妙法蓮華經玄義 7.222

7.222

蓮華生淤泥，淤泥不染，譬一在三中，三不染一；蓮華三時異，譬開三秖是一；蓮華有開有合，譬對緣有隱有顯；蓮華於諸華最勝，譬諸說中第一；華開實顯，譬巧說理顯；蓮華有三時異，譬權實適時。此六譬秖是今家說法妙中片意耳。

The lotus grows in mud yet is unstained by the mud, illustrating that the One resides within the Three while the Three does not stain the One; the lotus has three different stages in time, illustrating that opening the three is nothing other than the One; the lotus opens and closes, illustrating concealment and manifestation corresponding to conditions; the lotus is the most supreme among all flowers, illustrating that this preaching is supreme among all discourses; when the flower opens the fruit appears, illustrating that through skilful preaching the principle is revealed; the lotus has three different stages in time, illustrating that the provisional and real are adapted to the right time. These six metaphors are merely partial aspects of what our school terms the subtlety of preaching the Dharma.