法華玄論 5.118

5.118

答：小乘義忍法之前三乘未定，忍法則定也。又餘經云「須菩提本是青龍陀佛」。又經云「是阿維顏」，阿維顏者，十地頂人也。又《大經》明迦栴延及薄拘羅皆云「顯發如來方便密教，來至佛所。」故知皆權行也。晚見《法華論》明十種人，與舊判不同。今通會之。論〈譬喻品〉從火宅文已去，竟〈壽量品〉良醫譬，總明十人。論曰「自此已下為七種具足煩惱性眾生，說七種譬喻，對治七種增上慢應知也。又為三種無煩惱人，三昧解脫等染慢應知。何等七種具足煩惱性人？一者求勢力人、二求聲聞解脫人、三求大乘人、四有定人、五無定人、六集功德人。七無功德人。七種增上慢者，一者顛倒求功德增上慢，以世間諸煩惱熾燃，而以天人為妙境界果報，為對治此故說火宅譬喻。第二聲聞人一向增上慢，謂我乘與如來乘無差別。如是顛倒妄取，為對治此，故說窮子譬喻。三者大乘人一向增上慢，謂無別聲聞辟支佛乘，顛倒妄執為對治此，故說雲雨譬。四者實無而有增上慢人，以有世間三昧三摩跋提，實無涅槃而生涅槃想，為對治此故說化城譬。五者散亂實無有定，過去有大乘善根而不覺知，彼不求大乘，於狡劣心中虛妄解以為第一乘，對治此故說繫寶珠譬。六者集功德人說大乘法，而取非大乘，對治此故，說王髻中明珠譬。七者無功德人，於第一乘不集諸善根，說第一義不取為第一，為對治此故說醫師譬。」論又釋云「第一人以世間種種善根三昧功德方便令入涅槃故；第二人以三為一令入大乘故；第三人者令知種種乘諸佛如來平等說法，隨眾生善根種子生牙故；第四人者方便令入涅槃城故。涅槃城者，諸禪三昧城，過此城已入大涅槃城故。第五人者示現過去善根，令憶念教令入三昧故。第六人者說大乘法，此法門同十地行滿，諸佛如來密與授記故。第七人者根未熟為令熟，故示現涅槃果。為此等義，如來說七種譬喻。次為三種無煩惱人染慢顛倒信故，一者信種種乘、二者信世間涅槃異、三者信彼此身異。為對治此三種染，說三種平等法：一者乘平等，與聲聞授記，唯有大乘無二乘故。二者世間涅槃平等，以多寶如來已入涅槃，示現世間涅槃平等故。三者身平等，多寶如來已入涅槃復示現身，自身他身法身平等無差別故，是無煩惱人染慢見彼此身所作差別。以不知彼此佛性法身平等故。」論文顯易見。若未解者，今更敘釋之。論意從譬喻文已去竟〈壽量〉中醫譬，凡有七譬，但撮此七譬為七種有煩惱人說。

