妙法蓮華經文句 4.136

4.136

Now, explaining the section of gāthās on Śākyamuni, it is broadly divided into two: First, the two lines of gāthā beginning from "Now I also am like this" briefly versify the expedient and the real above, serving as the basis for the general parable below. Second, the forty-one and a half lines of gāthā beginning from "When I observed with the buddha eye" extensively versify the six meanings above, serving as the basis for the specific parables below. Now, within the brief versification, there are six points, which can serve as the basis for the six meanings of the general parable. The verse says, "Now I also am like this": "I" is Śākyamuni, the master of this one period of teaching, serving as the basis for the parable of the great elder below. "Secure and at ease" refers to the constant and blissful dwelling place of great nirvāṇa; this place is tranquil and free from the obstructions of the five turbidities, hence it is called "secure and at ease." "Secure and at ease" contrasts with "not secure and at ease": "not secure and at ease" refers to the place where teaching is carried out amidst the births and deaths of the triple world; having the obstructions of the five turbidities is called "not secure and at ease," which serves as the basis for the parable of the burning house below. "Sentient beings" refers to the disciples in the five destinies who receive teaching, serving as the basis for the parable of the five hundred people below. Furthermore, "secure and at ease" refers to the secure and at ease dharma, contrasting again with the insecure and uneasy dharma; the insecure and uneasy dharma refers to the dharmas of the five turbidities, serving as the basis for the parable of the fire breaking out below. "Various dharma gateways" contrasts with not various, serving as the basis for the parable of only having one gate below. "Knowing the natures and desires of sentient beings" refers to the capacities of the five destinies having the distinction of the three vehicles, serving as the basis for the parable of the thirty children below. Looking upwards, this is a brief versification; looking downwards, it is the basis for the general parable. The roots and branches follow upon one another, and the text and meaning are fully complete. In the parable, one should further cite the above to verify the below (and so forth). Within the extensive versification of the six meanings above, the text is divided into four, serving as the basis for the specific parables below: First, the four lines beginning from "When I observed with the buddha eye" extensively versify the five turbidities above, serving as the basis for the parable of seeing the fire below. Second, the seventeen and a half lines beginning from "When I first sat at the place of enlightenment" extensively versify opening the three from the one above, serving as the basis for the parable of setting aside the great and bestowing the small below. Third, the six lines from "I saw the buddha sons and others" extensively versify revealing the real above, serving as the basis for the parable of equally bestowing the great cart below. Fourth, the five and a half lines beginning from "Just as the buddhas of the three periods of time" extensively versify praising the rareness of the Dharma above; next, the two and a half lines directly versify non-deceptiveness above; next, the six lines versify urging faith above. These three points combined serve as the basis for the parable of non-deceptiveness below, while strictly speaking, the two and a half lines versifying non-deceptiveness directly serve as the basis for the parable of non-deceptiveness below. Broadly it is like this; if branched into finer details, it is further divided. First, within the versification of the five turbidities, there are three points: first, half a line and one word explain observation with the buddha eye, serving as the basis for the parable of the elder being able to see below; next, the two lines, three phrases, and four words from "sentient beings of the six destinies" onward explain the five turbidities seen, serving as the basis for the parable of the fire seen below; next, the half line from "for the sake of these sentient beings" onward explains giving rise to great compassion, serving as the basis for the parable of the elder being startled and entering the burning house below. Second, within the versification of opening the three from "When I first sat" onward, it is further divided into two points: first, the six and a half lines explain considering using the Mahāyāna to transform them but being unable to, serving as the basis for the parable of having strength in body and hands yet not using it and setting aside the great below; next, the eleven lines from "I immediately thought of the past" onward explain considering conforming with the buddhas in transforming through the three vehicles, serving as the basis for the parable of devising the three carts and bestowing the small below. Third, within the versification of revealing the real above, it is further divided into four points: first, the two lines from "Śāriputra, you should know, I saw the buddha sons" onward explain the stirring of capacity for the Mahāyāna, serving as the basis for the parable of demanding the carts below; next, the two lines and one phrase from "I then thought" onward explain the Buddha's rejoicing, serving as the basis for the parable of seeing the sons escape danger below; next, the three phrases from "To the bodhisattvas" onward directly reveal the real, serving as the basis for the parable of equally bestowing one great cart below; next, the one line from "When the bodhisattvas heard this" onward explains receiving practice, awakening, and entering, serving as the basis for the parable of the sons obtaining one great cart and rejoicing below. The versification of non-deceptiveness above directly serves as the basis for the parable of non-deceptiveness below, without being subdivided. Furthermore, at one time it is broadly divided into three parables: first, the two lines of "Now I also am like this" combine without separating, serving as the basis for the general parable below; second, from "When I observed with the buddha eye" onward, it separates without combining, serving as the basis for the specific parables below; third, the parable of non-deceptiveness neither separates nor combines, serving as the basis for the parable of non-deceptiveness. If based on the two versifications of the brief and the extensive, continuing from above and providing the basis for below, then throughout the three cycles and the Understanding by Faith, both the text and meaning are completely without lack. If based on the extensive versification, further opening into four points versifying the four meanings above, serving as the basis for the four parables below, this also holds throughout the three cycles and the Understanding by Faith with text and meaning fully complete. If further subdivided into branches, opening the versification of the five turbidities into three, opening the versification of expedient means into two, opening the versification of revealing the real into four, and with only one in non-deceptiveness, they combine into ten points, serving as the basis for the ten parables below. These ten points exist only in the two cycles of Dharma and parable; in the Understanding by Faith and Causality cycles, their text is lacking. Therefore, dividing the chapter into three sections to continue from above and provide the basis for below is by no means an aimless or arbitrary composition. In the brief versification, the first line versifies revealing the real above, and the second line versifies opening the expedient above. Although this text is narrow, it fully versifies the four unities. "Now I also am like this": like the "this" of all buddhas, equally teaching and transforming sentient beings with the one real; this is a general versification of revealing the real. "Secure and at ease": the secret storehouse of nirvāṇa is the place of security and ease; the Buddha himself abides therein, and also establishes sentient beings to enter the secret storehouse. The place of security and ease versifies unity of principle; sentient beings versifies unity of persons; entering the Buddha Way through various dharma gateways versifies unity of practice; proclaiming and demonstrating versifies unity of teaching. "Power of wisdom" is the power of expedient wisdom. "Knowing the natures and desires of sentient beings" is discerning the small capacity. "Expediently preaching the dharmas" is directly bestowing the expedient. "Causing them all to attain joy" is according with what is fitting to suit the capacity. Although the two gāthās are brief, they encompass the Buddha's entire period of teaching in opening the expedient and revealing the real, exhaustively covering everything from beginning to end without remainder; therefore it is called a brief versification, serving as the basis for the general parable below.