維摩經抄 1.12

1.12

經曰。一切眾生皆如也。一切法亦如也。眾賢聖亦如也。至於彌勒亦如也　述曰。眾生如也。無凡夫諸法如也。無授記聖賢亦如也。無聖人彌勒如也。無得記　經曰。若彌勒得受記者。一切眾生亦應受記。所以者何。不二不異　述曰。凡聖同如故云不實。凡聖一相故云不二。彌勒如彼故而得受記。眾生亦如云何不得。故云亦應受記　經曰。障是菩提障諸願故　述曰。障是障礙。云何菩提。此中意者有為法中有願有求菩提。無為如如不動。豈非障彼分別願耶　經曰　直心是道場無虛假故　述曰。有相道場有其處所實有來去。無相道場本無處所何有去來。今淨名居士於無來去中假名來去故。若彼言從道場來真如平等目之為場。得道之處名曰道場。猶如世聞穀麥場等。於此真如迷即名去悟即是來去。其糠秕至真如實名之為場。除却虛假留其真心。真心即是道場。道即是場故曰道場。已下諸句意皆同此　經曰。菩薩若應諸波羅蜜教化眾生。諸有所作舉足下足。當知皆從道場來詣於佛法矣　述曰。此言應者去聲呼之所謂應會也。波羅蜜者彼岸也。教化眾生皆與彼岸相應會也。凡小教化皆與生死相應不到彼岸。以著相故出定為舉足入定為下足。亦可言說為舉足入證。為下足不離真如。皆從道場也　經曰。善來憍尸迦。雖福應有。不當自恣。當觀五欲無常於身命財而修堅法　述曰。憍尸迦帝釋名也。前生修福感得此報。故云雖福應有未出生死。故云不當自恣。當觀無常。諸天果報不過三法。一身。二命。三財。身即圓滿端正。命即長時不夭。財即自然豐足。終歸破散。須修堅固法　經曰。正士。受此萬二千天女可備掃灑。持世言。此非我宜。維摩詰言。可以與我。如我當受　述曰。小乘著相女人共住壞道生染故云此非我宜。大乘無相長道增淨故云如我應受　經曰。有法樂可以自娛。不應復樂五欲樂也。天女問曰。何謂法樂。答言。樂常信佛。樂欲聽法。供養眾等　述曰。夫五欲樂者。奔赴六塵諠煩六識攀緣動作惱亂身心。樂少苦多。如犮嚙骨難成易壞費力傷神。凡夫於中妄生樂想。現世憂惱當來受殃。法樂翻此無為寂然法味怡神實為大樂。已下准此　經曰。樂聞深法不畏　述曰。菩薩聞深法則樂而忘苦。如法花會中六十小劫不起。于座無有一人而生疲倦。小乘聞深法而則驚。故五千比丘等退座而起　經曰。居士可捨此女。一切有所施於彼者。是為菩薩　述曰。夫論菩薩能捨所有求者皆與不違。眾生何況女耶　經曰。冥者皆明。明終不盡　述曰。夫燈光明照一照多一無增減。法之光明亦復如是。一人受持一人得度。無量眾生而共修持窮未來際。終無有盡平等平等　經曰。當為法施之會。何用如是財施會為　述曰。最後為字平聲呼之。夫施會者有為功德不出生死。有其多少好惡差別。有七曰等長短時節。不斷妄想徒費營。為法施會者無形無相教化眾生起四無量慈悲喜捨。六度圓滿斷妄入真。超出生死登乎。彼岸如如不動名為法施　經曰。謂以菩提起於慈心。此之以者因也。因於菩提而起慈心。得菩提故始能慈悲救度眾生。亦可因菩提故始起慈心。不求菩提不起慈心。不得成佛。互釋皆得。已下准此　經曰。知一切法不取不捨。入一相門起於慧業　述曰。真如無相。云何可取。證悟不虛。云何可捨。悟斯理者即一相門。入得此門慧業即起　經曰。住是會者。為大施主。亦為一切世聞福田　述曰。清施無盡普霑法界名大施主。施者受者俱出生死。涅槃極果常樂我淨。是真福田　經曰。淨名受彼瓔珞分作二分。一分施最下乞人。一分奉難勝如來　述曰。二乘著相。乞人下劣施之福少。如來高勝施之福多。此乃常情分別何足尚耶。淨名欲明勝劣平等凡聖一如故。施乞人等於佛福不二之理。斯其見乎故　經云。若施主等心施一乞人。猶如來福田之相無所分別。等于大悲不求果報。是則名曰具足法施。

The sūtra states: "All sentient beings are [in] suchness; all phenomena are also [in] suchness; all sages and worthies are also [in] suchness; even Maitreya is also [in] suchness."
