法華玄論 1

English (machine translation) 1

Language: English

The profound meaning comprises six layers: first, the method of propagating the sūtra; second, the overall intent; third, explaining the title; fourth, establishing the central theme; fifth, resolving doubts; and sixth, explaining the meaning following the text.

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First, explaining the method of propagating the sūtra has seven points. To begin with, explaining the meaning of a dharma master.

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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.

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Next, integrating these two gateways into one perfect principle: although practicing loving-kindness and forbearance, it is always ultimate emptiness; although it is ultimate emptiness, one always practices loving-kindness and forbearance. Loving-kindness and forbearance do not obstruct ultimate emptiness; ultimate emptiness does not obstruct loving-kindness and forbearance. Pointing to loving-kindness and forbearance, it is ultimate emptiness; pointing to ultimate emptiness, it is loving-kindness and forbearance. Therefore the Daśabhūmika-sūtra states, “Cultivating practice by combining compassion and wisdom,” which refers to this very matter. When this contemplation is attained and perfected, emptiness and existence are unobstructed; emptiness and existence being unobstructed is called unobstructed contemplation. Attaining unobstructed contemplation, one possesses unobstructed supernormal powers and unobstructed eloquence. Because of unobstructed contemplation, the mind is unobstructed; because of attaining unobstructed supernormal powers, the body is unobstructed; because of attaining unobstructed eloquence, speech is unobstructed. Because the three karmas are unobstructed, one attains purification of the six sense faculties. Fully possessing the six thousand merits, this is called a dharma master with purified faculties. If one merely cultivated the ten good deeds, how could one immediately have this function? Therefore, it is by cultivating the mind with these three things that the six sense faculties become unobstructed.

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Next, eliminating them into a single phrase so as to return to no phrase: loving-kindness and forbearance are the emptiness of existence, while the contemplation of emptiness is the existence of emptiness. Because existence is empty, it is not existence; because emptiness exists, it is not empty. Being neither empty nor existent is called the middle way. Hence the treatise states, “Distancing oneself from the two extremes is called the middle way”; this is called a middle way dharma master. Furthermore, the two phrases explained before are the contemplation of the two truths; the absence of phrases explained afterward is called the contemplation of the middle way. Although they are the two truths, it is always the middle way; although it is the middle way, they are always the two truths. The two truths do not obstruct the middle way, and the middle way does not hinder the two truths. Therefore the treatise states, “Dharmas born of causes and conditions, I declare to be emptiness; they are also provisional names, and also the meaning of the middle way,” which refers to this very matter. These three contemplations are called the kings among all samādhis. One who internally possesses the three contemplations and externally preaches the Dharma is called a king among preachers of the Dharma; this is called a kingly dharma master. Furthermore, the two truths are duality, and the middle way is non-duality. A sūtra states, “Not clinging to non-dual dharmas, because there is neither one nor two.” In this manner, when gathered up, not a hair’s tip remains; when unfolded, it encompasses the dharmadhātu. Although unfolded, it is not existent; although gathered up, it is not non-existent. Look at it in front, and suddenly it is behind; look up at it, and it grows higher; bore into it, and it grows harder; like an illusion, like a transformation, as if sudden, as if glimmering. If one wishes to see this meaning, one may consult the Avataṃsaka. The Avataṃsaka says, “Immeasurable kalpas are a single thought-moment; a single thought-moment is immeasurable kalpas. There is neither coming nor accumulation, yet it manifests the events of all kalpas.” All operations are of this kind; this is called an unobstructed dharma master.

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Question: Why are only three metaphors raised to encourage propagating the sūtra?

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Answer: One who preaches the Dharma must possess three things: first, entering the lecture hall; second, wearing the Dharma robes; and third, ascending the high seat. As it is with the external form, so it is with the internal mind. Without loving-kindness and compassion, one does not enter the lecture hall; without cultivating gentle forbearance, one lacks the Dharma robes; if the mind lingers in existence, one does not ascend the high seat. Lacking these three virtues, how could one propagate the sūtra?

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Question: Why are all three things called [those of] the Tathāgata?

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Answer: Entering an ordinary room merely shelters oneself; the Buddha’s room universally intends to shelter others. Therefore loving-kindness and compassion are called the Tathāgata’s room. Since one wishes to universally transform all sentient beings, one completely endures defilements and insults; adorning oneself with this, there is no ugliness it does not cover. Therefore gentle forbearance is called the Tathāgata’s robe. The principle of emptiness is vast and open, capable of guiding all existences; sitting upon this and widely propagating, there is no condition it does not encompass. Therefore the understanding of emptiness is the Tathāgata’s seat.

