法華義疏 9

English (machine translation) 9

Language: English

9.2

Chapter 8: Conferment of Prophecy on Five Hundred Disciples

Within the exposition of past causes and conditions there are two sections: first, formally preaching the Dharma for them, which has already ended in the text; now is the second, next, conferring prophecies on them, because having heard the Dharma they gained awakening and understanding, and their practice corresponded with the Buddha, hence he conferred upon them the prophecy of buddhahood. The text has two parts in total: first, conferring prophecies on five hundred disciples constitutes one chapter; next, conferring prophecies on trainees and adepts constitutes one chapter. The reason two chapters are opened is that the previous "Conferment of Prophecy Chapter" indicated their general designation, and now, wishing to distinguish it from the previous one, the chapters are distinguished by persons; thus the general and particular titles avoid each other. The reason they are divided into two chapters according to persons involves ten meanings in five pairs: First, the vows and practices of the five hundred disciples were the same, so in the present they received prophecies at the same time, and in the future they will achieve buddhahood successively; for the later trainees and adepts, their vows and practices were also the same, so in the present they received prophecies at the same time, and in the future they will achieve buddhahood at one time; because of these causes and conditions, two chapters were opened. Second, it is precisely wishing to encompass completely the meaning of conferring prophecy through these two meanings: discussing the conferring of prophecy does not go beyond two kinds: first, achieving buddhahood successively one after another; second, achieving buddhahood at one time. Third, the former five hundred persons are the assembly of prominent fame and manifest virtue, while the later two thousand persons are the assembly of concealed names and hidden practice; because the categories of manifest and hidden are different, they were opened as two chapters. Fourth, it is precisely wishing to exhaust the meaning of conferring prophecy through these two kinds of persons, manifest and hidden. Fifth, the former five hundred persons were all equally in the stage of adepts, while the later two thousand persons were in the stages of trainees and adepts; because their categories are different, they were divided into two chapters. Sixth, it is precisely wishing to encompass completely the meaning of conferring prophecy through these two meanings. Seventh, the former five hundred persons all equally had comprehension and understanding, while the later trainees and adepts all equally lacked comprehension and understanding; because their categories are different, they were divided into two chapters. Eighth, it is precisely wishing to encompass completely the meaning of conferring prophecy through these two meanings. Ninth, among the former five hundred persons there are both those who revealed their origins and those who did not: as Pūrṇa revealed his origin while the other people did not, they form one class; among the later trainees and adepts there are also those who revealed their origins and those who did not: as Ānanda and Rāhula revealed their origins while the rest did not, they form another class; therefore they are divided into two chapters. Tenth, it is precisely to encompass completely the meaning of conferring prophecy through those having a revelation of origins and those lacking a revelation of origins.

9.4

Question:

9.5

This chapter actually confers prophecies on one thousand two hundred people; why is it titled with five hundred?

9.6

Answer:

9.7

The five hundred refers to the number of one thousand two hundred. The reason it is specifically so titled involves four meanings in total: First, when the Buddha was in the world, there were five hundred arhats of prominent fame and manifest majesty and virtue who constantly attended upon the Buddha; hence it is specifically titled after them. Second, these five hundred persons had the same vows and practices, receiving prophecies together at the same time in the present and achieving buddhahood successively in the future. Third, these five hundred persons all equally possessed the merit of being able on their own to comprehend, understand, and explain the jewel tied [in the garment]; hence they are specifically singled out. Fourth, when the Buddha first attained the Way, he first liberated the five men, and next liberated Kāśyapa and his disciples, which amounted to five hundred; here the name is established based on the beginning, and therefore they are specifically singled out.

9.8

The chapter is opened into two parts: first, individually conferring the prophecy on Pūrṇa; second, collectively conferring the prophecy on the remaining śrāvakas. As for individually conferring the prophecy on Pūrṇa: Pūrṇa had a revelation of his origin, while the other persons had no revelation of origin; Pūrṇa did not personally articulate comprehension and understanding, while the other persons personally articulated comprehension and understanding; because their categories are different, two sections are opened.

9.9

Question:

9.10

Why is it that those who revealed their origins did not personally narrate comprehension and understanding, whereas those who did not reveal their origins personally articulated comprehension and understanding?

9.11

Answer:

9.12

Discussing comprehension and understanding necessarily entails having been deluded in the past and awakened in the present; since their origins were revealed, they were not truly deluded in the past and are not genuinely awakened in the present, so those who revealed their origins could not personally articulate comprehension and understanding; since those who did not reveal their origins were truly deluded in the past and awakened in the present, they personally articulated comprehension and understanding.

9.13

Question:

9.14

Neither the superior nor intermediate persons had their origins revealed; why is it that when reaching the persons of inferior faculties their origins were revealed?

