法華經義記 4.17

4.17

Having already fully explained above, what matter is not understood? Within this first part there are naturally three senses: from "by various causes and conditions" onwards clarifies the oneness of teaching; "are they all for the sake of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi?" clarifies the oneness of fruition; "all that is spoken is for the sake of transforming bodhisattvas" clarifies the oneness of persons. If he were to rebuke them excessively, they might feel shame or give rise to thoughts of retreating and falling, [thinking,] "It is because I am a disciple of the Buddha that I have incurred this scolding and reprimand." Therefore, second, from "Śāriputra, I shall now again use a parable to further clarify this meaning; those who possess wisdom will attain understanding through parables," this clarifies the Buddha's promising to provide an exposition by parable on the principle of identical return. Although human capacities differ in being sharp or dull, and their awakening differs in being earlier or later, since you do not yet understand now, I shall provide another exposition by parable. Within this second part there are two: from "However, Śāriputra" onwards directly promises the exposition by parable; next, from "those who possess wisdom" onwards praises the people of middling capacity. The sage discerns deeply into the temperaments of living beings; thus his granting and taking away are timely. Such was the intention behind the preceding rebuke and the subsequent promise. In the second, the direct parable, there are two parts: first is the prose, and second is the hundred verses of restatement. In the third, the sixty-five lines of verse encouraging and exhorting the people of middling capacity, there are two parts: the intention of encouraging and exhorting is simply to propagate the sūtra to benefit beings, practice for oneself and transform others, plant the cause of identical return, and evoke the consummate, ultimate, wonderful fruit. Therefore, first, the single line of verse "Śāriputra, this Dharma seal of mine" first brings forth the sūtra to be propagated, which is this *Lotus Sūtra*; second, from "Wherever you travel, do not recklessly preach it" through the end of the chapter, consisting of sixty-four lines of verse, directly encourages and exhorts receiving, practicing, propagating the sūtra, and benefiting beings. However, in the earlier transformation of the people of superior capacity, he exhorted them to cultivate the cause and also exhorted them to yearn for the fruition; here at the end of this fascicle, he only exhorts them to cultivate the cause and does not exhort them to yearn for the fruition. This is because the yearning for the fruition arises easily, whereas the resolve to cultivate the cause is difficult to establish. How is this known? Just as worldly people without exception crave and delight in high offices, prominent positions, unhindered wealth, and pleasure, yet these are all retribution fruitions that do not arrive in vain but are inevitably induced by causes; when it comes to the bitter austerities of cultivating the path, they are scarcely worth mentioning. Therefore he only exhorts them to cultivate the cause; such is the state of affairs.