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Next, the method of propagating the sūtra is explained in reference to the “Peaceful and Joyful Practice” chapter. The sūtra states, “If a bodhisattva-mahāsattva peacefully abides in four dharmas, he will be able to preach the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra in later ages.” The four practices are different and will be explained extensively later: first, the practice of wisdom; second, the practice of freedom from arrogance; third, the practice of freedom from jealousy; and fourth, the practice of loving-kindness and compassion. Dwelling peacefully in these four practices, body and mind are joyful; hence they are called peaceful and joyful practices. As for the practice of wisdom, one is fully endowed with two wisdoms: contemplating all dharmas as empty like the true mark, neither practicing nor discriminating—this is called real wisdom; yet knowing that all dharmas arise from causes and conditions—this is called skillful wisdom. These two wisdoms are the wonderful awakenings of bodhisattvas and the brilliant arts that benefit humans and devas. If one wishes to cultivate oneself and transform others, one must possess correct understanding; therefore, the two wisdoms are explained first. Although one has wisdom, fearing that one might rely on understanding to mistreat others, praising oneself and disparaging others, one should stay free of it; therefore, the second is explained as the practice of freedom from arrogance. Although one does not exalt oneself to mistreat others, one may still fear that others will surpass oneself, which is a great peril in propagating the sūtra and injures the fundamental intent of the great being; therefore, the third is explained as the practice of freedom from jealousy. First, possessing the two wisdoms constitutes clear understanding; next, being free of the two faults constitutes exalted practice. When practice and understanding are accomplished internally, loving-kindness and compassion are extended externally; therefore, the fourth explains the practice of loving-kindness and compassion. Fully endowed with these four practices, there is no virtue that is not established and no transformation that does not flourish. Wishing to propagate the Great Way, one should cultivate them completely.

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Question: The three virtues were explained earlier, and the four practices were clarified later; how can those with dull faculties in the degenerate age cultivate them?

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Answer: From the initial resolve, one must learn gradually. If one deviates from these practices, one is not a dharma master.

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Next, explaining the meaning of error.

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Question: What fault is there in preaching the Dharma with grasping?

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Answer: This sūtra states, “This Dharma cannot be shown; the characteristics of words are extinguished.” If there is a dharma that can be preached, that is preaching non-Dharma, not preaching the Dharma. The Dharma cannot be heard; if there is something heard, that is hearing non-Dharma, not hearing the Dharma.

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Question: If the Dharma cannot be preached, why encourage the preaching of the Lotus Sūtra?

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Answer: That the Dharma cannot be spoken, yet one speaks of the wordless, is simply preaching through provisional names and marks amidst that which has no names and marks, wishing to lead one to awaken to the wordless through provisional words. Therefore Vimalakīrti says, “He who preaches the Dharma has nothing to preach and nothing to show; he who listens to the Dharma has nothing to hear and nothing to gain.” One should establish this mind and only then preach the Dharma. The Treatise on the Correct Contemplation states, “If one wishes to question apart from emptiness, the question does not constitute a question. If one wishes to answer apart from emptiness, the answer does not constitute an answer.” All questions and answers must rely on emptiness, not to mention seeking the characteristic of the extinction of suffering. The treatise’s explanation of relying on emptiness is precisely the Dharma that cannot be shown in this sūtra. These are the clear standards of sūtras and treatises, and one should rely on them. Furthermore, in the Buddhapiṭaka-sūtra, its errors are broadly revealed; now I will briefly present one passage as an admonitory mirror. It says: “If one were to harm the sentient beings of Jambudvīpa with a wheel of swords, the error would still be small; if one were to preach the Mahāyāna with grasping, the sin would exceed this.”

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Question: Why does preaching the Dharma with grasping have such sin?

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Answer: Severing the life of people in Jambudvīpa has two aspects: first, it merely kills the physical body; second, those harmed are still few. If one preaches the Dharma with grasping: first, it harms the dharmakāya of all Buddhas; second, it universally destroys the correct teaching. Why is this so? The physical body of saṃsāra takes craving and attachment as its root, while the dharmakāya of all Buddhas arises from non-abiding. Therefore, the fault of killing living beings is light, whereas the sin of preaching with grasping is heavy.

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Question: What is preached in the Buddhapiṭaka-sūtra is the statement of a single text; how can it be universally applied?

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Answer: This is not the intent of only one scripture; rather, all teachings are like this. As the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] says, 'Those with an apprehension of attainment are the retinue of Māra.' When one speaks of Māra, it refers to the desire to destroy the Buddhadharma; explaining the Buddhadharma with an apprehension of attainment is therefore named Māra. Furthermore, the Sūtra on Resolving Doubts Concerning the Semblance Dharma says, 'After my extinction, evil monks will adhere rigidly to the words and grasp them with definitive attachments, destroying my Dharma; such persons are called enemies of the Buddhas of the three periods of time.' Furthermore, the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra], in resolving dispute, says, 'If a person conceives doubt regarding this, they can still destroy immeasurable afflictions. If they form a definitive understanding, that is called clinging attachment.' Such clinging attachment can sever wholesome roots. Therefore, those who propagate the Dharma ought to empty their minds and make their illumination real.