9.15

Answer:

9.16

This may be accounted for by five meanings: First, the text alternates between concealing and revealing. If all of them were revealed in their origins, there would be no individuals who truly achieved awakening; if none of them were revealed in their origins, the virtues of bodhisattvas would be concealed. For this reason, the sūtra text differs in what appears and what stays submerged. Second, that the lowest capacity has its origins revealed demonstrates that bodhisattvas are inconceivable: to manifest as a śrāvaka is already to conceal virtue, and among śrāvakas to be furthermore of the lowest capacity—therefore this is called inconceivable. Third, manifesting as śrāvakas was fundamentally to transform beings; now that all three capacities have awakened, the task of transforming beings is complete, and only then could their origins be revealed. In the preceding chapters, the work of transformation was not yet comprehensive, so their origins were not made clear. Fourth, if even people of lowest capacity have their origins revealed, how could those of middle and highest capacity be practicing the real [Hīnayāna path]? Therefore, the Mahāyānasaṃgraha says: "Śāriputra and the others are all emanated people." Thus, a sūtra says: "Subhūti is the Buddha Cinglongtuo of the eastern world." Hence we know that they are all practitioners of upāya. Fifth, it demonstrates that bodhisattvas have two kinds of upāya: revealing their origins and not revealing their origins.

9.17

Question:

9.18

What benefit is there in revealing the origins?

9.19

Answer:

9.20

Opening the one into three has generally two types: first, opening the one Dharma into three Dharmas; second, opening the one person into three persons. Although above it has been explained that the one Dharma becomes three Dharmas and the three Dharmas return to the one Dharma, it has not yet distinguished that the one person becomes three persons and the three persons become one person. Now, by revealing the origins of the bodhisattvas, it only now becomes possible to clarify that the one person becomes three persons and the three persons become one person. Because the opening and converging are explained comprehensively with respect to both persons and Dharmas, the meaning only now becomes complete.

9.21

The conferment of prophecy on Pūrṇa consists of two parts: first, hearing the Dharma as the condition for receptive understanding; second, the Tathāgata conferring prophecy. The initial text also has two parts: first, clarifying the source of attaining understanding; second, directly clarifying the attainment of understanding. The first has four phrases: The first phrase is hearing the Dharma as the condition for receptive understanding. "Wisdom" refers to real wisdom. "Expedient means" refers to upāya wisdom. This generally summarizes the Dharmas of both upāya and real wisdom in the two cycles of Dharma and parable. "Moreover, hearing the conferment of prophecy on the great disciples" generally summarizes the conferment of prophecy on people in the two cycles as the condition for receptive understanding. "Furthermore, hearing the matters of past-life causal conditions" summarizes the matter of the conjured city in the third cycle as the condition for receptive understanding. "Furthermore, hearing that the Buddhas have great mastery of supernatural powers" refers to Great Universal Wisdom Excellence Buddha sitting at the place of awakening for ten kalpas and manifesting auspicious signs and such matters. Another explanation is that it refers to Śākyamuni's ability to know matters of the remote past as the mastery of supernatural powers. The reason only four matters are explained is that the first matter refers to teaching; the next matter is the persons who obtain benefit; the past-life causal conditions relate the source of the teaching's benefit; and the last clarifies the master who can transform [others]. Since the meanings gathered are complete, it is proper to distinguish these four matters.

9.22

From "having attained what had never been before" downward is the second part, directly clarifying the receptive understanding. This also opens into four: First, clarifying the inner joy of mind, attaining the forbearance of non-arising of dharmas, devoid of the defilement of mental grasping; hence it says "his mind was pure." From "immediately arose from his seat" downward is the second, clarifying outward physical reverence. From "and had this thought" downward is the third, silent reflection in receptive understanding. "Plucking out sentient beings from their attachments everywhere" is like the previous text: "Sentient beings are attached everywhere; I lead them out." In speaking of "attachment," it does not refer merely to the affliction of greed, but also speaks of all minds with grasping. From "Only the Buddha, the World-Honoured One" downward is the fourth, beseeching the conferment of prophecy. In beseeching the conferment of prophecy, there are generally two meanings: first, to gather in the current stream of lowest capacity; second, to make vows to be reborn for the sake of sentient beings with whom he has affinity; therefore he requests prophecy. "Deep mind" refers to the forbearance of non-arising of dharmas, which is precisely the bodhisattva practice; hence it is called deep. "Original vow" refers to the bodhicitta that has no grasping.

9.23

From "At that time the Buddha addressed" downward is the second part, directly conferring prophecy for him. The text opens into two: first prose, next verses. The prose consists of two parts: first clarifying the causes practiced, later distinguishing the fruits attained. Within the causes practiced, it explains the causes practiced across the three periods of time: first, praising present virtues, which refers to practicing causes in the present; second, clarifying the causes practiced in the past; third, clarifying the causes practiced in the future. Present virtues are prominent and manifest, therefore he first praises the virtues of the present; because of past practice, he next praises the past; since the causes practiced across the two periods are not yet complete, he next praises the future. The initial text has four phrases: the first phrase addresses the assembly to question them.

9.24

Question:

9.25

Pūrṇa was in the assembly; why did [the Buddha] question the assembly, asking whether they saw him or not?

9.26

Answer:

9.27

The assembly only beheld his physical form and had not seen his virtues. Now, wishing to reveal his virtues to lead the assembly to revere him, he addressed the assembly and questioned them.

9.28

From "I constantly praise him" downward is the second phrase, praising his merit of propagating [the Dharma] upward. From "Being able among the fourfold assembly" downward is the third phrase, praising his virtue of benefiting [beings] downward. From "Excluding only the Tathāgata" downward is the fourth phrase, indicating Pūrṇa's stage, which is a person of the ten stages (bhūmis).

