法華義疏 3.281

3.281

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.