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Discussion of the meaning of the difficulty of propagating the sūtra.

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Question: We presently see those who uphold, read, recite, lecture on, and copy [this sūtra] filling the entire world. Why does the chapter 'The Appearance of the Jeweled Stūpa' say: 'Even if someone were to take hold of space in their hand and wander about with it, that would not yet be difficult; to read this sūtra even for a moment, that indeed is difficult'?

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Answer: This sūtra is the beginning of reversing the three and the start of returning to the one. In foreign lands, most study the Small Vehicle; their small attachments have already formed and are difficult to shift or alter, so those who can believe are rare.

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Question: How is it known that many in foreign lands study the Small Vehicle?

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Answer: The Commentary [Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa] says, 'After the Buddha's extinction there were five hundred sects; hearing the Mahāyāna Dharma expound ultimate emptiness, it was like a knife wounding their hearts.' Hence we know they were all students of the Small Vehicle. Furthermore, the Biography of Nāgārjuna says, 'Having read the Small Vehicle, he searched everywhere for the Mahāyāna without finding it; only upon meeting a śramaṇa beneath a cliff did he finally hear of it.' Furthermore, the master of the treatise rebuked them, saying: 'These disciples of Kātyāyana neither read nor recite Mahāyāna sūtras; hearing the Mahāyāna Dharma, their minds do not believe or accept it.' Moreover, Dharmakṣema went abroad three times in search of the Nirvāṇa Sūtra, yet still could not obtain it completely. Also, when Zhu Shixing wished to bring the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā [Prajñāpāramitā-sūtra] to the land of Han, the scholars of the Small Vehicle would not permit it; only after he vowed to burn the sūtra as a pledge could it finally be brought. Furthermore, Dharma Master Sengrui's Yuyi lun says, 'The thirty-six countries of India all study the Small Vehicle and do not believe in the Vaipulya.' Hence we know that those who study the small are many, and those who have faith in the great are few.

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Question: Although India mostly studies the Small Vehicle, all of China believes in the Vaipulya; what difficulty is there?

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Answer: The Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā says, 'This prajñā will turn from the south to the north, and within this the four assemblies will practice it.' Master Sengzhao said, 'The destiny of the northern heavens: its numerological lot is so.' China, looking from India, is precisely the north. However, the world is vast and far-reaching; the faith of a single direction is not enough to count as many. Furthermore, examining it closely, they propagate it all day long, yet all day long they do not believe. How is this known? The numinous mound welled forth and appeared; the emanations gathered universally; the two bodies were grandly opened. Yet the lecturers only regard it as testifying to the person of the Lotus Sūtra, not knowing how to open the trace to reveal the source—how can they have faith? Furthermore, the emanations clarify that they are not real, and the life span determines that it is beyond calculation; Ajita could not see its beginning, and he who is one birth away from buddhahood could not fathom its end. Yet [the lecturers] still call it impermanent, reducing it to mere ash; this can be called the destitute son fleeing back within the mansion, or the lonely old man covering his eyes on the road. Who is willing to believe? Furthermore, the 'Dharma Master' chapter says, 'Causing them to ascend the couch of calm extinction and utter the teaching of non-words; although refuting the three, the mind is untainted by the one.' Yet those who adhere to words follow the names and preserve the marks; though they renounce the three, their minds stagnate again in the one. How could they be able to believe?

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Question: The mind having nothing to attain is merely the meaning of biased emptiness. The Great Sūtra rebukes this, saying, 'Do not say that the Tathāgata only cultivates the original nature of all dharmas as empty and quiet.' Hence we know that emptiness is merely empty, which is what the two vehicles see. Furthermore, the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā and the Three Treatises may illuminate emptiness, but the Lotus Sūtra opens the provisional to reveal the real, and the Nirvāṇa Sūtra illuminates the eternal Buddha-nature; how could they illuminate emptiness? Would this not be like the rustic mute with salt, or the ancient physician prescribing milk?

