維摩義記 1.2

1.2

As for ordering Rāhula: it was thought that the foremost in keeping the precepts was competent to inquire about illness, and hence he was ordered [to do so]. Rāhula's shortcoming lay in the fact that regarding the spiritual faculties of the people before him, they should have heard of renunciation that is signless, yet he immediately spoke to them of the advantages and merits of renunciation; this was speaking of the advantages that have signs. 'One should not speak of the advantages and merits of renunciation': one should not speak of advantages that have signs. 'Why is this?': Why should one not speak of advantages that have signs? 'This is renunciation': this explains that the people before him should have heard of signless renunciation; within the signless, there are no advantages with signs, and there is no merit, hence it is said 'there is no merit'. For renunciation: the minds of these ordinary persons should have heard of renunciation without advantage and without merit. The text says 'without this, that, or in between': why did this text arise? It wishes to explain that emptiness is the origin of all existences; if one can penetrate the purport of emptiness, all existences can be accomplished. The Madhyamaka-śāstra states: 'Because there is the principle of emptiness, all dharmas can be accomplished.' The Dvādaśamukha-śāstra states: 'Due to the profound meaning of the great part, the six pāramitās can be accomplished.' Therefore, emptiness is the root of all existences. 'Without that' means without nirvāṇa. 'Without this' means without saṃsāra. 'In between' means without the noble eightfold path. Since these three do not exist, all phenomena are thus empty; emptiness is the origin of all phenomena. From 'Free from the sixty-two views' onward: this explains that emptiness broadly accomplishes things. 'Free' explains that because there is 'no this', one can be free from all grounds of views. 'Nirvāṇa' explains that because there is 'no that', one attains nirvāṇa. 'Accepted by the wise' explains that because there is 'no in between', one is accepted by the wise. 'Subduing the hosts of Māra': leading Māra to renounce [the world], Māra attains the five eyes and so on; Māra was originally afflicted by mixed evils, but now he is free from afflictions and evils. 'Crushing and subduing the non-Buddhists': leading non-Buddhists to renounce [the world]. 'Transcending nominal designation': transforming them so that they attain the emptiness of sentient beings; sentient beings being already empty, they are not defiled by nominal designations, hence it is said 'emerging from the mire'. Having emerged from the mire, they are not bound by nominal designations; hence it is said 'without attachment'. From 'Without self or what belongs to self' onward: this explains the emptiness of dharmas. Not preserving the five skandhas is called 'without self'; not receiving anything from the objective realm is called 'having nothing received'. 'In accordance with dhyāna-concentration, free from all evils': above, being free from evils explained all evils; here, being free from evils explains the evils that obstruct emptiness.