維摩經疏卷第三．第六 6.78

6.78

三分文釋者。文中有二。一佛以正法付之流通。二佛說已下大眾聞法歡喜奉行。前中付人唯二。傳者。有四。付人者。一者付彌勒。二付阿難。問。賢聖眾多。何故偏付此二。答。維摩非此土菩薩。故不付囑也。文殊遊無定方故亦不付。付彌勒者。以其當於此界成佛成熟眾生。今以神力冥加護故成其功業。阿難是傳法藏人。令使結集流布通傳故須付也。傳有四者。一彌勒菩薩奉教流通。二諸餘菩薩自誓宣通。三四王自誓護通。四阿難受教傳通。前中有三。初至而為廣說明付囑意。二彌勒當知菩薩有二相下舉其德失勸令修捨。三彌勒菩薩聞說已下嘆所聞法勸人修學。就前文中復分為三。初以法付囑。二明通法時節。三所以者何下釋付囑之意。初中無量億劫所集菩提付囑汝者。正明付囑此經。宣說菩提之真德約就所說以名其經。名為所集阿耨菩提。故上經云。此經廣說過去未來現在諸佛菩提。或可。此經能生菩提。所集菩提從是經生。從其所生名所集阿耨菩提。故上經云。諸佛菩提皆從是生也。二如是輩經於佛滅下明通法時節。如是輩經牒前所付。輩猶等也類也。於佛滅後末世之中流布時也。末世難通故須勸之。汝等當以神力流布正勸。傳通於閻浮提彰流布處也。閻浮提眾生行法最勝故偏言之。無令斷絕誡使常通。三所以下釋勸之意。初先徵問。有何所以勸汝傳通下對釋之。於中初明不傳之損。未來當有男子女人及龍等。發菩提心樂於大法。若使不聞如是等經即失善利。是其損也。下明傳益。如此輩人聞是等經必多信樂　是其益也。如是輩人牒前未來發心之人。聞是經典必多信樂發希有心當以頂受。自行益也。念經希有隨生得利而為廣說。化他益也。上來如來以法正付。

Third, regarding dividing the text and explaining it, the text has two parts: 1. The Buddha entrusts the true Dharma for its propagation; 2. From "after the Buddha spoke" onward, the great assembly hears the Dharma, rejoices, and practices it. In the first part, the persons entrusted are only two, but the propagators are four. As for the persons entrusted: first, it is entrusted to Maitreya; second, it is entrusted to Ānanda. Question: The worthy and noble ones are numerous; why is it specifically entrusted to these two? Answer: Vimalakīrti is not a bodhisattva of this world, so it is not entrusted to him. Mañjuśrī roams without a fixed place, so it is also not entrusted to him. It is entrusted to Maitreya because he will attain buddhahood in this world and mature sentient beings; now, with divine power invisibly conferring protection, his meritorious work will be completed. Ānanda is the one who transmits the Dharma treasury; by having him compile and broadly transmit it, he can make it widely known, so it had to be entrusted to him. As for the propagators being four: 1. Maitreya Bodhisattva receives the instruction and propagates it; 2. All the other bodhisattvas vow of themselves to proclaim and propagate it; 3. The four heavenly kings vow of themselves to protect and propagate it; 4. Ānanda receives the instruction and transmits it. In the first part, there are three sections: First, up to "and explain it extensively for them," it explains the intention of entrustment. Second, from "Maitreya, you should know that bodhisattvas have two characteristics" onward, he presents their virtues and faults, urging them to cultivate [the former] and abandon [the latter]. Third, from "Maitreya Bodhisattva, having heard this spoken" onward, he praises the Dharma he heard and encourages people to cultivate and study it. Within the preceding text, it is further divided into three: 1. Entrusting with the Dharma; 2. Clarifying the time and period for propagating the Dharma; 3. From "Why is this?" onward, explaining the intention of the entrustment. In the first, "entrusting to you the bodhi accumulated over immeasurable billions of kalpas" directly explains the entrustment of this sūtra. It proclaims the true virtues of bodhi, and following what is taught, names the sūtra: it is named "the accumulated anuttarā bodhi." Hence the preceding sūtra says: "This sūtra extensively explains the bodhi of past, future, and present buddhas." Or it may be that this sūtra is able to generate bodhi, and the accumulated bodhi is generated from this sūtra; named after what it generates, it is called "the accumulated anuttarā bodhi." Hence the preceding sūtra says: "The bodhi of all buddhas is all generated from this." Second, "sūtras of this kind, after the Buddha's nirvāṇa" onward explains the time and period for propagating the Dharma. "Sūtras of this kind" resumes what was previously entrusted; "kind" means "such as" or "category." "After the Buddha's nirvāṇa, in the final age" is the time of propagation. Because it is difficult to propagate in the final age, he must urge them. "You all should, with divine power, broadly propagate" is the direct exhortation. "Transmit it throughout Jambudvīpa" indicates the place of propagation. Because sentient beings in Jambudvīpa are foremost in practicing the Dharma, it is specifically mentioned. "Do not let it be cut off" is the admonition to keep it constantly circulating. Third, from "Why is this?" onward explains the intention of the exhortation. First, it poses a question: What is the reason for urging you to transmit it? Below, he replies and explains it. Therein, it first explains the harm of not transmitting it: in the future there will be good men, good women, dragons, and so forth who generate the bodhi-mind and delight in the Great Dharma; if they are not allowed to hear sūtras such as this, they will lose the wholesome benefit: this is the harm. Below, it explains the benefit of transmitting: if people of this kind hear sūtras such as this, they will certainly have much faith and joy: this is the benefit. "People of this kind" resumes the aforementioned people of the future who generate the mind. "Hearing this sūtra, they will certainly have much faith and joy, generate a sense of its rarity, and receive it atop their heads": this is the benefit of one's own practice. "Recalling that the sūtra is rare, and according to what beings may benefit from, explaining it extensively for them": this is the benefit of transforming others. The above is the Tathāgata directly entrusting with the Dharma.