法華義疏 3.281

3.281

「佛告舍利弗如是妙法」下，前第一明緣起，則是淨器；今第二、正說，明授妙法也。非淨器無以受妙法，非妙法無以授淨器，故此二種必須相稱。就正說文凡有四門：初、辨一乘真實門；二、明二乘方便門；三、示得失門；四、勸信受奉持門。所以明此四門者，靈山之會大機已熟應聞大法，故辨一乘真實門；既示今一乘為真實，宜開昔三為方便，故辨三乘方便門。初門明今一乘真實，後門序昔三為方便，蓋是明一化始終理無不極，若能信一實三權則是得非失，如其不信則是失非得，故有第三得失門也。得失之理既彰，次勸捨失從得信受奉持，故有第四勸信門也。又有此四門者，一乘真實門謂根本法輪，諸佛出世但為明一大事因緣，謂一道清淨則根本法輪也。但眾生薄福鈍根不堪受一道，是故於一佛乘方便說三，謂支末法輪。既從一起三還欲令籍三通一，若能知三為歸一則是得非失，如其保三不受一是失而非得，故得失門明收末歸本法輪。既序始終一化三輪事周，然後始得勸物信受，故有第四勸信門也。

From “The Buddha addressed Śāriputra: ‘Such a wonderful Dharma as this’” onward: the first [section] above explained the arising of conditions, which constitutes the pure vessel; now the second [section], the actual preaching, explains the conferring of the wonderful Dharma. Without a pure vessel there is no way to receive the wonderful Dharma; without the wonderful Dharma there is no way to confer it upon a pure vessel; thus these two must correspond to each other. In the text of the actual preaching, there are four sections in all: first, the section explaining the reality of the ekayāna; second, the section clarifying the expedient means of the two vehicles; third, the section demonstrating gain and loss; fourth, the section exhorting faithful reception and upholding. The reason for explaining these four sections is that at the assembly on Vulture Peak, the great capacity had already matured and ought to hear the great Dharma; hence he explains the section on the reality of the ekayāna. Having shown that the present ekayāna is real, it is appropriate to reveal that the former three were expedient means; hence he explains the section on the expedient means of the triyāna. The first section clarifies the reality of the present ekayāna, and the second section recounts that the former three were expedient means; this illuminates the beginning and end of a single teaching period, the principle of which is completely exhaustive. If one can believe that the one is real and the three are provisional, this is gain and not loss; if one does not believe, this is loss and not gain; therefore there is the third section on gain and loss. Once the principle of gain and loss is revealed, he next exhorts abandoning loss and pursuing gain by faithfully receiving and upholding it; therefore there is the fourth section on exhorting faith. Furthermore, having these four sections: the section on the reality of the ekayāna refers to the fundamental wheel of Dharma; the Buddhas appear in the world solely to illuminate the one great cause and condition, referring to the purity of the single path, which is the fundamental wheel of Dharma. Yet because sentient beings have meager merit and dull faculties and cannot receive the single path, he therefore expediently taught the three in the one buddha vehicle, which refers to the branch wheel of Dharma. Having produced the three from the one, he further desires that they rely on the three to access the one; if one can know that the three return to the one, this is gain and not loss; if one clings to the three and does not receive the one, this is loss and not gain; hence the section on gain and loss illuminates the wheel of Dharma that gathers in the branches to return to the root. Once the beginning and end of the single teaching period and the matters of the three wheels are complete, only then can he exhort living beings to faithfully receive it; therefore there is the fourth section on exhorting faith.