法華玄論 8.180

8.180

評曰：此譬唯有二意，一譬去佛道遠、二譬去佛道近。不應紜紜有餘釋也。又初三師明《法華》之前諸教去佛道遠，法華教去佛道近。後二釋但就《法華》中自論遠近，未能如聞解為遠、能如聞解為近。今撿經始終，皆失旨也。尋長行合譬及偈文，具有二義：一舉餘經對《法華》以明近遠，二就《法華》自論近遠。偈云「如是等諸人，不聞《法華經》，去佛道甚遠。若聞是深經，近於佛智慧。」此舉餘經對《法華》以明近遠也。長行云「若未聞未解未能修習，去佛道遠。與此相違，去佛道近。」此文具二義，若據未聞為去佛道遠，此舉餘經以對《法華》。若就未解為遠、能解為近，此據《法華》自論近遠。是以眾師偏用一文，俱失經旨也。

Assessment: This parable has only two meanings: first, it illustrates being far from the Buddha path; second, it illustrates being near to the Buddha path. There should not be confused, superfluous interpretations. Furthermore, the first three masters explain that the teachings prior to the Lotus Sūtra are far from the Buddha path, whereas the teaching of the Lotus Sūtra is near to the Buddha path. The latter two interpretations discuss distance only within the Lotus Sūtra itself, taking the failure to understand as heard to be 'far', and the ability to understand as heard to be 'near'. Now, examining the sūtra from beginning to end, all of them miss its essential point. In examining the prose combining the parable and the verses, both meanings are present: first, other sūtras are raised in contrast to the Lotus Sūtra to clarify near and far; second, near and far are discussed within the Lotus Sūtra itself. The verse states: 'All such persons, / not having heard the Lotus Sūtra, / are very far from the Buddha path. / If they hear this profound sūtra, / they are near to the Buddha's wisdom.' This raises other sūtras in contrast to the Lotus Sūtra to clarify near and far. The prose states: 'If one has not yet heard, not yet understood, and has not been able to cultivate it, one is far from the Buddha path. If contrary to this, one is near to the Buddha path.' This passage contains both meanings: if taken as 'not having heard' being far from the Buddha path, this raises other sūtras in contrast to the Lotus Sūtra; if taken as 'not yet understanding' being far and 'being able to understand' being near, this discusses near and far within the Lotus Sūtra itself. Therefore, because the various masters relied one-sidedly on a single passage, they all missed the sūtra's essential point.