妙法蓮華經玄贊 1.26

1.26

其品得名者，經有二十八品，謂〈序品〉、〈方便品〉、〈譬喻品〉、〈信解品〉、〈藥草喻品〉、〈授記品〉、〈化城喻品〉、〈五百弟子授記品〉、〈授學無學人記品〉、〈法師品〉、〈見寶塔品〉、〈提婆達多品〉、〈勸持品〉、〈安樂行品〉、〈從地涌出品〉、〈如來壽量品〉、〈分別功德品〉、〈隨喜功德品〉、〈法師功德品〉、〈常不輕菩薩品〉、〈如來神力品〉、〈囑累品〉、〈藥王菩薩本事品〉、〈妙音菩薩品〉、〈觀世音菩薩普門品〉、〈陀羅尼品〉、〈妙莊嚴王本事品〉、〈普賢菩薩勸發品〉，於此諸品總為四例：一義為名有十五，二義為名有十，三義為名有一，不定為名有二。一義為名有十五中復為四例，從法為名有四：〈方便品〉、〈信解品〉、〈持品〉、〈陀羅尼品〉；從喻為名有三：〈譬喻品〉、〈藥草喻品〉、〈化城喻品〉；從人為名有四：〈法師品〉、〈提婆達多品〉、〈常不輕菩薩品〉、〈妙音菩薩品〉。其法師品有法之師從人名中，法即是師以法為師從法名中，隨應可悉。從事為名有四：〈序品〉、〈授記品〉、〈從地涌出品〉、〈囑累品〉。二義為名有十中復有三例，從人法為名有八：〈授學無學人記品〉、〈如來壽量品〉、〈法師功德品〉、〈如來神力品〉、〈藥王菩薩本事品〉、〈觀世音菩薩普門品〉、〈妙莊嚴王本事品〉、〈普賢菩薩勸發品〉。能所為名有一，〈分別功德品〉。因果為名有一，〈隨喜功德品〉。三義為名有一，〈五百弟子授記品〉。五百者數，弟子者人，授記者事，故成三義。不定為名有二：一〈安樂行品〉，二〈見寶塔品〉。安樂之義通因果故，其見之義通見、現故。安樂在因、見者現也，即一義名中。若安樂在果、見者見也，即二義名中。思准可悉，且依總類以辨得名，得名所從至品當釋。

Regarding how the chapters get their titles: the sūtra has twenty-eight chapters, namely the "Introductory Chapter", "Expedient Means Chapter", "Parable Chapter", "Faith and Understanding Chapter", "Medicinal Herbs Parable Chapter", "Bestowal of Prophecy Chapter", "Apparition of the City Parable Chapter", "Bestowal of Prophecy on Five Hundred Disciples Chapter", "Bestowal of Prophecy on Those in Training and Those Beyond Training Chapter", "Dharma Teacher Chapter", "Beholding the Jeweled Stūpa Chapter", "Devadatta Chapter", "Exhortation to Maintain Chapter", "Comfortable Conduct Chapter", "Welling Forth from the Earth Chapter", "Tathāgata's Lifespan Chapter", "Discrimination of Merits Chapter", "Rejoicing in Merits Chapter", "Merits of the Dharma Teacher Chapter", "Sadāparibhūta Bodhisattva Chapter", "Divine Powers of the Tathāgata Chapter", "Entrustment Chapter", "Former Affairs of Bhaiṣajyarāja Bodhisattva Chapter", "Gadgadasvara Bodhisattva Chapter", "Universal Gate of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva Chapter", "Dhāraṇī Chapter", "Former Affairs of King Śubhavyūha Chapter", and "Exhortations of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva Chapter". Among these chapters, they are generally divided into four categories: fifteen are named after a single meaning, ten are named after two meanings, one is named after three meanings, and two are named indeterminately. Among the fifteen named after a single meaning, there are further four sub-categories: four are named after dharmas: the "Expedient Means Chapter", "Faith and Understanding Chapter", "[Exhortation to] Maintain Chapter", and "Dhāraṇī Chapter"; three are named after parables: the "Parable Chapter", "Medicinal Herbs Parable Chapter", and "Apparition of the City Parable Chapter"; four are named after persons: the "Dharma Teacher Chapter", "Devadatta Chapter", "Sadāparibhūta Bodhisattva Chapter", and "Gadgadasvara Bodhisattva Chapter". As for the "Dharma Teacher Chapter", if it refers to a master possessing the Dharma, it falls under names based on persons; if Dharma is itself the master, or if one takes the Dharma as master, it falls under names based on dharmas—one may understand this accordingly. Four are named after events: the "Introductory Chapter", "Bestowal of Prophecy Chapter", "Welling Forth from the Earth Chapter", and "Entrustment Chapter". Among the ten named after two meanings, there are further three sub-categories: eight are named after person and dharma: "Bestowal of Prophecy on Those in Training and Those Beyond Training Chapter", "Tathāgata's Lifespan Chapter", "Merits of the Dharma Teacher Chapter", "Divine Powers of the Tathāgata Chapter", "Former Affairs of Bhaiṣajyarāja Bodhisattva Chapter", "Universal Gate of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva Chapter", "Former Affairs of King Śubhavyūha Chapter", and "Exhortations of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva Chapter"; one is named after agent and object: the "Discrimination of Merits Chapter"; one is named after cause and effect: the "Rejoicing in Merits Chapter". One is named after three meanings: the "Bestowal of Prophecy on Five Hundred Disciples Chapter". "Five hundred" is number, "disciples" is person, and "bestowal of prophecy" is event; thus it comprises three meanings. Two are named indeterminately: first, the "Comfortable Conduct Chapter"; second, the "Beholding the Jeweled Stūpa Chapter". Because the meaning of "peace and happiness" applies to both cause and fruit, and the meaning of *jian* applies to both seeing and appearing: if "peace and happiness" is in cause and *jian* means appearing, then it is among the names of a single meaning; if "peace and happiness" is in fruit and *jian* means seeing, then it is among the names of two meanings. One may understand this through careful reflection. For now, we have discriminated how they get their names according to general categories; the derivation of each name will be explained when we arrive at that chapter.