維摩經抄 1.22

1.22

The sūtra states: "Bodhisattvas practice what is not the path, thereby penetrating the Buddha path." The commentary explains: The six pāramitās and the like are the path; the five deeds of immediate retribution and the like are called what is not the path. For the sake of expedient means, bodhisattvas manifest in the non-path of the five deeds of immediate retribution, and conversely accomplish Buddha-deeds; therefore, it is said that they "penetrate." Below, the characteristics of what is not the path are broadly explained. "Practicing the five deeds of immediate retribution yet without affliction or malice"—the commentary explains: when ordinary persons commit the five deeds of immediate retribution, they necessarily give rise to anger, and will certainly fall into the Avīci hell to suffer great agony. Great bodhisattvas such as Devadatta assisted the Buddha in propagating the transformation and intimidating sentient beings; their manifestations of causing a schism in the Sangha and killing arhats all proceeded from compassion, not evil intention. Their manifestation of entering the Avīci hell is like the joy of the third dhyāna. "Reaching the hells without any sins or defilements" (entering them through compassionate vows, not through the poison of evil); "reaching the animal realm without the faults of ignorance, arrogance, and the like"—the commentary explains: through delusion and arrogance one mostly falls into the animal realm; because the bodhisattva manifests it, there are no such faults. "Reaching the hungry ghost realm yet fully endowed with merits" (one without merit or virtue is born among the hungry ghosts; the bodhisattva manifests it, not because of a lack of merit); below is the same. The sūtra states: "Entering all paths completely, yet severing their causal conditions." The commentary explains: Delivering sentient beings by adapting to bodily forms in the six destinies is through the power of compassionate vows, not evil causal conditions. The sūtra states: "Having a body is the seed." The commentary explains: This explains the Buddha-seed. Kumārajīva says: The accumulation of the five defiled aggregates is called the "body"; because of having this body, one is able to practice all wholesome deeds, and so it is the Buddha-seed. It may also be said: by contemplating the body with revulsion, one gives rise to the bodhicitta and accomplishes the Buddha-seed; tracing the branches to the root, the body is the Buddha-seed. The meaning of the subsequent phrases is all the same as this. The sūtra states: "The nine grounds of vexation"—first, loving my enemy; second, hating my good friend; third, harming my own body; each spanning the three periods of time, these are called the nine grounds of vexation. The sūtra states: "Truly it is as you say: the category of worldly afflictions is the seed of the Tathāgatas." The commentary explains: "Worldly afflictions" is a general name for defilements. What defiles body and mind is called "dust"; that which causes sentient beings weariness in saṃsāra is called "toil." A bodhisattva retains defilements to moisten rebirth, not leaving saṃsāra in order to deliver sentient beings, and will in the future become a Buddha; therefore, worldly afflictions are taken as the Buddha-seed. Those of the two vehicles fear saṃsāra and sever worldly afflictions; having no defilements, there is nothing to moisten rebirth, and they cannot remain in saṃsāra for long kalpas to deliver sentient beings and practice the bodhisattva path to become Buddhas in the future—the Buddha-seed has already been cut off. Therefore the sūtra says: "We are no longer capable of generating the bodhicitta," up to saying: "Ordinary persons have responsiveness toward the Buddhadharma, while śrāvakas do not." And it also says: "Even those with the sins of the five deeds of immediate retribution are still capable of generating the intention to produce the Buddhadharma, whereas now we can no longer generate it." The sūtra states: "The perfection of wisdom is the bodhisattva's mother (because the prajñāpāramitā gives birth to the Buddha's body); / Expedient means is the father (because skill in means nurtures bodhi); / The joy of the Dharma is the wife (because the flavor of the Dharma fills the body and gladdens the mind); / The mind of loving-kindness and compassion is the daughter (because it is gentle, compliant, and accords with others' intentions); / The wholesome mind of true reality is the son (because it is firm, unfailing, and of the nature of a hero); / The host of worldly afflictions are the disciples, transformed according to one's wish." Bodhisattvas are called masters because of their mastery; they take worldly afflictions as their disciples. Because worldly afflictions are immeasurable, it is said to be a "host." Bodhisattvas manifest forms in the six destinies to deliver sentient beings, temporarily using defilements to moisten rebirth and undergo retribution, using them without being defiled; therefore, it is said that they are "transformed according to one's wish." "Adorned with the flowers of the seven purifications, bathing this undefiled person." The commentary explains: Dhyāna-meditation serves as water to wash the body and mind; therefore, the flowers of the seven merits adorn and purify the dhyāna pool. Speaking of the seven purifications: first, purification of precepts, because of not violating them; second, purification of mind, because of being untainted; third, purification of view, because of not holding wrong views; fourth, purification from doubt, because the mind is resolute; fifth, purification of the path, because of not practicing false paths; sixth, purification of knowledge and vision, because of realizing cessation and cultivating the path; seventh, purification of nirvāṇa, because saṃsāra is exhausted. Washed by the undefiled, one experiences the bliss of dhyāna; hence it says "bathing this undefiled person," or that through bathing one attains the undefiled state. "The elephants and horses of the five supernormal powers gallop (because supernormal powers are swift, it says 'gallop'); / Dedication [of merit] is the great profit (because transferring merits to sentient beings yields vast merit); / The four dhyānas are the couches (because they are the places where the mind rests); / Excluding those unworthy persons who are foolish, dark, and without wisdom." The commentary explains: "Unworthy" (buxiao) means not resembling: a child who does not resemble the father and mother is called unworthy. Danzhu was unworthy and incapable of carrying on the succession. Those of the two vehicles are incapable of continuing the lineage; not resembling the Buddha, they are called unworthy.