妙法蓮華經玄義 2.49

2.49

This sūtra discusses only these two kinds of subtlety and contains no text on "neither absolute nor relative." If one were to construct further [categories], what delusion would be severed? What principle would be revealed? Therefore we do not discuss it further. Guangzhai used the subtlety of the Lotus Sūtra to make all prior teachings relative and crude. This causes great obstacles, as was already refuted earlier (and so forth). Now, regarding relative crude and subtle: relative to the half-letter [teaching] as crude, clarifying the full-letter [teaching] is subtle; this also means that the relative standing of permanence and impermanence, large and small, constitutes the crude and the subtle. The Vimalakīrtinirdeśa states: "Preaching the Dharma as neither existing nor non-existing, all dharmas arise through causes and conditions." This clarifies the full-letter [teaching]. "When first seated under the tree of awakening, by his power he subdued Māra, attained the nectar of extinction, and achieved the path of awakening"—this is putting forward the former half-letter to bring out the full-letter. The Prajñāpāramitā states: "In Jambudvīpa the turning of the second wheel of the Dharma is seen." This also contrasts the Deer Park as the first and takes Prajñāpāramitā as the second. The Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra states: "Formerly at Vārāṇasī the wheel of the Dharma was first turned; now at Kuśinagara the wheel of the Dharma is turned again." The various sūtras all alike take the Deer Park as half, small, and crude, and in contrast clarify the full, large, and subtle; their meaning is identical. Now the Lotus Sūtra clarifies that formerly at Vārāṇasī, the wheel of the Dharma of the four truths was turned, concerning the arising and ceasing of the five aggregates; now again is turned the most subtle and supreme wheel of the Dharma. This likewise contrasts the Deer Park as crude and the Lotus Sūtra as subtle. The meaning of subtlety is identical in all, and their contrasting of the crude is equal; the text and meaning lie here.