妙法蓮華經文句 4.122

4.122

「我雖說涅槃」下，第四，一行半，即是終令入大，析三界妄盡，滅色取空則非真滅，若體達無明本無常寂，即是真滅。本無雖寂，若不修道，無由契會，故言「佛子行道已，來世得作佛」也。「我有方便力」下，第五，兩行，頌上不虛，上云：「汝等當信佛之所說言不虛妄」。勸信前已頌訖，不虛今更頌。初二句先明釋迦先開三；次兩句明諸佛後顯實互現耳；後一行正明不虛，前權後實誠言不虛，勿生疑也。從「過去無數劫」下，第二二十七行半，頌上過去佛章，文為二：初二行頌開三，如文；「是諸世尊」下，第二有二十五行半，頌顯一，上文顯實兼有四一，今偈具頌。於中又二：初一行，略頌上三一，皆說一乘法，即是頌教一；化無量眾生，頌人一；令入於佛道即頌理一，兼得行一。次「又諸大聖主」下，第二，有二十四行半，約五乘廣頌顯一。就文為二：初一行半，總約五乘以顯一，「天人群生類」，是舉諸乘以明人一；「更以異方便」，舉諸行以顯行一，兼得教一；第一義即是理一。異方便下，正因佛性即第一義理，若用圓妙正觀，此即實相方便，不名為異；若用七方便觀助顯第一義者，名異方便。次「若有眾生」下，第二有二十三行，別約五乘以顯真實者，即為三：初，二行，開菩薩乘；次第二，一行，開二乘；第三，二十行，開天人乘。今初，「若有眾生類」下二行，開菩薩乘。若作五乘釋者，但是六度菩薩乘；若作七方便釋者，兼得通、別菩薩乘。何者？三教大乘皆行六度，而運心有異。相心行六度，即三藏菩薩；無相即通教；非相無相次第行六度即別教。今但列六度，未知定判屬誰。尋上文云「更以異方便」者，非獨六度菩薩，即三教菩薩方便。昔聞法皆已成教一，昔六度行皆已成行一，如是諸人等皆已成人一，皆已成佛道皆已成理一也。從「諸佛滅度已，若人善軟心」一行，開聲聞、緣覺皆入一乘。何以得知？《大品》歎阿羅漢心調柔軟，又《淨名》云：「住調伏心是賢聖行」，是以知之。昔善軟心皆成行一，諸人等是人一，成佛道是理一。「供養舍利下」，第三，二十行，開人天乘。不彰是人天乘，但明造像、起塔，專至、散亂，故知是天人業。地師解云：「童子是童真地，無二乘、凡夫二邊欲心。聚砂為塔，砂是無著，塔是眾行積集，含藏正覺之心。」彼謂義會無生以為深詣，今謂乖文豎狹。何者？登地自應成佛，如脩羅度海何足為奇？今以童稚戲砂、亂心歌詠，指微即著，如凡夫度海不可思議，佛分明廣會五乘毫善不漏，而棄收羅之廣意徑取無生。若如向釋，殆不攝二乘，況凡夫乎？論深但是一致，定廣則乖經文。

