妙法蓮華經文句 7.19

7.19

The verse consists of fifty-four and a half lines, which versify the preceding opening and revealing. Opening and revealing has both doctrine and metaphor, and here both are versified. The first four lines versify the doctrinal explanation; the following fifty-four and a half lines versify the metaphorical explanation. The doctrinal explanation also has two parts: first, adducing the Dharma King; second, opening and revealing. Here, the first half-gāthā versifies the Dharma King's veracity; the following three and a half lines versify opening and revealing. The preceding text had the two teachings and two wisdoms, and here they are fully versified as well. The first one and a half lines versify the two teachings; the subsequent two lines versify the two wisdoms. The initial half-line beginning with “according with sentient beings” versifies the expedient teaching; next, the one line beginning with “the Tathāgata is venerable and honoured” is the second, versifying the real teaching. Next, the one line beginning with “those who have wisdom, if they hear it” versifies and explains expedient wisdom; finally, the one line beginning with “therefore, Kāśyapa” versifies and explains real wisdom. Preaching various teachings in accordance with various conditions is entirely to cause them to attain the correct view of the Mahāyāna; prior to this, all are called wrong views. This verse conveys the Tathāgata’s four siddhāntas: “the Dharma King who destroys existence” conveys the counteractive meaning; “according with the desires of sentient beings” conveys the worldly meaning; “those with wisdom hear, believe, and understand, doubt and regret being eliminated forever” conveys the individual adaptation meaning; “causing them to attain the correct view” conveys the paramārtha meaning. The three siddhāntas versify the preceding [prose phrase] of “using wisdom and expedients to expound,” while “causing them to attain the correct view” versifies the preceding [prose phrase] of “reaching the ground of all-knowledge” (and so forth). From “Kāśyapa, you should know that, for example” onward, the fifty-four and a half lines versify the preceding metaphorical explanation. The first ten and a half lines versify the opening of the metaphor; the next forty lines versify the matching of the metaphor. In the preceding text, two metaphors were opened; now the first nine and a half gāthās versify the metaphor of differentiation, and the following one line versifies the metaphor of non-differentiation. In the preceding text, differentiation had six points, and here six are also versified, but rather than following the order of the opening of the metaphor in the prose, it follows the sequence of the matching. The first three lines versify the third, the metaphor of the cloud; the one line beginning with “its rain falls equally everywhere” is the second, versifying the fourth, the metaphor of pouring rain; next, the single line beginning with “mountains, rivers, and treacherous ravines” is the third, versifying the first, the metaphor of the land, mountains, and rivers; next, the two lines beginning with “deep and dark recesses” are the fourth, versifying the second, the metaphor of plants and trees; next, the two lines and three phrases beginning with “trees large and small” are the fifth, versifying the fifth, the metaphor of receiving moisture; the two lines beginning with “all trees” are the sixth, versifying the sixth, the metaphor of growth. The cloud is a metaphor for the response body; the response body acts in accordance with wisdom, hence it is called a “cloud of wisdom.” Because it is capable of containing the twelve divisions of teachings, it is said to “contain moisture.” If a response body does not preach the Dharma, like Suśānta or Prabhūtaratna, this cloud does not contain moisture. The body emitting great light is like “flashes of lightning”; the mouth resounding with the fourfold eloquence is like the “roar of thunder.” The ninety-five kinds of deviant lights do not appear, hence it is said to “veil and conceal”; eliminating the ninety-eight kinds of burning defilements is like “coolness on the ground.” “As if it could be grasped by hand” means that the response body's descent into the world appears similar to the three realms of existence, yet when one sets one's mind to take hold of it, it can never truly be grasped. The eight tones and fourfold eloquence proclaim and pour down the Dharma rain; “falling together from all four directions” means that it is heard everywhere simultaneously, which also refers to the four immeasurables. All who possess a mind partake of its benefit and moisture, hence it is said that “the entire land is suffused and saturated.” This completes the above, and also prepares the metaphor of the mountains and rivers below. The single phrase “mountains, rivers, and treacherous ravines” versifies the first, the earth, which represents the five skandhas of sentient beings of the seven expedient means; now receiving the Dharma rain, their bodies and mouths become soft and supple, like the earth receiving moisture. “Growing in deep and dark recesses” versifies the second above, the differences in sentient beings’ habitual causes: this compares sentient beings' habitual causes planted long ago, hidden within the skandhas, dhātus, and āyatanas—hence called “deep and dark”—now receiving the Dharma rain and all being unfolded and stimulated, hence called “growing.” “The hundred grains” is an expansive term encompassing the five grains, a metaphor for the five vehicles being able to generate the hundred virtues. “Sugar cane and grapes” are a metaphor for concentration and wisdom. “The dry land is suffused everywhere” is a metaphor for causing those without faith to have faith. The remaining metaphors are as in the text. The one line beginning with “according to the size of their physical forms, characteristics, natures, and capacities” versifies the second, the metaphor of non-differentiation. In the preceding text there were three items; here it omits versifying the single ground, but what grows upon it subsumes it. The first two lines versify that which grows and that which is moistened; the next line versifies that which moistens, which is versifying non-differentiation. “Yet each flourishes and grows” versifies that their differentiation is unawares to themselves. The forty lines beginning with “The Buddha is also like this when he appears” versify the second part, matching the metaphor. The first thirty-five gāthās versify matching the differentiation; next, the five lines beginning with “Thus, Kāśyapa” versify matching the non-differentiation. In the preceding text, matching the metaphor of differentiation had the proper matching first and the metaphorical correlation after; here the verse also matches first, and then immediately adduces the metaphor for correlation. The first line versifies matching the metaphor of the cloud; the first two phrases match the body with the cloud, and the lower two phrases adduce the