妙法蓮華經文句 4.32

4.32

Ninth, clarifying that the benefits gained by the expedient and the real are different: One view says that those of real practice gain benefit, while those of expedient practice act strictly as guides and influencing forces, so their benefit is not discussed. Now it is explained that this is not so: when it comes to the 'Lifespan' chapter, both the expedient and the real gain benefit. The increase in their path becomes ever higher, and the diminishment of their births becomes ever more complete; bordering on perfection and approaching the ultimate, with only one life remaining—how could this not be a benefit for those of the expedient? For this reason, initially they acted as an influencing force to jointly mature those of real practice, and later, when the ultimate fruit was preached, their own path became clear. The text says: 'Going out and coming in, the profit from interest extended to other countries'—the profit from interest being in another is precisely one's own benefit. That those of real practice gain benefit is due to the guidance of the expedient; the merit of transformation returns to oneself, so the expedient also gains benefit. Therefore, 'with a single voice he expounds the dharma, and sentient beings understand it according to their kind'—why must one wait only for the 'Lifespan' chapter? (and so on). Furthermore, 'I myself wish to attain this truly pure, great dharma' is precisely benefit for oneself. Tenth, clarifying waiting for the time and not waiting for the time: Those who did not awaken prior to this and necessarily had to wait for the Lotus [Sūtra] to awaken are said to 'wait for the time'; those who had already understood through teachings prior to the Lotus [Sūtra] are said to 'not wait for the time.' Why is this? The Buddha has two preachings: the explicit and the esoteric. If we speak in terms of the explicit preaching, prior to the Lotus [Sūtra] the two vehicles had not awakened to the Great Path, and it was necessary to season them through the five flavors until they were converged in the Lotus; hence it says: 'Because the time to preach had not yet arrived; now is precisely the time to definitely preach the Great Vehicle.' This is waiting for the time. If we speak in terms of the esoteric teaching, it is not necessarily the case that they fully waited for the five flavors to converge only in the Lotus; those who esoterically entered prior to this are therefore said to 'not wait for the time.' This is the broad distinction between waiting for the time and not waiting for the time. With respect to the three cycles, there is also waiting for the time and not waiting for the time; and with respect to the two gates of origin and traces, there is also waiting for the time and not waiting for the time. That there are earlier and later awakenings and entries is precisely due to this meaning.