Answer: In Hīnayāna doctrine, prior to the stage of forbearance the three vehicles are undetermined; at the stage of forbearance they become determined. Moreover, another sūtra says: "Subhūti originally was the Buddha Cing-lung-tuo (Nīlaprabha?)." Another sūtra also says: "He is an Aviyāṅga (?);" an Aviyāṅga is a person at the peak of the ten grounds. Furthermore, the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra explains that Katyāyana and Vakkula both said: "To reveal the Tathāgata's skillful means and secret teachings, we have come to the Buddha's abode." Therefore we know they are all provisional practitioners. Later, seeing that the Saddharmapuṇḍarīkopadeśa clarifies ten types of persons, this differs from the old interpretations. Now I will reconcile them. In the treatise, from the text on the burning house in the "Parable Chapter" onwards, finishing with the parable of the skilled physician in the "Lifespan Chapter", it explains ten persons in total. The treatise says: "From this point below, for seven kinds of sentient beings endowed with defilements, seven parables are spoken, which should be understood as antidotes to seven kinds of overweening pride. Furthermore, for three kinds of undefiled persons, the defilement-pride of samādhi, liberation, and so forth should be understood. What are the seven kinds of persons endowed with defilements? First, persons seeking power; second, persons seeking śrāvaka liberation; third, persons seeking the Mahāyāna; fourth, persons with determination; fifth, persons without determination; sixth, persons accumulating merit; seventh, persons lacking merit. The seven kinds of overweening pride are: first, the overweening pride of errantly seeking merit, where because the mundane defilements blaze, they take gods and humans to be excellent states of retribution—to counter this, the parable of the burning house is spoken. Second, the exclusive overweening pride of śrāvakas, thinking that 'my vehicle has no difference from the Tathāgata's vehicle'—to counter this errant grasping, the parable of the poor son is spoken. Third, the exclusive overweening pride of Mahāyāna persons, thinking that 'there is no distinct vehicle of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas'—to counter this errant clinging, the parable of the clouds and rain is spoken. Fourth, persons of overweening pride regarding having what they actually lack, who, having mundane samādhi and samāpatti, actually lack nirvāṇa but give rise to the notion of nirvāṇa—to counter this, the parable of the conjured city is spoken. Fifth, those who are distracted and actually lack concentration, having Mahāyāna wholesome roots from the past without being aware of them; not seeking the Mahāyāna, they falsely grasp within a petty and inferior mind, taking it to be the foremost vehicle—to counter this, the parable of the jewel sewn into the garment is spoken. Sixth, persons who accumulate merit and preach the Mahāyāna Dharma, yet seize upon what is not the Mahāyāna—to counter this, the parable of the bright pearl in the king's topknot is spoken. Seventh, persons lacking merit, who do not accumulate wholesome roots in the foremost vehicle, and who preach the ultimate truth yet do not take it as foremost—to counter this, the parable of the physician is spoken." The treatise further explains: "For the first person, it uses various mundane wholesome roots, samādhis, and merits as skillful means to cause them to enter nirvāṇa. For the second person, it takes the three as one to cause them to enter the Mahāyāna. For the third person, it causes them to know that the Buddhas and Tathāgatas preach the Dharma with impartiality across the various vehicles, allowing sprouts to emerge according to the seeds of wholesome roots of sentient beings. For the fourth person, it uses skillful means to cause them to enter the city of nirvāṇa. As for the city of nirvāṇa, it is the city of the dhyānas and samādhis, and having crossed beyond this city, they enter the city of great nirvāṇa. For the fifth person, it manifests their past wholesome roots, causing them to remember, and instructs them to enter samādhi. For the sixth person, it preaches the Mahāyāna Dharma; this Dharma-gate is identical with fulfilling the practice of the ten grounds, and the Buddhas and Tathāgatas secretly bestow prediction upon them. For the seventh person, whose faculties are not yet ripened, in order to ripen them, it manifests the fruit of nirvāṇa. For these reasons, the Tathāgata preaches the seven parables. Next, for the three kinds of undefiled persons, because of their errant faith of defilement-pride: first, believing in various vehicles; second, believing that the mundane world and nirvāṇa are different; third, believing that one's own body and another's body are different. To counter these three kinds of defilement, three kinds of equal Dharma are preached: first, equality of vehicles, by conferring prediction on śrāvakas, because there is only the Great Vehicle and not two vehicles; second, equality of the mundane world and nirvāṇa, because Prabhūtaratna Tathāgata, having already entered nirvāṇa, manifests the equality of the mundane world and nirvāṇa; third, equality of bodies, because Prabhūtaratna Tathāgata, having already entered nirvāṇa, manifests his body again, and one's own body, another's body, and the dharmakāya are equal and without differentiation. It is because these undefiled persons, through defilement-pride, see differences in what is done by one's own body and another's body, without knowing that the Buddha-nature and dharmakāya of self and other are equal." The text of the treatise is clear and easy to see. If some do not yet understand it, I will now explain it further. The intention of the treatise, from the parable text onwards up to the parable of the physician in the "Lifespan [Chapter]", has seven parables in all, merely summarizing these seven parables as spoken for the seven kinds of persons who have defilements.