維摩經疏卷第三．第六 6.44

6.44

From "What is called..." downward is the second [section], explaining the preceding "not abiding in the unconditioned." Within this there are three: first, citing [the topic]; next, explaining; and finally, concluding. As for "the bodhisattva not abiding in the unconditioned": the two vehicles contemplate the unconditioned and abide in the bliss of the unconditioned; how is it that the bodhisattva contemplates the bliss of the unconditioned yet is able not to realize [it], permanently remaining in saṃsāra to teach and transform sentient beings? In the explanation there are three divisions: first, three lines on the gate of the three emptiness contemplations; next, four lines on the gate of the four dharma practices; below, eight lines on the gate of contemplation traversing dharmas. "Cultivating and learning emptiness, yet not taking emptiness as realization": [Kuiji] Man says: The bodhisattva comprehends that all dharmas lack intrinsic nature; this is called cultivating emptiness. Emptiness is also empty, therefore they do not realize it. The *Yan* says: By the power of wisdom they contemplate emptiness; by the power of compassion they do not take realization. [Dao]hongfu says: There are two kinds of emptiness: first, the emptiness of the known, which refers to the emptiness of persons and dharmas; second, the emptiness of the contemplating wisdom: contemplating the emptiness of what is known is called cultivating and learning emptiness; the contemplating wisdom is also empty, which is called not taking emptiness as realization. "Cultivating signlessness and wishlessness, yet not taking wishlessness and signlessness as realization": [Kuiji] Man says: Because of emptiness there are no signs; having no causes to construct is called wishlessness; since signlessness and wishlessness are both ungraspable, there is no realization. The *Yan* says: Through the contemplation of wisdom, there is signlessness and wishlessness; through the power of compassion, they do not grasp at their signs, and therefore do not realize them. [Dao]hongfu says: Signlessness has two [aspects]: first, signlessness of the known, meaning the principle of the two selflessnesses; second, signlessness of the contemplating wisdom: the wisdom contemplating the two selflessnesses has no signs of persons or dharmas, which is called learning the signless contemplating wisdom; that the contemplating wisdom is signless is called not taking signlessness as realization. "Cultivating non-arising, without realization": Sengzhao says: All dharmas exist when conditions come together, and do not exist when conditions disperse. What dharma exists beforehand waiting for conditions to arise? This is another name for the contemplation of emptiness: there is no fruit that can arise. Non-arising is intrinsically empty; non-arising is also not non-arising; therefore it says not taking non-arising as realization. It is also said: Non-arising has two [aspects]: first, non-arising of the known, meaning contemplating that conditioned dharmas have no abiding; second, non-arising of the contemplating wisdom, meaning the two selflessnesses: first contemplating that conditioned nature is empty is called cultivating non-arising; the contemplating wisdom is also empty, which is called not taking non-arising as realization. From "Contemplating impermanence..." downward explains the Mahāyāna contemplation of the four equal Dharma seals. "Contemplating impermanence without revulsion toward roots of wholesomeness": [Kuiji] Man says: The two vehicles take impermanence to be impermanence, and therefore loathe conditioned wholesome dharmas; the bodhisattva does not take impermanence to be impermanence, knowing that the nature of impermanence is empty; yet because their merits are not yet complete, they are able not to feel revulsion toward roots of wholesomeness. [Dao]hongfu says: Contemplating impermanence allows one to abandon the inversion of permanence without revulsion toward roots of wholesomeness, revealing the fundamental permanent nature. It is also said: Through great wisdom they see the five aggregates as impermanent, already free from the inversion of permanence; through great compassion they constantly remain in saṃsāra to teach and transform sentient beings and plant all roots of wholesomeness. "Contemplating suffering in the world without detesting saṃsāra": [Kuiji] Man says: The two vehicles take suffering to be suffering, and therefore detest saṃsāra; the great being knows that suffering has no arising, and dwelling in suffering transforms beings, therefore not detesting saṃsāra. Therefore the *Nirvāṇa Sūtra* says: It is not that the bodhisattva has no suffering, but because they comprehend suffering, there is no suffering. The *Viśeṣacinti-brahma-paripṛcchā Sūtra* says: Knowing that suffering has no arising is called the noble truth of suffering. Using this scriptural proof, one knows that only when the bodhisattva comprehends that suffering is not suffering are they able to dwell in its midst to transform beings. [Dao]hongfu says: Contemplating the suffering of the three realms allows one to abandon the inversion of pleasure without detesting saṃsāra, for within saṃsāra there is also the nature of bliss. "Contemplating selflessness while instructing others untiringly": [Kuiji] Man says: The Hīnayāna takes selflessness to be selflessness, and is therefore indolent in instructing others; the great being knows that the two dharmas of self and selflessness are both empty; yet because sentient beings have not comprehended this, they instruct them untiringly. [Dao]hongfu says: Contemplating selflessness means contemplating that sentient beings lack a self, permanently abandoning the inversion of self; instructing others untiringly means constantly encouraging and transforming beings to make them awaken to the true self, which is the so-called Buddha-nature. "Contemplating extinction [without taking it as] permanent extinction": [Kuiji] Man says: The śrāvakas take quiescence as quiescence, and for that reason realize extinction; the great being contemplates that all dharmas are originally quiescent and extinguished, not newly extinguished now; therefore they do not realize it. Hence the preceding sūtra says: Dharmas are originally not burning; now they are without extinction—this is the meaning of quiescence and extinction. [Dao]hongfu says: As for contemplating extinction, although knowing that nirvāṇa is unconditioned, eternal, and blissful, because of great compassion they remain in the middle to transform beings, and therefore do not undergo