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Answer: The Lotus Sūtra grandly opens the three tracks, taking emptiness as the high seat; it broadly explains the four models, taking emptiness as peaceful and joyful practice. If you do not believe it, the text itself serves as proof. Furthermore, the Great Sūtra says, 'Buddha-nature is named ultimate emptiness'; Buddha-nature is the root of the Buddhas of the three periods of time. It also says, 'The city of Kapilavastu is empty; mahāparinirvāṇa is empty.' Mahānirvāṇa is the ultimate fruit of all Buddhas. Furthermore, the Avataṃsaka says, 'The Tathāgata awakens to all dharmas as like an illusion, like space. The pure, cool moon of the bodhisattva wanders in ultimate emptiness.' This illuminates that what Buddhas and bodhisattvas awaken to is entirely empty. It also says, 'Wandering with the mind in the dharmadhātu as in space, such a person then knows where the Buddha travels.' This illuminates that through understanding emptiness, one enters the Buddha's realm. These are the maxims of the Vaipulya, the subtle awakening of the supreme beings. You do not accept them; hence we know that those with deep faith are few.
Now when we speak of emptiness, one sees neither empty nor not empty; in this way, across the five propositions, nothing is attained. Not knowing how to designate it, we arbitrarily name it 'empty'. What the Great Sūtra rebuked was the nihilistic view of the two vehicles; what the Commentary refuted was the perverse emptiness of non-Buddhists. It can be said that although the color of milk is the same, sweetness and poison are different; you have not distinguished them and should not conflate them.
Furthermore, we now clarify the meaning of having nothing to attain. If there is emptiness to be attained, this is having an attainment; how could it be called 'non-attainment'? Up to having non-attainment to be attained, it is still having an attainment; how could it be called 'non-attainment'? Furthermore, because there is now nothing to attain, there is nothing that is not attained; without moving from equal awakening, one establishes all dharmas—this is spoken of as 'emptiness'. If one relies on the ordinary person's understanding of emptiness and existence, both existence and emptiness, neither existence nor emptiness, these are all frivolous conceptual proliferation; one should not employ this. After lecturing on the meaning of the One Vehicle in the Buddha's sūtras, this will be broadly explained.
Furthermore, when the Buddha expounded the teachings, he caused minds to conform to the teachings, not the teachings to conform to minds. The mind takes the preservation of marks as its root; the teachings take non-attainment as their master. If the mind conforms to the teachings, then since the teachings have nothing to attain, the mind has nothing to attain; this is called expounding the teachings. If the teachings conform to the mind, then since the mind preserves marks, the teachings become abiding attachment; with merely a deluded and inverted mind, one will never propagate the teachings. Therefore he rebuked Kātyāyana, saying, 'Do not use a mind of arising and ceasing to expound the Dharma of the true mark.' If one expounds the true mark with a mind of arising and ceasing, the true mark becomes arising and ceasing; if one expounds arising and ceasing with the mind of the true mark, then arising and ceasing becomes the true mark, so that hearing arising and ceasing expounded, all enter the gate of the true mark. However, people who propagate the sūtra mostly make the teachings conform to their minds and cannot make their minds conform to the teachings; therefore those who have faith are rare. Could this be false? Furthermore, those who propagate the sūtra are bound to encounter many obstacles and easily produce a mind of regression; therefore those with faith are difficult to find.

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Question: Why is that so?

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Answer: Since propagating the right path is bound to diminish the non-path, the non-path attacks it. Just as taking good medicine is bound to stir up all diseases, so diseases come to attack the body, and only then can the illness be eliminated; this is simply how the principle works.

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Question: By whose power are the obstacles made to retreat?

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Answer: The Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā says it is the Buddha's power. Clarifying it according to the principle now, it is also the power of the sūtra; because the power of propagating the path can repel the non-path, it is the power of the sūtra.

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Question: Although you have extensively cited various sūtras, and it is truly as you say, the Lotus Sūtra properly illuminates converging the three to return to the one, and revealing the real to open the provisional; how does it illuminate the meaning of emptiness?

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Answer: The Dvādaśanikāya-śāstra says, 'The Mahāyāna is the profound Dharma-treasury of the Buddhas of the ten directions and the three periods of time; expounded for those of great merit and sharp faculties, it is called the Great Vehicle.' The Great Vehicle has six meanings in total: First, it surpasses the two vehicles, hence it is called great. Second, it is what the great persons, the Buddhas, ride, hence it is called great. Third, it is what great beings such as Avalokiteśvara and Maitreya ride, hence it is called great. Fourth, the Buddhas are the greatest, and this vehicle can reach them, hence it is called great. Fifth, it can extinguish the great suffering of sentient beings and confer great benefit, hence it is called great. Sixth, it can exhaust the outermost limit and bottom of all dharmas, hence it is called great. The profound meaning of the great part is what is called emptiness; if one thoroughly penetrates this emptiness, one thoroughly penetrates the Great Vehicle and completes the six pāramitās without obstruction. The treatise clarifies that the Great Vehicle is the profound Dharma-treasury of the Buddhas of the ten directions and the three periods of time, and emptiness is further the most profound within the Dharma-treasury; hence we know that emptiness is the ultimate profundity within the profound, the supreme greatness within the great. Therefore, the Lotus Sūtra grandly opens the three tracks, taking emptiness as the high seat, and broadly explains the four practices, taking emptiness as peaceful and joyful practice. How could this not be the clear instruction of the bodhisattva and the profound model of the bodhimaṇḍa?

