妙法蓮華經玄贊 4.19

4.19

明說意者，《攝大乘》云「為引攝一類，　及任持所餘，　由不定種姓，　諸佛說一乘，　法、無我、解脫，　等故姓不同，　得二意樂化，　究竟說一乘。」此中十因：一為引攝一類不定種姓聲聞獨覺，令依大乘般涅槃，故法華一會多為此類說於一乘。《法華論》名退已還發大菩提心，由鶖子等昔皆求大退修小果，名退還發，非諸不定姓皆退還發心，此應名不定種姓。二為任持所餘，不定種姓地前菩薩，第六住前猶在退位，恐於大乘精進且壞退依二乘般涅槃故，故此經云「菩薩聞是法疑網皆已除」，本論亦言「如來為二種人正與解釋」，此二皆是不定種姓，為此二種故說一乘。三法等故，行乘雖異，所趣真如無差別，故《法華論》說多與此同。四無我等故，若有真實補特伽羅可有乘別，我既無異故說一乘。五解脫等故，三乘並於煩惱障中而得解脫，解脫無差別故。六姓不同故，二乘之中不定種姓有差別故，此聲聞身具有聲聞及佛種姓，由有此姓故說一乘。第七佛於有情得同自體意樂，故言我即是彼、彼即是我，我既成佛彼亦成佛。第八二乘於佛得同自體意樂，同名菩薩得受記別故，謂於此會佛與二乘授佛記別，為令攝得如是意樂，我等與佛平等無二。又此會上有諸菩薩與彼名同，因得記別故。佛一言含二種益，謂二乘者得同佛自體意樂，及諸菩薩得受記別。九化故，如世尊說，汝等苾芻我憶往昔，無量百返依聲聞乘而般涅槃，云何已成佛，後依二乘而般涅槃，即為調伏所化聲聞。佛菩薩等自化其身為彼同類，於無餘依現般涅槃，經百千劫耽寂滅酒醉逸而臥，後從彼起現受佛記，令諸不定種姓二乘盡作是心：往昔耆尊入涅槃者，今皆復起現受佛記，況我今者不希作佛而入涅槃？今此會中富樓那等即其類也。《法華論》中為化聲聞授記即此，是故亦為降彼二乘者慢，我亦得汝之涅槃故，廣如《楞伽》說，阿羅漢入無餘涅槃經百千劫，耽三昧酒醉逸而臥，後從彼起方發大心，皆佛菩薩之所化作。若不爾者，實入無餘涅槃身智都盡，後從彼起法從何生？故知是化。十究竟故，由過此外無別勝乘，依理究竟最為殊勝，故說為一。今此會中依論但與二人記別，一不定姓、二應化者。為不定姓者，即第一第二第八少分，為應化者即第九義及餘少分，說於一乘，非全撥其無定性，故此一乘是密意說。《解深密經》云「相、生、勝義無自性，如是我皆已顯示，若不知佛此密意，失壞正道不能往。依諸淨道清淨者，唯依此一無第二，故於其中立一乘，非有情性無差別」，於定、不定、有性、無性合說一。故《涅槃》亦言「一乘一道四果聖人皆得作佛，不解我意故，但應如是所說善」。今此十義說於一乘，《法華論》中無此具足，《顯揚》說六因、《莊嚴論》八義說於一乘，不過此十，故不敘之。

