妙法蓮華經文句 8.27

8.27

From "If again there is a person" downward is the second part, the section on teachers, which has prose and gāthās. The prose has two parts: first particular, and later general. The particular part discusses persons [of the lower and upper ranks] below and discusses the present and future in terms of time; the general part, without regard to lower and upper or present and future, comprehensively explains that offending against them incurs sin and according with them obtains blessing. Within the particular part there are again two: first, explaining the present age; second, explaining future ages. Within the present age there are again two: first, explaining teachers of the lower rank; later, explaining teachers of the upper rank. Teachers of the lower rank are divided into two: first, explaining the characteristics of the teacher; next, explaining the teacher's merit and retribution. As for the characteristics of the teacher, these are the five kinds of dharma teachers and the ten kinds of offerings. Next, from "Bhaiṣajyarāja, you should know that all these people have already made offerings" downward explains the merit and retribution of the lower rank. "Have already made offerings" means that their past causes were profound. "Out of compassion for sentient beings they are born in this human realm" explains that their present merit is great. From "If a person asks" downward explains that their future retribution will be momentous. From "How much more so those who can fully receive and uphold" explains teachers of the upper rank, which also has two parts: first, by comparison bringing out the characteristics of teachers of the upper rank; next, "Bhaiṣajyarāja, you should know that this person voluntarily abandons their pure karmic retribution," which explains the merit and retribution of the upper rank. From "If this good man, after my extinction, can secretly for one person" downward explains that teachers after extinction also have lower and upper [ranks]. The lower rank also has two parts: first, identifying the person of the lower rank, who has merely grasped its meaning vertically, possessing wisdom but lacking wide learning, and is only fit to speak secretly and not yet to dwell amid an assembly, hence is a teacher of the lower rank; "secretly for one person speaks one phrase" means that although they have attained an understanding of one phrase, since they have not widely heard and extensively learned diverse meanings, they cannot speak in an assembly, where any difficult questions would find them blocked and thereby prevent the correct principle from being propagated—as the *Dazhidulun* explains, possessing wisdom without wide hearing is like light rain without thunder, so if one wishes to express this one phrase of correct speech, one should only speak secretly for now. "You should know that this person is an emissary of the Tathāgata" explains their merit and retribution. A sūtra is spoken by suchness-wisdom and speaks of suchness-principle; today's practitioner who upholds this suchness-teaching to proclaim suchness-principle is thereby one dispatched by the Tathāgata. "Carrying out the Tathāgata's work": taking suchness-wisdom to illuminate suchness-principle is the "work"; today's practitioner who, relying on the suchness-teaching, practices suchness-principle is thereby carrying out the Tathāgata's work. With suchness-wisdom and suchness-principle united as one, converting sentient beings is the work; if today's practitioner can possess great compassion and, taking the principle of true suchness in this sūtra, speak it for sentient beings to make them attain benefit, this is also called carrying out the Tathāgata's work. In terms of contemplation of mind: as an emissary of the Tathāgata, the mind of wisdom contemplates the objective realm, and the objective realm is true suchness; the realm comes to arouse wisdom, and wisdom is dispatched by suchness. "Sent by the Tathāgata" means that contemplative wisdom comes forth from suchness. "Carrying out the Tathāgata's work" means that through all phenomena there is none that is not true suchness, and true suchness is the Buddha's work. From "How much more so in a great assembly" downward explains the person of the upper rank, and omitting a calculation of their merit and retribution, this meaning can be understood. From "If there is an evil person" downward is the second part, generally explaining of the five kinds of dharma teachers that those who oppose incur sin and those who accord obtain blessing. Here, sin and blessing do not concern whether the field of merit is rich or barren, but merely explain their gravity and lightness in terms of initial and advanced minds. Since beginner practitioners are fully endowed with afflictions, if one imposes obstacles, their study will be ruined, and therefore they incur much sin; the Buddha is impartial, and evil cannot infringe on or pressure him, so how could it cause an obstacle? Hence it says the sin is light. The same applies to making offerings: this person depends on others, so if they obtain offerings, what they practice will succeed, and hence the blessing of bestowing on them is superior; the Buddha, however, has no dependencies, with all matters fulfilled, so although one presents offerings, there is no benefit to the Buddha, hence it says the retribution is inferior. For example, when a prince is in hardship, supplying what he needs brings very great merit, and if one humiliates royal stock one incurs no light sin, hence both sin and blessing are momentous; if one presents food and clothing to a great king, as an essential matter it is minor, and if you wish to encroach on him you cannot cause harm, hence both sin and blessing are slight. From "Bhaiṣajyarāja" downward explains that reading and reciting is to be adorned like a buddha, which is according and obtaining blessing. The Buddha is adorned with samādhi and wisdom, because this person can cultivate samādhi and wisdom. "Carried on the Tathāgata's shoulder": what is on the back is *he* (carrying on the back), and what is on the shoulder is *dan* (shouldering). Cultivating the body of the dharmakāya that is neither expedient nor real is carrying for the Tathāgata; being able to plant and to realize the function of the two wisdoms is shouldering for the Tathāgata. "Toward whichever direction [they go], one should face that direction and bow": previously it explained taking the Dharma as teacher; now it explains that they are fit to be a teacher to living beings. This person's orientation is entirely in accordance with the true mark and can all be revered and complied with; complying is "facing", and revering is "bowing". Reverencing and complying with them, as well as raising offerings, etc. (and so forth).