妙法蓮華經文句 5.29

5.29

The Dharma exposition has five sections of text: the first is just completed, while four are not yet concluded. This chapter should be placed after the verses spoken by the devas and before the parable of the burning house; the editor of the sūtra simply adjusted the scrolls and placed it at the beginning of the understanding section. Moreover, someone said: "To inspire those of intermediate faculties, it was placed at the beginning of the second scroll; just as the question and answer on the six omens served as the preface to the Dharma exposition, the understanding and receipt of prophecies serve as the preface to the parable exposition." This is mere human sentiment; if placed after the Dharma exposition, would those of intermediate faculties not be awakened? This understanding section expresses what was heard and relates what was understood; in the prose, hearing and understanding are explained together, while in the gāthās, hearing and understanding are presented separately; hence it is called the understanding section.