法華文句記 1.53

1.53

初約種等者，須寄教相方分有無，故諸教因緣長短不等。如三藏人三祇百劫，秖云自修六度肥功德身相好莊嚴，與物結緣為種熟脫。通教初心自行，近從七地留惑潤生，與物結緣云初下種。兩教入滅無未來化，但成佛時而熟脫之。教權理權非今經意，別教初地尚能具之，何況果滿？別教雖具教終是權，況復能有本因遠種，今經本迹二門施化並異他經，此文四節良有以也。故四節中唯初二節，名本眷屬。初第一節，雖脫在現，具騰本種故名本眷屬。今不云是本者，以同在今始脫故也。本種近脫者，以彌勒不識發疑故來偏得本名，然現脫者若未得佛智，猶未能知種，今出其意耳。於中為二：初明種等三，次明序等三。初文四：初正明因緣；次「雖未」下，釋疑；三「其間」下，約三世九世以釋因緣；四「何以故」下，引證三世九世因緣。初文即是四節示相，初之一節本因果種，果後方熟王城乃脫。

First, regarding planting and the others: one must lodge them in the doctrinal characteristics to distinguish whether they exist or not; hence, conditioned arising in the various teachings is unequal in length. For instance, for persons of the Tripiṭaka [teaching], in three asaṃkhyeyas and a hundred kalpas, they are merely said to cultivate the six perfections themselves to nourish the merit-body and adorn it with the major and minor marks, forming affinities with beings for planting, ripening, and liberating. In the initial mind of the shared teaching, they cultivate their own practice, and not long thereafter, from the seventh stage, retain defilements to moisten rebirth, forming affinities with beings, which is called the initial planting of seeds. When these two teachings enter extinction, there is no future transformation; they merely ripen and liberate them at the time of attaining buddhahood. Provisionality in teaching and provisionality in principle are not the intention of the present sūtra. The first bhūmi of the separate teaching can already possess them—how much more so the perfection of the fruit? Although the separate teaching possesses them, the teaching remains ultimately provisional; how much less could it have the original cause and remote planting! The transformative activity unfolded in both the origin and traces gates of the present sūtra is distinct from other sūtras; these four clauses in the text truly have good reason. Therefore, among the four clauses, only the first two clauses are named the original retinue. The first clause, although liberated in the present, fully evokes the original planting, and is therefore called the original retinue. That they are not called 'original' at present is because they are identical in only now being liberated in the present. As for those of original planting being recently liberated: because Maitreya did not recognize them and raised doubts, their coming uniquely receives the name 'original'; yet if those liberated in the present have not yet attained the buddha-wisdom, they are still unable to know the planting—here we merely bring out this meaning. Within this there are two: first, clarifying the three factors of planting and the others; second, clarifying the three factors of the preface and the others. The first text has four: first, directly clarifying conditioned arising; second, from 'Although not yet' onward, resolving doubts; third, from 'In the meantime' onward, explaining conditioned arising in terms of the three times and nine times; fourth, from 'For what reason' onward, citing evidence for the conditioned arising of the three times and nine times. The first text constitutes the four clauses indicating the characteristics: the first clause is the planting in the original cause and fruit, which ripens only after the fruit, and attains liberation in the royal city [of Rājagṛha].