維摩經疏卷第三．第六 6.18

6.18

From "When those great beings saw the emanated bodhisattva" below is the second major section, explaining that that Tathāgata responds to the request and gives the food. Within the text there are distinctly five parts: first, explaining that the bodhisattvas of Sarvagandhasugandhā, seeing the emanation, ask a question, and that Buddha answers in full; second, from "The bodhisattvas said: 'What kind of person is he...?'" below, they examine what Vimalakīrti's virtue is like to produce such an emanation, and that Buddha explains in full; third, from "Thereupon the Tathāgata Gandhahastin [i.e., Gandhottama/Sugandhakūṭa]..." below, the Buddha gives the fragrant rice to the emanated bodhisattva; fourth, from "At that time, those nine million bodhisattvas..." below, those bodhisattvas wish to come to this land, and the Buddha grants permission; fifth, from "At that time the emanated bodhisattva, having received the bowl of rice..." below, the bodhisattvas, relying on his power, arrive here to perform Buddha-deeds. In the first part, there is first the question and then the answer. Within the question there are three phrases: First, saying "those great beings" indicates the questioners; "seeing the emanated bodhisattva" shows what was observed; "praising it as unprecedented" shows it had never been seen before. Below is the question proper: "From where has this superior person come?" asks about the place from which he came. Second, "Where is the Sahā world located?" asks about its location. Third, "What does it mean to delight in lesser teachings?" asks about what they do. In a pure land there is no [such thing], so they find it strange and ask. Below, in the Buddha's reply: "The Buddha told them..." gathers generally the words of reply. From "Descending through..." below, he answers each question separately according to what was asked. Therein, first, down to "the world named Sahā" answers the question above, "Where is the Sahā world located?" "Sahā" is a Sanskrit word, translated here as "Endurance". The Karuṇāpuṇḍarīka Sūtra states: The beings of this land endure the three poisons and all afflictions; the land takes its name from its people, hence it is called "Endurance". "The Buddha is named Śākya; in the world of the five defilements, he expounds the teaching of the path for beings who delight in lesser teachings" answers the question above, "What does it mean to delight in lesser teachings?" Third, from "There is a bodhisattva named Vimalakīrti..." below answers the question above, "From where has this superior person come?" clarifying that this emanated person was sent by Vimalakīrti. He first lists that Vimalakīrti abides in the inconceivable to explain what he has attained; [then states that] he expounds [the Dharma] for the bodhisattvas to clarify whom he transforms; "hence he dispatched an emanation to come" shows why he was sent; "to praise my name and also extol this land, so as to cause those bodhisattvas to increase their merits" clarifies for what purpose he was sent—to cause them to admire and seek [the path] so that their merit increases. From here, the second part: Those bodhisattvas examine Vimalakīrti: "What kind of person is he that he could make such an emanation?" asks about the person. "Whose virtue, power, fearlessness, and supernatural locomotion are like this?" asks about his virtue. Below, the Buddha answers in full: The Buddha says, "Very great," praising the superiority of the person, responding to their initial question; "To all the ten directions he sends emanations" praises the breadth of his emanations, responding to their subsequent question. Third, that Buddha fills [the bowl] with fragrant rice and confers it upon the emanated bodhisattva; the text is clear and can be understood. From here, the fourth part: The bodhisattvas of Sarvagandhasugandhā request the Buddha's permission to come, and that Buddha grants permission. Therein, he first lists the requesters; "uttering a sound together..." utters the words of the formal request; "to make offerings to Śākya, see Vimalakīrti, etc." shows the purpose of the request. Below, the Buddha grants permission: "You may go" grants permission to leave. Below, he clarifies the admonitions. First, he admonishes their bodies; next, he admonishes their minds. Admonishing their bodies has two aspects: first, instructing them to restrain their bodily fragrance, so as not to cause beings to give rise to delusion and attachment and generate afflictions. It is asked: Since they restrain the bodhisattvas' bodily fragrance, why do they not restrain the fragrance of the rice? The answer: By the Buddha's supernatural power, the rice can eliminate delusion and arouse their intention for the path; therefore, it is not restrained. Bodily fragrance is not like this, so it must be restrained. Or it may be said: The Bhagavat feared that those beings would generate afflictions, and on this account exhorted them to restrain it; had those beings not generated greed and attachment, he would not have exhorted them to restrain it either. Hence the sūtra states below: "The Buddha told Ānanda: 'It is the fragrance from the pores of those bodhisattvas.'" Second, they are to cast off their original forms, so as not to cause those bodhisattvas to give rise to feelings of contempt and shame and regress from their vigor. Regarding the admonition of their minds: "Moreover, you must not harbor disdain toward them or conceive notions of hindrance" directly exhorts them to abandon faults: do not look down on the people, and do not conceive notions of hindrance regarding the land. To be intimidated and not enter is called "conceiving notions of hindrance". From "Why?" below, it explains, first raising the question and then explaining: "The lands of the ten directions are all like space" means that the supreme lands of all Buddhas are by nature pure like space, equal and non-dual; it is only for the sake of great compassion to transform beings that they do not manifest their pure lands in full. From here, the fifth part: In clarifying that the bodhisattvas arrive by relying on [the Buddha's] power: if taken specifically, those nine million relied upon that Buddha's power, while the emanated bodhisattva relied upon Vimalakīrti's power; in a general sense, the principle is identical, so how could there be any difference? The preceding second part, the Buddha bestowing the food, is finished.