法華文句記 8.75

8.75

釋此品者為二：先總釋，次別釋。初文二，先釋五法師，次減數釋。初又二：初出經論以辨離合有無，次判通別以結品名。初中二：初依今經判五，次「大論」下出異釋名。對今以辨離合有無，乃至如下減數以釋，故若多若小俱名法師。初五法師者，未有一文著一二等言，古今共立稱為五種法師故。經論所立多少不同，所以此品但通名法師。《天王般若》云：「受持此經有十種法：一書寫，二供養，三流傳，四諦聽，五自讀，六憶持，七廣說，八誦，九思惟，十修行。」十中第一是今文第五，第四第六是今文第一，第五是第二，第八是第三，第七是第四，流傳攝在廣說文中，餘三並攝在憶持文中。彼經憶秖是受，《大論》中分受持為二，則應不得單云憶持。此「別論」下判通別以結品名，於中先分自他以別師位。言「大經分九品」等者，元是別義，且借以證五種法師。九品秖是熙連并八恒，第四恒廣說，於十六分中解一分義。云「前四無解」者，三恒并熙連，五恒八分，六恒十二分，七恒十四分，八恒具足盡解其義，故須應從能解一分義去，能為他說即是師位。次「通論」下捨別從通，自他俱得受此品名，從通義邊無有一句不任為師。

Explaining this chapter proceeds in two parts: first, a general explanation, and next, a specific explanation. The first text has two parts: first, explaining the five Dharma teachers, and next, explaining by reducing the numbers. The first again has two parts: first, citing the sūtras and treatises to distinguish integration and division, presence and absence; next, evaluating general and specific to conclude with the chapter title. Within the first are two: first, evaluating the five according to the present sūtra; next, under “The Great Treatise,” setting forth different explanations of the names. By contrasting them with the present [sūtra], integration and division, presence and absence are distinguished, extending to the reduction of numbers below in explanation; therefore, whether many or few, all are called Dharma teachers. Regarding the initial five Dharma teachers, there is not yet any text that attaches the words 'first', 'second', and so forth, because past and present have jointly established the designation of five kinds of Dharma teachers. Since the numbers established in the sūtras and treatises differ, this chapter is simply called 'Dharma Teacher' in a general sense. The Devarāja Prajñā says: 'Accepting and upholding this sūtra comprises ten kinds of practices: first, copying; second, making offerings; third, circulating; fourth, listening attentively; fifth, reading oneself; sixth, recollecting and upholding; seventh, expounding extensively; eighth, reciting; ninth, reflecting; tenth, practicing.' Among the ten, the first is the fifth in the present text; the fourth and sixth are the first in the present text; the fifth is the second; the eighth is the third; the seventh is the fourth; circulating is subsumed under the passage on expounding extensively, and the remaining three are all subsumed under the passage on recollecting and upholding. In that sūtra, 'recollecting' is simply 'accepting'; in the Great Treatise, accepting and upholding are divided into two, so one should not merely say 'recollecting and upholding'. Below, under 'Specifically discussed', it evaluates general and specific to conclude with the chapter title, wherein it first distinguishes self and other to differentiate the ranks of teachers. Regarding the statement that 'The Great Sūtra divides into nine grades,' and so forth: this originally had a specific meaning, but is temporarily borrowed to verify the five kinds of Dharma teachers. The nine grades are simply the Hiraṇyavatī and the eight Gaṅgās; at the fourth Gaṅgā, one expounds extensively, understanding one part of the meaning out of sixteen parts. The statement that 'the previous four have no understanding' means the three Gaṅgās together with the Hiraṇyavatī; at the fifth Gaṅgā there are eight parts; at the sixth Gaṅgā, twelve parts; at the seventh Gaṅgā, fourteen parts; at the eighth Gaṅgā, one fully and completely understands their meaning. Therefore, starting from being able to understand one part of the meaning onward, being able to speak for others is indeed the rank of a teacher. Next, below, under 'Generally discussed', it sets aside the specific to follow the general: both self and other can receive the name of this chapter, and from the side of the general meaning, there is not a single line that is not qualified to be a teacher.