[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) › 6.22 # 維摩經疏卷第三．第六 6.22 維摩經疏卷第三．第六 6.22 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [6.22](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2772.6.22) 第二因請明淨土行。於中先問後答。為請意者欲使眾生修淨土因往生故也。瘡疣者煩惱之異名也。維摩答中有二。初總後別。別中有三。一問二答三結。答中前四化他之心後四自行。具此八者即生淨土。初中益生不望報者。第一句慈心與樂而不求報後生淨土得果自然。滿云。慈憐心益故不望報。代受苦者。第二句并取喜心合成一句。所以然者。若不生喜何能拔苦。為此悲喜二心合為一句。故無垢稱云。二者菩薩如是思惟。我應代彼一切有情受諸苦惱。我之所有一切善根悉迴施與故。故知悲喜合成第二句也。若依遠法師。於諸菩薩視之如佛。所未聞經聞之不疑。初句敬人下句敬法。尊人重法合為第五一句。雖有此制既非聖教。不可依也。代受苦者。悲心愍物不入涅槃。後生淨土得自在樂。又云。悲心深厚故代受諸苦。問。苦是眾生報法。云何可代受。答。由其菩薩在苦化生彼得出離故云代受。又復鞭杖等苦有可代處菩薩亦代也。功德盡施者。喜心眾生施彼功德。後生淨土無我所報。又云。以喜除嫉故能盡施。等心謙下者。是第三句捨心平等謙卑接物。後生淨土得尊勝果。又云。捨除憎愛名為等心。齊能卑敬故曰謙下。絕離怨親差別之異故言無礙也。下四種中。前三尊敬三寶之行。後一集善離過之行。敬三寶中視如佛者。第四句觀諸菩薩體是佛故。後生淨土常得見佛。莊云。菩薩是眾生橋梁。增己功德。所以視之如佛也。聞不疑者。第五句於大乘深法之中聞之不疑。後生淨土常聞大乘不思議法。不違背者。第六句三乘雖別歸宗不殊。應物利緣豈相違也。後生淨土常值聖眾。就其後一自行成中曲有兩句。初句習善違順等觀。後句離惡自他俱美。前中不嫉彼供者。第七句。見他得利。密與己同。唯可歡心。寧有嫉也。不高己利者。自得離樂。觀諸壞緣。唯慮無常。何得高也。如是觀者名調伏心。常省己過不識彼者。第八省己過故惡無不盡。不訟短故善無不滿。恒以一心修諸功德者。塵垢易增。功德難具。若不以一心專至。何以剋成。具此八法則無瘡疣。生于淨土也。然菩薩之行行復何窮如前。心是菩薩淨土等。豈只八邪。又時言多。又時言一。如涅槃云。供養一花則生不動國。或言。十念成就即得往生。今且舉一數言八。非謂定在八也。雖復言八。八不是多。雖復言多。多不異一。雖復言一。一不異多。故知此八即非八言八。淨亦非淨言淨。生亦非生言生。乃至一切諸法皆應如是。上來正辯結益可知也。 > Second, based on the request, it explains the practices for the pure land. Therein is first the question and then the answer. The intention of making the request was to cause sentient beings to cultivate the causes of a pure land and attain rebirth \[there\]. "Sores and warts" is an alternative name for defilements. In Vimalakīrti's reply, there are two \[parts\]: first general, and then specific. Within the specific there are three: first the question, second the answer, and third the conclusion. In the answer, the first four are the mind of transforming others, and the latter four are self-practice. Endowed with these eight, one is born in a pure land. In the first part, "benefiting sentient beings without looking for a reward": this is the first phrase, where with a mind of loving-kindness one gives joy without seeking recompense, and later, born in a pure land, one's fruit is spontaneous. \[Master\] Man says: "Because of a mind of loving compassion that brings benefit, one does not look for a reward." "Taking on suffering on their behalf": the second phrase combines the mind of sympathetic joy to form one phrase. Why is this? If one does not give rise to joy, how could one eradicate suffering? For this reason, the two minds of compassion and joy are combined into one phrase. Hence the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa states: "Second, the bodhisattva reflects thus: 'I should take on all sufferings and afflictions on behalf of all sentient beings, and all the roots of virtue that I possess, I dedicate and bestow entirely.'" Therefore we know that compassion and joy are combined to make the second phrase. If we follow Dharma Master Yuan, "regarding all bodhisattvas as the Buddha, and hearing sūtras never heard before without doubt": the first phrase is venerating persons, and the latter phrase is venerating the Dharma; revering persons and esteeming the Dharma are combined into the fifth single phrase. Although there is this formulation, since it is not the sacred teaching, it should not be followed. "Taking on suffering on their behalf": with a compassionate mind that pities beings, one does not enter nirvāṇa, and later, born in a pure land, one attains sovereign joy. It also says: "Because the mind of compassion is deep and thick, one takes on all sufferings on their behalf." Question: "Suffering is a retribution dharma of sentient beings; how can one take it on their behalf?" Answer: "Because the bodhisattva transforms beings while being in suffering, and they attain liberation, this is called 'taking it on their behalf.' Furthermore, where sufferings such as whips and staves can be taken on, the bodhisattva also takes them on." "Bestowing all merits": with a joyful mind toward sentient beings, one bestows those merits upon them, and later, born in a pure land, one has a retribution devoid of 'mine'. It also says: "Because one eliminates jealousy through joy, one can bestow them entirely." "An equal mind and humility": this is the third phrase; with an equanimous mind