9.29

From "You must not think" downward is the second part, praising Pūrṇa's past virtues. The assembly at the time only thought he had the merits of propagating upward and benefiting downward in the present, not knowing that he also had these virtues in the past; therefore he praises them now. In terms of the text, there are three: first, clarifying his merit of propagating upward and benefiting downward in the presence of ninety billion Buddhas in the past; second, his ability to propagate upward and benefit downward in the presence of seven Buddhas; third, being the most skillful among preachers of the Dharma under Śākyamuni Buddha. This goes from many Buddhas to few Buddhas. The initial text has three: first, praising Pūrṇa's wisdom; second, praising his supernatural powers; third, his extensive ability to benefit beings because he is equipped with wisdom and supernatural powers. The first opens again into three: first, praising his possession of wisdom, which is real upāya. "Moreover, regarding the Dharmas of emptiness taught by the Buddhas" is the second, praising the wisdom of emptiness, which refers to upāya-reality. From "Attained the four unobstructed knowledges" downward is the third, combined praise of both wisdoms of emptiness and existence: only by fully understanding emptiness and existence can one preach the Dharma without obstruction; otherwise, it becomes grasping. "Endowed with the bodhisattva's supernatural powers" is the second, next praising supernatural powers. From "The people of that Buddha's world" downward is the third, clarifying his extensive ability to benefit beings by possessing supernatural powers and wisdom. In terms of the text, there are again two: first, praising the maturation of sentient beings; from "For the sake of purifying the Buddha lands" downward is the second, praising the purification of Buddha lands. The former also has two phrases: first, universally benefiting sentient beings of the four yānas; from "Moreover, transforming immeasurable" downward specifically benefits those seeking Buddhahood. From "O monks" downward is the second, praising the virtue of propagating upward and benefiting downward within the teachings of the seven Buddhas. From "Now under me" downward is the third, praising him as foremost among those preaching the Dharma under Śākyamuni Buddha.

9.30

From "In the Bhadrakalpa" downward is the third part, praising future cultivation of causes. This also opens into three distinctions: first, praising the cultivation of practice in the presence of Buddhas in one kalpa; from "Also in the future" downward is the second, cultivation of practice in the presence of Buddhas across many kalpas; from "Gradually perfecting" downward is the third, praising the completion of the cultivated causes.

9.31

From "Passing immeasurable" downward is the second part, clarifying the attainment of fruits. There are generally six fruits: first, the fruit of the transforming master; from "That Buddha, with sands of the Ganges" downward is the second, clarifying the fruit of the land. In "The earth was flat as the palm of a hand," there are two explanations: one says the Buddha's palm is flat, pointing to the matter as an expression; the second says there is a stone at the bottom of the sea four thousand li square, flat as a mirror surface, called the palm stone. From "The palaces of the devas" downward is the third, clarifying the fruit of the retinue. There are four phrases in all: first, clarifying the retinue of humans and devas; second, clarifying the retinue of bodhisattvas; third, distinguishing the retinue of śrāvakas; fourth, a summary conclusion. From "The kalpa was named Jewel Brightness" downward is the fourth, the fruit of the period of time. From "The land was named Good and Pure" downward: above identified the substance of the land, now it distinguishes the land's name. From "That Buddha's lifespan" downward is the fifth, clarifying the fruit of lifespan. From "The Dharma will remain very long" downward is the sixth, clarifying the fruit of maintenance.

9.32

The verse text has two parts: first, versifying the causes practiced; next, versifying the fruits attained. Versifying the causes practiced across the three periods of time forms three distinctions: first, seven verses generally praising the bodhisattvas, which explicitly praises Pūrṇa's present virtues of practice; second, five verses, versifying the causes practiced in the past; third, two and a half verses, versifying the causes practiced in the future. The first seven verses have three parts: the first verse states the praise; five verses explain the praise; one verse concludes the praise, clarifying that it cannot be fully praised. The five verses have two parts: the first four verses praise the bodhisattva's upāya of adopting the two yānas; the next one verse praises the bodhisattva's upāya of manifesting as an ordinary being. The first four verses also have two parts: the first three verses praise the bodhisattva's upāya of adopting the two yānas being able to mature sentient beings; the next one verse clarifies that the upāya of the two yānas can purify Buddha lands. The first three verses form three pairs: first, the upper half distinguishes knowing the capacities and the lower half manifests Hīnayāna deportment, which is the pair of capacity and teaching. In the second verse, the upper half skillfully transforms others, and the lower half speaks of oneself as being on a lesser path, which is the pair of self and other. In the third verse, the upper half clarifies saving beings, and the lower half distinguishes the intention of preaching the teaching, which is the pair of teaching and principle. "Though appearing with few desires and indolent": although manifesting Hīnayāna deportment and preaching the lesser teaching, seeming as though indolent toward the bodhisattva Dharma, yet in reality he is not indolent. "Displaying to the assembly possession of the three poisons and also manifesting the signs of wrong views": above, holy upāya was manifested, making the two sages of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas; now, ordinary upāya is displayed, also making two ordinary types: first, manifesting as lay sentient beings with the three poisons; second, manifesting as non-Buddhist renunciants with wrong views. Furthermore, above the upāya of the two yānas was manifested, which are people without afflictions; now the upāya of two ordinary types is displayed, which refers to people with afflictions. Now the Great Being realizes that afflictions have never existed or not existed; hence through upāya he manifests their existence and non-existence. As the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra says: "The bodhisattva neither cuts off afflictions nor abides with them, yet can manifest the two matters of both cutting off and being with them." From "Now this Pūrṇa" downward versifies the second, causes practiced in the past. From "In the future he will also make offerings" downward versifies the causes practiced in the future. From "Thereafter attaining Buddhahood" downward versifies the attainment of fruits, in two parts: first, separately versifying the attainment of fruits; next, a summary conclusion. Within the separate verses, half a verse versifies the fruit of the transforming master, half a verse versifies the fruit of the land, one line versifies the fruit of the period of time, four verses and one line versify the fruit of the retinue—five lines versifying the bodhisattvas, one verse versifying the śrāvakas, two verses versifying devas and humans, ordered from superior to inferior. "Taking joy in Dharma and delight in dhyāna as food": samādhi and wisdom can nourish the dharmakāya, hence they are called food. Furthermore, externally hearing the Dharma from the Buddha and rejoicing is joy in Dharma; internally practicing according to the teaching is delight in dhyāna. Again, the noble one's preaching of Dharma is called joy in Dharma; the noble one's silence is called delight in dhyāna. The Buddha instructed his disciples constantly to practice these two matters, so there are only two foods. Other sūtras say there are nine kinds of food: four worldly foods and five world-transcending foods. The four worldly foods are the four foods of morsel food, contact, mental volition, and consciousness. The five world-transcending foods are: first, dhyāna; second, vows; third, mindfulness; fourth, the eight liberations; fifth, joy. From "The monk Pūrṇa" downward is the second part, one and a half verses, summarizing the pure land.

