[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [妙法蓮華經玄贊](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1723) › 3.6 # 妙法蓮華經玄贊 3.6 妙法蓮華經玄贊 3.6 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [3.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1723.3.6) 今此有三：一接下方便唯引於下，二顯上方便唯顯深妙，三通彰方便遍於上下。一接下方便者，此經下云「十方佛土中唯有一乘法，無二亦無三，除佛方便說」，又云「正直捨方便，但說無上道」，於前四中權巧方便也。此乃有三：一身方便，執持糞器而著垢衣，伽耶成道等是。二語方便，下云「我此九部法入大乘為本」，又趣波羅奈轉四諦法輪等是。三意方便，下云「尋念過去佛所行方便力，我今所得道亦應說三乘」等，是上同古佛下順有情。《佛地經》云「成所作智起三業化」，正與此同。依此解云，施為可則曰方，善逗機宜曰便。《往生論》云「正直曰方，外已為便」，方是方術，便謂穩便，便之方名方便。二顯上名方便者，《無垢稱》云「有方便故解，無方便故縛」，此經下云「我設是方便令得入佛慧，一切諸如來以無量方便度脫諸眾生」，入佛無漏智初設方便顯後佛智故，即四方便中施為方便，理妙可則曰方，巧用能顯曰便，其義深遠其語巧妙，便通教理，方之便名方便。三通彰方便，下經大眾疑云「何故世尊慇懃稱歎方便而作是言：佛所得法甚深難解，有所言說意趣難知」，方便是總，下二句別。「佛所得法」是顯上，明今一實；「有所言說」是接下，彰昔三權。又云「佛悉知是已以諸緣譬喻言辭方便力令一切歡喜」，接下顯上二皆通故，即十二種方便喜巧波羅蜜多，隨應配攝，方者統情機之法軌，便者濟物理之要宜，方謂方軌方法，便謂要便宜便，情謂有情，機謂機要，統攝機情機要之軌法名方，貫人貫法故，物謂人物，理謂道理，濟益人物道理之要宜名便，濟人益法故，此言意顯濟人益法之軌則故言方便，亦方亦便故名方便。由此義推乃通三釋。三種合是十二種方便善巧波羅蜜多，隨應配攝。《瑜伽》四十五說十二種中，初六依內脩證，後六依外成熟。內六種者：悲心顧戀，了知諸行，欣佛妙智，不捨生死，輪迴不染，熾然精進。外六種者：令以少施等善感無量果，令以少戒等力引大善根，憎聖教者除其恚惱，處中住者令其趣入，已趣入者令其成熟，已成熟者令得解脫。此中接下即外成熟，此中顯上即內成熟，此中通彰合是內外一十二種。十二種中為成後四，復脩六種方便善巧：一隨順會通，將為說法，先現軟美可愛身語令生愛敬，於法起樂，漸次為說，彼不解空密意言教，一切諸法無性無事無生無滅如幻夢等，如理和會，彼經不說一切法體都無所有，但無所執可說自性，據第一義非其自性，既彼性事都無所有，有何生滅？又如幻夢非如顯現，又非彼事都無所有，故說如幻令彼了知。二共立要契，見有來求，先共立契令知恩德供養恭敬持淨戒等，然後與之。三異分意樂，共立契已彼不速行，以利益意先許不與，先為親友隨順化導，彼不依學現憤恚相，所作乖違詐不隨益，此等權時外現棄捨，非內意樂不為救拔。四逼迫所作，有自在力於親屬等能正教誡，不知恩德毀戒等者，或斷所求、驅擯訶捶，令正脩習。五施恩報恩，於曾彼所有大恩德，彼期酬報勸令脩善名大報恩。六究竟清淨，果道滿已住知足天，乃至下生成等正覺，令生欣樂，往生隨下，請轉法輪廣為饒益。此中方便即是六中隨順會通，會昔三權通今一實，《決擇》、《唯識》又說有二種：一拔濟方便善巧，即外六種；二迴向方便善巧，即內六種。如其所應皆此所攝。 > Now, here there are three kinds: first, the expedient means that receives those below, which exclusively guides those below; second, the expedient means that reveals what is above, which exclusively reveals what is profound and marvelous; third, the expedient means that generally illuminates, which pervades both above and below. Regarding the first, the expedient means that receives those below, this sūtra states below: "In the buddha-fields of the ten directions, there is only the Dharma of the Single Vehicle; there is neither a second nor a third, except when expounded by the Buddha as an expedient means"; and it also states: "Openly abandoning expedient means, I preach only the unexcelled path." Among the previous four, this is the expedient means of provisional skillfulness. This consists of three aspects: first, the expedient means of body, such as holding a vessel for dung, donning soiled garments, and attaining the Way at Gayā; second, the expedient means of speech, as it states below: "These nine divisions of Dharma that I teach take entry into the Great Vehicle as their basis," and also proceeding to Vārāṇasī to turn the wheel of the Dharma of the Four Noble Truths, and so forth; third, the expedient means of mind, as it states below: "I recollected the power of expedient means practiced by past buddhas; the Way I have now attained should also be preached as the three vehicles," and so forth, which above accords with ancient buddhas and below conforms to sentient beings. The Buddhabhūmi-sūtra states: "The kṛtyānuṣṭhāna-jñāna gives rise to the transformations of the three modes of action," which is exactly the same as this. Interpreted according to this, activities that can serve as standards are called "fāng" (method/standard), and skillfully adapting to the capacities \[of beings\] is called "biàn" (expedient). The Treatise on Rebirth states: "Being upright is called fāng; external adaptation is biàn." Fāng means methods or arts; biàn means suitability; the method of suitability is called "expedient means" (fāngbiàn). Regarding the second, what is called the expedient means that reveals what is above, the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa states: "Because of possessing expedient means, one is liberated; lacking expedient means, one is bound." This sūtra states below: "I devised these expedient