法華義疏 10.138

10.138

答：

It is explained as in the preceding chapter. The past buddha manifested and emerged to reveal that the dharmakāya has no arising or ceasing, whereas the response body has arising and ceasing. The present buddhas gathered universally to reveal that the dharmakāya is non-dual, whereas the response bodies are not one. The future buddhas manifested to show that Śākyamuni has long since realized the dharmakāya, making clear that the dharmakāya has no beginning or end, and through expedient means displays a beginning and end. The buddhas of the three periods of time gathered for these three matters. Furthermore, the transforming of the pure lands was to reveal the lifespan: since the dependent fruition was already different from of old, one thereby knows that the distant lifespan is likewise different, fully as explained above.

Now, as for speaking of 'opening the expedient and revealing the real': opening the short is the expedient, and revealing the long is the real. Yet the lifespan of the Tathāgata is actually neither long nor short. Why is this? Since it is called the 'dharmakāya', it takes the true Dharma as its body. How could the true Dharma be grasped through short and long, permanent, impermanent, or even through five propositions? It is merely in accord with what is appropriate that there are the expedients of long and short.

Formerly, when it was not short, it was spoken of as short; now, when it is not long, it is spoken of as long. Speaking of it as short when it is not short was intended to lead them to recognize that the short is the short of the long; speaking of it as long when it is not long is intended to lead them to awaken to the fact that the long is the long of the short. If, hearing of the short, one does not recognize the long, then the short is not accomplished; if, hearing of the long, one does not recognize the short, then the long is likewise not accomplished. Such things obstruct the practicing mind and lose the Buddha’s intent in using expedient means.

Furthermore, the reason why formerly the short was spoken of and now the long is clarified is that he wished to cause sentient beings, through this long and short, to awaken simply to the true Dharma that is neither long nor short. Because they awaken to the neither-long-nor-short, there is the functional application of the expedients of long and short. If one says that former shortness was wrong, and present length is also wrong; that present length is right, and former shortness is also right; [we say that] it is merely neither long nor short, but now, because according to conditions it is appropriate to praise it as long, he clarifies that present length is right and former shortness is wrong. As the Nirvāṇa Sūtra says: 'One cannot say that the Buddha is definitively conditioned, nor definitively unconditioned. If one has right view, one should say that the Tathāgata is definitively unconditioned. Why? Because he is able to give rise to all good roots of sentient beings.'

Comparing this chapter with the 'Emerging from the Earth Chapter', they are distinguished by six pairs:
First, the preceding was the introductory discourse; the present is the principal discourse.
Second, the preceding used the transformed bodhisattvas to reveal the lifespan of the transforming Buddha; the present is the transforming Buddha revealing his own transforming nature.
Third, the preceding used the approach of supernatural powers to reveal the transforming [Buddha], as when bodhisattvas numerous as the dust motes of a thousand worlds welled forth from the earth, manifesting that Śākyamuni attained buddhahood long ago, which is called the approach of supernatural powers; this chapter explains the Buddha's lifespan to Maitreya, which is called opening the lifespan by turning the wheel of the Dharma. These two are [like] using the two objects, the garment fold and the desk, to bring out the child.
Fourth, the preceding secretly revealed the antiquity of his attainment of buddhahood; the present openly reveals the lifespan. Because clinging to what is near is difficult to dislodge and a distant lifespan is difficult to believe, he showed awakening to living beings gradually; hence, former secrecy and later openness.
Fifth, the preceding chapter briefly spoke to unsettle attachments and give rise to doubts; the present speaks extensively to shatter attachments and eliminate doubts.
Sixth, the preceding clarified the inconceivable nature of those transformed; the present clarifies the inconceivable nature of the transforming [Buddha]. Therefore, the Fahua lun has ten kinds of supremacy.
Seventh, the supremacy of manifesting the teaching and transforming of sentient beings: therefore, immeasurable bodhisattvas welled forth from within the earth.
Eighth, the supremacy of manifesting the attainment of great bodhi: therefore there is the 'Lifespan Chapter', which is its verification.