Explaining the intention behind teaching it: the Mahāyānasaṃgraha says: "To guide and gather in one class, / and to sustain the rest; / because of the indeterminate lineage, / the buddhas teach the Single Vehicle. / Dharma, egolessness, and liberation / are equal, yet lineages differ; / attaining two [types of] aspiration, and manifestations— / because of [these, and] ultimate reality, the Single Vehicle is taught." Herein there are ten causes: First, to guide and gather in that class of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas of indeterminate lineage, causing them to attain parinirvāṇa relying on the Great Vehicle; therefore, the Single Vehicle is taught primarily for this class in this assembly of the Lotus. The Treatise on the Lotus Sūtra calls this "having regressed, they re-engender the great bodhicitta." Because Śāriputra and others in the past all sought the Great, regressed to cultivate lesser fruits, it is called "having regressed, they re-engender"; it is not that all indeterminate lineages regressed and re-engendered their resolve, but rather this should be called the indeterminate lineage. Second, to sustain the rest: bodhisattvas of indeterminate lineage prior to the bhūmis, who before the sixth abidance are still in regressive stages; out of fear that their vigor toward the Great Vehicle might break down and they would regress to enter parinirvāṇa relying on the two vehicles, therefore this sūtra says: "When the bodhisattvas hear this Dharma, their nets of doubt are all eliminated." The root treatise also says: "The Tathāgata rightly provides explanation for two types of persons." Both of these are of the indeterminate lineage; it is for these two types that the Single Vehicle is taught. Third, because the Dharma is equal: although the vehicles of practice differ, the tathatā toward which they proceed is without differentiation; hence the explanation in the Treatise on the Lotus Sūtra is mostly the same as this. Fourth, because egolessness is equal: if there were a real pudgala, there could be differences among vehicles; since self is without difference, the Single Vehicle is taught. Fifth, because liberation is equal: the three vehicles are alike liberated from the afflictive hindrances; because liberation is without differentiation. Sixth, because lineages differ: within the two vehicles, indeterminate lineages have differences; this śrāvaka body possesses both the śrāvaka lineage and the buddha lineage, and because they possess this lineage, the Single Vehicle is taught. Seventh, the Buddha attains the aspiration of having an identical own-nature with sentient beings; therefore he says, "I am they, and they are I; since I have become a buddha, they will also become buddhas." Eighth, the two vehicles attain the aspiration of having an identical own-nature with the Buddha, because they share the name of bodhisattva and receive prophecies; that is, in this assembly the Buddha confers the prophecy of buddhahood upon the two vehicles in order to cause them to grasp and attain such an aspiration: "We and the Buddha are equal and non-dual." Furthermore, in this assembly there are bodhisattvas of the same name as them who thereby receive prophecies. A single word of the Buddha contains two kinds of benefit: namely, that those of the two vehicles attain the aspiration of having an identical own-nature with the Buddha, and that the bodhisattvas receive prophecies. Ninth, because of manifestations: as the Bhagavat said, "You bhikṣus! I recall in the past having entered parinirvāṇa hundreds of times relying on the śrāvaka vehicle." How could one who had already become a buddha later enter parinirvāṇa relying on the two vehicles? This is done to tame the śrāvakas who are to be transformed. Buddhas and bodhisattvas manifest their own bodies as beings of the same class as them, appearing to enter parinirvāṇa in the [nirvāṇa] without remainder; for hundreds of thousands of kalpas they indulge in the wine of quiescence, lying asleep in intoxication, and later arise from it to manifest receiving the prophecy of buddhahood, causing all those of the two vehicles of indeterminate lineage to think: "If those venerable elders of old who entered nirvāṇa now all rise again to manifest receiving prophecies of buddhahood, how much less should I now fail to aspire to become a buddha and instead enter nirvāṇa?" In the present assembly, Pūrṇa and others are of this category. In the Treatise on the Lotus Sūtra, conferring prophecies to transformed śrāvakas refers to this; therefore it is also to subdue the arrogance of those of the two vehicles, [showing that] "I too attained your nirvāṇa." As extensively taught in the Laṅkāvatāra-sūtra, arhats who enter the nirvāṇa without remainder for hundreds of thousands of kalpas indulge in the wine of samādhi, lying asleep in intoxication, and only later arise from it to engender the great resolve—all are manifestations created by buddhas and bodhisattvas. Were it not so, if their bodies and consciousness were entirely annihilated upon genuinely entering the nirvāṇa without remainder, when they later arose from it, from what would phenomena arise? Hence one knows it is a manifestation. Tenth, because it is ultimate: because beyond this there is no other superior vehicle, it is ultimate and most supreme in accordance with principle; therefore it is taught to be one. Now in this assembly, according to the treatise, prophecy is given to only two kinds of persons: first, those of indeterminate lineage; second, those who are manifestations. For those of indeterminate lineage, it refers to the first, second, and a small part of the eighth [causes]; for those who are manifestations, it refers to the ninth meaning and a small part of the rest; for these the Single Vehicle is taught, not that the absence of a fixed lineage is completely denied. Therefore this Single Vehicle is taught with esoteric intent. The Sandhinirmocana-sūtra says: "The lack of own-nature regarding characteristics, arising, and the ultimate— / all these I have already revealed. / If one does not understand this esoteric intent of the Buddha, / one will lose the correct path and be unable to proceed. / Relying on the purification of all pure paths, / one relies solely on this one without a second; / therefore, among them I establish the Single Vehicle, / not that there is no differentiation among the lineages of sentient beings." It teaches "one" collectively for the determinate, indeterminate, those with lineage, and those without lineage. Therefore the Nirvāṇa-sūtra also says: "Through the Single Vehicle and the single path, the noble ones of the four fruits can all become buddhas; because they did not understand my intention, [I said] only that which is spoken in this manner is good." These ten meanings now explain the Single Vehicle; they are not fully present in the Treatise on the Lotus Sūtra. The Prakaraṇāryavācā explains six causes, and the Mahāyānasūtrālaṅkāra explains eight meanings for teaching the Single Vehicle, but they do not exceed these ten; hence they are not cited here.