妙法蓮華經文句 3.54

3.54

今詳彼釋，乃是傍五時顯己意，却漸次梯隥之非耳，可釋他經，非今品意。經云：「咸令眾生皆得覩見」，何時前後開悟不同？又云：「正直捨方便」，那用漸次會於圓妙？又初引生信解化果等，何關今經悟入之意耶？如天親列十七名，第十三名大巧方便。又《大乘方便經》明方便十種，第九名善巧，移二乘令入大乘方便波羅蜜，當知今品乃是如來方便攝一切法，如空包色、若海納流，豈可以諸師一枝、一派釋法界之大都耶？

Examining that interpretation now: it merely relies on the five periods to show its own conception, yet this is the error of gradual steps and stairs; it can interpret other sūtras, but is not the meaning of the present chapter. The sūtra says: 'Causing all living beings to see'—how could there be different awakenings earlier and later? It also says: 'Honestly discarding expedient means'—how could one use gradual stages to converge with the perfect and wondrous? Furthermore, as for initially guiding them to generate faith, understanding, conversion, fruit, and so forth: what does this have to do with the intention of awakening and entering in the present sūtra? As Vasubandhu lists seventeen names, the thirteenth name being 'great skill-in-means'. Furthermore, the *Sūtra on the Skill-in-Means of the Mahāyāna* explains ten kinds of expedient means, the ninth being called 'skilful', shifting the two vehicles to enter the Mahāyāna pāramitā of expedient means. One should know that the present chapter is the Tathāgata's expedient means subsuming all dharmas, just as empty space encompasses form, or as the ocean gathers flowing streams. How could one use the single branch or single stream of the various masters to explain the grand capital of the Dharma realm?