妙法蓮華經文句 3.16

3.16

The response by reflection has two parts: first, marking the topic; second, the actual reflection. "Reflect" (惟) means contemplation; "ponder" (忖) means consideration. One reflects on the present as being like the past, and ponders the past as being like the present. Yet how could Mañjuśrī, an ancient Buddha, not know? He traces an outward display of contemplation. Guangzhai took the first and last two lines as doctrinal explanation, indicating cause and effect in expanded and abbreviated terms, and the middle three lines as parabolic explanation: "desiring to preach the Great Dharma" is an abbreviated opening of the three and revealing of the one, and an abbreviated opening of the near and revealing of the distant; "expounding the meaning of the Great Dharma" is an expanded opening of the three and revealing of the one, and an expanded opening of the near and revealing of the distant. "The rain of the Great Dharma" is a metaphor for receiving prediction of attaining Buddhahood; previously, due to fixed attachments to cause and effect, they could not attain Buddhahood, which is the meaning of being withered and dry; now all will attain Buddhahood, which is the meaning of being moistened by rain. Blowing the conch is changing the titles of the three vehicles; beating the martial drums to caution the troops is a metaphor for destroying ignorance. We now explain that this interpretation of the doctrine is not to be used. Why? The two approaches of traces and origin have distinct foundations: because the foundation of the traces arose, Maitreya gave rise to doubts, and Mañjuśrī resolved them; the foundation of the origin had not yet arisen, so what would Maitreya doubt, and what would Mañjuśrī resolve? If here he had already resolved the doubts concerning opening the near and revealing the distant, why would Maitreya doubt again later when the earth splits open and the multitude springs forth? If he doubted again, then it would be a pointless doubt and a pointless resolution; if the later resolution is void, the prior resolution is also erroneous. This creates great obstacles, and therefore it is not used. We now clarify that Maitreya only asked about the portents of the two lands within the traces, and Mañjuśrī answered through reflection, answering matters within the traces, not concerning matters within the origin of the "Life Span [Chapter]". "Desiring to preach the Great Dharma" answers the portent of preaching the Dharma; "raining the rain of the Great Dharma" answers the portent of raining flowers; "blowing the conch of the Great Dharma" answers the portent of the great assembly's joyful hearts; "beating the drum of the Great Dharma" answers the portent of the earth shaking; "expounding the meaning of the Great Dharma" answers the portent of emitting light. "Desiring to preach the Great Dharma": reflecting that in the past, after the buddhas preached the Innumerable Meanings, they opened the expedient and revealed the real, gathering the innumerable into the one; he ponders that now, having already preached the Dharma, the present Buddha must likewise open the expedient and reveal the real, converging the innumerable to return to the one—the one is indeed the Great Dharma. "Raining the rain of the Great Dharma": reflecting that in the past, after the gods rained the four flowers, [all] universally entered the stages of dwelling, practice, dedication, and grounds of the perfect cause; he ponders that now, after the rain of flowers, all will accomplish the stages of dwelling, practice, dedication, and grounds of the Buddha-cause; hence it says "raining the rain of the Great Dharma". "Blowing the conch of the Great Dharma": reflecting that in the past, when the fourfold assembly saw the portents and rejoiced, gaining what they had never had before, their obstacles were eliminated and their capacities stirred, so they immediately changed their person, teaching, practice, and principle; he ponders that now, as the assembly rejoices, their obstacles must likewise be eliminated and capacities stirred to change person, teaching, practice, and principle; since what is changed is deep, it says "blowing the conch of the Great Dharma". "Beating the drum of the Great Dharma": reflecting that in the past, after the earth shook, there were six stages of destroying the thieves of ignorance; he ponders that now, after the earth shook, the Buddha must likewise destroy the afflictions of ignorance through six stages; because the voice of teaching is exquisitely wonderful, it says "beating the drum of the Great Dharma". "Expounding the meaning of the Great Dharma": reflecting that in the past, after the buddhas emitted the white curl's light, they preached the Lotus [Sūtra], and the Path of both here and there was identical; he ponders that now, after emitting light, the present Buddha will broadly clarify that the Path of the five Buddhas is identical; since it is the Buddha Path, it says "expounding the meaning of the Great Dharma". Thus these five lines all reflect upon the past to judge the present, and ponder the present to analogize the past, matching the text and according with the meaning, lacking only the single portent of entering samādhi; yet the rain of flowers, the shaking of the earth, the emitting of light, and so forth all arise on account of entering samādhi; the intent already encompasses it, so there is no need to doubt; because it lacks this one item, it is termed an abbreviated answer. Now to provide an alternative explanation: the first line is general, and the latter four lines are particular. The general is the Great Dharma; the particular are raining, blowing, beating, and expounding as opening, demonstrating, awakening to, and entering. Just as the heavens are neither small nor large, neither red nor white, yet they rain red and white flowers;