妙法蓮華經文句 10.95

10.95

答：此有所表，《淨名》云「日月何意行閻浮提，欲以光明除眾闇瞑。東是光始、西是其終，有始有終其唯聖人乎。」未發心者令其發心，未究竟者令其究竟，一菩薩既爾諸眾亦然，一方既爾諸方亦然，聖不煩文舉一蔽諸，故但言東西耳。

Answer: This has a symbolic significance. The *Vimalakīrti-nirdeśa* says: "Why do the sun and moon travel through Jambudvīpa? Wishing by their light to dispel the darkness of beings. The east is the beginning of light, and the west is its end; having a beginning and an end belongs solely to the sage!" Causing those who have not aroused the mind to arouse the mind, and causing those who have not attained culmination to attain culmination—just as it is for one bodhisattva, so it is for the various assemblies; just as it is for one direction, so it is for the various directions. The sage does not clutter the text, citing one to cover all; therefore he speaks only of east and west.