法華玄義釋籤 20.20

20.20

三引信解者具歷五時，又為二：先引證領五時教，次「此五味」下結兩經同味。初言「次第」者，《華嚴》初云「於菩提道場始成正覺」，在初明矣。諸部小乘雖云初成，自是小機見為初耳。據〈信解品〉脫妙著麁，故知居次。《大集》云「如來成道始十六年」，故知方等在鹿苑後。《仁王》云「如來成道二十九年，已為我說《摩訶般若》」，故知般若在方等後，亦知《仁王》在《大品》後。《法華》云「四十餘年」，《大經》云「臨滅度時」，當知次第有所據也。故知古人以《法華》為般若對第四味，獨以《涅槃》為第五味。誤矣！誤矣！次文又二：初明二經味同，次「然二經」下以起盡同相釋同味之意。於中又二：初標，次「如法華」下釋。初言「然二經教意起盡是同」者，「起」謂正說初分，「盡」謂正說末分。釋中二：初正明起盡同，次「又涅槃」下重辨。初文者，《法華》以本迹二門為初後二分，初則開權顯實斷奠聲聞，後明本門增道損生，重更辨前開權化主久遠成佛故。《涅槃》正說開為四段，初〈純陀品〉去明涅槃施斷奠三脩，二〈長壽品〉去十四品明涅槃義，三〈現病品〉去五品明涅槃行，四〈師子吼品〉去三品明涅槃用。故知初已斷奠聲聞，後但明於涅槃義用，是故二經起盡同也。

Third, the citation of [the chapter on] "Faith and Understanding" fully traverses the five periods, which also has two [parts]: first, citing testimony to express understanding of the teachings of the five periods; second, from "These five flavors" onwards, concluding that the two sūtras share the same flavor. When the first [part] says "successive order," the Avataṃsaka states at the beginning, "In the bodhimaṇḍa, when he first attained perfect awakening"; that it is at the beginning is clear. Although various sections of the Hīnayāna say he "first attained," this is merely the perspective of those of small capacity who perceive it as the beginning. Based on the chapter on "Faith and Understanding" speaking of casting off the fine and donning the coarse, we know that [the Tripiṭaka Teaching] comes second. The Mahāsaṃnipāta says, "Sixteen years after the Tathāgata's attainment of awakening"; thus we know that the Vaipulya follows the Deer Park. The Benevolent Kings Sūtra says, "Twenty-nine years after the Tathāgata's attainment of awakening, he had already preached the Mahāprajñā for my sake"; thus we know that Prajñā follows the Vaipulya, and we also know that the Benevolent Kings Sūtra is later than the Large Perfection of Wisdom Sūtra. The Lotus Sūtra says, "Forty-odd years," and the Great Sūtra says, "When on the verge of extinction"; one should know that the succession has its basis. Thus we know that ancients who took the Lotus Sūtra to correspond, like Prajñā, to the fourth flavor, and took only the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] to be the fifth flavor, were mistaken! Mistaken indeed! The next text also has two [parts]: first, explaining that the two sūtras have the same flavor; second, from "However, the two sūtras" onwards, explaining the meaning of their sharing the same flavor through the shared characteristics of their beginning and conclusion. Within this there are again two [parts]: first, the heading; second, from "As in the Lotus" onwards, the explanation. When the first says, "However, the intention of the teaching in the two sūtras is identical from beginning to end," "beginning" refers to the opening section of the primary exposition, and "end" refers to the concluding section of the primary exposition. In the explanation there are two [parts]: first, directly explaining the identity of beginning and end; second, from "Furthermore, Nirvāṇa" onwards, re-examining it. As for the first text: the Lotus Sūtra takes the two gates of origin and traces as its initial and concluding divisions; the former opens the provisional to reveal the real and settles the śrāvakas, while the latter clarifies the origin gate to increase the path and diminish birth, re-examining the teacher who previously opened the provisional as having attained buddhahood in the remote past. The primary exposition of the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] is opened into four sections: first, from the chapter on "Cunda" onwards, it clarifies the gift of nirvāṇa and settles the three cultivations; second, from the chapter on "Longevity" onwards, fourteen chapters clarify the meaning of nirvāṇa; third, from the chapter on "Manifesting Illness" onwards, five chapters clarify the practice of nirvāṇa; fourth, from the chapter on the "Lion's Roar" onwards, three chapters clarify the function of nirvāṇa. Hence we know that the beginning has already settled the śrāvakas, and the subsequent parts merely clarify the meaning and function of nirvāṇa. Therefore, the beginning and end of the two sūtras are identical.