維摩經疏 1.7

1.7

就前三問之中先明文殊問。次明維摩答。問言居士是疾何所因起。第一問其病因。其生久如。第二問問病久近。當云何滅。第三問問療病法。自下明維摩答。答中先答後兩問。又言已下却答第一問。就前兩中問文別有四。第一正答。第二所以已下釋答。第三譬如已下喻況。第四菩薩如是已下合喻。就前正答之中。先答其生如。若一切眾生已下答當云何滅。維摩詰言從癡有愛則我病生者。癡者界內見道所斷煩惱發業惑也。愛者界內修道所斷煩惱潤生惑也。何故唯舉此二者。此發業潤生二種煩攝彼界內一切惑盡。是故舉之。維摩詰言一切眾生從有癡愛煩惱已來我之大悲常為現病說法教化。故言從癡有愛則我病生。問曰。眾生癡愛幾時來有。答曰。無始來有。若如此者。一切眾生癡愛煩惱有來無始。維摩大悲初地方得。何故乃言從有癡愛煩惱已來維摩大悲常為現病。答曰。此據分分眾生為論。如有眾生由癡愛故造諸惡業招感生死。維摩大悲即隨逐之為其現病說法教化隨分說。故言從有愛則我病生。然眾生病有三種。一者病因。癡愛煩惱。二者病果。五陰報身。三者病事。頭痛腹痛。菩薩病亦有三。一者病因。所謂大悲。二者病果。六道化身。三者病事。亦有頭痛腹痛。今言從癡有愛者。由彼眾生有此病因能招病果及以病事。則我病生者。菩薩大悲為現病果及以病事而教化之。以一切眾生病是故我病者。義如上說。上來答上第二問其生久如訖。自下答第三問當云何滅。若一切眾生病滅則我病者正答也。若一切眾生斷却癡病因不起病果病事。維摩大悲不復現病。故言則我病滅。問曰。眾生之病何時可滅。答曰。若約小乘。得苦法忍時漸斷病因。至無學位究竟方盡。病因既盡。果亦不生。若約大乘。十解初心斷發業惑。欲入初地斷潤生惑。此時病因永滅不起。因既永滅。果更不生。據此眾生一分病滅。菩薩大悲不復隨逐為之現病。故言則我病滅。且據分段為論。變易准知。上來正答訖。自下釋譬合譬。文相易解並悉先明病生後明病滅。先明病生。答上其生久如。後明病滅。答上當云何滅也。又言是病何所因起者却答第一問。去問辭稍遠。是故維摩重牒將來。牒上文殊言居士是病何所因起問其病因。下出答。其菩薩病者以大悲起。此明答。大悲為因是以現病。上來三問顯維摩大悲方便。