9.33

From "At that time, the twelve hundred" downward is the second part, conferring prophecy on the remaining śrāvakas. It consists of two parts: first, conferring prophecy; second, receptive understanding. Within the conferment of prophecy, there are two parts: first, requesting prophecy; second, conferring prophecy.

9.34

Question:

9.35

Twelve hundred and fifty people constantly accompanied the Buddha; why does this sūtra consistently speak only of twelve hundred?

9.36

Answer: It may be that the compiler of the sūtra spoke in round numbers; or it may be that originally there were twelve hundred and fifty, but by the time of the Lotus [assembly], fifty had already passed away, so it speaks only of twelve hundred.

9.37

"We are glad and overjoyed at having gained what we never had before": they rejoice because they have heard the preceding preaching of the Dharma and the general conferment of prophecy. "Is this not delightful!": when the twelve hundred arhats saw the others receive individual prophecies, they thought that they themselves would not receive individual prophecies and so came to entreat [the Buddha]; if they were to receive individual prophecies, their attainment of Buddhahood would be settled, and therefore this is called "delightful." From "The Buddha, knowing these..." downward is the second part: the Buddha confers prophecies upon them. In the text there are three sections: first, a general assent; second, the individual conferment of prophecies; third, ordering Kāśyapa to proclaim the prophecies. The present passage is the first. From "Among this assembly..." downward is the second section: the individual conferment of prophecies. First comes the prose, and later the verses. The preceding prose has two parts: first, conferring a prophecy individually on Ājñātakauṇḍinya; next, conferring prophecies individually on the five hundred. One must realize that the five hundred and the twelve hundred are both numbers belonging to the twelve hundred. Twelve hundred was the initial number of those who attained the path of the three vehicles; among these twelve hundred, five hundred were the leaders, and thus it merely says "five hundred." Even when mentioning five hundred, it is still a number within the twelve hundred, like the designations of the group of seventeen and the group of six. From "Those five hundred arhats..." downward is the second part: conferring prophecies on the five hundred persons. As for "Kālodayin": *kālo* is translated here as "time," and *dayin* is called "rising." The *Eighteen Schools Commentary* discusses Kālu. As for "Kālodayin" (Black Udayin): mentioned above, he was the teacher of Prince Siddhārtha while in the palace. "Cunda" is translated as "displeasure," and also called "Small Path." "Svāgata" is translated as "Welcome"; his original name was Durgata ("Ill-come"); in foreign languages he is also called Sāgarata and also called Sāgata. "Udayin" is also called Udāyin, which is translated here as "arising."

9.38

The verse text also has two parts: the first six lines praise Kauṇḍinya's receipt of prophecy; the next three and a half lines praise the receipt of prophecy by the five hundred persons.

9.39

From "Kāśyapa, you already know..." downward is the third section: ordering Kāśyapa to proclaim the prophecies. Because there are not two vehicles but only the one vehicle, and all śrāvakas shall become Buddhas, the intention in ordering him to proclaim the prophecies lies in this.

