法華玄義釋籤 2.37

2.37

Next, clarifying the present sūtra consists of two parts: first, generally clarifying that the teaching is manifestly superior; next, clarifying that it is superior in terms of the traces. In the first text, where it says 'the present Lotus Sūtra is manifest,' and so forth: it is contrasted with not being secret, hence it is said to be manifest. Among the seven manifest teachings, speaking comprehensively and exclusively, it is none of the seven. Speaking specifically and inclusively, it is merely not the former six. Why? Although the Perfect Teaching is present among the seven, because it is accompanied by and combined [with others], it is therefore different; this is stated in terms of the texts. The Perfect within those seven and the Perfect of the Lotus Sūtra are not different in their substance, hence it only excludes six; this is stated in terms of the teaching. Next, where it says 'it is gradual-sudden and not gradual-gradual': this is fully as classified before. The present Lotus Sūtra is the sudden after the gradual, meaning opening the gradual to reveal the sudden, hence called 'gradual-sudden'; it is not the gradual within the gradual prior to the Lotus Sūtra. Why? Previously the raw and clarified butter were both classified as gradual, and within these two sūtras there is also the perfect-sudden; the Perfect of the present Lotus Sūtra is not different from the perfect-sudden of those two sūtras, but it is not like the three within the Vaipulya or the two within the Prajñāpāramitā; these two and three are called the gradual within the gradual, and the Lotus Sūtra differs from them, which is why it says 'not gradual-gradual.' People who do not see this immediately claim that the Lotus Sūtra is gradual-sudden while the Avataṃsaka Sūtra is sudden-sudden, which is probably incorrect. As for 'it is unified' and so forth: it is the Perfect that opens the provisional, hence called 'unified,' unlike the Perfect within the various other texts, hence called 'not non-unified.' 'Unified' is merely another name for 'converged'; this already corresponds to excluding the provisional by means of the four teachings such as the Tripiṭaka, so it does not again say 'it is the Perfect and not the three.' Having already known that it is not the manifest prior to the Lotus Sūtra, one then understands that the Lotus Sūtra is entirely none of the seven teachings; this is an exclusion made in contrast to the eight teachings. From 'such' onward reveals the traces, which can be understood.