妙法蓮華經文句 3.64

3.64

Fourth, adducing proof texts: these ten meanings apply universally to both the Great and Small teachings and extend across all dharmas. For now, we cite the present sūtra: "Not as the triple world is do I see the triple world"—the triple world is phenomenon, while not seeing it as the triple world is principle. "All dharmas are tranquil and extinguished, beyond words and speech" is principle; "By the power of expedient means, expounding it for the five monks" is teaching. "If one hears this sūtra, it is proof of practicing the bodhisattva path well" refers to teaching and practice. Again: "What you have practiced is the bodhisattva path; having practiced this path, the Buddha's children in future ages will become buddhas." Again: "Through various causes and conditions seeking the Buddha path, merely departing from falsity is called liberation," and "Not yet having attained all liberations, practicing to the full all the path-dharmas of the buddhas, on the bodhimaṇḍa one attains the fruition," and so forth. "With the buddha-eye I observe sentient beings of the six destinies: upon first seeing my body and hearing what I expound, they immediately believe, accept, and enter the Tathāgata's wisdom, except for those who previously practiced and studied the Small Vehicle," and so forth. The poor son first fleeing, in between shoveling dung as a hired hand, and finally being entrusted with the wealth; first resting in the conjured city and later being led to the place of jewels; various desires, various natures, characteristics, recollections, and so forth—these cite the sūtra as a whole as proof. Now we specifically cite a single chapter: although not in consecutive order, all ten passages are complete. "The wisdom of the buddhas is profound and immeasurable; its gate of wisdom is difficult to understand and difficult to enter": all phenomena, principles, realms, cognitions, and so forth are all called the real, while the provision, explanation, and exposition of the Āgama teachings are all the gates of wisdom—this proves the discussion of expedient and real in terms of principle and teaching. "Difficult to understand and difficult to enter, such that all śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas cannot know it" is the discussion of expedient and real in terms of bondage and liberation. Why? From "The Buddha has closely attended upon..." to "His renown is universally heard" is the discussion of expedient and real in terms of teaching and practice. From "Having accomplished the profound..." to "The purport is difficult to understand" is the discussion of expedient and real in terms of essence and function. "Since I attained buddhahood..."—attaining buddhahood is the fruition, and fruition necessarily has a cause, which is the discussion of expedient and real in terms of cause and fruition. "Various causes, conditions, and parables, leading them to abandon all attachments" is the discussion of expedient and real in terms of the gradual and the sudden. Why? "The Tathāgata's expedient means and knowledge and vision are all fully perfected" is the discussion of expedient and real in terms of opening and combining. "The buddhas appear in the world for the sake of one great matter of causality: to cause sentient beings to open, demonstrate, awaken to, and enter the buddha knowledge and vision" is the discussion of expedient and real in terms of benefit. "To sum it up: the Buddha has accomplished all" means the accomplishment of the three siddhāntas; "Stop, stop! There is no need to speak" is the paramārtha-siddhānta—this is the discussion of expedient and real in terms of the four siddhāntas. Why? From "The Buddha has accomplished the foremost and rare..." to "the true mark of all dharmas" is principle; "the so-called suchness of the characteristics of all dharmas..." is phenomenon—this is the discussion of expedient and real in terms of phenomenon and principle.