metaphor to correlate the match. Next, the eight and a half lines beginning with “having appeared” are the second, versifying the second part, matching the metaphor of rain. The preceding text first set out the headings, and then exhorted listening and receiving. The three lines beginning with “having appeared” briefly versify the ten epithets; next, the one and a half lines versify the four great vows; of the six headings, only two are versified. The one and a half lines beginning with “moistening all” versify the four great vows. The four lines beginning with “all devas and humans” are the second, versifying the exhortation to listen and receive. The four lines beginning with “I regard all” are the third, versifying the third part, matching the metaphor of the mountains and rivers above. The mountains and rivers are a metaphor for sentient beings with seven kinds of five skandhas: just as the pouring rain does not discriminate among valleys, the Buddha preaches equally, so there is no this or that; possessing capacity is “this,” lacking capacity is “that”; planting good is “love,” hateful defiance is “hate”; the Buddha's work is “self,” Māra’s work is “other”; responding initially is “coming,” responding subsequently is “going”; entering the real is “sitting,” emerging into the expedient is “standing.” The Buddha's contemplation of sentient beings is like this, which is the meaning of the rain falling equally on mountains and rivers, versifying the preceding [prose phrase] of “countless hundreds of millions of kinds of sentient beings come to the Buddha's place to listen to the Dharma.” The two lines beginning with “noble and lowly, superior and inferior” are the fourth, versifying the fourth above, “at that time, the Tathāgata contemplated these sentient beings,” matching the second, the plants, trees, thickets, and groves that grow. “Noble and lowly” up to “sharp and dull” are applied in succession to the seven expedient means. The eleven lines beginning with “all sentient beings who hear my Dharma” are the fifth, versifying the preceding “causing all their various and measureless kinds to rejoice,” matching the metaphor of receiving moisture. The text has three parts: the first line generally explains receiving moisture; next, the seven lines beginning with “whether dwelling among humans or devas” are the second, specifically explaining receiving moisture; next, the three lines conclude with that which is moistened and that which moistens. Some explain humans and devas as the small grass, the two vehicles as the medium grass, the outer worldlings as the large grass, the inner worldlings as the small trees, and the first to seventh bhūmis as the large trees. Some take the inner worldlings to be the large grass, the first to seventh bhūmis to be the small trees, and the eighth bhūmi to be the large tree. Some take the thirty minds to be the large grass, the first to sixth bhūmis to be the small trees, and from the seventh bhūmi onward to be the large trees. However, as for the three grasses and two trees, the Buddha himself matches the metaphor, and the explicit text is brilliant and clear; how could one follow one's own mind, going against the Buddha and transgressing the sūtra? Within the specific explanation of receiving moisture, the text has five parts: the first line, because both humans and devas have not yet severed delusion, is matched with the small grass; next, the two lines beginning with “knowing the uncontaminated Dharma” are the second, clarifying that both of the two vehicles have severance and realization, matched with the medium grass; next, the single line beginning with “seeking the state of the World-Honoured One” is the third, clarifying the six pāramitās, aspiring to attain buddhahood and convert others, which surpasses the two vehicles' isolation, as the superior grass; next, the one and a half lines beginning with “furthermore, all Buddha-sons” are the fourth, clarifying the shared teaching, having already severed the shared delusions, vowing to support the remaining habit-energies, and entering existence to convert others, being superior looking downward and inferior compared to the above, hence called small trees; next, the one and a half lines beginning with “dwelling peacefully in supernormal powers” are the fifth, clarifying the distinctive teaching, whose own practice and conversion of others are lofty, vast, and superior, hence called large trees. In terms of the three bodhisattvas, each makes three trees: the six pāramitās are mapped onto the three asaṃkhyeya kalpas, the shared teaching onto the seventh, eighth, and ninth bhūmis, and the distinctive teaching onto the thirty minds. The three lines beginning with “The Buddha preaches equally” are the third, concluding with that which is moistened and that which moistens. This also has two parts: the first one and a half lines adduce the metaphor for correlation and explanation. Although seven kinds of recipients of moisture are explained, the seven kinds are few, like a single drop in the ocean. The one and a half lines of “The Buddha uses this metaphor” explain that the Buddha's wisdom, which is that which moistens, is vast like the ocean. The eight and a half lines beginning with “I shower down the Dharma rain” versify the sixth, “all sentient beings, having heard this Dharma,” matching the metaphor of joyful growth. This also has two parts: the first two lines generally versify growth, which further has two: the first line generally versifies growth, and the next line adduces the metaphor for correlation and explanation. Next, the six and a half lines beginning with “the Dharma of the Buddhas” specifically explain growth, divided into four: the first one and a half lines explain the growth of humans and devas. “Everywhere attaining complete fulfillment” versifies peace and security in the present life; “gradually cultivating practice” versifies receiving joy through the path in future lives. Next, the one and a half lines beginning with “śrāvakas” are the second, versifying the growth of the two vehicles. “Abiding in the final body” has two explanations: first, it is said that if the two vehicles in this body do not encounter the Buddha, their bodies may not necessarily have no future [rebirth], but by seeing the Buddha they attain the final body, which is the meaning of growth; second, it is said that the two vehicles attain nirvāṇa with remainder and abide in the final body, and having been seasoned and matured by the Buddha’s five flavors, they are able to enter the Lotus [Sūtra], hearing the Mahāyāna and gaining understanding, which is growth. The one and a half lines beginning with “If bodhisattvas' wisdom is firm and solid” are the third, the growth of the shared teaching. “Firm and solid” is the wisdom of embodying phenomena; “completely penetrating the three realms” is the complete severance of delusion. The two lines beginning with “further, there are those who abide in dhyāna” are the fourth, the growth of the distinctive teaching (and so forth).