維摩經疏卷第三．第六 6.30

6.30

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.