法華玄義釋籤 1.90

1.90

譬中言「例」者，為法立譬故譬例於法，故例前三章咸以華為譬。初例前立名，次「云何」下例前分別，三「如是」下例前結也。初文者，初文立中但約妙名兼歷五時，開深進始方至於極，今譬亦略例，但云麁妙總攝前多。次譬例分別中前具約五味，今但從人，簡諸外道及前三教，以諸部中妙不異故。「狂華無果」可知。又應更加有果無華，可譬外道計果自然，如吳錄《地理誌》云：「廣州有木名度，不華而實，實從皮而出。如石榴大，色赤，可煮食。若數日不食，皆化為蟲。如蟻有翅能飛著人屋。」外道雖計自然之果，此果無實。「一華多果」如胡麻等，「多華一果」如桃李等，「一華一果」如柿等，「前果後華」如瓜稻等。故南嶽《四安樂行》云：「餘華或有狂等，蓮華不然。」又云：「餘華成實顯露易見，如方便諸乘；蓮華隱密，如一佛乘。」

In the metaphor, the word 'analogous' means: because a metaphor is established for the dharma, the metaphor is analogous to the dharma; therefore, it is analogous to the previous three chapters in all using the lotus as a metaphor. First, it is analogous to the previous establishment of the name; next, from 'How is it...' downward, it is analogous to the previous distinction; third, from 'Like this...' downward, it is analogous to the previous conclusion. In the first text: in the initial establishment, it merely concerned the wonderful name while traversing the five periods, disclosing the profound and advancing the beginning to finally arrive at the ultimate; now the metaphor also briefly draws an analogy, merely saying 'crude and subtle' to comprehensively encompass the many preceding points. Next, in the metaphor's analogy to the distinction, previously it fully dealt with the five flavors, whereas now it only proceeds from persons, setting aside the non-Buddhists and the preceding three teachings, because across the various divisions the wonderful is not different. 'A wild blossom without fruit' is self-evident. Furthermore, one should add having fruit without blossoms, which can be an analogy for the non-Buddhists who posit that the fruit is natural; as the *Geographical Treatise of the Records of Wu* states: 'In Guangzhou there is a tree named *du*, which bears fruit without blossoming, the fruit emerging from the bark. It is as large as a pomegranate, red in colour, and can be boiled and eaten. If not eaten for several days, it all transforms into insects, like ants with wings that can fly and cling to human houses.' Although non-Buddhists posit a natural fruit, this fruit lacks reality. 'One blossom with many fruits' is like sesame and the like; 'many blossoms with one fruit' is like peaches, plums, and the like; 'one blossom with one fruit' is like persimmons and the like; 'fruit before blossoms' is like melons, rice, and the like. Therefore Nanyue's *Four Peaceful Practices* states: 'Other blossoms may be wild and so forth, but the lotus is not so.' It also states: 'Other blossoms forming fruit are exposed and easy to see, like the various skillful-means vehicles; the lotus is concealed, like the one Buddha vehicle.'