法華義疏 9.161

9.161

「藥王多有人」下，第四、約行歎。就文為四：一、法；二、譬；三、合；四、釋。法說二對：初、明善行不善行一對者，若未聞《法華》開權顯實，未精識道之權實，則行菩薩道猶自迴惶，或謂進成佛道，或可退住二乘，故不善行；以得聞此經有一無三，直進不退，故名善行也。又未聞此經開權顯實，則未識二慧、不能化物，不名善行；與此相違名善行也。又不聞此經明身權身實，則不深厭生死、欣樂佛身，亦是未善行義；與此相違名善行也。「其有眾生」下，第二對、明近菩提不近菩提。梵本具足，今翻譯者略，故但有於近也。「藥王譬如有人」下，第二、譬說。此譬但有二意：一、明去佛遠；二、明去佛近也。「譬如有人」者，求佛道人也。「渴乏」者，求佛之志其心猛決如渴思水也。「於彼高原穿鑿求之，猶見乾土去水尚遠」者，今須進退論此義：一者、就《法華》之前明去佛道遠義；二、就《法華》自論遠義。就《法華》前論遠義有二：一者、於二乘教中求佛去道遠也。故《大品》云「以聲聞經求菩提者名為不黠」也。二者、三藏後諸大乘經未廢二乘者，於此教中求佛道亦有遠義，以此教中明大乘，乃與法華不異，但未廢二乘，則始行菩薩猶未精識權實；又猶有迴遑之望，則求佛之心不決定，約此一邊則有求佛遠也。「施功不已」者，聞《法華經》生聞慧也。「轉見濕土」者，於此經生思慧也。「遂漸至泥」者，於此經生修慧也。「其心決定知水必近」者，既生三慧，知佛性水必定近也。

From "Bhaiṣajyarāja, there are many people" onward is the fourth, praise with reference to practice. The text has four parts: first, the Dharma; second, the parable; third, the application; fourth, the explanation. The Dharma explanation has two pairs. First, the pair explaining good practice and unwholesome practice: if one has not yet heard the Lotus Sūtra open the provisional and reveal the real, and does not yet precisely discern the provisional and real of the path, then when practicing the bodhisattva path one still hesitates—either thinking one will advance to accomplish the Buddha path, or perhaps retreating to abide in the two vehicles; thus it is unwholesome practice. Because one gets to hear this sūtra, there is the One and no Three, so one advances directly and does not retreat; thus it is called good practice. Furthermore, if one has not yet heard this sūtra open the provisional and reveal the real, then one does not recognize the two kinds of wisdom and cannot transform beings; this is not called good practice. The opposite of this is called good practice. Furthermore, if one does not hear this sūtra explain the provisional body and the real body, then one will not deeply loathe saṃsāra and aspire for the Buddha's body, which is also the meaning of not practicing well. The opposite of this is called good practice. From "If there are living beings" onward is the second pair, explaining proximity to bodhi and lack of proximity to bodhi. The Sanskrit text was complete, but the present translation abridged it, so it only mentions being near. From "Bhaiṣajyarāja, it is like a person" onward is the second, the parabolical explanation. This parable has only two meanings: first, explaining being far from the Buddha; second, explaining being near to the Buddha. "Like a person" refers to a person who seeks the Buddha path. "Thirsty and in need": the determination to seek the Buddha is vehement and resolute in mind, like thirst craving water. "Digging into a high plateau in search of it, but still seeing dry earth, being still far from water": now we must examine this meaning forward and backward. First, explaining the meaning of being far from the Buddha path prior to the Lotus Sūtra; second, discussing the meaning of being far within the Lotus Sūtra itself. Discussing the meaning of being far prior to the Lotus Sūtra has two aspects: first, seeking the Buddha in the teachings of the two vehicles is far from the path. Therefore the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra says, "One who seeks bodhi through the śrāvaka sūtras is called unintelligent." Second, among the various Mahāyāna sūtras after the Tripiṭaka that have not yet discarded the two vehicles, seeking the Buddha path in these teachings also contains the meaning of being far: although explaining the Mahāyāna in these teachings is not different from the Lotus Sūtra, yet because they have not discarded the two vehicles, initial-practice bodhisattvas do not yet precisely discern the provisional and the real; furthermore, there is still the expectation of hesitation, so their mind of seeking the Buddha is not determined; with respect to this one side, there is being far from seeking the Buddha. "Exerting effort without ceasing": hearing the Lotus Sūtra gives rise to the wisdom born of hearing. "Gradually seeing moist earth": giving rise to the wisdom born of reflection regarding this sūtra. "Finally reaching mud": giving rise to the wisdom born of cultivation regarding this sūtra. "Their mind is determined, knowing that water is certainly near": having given rise to the three kinds of wisdom, they know that the water of Buddha-nature is certainly near.