法華玄論 1.117

1.117

答：不然。佛性有二種：一正因、二緣因。一切眾生雖有正因，無有行解等善故無緣因，無緣因故不得作佛。今二乘人內有正因、外聞《法華經》生信解等善即緣因，緣正具足故得授記。二者授二乘記，即是說《法華經》。《法華經》正明一因一果，今明二乘人已改二執發菩提心，今為授記，令二乘人現世行因未來作佛。以發心行行即是一因，未來作佛即是一果。又其人即是菩薩復是人一，說此一教名為教一，故授二乘記。具說四一，即是說《法華經》也。三者暢佛本心故授二乘記。何者？明如來初成道時，即欲開示悟入諸佛知見。但初成道時根性未堪，今如得記則暢佛本心，同《大經》心喜之義。四者授二乘記，令諸菩薩不復退轉。所以然者，有二乘道可有退路，竟無此理，何所退耶？又二乘是不作佛人，今當作佛；菩薩本是成佛之人，云何欲退耶？五者授二乘記，一切未發二乘心者皆不復發。所以然者，以證二乘尚自捨之，我等未得云何欲求？以有斯益故授聲聞記也。六者授二乘記故，一切未改二乘執者因此而改。伊是羅漢既得授記，我亦無學寧不作佛？遂改小心欣求大道。故〈信解品〉因身子得記自序餘解，即其事也。七者授二乘記，欲證一乘之旨不虛、無三之言是實。所以爾者，上來雖唱三權一實，若二乘人不得記者，此言空設。今二乘之人受記作佛，故知一乘是實、三權不虛也。八者授二乘記即是說淨土法門，謂化主淨、國土淨、教門淨、徒眾淨也。所以具四淨者，以悟一乘改其三執故其心淨，其心淨故國土淨，以此淨悟悟一切眾生即是教門及徒眾淨也。以身子心淨，故佛說四淨之教也。九者以時眾聞二乘得記於淨土作佛故化往生，以有此益故授二乘記也。十者欲證二乘所解是實故授其記。夫得記者，必由實解故也。以有如此十種義故，所以授二乘記。總釋諸授記品竟。

Answer: Not so. Buddha-nature is of two kinds: first, the primary cause; second, the conditioning cause. Although all sentient beings have the primary cause, because they lack the wholesome [qualities] of practice and understanding they lack the conditioning cause; lacking the conditioning cause, they cannot become buddhas. Now, the people of the two vehicles possess the primary cause internally, and externally hear the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra, generating wholesome [qualities] such as faith and understanding, which are the conditioning causes; with both conditioning and primary [causes] complete, they obtain prophecies. Second, bestowing prophecies on the two vehicles is itself preaching the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra. The Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra properly illuminates the one cause and one fruition. Now it clarifies that the people of the two vehicles have already abandoned the two attachments and aroused the bodhicitta; prophecies are now conferred upon them to cause the people of the two vehicles to practice the causes in the present life and become buddhas in the future. Because generating the aspiration and undertaking practices is the one cause, and becoming a buddha in the future is the one fruition. Moreover, these persons are themselves bodhisattvas, which is the oneness of persons; preaching this one doctrine is called the oneness of teaching. Therefore, prophecies are conferred on the two vehicles; fully expounding the four unities is itself the preaching of the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra. Third, prophecies are conferred on the two vehicles to express the Buddha's original intention. What is this? It explains that when the Tathāgata first attained the Way, he wished to open, show, awaken to, and enter the knowledge and vision of the buddhas. But when he first attained the Way, their faculties were not yet capable; now, as they obtain prophecies, it expresses the Buddha's original intention, which agrees with the meaning of the mind's joy in the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra. Fourth, prophecies are conferred on the two vehicles to cause all bodhisattvas no longer to regress. Why is this? If there were a path of the two vehicles, there could be a road of retreat; since ultimately there is no such principle, back to what could one retreat? Furthermore, those of the two vehicles were persons who would not become buddhas, yet now they shall become buddhas; bodhisattvas were originally persons who would attain buddhahood, so why would they wish to retreat? Fifth, prophecies are conferred on the two vehicles so that all who have not yet generated the mind of the two vehicles will never generate it again. Why is this? Since even those who have realized the two vehicles abandon them, why should we who have not yet attained them seek after them? Because of this benefit, prophecies are conferred on the śrāvakas. Sixth, because prophecies are conferred on the two vehicles, all who have not yet abandoned their attachment to the two vehicles will abandon it through this: 'He is an arhat and has already obtained a prophecy; I am also an aśaikṣa, so how could I not become a buddha?' Thus they abandon the lesser mind and joyfully seek the Great Way. Therefore, the passage in the 'Chapter on Faith and Understanding' where, because Śāriputra obtained a prophecy, [the others] narrated their own understanding, is precisely this matter. Seventh, prophecies are conferred on the two vehicles wishing to attest that the purport of the one vehicle is not vain, and the words that there are no three [vehicles] are true. Why so? Hitherto, although the three provisionals and the one real have been proclaimed, if the people of the two vehicles did not receive prophecies, these words would have been set forth in vain. Now that the people of the two vehicles receive prophecies of becoming buddhas, we know that the one vehicle is real and the three provisionals are not vain. Eighth, conferring prophecies on the two vehicles is itself expounding the Dharma gate of the pure land, meaning the purity of the teaching master, the purity of the realm, the purity of the doctrinal teaching, and the purity of the retinue. Why are the four purities complete? Because by awakening to the one vehicle and casting aside their three attachments, their minds are pure; because their minds are pure, the realm is pure; using this pure awakening to awaken all sentient beings is the purity of the doctrinal teaching and the purity of the retinue. Because Śāriputra's mind is pure, the Buddha preached the teaching of the four purities. Ninth, because the assembly of the time, hearing that the two vehicles obtain prophecies to become buddhas in a pure land, is thereby transformed and led to be reborn there; because of this benefit, prophecies are conferred on the two vehicles. Tenth, wishing to attest that the understanding of the two vehicles is real, prophecies are conferred on them. For those who receive prophecies must certainly do so on account of real understanding. Because of these ten meanings, prophecies are conferred on the two vehicles. This concludes the general explanation of the various chapters on conferring prophecies.