妙法蓮華經玄贊 4.105

4.105

差別者，一體差別，二教差別。體差別者，應頌之中定無諷誦，諷誦之中定無應頌，初後別故、單重別故。本事之中定無本生，本生之中定無本事，師、資別故。此之四部唯具十一，所餘八部皆具十二，隨其所應有前所說差別相故。《涅槃經》云：「始從如是終至奉行皆脩多羅」，故通十二；別相即無，唯取長行為契經故，二偈便非。自餘七教皆具十二，准此可知。其應頌中具十一者，〈譬喻品〉云「舍利弗來世成佛普智尊號名曰華光，當度無量眾」，即有記別之應頌也。應頌之中亦有自說，〈方便品〉云「世雄不可量，諸天及世人，一切眾生類，無能知佛者」，即是自說之應頌也。應頌之中亦有緣起，〈方便品〉云「舍利弗善聽，諸佛所得法，無量方便力，而為眾生說」，即是因緣之應頌也，因鶖子請而說法故。應頌之中亦有譬喻，「譬如長者，有一大宅，其宅久故，而復頓弊」等，即是譬喻之應頌也。應頌之中亦有本事，〈序品〉中云「彼佛滅度後，懈怠者汝是，妙光法師者，今即我身是」，即是本事之應頌也。應頌之中亦有本生，〈常不輕品〉云「彼時不輕，即我身是」，即是本生之應頌也。應頌之中亦有方廣，〈方便品〉云「十方佛土中，唯有一乘法，無二亦無三，除佛方便說」，即是方廣之應頌也。應頌之中亦有希法，〈化城品〉云「大通智勝佛，十劫坐道場，佛法不現前，不得成佛道」，即是希法之應頌也。應頌之中亦有論議，〈壽量品〉云「眾生既信伏，質直意柔軟，一心欲見佛，不自惜身命，時我及眾僧，俱出靈鷲山，我時語眾生，常在此不滅，以方便力故，現有滅不滅」，此即論議之應頌也。自餘三教皆具十一，准此應知。然此經中具十二分，一部皆是契經通相，重宣此義處並是應頌，諸為授記解深義處皆是記別，〈化城品〉中東方梵天以偈頌言「世尊甚希有，難可得值遇，具無量功德，能救護一切」等，皆是諷誦。〈方便品〉初即是自說，故前偈云「無問而自說，稱歎所行道」，鶖子三請、彌勒三請等，所說權實處皆是緣起。〈譬喻品〉等皆是譬喻。說諸弟子過去事處皆是本事。自說佛身過去事處皆是本生。說一乘處皆是方廣。說現神通處皆是希法。〈壽量品〉中佛自往復說三身相，可名論議。

Regarding their distinctions: first, distinctions in substantial entity; second, distinctions in teaching. Regarding distinctions in substantial entity: within geya there is definitely no gāthā, and within gāthā there is definitely no geya, because of the distinction between initial and subsequent, and the distinction between single and repeated. Within itivṛttaka there is definitely no jātaka, and within jātaka there is definitely no itivṛttaka, because of the distinction between master and disciple. These four branches possess only eleven [of the other limbs within them], whereas the remaining eight branches each possess all twelve, because they contain the previously mentioned distinctive characteristics as appropriate. The Nirvāṇa-sūtra states: 'From "Thus [have I heard]" at the beginning to "practiced it with veneration" at the end, all is sūtra'; thus it encompasses all twelve. But its specific characteristic does not, for only prose is taken as sūtra proper, while the two types of verse are not. The remaining seven teachings all possess all twelve; this can be known by analogy with this. As for geya possessing eleven: the 'Parable Chapter' says, 'In a future age Śāriputra will become a buddha, a universally wise venerable one named Flower Radiance, who shall deliver countless multitudes'—this is geya containing a prophecy. Within geya there is also udāna: the 'Expedient Means Chapter' says, 'The Hero of the World is beyond measure; of all the devas and worldly humans, and all kinds of living beings, none can know the Buddha'—this is geya containing an udāna. Within geya there is also nidāna: the 'Expedient Means Chapter' says, 'Śāriputra, listen well! The Dharma attained by the buddhas, through the power of immeasurable expedient means, is expounded for the sake of living beings'—this is geya containing a nidāna, because the Dharma was expounded due to Śāriputra's request. Within geya there is also avadāna: 'Suppose a householder had a great mansion; the mansion was old, and furthermore suddenly decayed' and so forth—this is geya containing an avadāna. Within geya there is also itivṛttaka: the 'Introductory Chapter' says, 'After that buddha passed into extinction, the indolent one was you; the Dharma Master Candrasūryapradīpa is now my very self'—this is geya containing an itivṛttaka. Within geya there is also jātaka: the 'Sadāparibhūta Chapter' says, 'The Sadāparibhūta of that time was my very self'—this is geya containing a jātaka. Within geya there is also vaipulya: the 'Expedient Means Chapter' says, 'Throughout 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 what the Buddha expounds as expedient means'—this is geya containing vaipulya. Within geya there is also adbhutadharma: the 'Conjured City Chapter' says, 'The Buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū sat at the site of awakening for ten kalpas, yet the Buddha-Dharma did not become manifest, and he could not attain the buddha-way'—this is geya containing an adbhutadharma. Within geya there is also upadeśa: the 'Span of Life Chapter' says, 'When living beings have become faithful and submissive, upright and gentle in mind, wholeheartedly wishing to see the Buddha and not begrudging their own physical lives, then I and the saṅgha together appear on Vulture Peak; I then tell the living beings that I am always here and do not perish, but through the power of expedient means manifest perishing and non-perishing'—this is geya containing an upadeśa. The remaining three teachings each possess eleven; this should be known by analogy. However, this sūtra possesses all twelve limbs: the entire work shares the common characteristic of sūtra; places that restate the meaning in verse are all geya; places giving prophecies or explaining profound meanings are all vyākaraṇa; in the 'Conjured City Chapter', where the Brahmā kings of the east chant in verse, 'The Bhagavat is extremely unprecedented, difficult to encounter, endowed with immeasurable merits, able to rescue and protect all,' and so on, these are all gāthā. The beginning of the 'Expedient Means Chapter' is udāna, hence the earlier verse says: 'Unasked, he expounds on his own, praising the path he has practiced'; Śāriputra's three requests, Maitreya's three requests, and so on, where provisional and real are expounded, are all nidāna. The 'Parable Chapter' and others are all avadāna. Passages recounting past events of disciples are all itivṛttaka. Passages where the Buddha recounts past events of his own person are all jātaka. Passages expounding the Single Vehicle are all vaipulya. Passages describing displays of spiritual superknowledges are all adbhutadharma. In the 'Span of Life Chapter', where the Buddha himself dialectically explains the characteristics of the three bodies, this can be called upadeśa.