維摩經義記卷第四 4.46

4.46

阿難白佛以下第四段。明佛事不同證香飯有實益。以佛光明而作佛事者。自有見光而獲秒。是故助以為佛事也。又以菩薩而作佛事者。如大通智勝如是入定之後以十六王子菩薩度六百萬億恒河沙等人也。又以佛所化人者。以須扇多佛滅度留一化身住世說法。以菩薩樹者。光無所不照。香無不普薰。形色微妙隨所好而見。出妙音聲隨所好而聞。眾生過者無不入道。又以佛衣服者。如閻浮提王以世疾疫請佛得佛僧加梨禮拜生善。病得除癒。又以飯食者。香作樓閣苑薗皆香也。三十二相八十種好者。一一相隨應所現令其入道也。佛身者。應形妙體正相好論別佛身總語故有異也。虛空者。匝閙之處為現虛空。又解。文殊師利滅眾色像以化阿闍世王。眾生應以此緣者。應以上來因緣得入正行也。夢幻者。說此六喻令人得悟也。又解。隨所應見而現。如夢覩羅剎。若爾何故云喻。但經中每以此六為喻故也。音聲語言說法此等多以聲教為佛事。清淨佛土寂寞無言乃無為者。猶如法如來所明下方菩薩不樂處眾多有所眾說寂順無為以作佛事。清淨佛土炳無情處來無言說寂怕無為以自然進道。如是阿難諸佛威儀進止諸所施為者。明大聖舉動皆有利益。是故無非佛事也。有此四魔諸煩惱乃門。而諸眾生為之疲勞諸佛即以此法而為佛事者。多能降毒龍勢極嗔息先以欲拘事却以法語人也。此之例皆是佛事。即以此法令其入道。是名入一切諸佛法門者。總結於上此等佛事軌則日法能通為體法也。

From “Ānanda said to the Buddha” onward is the fourth section. It clarifies that buddha-works are diverse, proving that the fragrant food has real benefit. “Performing buddha-works by means of the Buddha’s light”: some behold the light and obtain the marvelous; therefore, it assists in performing buddha-works. Moreover, “performing buddha-works by means of bodhisattvas”: like the Tathāgata Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū, who, after entering samādhi, saved people equal in number to six million koṭis of Gaṅgā sands through the sixteen prince-bodhisattvas. Moreover, “by means of persons transformed by the Buddha”: like the Buddha Suśānta, who upon parinirvāṇa left a single transformation-body to abide in the world and expound the Dharma. “By means of the bodhi tree”: its light leaves nothing unilluminated, its fragrance leaves nothing unperfumed; its form and color are subtle and wondrous, seen according to whatever one delights in; it produces marvelous sounds, heard according to whatever one delights in; of the sentient beings who pass by, none fail to enter the Path. Moreover, “by means of the Buddha’s robes”: like the king of Jambudvīpa who, because of an epidemic in the world, beseeched the Buddha and obtained the Buddha’s saṃghāṭī, bowing in homage and giving rise to wholesome roots, so that the illness was cured. Moreover, “by means of food and drink”: pavilions and gardens made of fragrance are all fragrant. “The thirty-two marks and eighty secondary signs”: each and every mark is manifested in response to what is fitting, causing them to enter the Path. “The buddhakāya”: because the discourse on the marks and signs deals with distinct parts of the responsive form and wondrous body, whereas “buddhakāya” is an overarching expression, there is a difference. “Empty space”: for the sake of crowded and noisy places, empty space is manifested. Another explanation: Mañjuśrī eliminated all forms and images in order to transform King Ajātaśatru. “Sentient beings fittingly through these conditions”: fittingly through the aforementioned causes and conditions, they are able to enter correct practice. “Dreams and phantoms”: expounding these six metaphors causes people to attain awakening. Another explanation: manifesting in accordance with what fittingly should be seen, like beholding a rākṣasa in a dream. If so, why does it call them metaphors? It is simply because the sūtras repeatedly use these six as metaphors. “Sounds, spoken words, and preaching the Dharma”: these mostly use the vocal teaching as buddha-work. “A pure buddha-land that is silent, wordless, and completely asamskṛta”: just as clarified by the Tathāgata [Dharmarāja?], the bodhisattvas of the lower realm do not take delight in dwelling in assemblies with many varied preachings, but take quiet compliance and the asamskṛta as buddha-work. In a pure buddha-land, radiant and devoid of emotional attachment, there are no spoken words; silent and tranquil, by means of the asamskṛta they naturally advance along the Path. “In this way, Ānanda, the deportment, movements, and all the undertakings of the Buddhas”: this clarifies that every action of the Great Sages brings benefit; therefore, there is nothing that is not a buddha-work. “Possessing these four māras and doors of all kleśas, while sentient beings are wearied by them, the Buddhas thereupon take this Dharma to perform buddha-works”: often they are able to subdue poisonous dragons when their fierce anger subsides, “first hooking them with desire, and later causing them to enter the Buddha’s wisdom.” Examples of this kind are all buddha-works; that is, using this Dharma to cause them to enter the Path. “This is called entering all the dharma doors of the Buddhas”: this summarizes the above; these rules and models of buddha-works are called ‘dharma’, and their ability to penetrate constitutes the essence of ‘door’ (dharma-paryāya).