妙法蓮華經玄義 1.26

1.26

Regarding the metaphor of the lotus flower: similarly, there are the coarse and the subtle. How so? Coarse and barren flowers have no fruit; or there is one flower with many fruits; or many flowers with one fruit; or one flower with one fruit; or first fruit and later flower; or first flower and later fruit. The first is a metaphor for non-Buddhists vainly cultivating pure practices without achieving anything. The next is a metaphor for ordinary beings serving their parents, receiving rebirth in the Brahmā heaven as retribution. The next is a metaphor for śrāvakas engaging in various ascetic practices and merely attaining nirvāṇa. The next is a metaphor for pratyekabuddhas, who by a single practice of detachment also attain nirvāṇa. The next is a metaphor for srotāpannas cultivating the path later on. The next is a metaphor for bodhisattvas first relying on conditioned cultivation to generate authentic cultivation later. All of these are coarse flowers and are not used as metaphors. The lotus flower has many wondrous qualities: for the sake of the lotus there is the flower, flower and fruit being simultaneously complete, which can serve as a metaphor for provisional being identical to the real; furthermore, when the flower opens the lotus appears, which can serve as a metaphor for provisional being identical to the real; furthermore, when the flower falls the lotus matures, and when the lotus matures it also falls, which can serve as a metaphor for neither provisional nor real. Due to various such appropriate meanings, the lotus flower is used as a metaphor for the subtle dharma.