妙法蓮華經文句 3.105

3.105

From "Śāriputra, you should know that the words of the buddhas do not differ" onward, the three are briefly opened and the one is revealed, shaking attachments and giving rise to doubts. Regarding the opening and revealing, there are two parts: first, explaining all buddhas revealing the real; next, explaining Śākyamuni opening the three; each clarifies one side. "The words of the buddhas do not differ" discusses that the path of conversion of all buddhas is identical; the next two lines exhort faith; the final two lines directly reveal the real. "After a long time, the World-Honoured One's Dharma will surely expound the true and real" directly reveals the real. Shaking past attachments and giving rise to present doubts—suspecting whether it might be Māra acting as a buddha—arises precisely from hearing these words. Since the Buddha has already spoken in accordance with reality to exhort faith, why should doubts be provoked instead? It is to prevent those who might produce slander due to doubt that faith must be exhorted. From "Telling the assembly of śrāvakas" onward, Śākyamuni's opening of the three is explained, in three parts: first, one verse directly explains the opening of the three; being about to explain the deficiency of the two vehicles, it therefore says, "those who have attained nirvāṇa." Another explanation is that "I cause them to be freed from the bonds of suffering and to attain nirvāṇa" refers to the vehicle of the six-pāramitā bodhisattvas. How is this known? Cultivating the practice of the six pāramitās frees one from the bonds of the four [evil] destinies, but one is not yet able to enter complete extinction; only after three asaṃkhyeyas and a hundred kalpas does one attain nirvāṇa—the word "attain" implies reaching it only after a long time. Furthermore, the practice of the six pāramitās first delivers others, hence it says "I cause them to be freed from the bonds of suffering," and later obtains the undefiled, hence it says "and to attain nirvāṇa"; deducing from this meaning, we know it is the six-pāramitā vehicle. Furthermore, deducing from the number, the lower line says, "The Buddha, through the power of expedient means, demonstrates the teachings of the three vehicles"; if it does not refer to this, what would constitute the three? One should not repeatedly count the two vehicles to make the three vehicles. Next, half a verse directly rebukes the three vehicles as all being false and provisional. The following two lines reveal the intention behind establishing the three: the intention is expedience to lead them to depart from all sufferings; it is not the true and real, but merely an expedient gateway.