9.40

From "At that time the five hundred..." downward is the second main part: recounting their own receipt and understanding. In the text there are two sections: first, prose; second, verses. The prose has four parts: first, the Dharma; second, the parable; third, the application; fourth, the concluding rejoicing. The first, the Dharma explanation, also has four parts: first, indicating the conditions for their receipt and understanding—receiving the prophecy is precisely the condition for receipt and understanding. From "leaping with joy..." downward is the second part: internal joy in their minds. From "immediately arose from their seats..." downward is the third part: paying homage with their external comportment. From "repenting their errors and reproaching themselves..." downward is the fourth part: uttering words to recount their own receipt and understanding. This is further divided into four: first, repenting their errors and reproaching themselves; second, recounting their past delusion; third, recounting their present awakening; fourth, the explanation. Repenting their errors and reproaching themselves means repenting the sin of having an object of attainment in the Hīnayāna, so as to lead those who have not yet altered their attachment to the two vehicles to alter it on this account, and to make those who have already generated the mind set on the Mahāyāna firm and non-retrogressing. However, from beginning to end this sūtra employs the twelve hundred persons to refute all Hīnayāna practitioners throughout the ten directions and the three times, causing them to renounce having an object of attainment and to awaken to and enter the equal, correct contemplation; and furthermore, it employs the persons of the three capacities to refute the bodhisattvas of the ten directions and the three times who cling rigidly to the two views of the Mahāyāna and the Hīnayāna, likewise causing them to awaken to and enter the wondrous realization of neither great nor small, neither one nor three, without reliance and without attainment. Therefore, from beginning to end, this sūtra takes the twelve hundred persons as its starting point. It uses these persons' clingings and delusions to reveal the delusions of having an object of attainment regarding the great and the small, and relies on these persons' awakening to guide all minds deluded by having an object of attainment regarding the great and the small, causing them all to attain awakening.

9.41

Question:

9.42

If so, are the three cycles of this sūtra all [merely enacted by] persons of upāya, with no one truly awakening to the path?

9.43

Answer:

9.44

Using these three capacities to recount delusion and awakening causes actual practitioners of the Hīnayāna to gain faith in the *Lotus Sūtra*. Therefore, what was stated earlier—"All other śrāvakas, because they believe the Buddha's words, comply with this sūtra"—is precisely the proof of this.

9.45

Question:

9.46

How is it known that the śrāvakas of the three capacities are all upāya?

9.47

Answer:

9.48

There is no actual practitioner who, upon hearing the *Lotus Sūtra*, could immediately understand it and assist the Buddha in propagating the transformation. Therefore, in this sūtra the Buddha expounds it in three cycles, and the disciples also expound it in three cycles. Both the master and the disciples are making apparent the esoteric teaching to tame sentient beings. Yet the quiescent, correct contemplation has never known master and disciple; for the sake of sentient beings, master and disciple are provisionally enacted by upāya, wishing to lead those who receive transformation to awaken to and enter equality. Therefore, the *Nirvāṇa Sūtra* states: "Expounding the Dharma is neither master nor disciple; this is called the Middle Way." Since master and disciple are upāya, delusion and awakening are also like this. Equal, correct contemplation has never known delusion and awakening; for the sake of sentient beings, delusion and awakening are provisionally enacted by upāya. Therefore, the *Nirvāṇa Sūtra* states: "All sentient beings cannot break their fetters, yet it is not that they cannot break them; neither breaking nor not breaking—this is called the Middle Way." One must always read the *Lotus Sūtra* with this meaning. If one clings to opening the past and gathering into the present, the existence of the one and the nonexistence of the three, and delusion and awakening from beginning to end, this constitutes having an object of attainment. What has an object of attainment is ignorance, not the equal, great wisdom. One who has an object of attainment has neither path nor fruit, and cannot practice the Buddha's cause to attain the Buddha's fruit. What has an object of attainment is called coarse, not the wondrous Dharma. What has an object of attainment is defiled attachment, not termed the lotus flower.

9.49

Regarding "repenting errors": in the past, the Buddha caused me to generate the non-dual bodhicitta that has no object of attainment, yet my inversions were gross and heavy, turning my back on the great and seizing the small; this is the first of my sins. From the beginning of the sūtra until now, he has expounded the equal, great wisdom for me in two cycles, yet I doubted and regretted without understanding; this is the second of my sins. I have already troubled the Tathāgata across two lifetimes, and therefore I repent my errors before the Buddha. Moreover, clinging to the small and doubting the great deeply obstructs the Dharma, so before the Dharma I repent the sin of having an object of attainment. "Reproaching themselves": turning one's back on the great and seizing the small, clinging to the small and doubting the great, are all due to one's own dull faculties; therefore they reproach themselves.

9.50

Question:

9.51

Why do those of lower faculties alone have these words?

9.52

Answer:

9.53

Hearing it three times before finally understanding involves a profound burden for each, and so it is stated specifically [of them]. Furthermore, the śrāvakas of all three capacities ought to repent their errors and reproach themselves, but in order to vary the presentation to make the errors manifest, the three kinds are made distinct.

9.54

From "World-Honoured One, we..." downward is the second part: recounting past delusion. From "now we know this, like persons without wisdom..." downward is the third part: clarifying present awakening. From "Why is this?" downward is the fourth part: the explanation. It clarifies that they should have attained the great yet preserved the small and took it as sufficient, and were therefore persons without wisdom; this explains the preceding "like persons without wisdom."

9.55

From "For instance, like a man..." downward is the second part: the parabolic explanation that broadly recounts their receipt and understanding. In this sūtra the Buddha expounded in three cycles: the first cycle was an exposition in Dharma; the next cycle was an exposition in parables; the final cycle was both parables and Dharma. The disciples' three expressions of receipt and understanding also have three stages: Śāriputra, hearing the preceding exposition in Dharma, in turn made an expression of receipt and understanding in Dharma; Kāśyapa, awakening to the preceding exposition in parables, in turn received it through a parabolic exposition; now, fully comprehending both Dharma and parable, they make their expression through both Dharma and parable; hence the preceding clarified receipt and understanding in Dharma, and now clarifies receipt and understanding in parables. In the parable from beginning to end there are altogether eight clauses: 1. the poor man arrives at the house of a close friend; 2. the close friend treats him to wine and food; 3. he drinks the wine, becomes drunk, and lies down; 4. [the friend] ties a precious jewel [into his garment]; 5. he is utterly unaware of it; 6. having arisen, he travels about seeking food and clothing; 7. he meets his close friend, who shows him the precious jewel; 8. the poor man obtains the jewel and rejoices. For the close friend to benefit him from beginning to end, eight matters must be complete; grouped by category, the intended meaning comprises only three: first, the parable of tying on the precious jewel; second, the parable of losing each other along the way; third, the parable of meeting and being shown the jewel. The reason for establishing these three parables is that they in turn express understanding of the preceding three meanings: first, understanding their past reception of the Mahāyāna, which was at the time of the Buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū; second, understanding their forgetting the great and seizing the small, which extends from falling back from bodhicitta in the past right up to before [the assembly on] Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa; third, understanding their regaining awakening to the great, which is the assembly on Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa. Second, they express understanding of the three parables of the conjured city: the first expresses understanding of the parable of initially preaching the Mahāyāna; the next expresses understanding of the parable of preaching the small along the way; the next expresses understanding of the parable of returning to preach the great at the end. Third, they express understanding of the Tathāgata's three kinds of Dharma wheels: the first expresses understanding of the fundamental Dharma wheel; the next expresses understanding of the branch Dharma wheel; the last expresses understanding of the Dharma wheel that gathers the branches back into the root. "For instance, like a man": this refers to the class of lower faculties. "Arrives at the house of a close friend": in the past they had the capacity for the Mahāyāna, which evoked the preaching of the Mahāyāna teaching, and so it is called "arriving." Sharing the same Buddha-nature and having previously received transformation, they are relatives in the supramundane Dharma; having a common aspiration for bodhi and transcending saṃsāra together, they are therefore called "friends." The "Parable Chapter" made a parable of father and son, and the "Belief and Understanding Chapter" likewise made it father and son to express understanding; the "Parable of the Conjured City Chapter" made the parable of the guide and his companions, and now they likewise make it brothers to express understanding: because the sixteen novices were awakened first in the past, they are called elder brothers, and an elder brother is a friend; those who received the teaching learned later, which has the meaning of younger brothers. "House" is the place where the Mahāyāna teaching is expounded. As for "drinks the wine, becomes drunk, and lies down": Guangzhai and others say: "The poor man was originally drunk; going to his close friend's house, he then lay down. This illustrates sentient beings clouded by the five turbidities; their feelings lingering in saṃsāra is the drunkenness; their minds deluded by ignorance gained understanding, but before long they forgot that understanding, and subsequently did not practice, like lying down." Now I say this is not so. The verses below state: "For instance, like a poor man / who went to the house of a close friend. / That household was very rich / and fully prepared all sorts of fine food." If he had arrived drunk and lain down, how could [the friend] have prepared it? Moreover, having prepared fine food, could there be no wine? In that case the details of the parable would not hold. Now I clarify that there can be two meanings here: first, the close friend prepared wine and food, but the prose is concise and so does not state it, whereas the verses provide it in full. Second, this prose itself implicitly contains it. The text says "he drank wine, became drunk, and lay down"; the wine was prepared by the close friend, and the drunkenness was the poor man drinking the wine and becoming drunk. In the past, the preaching of the *Lotus Sūtra*—namely, the signless teaching of the great doctrine of the Middle Way—was the wine; lingering in the teaching was the drunkenness; being deluded about the principle was lying down. Thus the sūtra states: "Holding the bottle of the emptiness samādhi to contain the wine of signlessness."

9.56

Question:

9.57

Why is wine used as a metaphor for the teaching?

9.58

Answer:

9.59

First, wine has the sense of joy and pleasure, illustrating that upon hearing the teaching one rejoices and knows oneself to be a Buddha; second, wine has the sense of intoxication and delusion, illustrating that on account of the teaching one generates delusion. Here, illustrating the Mahāyāna is precisely intended to clarify the meaning of the śrāvakas of the three capacities becoming deluded by the teaching along the way; therefore wine is appropriately borrowed as a metaphor, and hence at the very outset it says, "he drank wine, became drunk, and lay down."

9.60

Question:

9.61

If one becomes drunk and lies down because of wine, should providing the teaching give rise to delusion?

9.62

Answer:

9.63

When close friends meet together, it is originally to gladden the spirit, not to cause intoxication and drunkenness; when the Tathāgata expounds the teaching, the intent is awakening to the principle, not to cause delusion through conditions. It is only because they missed the aim that they became confused.