one is impartial, humble, and low in receiving beings, and later, born in a pure land, one attains the exalted and superior fruit. It also says: "Discarding hatred and affection is called an 'equal mind'; being uniformly able to be lowly and reverent is called 'humility.' Severing differences between enemies and intimates, it is therefore said to be 'unhindered.'" Among the latter four: the first three are practices of revering the Three Jewels; the last one is the practice of accumulating good and keeping free of faults. In revering the Three Jewels, "regarding them as the Buddha": this is the fourth phrase; because one contemplates all bodhisattvas as fundamentally being Buddhas, later, born in a pure land, one constantly sees the Buddha. \[Master\] Zhuang says: "Bodhisattvas are bridges for sentient beings, increasing one's own merit; therefore one regards them as the Buddha." "Hearing without doubt": this is the fifth phrase; among the profound teachings of the Mahāyāna, hearing them without doubt, later, born in a pure land, one constantly hears the acintya Dharma of the Mahāyāna. "Not running contrary": this is the sixth phrase; although the three vehicles differ, their ultimate aim is not distinct; responding to beings and benefiting conditions, how could they run contrary to each other? Later, born in a pure land, one constantly encounters the assembly of noble ones. In regard to the final fulfillment of self-practice, there are specifically two phrases. The first phrase is practicing good, viewing adversity and favor equally. The latter phrase is leaving evil behind, bringing beauty to both self and other. In the former, "not envying their offerings": this is the seventh phrase. Seeing another gain benefit, secretly uniting with oneself, one can only rejoice; how could there be envy? "Not exalting one's own gain": when one attains liberation and joy oneself, contemplating conditions of decay and fearing only impermanence, how could one be exalted? Contemplating like this is called "taming the mind." "Constantly examining one's own faults and not speaking of others'": this is the eighth. Because one examines one's own faults, evil is completely exhausted; because one does not dispute shortcomings, good is completely fulfilled. "Constantly with a single mind cultivating all merits": defilements easily increase, and merits are difficult to complete; if one does not devote oneself with a single mind, how could it be accomplished? Endowed with these eight dharmas, one will be without sores or warts and be born in a pure land. However, how could the bodhisattva's practices ever be exhausted? As stated before, the mind is the bodhisattva's pure land, etc.; how could there only be eight? Furthermore, at times it speaks of many, and at times it speaks of one, as the Nirvāṇa \[Sūtra\] says: "Offering a single flower, one is born in the realm of Akṣobhya," or it is said: "Fulfilling ten recollections, one immediately attains rebirth." Here it provisionally adduces one number and speaks of eight; it does not mean it is fixed at eight. Although it speaks of eight, eight is not many; although it speaks of many, many is not different from one; although it speaks of one, one is not different from many. Therefore we know that this "eight" is precisely non-eight, yet spoken of as eight; "pure" is non-pure, yet spoken of as pure; "birth" is non-birth, yet spoken of as birth; and so on, all dharmas should be understood in this way. The above directly explains the concluding benefit, which can be understood. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 6.21](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2772.6.21) - [Next: 6.23](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2772.6.23) - [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.6.22) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (2) - [說無垢稱經](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.vimalakirtinirdesa*zh-xuanzang.5.39) — Classical Chinese - [維摩義記](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1776.4.46) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2772.6.22](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2772.6.22) · Pramāṇa