維摩經疏卷第三．第六 3.34

3.34

"If you have truly attained the empty samādhi of non-contention, why are you not equal toward the dharma of food, and even toward all dharmas such as bondage and liberation? Do not produce discriminations! Since it is seen that you now abandon the poor to follow the rich, eliminate poverty to take liberation, and turn your back on heretical teachers to take refuge in the Buddha's right Dharma, this is precisely contradictory. This means your grasping onto views has not vanished, and your taking and leaving have not ceased; how can this be called the samādhi of emptiness? If you wish to accord with that great-emptiness, equal samādhi of non-contention, you must not see the goodness or badness of food, and even wrong and right as non-dual, without producing discriminations. If you can be like this, only then may you take the food." Regarding the first [point], inequality concerning food, there are three distinct clauses: first, comparing food to dharmas; second, comparing dharmas to food; third, concluding with permission to take the food. "Only, Subhūti, if you are equal regarding food, you are also equal regarding all dharmas": this is the first clause. You now abandon the poor to follow the rich, seeing food as good or bad; that is knowing that you are not equal regarding food. The myriad dharmas share the same characteristic, with the nature of dharmas being the reality; that is knowing that you are not equal regarding dharmas. Furthermore, comparing food to dharmas: contemplating that the substance of food is empty is called being equal regarding food; comparing this to the rest is called being equal regarding dharmas. "If all dharmas are equal": the second clause compares dharmas to food. Contemplating that the nature of dharmas is empty, without defilement or purity, is called dharmas being equal; comparing this to food is called food also being equal. "Begging alms like this, only then may you take the food": the third clause concludes with permission to take the food. The myriad dharmas share the same characteristic, and by following this one, the rest can be known; if one is equal regarding dharmas and food, begging alms with this is indeed a field of merit, and only then may one take the food. "May take the food" and so forth: taking the fine food of the rich is equal to the foul meal of the poor house. If one can be equal regarding this coarse and fine food, one will be able to be equal regarding all dharmas as well. If one understands that the myriad dharmas are all equal, one will be able to be equal regarding food as well. Attaining this equal mind is a true field of merit, and only then may one take the food.