法華遊意 1.101

1.101

第二、明宗旨門者，自古至今明宗旨與體，或言是一、或言是有異。言其異者，以教為體、以理為宗，故《涅槃》釋七善文云「知法知義」，知法者謂十二部經，知義者謂教所表理，故以能表之教以為經體，所表之理用以為經宗。言宗體一者，所表之理既是理宗旨，能詮之文還詮宗旨，故宗體不二。今明一之與異隨時用之，貴在得悟，義無定也。昔在會稽，撰釋法華宗旨凡有十三家，今略明即世盛行，有其三說：一云以萬善之因為此經宗。所以然者，斯經文雖有七軸而宗歸一乘，是者即因也，故乘以運出為義，運載行人從因至果，至果則更無進趣，是故非乘。如《大品》云「是乘從三界出，到薩波若中住」，《智度論》釋此語云「乘到菩提變名種智」，故知以因為乘。《勝鬘經》云「於佛果上更無說一乘法事」，故則知果非乘矣。

Second, concerning the heading clarifying the central theme: from ancient times to the present, in clarifying the central theme and the essence, some say they are one, while others say they are different. As for those who say they are different: taking the teaching as the essence and the principle as the central theme, hence the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] in explaining the passage on the seven kinds of goodness says 'knowing the Dharma and knowing the meaning': 'knowing the Dharma' refers to the twelve divisions of scriptures; 'knowing the meaning' refers to the principle expressed by the teaching. Therefore, they take the teaching that is able to express as the essence of the sūtra, and employ the principle expressed as the central theme of the sūtra. As for those who say the central theme and essence are one: since the principle expressed is the central theme of principle, the text capable of explaining it turns back to explain the central theme; therefore, central theme and essence are non-dual. Now we clarify that unity and difference are used according to the occasion; what is prized is attaining awakening, for the meaning is not fixed. In the past in Kuaiji, there were altogether thirteen traditions that composed explanations of the central theme of the Lotus Sūtra. Now we briefly clarify those currently prevalent, of which there are three explanations: The first says that the cause of the myriad goods is taken as the central theme of this sūtra. Why is this? Although the text of this sūtra has seven scrolls, its theme culminates in the ekayāna; this is precisely the cause. Hence 'vehicle' has the meaning of conveying outward: it conveys practitioners from cause to effect; upon reaching the effect, there is no further progression, and for this reason it is not a vehicle. As the Pañcaviṃśati states, 'This vehicle exits the triple world and abides within sarvajñā.' The Dàzhìdù lùn explains these words, saying, 'When the vehicle reaches bodhi, its name transforms to sarvākārajñatā.' Hence we know that the cause is taken as the vehicle. The Śrīmālādevīsūtra states, 'Above the buddha-effect, there is no longer any matter of preaching the ekayāna Dharma.' Thus we know that the effect is not a vehicle.