法華玄義釋籤 4.26

4.26

Next, in broadly examining the retribution, there are two parts: first, a direct explanation; next, from "What is the reason?" onward, explaining and establishing it through various representations. The first part also has two subdivisions: first, marking the Buddha stage; next, explaining it. In the explanation, it first clarifies that the lower stages are definitely ten, and next clarifies that the Buddha stage is not definite. In the first text, there are two parts: first, directly clarifying that the lower stages have retribution. Because it is everywhere across the stages, it says "common course." What is called "partial" is because the subsequent text explains that retribution is ultimate in the Buddha; thus the lower stages are partial. Since the term "retribution" is common [to both], the lower stages are definitely ten. The various texts cited here all commonly speak of "retribution"; only the text of the Great Sūtra speaks of "unsurpassed retribution." Since its beginning and end both speak of "partial attainment," one should know that the phrase "unsurpassed" is also in contrast to what is below. Next, from the She dacheng onward, it explains the reason why the lower stages have retribution: first, citing the treatise; next, from "What is the reason?" onward, explaining that there is arising and cessation. In the first text, the statement "in terms of the Buddha realm, there are also nine and also ten" is spoken in a general sense: from the first bhūmi onward, all belong to the Buddha realm, and bhūmi by bhūmi there is retribution; therefore it definitely possesses ten. Hence citing this sūtra, the Great Sūtra, the Renwang, and the She dacheng are all texts discussing from the first abodement onward. Thus the subsequent text from "What is the reason?" onward explains that "ignorance is partially exhausted," and so forth. "The She dacheng says cause and condition samsara," and so forth, is as recorded in the seventh roll of the Zhiguan. Since it says "samsara," it is simply arising and cessation. Next, in the explanation from "What is the reason?" onward, there are also two parts: first, a direct explanation; next, citing the Da zhidu lun for verification. In the first direct explanation, there are two layers: the former discusses arising and cessation in terms of wisdom and severance; next, from "Moreover, remnants..." onward, it discusses arising and cessation entirely in terms of afflictions. Next, in the citation from the Da zhidu lun, there is an analogy and an application: in the analogy, weeding is like cessation and sowing is like arising; the application is evident. Moreover, increasing the path and diminishing births is also like arising and cessation; because of arising, retribution is experienced. Next, from "If in terms of..." onward, specifically in terms of the stage of wondrous enlightenment, "it is also nine and also ten": the meaning of diminishing births is complete, and therefore there are only nine; in terms of present, future-birth, and subsequent-birth, since there is present retribution, it can also be ten. As in the Great Yingluo where Bodhisattva Prajñācakṣus asked Mañjuśrī, it is fully as recorded in the fifth roll of the Zhiguan. Regarding "thirty births exhausted, equaling the Great Enlightenment," some editions say "forty births exhausted" or "forty-one births exhausted," etc.; these are all errors. The word "thirty" refers to the Renwang jing, where each bhūmi is divided into three grades, and each grade is taken as one birth; in the Renwang jing, equal enlightenment is not established, so when thirty births are exhausted, one immediately enters wondrous enlightenment. Others, not seeing this, took the forty stages or forty-one stages to be forty births, and so forth. "Again, discussing nine or ten in terms of present, future-birth, and subsequent-birth": having present retribution, it is called having retribution; having no future-birth or subsequent-birth, it is also said to have no retribution. From the initial entry into the realm of transformative change to receive the dharma-nature body, since there is no longer any sense of intervening births, there are no two kinds of retribution of future-birth or subsequent-birth. Hence in the Nirvana Sūtra, the "Cunda Chapter" says: "May the food I now offer obtain the unsurpassed retribution." If so, the unsurpassed among retributions does not go beyond the Buddha. From "What is the reason?" onward, together with four "furthermores," it constructs representations explaining that the Buddha's retribution is unsurpassed, further cites the Xian sheng ji to explain the meaning of the five texts, and further assesses the meaning of the Xian sheng ji in terms of the five flavors; hence only when reaching the Lotus Sūtra is it named unsurpassed, and the intent of praise is truly justified. As for "the meaning of the Xian sheng ji," it is also like the Kośa saying, "one below cannot ascend to see what is above"; by analogy, one knows that the lower wisdom of the two vehicles does not fathom the higher wisdom and is not correct and universal knowledge. In terms of the five flavors, first in terms of milk, it says "either entering identical-to-provisionality or entering identical-to-the-middle": relying on the verses of the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā, it broadly uses the name "identical-to," but in fact, because the two teachings of the Avataṃsaka are not yet identical and the capacities and conditions are not yet congruent, the word "either" is attached. In that section, although there is the unsurpassed teaching, because it is mixed with the Separate Teaching, the section is not unsurpassed; curd only analyzes emptiness, so it has no word "either"; for raw and clarified butter, speaking of "identical-to" and speaking of "either" can be known by analogy with milk; only when reaching the Lotus Sūtra is the essence identical-to; the Nirvana Sūtra understands identical-to, but its practice is not identical-to. Next, from "Furthermore" onward on opening the provisional: when reaching the Lotus Sūtra, there are again two different ways of entering the wondrous: being guided into it, and entering according to one's stage. The statement "Again, according to their nature and characteristics, without discussing being guided into it": for instance, coming from a stage of subduing into a stage of subduing is called 'according to stage.' Coming from a stage of subduing afflictions to enter a stage of severing afflictions is called 'being guided into it.' Now, without discussing being guided into it, one's very stage is wondrous; the wondrous essence accords with the fundamental, without separation or difference.