妙法蓮華經文句 1.11

1.11

昔河西憑、江東瑤，取此意節目經文，末代尤煩。光宅轉細，重雰翳於太清，三光為之戢耀，問津者所不貴。曇鸞云：「細科煙颺，雜礪塵飛。」蓋若過、若不及也。廬山龍師，分文為序、正、流通，二十七品統唯兩種：從〈序〉至〈法師〉，言方便、言真實，理一說三故；〈寶塔〉下，身方便、身真實，實遠唱近故。又從〈方便〉至〈安樂行〉是因門，從〈踊出〉下是果門。齊中興印、小山瑤，從龍受經，分文同。玄暢從〈序〉至〈多寶〉為因分，從〈勸持〉至〈神力〉為果分，從〈囑累〉盡經為護持分。又有師云：「從〈序〉至〈學無學人記〉，是《法華》體；從〈法師〉至〈囑累〉，明受持功德；從〈藥王〉盡經，美諸菩薩本願。」有師作四段：初品為序段；從〈方便〉至〈安樂行〉，開三顯一段；從〈踊出〉訖〈分別功德〉，開近顯遠段；後去餘勢，流通段。光宅雲從印受經，初三段次各開二，謂通序、別序，正謂因門、果門，流通謂化他、自行。二序各五，二正各四，二流通各三，合二十四段（云云）。

In the past, Ping of Hexi and Yao of Jiangdong adopted this idea to divide the scriptural text into sections, which became especially cumbersome in later times. Guangzhai made it even more minute, so that heavy mists obscured the Great Clarity and the three lights ceased their radiance; those seeking the ford found no value in it. Tanluan said: 'Minute classifications make smoke billow; mixed polishings make dust fly.' These are cases of excess or deficiency. Master Long of Mount Lu divided the text into preface, main teaching, and transmission. The twenty-seven chapters are fundamentally only of two kinds: from the 'Introductory' to the 'Teacher of the Dharma' Chapter, they speak of expedient and speak of real, because the principle is one while three are taught; from the 'Treasure Stūpa' Chapter downward, they speak of the expedient body and the real body, because the real is distant while the near is proclaimed. Furthermore, from 'Expedient Means' to 'Peaceful Practices' is the cause approach; from 'Emerging from the Earth' downward is the effect approach. Yin of the Qi-Zhongxing era and Yao of Xiaoshan received the sūtra from Long and made the same division of the text. Xuanchan regarded the text from the 'Introductory' to 'Prabhūtaratna' as the cause portion, from 'Encouraging Devotion' to 'Spiritual Powers' as the effect portion, and from 'Entrustment' to the end of the sūtra as the portion of protection and maintenance. Another master said: 'From the "Introductory" to the "Prediction of Trainees and Adepts" is the substance of the Lotus Sūtra; from the "Teacher of the Dharma" to "Entrustment" clarifies the merit of receiving and upholding; from "Bhaiṣajyarāja" to the end of the sūtra praises the fundamental vows of the bodhisattvas.' Another master made four divisions: the first chapter is the introductory division; from 'Expedient Means' to 'Peaceful Practices' is the division of opening the three to reveal the one; from 'Emerging from the Earth' to 'Discrimination of Merits' is the division of opening the near to reveal the distant; and the remainder is the transmission division. Fajun of Guangzhai received the sūtra from Yin and divided each of the first three divisions into two: the general preface and specific preface; the main teaching into the cause approach and effect approach; and the transmission into converting others and own practice. The two prefaces each have five [sections], the two main teachings each have four, and the two transmissions each have three, making twenty-four divisions in all (and so forth).