妙法蓮華經玄義 7.72

7.72

Fourth, citing textual evidence: we do not search far into other sūtras, nor do we cite broadly from within this division; we merely establish the ten meanings on the basis of the original section itself. Yet the Lotus Sūtra of previous buddhas had gāthās as numerous as the sands of the Ganges or akṣobhyas; the present Buddha preached the Dharma on Vulture Peak for eight years—how could the events in the Indic manuscripts ever be exhausted? China is a remote frontier and has heard only the general drift; people see seven scrolls and consider it a small sūtra, but the Indic text is vast and extensive—what does it not distinguish? Now, within a few sheets [of paper], the ten proofs are fully evident. The text says: 'The lifespan I achieved when formerly practicing the bodhisattva path is even now not yet exhausted'—this is the wondrousness of the original practicing cause. The text says: 'Since I truly achieved buddhahood, it has been immeasurable, boundless hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of nayutas [of kalpas].' It also says: 'Since I truly achieved buddhahood, it has been as long as this; it is merely by expedients to teach and transform sentient beings that I make such a statement.' This is the wondrousness of the original fruit. The text says: 'After I attained saṃbodhi in the sahā world, I taught, transformed, showed, and guided these bodhisattvas.' It also says: 'Ever since that time, I have constantly been in this sahā world preaching the Dharma and teaching and transforming, and have also guided and benefited sentient beings in other places.' This land is no longer the sahā world of the present time; this is the wondrousness of the original land. The text says: 'If there are sentient beings who come to my place, I use the buddha-eye to observe their faculties of faith and so forth, whether sharp or dull.' This is the wisdom illuminating capacities at the original time; it is the wondrousness of stimulus and response. The text says: 'The Tathāgata's secret supernormal power.' Furthermore, an intermediate passage says: 'Sometimes I show my own body, sometimes another's body; sometimes I show my own affairs, sometimes another's affairs.' This is manifesting forms throughout the ten realms and displaying various images; examining the original source, it is also thus, which is the wondrousness of the original supernormal powers. The text says: 'All these bodhisattvas are those whom I transformed, causing them to bring forth the mind of the great Way; now they all dwell in non-retrogression, cultivating and training in my Way and Dharma.' Moreover, in the intermediate [periods] he sometimes spoke of his own affairs and sometimes of another's affairs; examining the original source, it is also thus, which is the wondrousness of the original preaching of the Dharma. The text says: 'These bodhisattvas all have golden-colored bodies and dwell in the empty space below. These are my sons; from the distant past I have taught and transformed these multitudes.' This is the wondrousness of the original retinue. The text says: 'Again, he speaks of entering into nirvāṇa; all such things are distinctions made by expedients.' It also says: 'Now I am not truly extinct, yet I proclaim that I am about to take extinction.' When past conditions were concluded, he proclaimed entering extinction; since he proclaimed nirvāṇa in the intermediate [periods], by analogy the original source also has nirvāṇa, which is the wondrousness of the original nirvāṇa. The text says: 'In various places, he speaks of himself with different names and different ages.' 'Age' is lifespan; 'large and small' means long and short, permanent and impermanent. Since this is so in the intermediate [periods], the original lifespan is also thus, which is the wondrousness of the original lifespan. The text says: 'Again, through expedients he expounds the subtle and wondrous Dharma, able to cause sentient beings to bring forth a joyful mind.' This is the intermediate benefit. It also says: 'Hearing the Buddha speak of a lifespan of such long kalpas, immeasurable, boundless asaṃkhyeya sentient beings attained great benefit.' This is the benefit in the trace. Since this is so in the trace and the intermediate [periods], by analogy the original source is also thus, which is the wondrousness of the original benefits. The ten proofs are in the sūtra; they are not human fabrications.