維摩經義記卷第四 4.11

4.11

'At that time Mahākāśyapa praised him, saying, "Excellent!"' onward is the third major section. From 'Excellent!' onward, it clarifies praising and elaborating upon Mañjuśrī's words: the company of worldly toil can indeed generate the intention to become the buddha-seed. 'We today are no longer capable...' onward clarifies that the two vehicles lament their own severance of share and inability to generate the intention, while praising ordinary beings who can generate the intention. 'Therefore, Mañjuśrī, ordinary beings have reciprocation regarding the Buddhadharma, whereas śrāvakas do not.' Ordinary beings have reciprocation regarding the Buddhadharma: the Buddha originally had saving beings from suffering as his core intent; ordinary beings are able to generate the supreme intention and broadly transform sentient beings, according with the Buddha's original intent, and their meaning of repaying kindness is complete; hence it is said that they have reciprocation. Śrāvakas also receive the teaching and practice, but they merely sever the delusions of the three realms completely and attain the realization of nirvāṇa; unable to carry out the transformation of living beings, they run contrary to the Buddha's intent; hence it is said they do not have the meaning of reciprocation. Another explanation: Both ordinary beings and sages from beginningless time have previously generated the great mind, but abandoned and forgot it in the interim; now ordinary beings again generate the great mind, matching their original, past understanding; therefore it is said they have reciprocation. People of the two vehicles have severed their share in the Mahāyāna and do not return to their original practice; therefore it is said they do not have reciprocation. 'Why is this?' downward explains the reason for the presence and absence between the ordinary being and the sage. Why is it that ordinary beings have reciprocation while śrāvakas do not? The explanation says: When ordinary beings hear the Buddhadharma, they can give rise to the supreme intention for the path, generate the mind to become buddhas, propagate the teaching without cessation, and those who awaken continuously succeed one another so that the Three Jewels are not severed; they have the meaning of repaying kindness, and therefore have reciprocation. Even if śrāvakas hear the Buddhadharma, they can never generate the supreme intention for the path; therefore they do not have reciprocation.