法華玄論 3.2

3.2

Question: The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa, explaining the 'Chapter on Inquiring about the Vehicle', says: 'Listing ten kinds of great sūtras, namely the Megha-sūtra, Mahāmegha-sūtra, Kuśalamūlasaṃparigraha-sūtra, Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra, and so forth, this Mahāprajñāpāramitā-sūtra is the most profound and greatest among them.' Furthermore, the hundredth fascicle of the treatise says: 'The Lotus is an esoteric Dharma, explaining the arhats' receiving prophecy to become Buddhas. Prajñā is not an esoteric Dharma, not explaining the two vehicles' becoming Buddhas.' Furthermore, the treatise explaining the 'Chapter on Determination' says: 'Subhūti heard the Lotus Sūtra explain that all sentient beings will become Buddhas, and also heard that in the Prajñāpāramitā-sūtra there is regression; therefore he now asks the Buddha: "Are these bodhisattvas determined, or are they not determined?"' Furthermore, the treatise's commentary on the 'Chapter on Great Illumination' says: 'All other wholesome dharmas enter into prajñā.' The treatise says all other wholesome dharmas refers to the Lotus Sūtra. It also says: 'The Lotus is the fruit-name of prajñā.' These five passages in the treatise have three contradictions: the first passage lists Prajñā as superior and the Lotus and others as inferior; the second passage has Prajñā as shallow and the Lotus as profound; the remaining three do not distinguish shallow and profound. How are these three contradictions to be harmonized and reconciled?