妙法蓮華經文句 10.73

10.73

The text consists of two parts: first, the entrustment; second, the rejoicing of the assembly at that time. The first has three parts: 1. the Tathāgata's entrustment; 2. the bodhisattvas' reception; 3. the conclusion of the matter and proclamation of dismissal. The first also has three parts: 1. the primary entrustment; 2. explaining the entrustment; 3. admonitory entrustment. In the primary entrustment, with one hand of expedient wisdom and skill, the Buddha stroked the crowns of real wisdom of the bodhisattvas who crowded the empty space of three thousand three hundred nayutas of lands. Because the Tathāgata confers the Way to convert others, it is called the hand of expedient wisdom; because the bodhisattvas receive the Way for their own practice, they are called the crowns of real wisdom. Extending the hand and stroking the crown is physical entrustment; expedient wisdom overseeing real wisdom is mental entrustment; "and made this statement" is verbal entrustment. The text contains the intentions of the four siddhāntas: "Throughout immeasurable kalpas I cultivated this rarely encountered Dharma" means having received and learned this from previous Buddhas, I now entrust it to you, and you must confer it to others; continuing the succession through the three times is the worldly siddhānta. "Wholeheartedly propagate it" is the individual adaptation siddhānta. "Broadly causing it to increase" is the counteractive siddhānta. "And benefit" is the paramārtha siddhānta. From "Why is this?" downward explains the entrustment: "possessing great compassion" is the Tathāgata's room; "free from all stinginess" is the Tathāgata's robe; "and having no fear" is the Tathāgata's seat. "The Buddha's wisdom" is the knowledge of all phenomena (sarvajñatā); "the Tathāgata's wisdom" is the knowledge of the paths (mārgajñatā); "the spontaneous wisdom" is the all-aspect knowledge (sarvākārajñatā). Within the Tathāgata's room, being able to bestow the three kinds of wisdom upon sentient beings, and likewise within the seat—as such a donor, being free from stinginess and without fear, you should study this Dharma of the Tathāgata; this is called explaining the Buddha's intention to entrust it. From "In future worlds" downward is the admonitory entrustment: if their faculties are deep and wisdom sharp, directly speak the Buddha's wisdom; if they cannot bear it, instruct, benefit, and gladden them with other profound dharmas. The Buddha's wisdom is profound and not "other"; the six expedients are "other" and not profound; the stages of the distinctive teaching are both "other" and profound. If you can assist in expounding the Buddha's wisdom by means of other profound [teachings], that is skillfully repaying the Buddha's grace; this is called the admonitory entrustment.