法華文句記 6.48

6.48

「唯有一門」至「狹小」者，於中二，先指上類同，次分門解釋。初言「義如上說」者，如上車門，此中亦是宣一佛乘之車門也。若已出宅門未入車門者，取難當故名為狹小。初言「別者」，別約三義分字釋也。於中先正釋，「教理」下釋所以。初正釋者，一既是理、門又屬教，小即無機，以無行故不入理教，故名狹小。言「不容斷常七方便」者，應云斷常及七方便，於實不入，義言不容。言「眾生不能以此理教自通」者，但守方便行也。言通釋者，理教行三，一一通明一門狹小，以不入故不得至果。初約理者，唯一法界故云「無雜」，由一理故遍通一切，令至此理故云「能通」，由子不入故云「難知」。約教者，唯約圓理對教，以明出入秖是理教故耳。云「凡夫不知出」者，則不及二乘已從宅門小教而出。「不知入」者，不知車門，兩教二乘但從門出，故云「少知」。昔教未詮，「永不知入」。「菩薩雖自知出」等者，通菩薩也。三藏菩薩雖有出教，三祇百劫並未出故。又通教菩薩約鈍根者，未知入處與二乘同，故云「亦」也。「奪七方便」者，前與言之猶云知出，猶未入實名不知入，若奪說者出亦不知。何者？而不自知上中下性故不知出。與而言之，通別衍門猶可知入，然帶教道故奪說者，別教地前皆不知故，尚不自知上中下性，況一地雨？從不知權邊云皆不知，故別教地前雖知中道，教道仍權，據教道論乃至入地，入地必證故廢不論。

From "there is only one door" to "narrow and small": here there are two parts: first, pointing to the above as of the same category; next, dividing into gates to explain. First, the statement "the meaning is as explained above": like the cart-door above, here it is also the cart-door proclaiming the One Buddha Vehicle. If one has already exited the door of the burning house but not yet entered the cart-door, it is called narrow and small because it is difficult to measure up to. First, "distinctly" means distinctly dividing the words and explaining in terms of the three meanings. Here, it first correctly explains; from "teaching and principle" downward explains the reason. First, in the correct explanation: "one" is the principle, "door" also belongs to the teaching, and "small" means lacking capacity; because of lacking practice they do not enter the principle and teaching, hence it is called narrow and small. As for "not accommodating annihilation, permanence, or the seven skillful means": it should say "annihilation, permanence, and the seven skillful means"; not entering the real, the meaning is said to be "not accommodating." As for "sentient beings cannot pass through by means of this principle and teaching themselves": they merely cling to the practice of skillful means. As for the general explanation: principle, teaching, and practice—all three universally clarify that the single door is narrow and small; because of not entering, they cannot reach the fruit. First, in terms of principle: it is solely the single Dharma realm, hence called "unmixed"; due to the single principle it universally penetrates all, causing one to reach this principle, hence called "able to pass through"; because the children do not enter, it is called "difficult to know." In terms of teaching: solely in terms of the perfect principle contrasted with the teaching, clarifying that exiting and entering are merely principle and teaching. Saying "ordinary beings do not know how to exit" means they do not match the two vehicles that have already exited via the small teaching of the house-door. "Do not know how to enter" means not knowing the cart-door; the two vehicles of the two teachings only exited from the door, hence it is said "know a little." The former teachings not having elucidated it, they "eternally do not know how to enter." "Although bodhisattvas know how to exit by themselves" and so forth refers to bodhisattvas of the shared teaching. Although bodhisattvas of the Tripiṭaka teaching have the teaching of exiting, throughout three asaṃkhyeyas and a hundred kalpas they have not yet exited. Furthermore, bodhisattvas of the shared teaching of dull faculties do not know the place of entry, being identical to the two vehicles, hence it says "also." "Stripping away the seven skillful means": previously granting it, it was still said that they know how to exit, but not yet entering the real is called not knowing how to enter; if speaking from stripping away, they do not even know how to exit. Why? They do not know themselves the superior, middling, and inferior natures, hence they do not know how to exit. Granting it, the vehicle doors of the shared and distinct teachings can still know how to enter; yet, carrying the teaching-path, speaking from stripping away, all those prior to the stages in the distinct teaching do not know; since they do not even know themselves the superior, middling, and inferior natures, how much less the rain of a single ground? Speaking from the side of not knowing the provisional, they are all called not knowing. Thus, although those prior to the stages in the distinct teaching know the Middle Way, the teaching-path is still provisional; discussing according to the teaching-path extends up to entering the stages, but entering the stages inevitably realizes it, so it is set aside and not discussed.