法華經義記 1.3

1.3

Someone remarked: 'In ancient times, when this sūtra was interpreted, there were two southern and seven northern traditions, each presenting its own strengths, with no consensus on what to follow. Only our Tiantai plays the lion-string and pours forth the lion-milk; his exposition is transcendent and should supersede all past and present. It is like the dragon’s torch compared to the spark of a firefly: though there be much illumination, it becomes hidden and unseen. It was once said that if one decisively overturns Guangzhai, the rest will collapse of themselves. Looking at it this way, what deficiency is there that the transmission of this paltry lost text should be needed to mend?' I replied: 'Sir, your words—alas! You know that Tiantai is by no means un-lofty, but do not know that Guangzhai is by no means un-deep. You fail to recognize the jade of Mount Jing, and how could you ever behold the pearl of the Red River? Though you understand the skill of swinging the axe, you do not appreciate how difficult it is to find the base of white clay! Moreover, the pure transformation wrought by the sage's compassion may disparage or praise, strike or serve as anvil—all aim at fashioning the vessel, and do not lie in the outward traces. Not dogmatically adhering to outward traces is the mark of one who skilfully learns from lesser wisdom. If one merely excels in traces but is feeble in reality, shackled to the past while blinkered by the present, it is like turning back one's carriage to make headway or gluing down the rudders of a boat in seeking to cross. This is not only being alienated from Guangzhai; it is truly being unworthy of Tiantai as well. Furthermore, in recent generations people have blindly inherited the flaws of shallow slovenliness, resorting to petty, conjectural notions, so that day by day they diverge into error and drift into emptiness; their words seem close at hand yet are ever more remote, their reasoning appears profound yet grows increasingly shallow. Alas! Meeting with this degenerate age, if those who exert their utmost strength within it still cannot measure up, how could one not feel ashamed at this? This is the reason why I have prescriptively climbed to the head of this work, repeatedly thinking to remedy the present and restore antiquity.' If one does not reject the words on account of the man, then I may be free from anxiety! I may indeed be free from anxiety!