9.64

Regarding "At that time the close friend had official business and was about to set out": the bodhisattva's transformation of beings is masterfully autonomous, just like official business. Moreover, the Great Being's benefiting of beings is not for his own sake, just like official business. Furthermore, when the spiritual capacity [for receiving teachings] in this land was exhausted and conditions in another realm arose, he could not but depart, just as "he had official business and was about to set out." Regarding "tied a priceless jewel inside his garment": this properly explains the parable of tying the jewel. The Fahua lun says: "There are people of distracted and overweening pride whose minds truly lack concentration. Although they had Mahāyāna good roots in the past, they are unaware of them. Being unaware, they do not seek the Mahāyāna; in their narrow and inferior minds, they produce false understandings, taking [their attainment] to be the foremost vehicle. To counter this inverted clinging, the parable of tying the jewel was spoken. That is to say, it shows them their past good roots, causes them to remember them, and then instructs them to enter samādhi." The Lun also says: "To manifest that understanding is unsurpassable, the parable of tying the jewel was spoken." The understanding of the Mahāyāna Middle Way is likened to the jewel; being the culmination within principle, it is called "priceless." Furthermore, through this non-dual understanding one evokes the great fruit of Buddhahood; because its capacity is immense, it is called "priceless." Because understanding is conferred by the Buddha, it is called "tied"; because the understanding is concealed deep within the mind of delusion, it is like being "inside the garment."

9.65

Question:

9.66

The conferral of understanding originally depends on the sentient being's comprehension. Since the text says, "having drunk wine, he lay down asleep, completely unaware," how could understanding be conferred at a time of complete unawareness?

9.67

Answer:

9.68

Regarding the tying of the jewel: the original purpose in expounding the intent of the Mahāyāna was not to have it received merely temporarily, but to perfume the consciousness so that it would not perish across kalpas. Therefore, [the text] merely borrows the time of drunken unawareness to illustrate the tying of the jewel; in reality, it was not tied at a time of unawareness. Second, the jewel of understanding represents the bodhicitta; that it was not lost comes to light precisely at a later time. Now, wishing to show that this imperishable understanding of a later time derives from the Buddha's conferral, it was spoken of with reference to the later time. Moreover, how we know that the tying of the precious jewel did not occur at a time of unawareness is that the jewel represents the bodhicitta: if he were completely unaware, how could he have given rise to the bodhicitta? It is only based on his later neglect and forgetting that it says he was "unaware."

9.69

Question:

9.70

If the tying of the jewel occurred at a time of awareness, could there also be drinking of wine without intoxication?

9.71

Answer:

9.72

Initially he was not intoxicated, and only later became intoxicated—just as when he first received the teaching, he was not deluded, and only later became deluded.

9.73

Question:

9.74

Why did the close friend provide wine and food, and also tie the jewel?

9.75

Answer:

9.76

The close friend's bestowal of benefit can involve two matters, beginning and end: in the beginning he provided wine and food, and in the end he bestowed a valuable treasure. The valuable treasure is the cause of later wealth and nobility; the wine and food are the joy of their present encounter. Initially receiving the Mahāyāna also comprises two matters: first, obtaining benefit at that time, like drinking wine to gladden the spirit; second, the understanding perfuming the consciousness so that it does not perish across kalpas, which is likened to tying the precious jewel.

9.77

Question:

9.78

Since it is a single understanding from beginning to end, why not present a single parable?

9.79

Answer:

9.80

The wine and food have only the benefit of the present time but lack the meaning of not being lost at a later time; the tying of the jewel has only the not being lost at a later time but lacks the principle of an immediate benefit. Therefore, two parables are presented to illustrate the single understanding from beginning to end.

9.81

Question:

9.82

If it were solely the conferral of a single understanding, then the initial meeting with the close friend would already be the tying of the jewel. Why was it only tied when he was lying asleep drunk?

9.83

Answer:

9.84

The two parables actually refer to a single time; that they are spoken of before and after is to draw out two meanings: The drinking of wine draws on the meaning that initially there is slight understanding and later one becomes confused and deluded. Although he later becomes deluded, the understanding is hidden within the delusion and ultimately does not perish, which is like the tying of the jewel. Thus, the parable of the wine reveals that after understanding, delusion arises; the parable of the jewel clarifies that even though delusion arises, the understanding does not perish.

9.85

Question:

9.86

The sūtra itself distinguishes before and after; why do you say it was at one time?

9.87

Answer:

9.88

In the later verses, it explains that setting out the wine and food was the very tying of the precious jewel; thus we know it was at one time. It is only that [the sūtra] wishes to reveal the two meanings of beginning and end, as explained above.

9.89

Question:

9.90

Do the wine and jewel only illustrate understanding, or do they also illustrate the teaching?

9.91

Answer:

9.92

Broadly speaking, both can serve as parables: the teaching of the Middle Way is perfectly upright, just like the jewel; cultivating the spirit and nourishing nature is identical in function to wine. Since the teaching comprises both, the same holds true for understanding. However, the jewel properly represents understanding—namely, the bodhicitta; hence the correspondence below says, "the vow for omniscient knowledge still remains and is not lost." The parable of wine has two meanings: first, it illustrates the teaching; second, the drinking of wine benefiting the body illustrates that receiving the teaching generates understanding. Thus we know it possesses both meanings. Yet the wine properly illustrates the teaching.

