法華玄義釋籤 2.2

2.2

From the first text's 'how so?' down to 'the characteristics of the emergence of the flavor of milk': this text takes the Avataṃsaka's preaching of the great without yet travelling to the Deer Park and designates it as sudden. This is the sudden section, not the sudden teaching, because within that section it also contains the Separate [Teaching]; those who fail to see this immediately claim that the Avataṃsaka is more sudden than the Lotus Sūtra, which is an error. The explanations below should follow this standard. The first text cites the simile; below 'having thickly planted,' it matches the simile via stimulus and response, generally taking both the Separate and Perfect as 'thick.' Below 'preaching suddenly,' it clarifies the intention behind preaching suddenly; it is truly because the reason for preaching suddenly given below is the mutual alienation. The phrase 'the great is alienated from the small' means that the people of the small [vehicle] had not yet turned, being alienated by the great. Below 'this is like the Avataṃsaka,' it concludes the Avataṃsaka's simile to identify it with the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra], which is why it says 'like.' Below, it follows the same pattern. From 'in terms of the Dharma' onward, it clarifies the mutual response of faculty and stimulus and the obtaining of benefits to conclude the name of the section. Below 'in terms of preaching,' it concludes the preaching, its sequence being identical with the simile of the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra].