妙法蓮華經玄贊 2.72

2.72

贊曰：此即第三如來欲說法時至成就。略有三義：一依人，先為菩薩說大乘經，名「無量義」，後為聲聞方說一乘。二依利，先以一乘利他教理化根熟菩薩，後以一乘自利行果方化初根迴心聲聞。三依法，先談法體後談功能，故未說《法華》已前先說《無量義》，名為時至。「大乘經」者，此是通句，餘是別句。《十二門論》六義名大乘：一出二乘，二佛最大此乘能至，三佛之所乘，四能滅大苦與大利樂，五觀音等大士所乘，六能盡諸法源底。《攝大乘》云「亦乘亦大故名大乘」，即萬行是，或乘大性故名大乘，即真如是，乘運載義。無著《金剛般若論》說七種大，名雖少別，義與對法第十一同。對法云「即此乘性由與七種大性共相應故名為大乘。一境大性，以菩薩道緣百千教為所緣故彼名法大。二行大性，具二利故彼名心大。三智大性，了二無我故彼名信解大。四精進大性，三大阿僧企耶修習百千難行行故，彼名淨心大。五方便善巧大性，由具智悲不住生死及涅槃故，彼名資糧大。六證得大性，成就十力四無畏等諸功德故，彼名果報大。七業大性，窮生死際建立佛事故名為大乘，彼名時大。」乘體根本即真如理，是無相故，與《勝鬘》同。《勝鬘經》云：「一乘即大乘，大乘即佛性，佛性即涅槃界」，末通萬行亦乘亦大。七大性體，通有為故，至一乘章當具顯示。此為總句，「名無量義」等三句，是所說大乘經別名，《正法華》中唯有二句，論牒經有十七名，正合論文應云，為諸菩薩說大乘經，名無量義、最勝經典、大乘方廣、教菩薩法、佛所護念、諸佛祕法、諸佛德藏、諸佛密處、能生諸佛、諸佛道場、諸佛法輪、堅固舍利、善方便、宣說巧一乘、第一義處、妙法蓮華、最上法門。論云：「一無量義者，成就字、義故，以此法門說彼甚深妙境界法故，深妙境界即佛最勝之境界故，能詮教法說彼義故，教亦無量，由此字教及所詮義皆名無量。」《無量義經》云：「以諸眾生性欲無量，故其所說法亦無量，法無量故義亦無量，義無量者從一法生，其一法者即是無相。如是無相，無相不相，無相不相名為實相，菩薩摩訶薩安住如是真實相已，所發慈悲，明諦不虛，於眾生所真能拔苦，苦既拔已復為說法，令諸眾生受於快樂。善男子！菩薩若能如是修一法門無量義者，必得疾成無上菩提。善男子！譬如一種子能生百千萬，百千萬中一一復生百千萬數，如是展轉乃至無量。此經典者亦復如是。從於一法生百千義，百千義中一一復生百千萬數，如是展轉乃至無量無邊之義，是故此經名無量義。」論不唯取所生教理名為無量，無量之體即真智境。體能成就，成就彼字、義故。

