妙法蓮華經玄義 8.5

8.5

Regarding the "root of dharma": everything is ineffable, yet through the causes and conditions of the four siddhāntas, there is verbal exposition. Expounded through the mundane siddhānta, it is the root of teaching; through the individual and counteractive [siddhāntas], it is the root of practice; through the supreme-truth siddhānta, it is the root of meaning. As for what is called the root of teaching: a single word spoken by the golden mouth serves as the root, from which incalculable verbal teachings flow forth. Whether general or specific, they were received by beings at that time, and upon hearing them they attained the Way. Therefore a sūtra states: Each sūtra further has incalculable sūtras as its retinue. If later people do not understand, bodhisattvas take the Buddha's teaching as the root and compose general treatises and specific treatises to expound the general and specific sūtras, so that the Buddha's intent is not obstructed; those who seek it attain the Way, precisely because their treatises have a root. Although various non-Buddhists have teachings, they do not accord with the sūtras; their frivolous discourses lack a root, and they cannot attain the Way. Sūtra being the root of practice means: it shows people the dharma of non-dispute, guides them through what is obstructed and unobstructed, opens and clarifies their eyes, cures people's illnesses, and when one cultivates practice according to the teaching, general and specific practices arise; going from here to there, one enters the pool of pure coolness and reaches the genuine dharma jewel of nirvāṇa, the realm of nectar. Since sentient beings enter through various gates, we know that the sūtra is the root of practice. Sūtra being the root of meaning means: seeking a single line, it expresses a single meaning; seeking incalculable lines, it expresses incalculable meanings; or seeking a single line, it expresses incalculable meanings; seeking incalculable lines, it expresses a single meaning. Whether general or specific, seeking the expression, one harmonizes and enters; therefore the sūtra is the root of meaning. Grouping these three kinds as dharma gates: the root of teaching is the wisdom of hearing, the root of practice is the wisdom of thinking, and the root of meaning is the wisdom of cultivation. Seeing that the meaning of the root of the true dharma already contains so much, it therefore cannot be translated. As for what is termed "producing," it may be known by analogy with this.