妙法蓮華經玄義 2.120

2.120

Second, evaluating the crude and the subtle: the objective realm of conditioned arising does not intrinsically possess crudeness or subtlety; it is merely that grasping it shallowly or deeply results in distinctions. If from ignorance arise activities down to aging-and-death—from three arise two, from two arise seven, and from seven arise three, as mutually conditioning causes, afflictions as causes for karma, and karma as causes for suffering, impermanent in arising and ceasing—the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā judges this teaching as the dharma for dull capacities. The Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra calls it the earnest half-word [teaching]. This sūtra states: "Merely departing from delusion is called liberation." Thus we know this realm is crude. If the essence and marks of ignorance are fundamentally non-existent, arising in combination through the conditions of false imagination—the object being like an illusion, the wisdom [grasping it] is also unattainable. A sūtra states: "If there were any phenomenon surpassing nirvāṇa, I would also declare it to be like an illusion, like a transformation." The Mūlamadhyamakakārikā clarifies this as teaching those of sharp capacity. The Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra calls it the elder's teaching. The *Vyākaraṇa-śāstra* and the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā call it "skillfully crossing over in accordance with reality." This sūtra calls it the small tree. This objective realm is skillful. If ignorance is the condition, from the condition arise marks, from marks there is birth, and from birth there is destruction—destroying the condition brings purity, eliminating the marks brings self, ending birth brings bliss, and absence of destruction brings permanence. The Mūlamadhyamakakārikā states: "Phenomena arisen through causes and conditions are also called provisional designations." The Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā states: "The twelve conditions are exclusively the dharma of bodhisattvas." The Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra states that because of extinguishing ignorance, one attains blazing illumination. In this sūtra, it is the great tree that attains growth. Compared to the former it is subtle; contrasted with the latter it is crude. If it is said that the three paths of ignorance are themselves the three virtues, so that one need not sever the three virtues to seek the three virtues further—the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā states: "Phenomena arisen from causes and conditions are also called the meaning of the Middle Way." The Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā states that [contemplating] the twelve links of conditioned arising is sitting on the terrace of enlightenment. The Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra states: "Between the two—ignorance and craving—is the Middle Way." This sūtra states: "The buddha-seed arises from conditions; therefore, the One Vehicle is expounded"; it is also called the most real matter. How could it not be subtle! The former three are provisional, hence crude; the latter one is real, hence subtle. Applying this distinction of crude and subtle through the teachings of the five flavors: the milk teaching possesses two kinds of conditioned arising, one crude and one subtle. The curd teaching has one crude. The raw butter teaching has three crude and one subtle. The clarified butter teaching has two crude and one subtle. The Lotus Sūtra expounds only the one subtle. This is called clarifying subtle conditioned arising relative to crude [conditioned arising].