法華玄論 1.4

1.4

論曰：〈法師品〉云「於我滅後欲說此經，當安住三事，所謂入如來室、著如來衣、坐如來座。如來室者慈悲心是，如來衣者柔和忍辱心是，如來座者諸法空是。」慈悲有蔭覆之功，喻之如來室；和忍有障𦿔之用，譬之如來衣；空理可以安心，目之為座。然此三門則為次第。大悲拔苦、大慈與樂，蓋是種覺之洪基、弘道之本意，欲說妙法宜先建此心，是故第一明入如來室。既於惡世欲弘善道，要多留難，宜應忍之，是故第二明著如來衣。雖慈悲外覆、和忍內安，若無空觀虛明二行不成，何由悟物？是故第三明坐如來座。內具斯行、外懃說法，則道無不隆、人無不利，故令住三事弘《法華經》。次束此三門以為二義：慈忍為福德、空觀為智慧。福慧兼習，大道可弘，謂福慧法師。是以經云「具二莊嚴能問能答」。所言法師具問答者，弘道之人必敷經說論，經論之中有問答，巧申菩薩之難為能問，妙顯如來之通為能答；巧申外人之難為能問，妙顯論主之通為能答；摧破九十六種外道為能問，妙顯諸佛如來正法為能答；又能破三乘異執為能問，巧顯一乘同歸為能答。能問能答，佛教宣流，故名大法師也。又慈忍為行、空慧為解，解行雙備，說必利人，謂解行法師。自有行而無解、有解而無行、無解無行、有解有行，前三始為弟子，後一方是法師也。又經云「兼除老病死，菩薩之謂也。譬如勝怨，乃可為勇。」具慈忍故則能利他，心修空觀名為自行，俱濟之德，名為雄勇法師。又以慈忍故不滯涅槃，由空觀故不著生死，以無所染，謂無著法師。又以慈忍故越二乘地，具空觀故越凡夫境，非凡夫行非賢聖行，名道行法師。又經云「菩薩住二諦中，為眾生故說法，為著有者說空、為滯空者說有，以慈忍故安住世諦、具空觀故住第一義諦。」依二諦說法，所言不虛，謂誠諦法師。又如論云「了四悉檀，善識佛意，於十二部經八萬法藏不相違背。」以慈忍故依三悉檀，具空觀故識第一義，入佛法中無所執著、不相違背，謂無諍法師。又即此經文「又見佛子定慧具足，以無量喻為眾講法。」以慈忍故名為禪定，具空觀故秤為智慧，定慧圓備名具足法師。又如經言「安住二法，魔不能壞。」知諸法空及不捨眾生，謂難壞法師。又如論云「以空觀故名為菩薩，具大悲故名摩訶薩。」謂菩薩摩訶薩法師，以有如是種種利益，宜住三行弘《法華經》。

