法華文句記 8.58

8.58

先標五百，故須作「受」字。「五百是數」等，非要。「上二周」下問也。次「上為」下答也。亦具四悉，初文世界三品異故，又「上來」下對治除嫌惡故，又「默念」下為人生大善故，又「權實」下第一義理非言念故。「上來何意」下但是釋疑，非四悉數。「我等於佛」下述領不及，上中根聞譬，具領五時及法身地，中止方便見勝應身，如來猶斥領所不及；我今聞此雖欲領會，豈能逾於四大弟子，當知所領之外不及處多，是故亦云「所不能宣」。然聞迦葉、身子具領，如來委述非全昧旨，但仰佛法高深，未敢逾於先悟耳。「助宣我法」等者，若以本望迹，豈不曾於過去佛所或助單半單滿等，而必須滿中相帶及開等耶？對於今佛出五濁世，宜引開權廢會等化，是故皆從同類以說，如文殊引往光照東方，豈無餘途引同例耳。「自捨」至「方便也」者，若據除佛之言，補處亦應不測，既其不測，本迹難量，何但曾於過去諸佛，亦可本與過去佛齊，就過去佛本復難量，或當亦是過去佛師，何但齊耶？言「七方便」者，且以偏圓相對論耳。故知遠本冥寞良難，若爾，此是迹中本耳。六波羅蜜互相收攝，具如《止觀》第二記。《大品．富樓那品》六度互嚴。「在文可解云云」者，經文相狀對義分明。又如諸文所列五時，純是善道者於中亦有差品不同，若無女人必無惡道，或時有女人亦無惡道，如阿閦佛國雖有女人而無女事，無量壽國二種俱無，不同之相不可具列，但以乘戒各有三品互相交絡，略可準知。

Because it first specifies "five hundred," one must use the word "bestowal" [in the title]. [The gloss stating] "'Five hundred' is a number," and so forth, is not essential. From "The previous two cycles" downward is the question. Next, from "The previous [discourses were] for..." downward is the answer. It also possesses the four siddhāntas: because the initial text [refers to] the world, the three grades [of capacity] being different; further, from "Heretofore" downward is the counteractive [siddhānta], because it removes dislike and aversion; further, from "Thinking silently" downward is for the sake of the individual, because it generates great goodness in people; further, from "Provisional and real" downward is the supreme-truth [siddhānta], because the principle is beyond words and thought. From "What is the meaning of what came before?" downward merely resolves doubts and is not counted among the four siddhāntas. From "We, in relation to the Buddha" downward describes an understanding that fell short. When those of superior and middling faculties heard the parables, they fully understood the five periods and the ground of the dharmakāya, and halfway through the skillful means they saw the superior nirmāṇakāya, yet the Tathāgata still rebuked them because their understanding fell short. Now that I have heard this, although I wish to understand and comprehend it, how could I surpass the four great disciples? One must know that beyond what was understood, there was much that fell short; therefore it also says, "which cannot be proclaimed." Yet hearing that Kāśyapa and Śāriputra understood fully, the Tathāgata recounted it in detail, not that they were completely blind to the intent; they simply revered the loftiness and depth of the Buddha's Dharma and did not presume to surpass those who awakened first. Regarding "Helped proclaim my Dharma," and so forth: if one looks from the origin to the traces, how could he not have helped with the singular-half, the singular-full, and so forth under past buddhas, so why must it be an inclusive combination within the full, opening [the provisional], and so forth? In contrast to the present Buddha who appears in the world of five defilements, it is fitting to adduce the conversion through opening the provisional and abolishing and converging [the teachings]; therefore, all are spoken in terms of their identical type. Just as Mañjuśrī adduced the past light illuminating the east—could there be no other ways?—he adduced it as an identical precedent. Regarding "Apart from [the Buddha]..." to "...skillful means": if one relies on the statement that excludes the Buddha, even those in the stage of succession should not be able to fathom it. Since it cannot be fathomed, origin and traces are difficult to measure. Not only had he served past buddhas, but his origin might also be equal to past buddhas; and when examining the past buddhas, their origin is again difficult to measure—perhaps he was even the teacher of past buddhas, so how could he merely be their equal? The mention of the "seven skillful means" is merely spoken in terms of the contrast between one-sided and perfect. Therefore we know that the distant origin is obscure and truly difficult [to know]; if so, this is the origin within the traces. The six pāramitās subsume one another, as fully explained in the notes to Fascicle Two of the *Zhǐguān*. In the "Pūrṇa Chapter" of the *Large Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra*, the six pāramitās mutually adorn one another. Regarding "It can be understood from the text, and so forth": the forms in the sūtra text are clearly correlated with the meanings. Furthermore, as in the five periods listed in various texts, among those that are purely good destinies there are also differences in grades: if there are no women, there will certainly be no evil destinies; or sometimes there are women but still no evil destinies. For example, although there are women in Akṣobhya Buddha's land, there are no female affairs; in the land of Immeasurable Life (Amitāyus), both kinds are absent. The distinct features cannot be listed fully, but by understanding that vehicle and precepts each have three grades intertwined with one another, one can roughly infer them by analogy.