妙法蓮華經文句 3.72

3.72

Eighth, regarding origin and traces: The Tathāgata on his original ground has long since realized all expedients and reals, which is termed one's own practice; his manifestation of traces in the interim also made combined and accompanied expositions. When manifesting traces in the present day at the place of awakening in tranquil extinction, he brought along the distinctive [teaching] of converting others to preach one's own practice; next he preached one of converting others, next three, next two, and next the abolition of the three, all of which are called the expedient and real of converting others. Gathering the original expedient is called real; gathering the trace real is called expedient—these are the expedient and real of self and other. Concluding this, there are four propositions: all is real; all is expedient; all is both expedient and real; all is neither expedient nor real (and so forth). Śāriputra's original realization of all expedients and reals is his own practice; his traces at the Deer Park merely received conversion of others; at the Vaipulya [assemblies] he received one and was broken down by three; in the Prajñā [assemblies] he carried two and transferred one; arriving at the Lotus, he abolished the three and awakened to the one—all of these are the expedient and real of converting others. Gathering the original expedient makes it real; gathering the trace real makes it expedient—these are the expedient and real of self and other, also possessing the four propositions (and so forth). If spoken from the perspective of the Buddha's traces, it is also the expedient and real of converting others, and is also called the 'Expedient Means Chapter'; if spoken from the perspective of leading into the causal practice of the perfect [teaching] as one's own practice, it is also the 'Expedient Means Chapter'; if spoken from the perspective of Śāriputra's trace expedient, it is also the 'Expedient Means Chapter'; if spoken from the perspective of Śāriputra's traces entering the real, it is also the 'Expedient Means Chapter.' For all these various reasons, it is called the 'Expedient Means Chapter.'