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Objection: Converging the three to return to the one properly converges the various practices within existence so as to return to the One Buddha Vehicle; why then do you speak of emptiness? Would this not be pointing south to mean north to instruct the bewildered? Although the treatise contains trustworthy words, we have not yet perceived their meaning; please synthesize them so that there remains no slight obstruction.

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Answer: If you had grasped Nāgārjuna's profound text, you would have already understood the subtle purport of converging the three. Since you have not yet awakened, I will now explain it again. Converging the three to return to the one originally causes the two vehicles to proceed toward the Buddha path, which must occur by discerning the true mark. The true mark fundamentally forgets words and ceases thoughts; not knowing how to designate it, we arbitrarily call it empty. Because one sees the mark of emptiness, the mind has nothing upon which to rely; because the mind has nothing upon which to rely, it can move and emerge, and this is then called a vehicle. If one does not see the mark of emptiness, then one grasps existence with sentient clinging; when sentient grasping has something to rely upon, that reliance is called having an attainment. If one has an attainment, one does not move and does not emerge. Even if one were to raise one's hands for one's whole life and bow one's head through kalpas, there would be no meaning of attaining buddhahood. Therefore, returning to the one essentially requires awakening to emptiness; how could one not exert oneself?

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Next, clarifying the conditions of the translation.

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This sūtra has two versions in total: First, the Zheng fahua jing, translated by Zhu Dharmarakṣa—rendered here as Fahu—of the Jin at Chang'an. Second, the Miaofa lianhua jing, translated by Kumārajīva—rendered here as Tongsou—of the Jin, who, under the illegitimate Qin on the twenty-third day of the fourth month in the fifth year of Hongshi, translated the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā at the Xiaoyao Garden in Chang'an, and later translated this sūtra in twenty-seven chapters at Caotang Monastery. These two versions have differences of modern and ancient, ornate and unadorned, broad and brief, yet their general purport is identical. Furthermore, there is the Mahākaruṇāpuṇḍarīka-sūtra, which broadly illuminates the virtues of loving-kindness and compassion; differing from the above two sūtras, it was produced by Dharmakṣema. Among them there are also various lotus sūtras, such as the Huashou [Karuṇāpuṇḍarīka] and Huayan, which are not just one. However, the Jin had an earlier and later period: formerly west of the river it was called the Western Jin, lasting fifty-two years, during which this sūtra was still in foreign lands. From King Yuan's crossing east of the river it was called the Eastern Jin, and up to the Yixi reign era of Emperor An of the Jin, this sūtra was first brought across. Then the Song lasted sixty years, the Qi lasted twenty-three years, and the Liang lasted forty-four years, totaling two hundred and twenty-nine years; from the Liang until now is fifty years, approaching three hundred years.

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Next, clarifying the conditions of lecturing on the sūtra.

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Since the Lotus Sūtra has two versions, old and new, its expositors should also be two persons. The Mingseng zhuan states: 'The beginning of lecturing on sūtras arose with Zhu Fahu.' Since Master Hu himself translated this scripture in person, in principle he ought to have expounded it. From Master Hu onward, figures such as Shi Dao'an and Zhu Fatāi only lectured on the old translation. When Kumārajīva arrived in Chang'an and completed the translation of the new Lotus Sūtra, Daorong lectured on it, opening it into nine tracks, and the people of the time called him the Nine Tracks Dharma Master. The text of the nine tracks is not seen today. Lecturing on the new Lotus Sūtra indeed began with Daorong. From Daorong onward, figures such as Tanying and Daosheng who took up brush to compose treatises were more than one. Next, during the Qi dynasty, there was the pure-faith upāsaka Liu Qiu who, together with ten or so renowned monks, followed the examples of An, Lin, Yi, and Yuan, as well as the likes of Jīva, Zhao, Rong, and Heng, compiled the strong points of the various masters, and called it a commentary on the Lotus Sūtra. Arriving at the Liang, in the beginning there were the three great dharma masters, of immense learning at the time, whose fame towered over an entire generation; they collected the Abhidharma and treatises widely to explain all the sūtras throughout. But Kaishan gained renown with the Nirvāṇa, Zhuangyan made a name for himself with the Daśabhūmika and the Śrīmālādevī-sūtra, while Guangzhai's Lotus Sūtra was unmatched in his day. But Guangzhai received the scripture from Dharma Master Yin of Zhongxing Temple. Yin was originally a man of Shouchun, lay surname Zhu. In his youth he traveled to Pengcheng to receive treatises from Tandu, and next received instruction in the Lotus Sūtra from Huilong of Kuangshan. Yin lectured on this scripture, from his youth to old age, a total of two hundred and fifty times; at sixty-six years of age, he died in the first year of the Yongming era. When Dharma Master Fayun of Guangzhai was at the age of renouncing the household life, he followed Yin to listen to the Lotus Sūtra at Lower Dinglin Temple on Mount Zhong. When the lecture ended, he stayed in the rocky ravine behind the temple, piled up stones to make a high seat and an audience, and thereupon climbed the stone seat himself to expound extensively what he had heard. Yin did not yet know of this, and secretly listened to what he expounded, without a single word omitted. When he reached thirty years of age, at Miaoyin Temple he opened lectures on the titles of the two scriptures, the Lotus Sūtra and the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa; his acumen and eloquence were unfettered, and both clerics and laity admired and submitted to him; from this time onward, his renown with the Lotus Sūtra became illustrious.

