維摩經疏卷第三．第六 6.58

6.58

是時大眾渴仰下。第三次明神通變化。就中有五。一明時眾欲見彼佛及諸大眾。二明如來告維摩詰令為此眾現彼國土及無動佛普令眾見。三維摩應命現通遠接妙喜來安此土。四爾時佛告諸眾已下大眾皆見故願往生。五佛告舍利下佛知而問欲令身子自慶發願利益未來。初中大眾見者。聞說妙喜之名所以生於渴仰也。佛知眾念告現者。有其二義。一示其本國欲令大眾發願往生。二顯大士不思議德。第三應命接土中先明內心起念。二作是念下依念入定。現大神力欲使時人生信故也。前中三道寶堦者。欲天報通足能陵虛然。彼土以寶堦嚴飾為遊戲之路。閻浮提人亦登其堦者。嚴淨之土福慶所集。人天之報相殊未幾故。同路往返有交遊之歡也。如陶家輪者。取彼世界來入此時輕舉無礙如陶家輪也就入三昧起通之中又別有四。一依定現通取妙喜界來入此土。二明覺眾莫測所以請佛求救佛答是維摩所作。三明愚眾不覺往來。四明彼此無有增減。初中入三昧現神力者。明通由定發。非是無因。故示入三昧使人天信。不同呪幻所。故雜心云。五通在四禪。根本非餘地。彼得神通菩薩者明大力菩薩。得天眼者遂見瑞變為眾而問。其餘天人未了發聲救護者。為諸小菩薩怖難未除所請加護也。佛答可知。愚眾不覺可解。四而無增減如今不異者。問曰。彼若不來至此。此可不增彼亦不減。今此大眾咸見妙喜來入此土。是則此增彼減。何故經言不增減也。答曰。若隨相釋既有去來。非無增減。今此就其破相說故。來無來相故此不增。去無所去彼亦無減。或可。維摩以神通力妙喜雖入此土。由本如故此方不增彼處不減。雖復二界相雜。各見所居與本不異也。問。此無增減是不思議。與前芥納須彌山王何異。答。有四義。一以大入小。芥納須彌。二以小充大。請飯香積。三以大容大。妙喜入忍界。四以小入可知。今是第三以大入大不思議也。大眾見妙喜中文分有六。一佛勸觀妙喜。二明大眾唯然己見。三佛勸修無動之行。四明此眾見彼佛也發心獲益。五佛記之當生彼國。六明彼國化益既周。還於本處舉眾皆見。此上六斷文顯易解。更不重釋。自下第五佛知而問欲令身子自慶發願益未來中。光問次答。答中有四。一答己見。二發勝願。三明自慶得其善利。四其諸眾生已下利益未來。就中八句。一明開經之益。二況復下信解受持修行之益。三若有手得已下得經之益。如人得寶雖未受用已名富者。手得經卷亦如是也。四若有讀誦已下如說行故便蒙諸佛護念之益。此由行者內有正解外感慈悲。蓋是機藥無差理必然也。五其供養下明前行人能為眾生作福田益。供養此人當如佛也。六其有書下明書持之益。以此經法出生諸佛是佛母故也。七若聞經下隨喜之益。以其隨喜之善能趣一切智故。八若能信解與他說下得菩提益。能令自他勝行不退遂致得佛故佛記也。

