[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [維摩經疏卷第三．第六](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2772) › 6.18 # 維摩經疏卷第三．第六 6.18 維摩經疏卷第三．第六 6.18 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [6.18](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2772.6.18) 彼諸大士見化菩薩已下第二大斷明彼如來應請與食。文別有五。一明眾香菩薩覩化致問彼佛具答。二菩薩言其人已下。審問維摩道德何如乃作是化。彼佛具辯。三於是香積如來已下。佛以香飯與化菩薩。四時彼九百萬菩薩下。彼諸菩薩欲來此土。佛便聽許。五時化菩薩受鉢飯下。二因菩薩承力至此施作佛事。前中初問後答。問中三句。初言彼諸大士舉能問人。見化菩薩彰所覩。嘆未曾有彰昔未見。下正為問。今此上人從何所來問其所從來處。二娑婆世界為在何許問其方所。三云何名為樂小法者問其所為。淨土中無怪而問也。下佛答中佛告之曰總舉答詞。下方度等隨問別答。於中初至界名娑婆。答上問中娑婆世界為在何許。娑婆梵音。此翻名忍。悲花經云。此土眾生忍受三毒及諸煩惱。土從人稱故名為忍也。佛號釋迦。於五濁世為樂小法眾生敷演道教。答上問中云何名為樂小法者。三彼有菩薩名維摩下。答上問中今此上人從何所來。明此化人淨名遣來。先列維摩住不思議辯其所得。為菩薩說明其所化。故遣化來彰其所遣。稱揚我名并讚此土。令彼菩薩增益功德。明遣阿為使此慕求名增功德。自下第二彼諸菩薩審之維摩詰其人何如及作是化問其人也。德力無畏神足若斯問其德也。下佛具答。佛言甚大嘆其人勝。對其初問。一切十方皆遣化往嘆其化廣。對其後問。第三彼佛盛滿香飯授化菩薩文顯可知也。自下第四眾香菩薩請佛求來彼佛聽許。於中先列請人。俱發聲等發言正請。供養釋迦見維摩等彰請所為。下佛聽許可往者聽去也。下明誡約。先誡其身。後誡其心。誡身有二。一教攝身香。無令眾生起惑著心生煩惱故。問。既攝菩薩身香。云何不攝飯香。答。佛神力故飯能除惑發其道意。所以不攝。身香不然故須攝也。亦可。世尊恐彼眾生生諸煩惱。是以勸攝必。其眾生不生貪染亦不勸攝。故下經云。佛告阿難是彼菩薩毛孔之香。二捨本形。無令彼諸菩薩而生鄙耻心退勇猛故。就誡心中。又汝於彼莫懷輕賤而作礙想。正勸捨過。於人莫輕。於土莫礙。畏而不入名為礙想。所以下釋先徵後解。十方國土皆如空者。諸佛勝土性淨如空平等無二。但為大悲化眾生故不盡現其清淨土耳。自下第五明菩薩承力至中。若就別相。彼九百萬承彼佛力。其化菩薩承維摩力。通則義齊。何有異也。上來第二佛與食竟。 > From "When those great beings saw the emanated bodhisattva" below is the second major section, explaining that that Tathāgata responds to the request and gives the food. Within the text there are distinctly five parts: first, explaining that the bodhisattvas of Sarvagandhasugandhā, seeing the emanation, ask a question, and that Buddha answers in full; second, from "The bodhisattvas said: 'What kind of person is he...?'" below, they examine what Vimalakīrti's virtue is like to produce such an emanation, and that Buddha explains in full; third, from "Thereupon the Tathāgata Gandhahastin \[i.e., Gandhottama/Sugandhakūṭa\]..." below, the Buddha gives the fragrant rice to the emanated bodhisattva; fourth, from "At that time, those nine million bodhisattvas..." below, those bodhisattvas wish to come to this land, and the Buddha grants permission; fifth, from "At that time the emanated bodhisattva, having received the bowl of rice..." below, the bodhisattvas, relying on his power, arrive here to perform Buddha-deeds. In the first part, there is first the question and then the answer. Within the question there are three phrases: First, saying "those great beings" indicates the questioners; "seeing the emanated bodhisattva" shows what was observed; "praising it as unprecedented" shows it had never been seen before. Below is the question proper: "From where has this superior person come?" asks about the place from which he came. Second, "Where is the Sahā world located?" asks about its location. Third, "What does it mean to delight in lesser teachings?" asks about what they do. In a pure land there is no \[such thing\], so they find it strange and ask. Below, in the Buddha's reply: "The Buddha told them..." gathers generally the words of reply. From "Descending through..." below, he answers each question separately according to what was asked. Therein, first, down to "the world named Sahā" answers the question above, "Where is the Sahā world located?" "Sahā" is a Sanskrit word, translated here as "Endurance". The Karuṇāpuṇḍarīka Sūtra states: The beings of this land endure the three poisons and all afflictions; the land takes its name from its people, hence it is called "Endurance". "The Buddha is named Śākya; in the world of the five defilements, he expounds the teaching of the path for beings who delight in lesser teachings" answers the question above, "What does it mean to delight in lesser teachings?" Third, from "There is a bodhisattva named Vimalakīrti..." below answers the question above, "From where has this superior person come?" clarifying that this emanated person was sent by Vimalakīrti. He first lists that Vimalakīrti abides in the inconceivable to explain what he has attained; \[then states that\] he expounds \[the Dharma\] for the bodhisattvas to clarify whom he transforms; "hence he dispatched an emanation to come" shows why he was sent; "to praise my name and also extol this land, so as to cause those bodhisattvas to increase their merits" clarifies for what purpose he was sent—to cause them to admire and seek \[the path\] so that