淨名經關中釋抄 2.23

2.23

There are many intentions behind the arrival of the next two chapters; four are briefly presented. First, having bid farewell to the inquiry into illness and broadly spoken the six chapters of sūtra text, the matters explained are concluded, and returning [to the Buddha] they seal and certify them through words. Second, the main purport of this sūtra is that the transformation of the pure land enters the room to discuss the Way; the words and principles seem disparate, so they return to the Buddha to restore the fundamental purport, making clear that what was proclaimed is not different. Third, the great beings who came from there had not yet seen the Most Venerable; therefore, holding [the food] in their palms, they bowed their bodies to pay reverent homage. Fourth, the conditions residing in the two men were completely delivered inside the room; the conditions residing with the Buddha mean that they would see the Buddha and it would digest after seven days. Master Zhao says: 'Seven days is the normal power for digesting food; it cures ordinary hunger and thirst and also heals all illnesses.' Therefore we know it cures worldly afflictions. Just as emitting light to preach the Dharma first enables the deaf to hear and the sick to recover, and then gives them the benefits of the three vehicles' path, the fragrant food now is also like this; hence it first eliminates worldly afflictions for seven days, and only then do they obtain the benefits of the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna. Furthermore, the Lotus Sūtra takes the good of the five vehicles as medicinal trees to cure worldly afflictions, universally moistening dry ground; it also says that sprinkling water on the face is also leaving behind feverish affliction. Regarding 'like the Buddha Śāntu (Xushantou)': the Da zhidu lun explains that the Buddha Śāntu, one day after attaining the Way, entered parinirvāṇa and then left behind transformation bodies; the transformation Buddhas delivered people. Regarding 'the eighty-four thousand gates to worldly toil are themselves Dharma gates': there are many explanations, but one text is briefly cited to convey the purport of the sūtra. The Sutra of the Wise and the Foolish says that from the Land of Radiant Light until the night of nirvāṇa, the Buddha preached the Dharma 350 times, each preaching establishing 2,100 [teachings]; furthermore, using these as antidotes to the four great elements and the six decays, they establish 21,000; and using these as antidotes to sentient beings with equal shares of greed, anger, and delusion, they establish 84,000. The Correct Assessment of Sahā says: for each of the ten latent defilements, nine latent defilements serve as expedients, making 100; these have prior and posterior divisions of 100 each, totaling 300. Setting aside the root 100 and taking the prior division of 100, each has nine latent defilements as expedients, making 1,000; the posterior division of 100 also has nine latent defilements as expedients, making another 1,000, which together with the root 100 makes 2,100. Those already arisen also have 2,100; those not yet arisen also have 2,100, making a total of 4,200. With respect to those with an excess of greed, anger, delusion, grasping at self, and discursive thought—these five persons each have 4,200, making 21,000; furthermore, apportioning them to the four persons [characterized by] equal shares of the three poisons and so on, this ultimately makes 84,000. These 84,000, when one is confused, are gates to worldly toil; when applying the antidotes, they are Dharma gates. Therefore the Abhidharmakośa says: 'Some say the quantity of the heaps of dharmas is as stated in that treatise, or they are spoken of in accordance with the heaps, etc., as real practice of the antidotes.' Regarding 'this is called entering all Buddha Dharma gates': the ultimate principle is without words, yet it relies on the multitude of words to form teachings; true reality is without activity, yet it identifies mundane activities with Buddha-works. Therefore, deportment in progressing and halting, as well as all afflictions, are Buddha-works. Since hatred and resentment are non-dual, and the defiled and pure share a single substance, one who enters this gate has no view of coveting the high or despising the low. Regarding 'the lands have variations': this explains that when Śākya attained the Way, pebbles and sand formed his land; when Maitreya attains the Way, the seven treasures will form his land. Because empty space is without defilement or purity, it has no variations. Regarding 'the Buddha's body has variations': Śākya was sixteen feet, while Maitreya is two hundred and fifty feet. Regarding 'unimpeded wisdom has no variations': the wisdom of exhaustion and non-arising is identical. These are all the views of the Hīnayāna grasping at concrete matters, not the views of the Mahāyāna penetrating the principle; therefore the great being adduces equality to shatter them. Furthermore, previously the śrāvakas who followed Mañjuśrī into the room all abandoned the small and aspired to the great; as for those residing in the other gardens, here he lodges a rebuke of Ānanda to make him acknowledge his fault, so they also all abandon the small and aspire to the great. Regarding 'deeply generating the mind of all-knowledge': this means that one's aspiration is profound and grave, not letting oneself retreat or forget halfway; furthermore, it means not suddenly retreating or lapsing upon encountering desires, pleasures, grief, or distress. Regarding 'seeing those who come to ask': if they ask for the Dharma, it causes my Dharma benefit to flourish daily; if they ask for wealth, it causes my mind of renunciation to broaden all the more; thus they are good teachers who advance my benefits in the Way. Regarding 'abandoning all possessions': the commentary says: 'The wonderful aim resides elsewhere'—it resides in the great, in this fruit of all-knowledge. Regarding 'the reality of cause and fruit': discerning the cause of the pāramitā of giving, it will certainly reach the fruit of all-knowledge. Regarding 'the various pāramitās': giving and morality were specifically discussed before; this mention of 'the various pāramitās' refers to the remaining four perfections. Regarding 'accomplishing one's own Buddha land': it means cultivating the cause of that Tathāgata's practices and vows, so that the adornments of that Tathāgata also adorn one's own land.