維摩經義記卷第四 4.8

4.8

The first, from 'Thereupon Vimalakīrti...' onward up to 'all kleśas are the buddha-seed', clarifies explaining the gotra in terms of various evils. Why are kleśas the tathāgata-gotra? In terms of principle, the myriad practices are the buddha-seed; here, pointing to kleśas as the seed, it means that if there were no kleśas, one could not generate the intention [for awakening]; dependent on having kleśas, one gives rise to bodhicitta. This is explaining the gotra within conditions. Another explanation: As to why kleśas are designated as the gotra, it is now clarified that the arising of dharmas is not fixed, but is generated through conditions: either turning from the erroneous to follow the correct, or changing from evil to cultivate good. Thus the correct arises from the erroneous, and good is produced due to evil; therefore, through conditions the gotra can be differentiated. Above, it clarified the merit of the non-path serving as the master of the path; here, it clarifies the virtue of non-seed serving as the disciple of the seed. Thus the two vehicles' solitary goodness lacks the merit of the master; lacking the seed of kleśas, they lose the virtue of the disciple. 'Having a body': the view of the body is the basis of myriad precepts. 'Ignorance and craving for desire' onward extensively clarifies the meaning according to the numerical grouping by ones of various kleśas. The 'seven abodes of consciousness' are: the humans and devas of the desire realm count as one, the three dhyānas, and the three formless realms, making seven. Why are the three bad destinies not taken? Because the three bad destinies are places of severe suffering, consciousness takes no delight in abiding there, and therefore they are not taken. The fourth dhyāna has only the mind of the fourth dhyāna; non-conception is the absorption of mental cessation, so consciousness takes no delight in abiding there, and therefore it is not taken. The sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception is because neither-perception is encompassed by the absorption of cessation, and therefore consciousness takes no delight in abiding there.