法華義疏 9.172

9.172

「菩薩亦復如是」下，第三、合譬。亦得就二義釋之：一者、未聞《法華》不生三慧故去佛遠；若聞《法華》發生三慧去佛則近。二者、雖聞《法華》未生聞慧猶名未聞故去佛遠；若聞《法華》發生三慧故去佛近也。「所以者何」下，第四、解釋也。「三菩提皆屬此經」者，此經明三佛菩提，故三佛菩提皆屬此經。又三佛菩提皆從此經出，故皆屬此經也。「此經開方便門示真實相」者，開二種方便、示二種真實。昔不言二種是方便，故名方便門閉，方便門閉則不得示兩種真實；今說二種是方便則方便門開，方便門開故得示二種是真實也。「是法華經藏深固幽遠無人能到」者，二權二實蘊在此經名之為藏，淵淵難測為深，古今不改為固也，求之芒然為幽，探賾所不及為遠，十住未明名無人能到也。「今佛教化」者，為釋疑。疑者云：若無人能到，眾生云何得解？是故釋云：為教化菩薩，故開示之令得信解也。

From "Bodhisattvas are also like this" onward is the third, applying the parable. This also can be explained according to two meanings: first, not yet having heard the Lotus, one does not generate the three kinds of wisdom, hence one is far from the Buddha; if one hears the Lotus and generates the three kinds of wisdom, one is then near to the Buddha. Second, although having heard the Lotus, not yet having generated the wisdom born of hearing is still called not having heard, hence one is far from the Buddha; if one hears the Lotus and generates the three kinds of wisdom, one is therefore near to the Buddha. From "Why is this?" onward is the fourth, the explanation. "Sambodhi all belongs to this sūtra": this sūtra clarifies the three kinds of Buddha bodhi, hence the three kinds of Buddha bodhi all belong to this sūtra. Furthermore, the three kinds of Buddha bodhi all emerge from this sūtra, hence they all belong to this sūtra. "This sūtra opens the door of expedient means and reveals the real mark": it opens the two kinds of expedient means and reveals the two kinds of reality. Formerly it was not stated that the two kinds are expedient means, hence it was called the door of expedient means being closed; with the door of expedient means closed, the two kinds of reality could not be shown. Now it states that the two kinds are expedient means, so the door of expedient means is opened; with the door of expedient means opened, it is therefore able to show that the two kinds are real. "The treasury of this Lotus Sūtra is deep, solid, secluded, and far, and no one can reach it": the two provisionals and two reals stored in this sūtra are called its treasury; unfathomable and deep is "deep," unchanging through ancient and modern times is "solid"; searching for it vaguely is "secluded," beyond the reach of probing profundities is "far"; not yet understood in the ten abodes is called "no one can reach it." "Now the Buddha teaches and transforms": this resolves a doubt. The doubter says: "If no one can reach it, how can sentient beings attain understanding?" Therefore it explains: for the sake of teaching and transforming bodhisattvas, he opens and reveals it so that they can attain faith and understanding.