法華玄義釋籤 11.5

11.5

次料簡中二：先問，次答。答中四：先約苦輕重答，次「又思」下約障理近遠答，三約超果答，四結酬。初文言「界外苦輕故先枝後本」者，凡障理惑名之為「本」，障事之惑名之為「枝」，故以界內見惑為本，思惑為枝，界外無明為本，塵沙為枝。是故界內次第脩人，先斷於本，次斷為枝，界外次第必須先斷枝惑，次斷根本。界外既其苦輕，借使流轉，不退歸下，為助化道，故先斷塵沙，後為顯真方斷無明。餘意可見。「前後之問但見一途」者，上設問云：前斷見惑，後斷思惑，但是一途次第之意，非是諸教超果之義，亦非通方圓頓之道。

Next, in the analysis, there are two parts: first, the question; second, the answer. In the answer there are four parts: first, answering in terms of the lightness and heaviness of suffering; second, from "Furthermore, thought" onward, answering in terms of the proximity and distance of obstructing principle; third, answering in terms of skipping stages to the fruit; fourth, concluding the response. In the first text, where it says "Because suffering outside the realms is light, the branches come first and the root comes later": generally, the delusion obstructing principle is named the "root," and the delusion obstructing phenomena is named the "branches"; therefore, within the realms, delusion of views is the root and delusion of thought is the branches, while outside the realms, ignorance is the root and dust-and-sand [delusion] is the branches. Therefore, people who cultivate gradually within the realms first sever the root and next sever the branches, while those who cultivate gradually outside the realms must first sever the branch delusion and next sever the root. Since suffering outside the realms is light, even if they transmigrate, they do not regress to what is below; to assist the path of conversion, they therefore first sever dust-and-sand, and later, in order to manifest the true, they sever ignorance. The remaining meaning can be seen. "The question regarding before and after sees only a single approach": the question raised above stating that the delusion of views is severed before and the delusion of thought is severed after is merely the meaning of a single approach to gradual sequence; it is neither the meaning of skipping stages to the fruit in the various teachings, nor the path of the universally penetrating perfect and sudden.