妙法蓮華經玄贊 1.88

1.88

准上論文唯有三句，以下釋上名上起，謂以第二句釋初句，以第四句釋第二句，以第九第十句釋第八句。此以所起名起，上即起名上起，若能起名起，上之起名上起，此類非一名上上起，准論唯有七句以上釋下名上起，謂以第二句釋第三句，以第五第六句釋第七句，以第九第十句釋第十一句，以第十一句釋第十二句，以第十二句釋第十三句，以第三句釋第十四句，以第十四句釋第十六句，此以能起名起，上即是起名上起。若以所起名起起之上名上起，此類非一名上上起，准論唯有三句單釋，謂第九第十第十五句，或第三句亦是單釋。有二句不釋，謂第五第六句。有一句以上釋下，亦以下釋上，謂第四句。總說頌曰：「下釋上有三，　上釋下有七，　三單二不釋，　一通於上下，　或上釋下有六，四單二不釋。」今依此經文，十六句中唯總有六句，以下釋上有一句，謂以諸漏已盡釋初「皆是阿羅漢故」。以上釋下有二句，謂以諸漏已盡釋「無復煩惱」，又以逮得己利釋「盡諸有結」，自餘𨷂故當句自釋。

According to the treatise's text above, there are only three phrases where the lower explains the upper, called 'upper-arising'—namely, using the second phrase to explain the first, the fourth phrase to explain the second, and the ninth and tenth phrases to explain the eighth. Here, 'arising' refers to what is given rise to: the upper is what arises, hence 'upper-arising'. If 'arising' refers to what gives rise, then it is the arising of the upper that is called 'upper-arising'. This type is not just one, hence it is called 'upper-upper-arising'. According to the treatise, there are only seven phrases where the upper explains the lower, called 'upper-arising'—namely, using the second phrase to explain the third, the fifth and sixth phrases to explain the seventh, the ninth and tenth phrases to explain the eleventh, the eleventh phrase to explain the twelfth, the twelfth phrase to explain the thirteenth, the third phrase to explain the fourteenth, and the fourteenth phrase to explain the sixteenth. Here, 'arising' refers to what gives rise: the upper is what gives rise, hence 'upper-arising'. If 'arising' refers to what is given rise to, then what is above that which gives rise is called 'upper-arising'. This type is not just one, hence it is called 'upper-upper-arising'. According to the treatise, there are only three phrases explained individually, namely the ninth, tenth, and fifteenth phrases; or the third phrase is also an individual explanation. There are two phrases not explained, namely the fifth and sixth phrases. There is one phrase where the upper explains the lower and the lower also explains the upper, namely the fourth phrase. Summarizing in verse: / The lower explains the upper in three, / The upper explains the lower in seven; / Three are individual, two are not explained, / One applies to both upper and lower; / Alternatively, the upper explains the lower in six, / Four are individual, and two are not explained. / Now, according to the text of this sūtra, among the sixteen phrases there are only six phrases in total: there is one phrase where the lower explains the upper, namely using 'all outflows are exhausted' to explain the initial 'they were all arhats'; there are two phrases where the upper explains the lower, namely using 'all outflows are exhausted' to explain 'having no further afflictions', and using 'having attained their own benefit' to explain 'exhausting all fetters of existence'. The remainder are absent [in this version of the sūtra], so each phrase is explained by itself.