The Eulogy says: This is the third [element], the accomplishment of the arrival of the time when the Tathāgata wishes to preach the Dharma. Briefly, there are three senses: First, in terms of persons: he first preached a Mahāyāna sūtra named "Immeasurable Meanings" for the sake of the bodhisattvas, and only later preached the Single Vehicle for the sake of the śrāvakas. Second, in terms of benefit: he first transformed the mature-rooted bodhisattvas through the altruistic doctrine and principle of the Single Vehicle, and only later transformed the śrāvakas of initial faculties who turned their minds [to the Great Vehicle] through the practice and fruit of self-benefit of the Single Vehicle. Third, in terms of the Dharma: he first discussed the substance of the Dharma and later discussed its functioning; therefore, before preaching the *Lotus Sūtra*, he first preached the *[Sūtra of] Immeasurable Meanings*, which is termed the arrival of the time. "Mahāyāna sūtra" is a generic phrase, while the rest are specific phrases. The *Dvādaśanikāya-śāstra* gives six senses of the name "Mahāyāna": (1) It surpasses the two vehicles; (2) The Buddha is the greatest, and this vehicle can reach him; (3) It is what the Buddha rides; (4) It can extinguish great suffering and bestow great benefit and bliss; (5) It is what great beings such as Avalokiteśvara ride; (6) It can exhaust the source and depth of all phenomena. The *Mahāyānasaṃgraha* says, "Because it is both a vehicle and great, it is called the Great Vehicle (Mahāyāna)"—that is, the ten thousand practices; or "because it rides upon the great nature, it is called the Great Vehicle"—that is, tathatā, "vehicle" meaning carrying and conveying. Asanga's *Vajracchedikā-prajñāpāramitā-śāstra* explains seven kinds of greatness; though their names differ slightly, their meaning is identical to that of the eleventh fascicle of the *Abhidharmasamuccayavyākhyā*. The *Abhidharmasamuccayavyākhyā* says: "Because the nature of this very vehicle is co-associated with the seven kinds of great natures, it is called the Great Vehicle. (1) Greatness of the object: because the bodhisattva path takes hundreds of thousands of teachings as its intentional object, that is named greatness of Dharma. (2) Greatness of practice: because it is endowed with both benefits, that is named greatness of mind. (3) Greatness of wisdom: because it comprehends the twofold selflessness, that is named greatness of resolute faith. (4) Greatness of vigor: because it cultivates hundreds of thousands of difficult practices throughout three great asaṃkhyeya [kalpas], that is named greatness of the purified mind. (5) Greatness of skillful means: because, endowed with wisdom and compassion, it abides neither in saṃsāra nor in nirvāṇa, that is named greatness of the provisions. (6) Greatness of realization: because it accomplishes all merits such as the ten powers and four fearlessnesses, that is named greatness of the fruition. (7) Greatness of activity: because it establishes buddha-activities to the utmost limit of saṃsāra, it is called the Great Vehicle, which is named greatness of time." The fundamental substance of the vehicle is the principle of tathatā; because it is signless, it agrees with the *Śrīmālādevī-sūtra*. The *Śrīmālādevī-sūtra* says: "The Single Vehicle is precisely the Great Vehicle; the Great Vehicle is precisely the buddha-nature; the buddha-nature is precisely the realm of nirvāṇa." Its branch aspects broadly include the ten thousand practices, being both a vehicle and great. Because the substance of the seven great natures broadly includes the conditioned, it will be fully set forth when we reach the chapter on the Single Vehicle. This is the overarching phrase. The three phrases, such as "named Immeasurable Meanings," are specific names of the Mahāyāna sūtra that was preached. In the *Zheng fahua jing* there are only two phrases, but the commentary, quoting the sūtra, lists seventeen names. If we match the commentary's text precisely, it should say: "Preached for the bodhisattvas the Mahāyāna sūtra named Immeasurable Meanings, the Most Supreme Classic, the Mahāyāna Vaipulya, the Dharma for Teaching Bodhisattvas, What Buddhas Protect and Keep in Mind, the Secret Dharma of the Buddhas, the Meritorious Treasury of the Buddhas, the Esoteric Abode of the Buddhas, That Which Can Give Birth to All Buddhas, the Bodhimaṇḍa of the Buddhas, the Dharma-Wheel of the Buddhas, the Incorruptible Śarīra, the Excellent Skillful Means, the Skilful Proclamation of the Single Vehicle, the Abode of the Ultimate Meaning, the White Lotus of the Sublime Dharma, and the Utmost Sublime Dharma Gate." The commentary says: "First, 'Immeasurable Meanings': because it accomplishes letters and meanings. Because through this Dharma gate that profound and sublime realm of phenomena is expounded, and because that deep and sublime realm is the most supreme realm of the Buddha, and because the teaching that expresses it explains that meaning, the teaching is also immeasurable. Thus, both these written teachings and the expressed meanings are named immeasurable." The *Anantanirdeśa-sūtra* says: "Because the natures and desires of sentient beings are immeasurable, the Dharma that is preached is also immeasurable; because the Dharma is immeasurable, the meanings are also immeasurable. Immeasurable meanings arise from a single phenomenon, and that single phenomenon is precisely signlessness. Such signlessness is signless and not-signless; signless and not-signless is called the true reality. After a bodhisattva-mahāsattva abides in such true reality, the compassion he generates is clear, true, and not vain; he can genuinely relieve sentient beings of suffering, and having relieved their suffering, he further preaches the Dharma to cause all sentient beings to experience joy. Good sons! If a bodhisattva can cultivate this one Dharma gate of immeasurable meanings in this way, he is certain to quickly attain unexcelled bodhi. Good sons! It is like a single seed that can produce hundreds, thousands, and tens of thousands [of seeds], and from each of those hundreds, thousands, and tens of thousands, another hundred, thousand, or ten thousand are produced, continuing in succession like this to an immeasurable extent. This classic is also like this: from a single phenomenon arise hundreds and thousands of meanings, and from each of those hundreds and thousands of meanings arise hundreds, thousands, and tens of thousands, continuing in succession like this to immeasurable and boundless meanings; therefore, this classic is named 'Immeasurable Meanings.'" The commentary does not merely take the produced teaching and principle to be named immeasurable; the substance of the immeasurable is precisely the object of true wisdom. The substance can accomplish, because it accomplishes those letters and meanings.