法華玄義釋籤 19.7

19.7

次明今經者，欲明今經復先敘始末，方顯今妙。敘始末者，迹門以大通為元始，本門以本因為元始，今日以初成為元始，大通已後本成已來如是中間節節施化，皆以漸頓適物機情，若大若小皆為取物機而與法差別。若今日中間言取與者，華嚴已後法華之前，觀機為取，逗物為與，適者得也，謂得時而用；諸經不爾未為大體。次「大事」下正明今經，「說教」等者，明今經是一代之綱格，「格」正也。「大化」等者，明一化之極，「筌」字應從竹，「蹄」字如《止觀》記。

Next, clarifying the present sūtra: wishing to clarify the present sūtra, one must first outline the beginning and the end, and only then does the present wondrousness become evident. As for outlining the beginning and the end: the trace gate takes Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū as the original beginning; the origin gate takes the original cause as the original beginning; today takes the initial attainment [of enlightenment] as the original beginning. From Mahābhijñā onward, and since the original attainment, throughout the stages in between, the Buddha applied transformation, in every case adapting to the capacities and sentiments of beings with gradual and sudden; whether large or small, all were for the sake of grasping the capacities of beings and bestowing the differences of dharma. If we speak of grasping and bestowing during the interval up to today: after the Avataṃsaka and prior to the Lotus Sūtra, contemplating capacities is 'grasping', and according with beings is 'bestowing'; to 'adapt' means to hit the mark, meaning to employ them having attained the proper time; other sūtras are not like this, and do not constitute the grand framework. Next, from "great matter" onward directly clarifies the present sūtra; "preaching the teaching" and so forth clarifies that the present sūtra is the major cord and frame of the single lifetime; 'frame' means correct. "Great conversion" and so forth clarifies the culmination of the single period of transformation; the character quan (fish trap) should have the bamboo radical, and ti (hare snare) is as in the notes to the Zhiguan.