法華義疏 1.30

1.30

論云「泥洹法寶入有多門」，經稱「受悟不同，佛事非一」，或籍音聲以改凡，或由默然以成聖，或因光明以出俗，或假香飯以入道，故三業無非利緣，六塵皆為佛事，斯乃先聖流於圓化，而像末纏乎隘文，未可然也。河西道朗開此經為五門，所言五門者：一、從「如是我聞」竟序品，序《法華》必轉之相；二、從〈方便品〉至〈法師品〉，明《法華》體無二之法；三、從〈寶塔品〉竟〈壽量品〉，明《法華》常住法身之果；四、從〈分別功德品〉至〈囑累品〉，明修行《法華》所生功德；五、從〈藥王本事品〉訖經，明流通《法華》之方軌也。龍光法師開此經為二段：從初品竟〈安樂行品〉十三品是開三顯一；次從〈涌出品〉以下十四品是開近顯遠。於兩段中各開序、正、流通三段，合成六段也。印法師開此經凡為四段：〈序品〉為序。從〈方便品〉竟〈安樂行品〉十二品，開三顯一，明乘方便、乘真實。從〈涌出品〉至〈分別功德品〉彌勒說偈以前兩品半，開近顯遠，明身方便、身真實。從〈分別功德品〉竟經，是流通分也。彼雖云〈安樂行品〉前是因分，然〈見寶塔品〉下有三品又是果宗之由漸，必須兩向望之。何者？由〈見寶塔品〉多寶助命覓通經之人，故方有〈持品〉及〈安樂行品〉流通於因，故囑因分；次有涌出菩薩正為壽量之方序，由前命故出，則前三品又有成說壽量之義，故須兩向論之也。

The treatise says, 'The Dharma-jewel of nirvāṇa has many gates of entry.' The sūtra states, 'Receptivity and awakening are not uniform, and Buddha-work is not singular.' Some rely on sounds to transform worldliness; some rely on silence to achieve sagacity; some rely on radiance to transcend the mundane; some depend on fragrant food to enter the Path. Thus, none of the three karmas fails to be a beneficial condition, and all six dusts serve as Buddha-work. This is the ancient sages issuing forth in perfect transformation, whereas the likeness and degenerate ages are entangled in narrow texts—this should not be so. Daolang of Hexi divided this sūtra into five sections. What are called the five sections are: first, from 'Thus have I heard' to the end of the Introductory Chapter, introduces the signs that the Lotus will definitely be turned; second, from the Expedient Means Chapter to the Dharma Master Chapter, explains the Dharma that the essence of the Lotus is without duality; third, from the Jeweled Stūpa Chapter to the end of the Lifespan Chapter, explains the fruition of the permanently abiding dharmakāya of the Lotus; fourth, from the Distinction of Merits Chapter to the Entrustment Chapter, explains the merits generated by practicing the Lotus; fifth, from the Former Deeds of the Medicine King Chapter to the end of the sūtra, explains the methods and guidelines for disseminating the Lotus. Dharma Master Longguang divided this sūtra into two sections: from the first chapter to the end of the Peaceful Practices Chapter, thirteen chapters, is opening the three and revealing the one; next, from the Emerging from the Earth Chapter downwards, fourteen chapters, is opening the proximate and revealing the distant. Within these two sections, he respectively divided the three sections of introductory, main teaching, and dissemination, combining to make six sections. Dharma Master Yin divided this sūtra into a total of four sections: the Introductory Chapter is the introduction. From the Expedient Means Chapter to the end of the Peaceful Practices Chapter, twelve chapters, open the three and reveal the one, explaining the upāya of the vehicle and the reality of the vehicle. From the Emerging from the Earth Chapter to the Distinction of Merits Chapter before Maitreya speaks the verses, two and a half chapters, open the proximate and reveal the distant, explaining the upāya of the body and the reality of the body. From the Distinction of Merits Chapter to the end of the sūtra is the dissemination division. Although he says that what precedes the Peaceful Practices Chapter is the cause division, yet the three chapters below the Apparition of the Jeweled Stūpa Chapter are also the gradual transition to the fruition principle, so they must be viewed in both directions. Why? Because Prabhūtaratna in the Apparition of the Jeweled Stūpa Chapter helps in commanding the search for someone to propagate the scripture, there are then the Encouraging Upholding Chapter and the Peaceful Practices Chapter disseminating the cause, and thus entrust the cause division. Next, the Bodhisattvas Emerging from the Earth precisely serve as the introductory method for the Lifespan Chapter; because they emerge due to the previous command, the previous three chapters also have the sense of bringing about the preaching of the Lifespan Chapter, so they must be discussed in both directions.