妙法蓮華經玄義 2.10

2.10

The master of Tiantai said: 'Reading the text according to its meaning, there are three shifts in all. The first says: this appearance is suchness, this nature is suchness, up to this retribution is suchness. The second says: such appearance, such nature, up to such retribution. The third says: the appearance is like this, the nature is like this, up to the retribution is like this. If one takes them all as suchness, the name "suchness" is not distinct, which is the meaning of emptiness. If one reads them as "such appearance" and "such nature", indicating the appearance and nature within emptiness, these are nominal designations unfolding differently, which is the meaning of the provisional. If one reads them as "the appearance is like this", it is like this according to the real mark of the middle way, which is the meaning of the middle.' For the purpose of distinguishing them to make them easy to understand, one clarifies emptiness, the provisional, and the middle; but stating it according to the grasped meaning, emptiness is identical with the provisional and the middle. Clarifying emptiness with reference to suchness, when one is empty, all are empty. Indicating suchness to clarify appearance, when one is provisional, all are provisional. Treating it with reference to the 'is like this' of the middle, when one is middle, all are middle. They are not one, two, or three, yet are one, two, and three; neither vertical nor horizontal, this is called the real mark. Only a buddha together with a buddha can exhaustively fathom this Dharma. These ten dharmas subsume all dharmas. If based on ease of meaning, one makes the three conceptual distinctions. If based on ease of recitation, one should follow the verse text which says: 'Such great effects and retributions, and the meaning of the various natures and appearances' (and so forth).