From "Though I speak of nirvāṇa" down, the fourth [part], in one line and a half, is ultimately causing them to enter the Great [Vehicle]. To analyze and exhaust the falsehoods of the triple world, annihilating form and grasping emptiness, is not true extinction; if one realizes that fundamental ignorance is originally non-existent and constantly tranquil, that is true extinction. Although originally non-existent and tranquil, if one does not cultivate the path, there is no way to accord with it; therefore it is said: "After the Buddha's disciples have practiced the path, / In a future life they will attain buddhahood." From "I possess the power of expedient means" down, the fifth [part], in two lines, versifies the above "not false." Above it said: "You should believe what the Buddha says, for his words are not false." The exhortation to believe was already versified previously; "not false" is now versified again. The first two lines first explain that Śākyamuni initially opened the three; the next two lines explain that all buddhas subsequently reveal the real, showing this mutually; the final line properly explains "not false": expedient first and real later, his sincere words are not false; do not give rise to doubt. From "in countless kalpas past" down, the second [major section], in twenty-seven lines and a half, versifies the above section on past buddhas. The text has two parts: The first two lines versify opening the three, as in the text; from "these World-Honoured Ones" down, the second part, in twenty-five lines and a half, versifies revealing the one. The prose above in revealing the real had the four unities, and now the verses fully versify them. In this there are also two: First, one line briefly versifies the three unities above: all preaching the Dharma of the One Vehicle versifies the unity of teaching; transforming immeasurable sentient beings versifies the unity of persons; causing them to enter the Buddha Path versifies the unity of principle, while implicitly including the unity of practice. Next, from "further, all the great masters of sages" down, the second part, in twenty-four lines and a half, extensively versifies revealing the one in terms of the five vehicles. In terms of the text there are two parts: First, one line and a half generally explains revealing the one in terms of the five vehicles: "gods, humans, and all classes of living beings" brings up all vehicles to explain the unity of persons; "further by diverse expedient means" brings up all practices to reveal the unity of practice, while implicitly including the unity of teaching; the supreme truth is the unity of principle. Under "diverse expedient means": the Buddha-nature as direct cause is the principle of the supreme truth; if one uses the perfect, subtle, correct contemplation, this is the expedient of the real mark, and is not called "diverse"; if one uses the contemplations of the seven expedient means to assist in revealing the supreme truth, they are called "diverse expedient means." Next, from "if there are sentient beings" down, the second part, in twenty-three lines, specifically reveals the real in terms of the five vehicles, which consists of three: First, two lines open the Bodhisattva Vehicle; next, second, one line opens the two vehicles; third, twenty lines open the human and heavenly vehicles. Now first, the two lines from "if there are classes of sentient beings" down open the Bodhisattva Vehicle. If interpreted in terms of the five vehicles, it is only the six-pāramitā Bodhisattva Vehicle; if interpreted in terms of the seven expedient means, it implicitly includes the shared and distinctive bodhisattva vehicles. Why? The Mahāyāna of the three teachings all practice the six pāramitās, but their mental orientation differs. Practicing the six pāramitās with a mind fixed on marks is the Tripiṭaka bodhisattva; devoid of marks is the shared teaching; non-mark, neither mark nor non-mark, practicing the six pāramitās in sequence, is the distinctive teaching. Here it only lists the six pāramitās, and it is not known to whom it definitively belongs. Seeking the text above that says "further by diverse expedient means," it is not merely the six-pāramitā bodhisattva, but the expedients of the bodhisattvas of the three teachings. The Dharma heard formerly has all become the unity of teaching; the six pāramitā practices formerly done have all become the unity of practice; all such persons have all become the unity of persons; having all attained the Buddha Path, they have all become the unity of principle. From the one line, "after all buddhas have entered extinction, / if a person has a good and pliable mind," it opens the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, all entering the One Vehicle. How is this known? The Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā praises the arhats' minds as harmonized and pliable, and the Vimalakīrti-nirdeśa also says: "Abiding in a subdued mind is the practice of the worthy and holy." Therefore we know this. The formerly good and pliable minds have all become the unity of practice; all those persons are the unity of persons; attaining the Buddha Path is the unity of principle. From "making offerings to the śarīras" down, the third [part], in twenty lines, opens the human and heavenly vehicles. It does not explicitly state that it is the human and heavenly vehicles, but only explains making images and erecting stupas, with single-mindedness or with distracted mind, so we know they are human and heavenly karmic actions. The Dilun masters explain: "'Young children' means the stage of youthfulness, free from the desire minds of the two extremes of the two vehicles and ordinary beings. Piling up sand to make a stupa: sand represents non-attachment, and the stupa is the accumulation of all practices, containing the mind of correct awakening." They consider harmonizing the meaning with the unborn to be a profound attainment; I say this contradicts the text, being vertically narrow. Why? Having ascended the stages, one should naturally become a buddha; like an asura crossing the ocean, why should it be considered extraordinary? Here, with young children playing with sand and singing with distracted minds, pointing to the minute instantly makes it manifest; like an ordinary being crossing the ocean, it is inconceivable. The Buddha clearly and extensively gathers together the five vehicles without omitting a single strand of good, yet they discard this broad intention of sweeping all together and directly seize upon the unborn. If it were like their interpretation, it would hardly encompass the two vehicles, let alone ordinary beings! In terms of profundity it is merely a single convergence, but as for determining the breadth, it contradicts the sūtra text.