9.93

Regarding "he gave it to him and departed": at that time he could not yet be transformed, so [the friend] could not but leave him. Furthermore, initially providing the wine illustrates expounding the teaching, while tying the jewel illustrates conferring understanding; having finished conferring understanding, the receptive capacity in this land had ceased, and therefore he departed.

9.94

Regarding "the man, lying asleep drunk, was completely unaware": this is the second [part], the parable of forgetting the great and adopting the small along the way. Having clung to the teaching and produced delusions, he passed through birth and death without being aware that he had once possessed the understanding of the Mahāyāna. Regarding "having gotten up, he journeyed about": the preceding phrase clarified the forgetting of the great understanding, as in "completely unaware"; this phrase distinguishes practicing the Hīnayāna, hence it says "having gotten up, he journeyed about." Furthermore, the preceding phrase distinguishes being completely unaware, forgetting the original understanding, and drifting through the five destinies; this phrase distinguishes rising up to seek the supramundane Dharma of the two vehicles. The stirring of the Hīnayāna capacity is "getting up"; cultivating the Hīnayāna Dharma is "journeying." Regarding "he arrived in another country": he thought that nirvāṇa could be realized, yet what he held to was not his original [home], hence it says "another country." That is, the Mahāyāna is his native country, and the teaching of the two vehicles is "another country." In the parable of belief and understanding, the Mahāyāna principle is one's own country and birth-and-death is another country; here, the Mahāyāna is one's own and the Hīnayāna is the other. Regarding "for the sake of food and clothing, he sought diligently with great hardship": the minor bliss of the two vehicles is comparable in meaning to food and clothing; subduing afflictions without remiss is "diligent effort"; being beset by anxieties regarding emptiness and existence is "great hardship." Furthermore, because it does not accord with principle, it is called "hardship." Moreover, the bodhisattva is like the path of ease, while the śrāvaka is like the path of hardship, hence it is like "hardship." Regarding "if he gained even a little, he immediately took it to be sufficient": the above distinguished practicing the cause; here it clarifies attaining the fruit: clinging to the minor as ultimate, hence it says "taking it to be sufficient." Regarding "later the close friend encountered and saw him": this is the third [part], the parable of encountering him and showing him the jewel.

9.95

Question:

9.96

Does he only now see the close friend, or had he seen him before?

9.97

Answer:

9.98

In "having gotten up, he journeyed about," he had already seen the close friend, but because [the Buddha] only expounded the Hīnayāna teaching, he was not yet called the friend of former days, so it does not say he saw him. Now, having shown him the jewel, he is once again like the friend of former times, and only then is it called "seeing."

9.99

Regarding "later": that is, after the expounding of the minor teaching, the great capacity imperceptibly stirred, which is named "encountering"; being illuminated by the Buddha's wisdom is called "seeing him." Regarding "and spoke these words: 'Alas, good fellow! Why, for the sake of food and clothing, [have you come] even to this?'": the preceding clarified seeing the capacity; now it distinguishes expounding the teaching. Formerly he gave rise to the great aspiration and practiced the great practice, with vigorous and heroic resolve and strength, hence he is called a "good fellow." Now he has ended up abandoning the great and learning the small, which is lamentable indeed. Regarding "I formerly wished to cause you to obtain peace and joy, to indulge freely in the five desires": formerly he wished to cause sentient beings to obtain the bliss of Buddhahood. Regarding "in such-and-such a year, month, and day, I tied a priceless jewel inside your garment, and it is still present even now": the time of the Buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū was the year, month, and day; expounding the Lotus Sūtra for him and conferring the understanding of the ekayāna was tying the jewel; that the past cause did not perish is "it is still present even now." Regarding "yet you did not know": this clarifies that he did not know he possessed the great understanding. Regarding "toiling in sorrow and affliction to seek a livelihood": this clarifies his adopting the small. Regarding "you are exceedingly foolish": forgetting the great and adopting the small is due to the afflictions of ignorance, hence it is called "foolish." Regarding "you may now trade this jewel for what you require": trading with the jewel of the bodhicitta, one will certainly evoke the perfect virtues of the Buddha Path. Evoking the fruit by means of the cause is precisely the meaning of "trading." From "The Buddha is also like this" onward is the third [section], matching the three parables. That is, three [parts]. Regarding "when he was a bodhisattva": this matches the "close friend" above. Regarding "transformed and guided": this matches the "providing wine" above. Regarding "caused them to generate the mind of omniscient knowledge": this matches the "tying the precious jewel" above. From "yet they soon neglected and forgot it" downward is the second [part], matching the parable of abandoning the great and adopting the small, which also simultaneously matches "having drunk wine, he lay down asleep" above. "Neglected and forgot" properly matches "completely unaware" above. Regarding "having already attained arhatship": the above matched forgetting the great; this matches adopting the small. Regarding "the vow for omniscient knowledge still remains and is not lost": this matches the third [part], the parable of the close friend showing the jewel. From "Now the World-Honoured One awakens us" downward matches the words above, "Alas, good fellow! [Why] ... even to this?" From "I long ago caused you all" downward matches the text above from "I formerly wished to cause you to obtain peace and joy" up to "tying the jewel." From "yet you considered it to be" downward matches the above "yet you did not know ... you are exceedingly foolish."

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法華義疏 — Classical Chinese