法華玄論 2.149

2.149

第九師云「此經以顯了明常，故以常住為宗。如下文云常住不滅，但與《涅槃》明常廣略為異耳。」評曰：此二師雖有覆顯為異，而明常義同。然非無有常住之文，但常義是開近顯遠之意，非一經始末之說也。又《釋論》云「《法華經》是祕密法，明羅漢授記作佛，非正明常義也。」覆相之與顯了，至〈壽量品〉自具詳之。

The ninth master stated: "This sūtra clarifies eternity through explicit revelation; therefore it takes eternal presence as its central tenet. As stated below, it is 'eternally present and unperishing,' differing from the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra's clarification of eternity only in terms of broadness and brevity." Critique: Although these two masters differ regarding veiled and explicit, they are identical in clarifying the meaning of eternity. Yet while there are indeed passages on eternal presence, the meaning of eternity is the intention behind opening the proximate to reveal the distant, not the teaching of the sūtra from beginning to end. Furthermore, the Explanatory Treatise says: "The Lotus Sūtra is an esoteric teaching; it clarifies the bestowal of prophecy on arhats to become Buddhas, and does not directly clarify the meaning of eternity." As for veiled versus explicit, when arriving at the chapter on the "Life Span," it will naturally be examined in full detail.