法華玄義釋籤 2.19

2.19

As for "Although suddenly preached on the high mountain..." and so on, this is the main explanation. It also has three parts: first, the main explanation; second, from "the Great Sūtra" downward, citing proof; third, from "at one time" downward, refuting the ancients. In the first text: this refers to the Avataṃsaka's ascending and roaming without moving and without leaving; this refers to the beginning of the gradual following the sudden, not moving from the sudden while enacting the gradual conversion. Here the ancients had many differing explanations: some said the original Śākyamuni did not move while the transformation body ascended to heaven; some said the dharma body did not move while the transformational function ascended to heaven; some said ascending and going by not going and yet going, going and yet not going. Master Zang of recent times had four explanations: First, in terms of place: within one place are all places; thus the heavenly palace was originally beneath the king of trees, but previously this heavenly palace location had not been utilized. Second, in terms of the Buddha: the Buddha beneath the king of trees pervades all places; thus the Buddha beneath the king of trees was originally in the heavenly palace, and previously that heavenly palace Buddha had simply not been utilized. Third, in terms of time: the time beneath the king of trees is precisely the time in the heavenly palace. Fourth, in terms of the dharma realm: meaning lack of intrinsic nature. This is not necessarily completely so. In the former three meanings, why does he not discuss capacities but only speak in terms of the Buddha? In the latter, in terms of the dharma realm, why does he only speak of lack of intrinsic nature, and not speak of lack of otherness or even lack of causelessness? Transforming without deliberation, sympathetic resonance connects: responding without response, evoking without evoke—what need is there to discuss time, place, body, land, nature, and so forth? "Although turning [the wheel of] the four truths" refers to the Deer Park; this indicates that although enacting the gradual conversion, it does not depart from the sudden. These two flavors being so, the other flavors follow this. "Although for the bodhisattvas" refers to the Vaipulya and the Prajñā; in those two periods both have small fruits, newly attained and previously attained, as normally explained. "Although five persons realize the fruit, it does not hinder eighty thousand devas from obtaining the patience of non-arising": this again refers to the beginning of the gradual in contrast to the Prajñā. The former text was in terms of teachings; here it is in terms of persons: the fruits attained are different, and the Dharmas realized are indeterminate. One should cite the Da zhidu lun's meaning of the manifest and secret wheels of the Dharma to explain the intent here. Thus the Da zhidu lun, fascicle sixty-five, says: "In Jambudvīpa, one sees the turning of the second wheel of the Dharma. At the first turning of the wheel of the Dharma, eighty thousand devas attained the patience of non-arising, and Ājñāta-Kauṇḍinya attained the first fruit. Now turning the wheel of the Dharma, immeasurable devas attain the patience of non-arising; the present turning is similar to the first turning."