[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [法華玄論](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1720) › 1.108 # 法華玄論 1.108 法華玄論 1.108 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.108](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1720.1.108) 答：上〈信解品〉云「過去結緣今日相會」，蓋是一方之化未窮無方之迹。無方迹者，慈身法雨等益十方遍利三世，豈止此會三根人耶？又上兩周之說及二領解，皆明昔說三不說一。今說一不說三，似若偏私，是故今明如來常等現身、常等說法，猶如雲雨，但三緣自聞三、一緣自聞一耳。故《大經》云「常行一乘，眾生見三。」以釋成上二周教意，故說此品也。又上〈信解品〉明昔始結緣、終于今會，隨逐根情崎岴屈曲，有若難心何能利物？是故今明如來若形若教猶如雲雨，雖順物崎岴無心屈曲也。又有人疑：若大慈平等，何故眾生有得聞法、有不聞法？如以威德力令五千之徒從座而去。是故釋云「天澤無私，不在無根」，非佛大慈不平等也。此釋〈藥草喻品〉。晚見論破大乘人，自謂言無聲聞，明法雨普潤隨根得果，不應言無。此證上能化功德也。二示種子無上義。種子無上者，如言「汝等所行是菩薩道」，明迦葉等曾發菩提心，中忘斯意，今還發心行菩提道，必當作佛，故是種子無上。此證上第一所化人功德義也。 > Answer: The preceding "Faith and Understanding Chapter" stated: "Forming conditions in the past, meeting together today"—this was merely the transformation in one direction, not yet exhausting the traces of boundless directions. As for the boundless traces: his compassionate body and dharma rain equally benefit the ten directions and ubiquitously profit the three periods of time; how could it be limited to the people of the three capacities in this assembly? Furthermore, both the teachings of the two previous cycles and the two comprehensions clarified that formerly he preached the three and did not preach the one. Now preaching the one and not preaching the three seems like partiality; therefore, it is now clarified that the Tathāgata constantly manifests his body equally and constantly preaches the Dharma equally, just like clouds and rain, but those conditioned for the three hear the three for themselves, and those conditioned for the one hear the one for themselves. Hence the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra states: "Constantly practicing the one vehicle, sentient beings see three." To explain and establish the purport of the teaching in the previous two cycles, he therefore preaches this chapter. Furthermore, the preceding "Faith and Understanding Chapter" clarified that beginning with the initial forming of conditions in the past and ending with today's assembly, he pursued the dispositions of their faculties through rugged and tortuous paths; if he had experienced difficulties in his mind, how could he have benefited living beings? Therefore it is now clarified that the Tathāgata, whether in form or in teaching, is like clouds and rain: although adapting to the rugged paths of living beings, he has no mind of tortuous effort. Moreover, some harbor doubt: if great loving-kindness is impartial, why is it that some sentient beings get to hear the Dharma while others do not—as when by the power of his majestic virtue he caused the group of five thousand to leave their seats? Therefore it is explained: "Heavenly moisture is impartial; it simply does not stay in what lacks roots"—it is not that the Buddha's great loving-kindness is unequal. This explains the "Medicinal Herbs Parable Chapter". Lately I have seen that the \[Upadeśa\] treatise refutes Mahāyāna practitioners who claim that there are no śrāvakas, clarifying that the dharma rain universally moistens and they attain the fruit according to their faculties, so one should not say they do not exist. This verifies the merit of the one capable of transforming above. Second, it demonstrates the meaning of the unsurpassed seed. As for the unsurpassed seed: just as saying, "What you are practicing is the bodhisattva path," clarifies that Kāśyapa and the others had once generated the bodhi-mind and forgot this intention midway, and now they generate the mind again and practice the bodhi path, and are bound to become Buddhas; therefore it is the unsurpassed seed. This verifies the meaning of the merit of those who are transformed, the first \[point\] above. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 1.107](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1720.1.107) - [Next: 1.109](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1720.1.109) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1720.1) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1720~en-mt.1.108) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1720.1.108](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1720.1.108) · Pramāṇa