The treatise says: The “Dharma Master” chapter states, “If, after my extinction, one wishes to preach this sūtra, one should dwell peacefully in three things: namely, entering the Tathāgata’s room, wearing the Tathāgata’s robe, and sitting on the Tathāgata’s seat. The Tathāgata’s room is the mind of loving-kindness and compassion; the Tathāgata’s robe is the mind of gentle forbearance; and the Tathāgata’s seat is the emptiness of all dharmas.” Loving-kindness and compassion have the function of sheltering and covering, metaphorically called the Tathāgata’s room; gentle forbearance has the function of warding off cold and insults, compared to the Tathāgata’s robe; and the principle of emptiness can settle the mind, termed the seat. Now, these three gateways are in sequence: great compassion eliminates suffering, and great loving-kindness bestows joy—this is the vast foundation of all-seed awareness and the fundamental intent of propagating the Way. When wishing to preach the wonderful Dharma, one should first establish this mind; therefore, the first is explained as entering the Tathāgata’s room. Having desired to propagate the good Way in an evil world, one must encounter many obstacles and difficulties and should endure them; therefore, the second is explained as wearing the Tathāgata’s robe. Although loving-kindness and compassion externally cover and gentle forbearance internally calms, without the contemplation of emptiness, the two practices would not be empty and clear, so how could one awaken beings? Therefore, the third is explained as sitting on the Tathāgata’s seat. When internally possessing these practices and externally preaching the Dharma diligently, then the Way will never fail to flourish and people will never fail to benefit; hence, one is told to abide in these three things to propagate the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra. Next, these three gateways are gathered into two meanings: loving-kindness and forbearance are merit, and the contemplation of emptiness is wisdom. When merit and wisdom are practiced concurrently, the Great Way can be propagated, and this is called a dharma master of merit and wisdom. Hence the sūtra states, “Endowed with the two adornments, one is able to question and able to answer.” What is meant by a dharma master endowed with questioning and answering is that one who propagates the Way must expound sūtras and speak on treatises. Sūtras and treatises contain questions and answers: skillfully presenting the bodhisattva’s objections is being able to question, and wonderfully revealing the Tathāgata’s resolutions is being able to answer; skillfully presenting the outsider’s objections is being able to question, and wonderfully revealing the treatise master’s resolutions is being able to answer; crushing the ninety-six kinds of non-Buddhists is being able to question, and wonderfully revealing the correct Dharma of all Buddhas and tathāgatas is being able to answer; again, being able to refute the divergent attachments of the three vehicles is being able to question, and skillfully revealing the shared destination of the one vehicle is being able to answer. Being able to question and able to answer, the Buddha’s teaching is broadly spread; thus one is called a great dharma master. Moreover, loving-kindness and forbearance are practice, while empty wisdom is understanding. When understanding and practice are both complete, what is preached will certainly benefit others; this is called a dharma master of understanding and practice. Some have practice without understanding; some have understanding without practice; some have neither understanding nor practice; and some have both understanding and practice. The first three are merely disciples; only the last is a dharma master. Furthermore, a sūtra states, “Equally eliminating old age, sickness, and death is what is meant by a bodhisattva. Just as conquering a foe can only be called bravery.” Because one possesses loving-kindness and forbearance, one can benefit others; the mind cultivating the contemplation of emptiness is called self-cultivation. The virtue of accomplishing both is called a heroic dharma master. Furthermore, because of loving-kindness and forbearance, one does not linger in nirvāṇa; because of the contemplation of emptiness, one is not attached to saṃsāra. Because of having no defilement, one is called an unattached dharma master. Furthermore, because of loving-kindness and forbearance, one transcends the stage of the two vehicles; possessing the contemplation of emptiness, one transcends the realm of ordinary beings. Being neither the practice of ordinary beings nor the practice of worthies and noble ones, one is called a dharma master of the practice of the Way. Furthermore, a sūtra states, “A bodhisattva dwells in the two truths to preach the Dharma for the sake of sentient beings: for those attached to existence, he speaks of emptiness; for those lingering in emptiness, he speaks of existence. Because of loving-kindness and forbearance, he dwells peacefully in conventional truth; possessing the contemplation of emptiness, he dwells in ultimate truth.” Preaching the Dharma based on the two truths, his words are not false; this is called a dharma master of sincerity and truth. Furthermore, as a treatise says, “Comprehending the four siddhāntas, one well knows the Buddha’s intention, and across the twelve divisions of scripture and the eighty thousand treasuries of the Dharma, there is no contradiction.” Because of loving-kindness and forbearance, one relies on three of the siddhāntas; possessing the contemplation of emptiness, one knows the ultimate truth; entering into the Buddha’s Dharma with no clinging and no contradiction, this is called a dharma master of non-contention. Furthermore, as this very sūtra text states: “He also sees the Buddha’s sons fully endowed with dhyāna and wisdom, preaching the Dharma for the assembly with immeasurable metaphors.” Because of loving-kindness and forbearance, it is called dhyāna; possessing the contemplation of emptiness, it is termed wisdom. With dhyāna and wisdom perfectly complete, this is called a fully endowed dharma master. Furthermore, as a sūtra says, “Dwelling peacefully in two dharmas, Māra cannot destroy him.” Knowing the emptiness of all dharmas and not abandoning sentient beings, this is called an indestructible dharma master. Furthermore, as a treatise says, “Because of the contemplation of emptiness, one is called a bodhisattva; because of possessing great compassion, one is called a mahāsattva.” This is called a bodhisattva-mahāsattva dharma master. Because of having such various benefits, one should dwell in these three practices to propagate the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra.