 摩訶止觀 6.173 摩訶止觀 6.173 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [6.173](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1911.6.173) 四、學大方便者，即是如來無謀善權，無方大用，住首楞嚴，種種示現。不可思議巧方便力，示諸眾生虛空中風，劫燒負草令無燒害，此為難事，故須善巧。如彌勒先為天子說不退行，淨名即彈云：「從如生得菩提耶云云。無菩提，勿起此見。」既破見已，即說寂滅是菩提，不二是菩提，一切眾生即是菩提云云。天子聞玄，悟無生忍。是二大士槌砧更扣，令難悟者悟，悟難悟法。若無方便，云何利他？又如來初出，不即說大，種種方便譬類言辭引導眾生，令離諸著，然後開佛知見，示以一乘。是故殷勤稱歎方便。真實得顯，功由善權，故言：「雖說種種道，其實為一乘」；「更以異方便，助顯第一義」；「佛智叵思議，方便隨宜說」；「佛意難可測，無有能得解」。以百千方便，令鈍根者妙契寰中。上二觀智，力用輕微。如富樓那化彼外道反見蚩弄；文殊暫往師徒靡風。欲得如來此方便者，若非中觀所不能成，故修第三觀也。 > Fourth, learning the great skillful means: this is the Tathāgata's uncalculated skillfulness in expedient means and boundless great functioning, dwelling in the śūraṅgama\[-samādhi\] and manifesting in various ways. With inconceivable skillful means, he shows sentient beings the wind in empty space, or carries grass during the kalpa-fire without suffering burning or harm. These are difficult matters, and therefore require skillfulness. Just as Maitreya previously explained the practice of non-retrogression to a deva, and Vimalakīrti immediately censured him, saying: 'Is bodhi attained as born from suchness? ... There is no bodhi; do not give rise to this view.' Having already broken this view, he then explained that cessation is bodhi, non-duality is bodhi, and all sentient beings are themselves bodhi, and so forth. Hearing these profundities, the deva awakened to the forbearance of the non-arising of dharmas. These two great beings strike against each other like hammer and anvil, causing those who are difficult to awaken to awaken, and awakening to dharmas that are difficult to awaken to. Without skillful means, how could one benefit others? Furthermore, when the Tathāgata first appeared, he did not immediately preach the great, but used various skillful means, parables, and expressions to guide sentient beings, causing them to abandon attachments, and only then opened the Buddha's knowledge and vision, showing them the One Vehicle. Therefore, he earnestly praised skillful means. That the real can be revealed is due to the efficacy of skillful means; hence it is said: 'Although various paths are preached, in reality it is for the One Vehicle'; 'Furthermore, through different skillful means, assisting in revealing the primary meaning'; 'The Buddha's wisdom is inconceivable; skillful means are preached according to what is appropriate'; 'The Buddha's intent is difficult to fathom; none are able to understand it.' Through hundreds of thousands of skillful means, he causes those of dull faculties to subtly accord with the realm of truth. The wisdom of the previous two contemplations has only slight power and function. Just as when Pūrṇa tried to convert those tīrthikas, he was on the contrary mocked by them, whereas when Mañjuśrī went for a short while, master and disciples fell like grass in the wind. Wishing to attain this skillful means of the Tathāgata, without the contemplation of the middle way it cannot be accomplished; therefore, one cultivates the third contemplation. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 6.172](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1911.6.172) - [Next: 6.174](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1911.6.174) - [Up: 6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1911.6) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1911~en-mt.6.173) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1911.6.173](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1911.6.173) · Pramāṇa