法華文句記 1.195

1.195

本迹中初約五味正示本迹，此中阿字顯遍八教。次「眾生」下勸物思齊，則五時功畢。次「非本」下明不思議體用功畢。「故下文」下引開迹證，種種之言亦不出五時八教。又隨本長短凡經幾度？為五時八教示不生來。引《阿含》者，引迹證本，寄迹中本迹示其尊卑，本地高下非此可悉故。《雜含》三十一「佛在舍衛，夜暗天小雨，時告阿難言：汝以蓋覆燈隨佛後行。阿難受教至一處，世尊微笑。阿難白佛。佛言：非無因緣，汝今持蓋隨我而行，我見梵王持蓋燈隨陳如後，帝釋持蓋燈隨迦葉後，乃至毘沙門天王持蓋燈隨劫賓那後。」所以偏於通序中如是乃至諸聖弟子具四釋者，以「如是」通指一部，「我聞」能聞一部，時處、教主必無異途，咸是斯經之大略，況諸弟子在大在小，若顯若晦、為主為伴，示訥示辯、有屈有申，厭外欣內背大向小，引小入大會偏歸圓，自因之果，皆為眾生作種熟脫、去來今益，所歷既多時處不一，良由機緣生熟未等。今既咸會，以昔望今，令成今教人法俱美，故用四釋令了機應，從外至內，後入《法華》本迹兩門先後悟入，皆藉引導影響發起，隨聞一句若人若法，皆成化儀悉可為觀，故於一人遍須眾釋，況令後代聞名起行，稟教識體思迹覩本，尋其因緣廣照始末。若得此意，於一人所、於經一句，可以為上求境、可以識下化機，可以曉聖者化儀、可以了凡眾稟益，可以達名義同異、可以知行等理殊，可以知隨聞成觀、可以解迹本人法，可以信化事長遠、可以仰聖恩難報，可以知眾生難化、可以知會理至難。他不見者謂為繁芿，況得今意？凡聞諸經一法一事一人一行，則解十方三世佛事，唯除淨土餘塵施化，況復亦以比丘思之。故知諸土諸佛用教現身雖復不同，然思修之門其理無別。

In [the section on] origin and traces, first the origin and traces are directly shown in terms of the five flavors; here, the syllable A is revealed as pervading the eight teachings. Next, from "sentient beings" downward exhorts living beings to emulate them, whereupon the function of the five periods is completed. Next, from "not the origin" downward clarifies that the function of the inconceivable essence and function is completed. Next, from "therefore the text below" downward cites the opening of the traces as proof; the words "various kinds" also do not go beyond the five periods and eight teachings. Furthermore, depending on how long or short the origin was, how many times has it passed? For the sake of the five periods and eight teachings, non-birth has been shown up to the present. Citing the Āgamas is citing the traces to prove the origin, using the origin and traces within the traces to show their superiority and inferiority, since the heights and depths of the ground of origin cannot be fully known from this. The Saṃyuktāgama, fascicle 31, states: "The Buddha was in Śrāvastī. The night was dark and it was raining lightly. At that time he told Ānanda: 'Cover the lamp with an umbrella and follow behind the Buddha.' Ānanda received the instruction and reached a certain place, where the World-Honoured One smiled. Ānanda addressed the Buddha. The Buddha said: 'It is not without cause and conditions: you are now holding an umbrella following me, and I see King Brahmā holding an umbrella and lamp following behind Koṇḍinya, Śakra holding an umbrella and lamp following behind Kāśyapa, down to Vaiśravaṇa Heavenly King holding an umbrella and lamp following behind Kapphina.'" The reason why the fourfold explanation is applied especially in the general preface from "Thus" down through the holy disciples is that "Thus" refers generally to the entire work, "have I heard" is that which was able to hear the entire work, and the time, place, and lord of the teaching must admit no difference; all are the broad summary of this sūtra. How much more so the disciples: whether great or small, visible or hidden, host or companion, manifesting faltering speech or eloquence, bending or expanding, reviling the external and rejoicing in the internal, turning away from the great and toward the small, leading the small to enter the great, and harmonising the one-sided to return to the perfect—from cause to effect, all are for the sake of creating the benefits of planting, ripening, and liberating, past, future, and present, for sentient beings! Having passed through so many times and places, they are not uniform; this is truly because the capacities and conditions are not yet equal in being raw or ripe. Now that they have all been united, viewing the past from the vantage of the present makes both the persons and the Dharma of the present teaching splendid. Therefore, the fourfold explanation is used to make clear stimulus and response: from outside to inside, subsequently entering the two gates of origin and traces of the Lotus Sūtra and awakening to and entering them in sequence—all rely on guidance, reflection, and initiation. Hearing a single phrase, whether person or dharma, all become teaching rituals and can all serve as contemplation. Therefore, for a single person, the multiple explanations are needed everywhere. How much more so to enable future generations to give rise to practice upon hearing the names, to recognise the essence upon receiving the teaching, to perceive the origin upon reflecting on the traces, and to search out their causes and conditions to broadly illuminate beginning and end! If one grasps this intention, with respect to a single person or a single phrase of the sūtra, it can serve as the objective realm for seeking above, and can be used to know the capacities to be transformed below; it can illuminate the teaching rituals of the holy ones, and can comprehend the receipt and benefits of the ordinary masses; it can master the similarities and differences of names and meanings, and can know the equality of practice and distinction of principle; it can know that contemplation is accomplished as one hears, and can understand person and dharma in traces and origin; it can give rise to faith that the work of transformation is long-enduring, and can revere the holy kindness that is difficult to repay; it can know that sentient beings are difficult to transform, and can know that harmonising with principle is exceedingly difficult. Others who do not see this deem it superfluous and tangled; how much more so if one grasps the present meaning! Whenever one hears a single dharma, a single event, a single person, or a single practice in any sūtra, one understands the buddha-works of the ten directions and the three periods of time, only excluding pure lands and bestowing transformation in other dust realms; how much more so when reflecting upon it by means of monks! Therefore, one knows that although the buddhas of various lands differ in employing teachings and manifesting bodies, their gates of contemplation and cultivation do not differ in principle.