[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [法華文句記](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1719) › 1.4 # 法華文句記 1.4 法華文句記 1.4 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1719.1.4) 題下注中六難意者，此用下文法說歎法希有中「諸佛興出世，懸遠值遇難，正使出于世，說是法復難，無量無數劫，聞是法亦難，能聽是法者，斯人亦復難」。章安於經聞法能聽二難之中，義開為四，謂傳譯等，合成六難。然聞法中正在時會，及以阿難義通像末，故藉傳譯則可得聞。佛出已難，出仍不值，故經多劫聞者尚難，況修行開悟、說記流通？於中初二約主約味，三四歎教歎行，五六自幸省己。故初二在佛，三四屬師，五六斥己。故三雙中，一一皆悉先通次別，且初二中出世猶通，通一代故，次說則別，別在今經；次三四中，初傳譯師通一切教，次教詔師別我所承；次五六中，聞講仍通與他共故，一遍記別唯屬己故。故三雙中從寬向狹，是故後後狹於前前。故自佛出來，乃至聞於自悟者說一遍記故，故記佛乘最為甚難。 > As for the meaning of the "six difficulties" in the note beneath the title: this adopts the passage below praising the rarity of the Dharma within the explanation of the Dharma: "The arising and appearance in the world of the buddhas / is remote and difficult to encounter; / even if they appear in the world, / it is further difficult for them to preach this Dharma. / Throughout immeasurable, countless kalpas, / to hear this Dharma is likewise difficult; / and persons who are able to listen to this Dharma— / such persons are moreover difficult \[to find\]." In the sūtra's two difficulties of hearing the Dharma and being able to listen, Zhāng’ān unpacked their meaning into four, namely transmission and translation and so forth, making six difficulties altogether. Now, within "hearing the Dharma," it directly pertains to those present in the assembly at that time, and via Ānanda its meaning extends to the Semblance and Final Dharma ages; thus, relying on transmission and translation, one is able to hear it. A buddha's appearance is already difficult, yet even when he appears one may still not encounter him; hence across many kalpas even those who hear it are rare indeed, how much more so practicing, realizing awakening, and preaching and recording it to transmit it! Among these, the first two pertain to the master and the flavor; the third and fourth praise the teaching and the practice; the fifth and sixth express self-fortune and self-examination. Thus the first two concern the Buddha, the third and fourth belong to the teacher, and the fifth and sixth reprove oneself. Therefore, within the three pairs, each in turn is first general and then specific. For the first two, appearing in the world is still general, because it runs through an entire lifetime, while the subsequent preaching is specific, being specific to the present sūtra. In the subsequent third and fourth, the initial master of transmission and translation is general to all teachings, while the subsequent teaching master is specific to what I received. In the subsequent fifth and sixth, hearing the lecture is still general because it is shared with others, while recording it once is specific as it pertains solely to oneself. Therefore, within the three pairs, they proceed from broad to narrow; hence each subsequent one is narrower than the preceding. Thus, from the Buddha's appearance down to hearing it preached by one who awakened on his own and recording it once, recording the Buddha Vehicle is most extremely difficult. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 1.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1719.1.3) - [Next: 1.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1719.1.5) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1719.1) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1719~en-mt.1.4) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1719.1.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1719.1.4) · Pramāṇa