The commentary states: Because sentient beings are [in] suchness, there are no ordinary beings; because all phenomena are [in] suchness, there is no bestowal of prophecy; because worthies and sages are also [in] suchness, there are no sages; because Maitreya is [in] suchness, there is no attainment of prophecy.
The sūtra states: "If Maitreya could receive the prophecy, all sentient beings should also receive the prophecy. Why is that? Because [suchness] is not two and not different."
The commentary states: Ordinary beings and sages are identical in suchness, hence it says "not different." Ordinary beings and sages share a single characteristic, hence it says "not two." Since Maitreya is like that and receives the prophecy, sentient beings are also [in] suchness, so how could they not? Therefore it says they "should also receive the prophecy."
The sūtra states: "Obstruction is bodhi, because it obstructs all vows."
The commentary states: "Obstruction" means hindrance; how is it bodhi? The meaning here is: among conditioned phenomena, there are vows and seeking; bodhi is unconditioned and unmoving in suchness—how could it not obstruct those conceptualized vows?
The sūtra states: "The straight mind is the bodhimaṇḍa, because it is free of falsity."
The commentary states: A bodhimaṇḍa with characteristics has its physical location and truly involves coming and going. The bodhimaṇḍa without characteristics originally has no location, so how could there be going or coming? Now Vimalakīrti metaphorically posits going and coming within what is devoid of going and coming. If one speaks of coming from the bodhimaṇḍa, the equality of tathatā is regarded as the site (maṇḍa). The place where one attains the Way (bodhi) is called the bodhimaṇḍa, just like grain or wheat threshing grounds in the mundane world. Within this tathatā, delusion is called going, and awakening is coming. Removing the chaff and reaching the true reality of tathatā is called the site. Dispensing with falsity and retaining the true mind, the true mind is itself the bodhimaṇḍa. The Way is itself the site, hence called bodhimaṇḍa. The meaning of the lines below is entirely the same as this.
The sūtra states: "If a bodhisattva accords with the pāramitās to teach and transform sentient beings, whatever actions they undertake, lifting a foot or setting down a foot, one should know that all come from the bodhimaṇḍa and proceed toward the Buddha-Dharma."
The commentary states: The word "accord" here is pronounced in the falling tone, meaning to accord with and meet. "Pāramitā" means the other shore. Teaching and transforming sentient beings in all respects accords with and meets the other shore. The teaching and transforming done by ordinary beings and the small [vehicle] all accords with saṃsāra and does not reach the other shore because of attachment to characteristics. Emerging from samādhi is lifting the foot; entering samādhi is setting down the foot. One may also say that speech is lifting the foot, and entering realization is setting down the foot. Not departing from tathatā, all come from the bodhimaṇḍa.
The sūtra states: "Welcome, Kauśika! Although your merit should bring this [fortune], you ought not to indulge yourself. You should contemplate the impermanence of the five desires and cultivate the firm Dharma regarding body, life, and wealth."
The commentary states: Kauśika is the name of Śakra. Having cultivated merit in a past life, he experienced this retribution, hence it says: "Although your merit should bring this [fortune]." Not having escaped saṃsāra, it says: "You ought not to indulge yourself; you should contemplate impermanence." The retributive fruits of devas do not exceed three things: first, the body; second, life; third, wealth. The body is complete and handsome; life is long without premature death; wealth is naturally abundant. Yet they ultimately scatter and ruin; one must cultivate the firm Dharma.
The sūtra states: "Noble one, accept these twelve thousand heavenly maidens, who can be prepared for sweeping and sprinkling." Dharanimdhara said: "This is not suitable for me." Vimalakīrti said: "They may be given to me; as for me, I shall accept them."
The commentary states: The Hīnayāna is attached to characteristics: living together with women destroys the Way and gives rise to defilement, hence he says "This is not suitable for me." The Mahāyāna is without characteristics: it expands the Way and increases purity, hence he says "As for me, I shall accept them."
The sūtra states: "There is the joy of the Dharma by which you can entertain yourselves; you should no longer delight in the pleasure of the five desires." The heavenly maidens asked: "What is the joy of the Dharma?" He replied: "Delighting in constantly having faith in the Buddha, delighting in wishing to hear the Dharma, making offerings to the Saṃgha, and so forth."