their merit increases. From here, the second part: Those bodhisattvas examine Vimalakīrti: "What kind of person is he that he could make such an emanation?" asks about the person. "Whose virtue, power, fearlessness, and supernatural locomotion are like this?" asks about his virtue. Below, the Buddha answers in full: The Buddha says, "Very great," praising the superiority of the person, responding to their initial question; "To all the ten directions he sends emanations" praises the breadth of his emanations, responding to their subsequent question. Third, that Buddha fills \[the bowl\] with fragrant rice and confers it upon the emanated bodhisattva; the text is clear and can be understood. From here, the fourth part: The bodhisattvas of Sarvagandhasugandhā request the Buddha's permission to come, and that Buddha grants permission. Therein, he first lists the requesters; "uttering a sound together..." utters the words of the formal request; "to make offerings to Śākya, see Vimalakīrti, etc." shows the purpose of the request. Below, the Buddha grants permission: "You may go" grants permission to leave. Below, he clarifies the admonitions. First, he admonishes their bodies; next, he admonishes their minds. Admonishing their bodies has two aspects: first, instructing them to restrain their bodily fragrance, so as not to cause beings to give rise to delusion and attachment and generate afflictions. It is asked: Since they restrain the bodhisattvas' bodily fragrance, why do they not restrain the fragrance of the rice? The answer: By the Buddha's supernatural power, the rice can eliminate delusion and arouse their intention for the path; therefore, it is not restrained. Bodily fragrance is not like this, so it must be restrained. Or it may be said: The Bhagavat feared that those beings would generate afflictions, and on this account exhorted them to restrain it; had those beings not generated greed and attachment, he would not have exhorted them to restrain it either. Hence the sūtra states below: "The Buddha told Ānanda: 'It is the fragrance from the pores of those bodhisattvas.'" Second, they are to cast off their original forms, so as not to cause those bodhisattvas to give rise to feelings of contempt and shame and regress from their vigor. Regarding the admonition of their minds: "Moreover, you must not harbor disdain toward them or conceive notions of hindrance" directly exhorts them to abandon faults: do not look down on the people, and do not conceive notions of hindrance regarding the land. To be intimidated and not enter is called "conceiving notions of hindrance". From "Why?" below, it explains, first raising the question and then explaining: "The lands of the ten directions are all like space" means that the supreme lands of all Buddhas are by nature pure like space, equal and non-dual; it is only for the sake of great compassion to transform beings that they do not manifest their pure lands in full. From here, the fifth part: In clarifying that the bodhisattvas arrive by relying on \[the Buddha's\] power: if taken specifically, those nine million relied upon that Buddha's power, while the emanated bodhisattva relied upon Vimalakīrti's power; in a general sense, the principle is identical, so how could there be any difference? The preceding second part, the Buddha bestowing the food, is finished. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 6.17](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2772.6.17) - [Next: 6.19](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2772.6.19) - [Up: 6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2772.6) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2772~en-mt.6.18) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (4) - [注維摩詰經](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1775.8.149) — Classical Chinese - [淨名經集解關中疏](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2777.2.304) — Classical Chinese - [維摩義記](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1776.4.37) — Classical Chinese - [維摩詰所說經](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.vimalakirtinirdesa*zh-kumarajiva.3.10) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2772.6.18](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2772.6.18) · Pramāṇa