1.44

I drifted in exile to Yuchuan, my notes and commentaries scattered. Occasioned by this lecture course, I have briefly compiled what I have heard and entitled it a Critical Explanation. Daring to call it a transmitted instruction is merely to prevent omissions and keep the path from destroying itself.

1.45

In prefacing its critical intent, there are briefly five points: First, relying on Mahāyāna treatises to penetrate the vaipulya [scriptures], which is the grand guideline for explaining sūtras and the fundamental school for penetrating the teachings. As for Mahāyāna treatises, there are two kinds in all: One generally explains the Mahāyāna, namely the Madhyamaka-śāstra, the Śata-śāstra, the Dvādaśamukha-śāstra, the Bodhisattvabhūmi-śāstra, the Mahāyānasaṃgraha, and so forth. The second specifically explains a single text, namely the Da zhidu lun, the Daśabhūmika-śāstra, the Vajracchedikā-prajñāpāramitā-śāstra, the Saddharmapuṇḍarīkopadeśa, and so forth. Only one who fully understands both the general and specific treatises can begin to discern the purport of the Mahāyāna and may lecture on Mahāyāna sūtras. As for Hīnayāna treatises, there are also two kinds: One generally explains the Tripiṭaka, namely the Jñānaprasthāna, the Mahāvibhāṣā, the Tattvasiddhi-śāstra, and so forth. The second specifically explains a single teaching, such as the Venerable Pārśva composing the *Catuḥsūtra-śāstra to specifically explain the teachings of the four Āgamas. The Vibhāṣās of the eighteen schools specifically explain the Vinayas of the eighteen schools, such as the Samantapāsādikā and its kind. The Śāriputrābhidharma specifically explains the Buddha's ninefold Abhidharmapiṭaka. Only when one fully understands both the general and specific treatises may one lecture on Hīnayāna sūtras. Therefore, Aśvaghoṣa and Nāgārjuna composed Mahāyāna treatises to penetrate the Mahāyāna, while Dharmaśrī and Harivarman composed Hīnayāna treatises to explain the Tripiṭaka. These are as distinct as vermilion and purple, or as separate currents of the Jing and Wei rivers. To adopt the Abhidharma treatises as primary to penetrate the vaipulya texts has, going forward, no merit in propagating the scriptures, and going backward, the fault of doing violence to the treatises.

1.46

Question: The Abhidharma treatises are the forte of propagating scriptures; how could there be the error of contradiction and harm?

1.47

Answer: Their strength in penetrating the Tripiṭaka is as stated in Harivarman's preface; their fault in obstructing the vaipulya appears in the text of the Lotus Sūtra, which says: 'Abiding peacefully in the four practices to preach this scripture, one must not draw close to scholars of the Hīnayāna Tripiṭaka.' The scripture contains an earnest admonition; how could one not be cautious?

1.48

Question: How do you know that the Tattvasiddhi-śāstra only explains the Hīnayāna?

1.49

Answer: Harivarman himself claimed to explain the Tripiṭaka properly; how could it not be Hīnayāna? If one insists that its reality also penetrates the vaipulya, the fault lies with his disciples, not with Harivarman. Furthermore, when Kumārajīva finished translating the Tattvasiddhi-śāstra, he ordered Sengrui to lecture on it. Sengrui's preface states: 'Earth, water, fire, and wind are provisional; form, odor, taste, and touch are real. Yet while it has an excess of refinement, it is deficient in illuminating reality.' This is merely the reality within the Tripiṭaka, not what is meant by vaipulya. The end of the preface also recounts Master Kumārajīva's words: 'People of the Qin say that the truth of cessation illuminated by the Tattvasiddhi-śāstra is of identical import to the vaipulya. Kumārajīva sighed, saying: "How could the lack of profound discernment among the people of the Qin go so far as this? I have always doubted their universal faith in the Mahāyāna; one should know that where awakening does not stem from within, their delusion is readily discernable."' The truth of cessation illuminated by the Tattvasiddhi-śāstra, compared to the vaipulya, is like a dragon's torch compared to the glow of a firefly, or a night-shining pearl compared to a fish eye; this still falls short of illustrating their foolishness.

