法華文句記 5.76

5.76

「諸佛滅後供養舍利」者，若以現擬過，如《增一》中佛因手擎舍利廣稱歎已，令於四衢而起偷婆。佛言：四人應起塔，輪王、羅漢、支佛、如來。後分云：輪王無級，羅漢四級，支佛五級，如來十三級。阿難問佛：何故爾耶？佛言：輪王自行化他常住十善，羅漢不受後有，支佛無師自悟，如來眾德具足。世人上未逮於初果，豈肯下等輪王？滅後起塔不知進否，動即皆至三五七九。近代所立縱云方墳，而出檐者還成一級，暗者雖昧豈非冥濫初果耶？有方墳邊云作功德塔者，其義又失，使愚者唯禮我師，或復對高禮下，況復隣接尊卑不成，不便之意不可具論，縱死者冥冥，顯生者碌碌。況今舍利之言局在於佛，供佛舍利福屬人天，開久遠因方名佛道。況今凡質生福事難，善者從之不應習俗。

Regarding "after the extinction of the buddhas, making offerings to relics": if using the present to model the past, as in the *Ekottarika-āgama*, the Buddha, having held up the relics in his hand and extensively praised them, ordered that stūpas be erected at the crossroads. The Buddha said: "Four persons should have stūpas erected: wheel-turning kings, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, and tathāgatas." The latter portion states: "A wheel-turning king has no tiers; an arhat has four tiers; a pratyekabuddha has five tiers; a tathāgata has thirteen tiers." Ānanda asked the Buddha: "For what reason is it so?" The Buddha said: "A wheel-turning king personally practices and transforms others, always abiding in the ten good deeds; an arhat does not undergo future existence; a pratyekabuddha awakens by himself without a teacher; a tathāgata is replete with all virtues." Worldly people above have not yet attained the first fruit—how could they deign below to equal a wheel-turning king? When erecting stūpas after the extinction, they do not know whether to advance or retreat; upon any movement they immediately reach three, five, seven, or nine [tiers]. In modern times, even when what is erected is called a square mound, protruding eaves still turn out to be a tier; though the ignorant are benighted, is this not covertly usurping the first fruit? Next to square mounds, some say they are making merit-stūpas; their meaning is also lost, causing fools only to bow to their own teachers, or perhaps facing high to bow to what is low, not to mention that juxtaposing the noble and lowly is inappropriate—such inconveniences cannot be fully discussed; even if the deceased are benighted, the living are visibly mediocre. Furthermore, the present mention of relics is restricted to the Buddha: making offerings to the Buddha's relics accrues blessings belonging to humans and devas; opening the cause from long ago is first called the Buddha Path. Moreover, for present ordinary constitutions, generating blessings is difficult; the good should follow this and not adopt worldly customs.