維摩經義記卷第四 4.45

4.45

“At that time Ānanda said to the Buddha: ‘The fragrance we now smell is something that has never existed from of old.’” This is the third section. Taking occasion from the inquiry about the fragrance, it broadly clarifies the distinctions among the benefits of the fragrant food. Inquiring whether the fragrance is the fragrance from the pores of those bodhisattvas is intended to lead Śāriputra to speak and answer for himself. “How long will such a fragrance abide?” asks how long or short a time the fragrance remains. The efficacy of this food extends up to seven days; it is not necessarily limited to seven days, but because people of Jambudvīpa can only go for seven days without eating, it is spoken of in terms of one region and therefore says seven days. Another explanation: according to the nature of things, it is seven days. “Those who have not entered the samyaktva-niyāma” refers to persons on the śrāvaka nature-stage (gotra-bhūmi). “Those who attain entry into the samyaktva-niyāma” are those from [the stage of] signlessness upwards. “Those who attain correct liberation” realize the fourth fruit. “Those who have not yet generated the Mahāyāna mind” are ordinary persons. “Those who have already generated the intention” are those with the mind prior to the [ten] abidings. “Those who attain the anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti” are those up to the seventh bhūmi; alternatively, it may be the first bhūmi. “Those bound to one more birth (eka-jāti-pratibaddha)” are bodhisattvas of the tenth bhūmi. However, although the fragrant food serves as a condition for attaining the Path on the lower stages, how could those of the first bhūmi and above rely on this to enter the Path? In order to establish that the fragrant food offers benefit from beginning to end, it therefore says “even up to the tenth bhūmi.” In the Hīnayāna, it should also have mentioned the first fruit, second, third, and even up to the fourth fruit, but the text is merely abbreviated. Among bodhisattvas, it should also proceed through the gradations from the first bhūmi, second bhūmi, and even to the [tenth] bhūmi, but the text is abbreviated. It broadly clarifies that the buddha-works of the worlds of the ten directions are diverse, and the entries into the Path are manifold. Some attain the Path by means of the nose-consciousness; others also obtain benefit by means of the eye-consciousness. In this world, awakening is obtained through the ear-consciousness. “Eradicating all kleśa poisons” refers to a portion of all [kleśas], cutting off only the portion belonging to that specific stage.