妙法蓮華經玄義 7.81

7.81

Because of three points, we know that all these fruits are fruits of the traces: First, because they were newly attained in this present world. Second, because of their differences in depth. Third, because the intermediate [fruits] are brushed aside. If it were the original fruit, how could it be newly attained today? The original fruit is one fruit that is all fruits; how could there be discrepancies between before and after? From before this present world until after the original attainment, the hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of practicing causes and obtaining fruits, proclaiming births and proclaiming extinctions, are all intermediate and brushed aside as expedient means; how could [the attainment under] the king of trees at quiet extinction not be a trace? If one grasps the fruit of the trace as the original fruit, one neither understands the traces nor recognizes the original source. Dropping traces from the original source is like the moon appearing in water; brushing aside the traces to reveal the original source is like brushing aside the shadow and pointing to the sky. One should brush aside the newly attained fruits as all being fruits of the traces, and point to the fruit attained long ago as the original fruit. When understood in this way, doubts regarding the intermediate fruits are all swept away, and faith in the long-distant [attainment] becomes clear in its meaning. The traces of the original are not the original, and the original of the traces is not the traces; although traces and original differ, they are an inconceivable unity.