維摩經疏卷第三．第六 6.30

6.30

第三類顯一切以為佛事。文中有三。一阿難讚嘆如來述成。二廣就諸行以明佛事。三總以結成。初阿難稱嘆。飯本充虛資養色力。今乃斷惑得道。豈非未曾有也。如來印述者。所讚合理故印云如是。二廣明佛事中文有一十五句。義分為兩。初十四句順行佛事。後有一句逆行佛事。前中更分為二。初十三句別明佛事。後之一句總明佛事。初中或有佛土以佛光明為佛事者。即眼識能通道色塵為佛事。因覩佛光而悟聖道。故云佛事。故涅槃云。遇斯光者一切煩惱皆悉消除也。諸菩薩作佛者。如花嚴經。世尊默然令菩薩說法度人以為佛事。以佛化人者。佛化為人為生說法而得悟道。此上二句耳識能通道聲塵為佛事。有以菩提樹作佛事者。佛於樹下成道名菩提樹。此樹色香微妙復出諸香。見聞嗅解皆悟聖道。此即五識能通道五塵為佛事。衣服臥具。昔閻浮提王得佛袈裟懸置高幢以示國人。有病之者覩見歸命。病皆除愈。發菩提心。因此悟道。名為佛事。此即眼識能道色塵為佛事。以香飯者。因食香飯得入聖道此即三識能通道三塵為佛事也。

Third, broadly revealing that all things perform the Buddha's work. The text contains three parts: first, Ānanda praises it and the Tathāgata confirms it; second, broadly taking various practices to explain the Buddha's work; third, a general conclusion. In the first part, Ānanda praises: food originally merely fills emptiness and nourishes bodily strength; yet now it severs delusions and attains the Way—how is this not unprecedented? The Tathāgata's confirmation: because what was praised accords with principle, he confirms it saying, "So it is." In the second part, broadly explaining the Buddha's work, the text has fifteen phrases, divided in meaning into two: the first fourteen phrases are the Buddha's work through conforming practices; the last one phrase is the Buddha's work through non-conforming practices. The former is further divided into two: the first thirteen phrases specifically explain the Buddha's work, while the last phrase generally explains the Buddha's work. In the first part, "There are buddha lands that use the Buddha's light to perform the Buddha's work": that is, the eye consciousness can lead to the Way, taking visual form as the Buddha's work; because of beholding the Buddha's light, they awaken to the holy Way, hence it is called the Buddha's work. Therefore the Nirvāṇa Sūtra says: "Those who encounter this light have all afflictions entirely eliminated." "Bodhisattvas acting as buddhas": as in the Avataṃsaka Sūtra, the Bhagavat remains silent and causes bodhisattvas to preach the Dharma to deliver people, using this to perform the Buddha's work. "Using transformation persons of the Buddha": the Buddha transforms into a person to preach the Dharma for sentient beings, through which they attain awakening to the Way. These two preceding phrases mean that the ear consciousness can lead to the Way, taking sounds as the Buddha's work. "There are those that use the bodhi tree to perform the Buddha's work": the Buddha attained the Way under the tree, so it is called the bodhi tree; this tree's visible form and scent are exquisite, and it further emits various fragrances; seeing it, hearing it, and smelling it, all lead to understanding and awakening to the holy Way; this means that the five consciousnesses can lead to the Way, taking the five sense-data as the Buddha's work. "Clothing and bedding": in the past, a king of Jambudvīpa obtained the Buddha's kāṣāya and hung it high on a banner to show it to the people of the country; those who were ill beheld it and took refuge, and their illnesses were all cured, they aroused the mind for bodhi, and through this awakened to the Way, which is called the Buddha's work; this means that the eye consciousness can lead to the Way, taking visual form as the Buddha's work. "Using fragrant rice": because of eating fragrant rice, they attain entry into the holy Way; this means that the three consciousnesses can lead to the Way, taking the three sense-data as the Buddha's work.