法華文句記 9.193

9.193

七料簡中先問意者，勝方名異，諸經所明法相此經尚少，應劣諸經，何得反能超異諸說？次答中二文，皆云「種種」，不出因果及以自他。文有譬、合，前文云「業」即能行之行，「寶」即所行之法，「位」即所階之果，方便教中行因獲果，故云「種種」。若無法身常住之壽，因果無歸，故知諸經諸行不同，皆入今經常住之命。此常住命一體三身遍收一切，此約自行。次「大經」下更約自他，具如「法門」下雙合。「海中之要」下結出勝意為三：謂法、譬、斥。斥云「非異是何」，法性法身，智即報身，應即應身，故法性海中要豈過此，故應皆以三身合喉等四。然諸經中豈無三身？但為兼帶及未明遠，是故此經永異諸教。若不爾者，請檢諸經，何經明佛久遠之本同此經耶？何以苦貶久成之德為釋疑耶？此若釋疑，〈方便〉亦是釋現相疑，〈方便〉釋疑則〈序品〉為正，方可此中〈踊出〉為正，況他並判以為流通。然《論》中自列十種無上，一種子無上，指澍雨譬；二行無上，指大通事；三增長力無上，指化城譬；四令解無上，指繫珠譬；五淨土無上，指多寶現；六說無上，指髻珠譬；七化生無上，指踊出菩薩；八成道無上，指壽量三菩提；九涅槃無上，指醫子；十勝妙力無上，指下諸品為餘殘修多羅。當知《論》意指〈分別品〉去為餘殘修多羅，即正經之殘，流通分也。望今所判唯差半品，若以功德而言可俱屬流通，今從記領，判屬正耳。並異諸經，故云「無上」。

In the seventh, the critical analysis, the intent of the question first is: only what is superior is called distinctive; the dharmas and characteristics clarified in other sūtras are even fewer in this sūtra, so it should be inferior to other sūtras; how could it instead transcend and surpass other discourses? Next, in the reply, there are two texts, both of which say 'various'; they do not go beyond cause and effect, or self and other. The text has metaphor and match. In the preceding text, 'karma' is the practice that is capable of acting, 'jewel' is the dharma that is practiced, and 'stage' is the fruition that is stepped upon; in the provisional teachings, practicing causes yields fruitions, hence it says 'various'. If there were no life span of the permanently abiding dharmakāya, cause and effect would have nowhere to return; therefore, we know that the various practices of the various sūtras, though different, all enter into the permanently abiding life span of the present sūtra. This permanently abiding life span is one essence with three bodies, comprehensively gathering everything; this is in terms of one's own practice. Next, under 'the Great Sūtra,' it further considers self and other, fully matching both under 'dharma gate'. Under 'the vital essence in the ocean,' it concludes with the meaning of superiority in three parts: dharma, metaphor, and refutation. The refutation says, 'if this is not distinctive, what is?': the dharma nature is the dharmakāya, wisdom is the reward body, and response is the nirmāṇakāya; therefore, could the vital essence in the ocean of dharma nature surpass this? Hence one should match the four, such as the throat, with the three bodies. Yet, how could the three bodies be absent from the various sūtras? It is merely because they were taught with expedient accretions and had not yet clarified the remote; therefore, this sūtra is eternally distinctive from other teachings. Were it not so, please examine the various sūtras: which sūtra clarifies the Buddha's distant origin as this sūtra does? Why stubbornly demean the virtue of attainment in the remote past as merely resolving doubt? If this were resolving doubt, then the 'Skillful Means' chapter would also be resolving doubt about the manifested signs; if 'Skillful Means' resolved doubt, then the 'Introductory Chapter' would be the main body, and only then could 'Welling Forth' here be the main body; moreover, others all classify it as transmission. However, the Treatise itself lists ten kinds of unsurpassedness: first, unsurpassed seed, pointing to the metaphor of the pouring rain; second, unsurpassed practice, pointing to the matter of Mahābhijñā[jñānābhibhū]; third, unsurpassed power of increase, pointing to the metaphor of the conjured city; fourth, unsurpassed causing to understand, pointing to the metaphor of the jewel tied in the garment; fifth, unsurpassed pure land, pointing to the appearance of Prabhūtaratna; sixth, unsurpassed preaching, pointing to the metaphor of the jewel in the topknot; seventh, unsurpassed transformed birth, pointing to the bodhisattvas welling forth; eighth, unsurpassed attainment of the Way, pointing to the sambodhi of the Life Span; ninth, unsurpassed nirvāṇa, pointing to the physician's sons; tenth, unsurpassed excellent and wondrous power, pointing to the subsequent chapters as the remaining sūtra. One should know that the Treatise's intention points to the chapter on 'Distinction of Merits' onward as the remaining sūtra, which is the remainder of the principal sūtra, the transmission section. Comparing it to what is now classified, it differs by only half a chapter; if considered in terms of merit, both could belong to the transmission, but now following the prediction and understanding, it is classified as belonging to the main body. All are distinctive from other sūtras, hence called 'unsurpassed'.