法華遊意 1.217

1.217

The appearance of the blue lotus is exquisite, and therefore it is compared to the eyes of the Tathāgata; but what the white flower represents is superior, so it is fitting as a metaphor for this sūtra. The reason for this is that, wishing to clarify that the meaning of this sūtra is clear and distinct, it uses the white flower as a metaphor. How is this known? The auspicious signs in the two sections of this sūtra both clarify the white: in the first section, he emits the light of the ūrṇā-raśmi between his eyebrows to open the upāya portal of the vehicle and reveal the real meaning of the vehicle; next, at the beginning of the 'Apparition of the Jeweled Stūpa' chapter, he again emits the light of the ūrṇā-raśmi between his eyebrows, desiring to signify the opening of the upāya portal of the body and the revealing of the real meaning of the body. Because this sūtra's opening of the two upāyas and revealing of the two real meanings is the most distinct, the white flower is cited as a metaphor.