妙法蓮華經文句 4.112

4.112

此初頌文為五：初、從「諸佛所得法」下，五行三句，頌諸佛施權；二、從「我設是方便」下十三行，頌諸佛顯實；三、從「若人信歸佛」下四行半，頌諸佛章勸信；四、從「若我過眾生」下九行半長頌五濁；五、「我有方便下」兩行，頌上不虛。今初釋開權，文為二：初、四行一句頌正施權；次、一行半，頌結施權意。今初，「諸佛所得法」者，修道得於諸權法也。「無量方便力」下，頌上無數方便，種種因緣演說諸法也。「眾生心念」者，頌上隨宜說法也，頌中廣出隨宜之相，即是照九法界機、說七方便，總言九七不可定判，故言若干。隨欲之宜，應用世界悉檀；隨性之宜，應用為人悉檀；隨惡業宜，應用對治悉檀。現起希望名「念」，法門不同名「種種」，過去所習名「性」，現在欣樂名「欲」，或可習欲成性，成性生習欲（云云）。「善惡業」者，七方便傳傳為善惡（云云）。佛以權智照諸方便性欲，然後以諸因緣譬喻，隨其所宜說九部經，十二部如《玄義》中說。「鈍根樂小法」者，一行半，結施權之意。前世根鈍今世無機，不堪聞大，故言「不行深妙道」；前世貪著障重，今世眾苦所惱，唯可聞小，故言「為是說涅槃」也。

This initial verse text has five parts: first, from "The Dharma attained by all buddhas" downwards, five lines and three phrases versify all buddhas employing the expedient; second, from "I set up such expedient means" downwards, thirteen lines versify all buddhas revealing the real; third, from "If a person with faith takes refuge in the Buddha" downwards, four and a half lines versify the section on all buddhas exhorting faith; fourth, from "If I pass by living beings" downwards, nine and a half lines at length versify the five turbidities; fifth, from "I possess expedient means" downwards, two lines versify the non-falsehood above. Now, the first [part] explains opening the expedient, and the text has two parts: first, four lines and one phrase versify the direct employment of the expedient; next, one and a half lines versify the conclusion of the intent in employing the expedient. As for the first: "The Dharma attained by all buddhas" refers to cultivating the Path and attaining the various expedient dharmas. From "With immeasurable power of expedient means" downwards versifies the above "with countless expedient means and various causes and conditions expounding all dharmas". "The thoughts in the minds of living beings" versifies the above "preaching the Dharma in accordance with what is appropriate". In the verses, the characteristics of what is appropriate are broadly set forth, which means illuminating the capacities of the nine dharma realms and preaching the seven expedient means; speaking generally of the nine and the seven, they cannot be definitively determined, hence it says "various". In accordance with the appropriateness of desires, one should apply the worldly siddhānta; in accordance with the appropriateness of natures, one should apply the individual adaptation siddhānta; in accordance with the appropriateness of evil karma, one should apply the counteractive siddhānta. Desires currently arising are called "thoughts"; differing dharma approaches are called "various"; what has been practiced in the past is called "nature"; current joy and delight are called "desires"; or perhaps habitual desires form nature, and a formed nature produces habitual desires, and so forth. "Wholesome and unwholesome karma": the seven expedient means sequentially constitute wholesome and unwholesome, and so forth. With expedient wisdom, the Buddha illuminates the natures and desires of all expedient means, and then, using various causes, conditions, and parables, preaches the nine divisions of the canon according to what is appropriate; the twelve divisions are as explained in the Fahua xuanyi. "Those of dull faculties who delight in lesser dharmas", one and a half lines, concludes the intent of employing expedients. Having dull faculties in past lives and no capacity in the present life, they cannot bear hearing the Great, hence it says "they do not practice the profound and wonderful Path"; with severe obstacles of greed and attachment from past lives, they are afflicted by manifold sufferings in the present life and can only hear the small, hence it says "for their sake I preach nirvāṇa".