法華文句記 2.86

2.86

Next, regarding "listing the miscellaneous assembly," where it says "the former [commentators] said they are ordinary beings," etc.: for example, the eight dragon [kings] are mostly bodhisattvas of the eighth ground, and furthermore in the *Avataṃsaka* they all attained inconceivable liberation; among these are those who have attained the path, just as the retinue led by King Ajātaśatru did—how could they be solely worldly beings? "Five paths" means there are no hells, which corresponds to being lax in both the vehicle and the precepts. "Two realms" means there is no formless realm, which corresponds to being strict in the precepts and lax in the vehicle. "Eight categories" refers to desire gods, form gods, nāgas, gandharvas, kiṃnaras, asuras, garuḍas, and humans, fully listed below. "The Vaipulya lists the hells" is fully explained in the fourth fascicle of the *Shigian* as being lax in precepts and urgent in the vehicle. "The intermediate existence transforming the formless" refers to the *Sūtra on the Intermediate Existence*, fascicle one, "Chapter on Divided Bodies": Bodhisattva Dinghuawang addressed the Buddha: "Expound this meaning quickly, so that sentient beings who understand clearly will easily awaken upon hearing the Dharma. There are also those who are difficult to awaken, whether in the realm of resistance, or without resistance, visible, or invisible." The former resistance includes visible and invisible: visible resistance is as stated before; invisible resistance is like perceiving the odor wherever the foul-haired ghost goes; invisible without resistance refers to other ghosts and spirits; they may be in the realm of form, in the formless realm, or in neither-perception-nor-non-perception. The realm of form refers to the two realms of desire and form; the formless realm refers to the lower three immaterial spheres. Although they are difficult to transform, the Buddha either goes to them or gathers them here. Their absence in this sūtra is simply due to omission or the like; hence it is said, "one cannot apply a single rule." Moreover, a detailed analysis based on the vehicle and the precepts is fully provided in the *Commentary on the Vimalakīrti Sūtra*. Regarding "the former [commentators] said humans are the lords of the land": this refers to the assembly of King Ajātaśatru among the eight categories. We do not accept this now either; hence the *Immeasurable Meanings Sūtra* is cited to refute it. How could ghosts and spirits necessarily be external guests? Saying "it is not yet clear" means that although in comparison with the *Immeasurable Meanings Sūtra* humans need not come last, perhaps there was some purpose. "Ghosts and spirits appearing repeatedly" refers to the kiṃnaras, gandharvas, and asuras. "Mixed capacities" should also be explained by stating that the capacities are diverse, with analytical and embodied being mixed, and one-sided and perfect being mixed (and so on). Regarding "this is explained in terms of the teachings": the two vehicles refer to the two vehicles of the two teachings [Tripitaka and shared], the bodhisattvas refer to the bodhisattvas of the three teachings, because all three teachings possess the wisdom of emerging from emptiness into provisionality; since the Buddha-path is said to encompass all through one, it can only be the perfect [teaching]. The two vehicles and bodhisattvas both start from the beginning; the Buddha-path refers to those who cultivated the perfect [teaching] from the very beginning, not having arrived through the gradual.