淨名經集解關中疏 2.4

2.4

"Mañjuśrī addressed the Buddha, saying: 'World-Honored One, that superior man is difficult to match in dialogue.'" This second part on respectfully receiving the command has five sections: first, respectfully inquiring about the mission regarding illness; second, the great assembly acting as attendants; third, the exchange between guest and host; fourth, declaring the purpose and inquiring about the illness; fifth, the audience gaining benefit. In the first section there are three parts: first, general modesty; second, stating his superior virtue; third, revering the command to go and inquire. This is the first. Shi says: 'His words surpass me; how could they merely surpass the various worthies?' This is deeply conveying his sentiment; how could it be actual fact? Zhao says: Why must the thirty-two thousand necessarily be incapable? Why must Mañjuśrī alone be the foremost? My sense is that the ultimate persons have limitless transformations and schemes, showing varied traces of hiding and appearing; therefore, they alternately manifest as long and short in response to the feelings of beings. Who would dare decisively establish their superiority and inferiority or debate their gains and losses? Since Mañjuśrī was about to align with Zhao's mind and fulfill the mission, he first praised Jingming's virtue to generate in the assembled multitude the thought that he is difficult to encounter. That man's path is lofty and difficult to match in dialogue; he would simply receive the Buddha's holy command and go inquire after his illness.