法華文句記 2.97

2.97

First, in explaining the initiators, there are the dharma, the metaphor, and the application. In the first, the dharma, it first clarifies the internal virtues. From "striking and raising" downward is the external function. Setting up according to beings is called provisional; establishing in accordance with suitability is called expedient; having the expedients of the provisional is called provisional expediency. Real wisdom blends internally, hitting the mark without expedients, hence called wisdom's illumination. Illuminating their past good roots as capable of being born and completed is called knowing the capacity. Meeting the gathering without error is called knowing the time. The words "striking and raising" correspond in meaning to initiating, used to explain the name: stimulating the capacity to cause it to arise is called initiating. The first phrase explains "initiating"; from "accomplishing" downward explains "arising"; or the first four words are the direct explanation, and the next four words are the function. "Moving" is also "arising." Furthermore, splitting it open to cause it to unlock is called "initiating"; through the one who strikes and raises, revealing it and stirring it is called "arising." The meaning encompasses both active and passive, extending to both self and other. Furthermore, striking the great compassion of equality initiates the single goodness of the assembly at that time; raising the great prajñā of nonduality stirs the three karmas that receive benefit. Furthermore, striking the past causes of the great assembly initiates the wondrous benefit of the current capacity; raising the great teaching of the Tathāgata stirs the stubborn attachments of the assembly at that time. Furthermore, knocking upon the Buddha's great compassion is called striking; inquiring and requesting the sagely intention is called raising; causing them to hear what was never heard before is called stirring to rise; causing the hearers to fulfill their fruit is called accomplishing; fulfilling fruit inevitably brings awakening, hence called benefit. Next, adducing the metaphor: the elephant king of great provisionality tramples the tree of the dharmakāya, arriving at the ground of rising response, preaching the real chant of the One Vehicle, and satisfying the capacities and conditions of wondrous practice. Next, in the application under "what is called...," it says the initiator of the five prefaces in every case benefits beings' capacities; thus we know that the gathering was certainly not isolated, but commanded by great provisionality—due to the gathering, there were omens, and so on up to the questions and answers. "And so forth" includes the main preaching: since the intention of the preface is made clear, the main preaching is about to open; therefore, the initiation in the preface originally anticipates the main body of the sūtra. This verifies that this preface does not yet extend to the origin; although crowning the head of the sūtra, it originally stems from the specific [preface]; and the initiation in both places rests with Ajita. Yet trace matters are not remote and can be entrusted to Mañjuśrī; the remote origin is difficult to determine, so it is entrusted solely to the Buddha.