[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) › 8.31 # 法華經義記 8.31 法華經義記 8.31 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [8.31](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1715.8.31) 「所以者何」自此下是第四通釋形教兩益，就此釋中自有二：一者先釋形益，二者「不如三界見於三界」下釋教益。就釋形益中自有三階：一者明如來見眾生有感形機，二者明所以見機之意，第三正釋形益不虛也。言如來如實知見三界之相，此先明如來見三界眾生有感形之機相。從「無有生死」此下有二句是第二階，明如來所以能見機之意，以無人法過患故分為二，前有一句明人家生滅法不可得，後有一句明生滅法家人亦不可得也。「無有生死若退若出」者，是第一如來久已斷於生因，云何有生？若必有生可應有死，生既無有，云何有死？此就一世為論。「若退若出」者，死即是退，生即是出，既無有死，云何更生？此兩句就隔世為談也。前一無有句皆冠在四字上也。「亦無在世及滅度者」，此一句明生滅法家人亦不可得，「者」者只是行人也。「非實非虛非如非異」此四句是第三階，正釋形益不虛。非實者既應有生滅，云何是實？非虛者為物生滅實有利益，云何是虛？非如者，如是實際，既應有生滅云何是如？非異者，生滅得益云何是異也？ > 'Why is this?' from here downward is the fourth \[part\], comprehensively explaining both benefits through form and through teaching. Within this explanation there are two \[divisions\]: first, he explains benefit through form; second, from 'not like the three realms seeing the three realms' downward, he explains benefit through teaching. Within the explanation of benefit through form there are three steps: first, explaining that the Tathāgata sees that living beings possess the capacity to respond to form; second, explaining the reason why he sees the capacity; third, directly explaining that benefit through form is not empty. Saying that the Tathāgata knows and sees the characteristics of the three realms as they really are first explains that the Tathāgata sees the characteristics of the capacity of living beings in the three realms to respond to form. From 'there is no birth and death' downward, there are two lines which form the second step, explaining the reason why the Tathāgata is able to see the capacity; because it is free of the faults of person and phenomena, it is divided into two: the preceding line explains that the phenomena of arising and ceasing of the person are unattainable, and the subsequent line explains that the person who possesses the phenomena of arising and ceasing is also unattainable. 'There is no birth and death, or retreat or emergence': first, the Tathāgata has long since severed the causes of birth, so how could there be birth? If there must be birth, there could be death; since birth does not exist, how could there be death? This is discussed with respect to a single lifetime. Regarding 'or retreat or emergence,' dying is 'retreat' and being born is 'emergence'; since there is no dying, how could there be being born again? These two lines are discussed with respect to crossing over lifetimes. The preceding phrase 'there is no' governs all four characters. 'Nor are there those who abide in the world or those who pass into extinction': this single line explains that the person who possesses the phenomena of arising and ceasing is also unattainable; 'those' simply refers to the practitioner. 'Neither real nor empty, neither suchness nor different': these four phrases are the third step, directly explaining that benefit through form is not empty. 'Not real': since there should be arising and ceasing, how could it be real? 'Not empty': because arising and ceasing for the sake of beings genuinely possesses benefit, how could it be empty? 'Not suchness': suchness is the ultimate reality; since there should be arising and ceasing, how could it be suchness? 'Not different': since benefit is obtained through arising and ceasing, how could it be different? > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 8.30](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1715.8.30) - [Next: 8.32](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1715.8.32) - [Up: 8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1715.8) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1715~en-mt.8.31) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1715.8.31](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1715.8.31) · Pramāṇa