Among the first three questions, it first clarifies Mañjuśrī's question, and next clarifies Vimalakīrti's answer. Asking, 'Householder, from what cause did this illness arise?' is the first question, asking about the cause of his illness. 'How long ago was it born?' is the second question, asking whether the illness is longstanding or recent. 'How should it be eliminated?' is the third question, asking about the method of treating the illness. Below, it clarifies Vimalakīrti's answer. In the answer, he first answers the latter two questions, and from '[He] also said' onward, he answers the first question in reverse. In the preceding two answers, the text specifically has four [parts]: first, the direct answer; second, from 'For what reason' onward, the explanation of the answer; third, from 'For example' onward, the simile; and fourth, from 'Bodhisattvas are like this' onward, the application of the simile. In the direct answer above, he first answers 'How long ago was it born?'; from 'If all sentient beings...' onward, he answers 'How should it be eliminated?' When Vimalakīrti says, 'From ignorance there is craving, and thus my illness is born': 'ignorance' refers to the defilements abandoned through the path of seeing within the [three] realms, which are the delusions that initiate karma; 'craving' refers to the defilements abandoned through the path of cultivation within the [three] realms, which are the delusions that moisten rebirth. Why are only these two brought up? These two kinds of defilements—initiating karma and moistening rebirth—subsume all delusions within the realms without remainder; therefore, they are brought up. Vimalakīrti means: ever since all sentient beings have had the defilements of ignorance and craving, my great compassion has constantly manifested illness to teach the Dharma and transform them. Therefore, he says, 'From ignorance there is craving, and thus my illness is born.' Question: 'Since when have sentient beings had ignorance and craving?' Answer: 'They have had them since beginningless time.' If that is so, sentient beings' defilements of ignorance and craving have existed from beginningless time, whereas Vimalakīrti's great compassion was attained only upon reaching the first bhūmi; why then does he say that ever since there have been the defilements of ignorance and craving, Vimalakīrti's great compassion has constantly manifested illness? Answer: 'This is discussed in terms of individual portions of sentient beings. For instance, when there are sentient beings who, due to ignorance and craving, create various evil karmas and incur birth and death, Vimalakīrti's great compassion immediately follows them, manifesting illness to teach the Dharma and transform them according to their portion. Therefore, he says, "From having craving, my illness is born." Sentient beings' illnesses are of three kinds: first, the cause of illness—the defilements of ignorance and craving; second, the effect of illness—the recompense body of the five aggregates; and third, the fact of illness—headaches and stomachaches. A bodhisattva's illness also has three: first, the cause of illness—namely, great compassion; second, the effect of illness—the transformation bodies across the six destinies; and third, the fact of illness—likewise having headaches and stomachaches. Now, saying "From ignorance there is craving" means that because those sentient beings have this cause of illness, they are able to incur the effect of illness and the fact of illness. "Thus my illness is born" means that the bodhisattva's great compassion manifests the effect of illness and the fact of illness to teach and transform them. "Because all sentient beings are ill, therefore I am ill" has the meaning as explained above. The above concludes answering the second question, "How long ago was it born?" Below, he answers the third question, "How should it be eliminated?" "If all sentient beings' illnesses are eliminated, then my illness [is eliminated]" is the direct answer. If all sentient beings sever the cause of illness, which is ignorance, and no longer produce the effect of illness and the fact of illness, Vimalakīrti's great compassion will no longer manifest illness; therefore, he says, "then my illness is eliminated." Question: 'When can sentient beings' illnesses be eliminated?' Answer: 'If considered according to the Hīnayāna, when one attains the Dharma forbearance of suffering, one gradually severs the causes of illness, and only upon reaching the stage of non-learning are they completely exhausted. Once the causes of illness are exhausted, the effects also do not arise. If considered according to the Mahāyāna, at the initial mind of the ten understandings one severs the delusions that initiate karma, and when about to enter the first bhūmi one severs the delusions that moisten rebirth. At this time the causes of illness are permanently eliminated and do not arise. The causes having been permanently eliminated, the effects will never arise again. In terms of this portion of sentient beings' illness being eliminated, the bodhisattva's great compassion no longer follows them to manifest illness for their sake; therefore, he says, "then my illness is eliminated." This is discussed provisionally in terms of portioned [birth and death]; transformational [birth and death] should be understood by analogy.' The above concludes the direct answer. Below, the explanation, simile, and application of the simile are easily understood in their textual form, all of them first clarifying the arising of illness and later clarifying the elimination of illness. First clarifying the arising of illness answers the above question 'How long ago was it born?'; later clarifying the elimination of illness answers the above question 'How should it be eliminated?' Furthermore, the statement 'From what cause did this illness arise?' answers the first question in reverse. Because it is somewhat distant from the phrasing of the question, Vimalakīrti reiterates it anew, taking up Mañjuśrī's words above, 'Householder, from what cause did this illness arise?' to inquire into its cause. Below, he provides the answer: 'The bodhisattva's illness arises from great compassion.' This provides the clear answer: taking great compassion as the cause, he therefore manifests illness. The three questions above reveal Vimalakīrti's great compassion and skillful means.