法華文句記 2.57

2.57

Being empowered is "receiving the command"; what is spoken is called "understanding"; regarding speech as understanding, there is no separate understanding. Still abiding in the lesser fruit is "having no wish to obtain"; turning into cooked butter is "not abruptly relinquishing"; looking toward the ultimate teaching later, it is called "although"; being empowered to receive the dharma with one's mind not startled is called "smooth and untroubled." Therefore, the phrase "gradually and already" applies to the past, while "smooth and untroubled" resides solely in cooked butter. "Next, hearing the Lotus" clarifies reaching the fifth period, fully explained in the chapter "Faith and Understanding." Revealing the real inherited nature accords with innate nature; innate nature being established, the relationship of father and son is fulfilled. Forging the great bond in the past is called the real nature; receiving the prediction, the relationship of father and son is accomplished. Only upon establishing [their connection under] the two myriad buddhas of the past did they become capable of receiving predictions. Solitary nirvana is called "solitary extinction"; since not even a single person undergoes solitary extinction, how could many be left behind? From "Dharma King" onward, it further describes the intention behind conversion across the [Buddha's] whole lifetime. From "Initially using..." onward, it draws on half-word and full-word, withering and blossoming, to accomplish the work of conversion, explaining the aforementioned words "skillful means and adaptability." The great work of conversion being completed, it says "Śāriputra" and so on; not waiting for nirvana, it says "ceasing conversion"; "ransoming life" is as in the *Elucidation of the Commentary*. If explained in this manner, only then does it explain the assembly of the Lotus Sūtra; if after two levels—general and specific—of interpreting origin and traces, one still fears missing the core point, how would merely translating their names in a single sentence differ from the śrāvaka assemblies in the other teachings? "Proclaiming extinction" etc.: precisely because their work is completed, the words proclaiming extinction arise; therefore, the occasion for proclaiming extinction lies precisely in this scripture. "Twenty thousand Candrasūryapradīpas" etc.: according to Mañjuśrī's reply to the inquiry citing what was seen in the past, in all cases there was no later teaching; know that conversion was concluded right in the Lotus Sūtra; if what was seen in the east completely witnessed the Lotus and Nirvāṇa, that was citing them to assimilate them to the present Buddha. If Kāśyapa appears in the world and his land is still pure, the principle is the same as what was seen in the past; although the presence or absence of the Nirvāṇa differs, all reveal the real in this sūtra. "For studying" etc.: men are such as Ratnarāśi, Bhadraśrī, etc.; women are such as Candrottarā, Vimaladattā, etc. "Monastic" refers to the two monastic assemblies, and "lay" refers to the two lay assemblies; all four [modes], such as initiating, are present, down to noble and base, human and animal, intimate and distant, reverent and arrogant, angry and joyful, ordinary and sage—their aspects are not uniform, hence the note says "and so forth."