法華經義記 7.89

7.89

From 'And spoke verses saying' downward is the second, the verses. In the prose above there were originally two: first, establishing two chapter headings based on practice; next, clarifying being able to propagate this sūtra in the evil age to come. Second, directly explaining the two chapter headings, without explaining the meaning of being able to propagate. Now these twenty-three verses are also divided into two: at first, there are one and a half verses versifying the first, which raises practice to make two chapter headings; from 'Always departing from kings' downward, twenty-one and a half verses versify the second, the direct explanation. The first section has two: first, making two chapter headings; next, clarifying being able to propagate this sūtra. Now, inverted, one verse first versifies the second, clarifying being able to propagate; next, half a verse retrospectively versifies the first, the two chapter headings. In the second explanation above, first clarifying the sphere of practice, and afterward clarifying the sphere of intimacy, made two. Now, in these verses, one cannot directly determine three sections according to the above: first, there are thirteen and a half verses, first versifying the sphere of intimacy of nominal emptiness; next, there are two and a half verses, retrospectively versifying the two spheres of practice; third, there are five and a half verses, versifying the sphere of intimacy of dharma emptiness. The explanation of the two spheres of intimacy above had two: first raising the chapter headings, which is not versified here, versifying only the second, the direct explanation. In the sphere of intimacy of nominal emptiness, there were originally three: first, clarifying what one does not draw close to; second, directly clarifying what one draws close to; third, the general conclusion. Now, the second, what one draws close to, is not versified; in the thirteen and a half verses, the first twelve and a half verses versify the first, what is not drawn close to, and one verse versifies the third, the general conclusion. But the things not drawn close to above were eight kinds; now these twelve and a half verses can only versify them generally and cannot be divided; 'This is called'—this one verse versifies the general conclusion. But since it originally discussed the sphere of intimacy, why does it raise the sphere of practice to conclude here? The explanation says: 'This raises the sphere of practice and sphere of intimacy, hence it repeats the former practice. As for these two spheres, this sphere of intimacy is the second, and the former sphere of practice is the first, which is why it speaks of two.'