法華玄論 9.217

9.217

Answer: It is not necessary that in a single lifetime's appearance in the world one must first expound the three and later expound the one vehicle; it is only that after a long time the buddhas must expound the real, because there is no one who ultimately abides in the two vehicles and never becomes a buddha. Furthermore, there are four propositions: 1. only expounding the one vehicle and not expounding the three vehicles; 2. only expounding the three vehicles and not expounding the one vehicle; 3. expounding both the three and the one, which is Śākyamuni's teaching, namely first the three and later the one; 4. expounding neither the three nor the one, as in a world without words where neither three nor one is expounded. Again, there are four propositions: 1. the land is pure and the vehicle is one, as in the world of seven jewels where only bodhisattvas are transformed; 2. the land is defiled and the vehicles are three, as in the lands of the five turbidities; 3. the land is pure and the vehicles are three, as when Śāriputra becomes a buddha, and when people of medium and lower faculties become buddhas in a pure land, where there is the teaching of the three vehicles; 4. the land is defiled and the vehicle is one: no separate text has yet been seen [for this], but in the kingdom of Aśoka where those seven years of age and above all study the Great Vehicle, this is also such a case. Next, to clarify four propositions: 1. expounding the three vehicles for three-vehicle conditions; 2. expounding the one vehicle for one-vehicle conditions—these matters are easy to understand; 3. expounding the one for three-vehicle conditions, which can possess two meanings: first, they are originally three-vehicle conditions who are brought to converge in the one vehicle; second, commanding three-vehicle conditions to expound the great Dharma; 4. expounding the three vehicles for one-vehicle conditions, causing the one-vehicle conditions to recognize that the three are provisional and know that the one is real, as in the Śrīmālā where for learners of the Great Vehicle who are seven years of age the three vehicles are expounded; second, expounding the three for one-vehicle conditions to cause them to transmit and transform the remaining three-vehicle conditions. Awakening according to conditions also has four propositions: hearing the one and awakening to the one; hearing the three and awakening to the three; hearing the three and awakening to the one; hearing the one and awakening to the three. These have already been explained above.