1.50

Question: Using treatises to penetrate the teachings has had its faults made manifest above. What further fault is there in using the Abhidharma to propagate the scriptures?

1.51

Answer: The Da zhidu lun, in explaining the meaning of the four conditions, notes that someone asked: If one wishes to study the four conditions, one should study the Abhidharma; why instead study the Prajñāpāramitā? Nāgārjuna answered, saying: When beginners study the Abhidharma, it seems comprehensible, but as one inquires further over time, it turns into wrong views. Examining it by this, the fault exceeds that of the former. This is the first evaluation of merits and faults. As for the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra, it is the collar and throat of all the sages, the secret and profound of the vaipulya; its phrasing is ingenious and its meaning profound and far-reaching. Examining the scriptures and investigating the treatises, it can be said to be complete in teaching and consummate in principle, an ultimate discourse without remainder. From ancient times to the present, among those who have received, kept, read, and recited it, the destruction of grave burdens within and the display of auspicious portents without are beyond recount. Yet people hold to the rules of the five periods to delimit the unconfined holy transformation, falsely claiming that this scripture is still half-word teaching, that its illumination of causes is not complete, and its determination of fruits is insufficient. As it is with the five periods, so it is with the four tenets. Abolishing the false discussions of the five and four, and illuminating the consummate, ultimate purport, brings forward the merit of praise and removes backward the sin of slander. This is the second evaluation of merits and faults. Externally, it is said that those who look only to themselves lack clarity, and those who rely only on their own strength will not prevail; internally, it is distinguished that clinging persistently to a single view forfeits the unconfined, and using isolated lines in a one-sided way loses the consummate purport. Therefore, I have widely collected divergent treatises and gathered from all masters, choosing the good to follow and recording without fail whatever possesses ability. For instance, Huiji's taking emptiness as the vehicle originally accords with the Anantanirdeśa-sūtra; Daosheng's explanation of the lifespan illuminating permanence tallies with the Saddharmapuṇḍarīkopadeśa; examples such as these can all be employed. But statements such as 'formerly there were those who universally practiced the six perfections, but the present teaching explains the four carriages,' or that 'without yet escaping the two kinds of saṃsāra, they have already crossed five hundred yojanas'—these all lack scriptural or treatise authority and are contradictory on their face; all are to be discarded. This is the third evaluation of merits and faults. The Da zhidu lun, in explaining the 'Chapter on Non-arising', illuminates that skillful explanations of prajñā have ten gateways in all, the last being termed 'differentiating depth and shallowness, difficulty and ease.' As for depth and shallowness, difficulty and ease: just as deep water is hard to cross, but if one skillfully diverts it, the deep becomes shallow and the crossing becomes easy. Yet meddling gentlemen produce fine sub-sections extensively while only roughly showing the overarching idea, thus obscuring its clear reality and eclipsing its grand purport, or reaching the front while advancing to recite what follows, or reaching what follows while retreating to recite what came before; advancing, this brings no benefit to the phrasing and principle, and retreating, it tires both the speaker and the listener. Now, by excising what is superfluous and cumbersome and rectifying what is erroneous and deficient, so that obscurity and clarity are distinctly mirrored, I hope to achieve more than half the work. This is the fourth evaluation of merits and faults. The Book says: 'Flowery words are not faithful; faithful words are not flowery.' The scripture says: 'Those of deep awakening cherish the meaning; those of shallow understanding are fond of literary phrasing.' For example, seeing that a later section determines the fruit, they say the initial passage illuminates the cause, wishing to pair cause and fruit as opposites. Again, seeing that the text initially displays six auspicious signs in this land, and also displays six auspicious signs in other directions, they wish to make pairs with the two sixes. These all have an excess of clever wording but lack momentum of meaning; the text will explain this in full detail. Now, observing Nāgārjuna's explanation of the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā and Vasubandhu's commentary on the Avataṃsaka, they only sought to make the text apparent and the principle manifest, having no such intent whatsoever. Therefore, the holy guidelines must be relied upon, and worldly models should be discarded. This is the fifth evaluation of merits and faults.

