維摩經義記卷第四 4.29

4.29

The second sentence, from "I shall cause you to obtain food such as you have never had before" downward, forthwith implicitly promises what he needed: extraordinary food. This food has three meanings in all. First, eating it makes the body comfortable and the spirit delighted. Second, its fragrance and taste are extraordinary. Third, eating it causes people to awaken to the path. Because it is not according to the ordinary standard, it is called "unprecedented." Another explanation: although the past eight liberations and the present Dharma only eliminate the encumbrance of causes, the encumbrance of the karmic retribution body of Śāriputra has not yet ceased, and he still needs food to cure it; therefore, he implicitly promised what he needed.