妙法蓮華經文句 3.65

3.65

This section of prose clarifies the expedients and reals of the five buddhas; all buddhas are likewise. Now, the Treatise on the Lotus Sūtra explains that the profound wisdom of the buddhas is profound realization. Profundity has five aspects: profundity of meaning, profundity of true essence, profundity of inner realization, profundity of reliance, and unsurpassed profundity. Unsurpassed profundity refers to the realization of great bodhi; calling the gate of wisdom the profundity of expounding the meaning of the Āgamas agrees in intent with expedient and real in terms of principle and teaching. The Treatise explains that the Buddha having closely attended upon hundreds of thousands of buddhas is profundity of practice; his vigorous striving and universally heard renown is profundity of increasing merit—this agrees in intent with expedient and real in terms of teaching and practice. The Treatise explains that accomplishing the profound, unprecedented dharma is profundity of subtle phenomena; its purport being difficult to understand and so forth is unsurpassed profundity and profundity of entry—this agrees in intent with expedient and real in terms of essence and function. The Treatise explains that "since I attained buddhahood" refers to expounding the dharma of the accomplishment of the Tathāgata's merits—this agrees in intent with expedient and real in terms of cause and fruition. The Treatise explains that countless expedient means refer to accomplishment of conversion and accomplishment of expounding the Dharma—this agrees in intent with expedient and real in terms of the gradual and the sudden. The Treatise explains that the Tathāgata's expedient means, knowledge and vision, up to deeply entering the boundless, and so forth, are his personal accomplishment of the inconceivable realm, surpassing all other bodhisattvas—this clarifies sharpness. The Treatise explains that being able to differentiate in various ways and gladden the minds of the multitude is accomplishment of speech; this is benefit, agreeing in intent with expedient and real in terms of benefit. The Treatise explains that "to sum it up: stop, there is no need to speak" and so forth refers to the accomplishment of convertible sentient beings—this agrees in intent with differentiating the convertible and inconvertible through the four siddhāntas. The Treatise explains that only a buddha together with a buddha can fathom it to the end refers to the accomplishment of immeasurable merit that only buddhas can know, meaning that because the essence of the Tathāgata's Dharma-body is changeless, he is awakened; he can accomplish self-realization and accord with sentient beings to expound all characteristics of dharmas, and so forth—this agrees in intent with expedient and real in terms of phenomenon and principle. That treatise explains the Buddha's sūtra, and the present commentary secretly accords with the two sages; it can be said to harmonize with both sūtra and upadeśa.