1.52

Next, the sūtra being propagated will be explained. This sūtra has ten kinds of incomprehensibility. First is the incomprehensibility of the transformational master, which is found in no other scripture. As the "Apparition of the Jeweled Stūpa" chapter states, all the buddhas of the ten directions gathered like clouds, with buddhas and tathāgatas filling each direction to the number of four million nayutas of Ganges sands. Furthermore, the emergence of Prabhūtaratna represents the assembly of past buddhas; the assembly of the emanated buddhas represents the assembly of present buddhas; and the arrival and assembly of the bodhisattvas of the ten directions represents the assembly of future buddhas. To put it briefly, [the buddhas of] the ten directions and the three times all assembled at Gṛdhrakūṭa. Outside of this, there has never been such a magnificent assembly. Second is the incomprehensibility of the disciples: the attendants of all the buddhas in the worlds of the ten directions filled each direction to the number of four million nayutas; furthermore, bodhisattvas numbering the dust motes of a thousand worlds in the region below welled forth from the earth, filling the open spaces of the ten directions. Such assemblies cannot be calculated. Even from the Lotus Treasury [world] at the beginning to the Nairañjanā River at the end, there was never such an assembly; this is called the incomprehensibility of the disciples. Third is the incomprehensibility of the doctrinal gates, which is found in no other scripture. Texts such as the Avataṃsaka and the Mahāprajñāpāramitā each have one hundred thousand gāthās, which is already considered vast. The Commentary states: "The Lotus Sūtra is immeasurable and boundless, like the great ocean water." Furthermore, the Buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū preached this Lotus Sūtra in verses as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. The Buddha Bhīṣmagarjitasvararāja preached this Lotus Sūtra in twenty billion nayutas of verses. This is the incomprehensibility of the doctrinal gates. Fourth is the incomprehensibility of the duration of time: the Buddha Candrasūryapradīpa preached this Lotus Sūtra for sixty small kalpas; Bodhisattva Varaprabha preached the Lotus Sūtra for eighty small kalpas; the Buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū preached the Lotus Sūtra for eight thousand kalpas; and the sixteen śrāmaṇeras preached the Lotus Sūtra for eighty-four thousand kalpas. When Śākyamuni Buddha preached this sūtra, the bodhisattvas who welled forth inquired after the buddhas, and such hearing of the preaching of the Lotus Sūtra lasted for fifty small kalpas. How could such durations of time be calculated? Hence it is called the incomprehensibility of time. Fifth is the incomprehensibility of benefit: as the beginning of the "Discrimination of Merits" chapter states, there are twelve kinds of benefits, starting from bodhisattvas as numerous as the sands of immeasurable Ganges rivers who realized the forbearance of non-arising, down to sentient beings numbering the dust motes of eight buddha worlds who generated the aspiration for bodhi. In all the other scriptures and teachings, there has never been such an instance of realizing the path; hence the benefits are incomprehensible. Sixth is the incomprehensibility of the lands: for Śākyamuni Buddha, wishing to accommodate his emanated buddhas, transformed sixty thousand billion nayutas of lands in each of the eight directions into pure lands. Furthermore, the "Supernatural Powers" chapter states: "At that time, the worlds of the ten directions were joined together as a single buddha land." When other sūtras were preached, sometimes a land was transformed and sometimes not, or only a single land or a single assembly was transformed; there was never such an adornment as this. Hence the lands are incomprehensible. Seventh is the incomprehensibility of supernatural powers: as Śākyamuni and the buddhas of the ten directions simultaneously manifested seven kinds of supernatural powers for a full hundred thousand years. Although supernatural powers were manifested in other scriptures, they were performed by only a single buddha or for only a single occasion; there was never anything like this. Hence the supernatural powers are incomprehensible. Eighth is the incomprehensibility of merit: as the fiftieth person who successively hears the sūtra and feels joy with a single thought of rejoicing surpasses one who gives all enjoyable objects to the sentient beings of the six destinies across four million asaṃkhyeya worlds and causes them to attain the arhat path—how much more immeasurable is the merit of liberation for those who uphold, read, and recite it! Hence the merit is incomprehensible. Ninth is the summing up from beginning to end and the harmonious blending of the provisional and the real, so that the teachings of a whole lifetime's transformation can be clearly apprehended. Other scriptures merely state doctrines plainly; this is called the incomprehensibility of the doctrinal gates. Tenth is the opening of the near and revealing of the far, harmoniously blending the true and the responsive, with unfathomable great function benefiting beings throughout the three times. Other teachings do not clarify this; it belongs exclusively to this sūtra. This is called the incomprehensibility of the body. Because it possesses these ten kinds of incomprehensible matters, those who uphold and preach it will have their defilements extinguished within and auspicious signs manifested without. How could Sengbi's extensive record have been in vain?

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