法華玄義釋籤 18.26

18.26

△三明宗中二：先敘來意，次開章正釋。初文者，此中六句，前二句明宗為行之要，次四句明宗為行體之功。初句者，行若無因果，何殊外人無益苦行，如衿如喉為身衣之要。次句者，顯體之要豈過因果，以因果綜諸行，諸行依體還取於體。「蹊」字有本作「系」字，若作「蹊」者，謂要路也，若作「系」者如衣襻系。於二義中上義猶強。次四句者，上二句立，次二句釋。初二句中，上句明宗為體功，下句明宗為行首。次二句釋者，舉因果則一切行俱屬因果，故一乘語因果，則實相家諸行可存，對下二句意亦可見。

Part 3, "Clarifying the central doctrine," contains two [parts]: first, recounting the reason for its coming; next, opening chapters and directly explaining. As for the first text: herein are six phrases; the first two phrases clarify that the central doctrine is the essential of practice, and the next four phrases clarify that the central doctrine is the function of the substance of practice. As for the first phrase: if practice lacks cause and effect, how does it differ from the useless asceticism of non-Buddhists? It is like the collar and the throat, which are the essentials of the body and clothing. As for the next phrase: how could what is essential for revealing the substance surpass cause and effect? It synthesizes all practices by means of cause and effect, and all practices rely on the substance and return to take from the substance. The character qi (蹊) is written in some editions as xi (系); if read as qi, it means the essential path; if read as xi, it is like the loop and tie of a garment. Between the two meanings, the former meaning is still stronger. As for the next four phrases: the first two phrases establish, and the next two phrases explain. Within the first two phrases, the upper phrase clarifies that the central doctrine is the function of the substance, and the lower phrase clarifies that the central doctrine is the head of practice. As for the explanation in the next two phrases: when cause and effect are cited, all practices belong entirely to cause and effect; therefore, when the one vehicle speaks of cause and effect, the various practices of the true aspect family can be preserved; its intention in contrast to the lower two phrases can also be seen.