妙法蓮華經文句 4.79

4.79

Why are four kinds of interpretation used? Seeing the principle depends on stages; the establishment of stages depends on wisdom; the arising of wisdom depends on gates; the penetration of gates depends on contemplation. Because of contemplation, the gates penetrate; because gates penetrate, wisdom is accomplished; because wisdom is accomplished, stages are established; because stages are established, principle is seen; because principle is seen, it is called the oneness of principle. Beginning from “Śāriputra, for this reason, the Buddhas, with the one great matter…”, this concludes the meaning of the oneness of principle. In the former expedient teaching, one could also theoretically speak of opening, demonstrating, awakening to, and entering, but they were not the Buddha's knowledge and vision, and thus were expedient; now it clarifies the Buddha's knowledge and vision, so it is real, and the real is the oneness of principle. From “He told Śāriputra, 'The Tathāgata solely teaches and transforms bodhisattvas,'” this clarifies the oneness of person. In terms of the former expedients, he was said to teach and transform the three vehicles, but to speak in terms of true reality, he only transforms bodhisattvas. Just as that poor son considered himself a hired menial laborer, but viewed by the elder, he was truly his own son; this is the oneness of person. From “All that they undertake is constantly for one matter,” Guangzhai calls this the oneness of teaching, but now we call it the oneness of practice. The various practices of the three vehicles are called 'all'; being for the sake of the perfect, 'all' is simply the one matter. Where does this practice reach? It solely heads toward the Buddha's knowledge and vision; this is the meaning of the oneness of practice. One may also take this as oneness of teaching: if spoken with respect to the master of the teaching, all that he undertakes takes teaching and transforming alone as its matter, and taking this as oneness of teaching is convenient. If spoken with respect to the practitioner, the matter undertaken—the undertaking of the matter—is itself practice; now we adopt this convenience and call it oneness of practice. However, all four phrases possess two meanings: for instance, in the oneness of principle, if one takes that which can know and see, taking it as the oneness of stages is convenient; if taking that which is known and seen, the oneness of principle is convenient. In the phrase concerning the oneness of person, if taking teaching and transforming, oneness of teaching is convenient; if taking bodhisattvas, oneness of person is convenient. In the phrase concerning the oneness of teaching, if taking expounding the Dharma for sentient beings by means of the One Buddha Vehicle, this is conveniently the oneness of teaching; if taking the meaning of conveyance by the vehicle, it is conveniently the oneness of practice. All four phrases are like this, explained as convenience dictates.