[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) › [法華經義記](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1715) › 4.21 # 法華經義記 4.21 法華經義記 4.21 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [4.21](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1715.4.21) 問者言：「何不從狹至廣，今乃從廣至狹？」解釋者言：「為欲從疎至密，是故從廣至狹。如人於一國得名，然外傳易為音響，未若於一門一郡知其虛實，雖復令名播於州郡，未若一隣一里知其有德。內合為義者，橫語十方世界六道四生，縱談無間以上金剛以還，如來德被有識、恩潤蒼生，如長者於國中有德。若但取十方諸佛一應化道所及處，如釋迦王三千大千等，猶如長者於邑中有德。又的論娑婆南閻浮提如來於中利益，如聚落有德也。」 > The questioner asks: "Why not proceed from the narrow to the broad, instead of proceeding now from the broad to the narrow?" The explanation states: "In order to proceed from the distant to the intimate, it proceeds from the broad to the narrow. Just as when a person gains renown in a nation, outward reports easily carry as mere echoes, but this is not like knowing his truth and falsehood within a single community or a single commandery. Even if his fine reputation spreads across provinces and commanderies, it is not like a single neighbourhood or village knowing that he possesses virtue. To apply this internally to the meaning: horizontally speaking across the worlds of the ten directions, the six destinies, and the four forms of birth; vertically discussing from Avīci above down to the vajra\[-ground\], the Tathāgata's virtue covers all conscious beings and his grace moistens living mortals—this is like the elder having virtue throughout a nation. If one takes only the sphere reached by the single responsive teaching of the buddhas of the ten directions—as when Śākya kings the three thousand great thousands—this is like the elder having virtue within a town. Again, speaking specifically of the Tathāgata's bringing benefit within Jambudvīpa of the Sahā \[world\], this is like his having virtue in a village." > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 4.20](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1715.4.20) - [Next: 4.22](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1715.4.22) - [Up: 4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1715.4) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1715~en-mt.4.21) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1715.4.21](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1715.4.21) · Pramāṇa