[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [維摩經抄](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2773) › 1.3 # 維摩經抄 1.3 維摩經抄 1.3 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2773.1.3) 自此已下別就此經曲明宗意。古來賢聖皆斷此經。以不思議解脫為宗。只緣前說法性無礙。非空非有亦有亦空。不常不斷等故名為不可思議解脫。非凡小等之所測量。心言路絕名不思議。不滯空有等。名為解脫。然此經上下總有五種不可思議攝之略盡。何等為五。一理不思議。二行不思議。三報不思議。四用不思議。五教不思議。第一理不思議者。即非空非有不常不斷等真如法性中道之理　經云。一切法皆如也。乃至彌勒亦如也。不來相而來。不見相而見等。皆是理不思議。第二行不思議者。即說菩薩無住之行　經云。在於生死不為□行。住於涅槃不永滅度。是菩薩行非凡夫行非賢聖行。菩薩行非淨行非垢行。是菩薩行等皆是行不思議。第三報不思議即下經說佛身功德十方淨土等。是報不思議。第四用不思議者。下經說神通變化合蓋現土常擎大眾取飯香積借座須彌等。皆用不思議。第五教不思議者。即名句文字巧妙言詞善能詮顯不思議理。是故經云。一四句偈所有功德無量無邊。是名教不思議。此之五種不思議前後次第者。一切諸法理為其本。是故第一理不思議欲悟其理必資起行。是故第二行不思議行不空備必能感報。是故第三報不思議報不徒然必能起用。是故第四用不思議用不空設必能起教。是故第五教不思議略說如是。餘在經文　經曰如是　述曰。一切經首皆有此之二字。蓋有深意。此之二字亦乃包括一切佛法議理皆盡。略作三釋。第一云。三世諸佛所說不異。名之為如。稱理無非故稱為是。第二釋云。諸法實相古今不易。名之為如。如而說故稱為是。第三釋云。何難所傳與佛無異故名為如。離諸過失故稱為是　經曰佛　述曰。佛者佛陀漢翻為覺。覺有二種。一本覺。二始覺。即法身佛真如法性以為其體。本性清淨如摩尼珠。一切眾生悉皆平等。只緣眾生無始已來從真起妄。沿流昧源。逐末失本。垢障蒙覆自性。真佛遂作凡夫。多受苦惱。一念覺時垢妄斯遣。本性湛然。即名為佛。更無所得。是故經言。乃至無□□法可得。是法平等無有高下。是名阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。此經亦云。若彌勒得菩提。一切眾生皆亦應得。所以者何。一切眾生亦當滅度。所以者何。諸佛知一切眾生。畢竟寂滅不復更滅。乃至云寂滅。是菩提滅諸相故。花嚴等經說云。佛及眾生心如是三種法不即亦不離。不一亦不二。眾生不離佛。佛不離眾生。如是等文名本覺佛。斷煩惱障得。二始覺佛者。即盧舍那報身如來以四智為體。剋性而論智為佛體。智為能證覺之體故相從而論。即功德相好無漏五蘊總名為佛。廣在經論所明一切菩薩經三大劫十地滿足。斷所知障名始覺佛。 > From here on down, specifically concerning this sūtra, the intent of its school is thoroughly clarified. From ancient times, sages and worthies have all determined that this sūtra takes inconceivable liberation as its central tenet. It is simply because, as previously explained, dharmatā is unobstructed, neither empty nor existent, both existent and empty, neither permanent nor annihilated, and so forth, that it is called 'inconceivable liberation'. It is not something ordinary beings, followers of the lesser vehicles, and the like can measure; the paths of mind and speech being severed is called 'inconceivable'; not being obstructed by emptiness, existence, and the like is called 'liberation'. However, throughout this sūtra, five kinds of the inconceivable comprehensively encompass it in brief. What are the five? 1. Inconceivability of principle; 2. Inconceivability of practice; 3. Inconceivability of retribution; 4. Inconceivability of function; 5. Inconceivability of teaching. First, 'inconceivability of principle' is the principle of the Middle Way of tathatā and dharmatā, which is neither empty nor existent, neither permanent nor annihilated, and so forth. A sūtra says: 'All dharmas are thus; even Maitreya is also thus.' 'Coming without the mark of coming; seeing without the mark of seeing,' and so forth—these are all the inconceivability of principle. Second, 'inconceivability of practice' speaks of the bodhisattva's non-abiding practice. The sūtra says: 'Being in saṃsāra without engaging in \[…\] practice; abiding in nirvāṇa without ultimate extinction—this is the bodhisattva's practice. It is not the practice of ordinary beings; it is not the practice of worthies and sages. Bodhisattva practice is neither pure practice nor defiled practice; this is the bodhisattva's practice'—such things are the inconceivability of practice. Third, 'inconceivability of retribution' refers to what is explained later in the sūtra regarding the virtues of the Buddha's body, the pure lands of the ten directions, and so forth; this is the inconceivability of retribution. Fourth, 'inconceivability of function' refers to what is explained later in the sūtra regarding supernatural transformations: gathering parasols to manifest lands, constantly holding up the great assembly, obtaining rice from Gandhavyūha, borrowing seats from Sumeru, and so forth; these are all the inconceivability of function. Fifth, 'inconceivability of teaching' refers to names, phrases, and syllables, skillful phrasing that is fully capable of explaining and revealing the inconceivable principle. Therefore the sūtra says: 'The merit of even a single four-line verse is measureless and boundless'; this is called the inconceivability of teaching. As for the sequence of these five kinds of the inconceivable: the principle is the foundation of all dharmas; therefore, the first is the inconceivability of principle. If one wishes to awaken to its principle, one must rely on giving rise