法華玄論 2.3

2.3

In the fully preserved Sanskrit text, it should be called Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra. Master Zhu Fahu translated it as 'Correct Dharma Lotus Flower' (Zhengfa lianhua), while Kumārajīva amended it to 'Sublime' (Miao), with the rest following the old scripture. Master [Hui]yuan employed both renderings and added many names, calling it the True Dharma, the Good Dharma, and so forth. Evaluation: When Master [Kumāra]jīva amended it to 'Sublime', there must surely have been a profound reason; we shall now attempt to discuss it. 'Correct' receives its designation by contrast with the 'heterodox', while 'sublime' gets its name by comparison with the 'coarse'. Taking the ninety-six heterodox paths as incorrect and the teaching of the five vehicles as correct, this designation of 'correct' is inferior. Although the five vehicles are correct, they are not yet supremely sublime; only the One Vehicle is supreme and unsurpassable, so the designation 'sublime' is superior. Therefore, the earlier translation was altered and the later rendering was adopted. A verse says: 'This vehicle is subtle and sublime, pure and foremost'—it surpasses the two vehicles; 'in all the worlds, it is unsurpassable'—it transcends the vehicles of humans and gods. Therefore, by contrast with those coarse vehicles, the Buddha-vehicle is deemed 'sublime'.