妙法蓮華經玄義 1.225

1.225

因位高下四難者：般若是無上明呪，無等等明呪。上人應求上法，因教則不下。《大論》云：「菩薩出三界外，受法性身，行菩薩行。」因位則不下。《淨名》歎菩薩德，近無等等佛自在慧；十方作魔王者，皆是住不可思議解脫。則因人不下。《淨名》云：「雖成佛道，轉法輪，而行菩薩道。」又云：「諸佛祕藏，無不得入。」則見理不下。如是因位，四一皆高，云何言麁？若言今因位高者，教那忽是第四時？位那忽住無礙道伏無明？人那忽是生死身，非法性身？理那忽無常，不見佛性？當知，今因皆無四一，其位下而麁；昔因具四一，高而妙。

Regarding the four challenges to the height and lowness of the cause's rank: The Prajñā[-pāramitā] is the unexcelled mantra, the unequaled mantra. Superior persons should seek the superior Dharma, so in terms of the cause's teaching, it is not low. The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa states: "Bodhisattvas transcend the three realms, receive the dharma-nature body, and practice the bodhisattva conduct." Thus the cause's rank is not low. The Vimalakīrti praises the bodhisattvas' virtues as approaching the unhindered wisdom of the unequaled Buddha, and that those who act as Māra kings in the ten directions all dwell in the inconceivable liberation. Thus the cause's person is not low. The Vimalakīrti says: "Although having achieved the Buddha path and turned the wheel of Dharma, they still practice the bodhisattva path." It also says: "There are none who cannot enter the secret treasury of all buddhas." Thus in seeing the principle, it is not low. When the cause's rank is like this, all four onenesses are high; how could one call it coarse? If you say that the present cause's rank is high, why would its teaching suddenly belong to the fourth period? Why would its rank dwell in the path of non-obstruction subduing ignorance? Why would its person have a body of birth-and-death and not a dharma-nature body? Why would its principle be impermanent and not see the Buddha-nature? One should know that the present cause lacks all four onenesses, so its rank is low and coarse; the past cause was equipped with the four onenesses, so it was high and subtle.