means to enable them to enter the Buddha's wisdom; all the tathāgatas use immeasurable expedient means to liberate all sentient beings." To enter the Buddha's undefiled wisdom, one initially sets forth expedient means to reveal the subsequent wisdom of the Buddha. Therefore, this is the expedient means of enactment among the four expedient means: the wondrous principle that can serve as a standard is called fāng, and skillful application that can reveal \[the truth\] is called biàn; its meaning is deep and far-reaching, and its words are ingenious and marvelous; the expedient pervades both teaching and principle; the suitability of the method is called "expedient means". Regarding the third, the expedient means that generally illuminates, below in the sūtra the great assembly doubts: "For what reason does the Bhagavat earnestly praise expedient means and speak these words: 'The Dharma attained by the Buddha is profound and difficult to understand; what he says has an intent that is difficult to fathom'?" Expedient means is the general \[term\], and the following two phrases are the specific: "The Dharma attained by the Buddha" reveals what is above, clarifying the present single reality; "what he says" receives those below, manifesting the three provisional \[teachings\] of the past. It also states: "The Buddha, having fully known this, uses the power of the expedient means of various causes, parables, and phrases to cause all to rejoice." Because it pervades both receiving those below and revealing what is above, these are the twelve kinds of expedient skillfulness (upāya-kauśalya) pāramitā, correlated and subsumed as appropriate. Fāng is the norm that governs the inclinations and capacities of sentient beings; biàn is the essential suitability that aids beings and principles. Fāng means standards and methods; biàn means essential suitability and convenience. "Inclinations" refers to sentient beings; "capacities" refers to what is essential for their faculties; the norm that governs and gathers the inclinations and capacities of faculties is called fāng, as it traverses both persons and dharmas. "Beings" refers to persons and things; "principle" refers to the underlying principle; the essential suitability that benefits persons, things, and principles is called biàn, as it aids persons and benefits the Dharma. The intention of this term is to reveal the norms that aid persons and benefit the Dharma; therefore, it is called "fāngbiàn" (expedient means); being both standard (fāng) and suitable (biàn), it is called fāngbiàn. Deducing from this meaning, it applies to all three explanations. The three kinds together constitute the twelve kinds of expedient skillfulness (upāya-kauśalya) pāramitā, correlated and subsumed as appropriate. The forty-fifth fascicle of the Yogācārabhūmi states that among the twelve kinds, the first six are based on internal cultivation and realization, while the latter six are based on external maturation. The six internal kinds are: compassionate yearning, thoroughly understanding all conditioned formations, delighting in the Buddha's wondrous wisdom, not abandoning saṃsāra, remaining unstained in saṃsāra, and blazing vigor. The six external kinds are: causing a small amount of good such as giving to produce immeasurable fruits; causing a small amount of power such as keeping precepts to lead to great roots of virtue; removing the anger and affliction of those who hate the noble teaching; causing those who remain indifferent to enter; causing those who have entered to mature; and causing those who have matured to attain liberation. Here, receiving those below is external maturation; here, revealing what is above is internal maturation; here, general illumination combines to form all twelve kinds, both internal and external. Within the twelve kinds, in order to accomplish the latter four, one further cultivates six