to practice; therefore, the second is the inconceivability of practice. When practice is not prepared in vain, it will surely induce retribution; therefore, the third is the inconceivability of retribution. When retribution is not in vain, it will surely give rise to function; therefore, the fourth is the inconceivability of function. When function is not established in vain, it will surely give rise to teaching; therefore, the fifth is the inconceivability of teaching. In brief it is explained like this; the rest is in the text of the sūtra. / The sūtra says: 'Thus' (ru shi). / The commentary states: At the beginning of all sūtras there are these two characters, which indeed carry a profound meaning. These two characters also completely encompass all the principles discussed in the Buddha-Dharma. Three interpretations are given in brief: The first says: What is spoken by all Buddhas of the three times does not differ—this is called 'thus' (ru). Fitting the principle without error, it is called 'so' (shi). The second interpretation says: The true mark of all dharmas does not change through past and present—this is called 'thus'. Preaching in accordance with thusness, it is called 'so'. The third interpretation says: What Ānanda transmitted does not differ from the Buddha—hence it is called 'thus'. Free from all faults—hence it is called 'so'. / The sūtra says: 'Buddha'. / The commentary states: 'Buddha' (fotuo) is translated in Chinese as 'awakened' (jue). Awakening has two kinds: 1. Original awakening; 2. Initial awakening. That is, the Dharmakāya Buddha takes tathatā and dharmatā as its essence. Its original nature is pure, like a mani jewel, and all sentient beings are entirely equal in it. It is merely because sentient beings from beginningless time have given rise to delusion from reality, following the stream and losing sight of the source, pursuing the branches and losing the root, with defilements and hindrances obscuring their intrinsic nature, that the true Buddha consequently becomes an ordinary being and suffers much affliction. When one awakens in a single thought, defilement and delusion are dispelled, the original nature is clear and tranquil, and one is called a Buddha—without anything further to be attained. Therefore the sūtra says: 'Even without \[…\] any dharma that can be attained; this dharma is equal, without high or low—this is called anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi.' This sūtra also says: 'If Maitreya attains bodhi, all sentient beings should also attain it. Why is this? All sentient beings will also be extinguished. Why is this? The Buddhas know that all sentient beings are ultimately quiescent and extinguished, and do not undergo further extinction'; and it even says: 'Quiescence is bodhi, because it extinguishes all marks.' Sūtras such as the Avataṃsaka say: 'The Buddha, the mind, and sentient beings—these three dharmas are neither identical nor separate, neither one nor two. Sentient beings are not separate from the Buddha; the Buddha is not separate from sentient beings.' Passages such as these refer to the Buddha of original awakening, which is attained by severing the affliction hindrance. Second, the Buddha of initial awakening is the Sambhogakāya Tathāgata Rocana, taking the four wisdoms as its essence. Strictly speaking, wisdom is the essence of the Buddha, because wisdom is the essence of that which realizes awakening. Speaking conventionally in conjunction with this, the merit, marks and signs, and the untainted five aggregates are together called the Buddha. As extensively explained in the sūtras and treatises, when all bodhisattvas pass through three great kalpas and complete the ten stages, severing the cognitive hindrance, this is called the Buddha of initial awakening. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 1.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2773.1.2) - [Next: 1.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2773.1.4) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2773.1) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2773~en-mt.1.3) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2773.1.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2773.1.3) · Pramāṇa