extinction. From here down are eight lines traversing dharmas to elucidate contemplation. "Contemplating detachment, yet cultivating wholesomeness in body and mind": contemplating that the ultimate truth is free from the marks of body and mind is called contemplating detachment; in order to fulfill wholesome practices and accomplish bodhi, one cultivates wholesomeness with body and mind. Alternatively, the bodhisattva has three detachments from suffering: first, detachment from the fruit of suffering; second, detachment from defilements; third, detachment from karmic bonds; being empty yet constantly existing, they do not fail to cultivate wholesomeness. "Contemplating that there is nowhere to go, yet tending toward wholesome dharmas": Sengzhao says: All dharmas originally come from nowhere, and ultimately go nowhere; although knowing there is nowhere to go, they constantly take refuge in wholesome dharmas. Alternatively, contemplating the tathatā of the two emptinesses, arising has nothing that arises, and ceasing has nothing that ceases; neither arising nor ceasing, there is nowhere to go; yet cultivating conformity-patience to tend toward the unarisen [nature] of the higher grounds is called tending toward the wholesome. "Contemplating non-arising, yet bearing all [beings] through dharmas of arising": the bodhisattva's contemplation of non-arising has three [aspects]: first, contemplating that the parikalpita is fundamentally unarisen by nature; second, contemplating that the pariniṣpanna does not arise from causes and conditions; third, contemplating that the paratantra arises with nothing that arises; although knowing that all dharmas are unarisen, for the sake of sentient beings they dwell in birth, and therefore manifest birth and preach the Dharma to save all. Hence the preceding sūtra says: Although knowing there is no arising or ceasing, to show [it to] them there is birth. "Contemplating the undefiled, yet not severing defilements": from the first ground up to the seventh ground, the sudden-enlightenment bodhisattva cuts off both grasping at persons and dharmas born of discrimination and realizes the principle of tathatā, which is called contemplating the undefiled; retaining the innate seeds of greed to assist their vows to undergo rebirth and transform and benefit sentient beings is called not severing defilements. Alternatively, the bodhisattva of the eighth ground and above realizes the principle of the two emptinesses, which is called contemplating the undefiled; retaining the seeds of greed and so forth is called not severing defilements. Alternatively, because the bodhisattva manifests dwelling in the defiled lands of sentient beings to transform sentient beings, it is called not severing defilements. "Contemplating non-action, yet transforming sentient beings through dharmas of practice": Sengzhao says: The nature of dharmas has no karma; what is there to practice? Although knowing there is no action, because sentient beings have not comprehended it, they must cultivate sublime practices to teach and transform sentient beings. "Contemplating emptiness without abandoning great compassion": contemplating that the nature of dharmas is empty, and emptiness is also empty; because sentient beings have not comprehended it, they harbour compassion without abandoning it. "Contemplating the correct state without following the Hīnayāna": the correct state of dharmas is the unconditioned; contemplating that the nature of dharmas is empty is called the correct state; not attaching to emptiness, they do not take realization like the Hīnayāna. "Contemplating that dharmas are false and illusory, without solidity, without person, without master, without marks, yet not making merit and wisdom futile": all dharmas are produced by causes and conditions and have no intrinsic nature; what is there to be solid, what is there to be a master? Although knowing this, because their great vows are not yet fulfilled, how could they fail to cultivate merit and wisdom just because there is no master or person? All these lines accomplish not abiding in the unconditioned. "Cultivating such dharmas..." downward concludes. Next, from "further possessing merit..." downward, there are four pairs explaining the preceding "not extinguishing and not abiding." Why are there four pairs, and what is their difference? First, the pair of merit and wisdom. Second, the pair of compassion and vows. Third, the pair of teaching and practice. Fourth, the pair of obstacles and remedies. These four pairs eradicate only two ailments: namely, extinguishing the existent and abiding in the non-existent. Abiding in the non-existent means both body and wisdom are lost; how could merit and wisdom be perfected? Extinguishing the existent means extinguishing contemplation; abandoning conditions is samādhi; [without conditions] how could compassion and vows be fulfilled? Alternatively, the first pair is personal practice, while the latter three are benefiting others. "Possessing merit and virtue, yet not abiding in the unconditioned": the accumulation of virtue must inevitably traverse the ford of existence; if one abides in the unconditioned, merit and virtue will not be complete. "Because of wisdom, not extinguishing the conditioned": the brightness of wisdom must inevitably depend on being extensive; if one casts aside the conditioned, wisdom will not be complete. "Because of great benevolence and compassion, not abiding in the unconditioned": benevolence and compassion entering among beings—how could abiding in non-existence accomplish this? "Fulfilling original vows, not extinguishing the conditioned": vows depend on accumulating virtue; how could casting aside the conditioned accomplish this? "Gathering Dharma medicine, yet not abiding in the unconditioned": gathering good medicine must take place on precipitous mountains, not in ornate halls; the great being gathering Dharma medicine must be in the perils of existence, not born of the unconditioned. "Administering medicine in accord [with illness], yet not extinguishing the conditioned": if one casts aside the conditioned, one is cut off from all beings; how could one administer medicine in accord? "Knowing the diseases of sentient beings, yet not abiding in the unconditioned": knowing the origins of all diseases cannot be accomplished by abiding in the unconditioned. "Eradicating the diseases of sentient beings, yet not extinguishing the conditioned": eradicating the diseases of sentient beings must require applying remedies within existence; how could extinguishing the conditioned accomplish this?