kinds of expedient skillfulness: First, accommodating and harmonizing: when about to preach the Dharma, first manifesting gentle, pleasing, and lovable bodily and verbal demeanor to engender love and reverence, so that they take delight in the Dharma; then gradually preaching to them. Since they do not understand the esoteric intention of teachings on emptiness—that all dharmas are without nature, without substantial entity, without arising and without ceasing, like illusions or dreams—one reconciles it in accord with principle: that sūtra does not say that the substance of all dharmas is non-existent altogether, but only that there is no grasped nature that can be spoken of; in terms of ultimate reality, it is not their self-nature. Since their self-nature and substantial entity are entirely non-existent, what arising and ceasing could there be? Furthermore, like illusions and dreams, they are not as they appear, yet neither is it that their substantial entities do not exist at all; therefore, they are spoken of as like illusions to make them understand. Second, making mutual compacts: seeing someone come to make a request, first making a compact with them to make them recognize kindness and virtue, make offerings, pay reverence, uphold pure precepts, and so on, and only then giving to them. Third, diverse inclinations: having made a compact, if the other person does not act promptly, then with an intention to benefit them, first promising but not giving; having first acted as a close friend gently guiding them, if they do not follow and learn, manifesting an appearance of anger, acting contrary to them, and feigning not to go along with or benefit them. These are provisional external manifestations of abandonment, not an internal intention to refrain from rescuing them. Fourth, acting through compulsion: having sovereign power over relatives and the like, being able to properly admonish them; for those who do not recognize kindness and virtue, violate precepts, and so forth, either cutting off what they seek, expelling, reproving, or beating them, so as to make them practice correctly. Fifth, bestowing kindness and requiting kindness: toward those from whom one has previously received great kindness, when they look forward to requital, exhorting them to cultivate goodness; this is called great requital of kindness. Sixth, ultimate purity: having completed the path to fruition, abiding in the Tuṣita Heaven, down to descending to be born and attaining equal, perfect awakening, causing them to give rise to joyful aspiration, descending along with them upon rebirth, and requesting the turning of the wheel of Dharma to broadly benefit them. Expedient means here is specifically "accommodating and harmonizing" among the six, reconciling the three provisional teachings of the past and harmonizing them into the single reality of the present. The Viniścayasaṃgrahaṇī and Vijñaptimātratā also state that there are two kinds: first, the expedient skillfulness of rescuing and delivering, which is the six external kinds; second, the expedient skillfulness of dedication (pariṇāmanā), which is the six internal kinds. According to their respective applications, all are subsumed here. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 3.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1723.3.5) - [Next: 3.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1723.3.7) - [Up: 3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1723.3) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1723~en-mt.3.6) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (2) - [妙法蓮華經](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva.1.34) — Classical Chinese - [添品妙法蓮華經](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-jnanagupta.1.38) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1723.3.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1723.3.6) · Pramāṇa