維摩經義記卷第四 4.15

4.15

In the second [section], 'Vimalakīrti answered in verse,' it is divided into three subsections. The first, from 'Prajñāpāramitā' down to 'Takes this as music,' consists of four verses of gāthā, speaking in terms of human dependents. As for 'Prajñāpāramitā is the bodhisattva's mother, and skillful means is the father': a mother originally manages domestic affairs within the inner chambers; this illustrates that real wisdom is based within ultimate principle, and hence it is taken as the mother. A father originally receives guests and oversees matters outwardly; skillful means transforms beings externally, and is thus like a father. As for 'Of all the guides of beings, there are none not born from them': these two wisdoms nurture the dharmakāya and are the basis of the myriad practices. How could they merely be the parents of bodhisattvas? All Buddhas are also born from them. As for 'Taking the joy of the Dharma as wife': a wife originally brings delight to the mind; the joy of the Dharma brings pleasant delight, so it is taken as the wife. Another explanation: people of the world take a wife to seek offspring to carry on the family lineage; metaphorically, the Path is born from joy, and because of joy, the buddha-seed continues uninterrupted and the dharmakāya is unbroken, just as taking a wife ensures offspring never cease. As for 'Taking the mind of loving-kindness and compassion as daughter': a woman has the sense of marrying out and going forth; loving-kindness and compassion spread outward, hence they are called the daughter. Another explanation: women by nature possess much loving-kindness and compassion; harboring a mind of loving-kindness and compassion resembles a woman's nature, hence the comparison. As for 'The good mind, sincere and true, is the son': a male by nature has the character of being firm and capable of managing family affairs; this illustrates that the goodness of sincerity and truth possesses the firmness to manage the family affairs of the Buddha-fruit and bodhi. As for 'The house of ultimate emptiness and tranquility': a house has the function of settling the body; emptiness is the abode where the spirit rests, just like a house. Another explanation: a house originally fends off wind and frost and shelters from rain and dew; this illustrates that the principle of emptiness can fend off the wind and frost of kleśas and shelter from the rain and dew of the outflows. As for 'The disciples are the multitude of afflictions, which turn according to his will': a disciple originally has the meaning of receiving and upholding the teacher's instructions; this illustrates that when afflicted sentient beings receive conversion from me, they have the meaning of disciples. Another explanation: disciples respectfully obey, filially nurture, and benefit me; this illustrates that the merit of converting afflicted sentient beings comes to benefit oneself, which is why they are called disciples. As for 'The limbs of enlightenment are good friends; through them one accomplishes correct awakening': a good friend can benefit one with what is good; precisely because the limbs of enlightenment support and benefit one's becoming a Buddha, they are called spiritual friends (kalyāṇamitra). As for 'The various pāramitā dharmas are equal companions': when people of the world travel rivers and cross mountain passes, they must gather companions and assemble peers before they can proceed; this illustrates that when a mahāsattva travels the river of saṃsāra and crosses the mountain pass of kleśas, if he does not go together with the six pāramitās, there is no way he can proceed, hence they are called equal companions. As for 'The four means of embracing are singing girls': the four means of embracing accommodate beings to delight their feelings, hence they are called singing girls. Another explanation: singing girls originally convey the meaning of music and voices, which necessarily draw many people together; the four means of embracing transform beings by suiting their dispositions, so the multitudes inevitably take refuge and follow. As for 'Singing, chanting, and reciting the words of the Dharma, taking this as music': worldly people use music to console and delight themselves; the bodhisattva uses the sound of the Dharma to entertain himself.