法華義疏 3.282

3.282

Regarding the section on the reality of the ekayāna, it is further divided into three distinctions: first, the section on Śākyamuni personally explaining the reality of the ekayāna, also called the section on personally disclosing the tenet; second, the section on citing all Buddhas as verifying witnesses; third, the section explaining Śākyamuni's conforming and harmonizing [with them]. The reason these three sections are present is that Śākyamuni is the present lord of teachings and therefore first personally discloses the tenet; fearing that living beings will not believe, he then cites all Buddhas as witnesses; and only after the matter of testifying has concluded can he finally conform and harmonize [with them]. Within the first chapter, three more sections are opened: first, the section on praise; second, the section on [his words] not being false; third, the section on revealing the intent of the teaching. The reason these three sections are present is that praising inspires faith and understanding, [affirming that words are] not false suppresses slander, and [thus] understanding is opened and doubts are blocked. The preparatory causes having concluded, he then directly reveals the intent of the teaching. In the initial passage there are two lines: the first is the phenomenon (dharma), and the second is the parable. "Such wonderful Dharma": this reveals the fundamental import of the entire scripture; that is, it first clarifies the reality of the ekayāna and presents it by way of the title. The "wonderful" (subtle) is of two kinds: first, wonder of essence, meaning neither one nor three, where speech is forgotten and deliberate thought is severed. Second, wonder of function, neither three nor one, of which one knows not how to praise it, yet in contrast to the former three it is forcibly praised as one. Therefore the Zhu Fahua jing says: "Neither three nor one, exhausting all marks, is the wonderful; neither great nor small, accommodating all beings, is the Dharma." This is indeed the old tradition of [Kumāra]jīva and Sengzhao, not a new explanation of today. "Only at certain times is it spoken": this praises the rarity of encountering the Dharma, increasing feelings of reverence and faith. Speaking from afar, as a later passage says, only after myriads of koṭis of kalpas, up to inconceivable numbers, do the Buddhas, the World-Honoured Ones, at certain times expound this sūtra. Speaking from nearby, during more than forty years of Śākyamuni's single lifetime of teaching it had not yet been preached and is only now being preached; thus we know it is rare. "Like the udumbara flower, which appears only once in a while": this is a parable for the preceding words "only at certain times is it spoken." Dao Lang of Hexi said: "This is called the marvelous auspicious flower, and also called the flower that arises in space. India has the tree but not its flowers; if a wheel-turning sage king appears in the world, this flower then appears." This shows that if living beings are receptive to hearing the teaching of the ekayāna and becoming kings of the Dharma wheel, the Buddhas, the World-Honoured Ones, will only then expound this sūtra; thus the marvelous auspicious flower is the sign of a wheel-turning king, and the Lotus Sūtra is the proof of attaining Buddhahood. From "Śāriputra! You all should believe" onward is the second: the section explaining that [the Buddha's words] are not false. When about to explain the past three and the present one, the words appear contradictory, and fearing beings will not believe, he now clarifies that the Buddha's words are not false, encouraging beings to faithfully accept them. From "Śāriputra! What the Buddhas preach according to suitability" onward is the third: the section revealing the intent of the teaching. The preceding two lines were preparatory causes; now this single section begins the direct exposition. Regarding the revealing of the intent of the teaching, it is again divided into two: first, the section showing that living beings do not understand the intent of the teaching; second, the section showing that only Buddhas can understand the intent of the teaching. "What is preached according to suitability has an underlying intent that is difficult to understand": this marks two chapter rubrics: first, the rubric marking what is preached according to suitability; next, the rubric marking that the underlying intent is difficult to understand. When Buddhas preach the Dharma, they preach according to two modes: first, preaching according to actual reality; second, preaching according to the suitability of the capacities. Preaching the ekayāna is preaching according to the reality of principle. Preaching the triyāna is preaching according to the suitability of capacities. That in the reality of principle there are no three, yet three are preached, is preaching according to the suitability of capacities. "The underlying intent is difficult to understand": the above explained the teaching preached according to suitability, and now this clarifies the principle expressed by the teaching. If words speak of three and the intent were also three, this would not be called difficult to understand; it is truly because the words speak of three while the intent is not three—the words being near while the intent is far—that the underlying intent is difficult to understand. Moreover, if the intent rested on "not three," it would also not be called difficult to understand; now saying "not three" clarifies that it is not three, but not that it is "non-three." Thus, when the mind has nowhere to alight, it accords with the profound tenet; therefore it is called difficult to understand. From "Why is this?" onward explains the above two sections: first, explaining the section on suitability; next, explaining the section on the underlying intent being difficult to understand. "I, through countless expedient means (upāya)": whether wrong or right, whether agreeable or adverse, all are skillful methods, hence called upāya. Furthermore, to cause all to awaken and enter the single path of purity, he manifests various transformations, making them the preliminary steps and gradations for the single path; hence they are called upāya. "Various causes and conditions": the reason for manifesting differences between wrong and right, transformations agreeable and adverse, is truly because the capacities and natures of living beings are not singular and their entry into the path each depends on different grounds; hence it is said "various causes and conditions." "Parables and expressions to expound various dharmas": the above "countless upāya" comprehensively explained the right of the eight phases of attaining the path, and the manifestation of the wrong of the ninety-six heterodox arts; or enacting the defiance of Devadatta and Sunakṣatra, or manifesting the compliance of Ānanda and Rāhula; thus comprehensively explaining all skillful means. Now it specifically clarifies the single matter of preaching the Dharma. Within preaching the Dharma, it does not exceed two aspects: first, various parables; second, various expressions. From "countless upāya" to "various preachings of the Dharma," it comprehensively subsumes all of Śākyamuni's teachings. "This Dharma cannot be understood through deliberate thought and discrimination": this explains the chapter rubric that the underlying intent is difficult to understand. The Tathāgata preaches all teachings in order to cause living beings to awaken and enter the single path. Therefore a later passage says: "With respect to all dharmas, he expounds them with wisdom and expedient means," and all the dharmas he preaches reach the stage of all-knowledge. Those who receive the teaching of the triyāna deliberately think and discriminate about the three, and in the end never understand the intent of the teaching of the three. Furthermore, using five minds to discriminate the five vehicles, they in the end never understand that the words speak of five while the intent is not five; hence it is said that it cannot be understood through deliberate thought and discrimination. Moreover, a mind with grasping (prāptilakṣaṇa) is called deliberate thought and discrimination; therefore the Mahāyānasaṃgraha says: "Discrimination is the affliction of bodhisattvas."