Zhiyi’s Spiritual Practice and His Interpretation of the Weimo jing

Abstract

Satō Tetsuei drew attention to how Zhiyi 智顗 (538–597) seldom cites the Weimo jing 維摩経 in his Cidi chanmen 次第禅門, a work based on his lectures from his younger years, yet in the Mohe zhiguan 摩訶止観 and other records of his lectures from his later years, the number of citations increases. Satō points out that Zhiyi’s focus on writing a commentary on the Weimo jing was, in fact, due to an increased interest in the sūtra. Of the more than one-hundred identifiable citations in the Mohe zhiguan, the majority are from the “Dizi” 弟子 (Disciples) and “Wenji” 問疾 (Illness) chapters, with the latter in particular often being related to important discussions. The latter chapter, as a discussion between Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva and Vimalakīrti, who has become ill out of compassion for beings, is rich in philosophical content. In the Mohe zhiguan, the theme of “illness” from the “Wenji” chapter is interpreted as an important basis for explaining Zhiyi’s system of practice. It is argued that the unique quality of Zhiyi’s understanding of the Weimo jing is his emphasis on the “Wenji” chapter within his framework of spiritual practice.