妙法蓮華經文句 5.58

5.58

"He reflected further" onward is the second [part], explaining that the sons did not accept, illustrating the earlier lack of capacity. "There is only one gate, and it is narrow and small": the meaning of "gate" is as explained above. Now we further clarify it according to shared and distinctive. In the distinctive: "one" refers to the one principle, the one path of purity; "gate" refers to the correct teaching, leading through to that which is penetrated; "small" means not admitting [extremes of] annihilation and permanence, the seven expedient means, and so forth. If the teaching and principle are vast and expansive, then they are not narrow and small; but because sentient beings cannot use this principle and teaching to pass through on their own, being about to discuss the lack of capacity, it is therefore called "narrow and small." In the shared: the principle is pure and unmixed, hence called "one"; being identical with the principle and able to pass through, it is called "gate"; being subtle and difficult to know, it is called "narrow and small." As for the teaching: seeking thoroughly in the ten directions, there are no other vehicles, only the One Buddha Vehicle, hence called "one"; this teaching is able to lead through, hence called "gate"; this teaching is subtle and ordinary beings do not know where it emerges from—this is not knowing the expedient—and do not know where it enters—this is not knowing the real; the two vehicles, due to hearing, slightly know the essentials of emergence, but never know entry; bodhisattvas, though knowing emergence themselves, also do not know entry—depriving the seven expedient means of knowing either entry or emergence. The earlier text says: "If I praise the Buddha Vehicle, sentient beings will sink into suffering." Being unable to use the teaching to pass through on their own, being about to discuss the lack of capacity, it is therefore called "narrow and small." As for practice: the practitioner's own practice of the perfect cause, walking the great direct path without obstacles, is therefore called "one"; skillfully practicing the bodhisattva path, going straight to the place of enlightenment (*bodhimaṇḍa*), is therefore called "gate"; marvelous practice is difficult to practice, and expedient means lack capacity, hence it is called "narrow and small." The old explanation says: the small goodness of humans and devas is called "young and childish"; having no Mahāyāna goodness is called "having no understanding yet." Now we explain: having been taught the unsurpassed path at the places of twenty thousand Buddhas, their Mahāyāna good roots were weak, which is called "young and childish"; if hearing the Mahāyāna they might give rise to slander, which is called "having no understanding yet." "Clinging to and fond of their play places": the previous [clause] clarified that good was weak, while this clarifies that evil was strong, which is, at the time of the cause, deeply clinging to views and craving, and at the time of the effect, deeply clinging to dependent and primary [retribution]; in the desire realm clinging to the six sense objects, in the form realm clinging to the savor of dhyāna, and in the formless realm clinging to concentration. The earlier text says: "Sentient beings' faculties are dull, blinded by attachment to pleasures and by ignorance," unable to bear hearing the Mahāyāna. "They may fall down and be burned by the fire": these two lines indicate letting go of gentle guidance. Falling down has two meanings: first, being young and childish, remembering their original play places, they therefore fall down; having no understanding at all, their grasp on objects is not firm, so they fall down—illustrating that clinging to the five desires, they fall into the three miserable paths; second, their good being weak and having no understanding, they slander the Mahāyāna and fall into the three miserable paths.