法華文句記 8.42

8.42

「問二百是二乘難」等者，問意寶所總有五百由旬，凡夫二乘俱須過之，不云須過菩薩，菩薩應當非是難耶？「菩薩」下以菩薩重徵，若菩薩非難，何故云「願賜我等三種寶車」？若俱須車，則三人俱為三百所障，既得出已應同二乘。「二百是障云云」者，先以通教答此難意，凡夫須出界故三百是難，二乘須發心故二百是難，菩薩已發心雖難而可度，菩薩在凡時，同凡離三百，不共二乘證，不憂二百難。若別教菩薩，初亦同凡夫，本期於五百，圓人初發心，即名至寶所。「大論」下引論辨別是通教意，當知共二乘，同至於四百，今經獨在圓，一切權已廢，廢已一切開，無非菩薩道，是故七方便，皆過於五百。故《大論》通義，三乘所息處同皆名四百，菩薩至此位能入界化物，故初發足處，復名為一百。「此經」下明圓異通。五百之內位在菩薩名菩薩道，過五百者名為果道開權顯實，藏通菩薩是菩薩道，故云「即入佛道」。「云云」者，應更明諸教佛道不同，然後開權論入不入。

As for “Question: The two hundred are the difficulties of the two vehicles,” and so forth: the intent of the question is that the treasure land is five hundred yojanas in total, and ordinary persons and the two vehicles must all cross it; it does not say that one must cross the bodhisattva; should the bodhisattva not be a difficulty? From “Bodhisattva” onward, it inquires again concerning the bodhisattva: If the bodhisattva is not a difficulty, for what reason is it said, “May you grant us the three kinds of precious carts”? If all require carts, then the three persons are all hindered by the three hundred; having escaped, they should be the same as the two vehicles. As for “The two hundred are an obstacle, and so forth,” it first answers the intent of this objection via the Shared teaching: Ordinary persons must exit the realm, hence the three hundred is a difficulty; the two vehicles must give rise to the aspiration [for bodhi], hence the two hundred is a difficulty. Bodhisattvas have already given rise to the aspiration, so although it is difficult, it can be crossed; when bodhisattvas were ordinary persons, they were identical with ordinary persons in leaving the three hundred, yet they do not share the realization of the two vehicles and do not worry about the difficulty of the two hundred. If it is a bodhisattva of the Distinct teaching, initially he is also identical with ordinary persons, originally aspiring to the five hundred; for a person of the Perfect teaching, upon first generating the aspiration, he is said to have reached the treasure land. From “The Great Treatise” onward cites the treatise to discern that this is the intent of the Shared teaching: you should know that, together with the two vehicles, they arrive together at four hundred. The present sūtra solely resides in the Perfect teaching: all provisional teachings have already been abolished; once abolished, all are opened; there is nothing that is not the bodhisattva path. For this reason, the seven expedients all surpass the five hundred. Therefore, in the shared meaning of the Great Treatise, the resting place of the three vehicles is collectively called four hundred; when a bodhisattva reaches this stage, he can enter the realm to transform sentient beings, and thus the initial point of departure is again called one hundred. From “This sūtra” onward clarifies the difference between the Perfect and the Shared: within the five hundred, the stage resides in the bodhisattva, called the bodhisattva path; surpassing the five hundred is called the path of the fruit, opening the provisional to reveal the real. The bodhisattvas of the Piṭaka and Shared teachings belong to the bodhisattva path; hence it is said, “They immediately enter the Buddha-path.” As for “and so forth,” one should further clarify the differences among the Buddha-paths of the various teachings, and then discuss entering or not entering in terms of opening the provisional.