The commentary states: As for the pleasures of the five desires, rushing toward the six dusts agitates the six consciousnesses; grasping at conditions and moving about afflicts the body and mind. There is little joy and much suffering, like a dog gnawing a bone: hard to accomplish and easy to ruin, expending effort and harming the spirit. Ordinary beings falsely generate notions of pleasure in them; in the present life they suffer distress, and in the future they undergo misfortune. Dharma joy is the reverse of this: unconditioned, serene, the flavor of the Dharma pleases the spirit; it is truly great joy. The passages below follow this.
The sūtra states: "Delighting in hearing the profound Dharma without fear."
The commentary states: When bodhisattvas hear the profound Dharma, they rejoice and forget suffering, just as in the Lotus Assembly they did not rise from their seats for sixty minor kalpas, and not a single person grew weary. When the small vehicle hears the profound Dharma, they are terrified; thus the five thousand monks and others withdrew from their seats and stood up.
The sūtra states: "Upāsaka, you may give away these women. One who gives all that one possesses to them is a bodhisattva."
The commentary states: As for a bodhisattva, they can renounce all that they possess, granting whatever is sought without opposing sentient beings, so how much more so with women?
The sūtra states: "Those in darkness are all illuminated, and the light is never exhausted."
The commentary states: A lamp's light illuminates; whether illuminating one or many, the one neither increases nor decreases. The light of the Dharma is also like this: if one person upholds it, one person attains deliverance; if immeasurable sentient beings practice and uphold it together, exhausting the bounds of the future, it is ultimately never exhausted, equal and identical.
The sūtra states: "You should hold an assembly for the gift of Dharma; what need is there for holding an assembly for the gift of material wealth like this?"
The commentary states: The final character "wei" is pronounced in the level tone. As for assemblies for giving material goods, their conditioned merit does not escape saṃsāra. They have differences of quantity and quality, and durations of time like seven days; without severing false conceptualization, effort and management are spent in vain. As for an assembly for the gift of Dharma, it is formless and signless; it teaches and transforms sentient beings to give rise to the four immeasurables—loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity; the six perfections are perfected, severing delusion and entering reality; one transcends saṃsāra, ascends to the other shore, and remains unmoving in suchness—this is called the gift of Dharma.
The sūtra states: "It refers to giving rise to a mind of loving-kindness based on bodhi." This "based on" means because of: because of bodhi, one gives rise to a mind of loving-kindness. It is because one attains bodhi that one can first deliver sentient beings with loving-kindness and compassion. Alternatively, it is because of bodhi that one first gives rise to a mind of loving-kindness; if one does not seek bodhi, one does not give rise to a mind of loving-kindness and cannot attain buddhahood. Both explanations are acceptable. The passages below follow this.
The sūtra states: "Knowing that all phenomena are neither grasped nor abandoned, entering the gate of the single mark, one generates the activity of wisdom."
The commentary states: Tathatā is signless; how could it be grasped? Realization and awakening are not false; how could they be abandoned? One who awakens to this principle attains the gate of the single mark; once entering this gate, the activity of wisdom arises.
The sūtra states: "One who abides in this assembly is a great donor and is also a field of merit for all the world."
The commentary states: Pure giving that is inexhaustible and universally moistens the Dharma realm is called a "great donor." Both giver and receiver transcend saṃsāra, attaining the ultimate fruit of nirvāṇa, which is permanent, joyful, self, and pure; this is the true field of merit.
The sūtra states: "Vimalakīrti received that necklace and divided it into two portions: one portion he gave to the lowest beggar, and one portion he offered to the Tathāgata Duṣprasaha."
The commentary states: The two vehicles are attached to characteristics: a beggar is lowly and inferior, so giving to him brings little merit; a Tathāgata is lofty and supreme, so giving to him brings great merit. This is mere ordinary mental discrimination; how could it be esteemed? Vimalakīrti wished to clarify that superior and inferior are equal, and that ordinary beings and sages are one in suchness; therefore, giving to a beggar brings merit equal to that of a Buddha, demonstrating the principle of non-duality. Is this not seen in what follows? Hence the sūtra states: "If a donor, with an equal mind, gives to a single beggar, seeing it without discrimination just like the characteristics of a Tathāgata's field of merit, equal to great compassion without seeking retribution, this is called being complete in the gift of Dharma."