From “At that time, the great assembly thirsted and looked up...” below is the third part, which explains the supernatural powers and transformations. Within this, there are five parts: first, explaining that the assembly at that time wished to see that Buddha and the great assembly; second, explaining that the Tathāgata told Vimalakīrti to manifest that land and the Buddha Akṣobhya for this assembly, so that all the assembly might see them; third, Vimalakīrti, complying with the command, manifested supernatural powers, reaching far off to take Abhirati and place it in this world; fourth, from “At that time, the Buddha told the assembly...” below, because the great assembly all saw it, they vowed to be reborn there; fifth, from “The Buddha told Śāriputra...” below, the Buddha, knowing, asks, wishing to have Śāriputra rejoice in himself and make vows to benefit the future. In the first part, that the great assembly saw: hearing the name of Abhirati spoken, they therefore gave rise to thirst and yearning. That the Buddha, knowing the assembly's thoughts, told him to manifest it has two meanings: first, to show his original land, wishing to make the great assembly vow to be reborn there; second, to reveal the acintya virtue of the Mahāsattva. In the third part, complying with the command to bring the land, it first explains that an intention arose in his inner mind; second, from “having formed this thought...” below, based on the thought he entered samādhi, manifesting great supernatural powers wishing to lead the people of the time to generate faith. In the first part, “three flights of jeweled stairs”: the retributive supernormal powers of the desire-realm devas are sufficient to ascend into the void; yet that land is adorned with jeweled stairs as roads for sporting. “The people of Jambudvīpa also ascend its stairs”: in an adorned, pure land where blessings and celebrations gather, the retributive states of humans and gods differ little, so they travel together on the same path, sharing the joy of socializing. “Like a potter's wheel”: when taking that world to bring it into this one, he lifted it lightly and unobstructed, like a potter's wheel. Within entering samādhi to arouse supernatural powers, there are four distinct points: first, relying on samādhi to manifest supernatural powers, taking the Abhirati realm and bringing it into this world; second, explaining that the awakened assembly could not fathom it and so petitioned the Buddha for rescue, and the Buddha replied that it was done by Vimalakīrti; third, explaining that the foolish assembly was unaware of the coming and going; fourth, explaining that there was no increase or decrease in either. In the first part, entering samādhi and manifesting supernatural powers: this explains that supernatural powers arise from samādhi and are not without a cause; therefore, he demonstrated entering samādhi to make humans and devas believe, unlike the spells of sorcery. Thus the Saṃyuktābhidharmahṛdaya says: “The five supernatural powers reside in the four dhyānas, their root is not in any other level.” “Bodhisattvas who had attained supernatural powers” refers to bodhisattvas of great power; those who had attained the divine eye saw the auspicious changes and asked on behalf of the assembly. That the remaining devas and humans, not understanding, cried out for rescue and protection was requested as protection on behalf of the lesser bodhisattvas whose fearful difficulties had not yet been eliminated. The Buddha's answer can be known; that the foolish assembly was unaware can be understood. Fourth, “yet without increase or decrease, not different from now”: Question: “If that [realm] did not come here, this [realm] would not increase and that [realm] would not decrease; but now this great assembly all sees Abhirati come into this land, so this increases and that decreases. Why does the sūtra say there is no increase or decrease?” Answer: “If explained according to marks, since there is going and coming, it is not without increase and decrease. Now, this is spoken with respect to shattering marks; because coming has no mark of coming, this does not increase; because going has no place to go, that does not decrease. Alternatively, by Vimalakīrti's supernatural power, although Abhirati entered this land, because of original suchness (tathatā), this side does not increase and that place does not decrease. Even though the two realms are intermingled, each sees their dwelling place as not different from the original.” Question: “This lack of increase and decrease is acintya; how does it differ from the earlier insertion of Mount Sumeru, King of Mountains, into a mustard seed?” Answer: “There are four meanings: first, entering the small with the large, as in the mustard seed holding Sumeru; second, filling the large with the small, as in requesting food from the Fragrant Accumulation; third, accommodating the large with the large, as in Abhirati entering the Sahā world; fourth, entering with the small, which can be understood. The present case is the third acintya: the large accommodating the large.” In the great assembly seeing Abhirati, the text is divided into six parts: first, the Buddha encourages them to contemplate Abhirati; second, explaining that the great assembly indeed saw it; third, the Buddha encourages them to cultivate the practice of Akṣobhya; fourth, explaining that this assembly, having seen that Buddha, generated the aspiration and attained benefit; fifth, the Buddha prophesied that they would be born in that land; sixth, explaining that once the transformative benefit in that land was complete, it returned to its original place, fully seen by the entire assembly. These above six sections of text are clear and easy to understand, and are not re-explained. From this point, the fifth part, where the Buddha, knowing, asks, wishing to make Śāriputra rejoice in himself, make vows, and benefit the future: first the question, then the answer. Within the answer there are four parts: first, answering that he has seen it; second, making a supreme vow; third, explaining that he rejoices in having gained this good benefit; fourth, from “all those sentient beings...” below, benefiting the future. Within this are eight sentences: first, explaining the benefit of opening the sūtra; second, from “how much more so...” below, the benefit of having faith, understanding, accepting, maintaining, and practicing it; third, from “if one obtains with one's hands...” below, the benefit of obtaining the sūtra—just as a person who obtains a jewel, though not yet enjoying it, is already called rich, so it is with obtaining the sūtra scroll in one's hands; fourth, from “if one reads and recites...” below, because of practicing as spoken, one receives the benefit of the protective mindfulness of all Buddhas. This is because the practitioner internally possesses correct understanding and externally evokes compassion; this is a case where capacity and remedy match without error, a matter of necessary principle. Fifth, from “those who make offerings...” below, explaining that the former practitioner can act as a field of merit for sentient beings, and offering to this person should be like offering to a Buddha; sixth, from “those who copy...” below, explaining the benefit of copying and upholding, because this sūtra's dharma gives birth to all Buddhas and is the mother of Buddhas; seventh, from “if one hears the sūtra...” below, the benefit of sympathetic joy, because the good of sympathetic joy is able to proceed toward omniscience; eighth, from “if one can faithfully understand and speak it to others...” below, the benefit of attaining bodhi, being able to make the supreme practice of oneself and others non-retrograde, ultimately leading to attaining Buddhahood, which the Buddha therefore prophesies.