妙法蓮華經玄義 6.25

6.25

If one examines the three periods of time thoroughly in terms of ultimate principle, none of them can be found; therefore there is neither capacity nor response. Hence the sūtra says: 'It is not that bodhi has past, future, or present; it is only spoken of as having three periods of time through conventional words and enumeration.' Through the power of the four siddhāntas, it is expounded in accordance with sentient beings. Sometimes past good is used as capacity; hence it is said: 'Through the blessings of our past fortune, we now are able to meet the World-Honoured One.' Again, like people of the five skillful means: for those who practiced skillful means in the past, giving rise to the real is easy, while for those who did not practice, it is difficult; therefore past good is taken as capacity. Sometimes present good can be used as capacity; hence it is said: 'At the very moment this thought arose, the Buddha appeared in the air.' Sometimes future good can be used as capacity: to cause unarisen good dharmas to arise; or again, like uncontaminated [roots] lacking a cause of habituation yet being able to stimulate the Buddha. Hence the Mahā[prajñāpāramitā]-śāstra says: 'Like lotuses in the water, there are those already grown, those just growing, and those not yet grown; if they do not receive the light of the sun, they will without doubt wither and die. If sentient beings' good in the three periods of time does not meet the Buddha, it has no way to come to fulfillment (and so on).' Evil is also like this: sometimes with past transgressions, all are now repented; with various evils currently committed, they are now also repented. For future transgressions, one cuts off the mind of continuity, preventing the future; this is called salvation. Why? Evils committed in the past obstruct present good from arising; to eliminate this evil, one therefore petitions the Buddha. Furthermore, present fruit and karmic suffering oppress them, and sentient beings seek rescue and protection. Furthermore, future evil, meeting with its time, is prevented from arising; therefore evil across the three periods of time is generally used as capacity. Response is also like this: sometimes past benevolence and compassion are used as response; hence it is said: 'I originally made a vow, wishing to cause them to attain this Dharma.' When present benevolence and compassion are used as response, all devas, humans, and asuras should arrive here for the sake of hearing the Dharma, to deliver those not yet delivered. When the future is used as response, this is the future benefit to living beings in the 'Life Span' [chapter]. It is also like what is said in the 'Practices of Ease and Delight' chapter: 'When I attain samyaksaṃbodhi, I will lead them to attain it and abide in this Dharma.' If discussed generally, good and evil across the three periods of time all constitute capacity; if discussed specifically, only future good and evil are taken as the primary capacity. Why? The past has already ceased and the present is already fixed; it is solely to eradicate future evil and give rise to future good.